A captivating smile is a powerful tool that can boost your self-confidence, enhance your appearance, and leave a lasting impression on others. However, over time, our teeth can become stained and lose their natural brightness due to various factors such as age, lifestyle choices, and certain food and drinks. Fortunately, there’s a solution that can help you restore your pearly whites and regain your dazzling smile: Zoom! teeth whitening. In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of teeth whitening and why Lans Family Dentistry is your go-to destination for achieving a radiant, confident smile.
The Importance of a Bright Smile
Our smiles play a significant role in our personal and professional lives. They serve as a window to our personality, reflecting our confidence and overall well-being. A bright smile can enhance your appearance, make you appear more approachable, and even contribute to improved social interactions. By addressing teeth discoloration, teeth whitening allows you to unlock the full potential of your smile and enjoy its wide-ranging benefits.
Professional Teeth Whitening vs. At-Home Remedies
While there are numerous over-the-counter teeth whitening products available, they often provide limited results and may not be suitable for everyone. Zoom! teeth whitening, on the other hand, offers a safe and effective solution tailored to your unique needs. At Lans Family Dentistry, our skilled dental professionals utilize advanced techniques and high-quality whitening agents to ensure optimal results, all while prioritizing the health and integrity of your teeth.
Customized Treatment Plans
One of the key advantages of choosing Zoom! teeth whitening is the personalized approach we offer. We understand that each patient’s dental needs and expectations are different. During your initial consultation, our dental experts will assess your dental health, discuss your desired level of whitening, and create a customized treatment plan that suits your specific requirements. This ensures that you achieve the desired shade of brightness while maintaining the health and integrity of your teeth.
Safe and Comfortable Procedures
When it comes to teeth whitening, safety should always be a priority. We prioritize your comfort and well-being throughout the whitening process. Our dental professionals are highly experienced and employ advanced techniques that minimize sensitivity and protect your gums and other soft tissues in your mouth. With our team, you can rest assured that you’re in safe hands and will achieve remarkable results without any discomfort or risk.
Long-lasting Results
Teeth whitening offers long-lasting results that surpass the temporary effects of at-home remedies. Our high-quality whitening agents penetrate deep into the enamel, breaking down stubborn stains and discoloration. This leads to a radiant smile that can last for months, or even years, with proper oral hygiene and maintenance. Additionally, our dental experts can provide guidance on post-whitening care to help you extend the longevity of your newly brightened smile. A bright, confident smile can transform your overall appearance and leave a lasting impression on those around you. With Zoom! teeth whitening, you can achieve remarkable results in a safe, comfortable, and personalized manner. Contact Lans Family Dentistry and discover the transformative power of professional teeth whitening.
Having straight teeth is something many people desire, but having traditional wire braces can be inconvenient or undesirable. Spark Aligners offer a solution with various sets of clear aligners that move and straighten your teeth gradually. You wear each aligner for a set amount of time to slowly move your teeth into the desired position. Throughout the course of treatment, you will be supplied with a different set of aligners and a schedule for how long each set should be in use.
Why Choose Spark Aligners?
Spark Aligners is the market leader in comfort, look and cost. The aligners are made of medical-grade polyurethane resin, making them more comfortable in comparison to others that are made of plastic materials. Additionally, these aligners are less visible compared to other aligners due to the patented TruGen™ material. TruGen™ is also more stain-resistant, allowing you to continue to enjoy food and drinks without worrying about staining your aligners.
What Makes These Aligners Stand Out? 
The component that sets Spark apart from other options available is the cost. Most dental treatments such as teeth straightening aligners can be incredibly expensive, but this type offers a cost-effective option. Spark works to make their clear aligners more affordable for their orthodontists and clinicians, which, in turn, makes it more affordable for the patients, too.
How to Know if Spark is Right for You
Whether your teeth need to be clinically straightened or you struggle with the appearance of your teeth, Spark Aligners are a great option for you to consider. Spark Aligners clear aligners work through a customized treatment plan with sets of individual retainer trays that are changed out as your teeth move. A big benefit to using Spark Aligners is that everything is tailored exactly to your needs. Your orthodontist works closely with you to keep your teeth movement on track so that you get the results you want. The TruGen™ material used to create these clear aligners also allows for faster tooth movement due to the increased force retention and better surface area contact with each of your teeth.
How They Can Straighten Your Smile
The largest component to consider when looking into dental treatment using Spark Aligners is the issue you’re treating. The use of clear aligners is most helpful for those treating an anterior open bite (when the front teeth do not touch) or those dealing with a periodontal issue (sensitive gums). For anterior open bites, these aligners work with increased force retention to pull the teeth together over the course of the treatment. For those dealing with periodontal issues with their gums being sensitive to dental treatments, Spark Aligners are a great option because they are more comfortable on the gums than other brands.
Here at Lans Family Dentistry, we offer Spark Aligners and all the patient care that goes into using them. They are a great choice for many patients who are looking to straighten their smile. If you are considering getting started, contact us today!
Whether you think your smile could be straighter or your child’s bite needs alignment, you’ve likely found yourself thinking about braces and what you may need to know about them.
Types of Braces
There are two common kinds of braces that we use for the correction of misaligned teeth. Both have come a long way as technology has massively improved.
Metal
Metal braces are made out of high-grade stainless steel, which has become much smaller and more comfortable than in the past. They’ve also come a long way in terms of attractiveness.
Self-Ligating
Self-ligating braces have small slide brackets that clip the wires in place. These systems use lighter wires, and the lower friction brackets keep everything moving continuously. This active ability for the brackets to slide along the wire as the teeth move allows for a much shorter treatment time and less time waiting for results.
What to Expect On Your Application Day
As you approach the day of installation, you should know that some discomfort accompanies putting on your braces for the first time and readjusting them later. While unavoidable, there are a few things that you can do to improve your first few weeks with braces.
We’ll send you home with some wax to help put a little cushion between your braces and your lips as you adjust to the new presence in your mouth. While it may seem silly, a little bit of wax really goes a long way. That pressure on your lips is also going to change how they sit a little bit, resulting in a slightly different look and a little bit of a lisp as you get used to the new hardware. However, this will pass quickly, and your patience will be rewarded.
Over the first few months, you will rapidly see straightening and improvements in your bite that will likely surprise you. To make the most of it, you will need to keep up your flossing and cleaning since braces are a little more difficult to clean around.
Keeping Your Braces Tuned Up
After your initial appointment, you will need to come back every 4 to 6 weeks for new elastic ties and adjustment if you have metal braces, and slightly less with self-ligating braces though each patient is a little different. Each time we adjust them, there will be a little discomfort, and your teeth will straighten more and more as we get closer to your goal of a beautiful and stable smile.
The average treatment plan is between twelve to thirty-six months for braces. However, treatment times can be longer in extreme cases or shorter for easier cases. Generally, after about two to three years, you should be on your way with a perfect, bright smile.
If you or someone in your family is considering getting braces, contact Lans Family Dentistry today to evaluate what type and treatment plan is right for your teeth so that we can start building a smile for you to live in.
Dental flossing is an important part of oral hygiene that’s often overlooked, but it provides numerous benefits for your overall health and well-being. By removing plaque and food particles from areas that a toothbrush can’t reach, flossing helps to keep your teeth and gums healthy and reduces the risk of gum disease and other oral health problems.
One of the primary benefits of dental flossing is the prevention of gum disease. Gum disease is a common problem that occurs when plaque builds up along the gum line and irritates the gums. This can lead to inflammation, bleeding, and eventually, tooth loss. By removing plaque and food particles from the hard-to-reach areas between your teeth, dental flossing helps to keep your gums healthy and reduces the risk of gum disease.
Dental flossing also helps to prevent cavities and tooth decay. Plaque contains bacteria that produce acid that can attack your teeth, causing cavities and tooth decay. By removing plaque and food particles with dental floss, you can reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth, which can help to prevent cavities and tooth decay.
In addition to improving oral health, flossing can also improve your overall health. Research has shown that gum disease and other oral health problems can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious health conditions. By maintaining good oral hygiene with regular flossing, you can reduce your risk of these health problems and maintain good overall health.
Dental flossing is also an effective way to freshen your breath. When food particles and plaque remain in your mouth, they can cause bad breath. By removing these particles with dental floss, you can help to keep your breath fresh and eliminate the source of bad breath.
Finally, dental flossing is a simple and easy way to improve your oral health. It only takes a few minutes each day to floss, and the benefits are well worth the effort. By making dental flossing a regular part of your oral hygiene routine, you can keep your teeth and gums healthy and prevent a range of oral health problems.
Flossing is a critical component of oral hygiene that provides numerous benefits for your overall health and well-being. By removing plaque and food particles from areas that a toothbrush can’t reach, dental flossing helps to keep your teeth and gums healthy, reduce the risk of gum disease and other oral health problems, improve your overall health, freshen your breath, and is a simple and easy way to improve your oral health. So, make dental flossing a part of your daily routine and enjoy the many benefits of a healthy smile!
Sleep apnea affects about 25 million Americans or 26% of adults between the ages of 30 and 70 years of age and is considered a chronic disease. It can increase the chance of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, depression, and even oral health problems.
Causes
Sleep apnea is caused by collapsing tissues in the airway that lead to repeated breathing interruptions amid the sleep cycle. The tissues collapse because of weak airway muscles, obesity, sinus problems, a large neck, or other causes. This condition is dangerous because it stops oxygen from getting to the lungs.
Your Oral Health
Sleep apnea and oral health are more connected than most people realize. The disease can cause several issues with oral health, and vice versa.
First, individuals who suffer from sleep apnea most often sleep with their mouths open. This can lead to dry mouth, which can result in more plaque development, cavities, periodontal disease, and tooth decay. Mouth sores can also develop because of infections from dry mouth. Gingivitis, or gum disease, can result from this condition as well — studies show that 34% of people with sleep apnea also have gingivitis.
Treatment With Dental Care
While visiting a dentist regularly for routine cleanings and oral care treatments can remedy these conditions temporarily, the symptoms will return without treating the disease, which would be the underlying cause. If oral health issues are found to be the reason sleep apnea is occurring, treating those issues can then improve the negative associated effects.
Other connections with oral health include:
· Temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This can be associated with sleep apnea when symptoms include pain in the neck, head, and shoulders, jaw pain, difficulty chewing, and clicking or grinding joints, as well as a locked jaw.
· Bruxism. Also known as teeth grinding or jaw clenching, bruxism symptoms include waking up unrefreshed with headaches, neck pain, and jaw pain. Signs include eroded, chipped, cracked, broken, or loose teeth. Dryness in the throat, mouth, and lips upon waking up is also a sign of bruxism.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Both children and adults suffering from sleep apnea may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
· Clenching/grinding teeth
· Pain and tightness in the jaw joints
· Chewing on the inside of the cheeks that results in sore, raw spots
· Dulled headaches with pain initiating at the temples
· Snoring
· Insomnia
Treatment
A medical doctor should diagnose this type of disease and can then prescribe treatment such as a CPAP machine. Dentists can also treat oral symptoms with a dental mouthpiece that can manage the clenching and grinding of teeth while sleeping. Other sleep apnea symptoms can be alleviated via orthodontic treatments for dry mouth and misalignment, as well as regular dental health management.
Get in Touch With Lans Family Dentistry
To learn more about how oral healthcare can improve a sleep apnea diagnosis, contact Lans Family Dentistry. The experienced and caring professionals at Lans Family Dentistry can answer all your questions and schedule a consultation or a regular dental cleaning appointment.
With the New Year barreling towards us, thinking about positive changes and resolutions for next year may already be on your mind. While many people put health and finances on that list, one area that can get overlooked is your teeth. Let’s talk New Year’s dental resolutions!
Don’t skip out on your dental health for next year, and add these dental New Year’s resolutions to your list:
- Make flossing a part of your routine. You probably hear it every time you go to the dentist’s office: you need to floss more. Some studies say that up to ⅓ of adults haven’t flossed in the last week.
- Skip acid-heavy foods. You may love the taste of citrus and other highly acidic foods, but the truth of the matter is that these kinds of foods can seriously damage your enamel and cause worse problems.
- Slow down on things that stain your teeth. That morning cup of coffee or glass or two of red wine with dinner may taste good, but they’re both causing issues with your teeth. Dental whitening certainly helps, but it can get costly, especially if you continue to consume those foods that will keep staining your teeth. Try cutting back.
- Stop smoking. Probably one of the most damaging things to your dental health is smoking. While it’s true that smoking causes all kinds of health risks, it absolutely wreaks havoc on your mouth by increasing your risk of gum disease and causing tooth loss.
- Hydration is key. Keeping yourself hydrated is good for several reasons, but it’s especially good for your dental health. Bacteria need to be frequently washed away for cavities to not settle in.
- Cut back on sugar in beverages. It’s easy to pick up a sugary beverage for a pick-me-up, but all that extra sugar can add up to bacteria and extra cavities, especially as drinks totally coat your mouth in whatever you happen to be drinking. Opt for water when you can.
- Use the full two minutes. We should be brushing our teeth for two solid minutes. You can set a timer and make sure to brush for the full time or invest in an electric toothbrush that will do the counting for you.
- Snack less. Unfortunately, many snacks are unhealthy, and consuming food between meals increases the number of bacteria in your mouth, leading to damage to your teeth.
- Scrape your tongue. You might not think this is important, but your tongue traps a lot of bacteria, and if this list has tried to teach anything, it’s that bacterium leads to dental damage.
- Attend regular check-ups. Regularly visiting the dentist can help you prevent a plethora of damage and disease in your mouth. Putting off your dental visit can do more harm than you think.
Contact Lans Family Dentistry
Are you overdue for your dental visit? Now is the best time to think about scheduling a check-up and preparing yourself for a happy and healthy new year. The team at Lans Family Dentistry is prepared to help you when you’re ready for your cleaning.
The holidays can be a tricky time for our health for a lot of reasons. One area that ends up taking the brunt of a lot of overindulgences is our teeth. From sugary treats, festive beverages, and hard candies, our healthy teeth and gums can really take a beating.
Here are a few things you can do to protect your teeth this holiday season.
- Don’t forget the fruits and veggies. We know that the plate of cookies looks so enticing, and that’s more than okay. Be sure to balance out your choices with crunchy vegetables and fruits, so you’re still getting all those healthy vitamins.
- Bottoms up. All kinds of festive drinks happen during the holidays, from adult cocktails to hot chocolate, but none of these should be more important than water. Water helps to clean out your mouth and stops mouth-dwelling bacteria from turning acidic and damaging your enamel.
- Keep up your routine. It’s easy to let good habits fall to the wayside with all the fun, but remember to brush properly, and floss helps protect your teeth. Cavities won’t be taking a break while you do, so rather than letting all that extra sugar turn into acid and damage your teeth, be sure to regularly brush and floss.
- Get your check-up. You might not be thinking about everything you have to do post-holidays, but now is a great time to schedule your check-up. Get your routine cleaning in, and have those pearly whites checked out so prevention can help before any issues get totally out of control and you need a more serious dental intervention.
- Don’t use your teeth for that. We know how easy it is to run out of hands to hold things and open things, but your teeth aren’t an all-purpose tool. Sure, it’s easy to chomp down on that cork or rip open a package with your teeth, but that’s not the best way to treat your teeth well. Too much of this will weaken the enamel on your teeth and cause a lot of damage.
- Opt for light-colored beverages. Maybe you’ve spent a lot of time and money on whitening your teeth this year. If that’s the case, you don’t want to undo all that hard work. Opt for beverages, such as wine and mixers, that are lighter in color. Prevent additional staining from one too many glasses of red wine or cranberry juice.
- Cheese is your friend. It’s probably not often you hear this, but if you’re imbibing, have a little cheese along with your beverage or between each sip. Cheese is excellent at neutralizing the acid in many sugary drinks, thus preventing a major holiday dental mishap.
Visit Lans Family Dentistry
A little bit of forethought goes a long way. Whether you’ve been on a long dental journey, or you simply want to maintain a healthy smile, consider the above tips of the trade and keep smiling all year long. Let Lans Family Dentistry help with your healthy teeth.
Dental emergencies are stressful events that no one expects to happen. They lead to a lot of pain and distress and are often expensive. You can lower your likelihood of an oral emergency by ensuring healthy habits.Sometimes, a dental emergency can be unpredictable, but it’s essential to avoid them when possible. By following the steps below to keep your mouth and teeth healthy, you can improve your long-term oral health.
- Maintain a Routine of Oral Hygiene
When you wake up and at the end of your day before you go to bed are the best times to brush your teeth and use mouthwash. Brushing your teeth twice daily for at least two minutes would be best. It would help if you also floss at least once a day. All these routines will clear out bacteria and plaque build-up and generally prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
- Make Regular Dental Appointments
Every six months or twice a year, you should make an appointment with your dentist for an exam and professional cleaning. This will remove plaque build-up that brushing fails to address. Regular trips allow your dentist to note changes or minor issues in your oral health and provide the care necessary to prevent them from becoming emergencies.
- Pay Attention to What You Eat
Many people are aware that sugar isn’t good for your teeth. That’s because it increases the acidity levels in your mouth which eat away slowly at your tooth enamel. Starchy foods are bad for your teeth, as are drinks such as soda, alcohol, coffee, or fruit juice. Many o
ther foods can also damage your mouth, such as crunchy or sticky foods that could get stuck in or hurt your teeth.
- Replace Your Toothbrush
A worn-down toothbrush fails to do its job of keeping your teeth clean. It would help if you switched to a new brush when your toothbrush looks worn, or the bristles are loose and frayed. Every two to three months is a good rule if the toothbrush doesn’t display these visual signs.
- Wear a Mouthguard
Suppose you participate in sports, whether contact or non-contact; a mouthguard is hugely beneficial to prevent severe damage to your teeth. A blow to the face can cause cracks or chips in teeth, cause damage to tooth sockets, or even knock teeth out of your mouth. A mouthguard will lessen the impact of blows on your teeth, reducing your risk of costly dental emergencies.
Vitamins can help strengthen your teeth and gums, lowering your risk of tooth and gum decay. Vitamins C, B-12, and E are good for healing and keeping gums resistant to disease, while Vitamin D and calcium are essential to keeping your teeth stable and robust.
Contact Lans Family Dentistry
Preventative care is incredibly important for your mouth’s current and future health. It’s an investment in your teeth and gums. You can save time, money, and stress by taking care of your oral health. If you need a professional dentist for regular cleaning or to address a dental emergency, contact Lans Family Dentistry today.
Going to the dentist can be stressful. While it’s a fear often associated with children, adults are just as likely to be anxious about visiting the dentist, and such fear can often keep people from scheduling appointments or coming in when they have a dental emergency. If you suffer from dental anxiety or even a dental phobia, don’t let your fears keep you from taking care of your teeth.
- Identify Your Fear
First, it helps to pinpoint exactly what your phobia is about. Painful procedures keep a lot of people at bay, and fear of the dentist might stem from the harsh lighting, an unsettling angle, and face-covering masks that make dentists seem scarier than they actually are. Once you know exactly why you’re afraid of visiting the dentist, you can take the steps necessary to conquer this fear.
- Practice Simple Relaxation Tools
This can be done through various means: guided meditation, a distracting hobby, or even just regular deep breathing exercises. When we have anxiety, our negative thoughts tend to kick into overdrive, and diverting those thoughts is a good way to stay calm and think through the situation more rationally.
- Communicate With Your Dentist
They’re there to keep your teeth clean and your mouth healthy, and they don’t want you to feel scared of them. By letting them know how you feel, they can find ways to help you put your mind at ease. Perhaps by setting up a break schedule or allowing you to signal if you feel uncomfortable. They can also provide a more calming atmosphere, such as by allowing the use of blankets or letting you listen to music during the procedure. You can also ask them to keep you informed of what they’re going to do at every step to avoid making you worried about what’s coming next.
- Ask for Numbing Medication
Whether it’s through Novocain, “laughing gas,” or any other sort of numbing agent, your dentist can prevent you from being in pain by temporarily dulling the sensation. If pain is what you fear, discuss whether numbing medication could be right for you.
- Consult a Professional About Sedation
In some circumstances, you might consider being voluntarily sedated during the dental process. While this may sound scary and would require you to prepare ahead of time, being sedated during the procedure means that you will have no pain or awareness of what’s happening. You can sleep through the procedure, wake up with a repaired smile, and skip out on the parts that cause the most anxiety.
- Find the Right Dentist For You
As with any professional relationship, it is important to find the right fit for you. Be aware of your needs, and feel empowered to find a dental professional who you trust.
Contact Lans Family Dentistry
If you’d like to visit a dentist that focuses on fostering a relaxing and welcoming environment, contact Lans Family Dentistry today to schedule an appointment or learn more about what services and accommodations we can provide for you. We understand that it can be stressful to visit the dentist, especially if you’re visiting a new dentist for the first time, and we’re here to help you feel comfortable during the visit and confident in your smile afterward.
Root canals have often been associated with pain and are considered an overall unpleasant dental procedure for those who first learn they need one. While that may have been true in the past, modern dental medicine has come a long way and has made the procedure virtually pain-free. Still, we understand that getting ready for any type of procedure can create a bit of stress and anxiety. However, knowing the reasons for a root canal surgery and how to prepare can put you more at ease.
The Purpose of Root Canals
Root canals are a treatment for repairing and saving a seriously damaged or infected tooth versus removing it. The procedure is called a “root canal” because it involves cleaning the canals inside of a tooth’s root. This can occur when a cavity is left untreated for too long or if a tooth is cracked or damaged.
Preparing for a Root Canal
With any procedure or new experience, preparation is key to feeling more comfortable as you enter the situation. Preparing for a root canal is important, as it can lead to a more positive patient experience:
- Research your options. Consider asking local friends or family members about their root canal experiences to see which providers they have had positive experiences with. Look at reviews online if you don’t have any personal contacts.
- Learn about the procedure. The unknown can be scary, so understanding the root canal procedure before undergoing one can help ease some anxiety. A root canal consists of three general steps, and for most people, the procedure can be easily completed with just a local anesthetic. First, an opening is created in the tooth’s pulp, and the infected tissue is cleared. Next, the pulp chamber is cleared and shaped so that it can receive the filler material. Last, the opening is filled, which seals off the tooth to prevent future infection.
- Eat before your procedure and prepare to eat soft foods afterward. Discuss the exact timeline with your provider, but you will usually want to eat a meal two or more hours before your procedure as eating afterward might be uncomfortable at first. Having soft and cold foods on hand after a root canal can be more soothing and appetizing as opposed to hot or crunchy foods initially.
- Discuss pain medication and antibiotics. Your dentist may recommend you take over-the-counter pain relievers before your procedure, so follow these orders carefully. You may also discuss antibiotics with your provider, as they can help reduce the risk of infection.
- Avoid alcohol and tobacco leading up to your procedure. These substances can negatively affect your root canal and recovery since both impact your blood flow. If you smoke or drink, discuss this with your dentist and follow their recommendations regarding how long to fast from these substances prior to your root canal for optimal recovery.
At Lans Family Dentistry, we provide root canal therapy for those who need it in Northern Virginia. We understand undergoing dental procedures can be nerve-wracking. That’s why we are committed to making our patients as comfortable as possible throughout the experience, which includes adequate preparation. Our team will answer any questions you have and will prepare you with detailed instructions before your procedure to limit your pain and help you recover as quickly as possible from your root canal surgery. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your concerns.