Tag: family dentist frisco tx

Is It An Emergency? Part 2

Posted on by MillenSmiles_aDmEEN

Do you think you are having a dental emergency, but you’re not entirely sure? Don’t worry; we are here to help! If you’re not sure if something is severe enough to warrant a dental visit, we are always just a phone call away. But, in the meantime, here are a few situations that definitely warrant a call to our office. This is the second half of a two-part blog on dental emergencies and what to do when you have one!

If you have pain, call us. If you’re experiencing the sudden onset of tooth pain, or it hurts to put pressure on the tooth or if it is continually throbbing, keeping you up all night and you’re getting no relief with pain relievers, you could have an abscessed tooth and need to be seen as soon as possible.

If you have pain in the jaw or jaw dysfunction, call us. Are you having sudden pain in your TMJ joints? (They are the tiny joints located on either side of your jaw, just below your ear). If you’re having unexplained pain in the TMJs, neck, or ear, or your jaw is clicking, popping, and hard to open and close, you need to call us. You could be living with undiagnosed temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD). TMJD pain can be chronic or acute (sudden).

If you have lost a filling, crown, or other restoration, call us. While these conditions may not be severe, they can be annoying and painful, and if left untreated, could result in more damage or infection. Damaged restorations can also negatively affect your bite, which leaves you at risk of developing TMJD or additional damage to your teeth.

If you’re experiencing any of these situations, pain, or discomfort, call Millennium Smiles at 972-987-4899 to get an appointment as soon as possible.

Is It An Emergency? Part 1

Posted on by MillenSmiles_aDmEEN

Do you think you are having a dental emergency, but you’re not entirely sure? Don’t worry; we are here to help! If you’re not sure if something is severe enough to warrant a dental visit, we are always just a phone call away. But, in the meantime, here are a few situations that definitely warrant a call to our office. This is the first of a two-part blog on dental emergencies and what to do when you have one!

If your face is swollen, call us. Unexplained swelling of the face means that you could have an infection in the tooth, bone infection, or gum infection that requires professional treatment (and likely antibiotics).

If your tooth is knocked, call us. Having a tooth knocked out warrants a call to us immediately. If you’ve lost a tooth and can locate it, pick it up by the crown (the part of the tooth you bite with), put it in a cup of saliva and come on in. Read how to handle if your child knocks out a tooth.

If you have a cracked, broken, or chipped a tooth, call us. If you’ve experienced damage to a tooth such as a crack, chip, or total fracture, you’re going to need a dental crown to hold your tooth -together so you can use it as you usually would.

If your mouth is bleeding, call us. If you have unexplained bleeding from the mouth (as in, you are not injured), we suggest coming in for a checkup. If you see bleeding when brushing or flossing, you could have gingivitis or periodontal disease. If you see blood in your saliva even when not brushing or flossing, you should be checked for oral cancer.

If you have a yellow, red, clear, or a whitish-looking pimple on your gum, call us. This means you could have an abscessed tooth or gum infection. Treatments for this situation could range from root canal to extraction, and most likely antibiotics.

If you’re experiencing any of these situations, pain, or discomfort, call Millennium Smiles at 972-987-4899 to get an appointment as soon as possible.

What Should You Do?

Posted on by MillenSmiles_aDmEEN

If you have children, you probably already know that they fall. It’s inevitable. Falls happen. While most incidents of falling are minor and can be handled with a band-aid and a hug, sometimes when kids fall they can accidentally knock out a tooth. This situation takes a fall from minor to scary in seconds. So, what do you do? We’ve compiled a few things to do (and a few things not to do) if your child falls and knocks out or damages a tooth.

First, stay calm. While that may be extremely difficult if your child has lost has just lost a tooth, your ability to remain calm will help your child calm down.

Second, call us. If your child has lost or damaged a tooth, call us immediately. Ideally, we should see your child within an hour of the incident.

Third, store it safely. If you can locate the tooth, put it into a cup of saliva. Yes, we said saliva. While milk is often touted as a way to –preserve teeth, it is not the best option. If you cannot get your child’s saliva, you can use your own if you are comfortable with it. If not, then you can use milk. Do not use water – ever.

Fourth, don’t try to clean it. While there may be dirt, mud, or blood on the tooth, attempting to clean the tooth can cause unintentional damage. Do not rinse or use a cleaning agent such as alcohol or peroxide. Try not to handle the tooth too much, either, to prevent adding germs to the mix. If you have to handle the tooth, try to pick it up by the crown and not the root.

Fifth, don’t try to put it back in.  If it is a baby tooth, do not try to push the tooth back in. Doing so could damage the new adult tooth just below the newly-created space.

We hope a dental emergency never happens to you, but if it does, we will be here. Call us at 972-987-4899 with all of your dentistry needs.

Too Much of a Good Thing Could Be a Problem

Posted on by MillenSmiles_aDmEEN

Do you want whiter teeth? Who doesn’t? While achieving whiter teeth is a goal for many people, for others, it becomes an obsession and can turn into a dangerous situation that costs time, money and tooth enamel. The situation is known as bleachorexia and is a very real problem for many people.

What Is Bleachorexia?

Bleachorexia is defined as an unhealthy obsession or over-fascination with tooth whitening. It is classified as a form of body dysmorphia. For individuals affected by bleachorexia, they feel that although their teeth are already white, their teeth are not white enough so they must continue to use tooth whiteners to achieve their vision of their smile.

Bleachorexia can cause individuals to seek out and use alternative methods to obtain the “ultimate smile”, such as charcoal toothpaste and whitening products containing high levels of bleaching agents and not approved by the FDA.

Some of the dangers of over-whitening the teeth include:

Changing colors. Excessive whitening of the teeth could make them turn an unnatural shade or become translucent.
Erosion of tooth enamel. Overuse of bleaching products could result in tooth enamel erosion, which can lead to pain, tooth sensitivity and changes to the core structure of the teeth. If this occurs, you may be facing the need for porcelain veneers, crowns, and other restorative treatments so you can live pain-free.
Receding gums. Bleaching agents don’t just touch the teeth, they also touch the gums and other structures of the mouth, too. Products that are too strong can cause the gums to recede and even burn the soft tissue in the mouth.

Can You Achieve Whiter Teeth Safely?

Absolutely, yes, you can. However, the best way to whiten is under the supervision of a dentist. Dr. Korous offers patients safe, in-office whitening procedures and take-home whitening products with professional-grade bleaching agents to help you achieve the smile you want safely. Learn more about our tooth whitening options by calling Millennium Smiles at 972-987-4899.

Drinking Enough Water?

Posted on by MillenSmiles_aDmEEN

Do you drink enough water? No, really. Do you try to get as many ounces per day as you can, or do you drink a little here and there? If you’re not getting enough, you could be dehydrated – which can cause stress on every cell, organ, and system of your body – including your mouth. Dry mouth affects everyone at some point in their life, and the majority of dry mouth cases are because individuals are just not drinking enough. If you’re not getting enough water and have the chronic feeling of cotton mouth, you are at risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease.

What Are the Symptoms of Dry Mouth?

Well, the first symptom of dry mouth is feeling thirsty, a dry, sticky feeling in the mouth, burning or tingling in the mouth or tongue and chapped lips that won’t seem to go away no matter how much you moisturize. Additionally, chronic dry mouth can cause bad breath and even difficulty swallowing, speaking, and chewing.

If dry mouth persists, it can even alter how food tastes.

The Risks of Dry Mouth

Like we mentioned, chronic dry mouth can leave you at risk of tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease because saliva has a critical role in the health of your mouth; it contains the minerals you need to fortify your teeth against enamel erosion and also helps to wash away bacteria and sticky plaque.

What Can Be Done to Prevent Dry Mouth?

The first thing you can do is drink enough water. A good rule of -thumb is to divide your weight in half to get the target number of ounces you should consume each day.

Chew sugar-free gum. Gum helps to keep the production of saliva going. Select a brand with Xylitol instead of sugar.

Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption. These substances cause further dehydration.

Practice good oral hygiene. This will keep your mouth healthy despite dry conditions.

Talk to Dr. Korous. There may be mouth rinses or mouthwashes available to alleviate uncomfortable symptoms.

Do you struggle with chronic dry mouth? Let Dr. Korous know! Call us today at 972-987-4899 to make an appointment to talk about it.

Mind Your Mouth

Posted on by MillenSmiles_aDmEEN

Have you ever been told to stand up straight?

Stop slouching? Keep your shoulders back and your chin up? What about put your tongue behind your top teeth? Keep your jaw in the correct position? Make sure your teeth do not touch? While some of these phrases you have probably heard as a reminder to mind your posture, we are willing to bet that the last few you have never heard or considered to be related to posture at all. But, did you know that you should mind the position of your mouth, too? While this may sound strange, oral rest posture is a real thing and something to really be concerned about. Find out why you should mind your mouth in this blog from Millennium Smiles.

What is Oral Rest Posture?

Oral rest posture, also known as resting mouth position, is the position of our tongue, lips, and jaw when our mouth is at rest (i.e., not talking, chewing, or swallowing). Ideal oral rest posture means the tongue is all the way against the roof of your mouth without touching the back of your front teeth, the teeth are slightly apart, and the lips can close without stretching.

Why Is Oral Rest Posture Important?

Proper oral rest posture is important because it allows us to breathe easier and through the nose, encourages proper jaw growth, will enable us to speak clearly and contributes to healthy teeth.

Signs of Poor Oral Rest Posture?

Can you have poor oral posture? We know it sounds weird, but yes, you can. Here are physical signs to look for:

  • Mouth is open at rest
  • Breathing through the mouth
  • Tongue tip is pushing against the front teeth
  • Tongue is protruding
  • Lower jaw is hanging forward

Consequences of Poor Oral Rest Position

Just some of the effects of a poor oral rest position include:

  • Malocclusion of the bite (underbite, overbite, protruding front teeth, or crowded teeth)
  • Sleep apnea
  • Mouth breathing
  • Difficulty focusing and behaviors that mimic ADD/ADHD
  • Poor oral hygiene and tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth loss
  • Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJD)
  • Orofacial muscular imbalance
  • Articulation problems or difficulty speaking
  • Tongue thrust swallow

Poor oral rest posture can also contribute to abnormal facial feature and jaw development, such as:

  • protruding jaws
  • deep bite
  • open bite
  • long face syndrome.

When the tongue is not in the proper rest position, it can even affect how the neck, shoulders, and back develop.

What Should You Do About Poor Oral Rest Posture?

Poor oral rest posture can be treated through myofunctional therapy and other oral therapies. Call Dr. Korous at  972-987-4899 to schedule an evaluation for yourself or your child if you believe that you have an improper oral rest posture.

The Power of PRP

Posted on by MillenSmiles_aDmEEN

You may have heard of PRP, aka platelet-rich plasma, for facials, hair restoration, and joint repair, but did you know PRP is increasing in popularity in dentistry, too?

It’s true. This powerful substance is full of growth factors, antibodies, and healing power. Millennium Smiles uses PRP in patients after tooth extractions to speed healing and reduce the risk of infection and dry sockets. Learn more about PRP in this blog.

What Exactly Is PRP?

Image of PRP before being during dental extraction.

PRP is the plasma byproduct of blood rich in platelets, the tiny blood cells that play a big role in clotting. PRP has been used for years in a variety of hospital settings, but only recently, has become more mainstream for cosmetic, regenerative medicine, and dental uses.

PRP’s popularity and availability have increased in recent years because new technology allows for the easy harvest of platelets from just a few vials of blood.

Why Is PRP So Beneficial After Extractions?

PRP has some significant benefits. For one, it allows the body to use its natural healing power. It also speeds up healing, because the growth factors and antibodies found in PRP signal the body to send blood, oxygen and other nutrients to the wound site. PRP also tells the stem cells in the area of the wound to wake up and start regenerating into new tissue. In fact, within just 30 minutes after an extraction, blood vessels and cells are growing into a web-like structure in the wound to protect the jaw bone from being exposed.

Another reason that PRP is so beneficial after dental extractions is that PRP also contains BMP or bone morphogenic protein. BMP plays a critical role in forming new bone tissue, which helps to keep the area of the extraction in good health and can potentially mean patients can skip bone grafts if their jaw is healthy enough to accommodate a dental implant.

Other Benefits of PRP

It’s safe. PRP comes directly from the patient’s own blood, and therefore cannot transmit disease or be rejected by the immune system.

It’s convenient. There is no need to go to a laboratory or hospital to have your PRP generated. Dr. Korous has the state-of-the-art technology to take a small amount of your blood and process it into PRP in the office in about 20 minutes.

It’s powerful. PRP can speed up healing time and heal tissues quickly compared to conventional membrane usage in dental extractions.

For more information about PRP and its benefits, call Millennium Smiles at 972-987-4899.

Why Myofunctional Therapy?

Posted on by MillenSmiles_aDmEEN

Struggling with TMJD, sleep apnea, tooth clenching or tooth grinding or other uncomfortable dental condition? You may be a candidate for myofunctional therapy at Millennium Smiles. During myofunctional therapy, we work to retrain the tongue and other muscles that may be impacting your teeth, jaws and the health of your mouth.

Why Choose Myofunctional Therapy?

  • It’s noninvasive. Myofunctional therapy requires exercises and appliances – no surgery!
  • Appliances are removable versus fixed appliances used for orthodontic treatment.
  • It can be combined with other treatments for better results.
  • It is not just cosmetic treatment; it improves how your whole mouth functions for chewing, biting, speaking and swallowing.
  • It helps you breathe through your nose, which helps eliminate the negative consequences of mouth breathing.
  • Speaking of mouth breathing, myofunctional therapy can cure sleep apnea in some cases. How? Myofunctional therapy can retrain your tongue, face, and throat muscles to relax in a way that does not blog your airway.
  • Anyone can do it. While myofunctional therapy works best when patients are younger, it can still work for adults.

Who Does Myofunctional Therapy Help?

  • Individuals living with TMJD
  • Individuals who clench and grind their teeth
  • Individuals undergoing orthodontic treatment
  • Individuals experiencing orthodontic relapses, such as crowding, shifting, open bite, and crossbite
  • Individuals who breathe through their mouth
  • Individuals with tongue ties/tongue restriction and those who have had a frenectomy (tongue tie release surgery)
  • Individuals with bad oral habits such as thumb sucking and nail-biting
  • Individuals living with allergies
  • Individuals living with sleep apnea and other sleep breathing disorders
  • Individuals living with ADD/ADHD

Are you an individual with a condition we mentioned? Do you want to learn more about how myofunctional therapy from Millennium smiles can help you? Call us at 972-987-4899 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Korous today!

Don’t Put Off Seeing the Dentist

Posted on by MillenSmiles_aDmEEN

So, the American Dental Association suggests that individuals visit their dentists at least twice per year, but while twice a year is great for some, others may need to make more frequent appointments for things such as periodontal maintenance, extra cleanings, or because they have a condition, such as sleep apnea or TMJD that requires extra attention. But, when else should you visit Millennium Smiles?

If you’re experiencing any of these situations, call today to schedule an appointment:

Pain. Many things can be the source of tooth pain, but all of the reasons mean you need to see a dentist. The most common reasons include cavities, tooth sensitivity, an abscess, or injury, but also pain caused by tooth clenching and tooth grinding. Pain can also be caused by gum disease or heavy-handed brushing. If you’re experiencing tooth pain or discomfort, do not delay. We repeat: do not delay. Call us to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.

Sensitivity. Are you living with tooth sensitivity? Does it hurt when you drink hot coffee or iced tea? Do you ask for “water without ice” when out to eat? If you’re avoiding your favorite food and drinks because your teeth hurt, you don’t have to live with pain. Call Millennium Smiles today and get seen by Dr. Korous. Sensitive teeth can be caused by tooth decay, enamel loss, gum disease, injury, an exposed tooth root, injury, or heavy-handed brushing. Dr. Korous will be able to help get you out of pain and back to eating ice cream in no time.

Damage. Do you have a tooth or teeth that are chipped, cracked, or fractured? If so, schedule an appointment as soon as possible to get checked. During your appointment, Dr. Korous will be able to assess the damage and see if your tooth can be saved. If your tooth cannot be saved, Millennium Smiles offers a wide range of cosmetic dental solutions to restore your smile.

Dry Mouth. Did you know that chronic dry mouth is a problem? If you are living with long-term dry mouth, no matter how much you drink or rinse, you may have an underlying health condition that can negatively impact your oral health. Call now to set up an appointment to discuss your dry mouth concerns.

Bad Breath. Bad breath happens to everyone at some point, but bad breath that won’t go away no matter how much you brush could mean that you are living with tooth decay or gum disease. Talk to Dr. Korous about what you’re experiencing and get a solution for chronic bad breath.

If you’re experiencing any of these conditions, call us today at 972-987-4899 to get an appointment.

Use Your HSA Accumulated Funds Before the End of the Year!

Posted on by MillenSmiles_aDmEEN

Do you have a health savings account? If so, you’re probably thinking of the ways you to use the funds you have built up in your account before the end of the year. Did you know that you can use your HSA dollars for dental procedures? The IRS allows individuals with HSA accounts to use their funds to pay for “the prevention and alleviation of dental disease”. Don’t put off using your HSA, call Millennium Smiles today to make an appointment!

What Does Preventive Treatment Mean?

Preventative treatment includes procedures such as teeth cleaning, X-rays, sealants and fluoride treatments. These procedures are designed to prevent tooth decay and cavities.

What Is the Alleviation of Dental Disease?

These treatments include fillings to treat cavities and tooth decay, and include treatments such as:

Fillings: Fillings are a common dental procedure to replace cavities after Dr. Korous has removed decayed enamel and dentin.
Root canals: Root canals are treatments that remove infected tooth roots to stop the infection from spreading and prevent tooth loss.
Extractions: In some cases, extraction is necessary to remove a tooth severely damaged by tooth decay or injury.
Crowns: Crowns are a permanent dental procedure designed to repair damaged, broken or cracked teeth.
Bonding: Dental bonding is also covered. Bonding uses a resin to repair cracked or chipped teeth. The resin is sealed with ultraviolet light.
Dentures: Dentures are removable, artificial teeth. Both full and partial dentures are covered with HSA funds.

What Treatments Are Exempt from HSA Spending?

Cosmetic dental treatments, such as tooth whitening, are not covered by an HSA but may be covered an FSA (also known as a Flexible Spending Account). We suggest that you consult your plan for details before spending any funds. Another critical point to remember is that expenses are eligible under your HSA as long as they cannot be reimbursed by your insurance or another source.
We also recommend that you save all of your receipts for qualified expenses.

HSA dollars cannot be spent on dental products such as toothbrushes, toothpaste or dental floss.

Do you have questions about HSA spending with Millennium Smiles? Call us today at 972-987-4899 for more information.

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