Dental Veneers Can Enrich Your Smile

by  • 

Dental veneers can enrich your smile. Even if you have been unable to enjoy your smile for a very long time, in just a few short visits, you can find yourself basking in the glow of a brand-new smile and a brand-new outlook on life. Whatever form of treatment or cosmetic dentistry you are looking for, our office wants to give you the exact wish that you desire.

Dental veneers can work wonders on even the worst of oral profiles. Here is a list of some common benefits they can provide:

– When done by the dentists at our office they are near-impossible to differentiate from natural real teeth.
– With the proper care, dental veneers can last over a decade.
– Dental veneers are extremely thin yet extremely durable.
– Since veneers can be custom designed and crafted for each individual tooth, they can correct a variety of flaws including misalignments, stains, discolorations, cracks, chips, breaks, faults, and other damage that may have occurred.
– Veneers require less enamel to be removed than with dental crowns or caps.
– Dental veneers can blend seamlessly with your mouth as they can be custom-designed for nearly any shade of tooth.

With our cosmetic dentistry and dental veneers, we want to make your smile as amazing as we can. If you would like to set up an appointment with Drs. Stanovick and Stanovick, please call us at 804-781-1919, or stop by our office in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Come see what veneers can do for you!

Do You Want Your Dream Smile this Christmas? Here Are Some Tips

by  • 

Christmas is a bright time of year, especially because of the countless Christmas lights and the spotless snow. To make the season even brighter, you need a pristine smile. Having a bright and brilliant smile will help you have the confidence you need to talk, laugh and smile while you open your gifts and go to family parties.

To help you achieve the smile of your dreams this holiday season, our Paul R. Stanovick, DDS dental team encourages you to do the following things:

-Keep up on oral hygiene: Make sure you brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. It’s also recommended to floss your smile and rinse your mouth at least once a day. In addition to brushing, flossing and rinsing, you need to visit your dentist every six months for a routine cleaning and checkup. So if you’re due for your professional dental cleaning, schedule an appointment now.

-Take advantage of teeth whitening: For a stunning and beautiful smile this holiday season, take advantage of teeth whitening. There are many treatments available, but if you want a beneficial and successful treatment, talk to your dentist about a professional whitening treatment.

-Don’t open your presents with your teeth: Using your teeth as tools could damage your smile more than you know. This is why we ask you to avoid opening your Christmas gifts with your teeth. Doing so can chip and fracture your teeth.

-Get a smile makeover: If you’re embarrassed by your smile, now is the time to consider a smile makeover. There are many treatments available that can help you achieve the smile of your dreams, like dental crowns, dental bridges, dental implants, dental veneers and more. Call our office now if you would like to know what we can do to enhance the appearance of your smile.

If you’re interested in any of our cosmetic dental treatments in Mechanicsville, Virginia, please feel free to call our office today at 804-781-1919 and schedule an appointment with your dentist, Dr. Paul R. Stanovick or Brant Stanovick. We also encourage you to call our office and talk to our team if you have any questions about how to achieve your dream smile this Christmas. We are here to help you in any way we can!

Fluoride Treatments and Supplements Can Help Prevent Cavities

by  • 

Your tooth enamel is composed of microscopic mineral structures. The density of these minerals is what gives your teeth the strength to bite and chew food. However, it is possible for the acidic foods and beverages you consume throughout the day to erode the mineral density of your tooth enamel. This creates microscopic pores and textures that can harbor bacteria and tooth decay.

If your teeth show signs of tooth decay, or if you’ve struggled with multiple cavities in the past, your dentist, Dr. Stanovick and Stanovick, might recommend a standard fluoride treatment. You see, fluoride counteracts the effects of demineralization by restoring the microscopic mineral crystals that make up your tooth enamel.

Your dentist will usually administer the fluoride treatment immediately following your regular dental checkup. This is done by pouring concentrated fluoride gel into a special tray that is inserted into your mouth and held there for a few minutes. You will need to avoid eating and drinking for up to an hour to maximize the fluoride saturation of your teeth.

If your tooth enamel has been significantly compromised, we might also prescribe daily fluoride supplements. This often comes in the form of a concentrated fluoride toothpaste or mouthrinse that you use right before going to bed.

If you are concerned about the health and integrity of your tooth enamel, you should call [practice_name] at [phone] to understand your fluoride options in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

Don’t Forget to Add These Smile Friendly Thanksgiving Foods to the Menu

by  • 

While you are cooking up a storm this Thanksgiving holiday, Dr. Paul R. Stanovick, Brant Stanovick, and our team in Mechanicsville, Virginia, hope you include some smile-friendly fare on your menu. Most people are familiar with heart-healthy food choices, but smile-friendly food choices are not as well-known, yet both are vital to good health. Following are some smile-friendly choices we hope you include in your family’s bounteous spread.

— Chewing cheddar cheese lowers acid levels in the mouth and stimulates saliva production, both of which promote good oral health. Cheese also has calcium and protein which aids tooth enamel.

— Crunchy foods like apples, raw carrots, and celery can help clean plaque off of your pearly whites. They also contain fiber, which stimulates both the gums and saliva production which help wash away plaque.

— If you want to build tooth enamel, in addition to cheese, eat plenty of leafy greens such as spinach and kale, and almonds, which contain calcium. And meat, eggs, and fish supply the body with phosphorous, which also helps tooth enamel.

— If you have eaten and can’t brush your teeth, chewing sugarless gum helps remove bacteria in the mouth, which prevents plaque from building up on your teeth.

— Drinking milk after consuming sugary foods can help neutralize the acid created by bacteria which forms into plaque.

— Polyphenols, which are compounds found in both black and green teas, slow down bacterial growth that can cause cavities and gum disease. Drinking these teas are also good for fighting bad breath.

As you can see, you can help your family enjoy the holidays while protecting those hard-earned smiles. Remember to brush and floss no matter how busy you are, and keep those twice a year dental cleanings and checkups. To schedule a visit for you or a family member, please call 804-781-1919 today. Dr. Paul R. Stanovick, Brant Stanovick and the rest of our team at Paul R. Stanovick, DDS wish you and yours a healthy Thanksgiving!

A Dental Bridge Can Replace a Lost Tooth

by  • 

Restorative dentistry is a specific focus of dental treatments that are meant to restore a tooth. Your oral health can be altered if a tooth isn’t restored by some means. A great restorative dentistry option is to install a standard dental bridge to help replace lost teeth.

A dental bridge in Mechanicsville, Virginia, is a single piece of dental work that replaces three teeth. There are crowns on each end that are anchored on abutments that are formed from the neighboring teeth.

To create the two abutments, your dentists, Drs. Stanovick and Stanovick, will remove the tooth enamel from the two closest teeth. Your dentists will then cast a detailed impression of the abutments and your personal bite pattern. This will be sent to our dental lab where your new bridge will be made.

Then, temporary crowns will be cemented over each abutment to protect them while the dental lab technician works to produce the new bridge.

We will call you in for a brief second appointment when your bridge is ready. The temporary crowns will be removed and your new bridge will be cemented in place over the two abutments during this appointment.

If you are missing a tooth, you should call our office at 804-781-1919 to see what method of restorative dentistry is right for you.

Do You Have Cancer? If so, Here Are Some Ways to Maintain a Healthy Smile

by  • 

Did you know that your chances of infection increase during cancer treatment if you have an unhealthy smile? Well, it’s true, which is why it’s best to take care of your smile before you begin chemotherapy or radiation.

Some things you can do to ensure a strong oral health are:

-Visit your dentist: It’s best to treat all of your dental issues before you begin treatment. By treating the areas of concern, you will likely reduce the chances of having dental side effects when you undergo chemotherapy and radiation.

-Brush regularly: It’s very important to brush your teeth twice a day with an extra-soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. If you need a softer brush, you can soak your toothbrush in warm water.

-Floss: Do your best to floss once a day. This will help remove plaque from between your teeth, which will help prevent gum disease. If your gums are sensitive or sore or if they are bleeding, avoid flossing those areas and move on to flossing the other teeth.

-Avoid using tobacco: Tobacco products are very harmful to your body, especially your mouth. So, it’s best to avoid using tobacco products. Also, if you stop using these products, your body will likely heal faster.

-Rinse often: It’s recommended to rinse your mouth at least once a day. However, please use rinse that does not contain alcohol. Rinsing will help you deeply clean your smile and will help reduce your chances of having decay and infection. It will also protect your teeth from the acidic particles that live in vomit.

Doing these things will help you prevent additional issues that can cause infection and troubles. If you have any questions or if you would like to learn more about how to care for your smile when you have cancer in Mechanicsville, Virginia, please call our office today at 804-781-1919. Drs. Paul R. Stanovick, Brant Stanovick, and our friendly dental team are happy to help you!

A Knocked-Out Tooth Can Be Replaced by a Bridge

by  • 

Each one of your teeth is anchored in its socket by a series of strong periodontal ligaments. As strong as this hold is, there are times when a hard blow to the face can sever the tooth’s connection with the periodontal ligaments, knocking the tooth out of the socket. When this happens, the tooth is almost always lost.

To remedy this problem, our dentists will often recommend suturing the gums and installing a dental bridge to replace the knocked-out tooth. A dental bridge in Mechanicsville, Virginia, mimics the appearance of a natural tooth. The replacement tooth is fused to a pair of crowns that are anchored to two abutments.

To form the abutments, Drs. Stanovick and Stanovick will need to remove all of the tooth enamel from each of the neighboring teeth. This creates a small protective sheath that houses the healthy pulp, root, and nerve of each tooth.

Drs. Stanovick and Stanovick will then create a detailed impression of the abutments and surrounding teeth. This impression will be sent to a dental lab to help guide the technicians as they produce your permanent bridge. A temporary crown is cemented over each abutment to keep it safe while you await the completion of your final bridge.

Once the dental lab has completed your permanent bridge, Drs. Paul R. Stanovick and Brant Stanovick will call you into our office for a brief follow-up appointment. The temporary crowns will be removed and your new permanent bridge will be cemented into place.

If one of your teeth has been knocked out, you need to call us at 804-781-1919 to seek urgent treatment.

Cold Sores and Canker Sores: What’s the Difference?

by  • 

You’ve probably heard about cold sores and canker sores, but what do you know about the two? While the two may seem very similar, there are a number of differences between the two. Similarly, do you ever wonder what you can do to avoid canker sores and cold sores—or what you can do to address either type of sore?

In reality, the main difference between the two is their location. Canker sores are always found inside the mouth, though they can be virtually anywhere inside your mouth. Also, canker sores are usually gray, yellow, or white with a red ring around it. These are open sores, but they aren’t contagious. Still, they can be very unpleasant. Unfortunately, no one knows the exact cause of canker sores, but some claim that they are affected by stress, vitamin or mineral deficiencies, food allergies, and even hormones.

As you’ve probably guessed, cold sores are extremely contagious. Cold sores are also known as fever blisters. Unlike canker sores can be, which come in a variety of colors, cold sores are almost always red. While cold sores are painful, they can also cause fevers, headaches, and swollen lymph nodes. However, these sores don’t usually last too long—but they are still quite uncomfortable.

Naturally, a trip to our dentists, Drs. Stanovick and Stanovick, can help diagnose your problem. Similarly, our team may be able to give you a solution to your problem. Also, if you have a large sore for more than three weeks, please remember to visit our team soon. If you’d like to learn more, or would like to schedule an appointment with us, please don’t hesitate to contact our office at 804-781-191. We’re eager to hear from you.

Test Your Knowledge With this Toothpaste Quiz

by  • 

Do you think you have a perfect knowledge of toothpaste? If so, our Dr. Paul R. Stanovick, DDS, team wants to test your wisdom! To find out what you really know about toothpaste in Mechanicsville, Virginia, we encourage you to take this toothpaste quiz:

Question No. 1: Do all toothpaste brands use the same ingredients?
Answer: No, toothpaste ingredients can vary from brand to brand, which is why it’s important to pay attention to the ingredients in the toothpaste you purchase. Each ingredient has its own benefit and function.

Question No. 2: When is the most effective time to use toothpaste?
Answer: The best and most effective time to use toothpaste is right after a professional dental cleaning. This is a beneficial time because the toothpaste has direct access to the clean tooth surface, which makes brushing more effective.

Question No. 3: What is the best ingredient to have in toothpaste?
Answer: The best ingredient to have in toothpaste is fluoride. Fluoride is the best because it nourishes and strengthens your teeth, giving them the ability and strength to fight off tooth decay and other major dental issues.

Question No. 4: Does the form of toothpaste matter?
Answer: No, the form of toothpaste doesn’t matter. As long as the product has fluoride, it doesn’t matter if it is a paste, gel, or powder.

Question No. 5: Should children use the same toothpaste as adults?
Answer: No, children should not use the same toothpaste as adults. Sometimes, the adult toothpastes contain too much fluoride for the children’s teeth to handle, which is why it’s best to give children toothpaste that is made for kids.

Did you answer all of the questions correctly? If so, good for you! If you didn’t, your dentist, Dr. Paul R. Stanovick or Brant Stanovick , hopes you learned something new. For more information and details about toothpaste, please call our office at [phone] and talk to a member of our dental team. We are more than happy to help you in any way we can!

A Badly Decayed Tooth Might Require Total Restoration with a Bridge

by  • 

Ignoring a cavity can have serious implications to your overall oral health. If the problem goes too long without professional treatment, the tooth can become so badly decayed that our dentists, Drs. Paul and Brant Stanovick may recommend extracting it to prepare for a dental bridge treatment.

A bridge effectively mimics the appearance of the lost tooth. It is fused to a pair of crowns, which will later be anchored to the two closest neighboring teeth.

Once the tooth is extracted and your gums are healed, Drs. Paul and Brant Stanovick will start the process of restoring the missing tooth by removing the enamel layer of the two nearest teeth. After the enamel is reshaped, he will take an impression of the teeth.

At the end of this appointment, he will secure hard, plastic caps, known as temporary crowns, over each tooth.

The impression will be sent to a professional dental lab where your final bridge will be custom made.

Drs. Paul and Brant Stanovick will call you in for a brief second appointment when the dental lab has completed your bridge. The temporary crowns are then removed and your dentist will cement the permanent bridge into place.

If you have a tooth that is suffering from severe tooth decay in Mechanicsville, Virginia, please call our dedicated dental team at 804-781-1919 to schedule an appointment today!

Keeping Ahead of COVID-19

Providing a safe environment for treatment and control for infectious disease is always a priority at Paul Stanovick DDS. Our expansive reception area and large outdoor deck provides space to easily support regulations surrounding social distancing. The treatment rooms provide an extra layer of protection as they are sanitized between each patient and provide clean air through air purifiers located in each room. You will see some changes during your next appointment as we have added precautions to protect patients and staff. You will be asked to enter the building with use of facial protection and asked to wear it until you are in the treatment room. Hand sanitizer is also available throughout the whole building for your use. You may notice that our magazine and children’s books have been removed from the reception area as they are harder to disinfect. We have installed plexiglass around our front reception area for added distancing between front staff and patients waiting for appointments. Air purifiers have been placed in every operatory with two larger purifiers in the front and back of the office. We have provided face shields, lab jackets and barrier gowns for all clinical staff. Our hours of operation will still remain Monday -Friday 8am-5pm. We are looking forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about treatment and the safety precautions we are taking here at the practice. If you would like to make an appointment you can give us a call or text 804.781.1919. Thank you for your patience during these changing times and for your trust in us with taking care of your dental needs. Sincerely, Dr. Paul Stanovick, Dr. Brant Stanovick, and Staff.