OakBrook Dental Blog

If you’ve never had oral surgery before, you’re likely wondering about what life will look like after your wisdom tooth extraction, like the healing time, what you’ll be able to eat, and whether your stitches will dissolve on their own. Although sometimes, answers for these concerns can depend on your individual dentist’s recommendations and practices, there are some baseline expectations you can set for recovery. Read on to learn more about wisdom tooth stitches and your recovery period.

If you sometimes bite the inside of your cheek, you’re not alone. Many people worldwide indulge in this seemingly harmless tic. However, you’d actually do well to avoid it – cheek biting harms your oral health. In other words, maintaining the habit will damage your mouth. Thankfully, though, it’s possible to resist cheek-biting behavior. Your McKinney dentist can even show you how. To that end, here’s a summary of cheek biting, how it affects oral health, and tips on how to stop it.

Root canals have an unfair reputation! Despite what you’ve maybe heard through the grapevine or seen on television about the procedure, root canal therapy isn’t scary or incredibly painful at all. In fact, it actually gives your compromised tooth the best possible odds of remaining inside of your mouth, where it belongs. That said, many patients who are set to undergo the procedure still have concerns about pain afterward. Here’s what your dentist wants you to know about this process and some of the possible causes for discomfort following it, as well as when you seek professional assistance.

If you lack some pearly whites, you may be eager for dental implants. That’s only natural – these prosthetic teeth are great at restoring smiles! Still, good implant candidates must meet specific criteria; treatment will fail otherwise. Before getting dental implants, then, you might need some preliminary work. Luckily, your McKinney dentist can tell you all about it. That said, here are three dental services you may need prior to implant treatment.

If you’d rather be anywhere else in the world than seated in your dentist’s chair, you aren’t alone—in fact, it’s estimated that roughly 22% of all people skip their dental appointments simply because they’re afraid of dental work! Thankfully, modern dentistry continues to evolve, and there are now several available options for assisting patients with peacefully undergoing treatment. Here’s more about one of these options, IV sedation, and how it can make your next visit a pleasant experience.

Seeing dentists for biannual checkups is vitally important to ensuring that your oral health is in good condition. Your dentist will be able to screen you for a wide variety of oral health problems while keeping your smile nice and clean.

However, many people have anxieties surrounding the dentist’s office that hold them back from getting the care that they need. If you’re one of them, learning to manage that anxiety is key to getting the smile you deserve! Here are three tips you can use if visiting the dentist makes you nervous.

Like many people, you may grasp that tooth stains age your face. It makes sense in hindsight – a dirty, yellow smile can seem haggard and worn out. That said, did you know that teeth-grinding makes you look older too? Indeed, a short, flat tooth can appear as aged as a yellow one. Still, there is hope: your local dentist can help you keep this habit in check. To that end, here’s a summary of how grinding teeth ages you and ways to prevent it.

Millions of Americans grind their teeth, especially at night. So-called “sleep bruxism” is estimated to affect around 13% of adults and a much higher proportion of children. Grinding your teeth at night can seriously affect your oral health, often in ways you may not realize.

If you have sleep bruxism, your dentist will likely recommend that you get a night guard to protect your teeth. You may be tempted to get one at your local pharmacy, or just not get a nightguard at all. Here’s why having your dentist craft you a nightguard is worth it.

Invisalign was created in 1997 as an alternative to traditional braces. It works in the same way as metal braces by moving your teeth and jaw into more ideal positions over a series of months or years. Since the late 90s, Invisalign has helped millions of people achieve straighter, more uniform, and more confident smiles. With that being said, some people only want to fix one arch of their teeth. But is this possible? Keep reading to learn if getting Invisalign on just your top teeth is a good option.

If you’re like most people, the holidays are a hectic time for you. You may visit relatives, buy Christmas gifts, or host various guests. As such, it’s not surprising that you might forget the smaller things this season. Still, you shouldn’t let the situation derail your Invisalign treatment — doing so will delay your straight smile! That being the case, your McKinney dentist has ways to help you. Here are a few ways to stay on track with your aligners during the festivities.