Menu

Dental Implants

Prepare for the New Year with a Brighter Smile

/ , , , , , / , , /

In today’s society, having bright white teeth and wrinkle-free skin represents being youthful. However, people drinking coffee every morning, eating junky food, and forgetting to brush their teeth at night before bed can make for some pretty neglected and yellowing teeth. Today, Dr Fisher is revealing the many reasons as to why teeth stain over the years. Here’s some for you to browse through,

• Tobacco use
• Certain foods and drinks like coffee, tea, soda, wine, cherries, blueberries, potatoes, etc
• Poor dental hygiene
• Certain medications such as antihistamines, antidepressants, and high blood pressure pills
• Aging
• Genetics
• Dental work with the use of silver amalgam material
• Environment by use of excessive fluoride in tap water
• Trauma
• Medical treatments like chemotherapy, or head and neck radiation

Flash that Smile

Sometimes it runs in the family, or it’s a side-effect that comes with the medication, other times it’s a bad habit like drinking soda every day or smoking cigarettes. There’s plenty of ways to brighten your teeth in time for all of those holiday parties coming up in December. Try these methods to lighten your pearly whites,

• Toothpaste. There are several different types and brands of toothpaste that have whitening ingredients to slowly and safely lighten your teeth. The difference is noticeable over a span of time that is usually noted on the packaging. Try brands like Rembrandt and Sensodyne.
• Reduce your coffee, soda, and tea intake.
• Remember to brush well afterwards to prevent the stains from setting in the enamel.
• Remove all food particles and plaque from in between teeth by flossing. This will prevent tooth decay and tooth discolouration as a result of it.
• Try over-the-counter whitening trays, strips, or mouth rinses such as Crest Whitestrips or Rembrandt Deeply White + Peroxide Whitening Mouthwash.

ZOOM! Teeth Whitening

If you’re looking for a stronger tooth whitening system with fast results, you may be interested in ZOOM! Teeth Whitening here at Eastside Comprehensive Dentistry. In just a single visit, we can reverse the effects that lifestyle habits had on your smile. ZOOM! Is an in-office whitening system that lifts stains on your teeth made by eating high-pigment foods and beverages like wine, tea, soda, and coffee. Depending on the shade and condition that your teeth are in, Dr Fisher will recommend a formula of a certain strength of carbamide peroxide to produce an awesome, bright white result. This kind of system that is so concentrated and strong that it can completely reverse the state of your smile in one visit cannot be found in store-bought systems like whitening trays, strips, or rinses. Nor can you get the same results or professional application and knowledge as you can here in our Issaquah office.

Schedule Your Personal Consultation Today!

If a brighter and whiter smile is what you’ve been dreaming of, whether it’s for every day or a special occasion, we can help you look and feel great with the use of our ZOOM! Teeth Whitening system. Go ahead and treat yourself to a teeth whitening consultation with Dr Kelley Fisher. To schedule your appointment, contact our Issaquah, WA office to speak with a friendly staff member and they’ll be more than happy to set you up for your consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!

Gobble Gobble!

/ , , / , , , /

 

It’s that time of year again, good ol’ Thanksgiving season has rolled around quicker than ever and from all of us here at Eastside Comprehensive Dentistry, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! We’ve got some tips for you to make the most out of your Turkey Day while staying fit and healthy from the inside out. Read along to learn more about how you can enjoy your Thanksgiving meal without getting bloated and keeping your teeth healthy for the New Year.

Retain Your Willpower

Extra calories sneak around every corner during this time of year, from seasonal cookies at the office to eggnog at holiday parties, and pies for Thanksgiving dessert; it’s no wonder that so many Americans gain weight during the holiday season. Avoid adding a few pounds to your body by following these simple tips:

• Limit your alcohol intake; alcohol can inhibit self-control when it comes to eating.
• Don’t arrive hungrily. This can increase your chances of overeating, if you haven’t had a snack, fill up on a glass of water to reduce your cravings.
• Pace yourself by chewing slowly, this will fill you up with less food.
• Restrict yourself to small portions. The food will still be there! Just eat small portions rather than stacking your plate with excess food that your body doesn’t need.
• Spend more time with friends and family and less time eating. People who focus on food at holiday parties tend to overeat.
• Be selective about treats and desserts. Limit yourself to small portions (again) to avoid eating extra calories and fat.
• Take a walk. Walking before or after meals can burn off calories and puts you more in control over what you eat so you feel better about yourself.

By utilizing these tips, you will find yourself feeling more content and energized instead of so full that you’ve deemed yourself “in a food coma” for the rest of the evening which can leave you feeling sluggish and bloated.

Floss, Brush, and Rinse

Start your resolutions early this year by maintaining pristine oral health this holiday season. Taking care of your teeth is one of the first things to start when bettering your overall health. Start off by following these simple instructions to begin your journey to pearlier whites while avoiding pesky oral ailments.

• Floss in between each and every tooth to remove plaque and food particles. If left alone, food particles turn into bad bacteria like plaque and eat away at the enamel, causing cavities and other oral problems.
• Brush at least twice a day if not three times a day. Brush every morning and evening, after lunch brushings are suggested as well to remove bacteria and food lodged in between teeth and gums.
• Brush for two minutes, making sure to reach back molars and gums to ensure optimal cleanliness. Listen to a song or watch a news segment to pass the time!
• Pick a toothpaste that suits your oral needs, whether it is tooth whitening, tartar control, extra fluoride, etc. This will help to protect your mouth from its biggest enemies, bacteria and plaque.
• Rinse with an alcohol-free mouthwash to keep your breath feeling and smelling minty fresh. Alcohol in mouthwash can actually promote bad breath as it dries out your mouth. Try a mouthwash without alcohol to keep your palate moist for ideal freshness.

Reach out to Dr Fisher of Eastside Comprehensive Dentistry in Issaquah, WA

Maintaining your physical and oral health is the best way to make sure that your body is strong and healthy without giving bacteria a chance to compromise your smile and figure. By following these simple tips and tricks, you’ll be able to enjoy your Thanksgiving without overeating, gaining excess weight, and all while having a healthy smile to boost your self-confidence. Looking to give back to the community on Thanksgiving Day? Enjoy a fun and casual 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning to raise money for those in need! Check out this website for more information on the 2014 Turkey Trot. If you feel that your smile is in need of a little extra work, contact Eastside Comprehensive Dentistry to schedule a consultation to see how we can improve your smile and health. For any questions or concerns, our friendly front staff is more than happy to assist you. Call our office in Issaquah today!

Healthy Teeth on Halloween

/ , / , , /

With the arrival of autumn, our foods start to become sweeter – flavoured with cinnamon, candy, pumpkin spice, sugar, creams and more. As fun as they are to make, buy, and consume, it’s important to maintain good oral health in the meantime. Even though it’s often thought that children are the most prone to tooth decay or cavities around Halloween, it’s very true that adults can be just as guilty without proper oral care.

All those pumpkin spice lattes, office pastries, and rejected candy from trick-or-treating can do a number on your pearly whites. If you’ve noticed that your sweet tooth has started causing adverse effects on your teeth, we’ve listed a few options from Eastside Comprehensive Dentistry in Issaquah, WA that have helped our sweet-toothed patients get their brilliant smiles back.

More

Dentures and Dental Implants

/ / , /

It is thanks to dentures that patients no longer have to simply learn to live with missing teeth. Dentures provide a solution that is both effective and affordable for any patient. Recently, dental implants have taken the dental hygiene world by storm. With dental implants supporting them, dentures have become even stronger! Today, Dr. Kelley Fisher is blogging from Issaquah, WA to discuss fixed dentures and their benefits. Fixed dentures are the perfect marriage of the strength of dental implants and the complete restoration of dentures. Read on to learn how fixed dentures are becoming the go to treatment for partial and full arch restoration.

Fixed Dentures and You

Fixed dentures utilize the dentures you know and love, and combine them with dental implants. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots made from titanium that are surgically fused with your jawbone. Through a process called osseointegration, the jawbone and surrounding gums accept dental implants as a natural part of the body. This makes dental implants work and feel just like natural teeth. With dental implants in place, dentures can be connected, giving them strength and stability. Dental implants combined with dentures provide an unparalleled level of comfort and support. And, by connecting your dentures to dental implants, your jawbone and gums will receive all the exercise they need, preventing bone deterioration and gum recession.

A good patient for fixed dentures is one who has good oral and general health. In order to proceed with dental implant surgery, a patient must have adequate jawbone and gum structure to support the implants. A lack of either of these does not necessarily disqualify you from pursuing fixed dentures. For these cases, bone grafting and soft tissue augmentation can be used to restore these deficiencies. Bone grafting is a procedure where bone is taken from another part of the body, usually the hip, and grafted to the deficient area, restoring the jawbone. Soft tissue augmentation takes gum tissue from the roof of the mouth and then grafts it to the deficient area. A good patient for fixed dentures will also be free of tooth decay and periodontal disease. Both of these conditions can interfere with the dental implant process and cause the procedure to fail. Fortunately, our success rate for this treatment is 95-98%!

Schedule a Consultation in Issaquah, WA

With dental implants supporting them, dentures have become an even stronger and more effective restorative treatment. Dental implants can improve both the comfort and stability of your dentures, providing an even better treatment for your missing teeth. If you would like to find out if you might be a good candidate for fixed dentures, we encourage you to contact us and schedule a no-obligation consultation with Dr. Kelley Fisher. We look forward to helping you complete your smile soon!

Dental Implants: A Permanent Solution for Problem Teeth

/ / , /

Hello everybody, we are glad to have you back at Dr. Kelley Fisher’s Dental Blog for Eastside Comprehensive Dentistry in Issaquah, WA! Dr. Kelley Fisher takes great pride in her ability to restore not only the missing teeth of her patients but also their enjoyment of the little things in life as well. Dental implants offer a complete, permanent, and non-removable solution for missing teeth, failing teeth, or even for obsolete removable dental prostheses.  Dr. Fisher can replace single missing teeth, multiple lost teeth, and can even provide full arch teeth replacement options with the remarkable capabilities of dental implants.  Read on to learn more about why dental implants are the most effective replacement treatment for tooth loss!

Strong Foundations in Dental Science

One of the most fascinating aspects about dental implants is that they are so successful because they actually become part of the anatomy of the jawbone by the healing process of osseointegration.  The biocompatible titanium that dental implants are fabricated from stimulates the nearby bone tissue to grow in very close proximity to the surface of the dental implants.  It is this new growth that permanently “fuses” the dental implant to the jawbone and provides the extremely strong and stable foundation for replacement teeth.  Dental bridges and removable dentures can lose their proper fit and their efficacy over time because of the constantly changing anatomy of the oral cavity when exposed to untreated tooth loss.  Dental implants can actively help to prevent additional oral health problems such as shifting or migrating teeth, periodontal infections, and even jawbone loss by replacing not only the lost tooth but the missing underlying structure of the tooth root.  By treating the entire missing or failing tooth with a total dental implant replacement, the restoration truly becomes a permanent and enduring part of the patient’s oral anatomy.

Permanently Resolve Recurring Dental Problems with Dental Implants in Issaquah, WA

Dr. Fisher strongly advocates the placement of dental implants because of the many important advantages and benefits that they offer patients who choose to replace their missing or failing teeth in this manner. Another reason that Dr. Fisher advocates the use of dental implants is because sometimes the long term prognosis for a damaged tooth is poor. If the tooth in question is unlikely to survive even with restoration, then Dr. Kelley may suggest that the problem tooth be extracted and completely replacement of the tooth with a dental implant supported crown. If you have one or more missing or failing teeth, and you live in or near the Issaquah, WA or another neighboring community of Washington, then Dr. Kelley Fisher has the experience and artistic vision required to provide a permanent and genuinely beautiful smile with the help of dental implants. Contact Eastside Comprehensive Dentistry to schedule your no-obligation dental implant consultation with Dr. Fisher today!

A Guide to Tooth Decay

/ / , /

Although tooth decay is relatively easy to treat when caught early, the disease is ubiquitous and widespread. Of all adults between the age of 20 and 64, a stunning 92 percent have experienced tooth decay and 23 percent suffer from untreated cavities. If left untreated, tooth decay can continue to consume away at the affected teeth and can even spread to adjacent teeth. Eastside Comprehensive Dentistry in Issaquah, WA offers a number of treatments which range in complexity, depending on the severity and extent of the decay. These include tooth-colored porcelain fillings, root canal therapy, and dental implants.

What is Tooth Decay?

Tooth decay, also known as dental caries in the medical world, has plagued humans for at least 15,000 years. Scientists have found that 94 percent of the Pleistocene era (which ended roughly 11,700 years ago) inhabitants of Grotte des Pigeons, a cave located in modern-day Morroco, suffered from serious tooth decay along at least half of their teeth. In fact, the decay was so bad that by their late 30s they hardly had enough teeth to eat with! As is often the case, researchers have found that the cause of the extensive decay is found in these Grotte des Pigeons residents’ diet — sugar-heavy acorns, wild oats, and legumes.

To understand how dental caries affect our teeth, let’s first review the anatomy of the human tooth. Our teeth are composed of several layers of different types of tissues, each of which performs a specific function. These layers are:

  • Enamel: One of the hardest tissues in the human body, the outer layer of human teeth is composed of enamel tissue. Heavily mineralized, enamel helps protect our teeth from the daily strain of chewing, biting, and grinding, as well as from extreme temperatures and otherwise dangerous chemicals.
  • Dentin: A calcified and mineralized tissue, dentin backs the outer layer of enamel and also serves to protect the pulp beneath it. Keeping the layer of dentin healthy is important because it is susceptible to dental caries and if the damage is severe it could require more complicated treatment.
  • Pulp: This is a soft tissue in the center of the tooth that holds the nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue of the teeth. Because pulp cannot repair itself, if it is infected the tissue will die. Decay of the pulp is often a result of tooth damage, which can provide bacteria a direct route to the core of the tooth — if your teeth are cracked or chipped, our Issaquah, WA offers dental crowns and porcelain veneers. Otherwise, a deep cavity can also spread dental caries to the pulp, in which case root canal therapy may be necessary.

When we eat, food particles may be left behind in between our teeth and this debris attracts fermenting bacteria. Products with heavy concentrations of sugar are also known to cause tooth decay, as bacteria in your mouth will ferment the carbohydrates and convert them into acid. In turn, acid will demineralize the tissues of your teeth and ultimately cause them to disintegrate, leaving behind a hole or cavity. If not treated, the decay will continue to spread through the tooth and can even jump to adjacent teeth. If the rot is particularly extensive, the affected teeth may no longer be salvageable, in which case dental implants are the preferred treatment.

Tooth Decay: Early Warning Signs and Preventative Measures

There’s no reason significant tooth decay should sneak up on you. There are a number of early warning signs that you can look out for, which include:

  • Sensitivity of the teeth to temperature changes
  • Pit formation on tooth surfaces (tissue necrosis)
  • Chronic bad breath
  • Discoloration, especially white, gray, black, and brown spots on the teeth
  • Pain resulting from eating and drinking sweet products

Tooth decay is dynamic in that your teeth can re-mineralize if the aggressing bacteria are cleaned away. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day and daily flossing is heavily encouraged. Mouthwash can also help kill bacteria, while toothpaste and fluoride may also help with the re-mineralization process. It is also recommended that you schedule routine dental checkups so that our well-trained and knowledgeable staff can keep your mouth free of excessive deposits of plaque and bacteria.

Compassionate and Expert Dental Care in Issaquah, WA

If caught early, tooth decay can be treated through a simple procedure at Eastside Comprehensive Dentistry. By removing the decayed tissue and replacing it with tooth-colored fillings, your teeth can be rid of an existing infection. As the decay spreads through the tooth, a more complicated procedure may be necessary. A root canal can be used to treat particularly heavy tooth decay. If you suspect that you are suffering from dental caries, contact our Issaquah, WA office to schedule your no-obligation consultation today!

The Beauty of Dental Implants

/ , / , , , , , /

Dental implants are one of the most popular treatments requested at our Issaquah, WA practice. Among major health benefits of dental implants, such as stability, durability, and longevity, there is one more HUGE benefit: Beauty.

Dental implants are not just functional, they are aesthetically pleasing as well. Because of their beauty, people won’t even notice that you have a dental implant. It’s one of the best qualities about dental implants: they blend in seamlessly with your smile so that no one notices the difference. Even you will forget that you have a dental implant!

Dental implants are beautiful because of two factors: how they are made, and what they are made of. Of course, the roots beneath the gums are made of titanium; but in this post we are going to discuss the restoration that is placed on top of the root.

How implants are made: Dr. Kelley Fisher is a master of cosmetic dentistry and is esteemed for her ability to provide restorations that look natural and gorgeous. Furthermore, our restorations closely match your real teeth in order to blend seamlessly with your smile. We achieve this by taking impressions of your teeth to mimic the size and shape of your natural teeth. The restoration is made at a laboratory and sculpted precisely to fit your smile and work with your bite movements.

What implants are made of: We craft our restorations out of porcelain since they mimic the translucent nature of real teeth. The porcelain comes in different shades of white to closely match your smile. Once in place, no one will be able to spot the porcelain replacement from your other natural teeth.

Why Choose Dr. Kelley Fisher for Dental Implants?

Dr. Fisher is trained in both phases of the dental implants process, making the entire procedure in-house and convenient for our Issaquah patients. Normally, dentists are just trained in one phase of the process and must refer their patients out for the other portion. The benefit of Dr. Fisher being able to do both portions of the process means she overseas the progress of the implants from start to finish.

Contact Eastside Comprehensive Dentistry for Beautiful Dental Implants in Issaquah, WA

For a restoration that is as beautiful as it is strong, dental implants are the best option. Dr. Fisher is a master of cosmetic and restorative dentistry, providing the highest standards in beauty. For a healthy, long-lasting, and beautiful tooth replacement option, our office recommends dental implants. For natural-looking dental implants, schedule a consultation with our Issaquah, WA office. Contact Eastside Comprehensive Dentistry today.

Call Now Button