Getting Inlays and Onlays at Ardas Family Dental

If you’ve suffered a broken or severely decayed tooth, we have solutions at Ardas Family Dental in Parker. Our dental office is equipped to provide restorations ranging from simple fillings to implants and full-mouth dentures. But if you’ve incurred significant damage to the crown of a tooth, you may need something in between a mere filling and a full replacement. Partial crowns come in the forms of inlays and onlays, and although we hope our patients never require them, we want them to feel comfortable with the concepts should the need arise.

Our molars and premolars have to be able to withstand a lot of force. For the most part, they can, with their wide areas distributing the force of a bite, and their raised bits, called cusps, providing traction for grinding up food. But grinding teeth can split, particularly if a patient clenches their jaw in their sleep. Food debris can also get caught in between the cusps, allowing decay-causing bacteria to multiply there until a hole develops on the tooth’s surface. If we have to drill away a decayed indentation, we may use a partial crown called an inlay to replace the missing enamel. If we also have to replace a broken cusp, we would call the partial crown an onlay.

The placement of an inlay or onlay isn’t too different from the placement of a full crown. After removing damaged enamel, we would make an impression of a patient’s mouth and provide them with a temporary crown. Once we receive the custom-milled partial crown from a dental laboratory, the patient would return to have it cemented in. Partial crowns for permanent teeth are made to blend in with the natural enamel surrounding them and they’re meant to last. If a patient brushes their teeth twice a day and wears a night guard to protect their teeth from nighttime jaw clenching, a partial crown could last for ten years.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420.

Hygiene During Orthodontic Treatment

Oral hygiene is already important when it comes to a healthy mouth, but it’s even more important when the mouth is going through orthodontic treatment. There are more nooks and crannies when brackets are placed on the teeth, wherein food is trapped and turned into plaque. Dr. Roopi Kattaura at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, CO, takes pride in educating patients with braces about the importance of an at-home oral hygiene regimen. 

Patients with braces are at an increased risk for early stages of tooth decay and gingivitis if proper oral hygiene isn’t used. Dr. Kattaura recommends brushing your teeth with a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, as well as flossing, two to three times a day. You should be brushing in and around each bracket and wire, brushing in a circular motion where the gums and teeth meet, and brushing in a back and forth motion on the tops of molars.

Other things to consider during orthodontic treatment:

- Pay attention to what you eat and drink. Sugary foods and drinks erode enamel and make the teeth more susceptible to tooth decay, especially if you aren’t brushing properly or regularly.

- Certain foods can loosen, break, or bend wires. To limit stress on your braces, avoid eating hard or sticky foods.

Do you have a question or concern? We are happy to help! Ardas Family Dental is located at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, in Parker, CO 80134. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit ardasfamilydental.com or call the office at 720-459-8420.

 

Dental Implants

There are a variety of reasons why people lose their teeth. Gum disease, tooth decay, or physical trauma all have the potential to cause teeth to fall out. The only treatment options available to these patients were prosthetics like dentures and bridges. Today, dental implants have become a popular option for patients seeking to replace missing teeth. Dr. Kattaura at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, CO, is proud to offer dental implants to her patients. If you are missing a tooth or multiple teeth, Dr. Kattaura can help you achieve a smile you feel confident in. 

Dental implants replace the tooth root, creating a strong foundation for prosthetic teeth to be built upon. Proven to be successful and able to last a lifetime, dental implants have many other advantages for the patient. This includes improved:

- Oral health

- Comfort

- Appearance

- Speech

- Eating

- Confidence

Dental implants also provide better durability and convenience. Unlike dentures where you have to remove them from time to time, dental implants eliminate this step altogether. Once they’re in your mouth, they act as a natural part of your mouth. After a while, you might even forget that they’re there!

Are you missing a tooth or multiple teeth? Do you think you could benefit from dental implants? We are happy to address any questions or concerns you might have! Ardas Family Dental is located at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, in Parker, CO 80134. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit ardasfamilydental.com or call the office at 720-459-8420.

 

Treatment for White Spots in Parker, CO

Would you know if you were developing a cavity? You might think you could tell from having a toothache, but that’s not actually the first sign of enamel infection. We provide regular cleanings to patients of all ages at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, Colorado, but we want our patients to be able to recognize when they need specialized attention quickly. That’s why this week’s blog post is dedicated to the telltale sign of an incipient lesion: a white spot.

Enamel has a higher composition of inorganic tissues than any other tissue in the body. Although this makes it much harder, it can be damaged by the accumulation of acid. This can happen when a person consumes acidic things directly, when bacteria metabolize sugar on their teeth and produce acid as a waste product, or when they regurgitate acid from their stomach. The demineralization of enamel causes it to appear a chalky white color before it decays away, leaving behind a cavity.

White spots commonly occur around orthodontic brackets and in hard-to-brush places such as the sides of teeth and near the gum line. It may take as few as thirty days after one forms for it to become a cavity. The infection can usually be stopped through better hygiene, but there is a possibility the enamel will remain scarred. If that happens, we may discuss concealing it with with a veneer or bonding after we determine that the infection is no longer active.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Sealants in Parker, CO

We’re proud to be a trusted provider of oral health services to Parker residents of all ages here at Ardas Family Dental. Children are especially vulnerable to tooth decay, with one in four suffering a cavity before they turn four years old. We can repair their teeth, but it’s important for them to be protected from future tooth decay, as well. That’s why, in addition to teaching them proper oral hygiene, we administer sealants to their back teeth.

The points on our molars and premolars are called cusps. They are used to chew food, but the indentations between them can easily become a trap for debris. If the debris is allowed to remain, it will become food for oral bacteria, which will produce acid as a waste product. Children tend to have trouble brushing thoroughly, which is why sealants are used to slightly smooth out their back teeth and shield them against acid.

A sealant is a small layer of plastic that is painted on by a dentist following a professional cleaning. Before it is placed, the teeth will be etched with a mild acid in order to increase their surface area, allowing them to build a stronger bond with the sealant. The plastic coating will be hardened with a blue light, and the patient will have to refrain from eating for a few hours. After that, they will be able to chew normally. When cared for through ordinary oral hygiene, sealants can last for over ten years. Although children are the most common victims of tooth decay, they are not the only ones, which is why we may also offer sealants to adults.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Choosing a Toothbrush

At Ardas Family Dental, we advise our patients to brush twice a day to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. It is important that you use a toothbrush that you’re comfortable using and that is cleaning your teeth effectively. Choosing the right toothbrush can be difficult, which is why we encourage our patients to ask us for advice.  

Our dentists encourage our patients to use a soft-bristled toothbrush with a small-headed brush. Most dental professionals agree that soft-bristled toothbrushes clean your teeth the best and remove bacteria and plaque. The small-headed toothbrushes are more versatile and can reach every part of your teeth and gums.

Regardless of the type of toothbrush you use, as long you’re cleaning for a full two minutes with fluoride toothpaste any toothbrush will do. We recommend to our patients to use an electric toothbrush if they have trouble reaching certain areas of their mouth as they clean more thoroughly.

Don’t forget to change your toothbrush every 3-4 months or when the bristles begin to harden to maximize your brushing.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

National Children's Dental Health Month

At Ardas Family Dental, we stress the importance of taking care of your children’s teeth from an early age. As soon as their baby teeth come in, we advise you to bring your children in for a dental cleaning. The earlier you begin to take care of your children’s teeth and gums, the greater their chance for healthy teeth when they’re older.

Every February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, which raises awareness about the importance of oral health. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children, although it is preventable when they practice good oral hygiene. We advise our patients to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss to prevent cavities.

We encourage our patients to eat a healthy diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables. Consuming foods and drinks that contain too much sugar and acids put kids at a greater risk of tooth decay and cavities.

Don’t forget to begin brushing your children’s teeth as soon as their baby teeth come in. Although they will fall out, pain from tooth decay can delay a child's development. Good oral hygiene at a young age will set them up for a lifetime of good oral health.

To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Roopi Kattaura of Ardas Family Dental, visit www.ardasfamilydental.com for more information or call 720-459-8420. 

Dental Instruments

We want visiting the dentist to be a comfortable experience at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, and we recognize that for most people, that means retaining a sense of agency. We use up-to-date technology in our office to provide patients with the best experience possible, but some people feel anxiety about ordinary dental instruments. We thought if patients knew how to talk about them, they would feel more relaxed.

The dental hygienists’ most important tools are the handheld mirror and the explorer. The explorer is the metal wand with a hook on each end that is used to investigate the hardness of enamel and the cleanliness of gum pockets. It is also used to scrape away tartar that has accumulated on teeth. A scaler is a kind of flattened hook that is used to clean bacteria out of gum pockets. Once the explorer has dislodged unwanted material, a vacuum hose called an evacuator is used to remove it.

Larger evacuators are used to remove debris from drilling. When a patient needs a filling, we will apply a localized anesthetic through a syringe and drill the decayed enamel away. The drill will emit water to prevent overheating. Once the decayed enamel is removed, we can replace it with a natural-colored non-toxic filling. The filling will be contoured using a blunt-tipped instrument called a burnisher, ensuring that it will not interfere with the patient’s bite.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Holiday Teeth Safety Tips from Ardas Family Dental

With so much sugar available during the holiday season, you may be wondering how you can protect your and your children’s teeth. At Ardas Family Dental in Parker, we want our patients to be able to enjoy socializing with treats and not have to worry about getting a toothache, so we put together some smart tips.

When food remains on the teeth for a long time, bacteria have longer to metabolize it and secrete acid. Bacteria can eat simple sugar more quickly, so the most dangerous foods are those which keep sugar in direct contact with teeth for a long time. Candy canes and other hard candies are chief among those, but another risk comes from sugary drinks such as eggnog, hot chocolate, caffeinated beverages with cream, and alcoholic beverages. Things that are full of simple sugars also tend to dry out the mouth, leaving it without saliva to rinse sugary residue or remove food debris.

You produce more saliva when you’re eating large meals, so it’s best to limit snacks to then, if possible. If social obligations demand that you snack over a long period, you can try chewing sugar-free gum to remove some sticky or starchy food from between your teeth. Alternating between sugary beverages and water will also help keep the mouth clean, so bring some bottles of fluoridated water with you if you’re traveling to somewhere that uses well water.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

National Dental Hygiene Month Observance in Parker, CO

Everyone knows that brushing and flossing are essential, but could your technique use work? October is National Dental Hygiene Month. In honor of it, we at Ardas Family Dental in Parker want to remind our patients of the basics of good oral care.

While people can get good results from electric or manual toothbrushes, a manual toothbrush is only safe if it has soft bristles. Smaller electric toothbrush heads can be used on difficult-to-reach places. Brushing should be done twice a day, in two-minute sessions if using a manual toothbrush. The user should move the brush in horizontal ovals while brushing the outward-facing sides of their teeth and should make vertical strokes on the inward-facing sides. It is important to remember to brush near the gum line; that’s where plaque tends to accumulate. Parents should start brushing their babies’ teeth as soon as the first one erupts.

There are lots of American Dental Association-approved products for cleaning between the teeth. People should never attempt to pick their teeth with improvised devices. When using traditional floss, pull it along the side of each tooth, not just down the gap between them. Remember to floss the backs of your back teeth. You can improve your breath using mouthwash, but daily use of a tongue scraper is also a reliable way of cleaning out bacteria.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Choosing between Electric and Manual Toothbrushes at Adras Family Dental

People have a bigger collection of dental hygiene products to choose from than ever before. This is good news for people with highly specific oral health needs, but the toiletries section of the store can also get confusing. This week, we at Ardas Family Dental in Parker are devoting our blog to the differences between manual and electric toothbrushes.

Electric toothbrushes make tens of thousands of brush strokes per minute, in contrast to manually operated toothbrushes, which can only make a few dozen. This creates a risk of overbrushing, but could also cut down on time. Studies have found that when a manual toothbrush is used properly, it is just as good at preventing tooth decay as an electric brush. But manual toothbrushes have to be used for at least two minutes per session, which can especially be a problem for people with motor neuron issues.

Electric toothbrushes are a bigger investment, but some are equipped with Bluetooth technology and apps that can help people with other problems. Besides warning the user if they are overbrushing, they can also point out if the user consistently misses a spot. Some are also designed to teach good hygiene habits to kids through mobile games. If a person frequently needs dental care for tooth decay, an electric toothbrush may save them money in the long run.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Defend against White Spot Lesions at Ardas Family Dental

Without looking it up, can you name the first sign of tooth decay? It’s not pain; at that point, decay has already progressed enough to form a cavity. The first sign of tooth decay is a white spot lesion, which is why white spots are also known as incipient lesions.

Tooth decay is the result of acid being trapped in tartar. When bacteria have a lot to feed on, they produce acid as a result of their metabolism and rapidly multiply. Tooth enamel that has been exposed to acid turns white and chalky as it loses minerals. This can be seen in people with acid reflux as well as tooth decay. But while acid reflux first affects the upper back teeth, tooth decay is likelier to occur near the gum line, on the sides of teeth, and around orthodontic brackets.

White spots form very quickly and can lead to more serious decay in as few as thirty days. Patients should keep a close watch for them and change their brushing habits to remove them before they become permanent. However, if a white spot does develop, it may be possible to remineralize or simply cover up with a veneer once the infection is stopped.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. To learn more about dental hygiene, call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

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Tooth Decay Prevention

If you don’t practice proper oral hygiene on a daily basis, you may suffer the consequences sooner rather than later.  Tooth decay is one of the most common of all diseases, second only to the common cold. Preventive strategies don’t just rely on brushing and flossing, they count on your dietary habits (such as sugar intake) as well. At Ardas Family Dental, our doctors can develop and guide you through an individualized treatment plan to prevent the decay process.  

Tooth decay is defined as the destruction of tooth structure and it can affect both the enamel (the outer coating of the tooth) and the dentin layer of the tooth. The dentin surrounds the pulp and when the pulp becomes damaged, sensitivity will commence. The tooth decay process begins when bacteria in our mouths combine with food debris and saliva to form plaque, which clings to the teeth. To prevent plaque from lingering, it’s important to brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, and clean between your teeth with floss or an interdental cleaner. Additionally, you should eat nutritious and balanced meals, while limiting snacks, and visit our staff at Ardas Family Dental every six months for a routine checkup.

If you have questions regarding your oral hygiene routine, give us a call. To learn more about services we provide at the practice, visit General Dentist Parker, CO for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, CO, call 720- 459-8420.