If it’s come to the point where you can’t even think about biting into an ice cream bar and you have to let your morning cup of coffee cool before you can enjoy it, you may want to find ways to decrease your tooth sensitivity.

There are several things that can cause your teeth to become overly sensitive to heat or cold. The continual use of a hard bristle toothbrush for instance, can wear away tooth enamel exposing the nerve center and activating the pain. Try switching to softer bristles and apply gently.

The brand of toothpaste that you use can also compromise the enamel that protects the teeth. Stay away from those toothpastes that contain whitening agents and see if it makes a difference. Chemically based mouth rinses, or those that contain alcohol, can also break down tooth enamel. Most people can go without using a mouthwash every day.

Tooth sensitivity is likely to heighten after a dental procedure but it should return to normal over a short amount of time. If the sensitivity continues or increases it could be something more. Be sure to contact your dentist if you experience any lasting side effects.

If you have sensitive teeth you may have to adjust some of your habits. Avoiding acidic foods and drinking cold beverages through a straw are good examples of how to manage tooth sensitivity.

You can rely on Dr. Looze of Southlands Dental in Aurora to be able to alert you to the symptoms of over sensitivity. Call Southlands Dental @ 720-886-0606.

There are any number of reasons for people to want to improve the way their smile appears to others. Business men and women for instance, are meeting and greeting customers and associates everyday, all day. They want to come across as positive and confident to make as good an impression as possible.

A first impression sticks. Stained or misshapen teeth can take away from the impact that a dazzling smile can make, whether in a professional situation or on a personal level. Your dentist can advise you on the ways to prevent staining and can offer a multitude of cosmetic dental procedures to correct or conceal many kinds of imperfections.

There are some foods and drinks that are infamously known stain causers. Unfortunately many of them are among our favorites – soft drinks, coffee, tea, and red wine, to name a few, but if we want to keep our pearly whites looking their best we may have to make some sacrifices. Moderation and preventive methods are key. If you like to enjoy a glass of wine with your dinner for instance, feel free but rinse with plain water afterwards and if you like to have a soda now and then use a straw so that the sugary drink doesn’t come so directly in contact with your teeth.

Brushing twice a day and flossing at least once is a basic recommendation for the prevention of cavities and gum disease. Good oral health habits also work to keep your teeth bright and your breath fresh. Your dentist may approve a toothpaste with whitening agents as an extra measure. An in-office professional tooth whitening procedure can be the best way to ensure a good outcome. Talk to your dentist about all the possibilities available.

If your teeth are chipped or marred in any way dental bonding can restore them. Older fillings can be replaced with a composite resin that is colored to match the shade of your natural teeth and porcelain veneers can be placed over teeth that have shifted or have gaps between them. These are just some examples of what cosmetic dentistry has to offer.

Rely on Southlands Dental in Aurora to offer you the latest in dental technology. Call 720-886-0606 today.

Maybe you somehow slipped through the cracks or you were misdiagnosed during your childhood years and never had the opportunity to have your teeth straightened. Now that you are an adult you may look back on all the time that you have spent trying so hard to hide the unsightliness of crooked, misaligned teeth and decide that you’ve had enough!

There is light at the end of that tunnel. Six Month Smiles is an innovative orthodontic treatment for adults who want to improve their smile without having to wear a mouthful of metal for a significant amount of time, often years. The braces are practically invisible and as the name implies they can produce amazing result in only six months time.

If your teeth are too far apart or crowded together or if they are noticeably misshapen you may be a candidate for Six Month Smiles. Dr. Looze of Southlands Dental in Aurora can do an evaluation to determine if the treatment can benefit you. During your consultation with Dr. Looze you will have the opportunity to inquire about the procedures involved and any follow up measures that may be appropriate. Be sure to ask to see the portfolio of patients who have benefitted from Dr. Looze’s experience with Six Month Smiles.

Call the office of Southlands Dental @ 720-88-0606 to set up your appointment.

The process of cleaning your teeth consists of more than just making them look good and giving your entire mouth a fresh sparkly feeling. Those results though pleasant, are only the perks. The diagnostic part of the procedure can lead to important determinations and assess the need for preventive measures.

Your scheduled cleaning will most likely be done by a hygienist who is highly qualified and experienced. Before she begins your hygienist will update your medical records by asking about any new medications that may have been prescribed for you since your last visit. She will also inquire as to any changes in your overall physical condition. If you are due for x-rays they will be taken at this time.

Thanks to the advanced technology of digital radiography your x-ray results will be ready to evaluate on the spot. You can view them along with your dentist via computer image as he points out any areas of concern that may need attention.

If you’ve established a routine for practicing good oral health habits at home, well done! Keep up the good work, but don’t forget to follow up with regular professional checkups and cleanings. Your hygienist may have information about new ways to improve home care for yourself and your family members.

Experience the personal consideration that Southlands Dental in Aurora offers to all their patients. Call 720-886-0606 to schedule your appointment.

“Once bitten twice shy” can definitely apply to the reason for the widespread anxiety associated with going to the dentist. If you’ve ever had a painful experience in the dental chair you will naturally be leery of going back, but if it’s been some time now you may be pleasantly surprised by the changes that have occurred.

Today’s dentists are much more attuned to the comfort of their patients and modern technology has opened the door to more opportunities for less invasive dental procedures.

Sometimes just the anticipation of an upcoming dental appointment can bring on enough anxiety to prevent a person from being able to rest well the night before. Sedation dentistry has become the rule instead of the exception when it comes to offering patients a way to bring their anxiety under control.

Don’t hesitate to make an appointment because you may be ashamed of the fact that you have waited so long. Your dentist is only concerned with your well being and will appreciate that you have overcome your hesitation and are back on a track to good oral health. There is no shame in that!

Parents are eager to set a good example for their children. A step in this direction is to let them see that you place importance on your own medical and dental care as well as theirs by scheduling regular checkups for the whole family.

Check out the website www.southlandsdental.com for special offers available to new patients of Southlands Dental in Aurora.

There are any number of adages about the process of aging, some humorous some nostalgic, but the one truth is that we’ll all go through it. And as we do our body will undergo changes that will affect our physical appearance.

Our teeth form the structure that supports and maintains the shape of our face but as time passes our teeth will begin to shift position and gums will start to recede. These changes can make our lips appear thinner and our teeth longer hence the saying “long in the tooth” as a descriptive term for someone of an older age.

We can’t avoid growing older, but we can do our best to prevent some of the negative aspects that go along with it. A routined regimen of good oral health habits, a diet that includes foods that are known to be specifically good for our teeth, and sticking to a regular schedule of professional dental care will contribute to our chances of keeping our original teeth and having healthy gums well into middle age and beyond.

Even with all that preventive care some problems may crop up, but with the cosmetic technology available today most can be corrected with non invasive procedures and at a reasonable cost.

Visit the patient transformations page on the website, www.southlandsdental.com, to see the kind of results that you can expect, then talk to Dr. Looze of Southlands Dental in Aurora about the various cosmetic systems open to you.

A cracked tooth can be painful, but if it is diagnosed in time it can be successfully treated with root canal therapy and restored with a crown. Surface cracks may only need to be crowned. However, a crack that is left untreated for too long a time may reach to below the gumline and will be harder to deal with. So obviously you’ll want to get treatment asap.

Some cracks are so tiny that they can easily go unnoticed. The first sign of trouble may be that you start to feel pain any time you put pressure on the tooth like when biting down on something hard. This could mean that the crack has opened under the tension and the nerve center of the tooth has been exposed. At this point you will start to notice a sensitivity to hot or cold drinks that without treatment will continue to increase.

There are some circumstances that may make your teeth more susceptible to cracking. A tooth that has undergone an extensive restoration for instance, will be in a more weakened state than a healthy one. The mere wear and tear of everyday living will eventually take a toll on our teeth, so as we age our risk increases.

Brushing and flossing along with regular professional cleanings and checkups are the best ways to prevent damage to our teeth. Look to Dr. Looze of Southlands Dental for the best in comprehensive diagnosis and personalized care.
Call the office to schedule an intial consultation at 720-886-0606.

Dental implants promise to so closely simulate natural teeth that it will be hard to tell them apart. That’s definitely a good selling point, but we should also keep in mind that there are some differences.

Titanium implants are surgically inserted into the jawbone and intended to last for a lifetime, but there are specific precautions that go along with the recovery from any surgical procedure. Postoperative instructions will explain how to control bleeding and swelling along with a list of do’s and don’ts to follow for a full and timely adjustment.

Don’t be too anxious. You won’t be able to see the implant anyway so leave the area alone to let the healing process proceed at its own pace. Your dentist may install a “healing cap” to cover the implant while the gum tissue regenerates. Take care not to disturb the progress. Two of the biggest no-nos are smoking and strenuous activities.

If you want the best result possible you have to be dedicated to taking good care of your implant. Because the implant is metal it will require protection from scrapes and scratches that could attract infection causing bacteria. Avoid putting anything in your mouth that could irritate surface of the implant. Use a soft bristle toothbrush and a specialized floss.
Take good care of your implant and see your dentist regularly for follow up exams.

Call Southlands Dental @ 720-886-0606 to set up an appointment with Dr. Looze. Be sure to take advantage of the new patient special offers listed on the website.

If you’re in the process of looking for just the right dentist for your needs the American Dental Association has suggestions that might make your search a little easier. A lot will depend on your specific situation.

If you have a family you may want to find a practice that can be responsible for the dental health of yourself, your spouse and your children as well. On the other hand, one or more of your family members may need periodontal treatment, or you may want to have pediatric care for your children. Whatever the case may be the ADA can provide a listing of dentists – both speciality and general – in your area.

A personal recommendation is fine but here again individual needs will come into play. When you ask a friend or coworker to suggest a dentist make sure they know about any particular qualifications that you or a family member may require. If you need an orthodontist for instance, ask around your place of work for someone who can steer you in that direction.

Don’t feel obligated. Just making an appointment doesn’t mean that you’re ready to make a commitment, but If you like what you see and the answer to your questions are what you wanted to hear then you may well have found your new dental home.

If you’re in Aurora or the surrounding area visit Southlands Dental at Smoky Hill Rd. and E-470 for a “meet and greet” with Dr. Looze and his staff.

The temporomandibular joint is more commonly referred to as the TMJ. It is constructed to work much like your hip or shoulder joint but it is located in front of your earlobe and allows for movement of the jaw as you open and close your mouth. The TMJ can become dislocated over time especially if you have been in the habit of grinding or clenching your teeth, or it can be the result of trauma. A misalignment of the bite is a common cause of TMD – Temporal Joint Disorder.

When the TMJ disconnects the jaw becomes locked in the open position and the patient won’t be able to close his mouth until the joint is realigned. Obviously this can be a very scary situation particularly if it comes on unexpectedly. The stress that accompanies the symptoms adds to patient discomfort and can bring on other manifestations such as headaches and neck pain.

The first order of treatment is to move the ball of the joint back into its socket to relieve the immediate crises. Once this is done a dentist can conduct an extensive evaluation to determine if the dislocation is likely to recur. An orthodontic exam may be advised or surgery could be indicated.

Neuromuscular dentistry is a specialized field that deals with the correlation between the hard and soft tissues of the mouth. Dr. Looze of Southlands Dental in Aurora is trained in the specialty and welcomes patients who are suffering from a disorder of the TMJ. Call 303-805-8266 for an appointment.