Category Archives: Dental Health

What You Should Know About Oral Infections | New York, NY

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How much do you understand oral infections? We all know they are something to avoid, but it’s important to understand the different types of infections you may experience in your lifetime, and the warning signs you may be on the brink of one. Here are some of the most common oral infections that may result from poor oral hygiene:

Gingivitis– Simply put, Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums. It is the precursor to Periodontitis, the escalation of Gingivitis should it go untreated. Gingivitis is the result of plaque buildup that spreads from the gums to the ligaments that support the teeth.

Periodontal Disease– When left untreated, Gingivitis may spread below the gum line, affecting the supportive tissues and bone of our teeth. This progression is known as Periodontal Disease which deteriorates these support leading to the potential loss of teeth and may even spread to the lungs causing pneumonia.

Canker Sores– These are cuts that develop on the gums and other mouth tissues and are common in children and teens. Vigorous brushing, cheek bites, and sports injuries – as well as hormones and immune problems, may lead to canker sores.

Oral Herpes– According to centerforbeautifulsmiles.com, “50-80 percent of American adults” carry the Herpes Simlex Virus. This can lead to “blisters and ulcers on the gums and tongue, flu-like symptoms, or no symptoms at all.” While there are things individuals can do to keep the virus dormant, an outbreak may last ten days to two weeks.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease– Toddlers and school-aged children are the most susceptible to Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease. The virus Coxsackie A16 is spread by direct contact with saliva and mucus; children are particularly unconscious of their direct exposure to these fluids. Children may experience fever, sore throat, and the development of painful blisters on their body but should only last a few days.

Herpangina– Similar to Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, Herpangina typically affects children and presents itself with fever symptoms and difficulty swallowing. Yet, unlike Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, it forms blisters on the back of the mouth that once ruptured, become ulcers. Symptoms typically only last a few days.

Aesthetic Advantage has state-of-the-art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

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Understanding Wisdom Teeth Removal | New York, NY

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Wisdom teeth can crowd valuable gum space and can cause third molars to grow improperly and teeth to overlap one another; for individuals with small mouths and jaws, this is especially detrimental. Wisdom tooth removal is a very common procedure performed on a majority of young adults and is nothing to be afraid of. To help clear up misconceptions, here is what you can expect from the removal process.

Consultation. If you are feeling the growing pains of new teeth coming in at the back of your jaw, it may be a sign your wisdom teeth are coming in. It is common for this set of teeth to erupt in young adults between one’s late teenage years to their early twenties.

Removal. The removal process will look a little different for everyone depending on the circumstances of tooth positioning, jaw size and the angle at which wisdom teeth come in. For some, this set of molars does not impact their jaw or existing teeth and they can safely retain them. Most people however do require removal and have two options:

         IV Sedation. For those with dental anxiety or who are generally concerned about their procedure, IV sedation is a great option. Upon arrival, you are allowed a few minutes to breathe and relax as an IV drip slowly puts you to sleep. When the procedure is over, you will wake up and may experience a somewhat dazed feeling until the solution fades.

         Nitrous Oxide. Commonly known as “laughing gas”, nitrous oxide allows one to remain awake during the procedure and is administered as a means of relaxing an individual into their procedure. It’s important to note that nitrous oxide does not work for everyone and that increased amounts do not necessarily mean a more effective result.

Recovery. Initial recovery from the effects of sedation or nitrous oxide after surgery typically only lasts a few hours. Healing time for the gums can take up to two weeks and the reintroduction of certain foods follow this period so as not to further disturb your gums. Your dentist will speak with you about proper cleaning methods for the gums to ensure a safe and effective healing process.

Wisdom tooth removal can be viewed as either a rite of passage into adulthood or terrifying for someone to go through. Either way, the removal of our wisdom teeth for those who attain them is important if they are causing problems for your oral health.

Aesthetic Advantage has state-of-the-art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.

What Are Cavities and How Do They Happen? | New York, NY

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Cavities. They are one of those things that no matter how much we do to protect ourselves against them, can creep up on us unexpectedly. Understanding the factors that enhance or mitigate your risk of developing a cavity, the warning signs, and how they are treated, goes a long way in your ability to make informed decisions about your care routine. Here are some things we think you should know about cavities.

How Do Cavities Happen?


Acidic Foods– Citric acid contained in lemons, limes, and oranges also pops up as an ingredient in processed foods. Citric acid and others weaken teeth and put enamel in danger of erosion which in turn creates crevices for bacteria to stick and become a cavity. It would be difficult to avoid citric acid, so the best thing you can do is consume water throughout the day and keep the intake of acidic foods to a minimum.

Sugar– While sugar doesn’t cause cavities, like citric acid, it contributes to the likelihood you may develop one. Sugar is a harmful bacteria’s favorite food, so the longer sugar lingers on your teeth, the more likely that bacteria will begin to eat it. This weakens your enamel and creates opportunities for that harmful bacteria to hang around and cause a cavity.

Are Children More Prone To Develop Cavities?

Believe it or not, children are not more prone to develop cavities than adults, but there are factors that may put children and elderly individuals at more risk for tooth decay. Children tend to crave and eat sugary foods while doing a poor job brushing their teeth. The elderly tend to take medication that reduces the amount of saliva they produce thus reducing the neutralization properties of saliva. Drinking water throughout the day and regular dental visits can help both children and their grandparents to reduce the chances harmful bacteria may cause a cavity.

How Are Cavities Treated?

If you wake up to a toothache or notice black spots on a tooth, you may have a cavity. Cavities are a common occurrence and dentists have several means of treating them. Treatment options vary depending on how advanced tooth decay has become.

Simple Decay- Fluoride treatments and fillings are viable treatment options if the cavity is in its early stages. Your dentist will apply a solution to the decaying tooth to kill harmful bacteria and place a filling where the cavity was to seal the area to prevent further decay. This is a fairly simple and painless method for cavity removal, as well as the most common treatment option.

Serious Decay- If the cavity has progressed beyond the ability for a fluoride treatment to remove the bacteria, crowns, root canals and tooth extraction are a dentist’s next line of defense. Crowns are custom coverings for decaying teeth; typically made from porcelain, they work to strengthen your affected tooth once the bacteria have been removed. If the decay reaches the inner tooth or pulp, your dentist will remove the pulp, medicate it to clear any infection, and add a filling. Tooth extraction is a last resort option when the decayed tooth is beyond restoration. Your dentist may recommend a bridge or implant for the gap.

Aesthetic Advantage has state-of-the-art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina, and all surrounding areas.

Effective Ways To Care For Baby Teeth | New York, NY

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Our babies and children may never acknowledge the benefits caring for their teeth at that age have on their adult teeth later. Yet, their health will always be better off from early interventions in proper oral hygiene. “Baby teeth” are the precursor for adult teeth, they are the placeholder and it’s important they be maintained for gum health and reduction of harmful bacteria.

Oral hygiene for our children begins the day their first tooth breaks through the gum. With a damp, soft cloth, lightly wipe your baby’s gums after feeding. Once more prominent, you may use a soft toothbrush and non-fluoride toothpaste twice a day until preschool age. At that age, the amount of toothpaste that can be safely used increases to the size of a pea.

When your child is at that age and able to brush on his or her own, it’s important to keep an eye on them. Many children find the process of brushing teeth to be boring or unimportant, but this is an important age to develop good habits. Singing toothbrushes and flavored toothpaste help encourage kids to find the process more enjoyable and help guide them towards brushing their teeth for two minutes. Another great way to encourage your child is to brush with them and show them how to get to their molars, the back of their teeth, and the front.

Tooth health matters from the day they appear, so parents who take their children’s oral hygiene seriously and encourage good habits aid the child’s adult teeth later- even if they don’t know it yet.

Aesthetic Advantage has state-of-the-art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina, and all surrounding areas.

Starting 2022 with a New Smile | New York, NY

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Now that we are wrapping up 2021 and looking towards 2022, we should ask ourselves – are we living the happiest life we can? For many of us, the answer is no. And this is where our new years resolutions come in.

As we look to improve ourselves, both physically and mentally, there are some areas we cannot do alone. One of these is our smile. If you are considering a smile makeover, there are some major things to consider. After all, no two smiles are alike. Hair color, teeth, skin tone, gum tissue and overall health of your teeth are all factors that go into developing your ideal smile and maintaining a healthy mouth. You and your dentist will discuss and compose a dental treatment plan. So, let’s take a minute to break down the aspects of your smile and what our dental professionals look for when designing your smile makeover:

Tooth color. Replacing fillings with natural tooth-colored restorations, teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges and composite bonding.

Alignment and spacing. Crooked teeth overlap or have gaps can be straightened and aligned, when necessary, through orthodontics or Invisalign and improved with veneers.

Missing teeth. One or more missing teeth can affect the appearance of your smile and affect your bite. Teeth can be replaced by dental implants, bridges or partial dentures.

Harmony and balance. Uneven, chipped and cracked teeth can be cosmetically bonded for an improved appearance, and a gummy smile can be re-contoured to help improve the overall look of the smile.

Full lips, smile and cheeks. An unshapely or aging face can be rejuvenated with procedures including orthodontics and/or oral maxillofacial surgery.

Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.

Predictable Implant Abutment Selection | New York, NY

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Over the past decade, the dental profession has witnessed an influx of abutment designs and techniques. The promises of aesthetics, predictability, and ease, however, are seldom realized. The fact is that every tooth to be replaced has its own anatomy, gingival tissue contour, bone level, tissue tone, adjacent tooth, and other variables that are hardly “predictable”. One or two types of abutments cannot be used in case designs with predictable results. With the same abutments used on all cases, an aspect of treatment may be compromised (i.e., occlusion design, aesthetics, food impaction, or the presence of a black line on the tissue). Proper diagnosis for each tooth in each situation must be discussed with the surgeon and restorative dentist.

A proper waxup of critical areas (e.g., cement enamel junction levels, interproximal spaces, and available bone with or without augmentation procedures), may possibly provide an acceptable result. Four parameters have remained constant: the width of the implant, depth of tissue, angulation of placement, and clearance of the opposing arch for available material. These parameters enable clinicians to select the appropriate abutment.

Abutment selection, however, cannot be accomplished until the tissue has properly healed. In this new generation of implant prosthetics, every implant clinician must have a provisional abutment applicable for all cases, to aid in determining the shape of the tooth being restored, and the final abutment. In the aesthetic zone, during immediate restoration, the provisional abutment can help scallop the tissue and maintain the height of the gingiva. During delayed healing placement, zirconia abutments may be the next choice due to its warmer color tone.

To read more of this article, click here.

Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.

Ensure Long-Term Protection of Patients’ Restorative | New York, NY

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As the clinical challenges of debilitated dentition are addressed, clinicians must also consider the significance of occlusal rehabilitation and with this, occlusal protection. The following two case presentations represent different, but significant occlusal challenges. As each patient sought aesthetic improvement, often the solution involved major occlusal change. The use of an anterior splint device (ie, BiteSoft™) to manage occlusal disharmony and Bruxism may often be required to achieve long-term treatment success and preserve the patients, as well as the clinician’s restorative investment.

“For patients with Bruxism, BiteSoft™ provides a means to effectively manage the condition and offers peace of mind knowing that their investments are adequately protected.”

Want to read more, including Dr. Rosenthal’s case presentations? Click here.

Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.

Is Cosmetic Dentistry Vain? | New York, NY

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No one wants to be thought of as vain, but in this day and age, a large stress is placed on the way we look. If we don’t like something about ourselves, we try to change it. We go on diets, we dye our hair – there is a myriad of options we can do to improve our appearance. Cosmetic dentistry is the branch of dentistry that mainly deals with the appearance of teeth. There are several procedures involved, like teeth whitening, teeth straightening, veneers, crowns, bleaching and reshaping. While it is true that cosmetic dentistry is “elective” in more ways than one, in just as many ways, cosmetic dentistry also offers plenty of benefits from an improved smile.

A better-looking smile helps improve your self-confidence and self-esteem significantly. This then makes it easier for you to go out, smile and socialize with other people. By helping you become more confident about yourself and feel more attractive, you have a much better chance of living a better and more positive life.

The word “cosmetic” always gives off the impression that the main, and only, beneficiary is one’s appearance and that it’s only done to improve one’s look. Though, as far as cosmetic dentistry goes, it’s not always just about esthetics, it’s also about improving your oral and overall health.

Not only that, but there are many other cases where cosmetic dentistry helps in improving the overall function your teeth. Those with misaligned teeth or bites often develop worse dental problems that may result in painful areas outside of one’s teeth and this is something that cosmetic dentistry can help with.

Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.

A Miracle of Collaborative Giving | New York, NY

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A smile makeover gives new hope to a cancer patient.

By David Ward, DMD

I’ve often had patients come and go with very little fanfare. It’s not that I don’t want to know more about my patients’ personal lives; it’s just that the day’s pace leaves me with precious little time to ask more than the typical superficial questions: How are the kids? How is your spouse? Congratulations on your new baby!

But on a rather ordinary day in March 2011, I met an extraordinary person. At the age of 55, Roger decided it was time to get the smile he always wanted. After cursory introductions and greetings, I sensed Roger’s uneasiness and asked about his health and medical information. He told me he’d recently seen a doctor for a medical problem and needed more tests. They suspected cancer.

But Roger quickly became more upbeat and began opening up about his desire for a better smile. It was immediately clear that we’d have a great relationship and I’d enjoy providing him with a new smile.

After discussing his goals and desires for his smile, we started discussing a budget. We obviously wouldn’t be able to complete the full plan of crowns and veneers he’d hoped for due to financial constraints, but we agreed on a staged treatment over a period of time. Roger left after chatting with just about everyone on my team, which became a common occurrence that we all came to enjoy during the course of his treatment.

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Snoozing Your Way Through Dental Appointments | New York, NY

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Of all the health professionals feared most by adults, the dentist is at the top of the list. Dental Anxiety (DA) is the actual diagnosis for this fear and adults everywhere have it. Dental professionals everywhere have been busy making huge strides in order to calm those fears. Some are turning their dental offices into more of a spa feel than a dental one. Aromatherapy, soothing music, weighed blankets – if you can think of a soothing way to relax, chances are your dental professional has it. And if you still need “something stronger”, there’s sedation dentistry.

Sedation dentistry is the way your dentist relaxes you enough to handle the dental procedure through the use of medication, in addition to the numbing agent applied to the area that will be worked on to alleviate any pain caused by the procedure. The use of sedation is to make you as comfortable as possible as they do their job and to make recovery time minimal.

If you don’t need much to relax you, chances are you will receive nitrous oxide, or laughing gas. It is given to you as you breathe through a mask, so zero pain or needles are involved. If you need to be calmed with more than a little gas, the next step up is an oral sedative so no pain or needles are involved to make a patient groggy, but you will be awake during the procedure. IV sedation takes affect a lot quicker, but the dentist also has the ability to adjust the amount as needed. Administered by medications prior to your procedure, deeper sedation methods will render you unconscious and unable to be awakened easily.

Aesthetic Advantage has state of the art educational facilities that can help you take your career to the next level, call us at (212) 794.3552 for more information.

Aesthetic Advantage proudly serves New York, Atlanta, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Boston, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and all surrounding areas.