Aug28

Do Kids Get Periodontal Disease?

Categories: Dental health, Dental hygiene, Family Dentistry

kids gum disease treatment Comstock Park

Most parents are concerned about cavities, and rightly so. Tooth decay in children is serious and widespread. But as we remind parents at Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park, kids are at risk for all the same oral ailments as grownups.

That includes gum disease. Let’s discuss it.

Gum disease is caused by plaque buildup. Food particles mixed with saliva generate a sticky film called plaque. Plaque produces bacteria. If not removed by brushing and flossing, the bacteria multiply and plaque builds up on the teeth.

The gums respond by becoming sore and inflamed. Plaque buildup hardens into calculus. Calculus cannot be removed by a toothbrush or dental floss. Calculus can be removed during a professional dental cleaning.

At Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park we treat every member of your household with our complete family dentistry. People from Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI see us for cosmetic, restorative, implant and Invisalign orthodontics. Call for an appointment today!

Contact Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):


769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

 

ArticleID 8217
Aug21

Flossing For Health And Happiness

Categories: Dental health, Family Dentistry

cost of dental crowns Grand Rapids

Most people know that flossing is an important part of oral health. As we like to remind our patients at Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General in Comstock Park, the value of this  exercise in oral hygiene has been shown time and time again.

Flossing is your chance to remove the food debris that a toothbrush can’t reach.

WHICH KIND IS BEST?

When it comes to what dental floss to use, there is a lot to choose from. Flavored or unflavored? Waxed or unwaxed? Wide or thin?

No single type of floss is right for everyone. You might even benefit from having more than one kind in your medicine chest. With a little trial and error, you can narrow down your choices to find what works best for you.

A recent study shows there really isn’t much difference in the effectiveness of the different types of dental floss. Here are some things to consider:

  • Waxed floss fits more easily into tight spaces
  • Unwaxed floss tends to squeak against clean teeth, an indicator that plaque is gone
  • Wider dental tape may work better in gaps between teeth, and on bridgework

One word of caution: we recommend traditional string floss that you can pull out in a long strand, as opposed to a flossing pick. Those little picks are handy, but not as effective as string floss. They’re okay when you’re on the go, but be sure to use regular floss as part of your dental hygiene routine before bedtime. Whatever your preference may be, the important thing is to floss at least once each day.

People from Ada, Belmont, Comstock Park, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI come to Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry  for family, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. Schedule your next checkup with us today!

Contact Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):


769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

 

ArticleID 5604
Aug14

The Top CPAP Alternative in Comstock Park

CPAP alternative Grand Rapids

Sleep apnea is a serious condition affecting millions of Americans. Fortunately it’s treatable. A device called CPAP is considered the gold standard. Unfortunatley a lot of people can’t stand CPAP. At Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park, there is an alternative.

CPAP, which stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, requires you to wear a mask during sleep. As effective as the machine is, a lot of people find the mask intolerable. Unfortunately, many of them just stop wearing it.

ORAL APPLIANCES

Research has shown that oral appliances are very effective for treating mild to moderate sleep apnea. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says they are comparable to CPAP in these cases.

They look a lot like an ordinary mouth guard, and work by repositioning the jaw to a more forward position. This moves the tongue forward, too, to help open your airway.

At Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park we provide oral appliances to those patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea. We’ve prescribed them for people in Ada, Belmont, Comstock Park, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford MI, who also come to us for family, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. Call to schedule an appointment with us today!

Contact Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):


769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

 

ArticleID 8299
Aug7

Dental X-rays Help Us Provide Quality Care

Categories: Dental health, Family Dentistry, General Dentistry

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Don’t know a periapical from a bitewing? This post from Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park takes a look at the various types of dental X-rays.

PANORAMIC

These pictures help us see everything in one image: the total upper and lower jaw. These are often taken during a patient’s first visit and renewed every five years. They are useful for evaluating cysts/tumors, jaw injuries, calcification in the carotid artery and seeing emerging teeth in children.

BITEWING

Bitewing X-rays help us see what’s going on between teeth—something that is always required but impossible with a visual exam. They also help us evaluate the jaw bone.

PERIAPICAL

These are similar to bite wings but they can get a more detailed picture of the tooth roots and bone. These are generally used to help diagnose an abscess in the root of a tooth.

FULL-MOUTH SERIES

This is a combination of periapical and bitewing X-rays. It gives a highly detailed picture of all the teeth and the surrounding bone structure.

Dental X-rays are an important diagnostic tool at Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park. Patients from Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford MI come to our office for family, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, and much more. Call to schedule an appointment with us today!

Contact Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):


769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

 

ArticleID 8193
Jul24

Help! My Crown Came Off!

Categories: Dental Crowns, Family Dentistry, General Dentistry

repair broken dental crown Comstock Park

You are chewing an apple and hear an odd sound, then something in your mouth feels wrong. One of your crowns has come loose. Don’t panic! Chances are the crown can be re-cemented at Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park.

What do you do when your dental crown comes off? It’s critical that you take the following steps:

Don’t Swallow It!
This sounds obvious enough, but we mention it because it can (and does) happen. Carefully take it out of your mouth.

Look Carefully
Inspect the crown and your tooth. If there is damage to either, we will need that information. Which brings us to number 3:

Clean Gently
Use a toothbrush to carefully clean the crown and the exposed partial tooth.

Handle With Care
While waiting for the crown to be re-cemented, skip substances that are chewy, sticky, or crunchy.

At Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park we see patients from Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI for family, cosmetic dentistry and a complete range of other services. Call to schedule an appointment with us today!

Contact Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):


769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

ArticleID 7275
Jul17

Bridging The Gap

Categories: Dental health, Dental Implants, Restorative dentistry

cosmetic dental Comstock Park

Do you have a missing tooth that is detracting from your otherwise attractive teeth? At Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park we can replace your missing tooth with a dental implant or a dental bridge and help you get back your sensational smile!

A dental implant or dental bridge could be the perfect answer for your missing tooth and help you chew and speak properly.

Implants and traditional bridges are strong enough to replace a missing molar. An implant is integrated with the bone and a natural looking crown is placed on the implant. A bridge is placed by adding a crown on a natural tooth on each side of the missing tooth with an artificial tooth in the middle. Dental implants and bridges are just a few of the options available at Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park.  People from Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI come to our practice for restorative, implant and cosmetic dentistry. Call for an appointment today!

Contact Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):


769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

 

ArticleID 7265
Jul10

Need to Fix a Tooth? Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry Gives You Options

Categories: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental health, Restorative dentistry

tooth implants Comstock Park

Most of us will need to restore a tooth at some point in our lives. This post from Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park looks at six procedures that are used routinely to repair a tooth.

1. Dental Bonding

Bonding is a versatile procedure used to fix chips or cracks, or to make teeth longer. It can also be used to fill cavities. A composite resin is applied and molded, and hardened with a special curing light.

2. A Porcelain Veneer

These wafer-thin covers can hide a chip or crack or fix the alignment of a tooth that is slightly crooked.

3. A Filling (Inlay or Onlay)

Inlays are applied to the center of the biting surface of a tooth (not to a cusp or point) and are commonly smaller than onlays. An onlay restores one or more cusps of a tooth. If you have old silver amalgam fillings, you can replace them with white fillings.

4. A Dental Crown

A crown replaces the entire visible portion of the tooth, restoring appearance, strength, and function. Crowns are used for teeth that have had a root canal, teeth with extreme decay, the replacement tooth in a dental bridge, and the visible portion of a dental implant.

5. Dental Implants

A dental implant is a replacement for a missing tooth. The actual implant is a post inserted into the jaw, which in turn supports a replacement tooth (crown). When it’s finished, it looks and functions like a natural tooth.

At Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park, restorative dentistry has renewed the smiles of countless patients. People from Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI also come to us for family and cosmetic dentistry. Call for an appointment today!

Contact Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

 

ArticleID 8323
Jul3

Do You Eat A Smile-Healthy Diet?

Categories: Dental health, Dental hygiene, Family Dentistry

Maintaining healthy teeth is an important concern to us at Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park. We want all of our patients to enjoy healthy teeth and gums.

Keeping your teeth healthy requires thorough brushing and flossing, every single day. Regular cleanings and checkups are also necessary for preventing cavities and maintaining good dental health.

It’s easy to overlook the fact that a healthy diet is beneficial to your teeth. A diet that includes foods that help your muscles and bones will also help you develop healthy gums and teeth. Foods rich in vitamin C, like fruits and vegetables, help improve the health of your gums. Zinc and magnesium are also good for the health of your teeth and are found in foods like lean beef, fish, and poultry.

At Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park we want all our patients to enjoy good dental health. People throughout Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI come to our practice for family, cosmetic and restorative dentistry. Schedule your next cleaning and checkup with us today!

Contact Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

 

ArticleID 5592
Jun26

Oral Appliance Therapy For Sleep Apnea

oral appliance for sleep apnea Comstock Park

The word “apnea” comes from Greek, and it means “without breath.” Sleep apnea, then, is sleeping without breath: a condition in which someone’s breathing stops involuntarily during sleep. It is serious, but treatable at Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park.

Sleep apnea is more common than you may realize, affecting more than eighteen million Americans. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, headaches, and heart disease, among other conditions.

TYPES AND SYMPTOMS

There are three main types of sleep apnea:

  • Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type. It occurs when the throat muscles relax during sleep.
  • Central sleep apnea is when the brain doesn’t get the body’s signals that control breathing.
  • Complex sleep apnea is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea.

Anyone can get sleep apnea, even children. But it’s more common in men than women. The most common symptoms include:

  • Loud snoring
  • Gasping for breath during sleep
  • Headaches in the morning
  • Waking up with a dry mouth
  • Insomnia
  • Excessive sleepiness during the day
  • Shortened attention span
  • Irritability

All of this may sound frightening, and it can be. But there is hope, too, because sleep apnea can be treated with an oral appliance from Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park. Patients from Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI come to our office for treatment, for our comprehensive general and family dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry. If you think that you may have sleep apnea, please contact us today!

Contact Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

 

ArticleID 7586
Jun19

Dental Questions? We Have Answers

Categories: Dental health, General Dentistry

At Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park, we strive for excellence in dentistry every day. Providing the best possible dental care goes beyond cleanings and exams. We like patients who ask a lot of questions, because that tells us they are taking a strong interest in their dental health.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

One of the questions we’re often asked is whether it’s really necessary to have regular cleanings and checkups. Our short answer is, yes! But a better answer would include the time-honored truth that prevention is the best medicine.

Every appointment includes a thorough cleaning by a hygienist and a thorough exam by the dentist. Dr. Stewart and Dr. Hull will examine your teeth and gums, looking for any dental concerns or signs of gum disease/oral cancer.

MORE QUESTIONS

Patients often wonder how long a filling will last. Some people think they’ll last a lifetime, but unfortunately that is not usually the case. Fillings can break down or become loose over time. If that happens, decay can get into the area around it and cause problems. You can extend the life of any restoration with good oral hygiene at home. If you have any questions about what that means, don’t hesitate to ask.

What kind of toothbrush is best? This is among the most-asked questions for any dentist. Manual and electric toothbrushes, used properly, both do an excellent job. We recommend soft bristles, with mixed bristle heights and angles. They do a better job getting between the teeth. To really get between the teeth, we recommend daily flossing. You can use string floss or a water pik.

AND MORE!

When it comes to toothpaste, we recommend one that has the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance. That means it contains fluoride, which strengthens and protects your teeth.

These are just some of the common questions we get from our patients at Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park. Have we missed anything you’ve wondered about? Find out why patients from Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI come to our office for general, cosmetic and Invisalign orthodontic dentistry. Call to schedule your next checkup with us today, and remember your dental health questions!

Contact Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321