Online Appointment Scheduling

At Grand Traverse Smile Center, we strive to make each appointment as convenient and comfortable as possible. To help make this possible, we offer the option to schedule your appointment online. We understand that you may be busy or unable to call during regular office hours. This convenient scheduling form has been setup, so that you may book your appointment when it is convenient for you.

Grand Traverse Smile Center  
Ryan Paulson, DDS   
928 S. Garfield Avenue  
Traverse City, MI 49686   
(231) 935-4872  
GTSmileCenter.com

Preventive Dentistry & Gum Disease

Gum Disease Leads to Lost Teeth
Many people assume that tooth loss is due to decay. But gum disease is the real primary cause. The symptoms, which include bleeding gums when you brush or floss as well as loose or shifting teeth, can be completely unnoticeable right up until you lose your teeth. If you’ve been told you need gum surgery, you will be glad to know that it’s possible to control gum disease with a variety of non-surgical methods.

Grand Traverse Smile Center  
Ryan Paulson, DDS   
928 S. Garfield Avenue  
Traverse City, MI 49686   
(231) 935-4872  
GTSmileCenter.com 

Tooth Cavities

Tooth cavities aren't uncommon - but with the right dental health know-how, you can help prevent them. It all starts with proper brushing, daily flossing, and fluoride. Get the details right here.

What Causes Tooth Cavities?
Cavities are holes in the teeth resulting from acid attack. They generally start in the enamel, but can spread to the softer inner layer of the tooth. Tooth cavities are caused by decay that can occur when foods containing carbohydrates become trapped between teeth, and are not completely removed with brushing and flossing. Bacteria living in the mouth digest these foods, generating acidic byproducts that can eat away at tooth enamel.

Help Prevent Tooth Cavities
Fluoride, which is found in most public drinking supplies, some mouth rinses, and Crest toothpastes, helps prevent tooth cavities by slowing the breakdown of enamel and speeding up the remineralization process. Check with your dental professional to see if your drinking water is fluoridated. If it isn't, he or she may recommend that you use high concentration fluoride treatments.

To help strengthen weak spots in tooth enamel, and help prevent the early stages of tooth decay, brush regularly with a fluoridated toothpaste, floss daily, and visit your dental office regularly for professional cleanings.

Above article from: Crest.com

Grand Traverse Smile Center  
Ryan Paulson, DDS   
928 S. Garfield Avenue  
Traverse City, MI 49686   
(231) 935-4872  
GTSmileCenter.com

What is Plaque?

Plaque is a sticky, colorless deposit of bacteria that is constantly forming on the tooth surface. Saliva, food and fluids combine to produce these deposits that collect where the teeth and gums meet. Plaque buildup is the primary factor in periodontal (gum) disease, including gingivitis.

How to Get Rid of Plaque

To help prevent plaque buildup, be sure to brush your teeth at least twice a day with an anti-plaque toothpaste such as Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste for around the clock protection against plaque buildup, and floss once a day.

Adding a mouth rinse such as Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse to your routine can help against plaque buildup, without the burning sensation of alcohol. Eating well-balanced meals and brushing after snacks will reduce the formation of plaque. Visit your dental office regularly for oral exams and cleanings, during which your dental professional will scrape away any accumulated plaque with a special instrument.

Above article from: Crest.com

Grand Traverse Smile Center  
Ryan Paulson, DDS   
928 S. Garfield Avenue  
Traverse City, MI 49686   
(231) 935-4872  
GTSmileCenter.com

Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatment

Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatment

Snoring, breaks in breathing while sleeping, and excessive exhaustion during the day are all signs that you or a loved one may suffer from sleep apnea. Apnea conditions vary in severity but may pose a threat to your overall health.

The most common treatment for sleep apnea involves the CPAP device. This machine pumps a continuous stream of air into the patient’s nose or mouth throughout the night via a mask connected by hoses.

Unfortunately, most people find the CPAP to be extremely uncomfortable, so they stop using the device, continuing to suffer with the effects of their breathing problem. If you have sleep apnea and can’t tolerate or are frustrated with your CPAP, we offer treatment using the latest advances in modern dentistry.

Oral appliances are small acrylic devices that fit over the upper and lower teeth similar to an orthodontic retainer or mouthguard. They gently realign your tongue and jaw to open your airway and allow more air to move into your lungs as you sleep. They are easy to place and remove, easy to clean, and convenient for travel. These have been successful for over 90% of the patients who use them and are an alternative to CPAP machines. If you snore or a physician has diagnosed you with sleep apnea, give us a call today.

Grand Traverse Smile Center  
Ryan Paulson, DDS   
928 S. Garfield Avenue  
Traverse City, MI 49686   
(231) 935-4872  
GTSmileCenter.com

Sports Safety: Avoiding Tooth and Mouth Injuries

A few years ago, a dental newsletter published what seemed like an unusual story. A boy snagged his teeth on a basketball net while doing a slam-dunk.
A freakish accident? Not quite. After the article appeared, nearly 40 dentists wrote in with their own stories. They all told of would-be Michael Jordans who sacrificed their front teeth in pursuit of the perfect dunk.
In older children and adults, sports injuries are common. Dentists estimate that between 13% and 39% of dental injuries occur while playing sports.
About 80% of all dental injuries affect at least one of the front teeth. Damage to the tongue or cheek is common, too.
Basic Protection
Even if a tooth has been knocked out, it often can be saved if you get to a dentist quickly enough. Minor chips and cracks can be repaired. Dentists use tooth-colored materials that are nearly as strong as the original tooth. However, even "minor" injuries can cause serious and costly damage. If you enjoy sports or other high-risk activities, protect yourself. The use of mouth guards among football players, for example, is believed to prevent about 200,000 mouth injuries a year.
Depending on the sport, two types of protection are available:

• Helmets- A helmet is a must for activities that involve speed or impact. These include football, hockey, skating and bike riding. The helmet should fit correctly. It should also be appropriate for the sport you are playing.
• Mouth guards - Wearing a mouth guard is one of the best ways to prevent injury to your teeth, tongue and lips. A custom-fit mouth guard from your dentist is recommended. This type of mouth guard usually fits better than a ready-made one (found in sporting-goods stores). That means it may protect your teeth better.

If a custom-fit mouth guard isn't an option, try a "boil-and-bite" mouth guard. You can buy one in a sporting-goods store. You place the mouth guard in boiling water. Once the plastic is soft (but not too hot), you bite down on the mouth guard and mold the softened plastic around your teeth. If the mouth guard doesn't fit comfortably the first time, you can reheat it and do it again.

©2002-2013 Aetna, Inc. All rights reserved.
09/25/2013

The above article is from: Colgate.com

Grand Traverse Smile Center  
Ryan Paulson, DDS   
928 S. Garfield Avenue  
Traverse City, MI 49686   
(231) 935-4872  
GTSmileCenter.com

Tooth Anatomy

What Are the Different Parts of a Tooth?

• Crown- the top part of the tooth, and the only part you can normally see. The shape of the crown determines the tooth's function. For example, front teeth are sharp and chisel-shaped for cutting, while molars have flat surfaces for grinding.
• Gumline- where the tooth and the gums meet. Without proper brushing and flossing, plaque and tartar can build up at the gumline, leading to gingivitis and gum disease.
• Root- the part of the tooth that is embedded in bone. The root makes up about two-thirds of the tooth and holds the tooth in place.
• Enamel- the outermost layer of the tooth. Enamel is the hardest, most mineralized tissue in the body - yet it can be damaged by decay if teeth are not cared for properly.
• Dentin- the layer of the tooth under the enamel. If decay is able to progress its way through the enamel, it next attacks the dentin - where millions of tiny tubes lead directly to the dental pulp.
• Pulp- the soft tissue found in the center of all teeth, where the nerve tissue and blood vessels are. If tooth decay reaches the pulp, you usually feel pain.

What Are the Different Types of Teeth?
Every tooth has a specific job or function (use the dental arch in this section to locate and identify each type of tooth):

• Incisors- the sharp, chisel-shaped front teeth (four upper, four lower) used for cutting food.
• Canines- sometimes called cuspids, these teeth are shaped like points (cusps) and are used for tearing food.
• Premolars- these teeth have two pointed cusps on their biting surface and are sometimes referred to as bicuspids. The premolars are for crushing and tearing.
• Molars- used for grinding, these teeth have several cusps on the biting surface

 

The above article is from: Colgate.com

Grand Traverse Smile Center  
Ryan Paulson, DDS   
928 S. Garfield Avenue  
Traverse City, MI 49686   
(231) 935-4872  
GTSmileCenter.com

Tooth Decay and Sensitivity

What Causes Tooth Enamel Damage?

What happens when tooth enamel is damaged? The exposed part underneath becomes vulnerable to decay. Cavities aren't the only problem.

Teeth with damaged enamel can become sensitive to extreme temperatures. Suddenly, eating ice cream or sipping hot coffee can be painful or unpleasant.

 

Above article from: WebMD.com/oral-health

Grand Traverse Smile Center  
Ryan Paulson, DDS   
928 S. Garfield Avenue  
Traverse City, MI 49686   
(231) 935-4872  
GTSmileCenter.com