Cosmetic Dentistry Blog of Dr Sussman & Pogal

October. The temperatures begin to cool, leaves begin to change and kids excitedly plan their costumes for Halloween. October is also National Orthodintic Health month. Our Greece orthodontics practice would like to wish you a fun and safe Halloween, and offer some tips to help keep your family’s mouths strong, clean and healthy.

Candy is a traditional reward for braving the cold night, walking door-to-door, ringing the doorbell and in unison asking “Trick or Treat?” While kids hungrily eye those bowls full of candy, parents are wondering, what is the damage all that sugar will do to my children’s teeth?

Creating good habits before Halloween sets the precedent that dental care is a year-long regiment. Such regiments include:

• Eating a healthy diet- do not let your kids supplement Kit-Kats and Smarties for their chicken with broccoli
• Brush teeth twice daily
• Floss daily
• Maintain regular dentist visits; recommended cleanings are twice a year

We all know kids in Greece aren’t considering orthodontics when surveying all the sugary goodness they receive Halloween night. Some additional tips to help with dental care during this time are:

• Eat candy with meals or shortly after a meal
• Avoid hard candies that take a long time to dissolve in your mouth
• Avoid sticky candies and sweets like taffy and gummy bears
• Avoid drinks with added sugar such as soda, sports drinks, flavored waters
• Drink more water
• Chew sugarless gum for 20 minutes after meals or eating candy to clear away excess food and bacteria

If you live in the Greece area and are in need of orthodontics care, contact Dr. Paul Sussman and Dr. Meredith Pogal today online or at 585-227-4390 to schedule your consultation. With more than 30 years of dental practice experience, we are here to meet your child’s dental needs. We welcome patients from Rochester, Webster and surrounding areas of New York.

The American Dental Association recommends that every day, you brush your teeth twice and floss once.  Assuming you meet these basic requirements, and suffer no discernable dental issues, is it really necessary to visit your Greece general dentist twice a year for routine dental check-ups? The answer is yes!

Regular dental exams don’t just help keep your teeth clean, they give your dentist a chance to evaluate the current state of your oral health, and identify emerging concerns, such as:

• Tooth decay
• Gum disease
• TMJ
• Obstructed airways that cause sleep apnea
• Oral cancer

Catching symptoms early can help save you money and avoid discomfort.  Visiting Dr. Sussman or Dr. Pogal twice a year helps prevent small problems from becoming major issues.

Neglecting your teeth, whether from poor oral hygiene or an inadequate number of dentist visits, can have a detrimental effect on your oral and general health. Some concerns include:

• Tooth loss
• Bone loss
• Stroke
• Heart Disease
• Diabetes

Our Greece general dentist is committed to providing you with the exceptional dental care you deserve. Don’t put off another appointment until next year, or wait until a serious dental crisis develops.

If you live in Greece, and want to schedule a check-up with our experienced general dentist, please contact the office of Dr. Paul Sussman and Dr. Meredith Pogal by completing the form on this page, or by calling 585-227-4390 to schedule an appointment. We welcome patients from Rochester, Webster and surrounding areas of New York.

There are several reasons why our patients from Rochester and Greece prefer Invisalign® orthodontic treatment over traditional metal braces. One of those reasons is the Invisalign® system’s ability to fit each person’s lifestyle.

A key difference between Invisalign® treatment and fixed braces is freedom.

Braces are attached to the teeth throughout the duration of treatment. However, Invisalign® uses removable plastic aligner trays to properly adjust your bite.

Unlike braces, Invisalign® aligners can be conveniently removed at any time. Some restrictions do apply, however. In order to achieve proper orthodontic correction, Dr. Pogal and Dr. Sussman recommend that you do the following:

• Wear your aligners for approximately 20 to 22 hours every day.
• Remove your aligner trays before brushing your teeth, playing sports or eating a meal.
• Once you’ve worn an aligner for two weeks, dispose of it and begin using a new tray.
• Schedule an appointment with Dr. Sussman or Dr. Pogal every six weeks so the progress of your treatment can be assessed and you can get your next set of aligners.

Invisalign® treatments are uniquely customized to address your personal goals and oral condition. Although Invisalign® require less time and maintenance than traditional braces to properly correct the appearance and alignment of your teeth, the system still requires diligent care to achieve your desired results.

If you live in Greece and would like to learn more about how Invisalign® can help your smile, contact the office of Dr. Meredith Pogal and Dr. Paul Sussman online or at 585-227-4390 today to schedule your appointment. We welcome patients from Rochester, Webster and surrounding areas of New York.

For tooth-loss sufferers in Webster and Rochester, both dental implants and bridges can provide exceptional relief: a better smile, easier chewing and improved speech. However, neither option is ideally suited for every person in every situation.

Which treatment is right for you? Here are a few considerations:

Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are placed within your jawbone. An implant provides a sturdy foundation for your prosthetic tooth. Some advantages of dental implants include:

• Look and Feel: Dental implants feel better when chewing and look more natural.
• Strength: Unlike bridges, implants help relieve stress on individual teeth by distributing chewing force to your jaw.
• Maintenance: You can continue to brush and floss just like you always have, without the need of specialized tools.
• Longevity: Once an implant is secured, it will not decay or need to be replaced.

Dental bridges are fixed structures that fill gaps between two dental crowns. Adjacent teeth are ground down to accommodate necessary bridge-building crowns. Dental bridges offer benefits such as:

• Price: At the beginning, bridges are less expensive than implants. However, future-care costs can offset the initial savings.
• Time: Treating tooth loss with a bridge is usually completed within a few visits, and recovery time is generally much shorter than with implants.
• Non-invasive: Bridges very rarely require surgery.
• Versatility: Healthy bone is required to properly position implants. However, in cases of significant jawbone damage or loss, bridges are preferred.

For our patients in Fairport, Greece and Rochester, dental implants offer an ideal solution for tooth loss. Contact the office of Dr. Paul Sussman and Dr. Meredith Pogal today by calling 585-227-4390or by completing the form on this page to schedule an appointment. The Center for Cosmetic Dentistry welcomes patients from Webster and nearby areas of New York.