What to Look for When Choosing a Dentist

Your dentist should be a trusted professional you can rely on. The goal is to look forward to your dentist visits, not dread them. This is why finding a dentist that “clicks” with you and your family is such a vital part of ensuring excellent dental care. Here’s what to look for if you’re searching for a reliable family dentist in NYC.

• Insurance coverage: If you have dental insurance, it’s most cost-effective to choose an in-network dentist that accepts your plan. Check your insurance provider’s website or contact local dentists for more information.
• Positive patient feedback: Online reviews provide an unbiased look at overall customer satisfaction ratings. Steer clear of any dentists with numerous one- and two-star reviews.
• Recommended by others: In addition to the reviews you read online, ask around for recommendations from people you trust. Find out where your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers go, as well as what they like or dislike about their dentist. You can also ask for a referral from your family doctor.
• Convenient hours and location: Ease of accessibility is an important part of making dentist visits a priority. You are more likely to set routine cleanings and exams if the appointment times fit your schedule, such as early morning and Saturday hours. It’s also best if the dentist’s office is conveniently located near your home, work, or child’s school.
• Fair policies: Review each dentist’s website or call the office to find out more about their policies. Do they educate patients about their treatment options? When are payments collected? How does the dentist handle canceled or missed appointments? The right dentist should have fair policies that meet your needs.
• Updated cleaning and safety precautions: During the coronavirus pandemic, dentists and other medical professionals should follow CDC guidelines to promote an especially clean environment and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Ask any dentists you’re considering about the safety precautions they’re taking.
• Good first impression: Pay attention during your initial consultation. Is the office clean and orderly? Do the staff members treat you with courtesy and respect? Is your medical and dental history recorded and placed in a confidential, permanent file? Feeling welcome, comfortable, and cared for is a vital part of choosing the right dentist.
• Dental services that meet your needs: Not all dentists offer the same procedures. Because you can’t always predict the care you’ll need in the future, it’s best to choose a dentist with comprehensive services. This includes general and cosmetic dentistry, Invisalign, oral surgery, emergency services, sedation dentistry, and more.

Park 56 Dental is ready to meet your family’s dental care needs! We have been voted Top Dentist in NYC, with over 20 years of experience delivering the highest level of dental treatment in a luxurious, spa-like environment. To learn more about our team and everything we have to offer, please call (212) 826-2322 and schedule an initial consultation with us today.

How to Take Care of Your Teeth between Dental Visits

The importance of professional teeth cleanings cannot be understated. Seeing your dentist every six months promotes healthy teeth and gums by detecting and treating dental problems early. Still, there are plenty of things you can do at home to take care of your teeth between dental visits. Here’s what we recommend to prevent tooth and gum problems before they start.

Use Proper Tooth Brushing Techniques

Make a habit of brushing your teeth at least twice a day, preferably 30 to 60 minutes after every meal. Brushing removes plaque and acids from your mouth while leaving a fresh, minty scent behind. For the best results, follow these techniques:

• Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle along the gum line.
• Brush with short, circular motions.
• Be gentle to avoid irritating your gums.
• Brush for a full two minutes.

Don’t Forget to Floss

Flossing gets between your teeth where toothbrush bristles can’t reach. Floss once a day to help prevent plaque from hardening into tartar, which can only be removed by a dental professional. It doesn’t matter what time of day you floss—just remember to do it! If you don’t like using traditional floss, try floss picks or a water flosser for the same benefits.

Rinse with Mouthwash

The third part of your daily oral care routine should be to swish mouthwash. Antiseptic or antibacterial mouth rinses are the best options for killing bacteria that cause plaque. Rinsing as recommended also helps reduce bad breath and even reverses early gum disease.

Cut Back on Soda and Added Sugar

Sugary sodas and other sweets are known to wreak havoc on your teeth. Sugar promotes bacterial growth and causes plaque to form. Even if you opt for “diet” soda, the phosphoric acid and citric acid in these drinks still eat away at your enamel, making you more prone to cavities. The occasional soda won’t cause much harm, but water is the best drink for a healthy smile. To add a little flavor, try putting fruit or mint leaves in your water.

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Crisp, fresh foods like apple slices, raw carrots, and celery sticks don’t just provide your body with essential vitamins and nutrients—they also act as natural tooth scrubbers, helping to cut down on plaque and stimulate your gums. Include fresh produce in every meal for a healthier smile.

Chew Sugarless Gum

While it’s ideal to brush after each meal, chewing sugarless gum is the next best thing. This increases saliva production, which helps remove lingering food particles and rebalances the pH level in your mouth. The minty flavor also helps to improve your breath.

Park 56 Dental is pleased to offer routine teeth cleanings and other dental services to help our patients smile with confidence. Visit our spa-like, patient-centered dentist office to receive the personalized, quality care you deserve. Contact us online or call (212) 826-2322 today to find out for yourself why we’ve been voted Top Dentist in NYC!

Everything You Need to Know About Dental Fillings

Cavities and tooth decay are common oral health problems. If left untreated, decay can spread and destroy the entire tooth. While it’s best to prevent cavities in the first place, your dentist can save a decaying tooth by giving you a filling. Here’s everything you need to know about dental fillings.

The Process of Getting a Filling

To ensure a painless procedure, your dentist first numbs the tooth and surrounding tissue using a local anesthetic. Next, the decayed portion of the tooth is removed with a drill or laser. Then, the tooth cavity is cleaned to remove residual bacteria and prepare it for the filling. If the decay reaches the tooth root, a liner made of composite resin, glass ionomer, or another material may be applied to protect the nerve.

Once the tooth is prepped, it’s time to add the filling. This part of the process varies depending on the filling material being used. For example, with tooth-colored composite resin, the material is added in layers, cured with a special light, shaped, and polished for a smooth, natural-looking finished product.

Types of Dental Filling Materials

You have several filling materials to choose from. The right fit for you may depend on the location and extent of your cavity, cost differences, insurance coverage, and your dentist’s recommendations. Here are the top options:

• Amalgam fillings: Made of mercury, silver, zinc, and other metals, amalgam is a strong, inexpensive filling. The presence of mercury scares some patients, but com declares that amalgam fillings have never been shown to cause health problems. The biggest drawback is amalgam’s metallic color, which makes it less desirable for filling cavities near the front of the mouth.
• Tooth-colored composite resin fillings: This option is extremely popular because the filling matches your natural teeth. Chemical bonding provides excellent structural support for composite resin fillings. The downside is that this material doesn’t last as long as amalgam fillings, and it’s also more expensive.
• Tooth-colored ceramic fillings: Ceramic fillings tend to last longer than composite resin, and they are also more stain-resistant. However, ceramic is relatively brittle, so some healthy tooth material may need to be shaved away to make the filling larger and more durable. Ceramic is also among the most costly dental filling materials.
• Glass ionomer fillings: This material, made of acrylic and a special type of glass, is often used as a liner to protect tooth nerves when a cavity is located below the gum line. These unique fillings release fluoride over time, which helps to prevent future tooth decay. They last about as long as resin composite fillings and are comparable in cost.

If you think you have tooth decay, don’t ignore the problem. Filling a small cavity is always easier and more affordable than waiting for the decay to spread. If you have any tooth pain, sensitivity, or discoloration, call (212) 826-2322 or contact Park 56 Dental online to schedule a checkup at our dentist office in New York City.

Why You Should Consider Dental Implants

Most people take their teeth for granted. However, if you lose a tooth to extensive decay or a traumatic injury, the gap in your smile may be all too apparent. Fortunately, you have options for replacing your lost tooth, including bridges, dentures, and dental implants. Here are the top reasons to restore your confident smile with fixed implants.

• Prevent your teeth from shifting: When you lose one tooth, the surrounding teeth tend to shift and fill in the space. This can throw off your bite and lead to uneven spacing or overcrowding. Having an implant placed now helps to maintain the position of your teeth so you can avoid these complications.
• Preserve your jawbone: Other tooth replacement solutions, including bridges and non-implant-supported dentures, may eventually weaken your jawbone. However, implants feature an artificial tooth root that grows into the bone, stimulating it and preventing deterioration.
• Maintain your appearance: If you’re missing multiple teeth, a significant portion of your jawbone could begin to deteriorate. Eventually, your jaw, cheeks, and lips may start to sink inward, making you look years older than you really are. The stimulation provided by dental implants keeps your jawbone healthy, so your face looks full and youthful for years to come.
• Avoid the hassle of wearing dentures: Implants are more natural-looking than dentures. As a permanent solution, implants also let you avoid the hassle and embarrassment of removing dentures to eat or sleep. You never have to worry about your implants falling out, either, which enhances your comfort and confidence. You can even brush and floss implants with the rest of your teeth, unlike dentures, which require special soaking and cleaning.
• Preserve the structural integrity of your remaining teeth: Bridges involve shaving down the teeth on either side of the gap and placing crowns to support the artificial tooth. If these teeth are healthy, you may hesitate to damage their structural integrity. Implants are self-supporting, so the surrounding teeth remain untouched.
• Enjoy a long-lasting solution: Implants are capped with custom-made porcelain crowns designed to look, feel, and function exactly like a natural tooth. These artificial crowns are known to last for decades with proper care, allowing you to smile confidently for many years to come.
• Suitable for more and more candidates: You may have heard that not everyone is a good candidate for implants. However, dental restoration technology has evolved tremendously in the past 10 years. This means, even if you didn’t qualify for implants in the past, you might want to speak with your dentist about the latest options available.

The dentists at Park 56 Dental can help you compare all your tooth-restoration options, including dental implants in NYC. If you have a gap in your smile or are otherwise dissatisfied with the condition of your teeth, give us a call at (212) 826-2322 or contact us online to schedule a consultation. We would be happy to answer any questions you have about cosmetic, restorative, and general dentistry.