The Stow Dental Group Blog

Just a note, to inform everyone, for the third year in a row, Dr. David Schlosser and Dr. Mark Iati have been selected as TOP DOCS in Cleveland Magazine. This is such an honor due to the fact that they are chosen by their peers for this accolade. As always, the doctors thank their patients and talented team for all the support. Be sure to pick up an October issue of Cleveland Magazine and check it out.

Beginning on August 1st the Stow Dental website will take on a whole new look and feel. It will include videos for you to learn about procedures and many new pictures of the facility and staff. Please check back and let us know how you like it.

ProBiora3® is a blend of three probiotic bacteria that are naturally present in your mouth. They are beneficial to your overall oral health and help promote:

• Gum and tooth health
• Whiter teeth
• Fresh breath

When ProBiora3 comes into contact with your saliva, beneficial bacteria will bind to your teeth – both above and below the gum line. As these probiotic bacteria build up over time, they will re-establish a proper microbial balance in your mouth, which will help support optimal levels of oral health.

Harmful bacteria in your mouth regularly convert sugar and carbohydrates into lactic acid, causing erosion of your tooth enamel. By replenishing your supply of beneficial bacteria, ProBiora3 is able to reduce the buildup of lactic acid in your oral cavity. Ultimately, this will improve your long term oral health and ensure that other interrelated health systems function properly for years to come.

The Akron dentists at Stow Dental Group regularly use ProBiora3 with patients in order to help prevent and treat periodontal disease. This treatment has proven very effective, and it is much less invasive than alternative approaches to combating periodontal disease.

Please contact our dentists today to schedule your appointment with Stow Dental Group, serving patients in Akron, Canton, and Stow, Ohio.

If you suffer from severe headaches that seem like migraines and your physician has not been able to help, you may find relief by visiting the dentist. If your bite is misaligned, and nine out of ten people have a misaligned bite, your temporomandibular joint can be affected. The temporomandibular joint is the largest joint in your body, containing large areas of nerves. Talking and chewing food can cause pain to radiate out into different areas of your body.

In addition to headaches, if you suffer from pain in your neck and shoulders, your face, have clicking in your jaw joint, have locking in your jaw, or other painful symptoms, you may want to set up an appointment with the experienced neuromuscular dentists at Stow Dental Group.

TMJ/TMD Treatment

Symptoms of pain in your jaw that cause unbearable headaches can be due to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). Neuromuscular dentistry focuses on treating the root causes, not just the symptoms, of your pain. This is done using state-of-the-art equipment to record the correct position your jaw should be in, as well as getting your jaw to relax. It may also involve orthodontics, dentures, or other cosmetic dental procedures.

If you suffer from headaches that seem to have no cure, please contact the experienced neuromuscular dentists at Stow Dental Group for an initial consultation.

One thing many people dread about tooth restoration procedures, like getting a crown, is that it takes more than one visit to the dentist. No one wants to wait around with a temporary crown while the permanent is being milled in a lab. With the E4D system used at Stow Dental Group, there is no waiting for the crown.

E4D is the latest upgrade to the CAD/CAM system, which has allowed dentists to create and place crowns in one visit. This allows the patient to get back to their busy schedule and keep them from worrying about how they will keep their temporary from falling off.

E4D Process

• Using a scanning device over the area to get the crown, a digital impression is taken to make a 3D impression.
• The 3D map is fed into the chairside computer that uses CAD/CAM software so that the dentist, and the patient, can both see the results
• The design is sent to the E4D milling center where the restoration is created. While the restoration is being made, the dentist can continue to focus on other areas that may need crowns rather than waiting

This is an accurate and quick way to get you smiling again with crowns that look and feel like your natural teeth. Not all crowns are candidates for this process so it is up to your dentist to determine if this choice is right for your situation.

If you are in need of crown work or would like to know more about the E4D, please contact the experienced reconstructive dentists at Stow Dental Group in Stow, Ohio.

Crossbite, underbite and overbite can lead to a variety of dental complications, some of them painful. And for years, the available solutions for correcting bite problems—ranging from metal braces to surgery—weren’t exactly painless themselves.

With Invisalign, however, bite correction can be achieved simply, comfortably and invisibly.

Common Bite Conditions Correctable with Invisalign

Crossbite is caused by a misalignment between the upper and lower jaws, which leads to a tooth or teeth biting to the inside of the corresponding upper or lower tooth or teeth. Untreated, crossbite can contribute to tooth chipping, abnormal wear, gum disease and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), which generates excessive pressure on the joints that connect the mandible and the skull and can cause headaches and jaw pain among other symptoms.

Distinguished by the lower front teeth extending over the top front teeth, underbite is often hereditary and is the result of the undergrowth of the upper jaw, the overgrowth of the bottom jaw or a combination of both. Like crossbite, underbite can cause teeth to erode prematurely and unevenly, as well as lead to TMJ.

The result of genetics or bad oral habits such as lengthy thumb-sucking or chronic nail-biting and pen-chewing, overbite is characterized by the upper teeth biting over the lower teeth. Overbite can lead to chipped or fractured teeth and contribute to gum disease, root damage and jaw problems.

How Invisalign Modifies Your Smile

The first step to correcting a bite condition with Invisalign is a consultation with an Invisalign provider, like the dental professionals at Stow Dental Group. Your orthodontist can help you determine if Invisalign will work for your individual condition and answer your questions regarding the Invisalign process.

If Invisalign is right for you, the next step is a series of X-rays, digital images and teeth impressions, which your orthodontist will use to outline your treatment plan and create your custom aligners.

The aligners fit over your teeth and are virtually invisible as they gently realign your teeth to the desired position. You change your aligners every two weeks, and your orthodontist will monitor your progress with checkups approximately every six weeks; no painful adjustments are required.

Although the duration required to achieve a new, properly aligned smile varies by patient, most Invisalign treatments take about 12 months.

If you live in the Stow, Akron, Canton or Cleveland, Ohio, areas and think you might be a candidate for Invisalign or would like to schedule a consultation, please contact Stow Dental Group.

When it comes to teeth, 32 can be perfect company—or an unruly crowd.

Crowded teeth occur when the jaw lacks room for teeth to grow and fit normally. As the experienced dentists at Stow Dental Group know, the value of correcting crowded teeth extends beyond the cosmetic.

If not treated, crowded teeth can lead to a mouthful of problems including plaque accumulation, tooth decay and an increased risk of gum disease and possible TMJ related pain.

Invisalign Adjusts Crowded Teeth with Comfort and Ease

Long the standard for aligning crooked or crowded teeth, metal braces achieve results but are not without drawbacks. Braces must often be worn for upward of a year, require frequent visits for uncomfortable tightenings, are accompanied by restrictions on foods and beverages, are difficult to clean, and for younger wearers can lead to disparaging taunts of “tinsel teeth,” “zipper lips” and “metal mouth.”

Invisalign, however, offers the benefits of metal braces for a comparable cost and with less hindrance.

Featuring a series of clear, custom-made, plastic aligners, the Invisalign system gradually shifts teeth to the desired position, typically within 12 months of daily use of at least 20 to 22 hours per day. While the aligners are changed every two to three weeks, visits are limited to every six weeks or so and are geared toward monitoring progress; there are no painful adjustments, and Invisalign is suitable for both teens and adults.

Unlike braces, Invisalign aligners may be removed for eating, drinking and dental care, or that high level business meeting or date. They also come with no constraints on food and beverages. The aligners are simple to clean and, should one of the components become damaged or lost, are easily replaceable since your dr will maintain your teeth impressions.

Invisalign, as the name implies, is also virtually invisible, thus eliminating jibes of “brace face” and awkward stares at the food particles lodged in dental work as the Invisalign aligners gently shift your teeth to a position that will leave you smiling.

If you live in the Stow, Akron, Canton or Cleveland, Ohio, areas and would like to learn more about Invisalign or schedule a consultation, please contact Stow Dental Group.

Dentures may conjure up visions of older people with poorly fitted and easily spotted dentures, but the reality is far from that image today. Denture technology has come a long way in the last several years, allowing skilled dentists to bring your smile back to where it belongs.

At Stow Dental Group, we use the most advanced techniques and technology to create natural looking dentures for our patients. Since there are so many choices in denture solutions available, every set of dentures can be custom designed to your unique facial features and dental needs.

Full dentures are used to replace an entire set of natural teeth. If you are only missing a few teeth, then you may be a candidate for partial dentures. Partial dentures, also called dental bridges, fill the gap between several missing teeth.

Removable partial dentures attach to your adjacent natural teeth using metal clasps. A porcelain crown is generally attached to provide additional strength and support to the denture. If you only need to replace one or two teeth, dental implants may be a better option for you.

If you live in Stow or Akron-Canton, Ohio or the surrounding areas, and would like to learn more about which type of denture is right for you, please contact the experienced cosmetic dentists at Stow Dental Group today.

If you have crooked teeth, or teeth that are unevenly spaced, but don’t want to spend years in traditional metal braces, you have a nearly invisible option. The experienced orthodontists at Stow Dental Group offer patients Invisalign®.

Invisalign is a series of clear, removable aligners that may be the alternative to traditional metal dental braces you have been waiting for.

How Invisalign Works

First, your dentist examines your teeth and uses a computerized technology to determine how many aligners you’ll need and how much pressure each aligner should apply to your teeth. Every two weeks you switch up to the next aligner as your teeth change position. Most Invisalign patients only have to wear Invisalign for around a year.

There are several reasons why Invisalign is an excellent choice for adults. The most obvious advantage is cosmetic. The aligners themselves are completely transparent, so people won’t notice them as readily as they would notice traditional wire and bracket braces. Invisalign aligners are typically more comfortable than traditional metallic braces. While they can be removed for eating, cleaning or special occasions, they’re typically worn 24 hours a day.

Invisalign is a virtually-invisible option to getting the smile you want and deserve.

If you live in Stow or the Akron-Canton, Ohio area, and would like to schedule an Invisalign® consultation, please contact Stow Dental Group today.

A terrific smile is one of the first things most people notice when meeting someone for the first time and can be a powerful first impression. But a beautiful, straight smile can be about a great deal more than how we look.

Dental health impacts our overall health and everyday well-being. At Stow Dental Group, we feel it is important for our patients to fully understand all of their dental care options, including orthodontics.

Orthodontics is a specialized area of dentistry, and for many, the first image that pops to mind may be a teenager, weighted down with braces. However, it is estimated that one in five orthodontic patients are adults. Also the technology of braces has come a long way, and there are many options available, such as Invisalign and the Damon System. These options can make your braces nearly invisible and easier to align with less discomfort.

Another important fact is that orthodontics isn’t just about aesthetics. It also deals with the treatment of painful dental conditions such as malocclusion, or the misalignment of your teeth and jaw. When left untended, this misalignment can cause painful dental problems, such as uneven wear and tear of the teeth, chronic headaches, periodontal issues, and inflammation of the TMJ (temporomandibular joint).

So, when it all comes together, the benefits of orthodontic treatment include a healthier mouth, a better smile and teeth that are more likely to last a lifetime.

If you live in Akron-Canton, Ohio or the surrounding areas, and would like to know if orthodontics can help improve your smile, please contact the experienced orthodontists at Stow Dental Group today.

Headaches alone can be painful, but if you are also experiencing back, shoulder or neck pain, you may not have a simple headache. If you also have worn, chipped or cracked teeth, numbness of the face and hands and pain around your jaw joints, you might have temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ/TMD.

The temporomandibular joint is the jaw joint connecting the jaw to the skull. There are three large facial nerves that are intricately involved with the functioning of this joint. If you have a misaligned bite (also referred to as a malocclusion), the jaw joint takes the brunt of the stress. Chronic stress in the jaw joint and surrounding muscles can ultimately lead to the inflammation and irritation of those nerves, resulting in a long list of painful symptoms, one of which is severe headaches.

At Stow Dental Group, we can help. We begin by focusing on relieving painful TMJ/TMD symptoms by relaxing the jaw using a TENS unit. This sends electrical pulses to your nerves relieving pain. Next, we develop an individualized and comprehensive treatment plan, which will include re-aligning the jaw, strengthening the jaw joint and restoring the health and condition of your bite.

With the proper treatment plan, patients typically experience total relief from symptoms in a very short amount of time. The best news is that in most cases, surgery or braces are rarely required.

If you live in Akron, Ohio or the surrounding areas, and would like to learn more about treatment options for TMD/TMJ, please contact the experienced neuromuscular dentists at Stow Dental Group today.

Your teeth are in great shape, but your smile just isn’t as striking as it could be. Years of coffee, tea, or red wine have taken their toll, or perhaps you are on medications that affect the whiteness of your smile.

At Stow Dental Group, we think everyone should be able to get the smile they want. With today’s whitening technology, having your teeth professionally whitened is an affordable and effective way to brighten your smile, boost your self-confidence and feel more satisfied with your overall appearance.

The teeth whitening method we use in our Stow dental office is Opalescence® Xtra Boost Whitening System. This in-office whitening procedure usually takes a short amount of time to complete, depending on the extent of tooth discoloration you have and the whitening results you want.

To begin the whitening procedure, your gums and lips will be protected, and the starting shade of your teeth will be recorded. Then, the dentist applies the whitening gel to the front of your teeth, where it will remain for between 10 to 15 minutes. Next, one of our dentists will remove that application of gel using suction only, then rinse your teeth with water and dry them. This process can be repeated up to 5 times.

If you live in Stow or Akron-Canton, Ohio or the surrounding areas, and would like to learn more about getting the smile you deserve, please contact the experienced cosmetic dentists at Stow Dental Group today.

Do you have extremely sensitive teeth and gums, or are nervous about going to the dentist? For these issues, as well as problems with physical pain you may have that keep you from getting the dental care you need, you may want to find out about sedation dentistry.

Sedation dentistry, also called conscious oral sedation, is a term used when medication is given either orally or as nitrous oxide (laughing gas) just prior to your dental procedures. Though you will be awake enough to follow directions, you will be in a kind of twilight state and will not feel any pain and be relaxed. You may not remember some or all of your dental procedures once the medication wears off.

Sedation Dentistry Options

At Stow Dental Group, we offer multiple sedation options, including mild sedatives such as tranquillizers, depressants, and anti-anxiety medications, as well as nitrous oxide. The medications we use are extremely safe, and the type of medication given to each patient depends on key factors such as age, weight and the procedure being performed.

Last but not least, if you do take advantage of sedation dentistry, we highly recommended that you have someone drop you off and pick you up from your appointment, because the sedative may take some time to wear off and you may feel sleepy or slightly disoriented for a little while.

If you live in Akron-Canton, Ohio or the surrounding areas, and would like to learn more about the benefits of sedation dentistry, please contact the experienced sedation dentistry team at Stow Dental Group to schedule an appointment.

When you take your children to the dentist, it is hoped that they will continue to see an oral healthcare professional into adulthood. You may tell your children that they need to see the dentist to keep their teeth, and this is true. It’s also important to take children to the dentist to get them into the habit of realizing that taking care of their teeth and gums is part of taking care of their overall general health.

At Stow Dental Group, we take care of both children and adults. The entire family benefits from visiting the same dentist because your children can see the same doctors that take care of your teeth can take care of their teeth. By combining our dental knowledge with what you are telling your children about the importance of brushing and flossing regularly, we are all more likely to see these children grow up to adults who are educated and understand the need for good oral health.

We offer several services for our young patients, including general hygiene and orthodontic care. We take care of your children throughout their youth and into young adulthood, giving them some stability in who takes care of them.

We also take care of you and any dental issue you may encounter. As cosmetic dentists, we offer tooth whitening, dental crowns, and dental implants. As experienced neuromuscular dentists, we get to the root of painful symptoms that may be related to TMJ.

If you are in need of a family dentist in the Akron, Ohio area, please contact the Stow Dental Group to schedule an appointment for you or your children today.

Snoring is a common occurrence and many people snore occasionally with no ill effects. However, a long-term snoring habit can be harmful to one's general health.

The sound of snoring is caused by air vibrating some of the soft tissue at the back of the throat. When we relax in sleep, the tongue and other muscles in the throat can fall back against the airway and partly block it. This is especially liable to happen if you sleep on your back, in the supine position. Typically, a person snores more often and more loudly in that position than when lying in a side position.

The snoring sound can disturb your sleep and perhaps that of your sleeping partner or others nearby. That can be a minor annoyance or an ongoing source of friction in the household.

Possible Sleep Apnea
Habitual snoring can be a symptom of sleep apnea - a health-threatening condition where you stop breathing until the body wakes you to gulp for air. Then you fall asleep again and repeat this cycle perhaps hundreds of time each night. Sleep apnea deprives the body of sleep and of oxygen, both of which losses cause daytime symptoms such as fatigue, wandering attention, and headaches. The lack of oxygen also increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Whether or not your snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea, it can be treated with a snoring appliance for a better night's sleep. These devices are custom-made to fit over your teeth and hold the lower jaw slightly forward. Their formal name is Mandibular Advancement Splint (MAS). One of the most popular is the SomnoMed® MAS but there are many others.

They have somewhat different designs, some allowing you to drink or to talk while you are wearing them while others are a bit more restrictive. Your dentist can discuss the choices with you and determine which one would fit most comfortably and be most effective in preventing your snoring.

To learn more, please contact Stow Dental Group for a personal consultation. We serve the Stow and Akron/Canton areas in Ohio and we look forward to meeting with you soon.

TMJ stands for the Temporomandibular Joint; TMD is the acronym used for Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, which is a "bad bite." TMJ and TMD are often used synonymously to mean the painful disorder of having a misaligned bite. Occlusion is the dental term for a bite. If you have malocclusion, your teeth are meeting incorrectly and one or both temporomandibular joints are misaligned.

The bite is a triangular mechanism between the chin and the two jaw joints. These joints are delicate and can be gradually pushed out of alignment by, for example, a teeth grinding habit, or they can be knocked out of alignment in something like a car accident or sports accident. Most people who suffer from TMJ are unaware of it. They certainly notice their painful or uncomfortable symptoms, but do not realize there is a dental cause for them.

Extensive and Varied TMJ Symptoms
Since the jaw area is closely connected through bones, muscles and nerves to the throat, neck, and shoulders, and also to the skull and thereby to the upper vertebrae, especially the top vertebra (the atlas), inflammation in the jaw muscles can cause symptoms throughout all these areas. Your posture may be affected, which may in turn cause back pain or other discomfort.

How simple things become once you are examined by a qualified neuromuscular dentist and learn that the small ball-and-socket joints in front of each ear are at the source of the problems. The diagnostic process itself, when a TENS unit is used (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), relaxes the tense jaw muscles, perhaps for the first time in years, and places the jaw in its correct position. This provides immediate pain relief.

Planning Your TMJ Treatment
Now that your neuromuscular dentist has established your correct jaw position, he has the goal of your treatment plan - to make it permanent. Perhaps some dental work is needed, such as dental crowns to slightly reshape teeth that bump each other when the jaw is correctly aligned. A new and improved bridge might help, or a porcelain inlay or onlay to replace a failing metal filling.

Most TMJ treatment plans include use of a dental appliance to help retrain the jaw muscles. These appliances are like sports mouthguards in that they fit snugly over the teeth, but each is custom-designed to apply the right pressures to coax the jaw back to its correct position. They are often worn at night but depending on the severity of the problem can sometimes require 24/7 wear until symptoms abate.

If you are wondering whether you might have TMJ, please contact Stow Dental Group today for a consultation and comprehensive dental exam. We serve the areas of Stow and Akron-Canton in Ohio and we look forward to talking with you.

BOTOX® Cosmetic has been all over the news for years now because it is so popular and effective. It is also non-invasive and an incredibly safe alternative to surgery. It is not a facial filler like Restylane®, although fillers are also very popular and have become more so in this currently declining economy.

BOTOX® Cosmetic is based on a protein that works by temporarily paralyzing the muscle where it is injected. You may be aware that the botulinum bacterium also causes botulism, but in that scenario, the bacteria is ingested and the toxin is produced full strength in the body, causing systemic harm. That is not at all the same as having an injection for facial rejuvenation.

How Does BOTOX® Cosmetic Work?

BOTOX® Cosmetic injections are very diluted and precisely calibrated for the muscle for which they're intended. Their effect is never systemic, just local. Most famously, they are used for smoothing out frown lines or dynamic wrinkles to give your face a more relaxed and youthful appearance. These injections can also smooth out horizontal forehead lines creating a relaxed look.

By paralyzing those specific muscles for a few months, BOTOX® Cosmetic injections prevent over contraction of the muscle, which prevents the wrinkles from forming again and again with repeated facial expressions. Results are visible usually within 3 days and the treatment can be repeated to maintain your refreshed look at 3 to 8 month intervals.

For Smoothing Facial Wrinkles

Juvederm works as a dermal filler as it increases the skin's volume. There are many dermal fillers that work in different ways. Juvederm works by placing hyaluronic acid in the skin's middle layer, the dermis. As we age and the body becomes drier, the skin forms both fine lines and deeper wrinkles or folds, and Juvederm can help with both. Because of its strong affinity for water, Hyaluronic acid fills under the skin and holds itself there to create a smoother, plumper-looking skin surface.

Your Juvederm results are very evident within a week or so and continue for six months or longer, depending on your age, lifestyle, and skin type.

To learn more about BOTOX® Cosmetic and Juvederm and whether you would be a good candidate for them, please contact our Stowe/Akron/Canton Ohio office today for a personal consultation with a dentist from Stow Dental Group.

So many dental problems can be avoided by good dental hygiene habits started early in life. Inadequate brushing and flossing allows bacteria to multiply and thrive in the mouth, and their acidic excretions on the teeth and gums destroy healthy tissue.

Anything acid will bore into other substances. Acidic food and drinks do the same thing to tooth enamel as bacterial toxins do, dissolving enamel even though it is the hardest substance in the body, even harder than bones. That is why ancient skeletons are so often found with their teeth still attached, and much has been learned about the history of dentistry through these archeological finds.

If you would like to teach your children effective brushing and flossing habits, we can help. The use of Cool Blue® makes dental hygiene more fun and more productive, and by working with your child, our hygienists can reinforce your home education efforts.

However, some dental problems are not caused by neglect of daily hygiene. Crowded teeth may be caused by a small mouth size or by a developmental factor during a child’s growth. Please see our Orthodontics page for more information about teeth development and teeth straightening.

When your dental care is done by one office, your dental health can be maintained at a higher level than may be the case if you have procedures done by different dentistry offices. Your continuity of care is greater that way and monitoring for problem prevention is more effective. We offer complete family dentistry so that your whole family can achieve and maintain robust dental health for a lifetime.

If you would like to schedule a consultation, please call or email our Stowe/Akron/Canton Ohio office today. Stow Dental Group will welcome you and your children and help to make your dental care a positive element in life rather than a chore or something to fear.

If you have misaligned teeth, you are probably not very interested in wearing metal braces for a couple of years to straighten them. In this era of sophisticated dentistry, you need not devote years of your life to straightening your teeth. Invisalign® is an effective and convenient alternative to braces, especially for adults who may be embarrassed by unsightly silver braces.

Invisalign uses a series of customized trays, or aligners, to gradually reposition teeth as needed. These aligners are transparent and removable. When they are in place, few people will notice them, and when you take them out, you can eat all your favorite foods and brush and floss, as you normally would, each day.

Cosmetic dentist, Dr. Mark Iati, (or one of our other dentists), will design your aligners, taking X-rays, digital photos, and various measurements. He will input this data to the Invisalign software and determine (a) how many stages (aligners) will be necessary to correct all teeth alignment; and (b) exactly how much pressure each aligner should apply, and where.

This information is then sent to the Invisalign plant for your aligners to be made. There may be about 10 to 25 aligners. When they arrive at our office, you will have an appointment with one of our dentists to give you the first few in the series and to make sure you understand how to use them for best results. You wear each aligner or pair of aligners for two weeks; then you switch to the next in the series. You will have appointments set up to get more aligners and a progress check from your dentist.

This is truly a teeth alignment system for adults, in that it is your responsibility to wear your aligners most of the time, only removing them for necessary cleaning or eating. Once in a while, you can remove them for a special occasion, but for best results, they need to be in position for about 22 hours each day. In some cases, Invisalign is used as part of a TMD treatment plan, to enable your bite to be well-aligned.

To learn more about Invisalign clear braces, please call or email Stow Dental Group, serving the Akron-Canton areas of Ohio today. We will be happy to schedule a consultation and examination for you and you can discuss options with one of our highly-qualified dentists.

Many people who need dental implants fret about the lengthy healing time before they can have their permanent crown or crowns placed. Sometimes, several months are necessary and, not always can a temporary crown be placed while the bone heals and grows around the implant.

Due to advances in technology, not only can the time be reduced, but the number of implants needed to support multiple teeth is fewer than it was before. Due to a process called All-on-4™, patients can have their implants and teeth placed in the same day. Rather than needing six to eight implants on the upper and lower jaw, our Teeth in a Day patients now only need four.

This process allows us to restore a complete arch of teeth is a single visit. For those who already have dentures, this process will provide them with security and aesthetics that were previously a much more involved and costly endeavor.
All-on-4 teeth are anchored into placed and are only removed by your dentist. You can now have the comfort and security of your natural teeth back in just ONE day. Only certain dentists and surgeons are trained in this procedure, so please research and ask questions of your dentist to make sure you achieve the outcome you are looking for.

Other benefits of All-on-4 include, avoiding the sinus surgery sometimes needed in those whose bone loss is significant, thus reducing the added cost and healing time associated with this procedure.

Dental implants can last years if properly cared for. Proper brushing and flossing habits, and coming in to Stow Dental Group every six months for your general dental check-up and cleaning help assure this.

If you have been told that it will take months for your dental implants to heal, or would like more information about the Teeth in a Day process please contact the experienced general and cosmetic dentists at Stow Dental Group for an initial consultation. We serve the Stow and Akron-Canton, Ohio area.

As 2009 draws to a close, you may be reflecting on the turns your life has taken in the past year and thinking about ways to make improvements in the upcoming year. While New Year’s resolutions are quite common, all too often, people fail to follow through with these resolutions once a busy and hectic life begins to get in the way.

Perhaps the best way to ensure that you follow through with a New Year's resolution is to commit to an attainable goal that has concrete meaning in your life. A perfect example would be a resolution to focus on maintaining proper dental health.

Besides the obvious benefit of ensuring healthy teeth and gums, maintaining proper dental health also plays an important role in your overall general health. If your body is constantly fighting off infections in your teeth and gums, it can adversely affect its ability to fight infections, viruses, and bacteria elsewhere in your body.

The first step to taking care of your dental health is to brush and floss regularly. By regularly, we recommend at least twice a day, although there is no harm in increasing your brushing and flossing regimen beyond this level. Furthermore, reducing your intake of sweets can also help prevent the development of cavities.

While regular brushing and flossing will greatly improve your dental hygiene, it is not enough to prevent the build-up of plaque and tartar on your teeth, which ultimately lead to tooth decay and gum disease. It is important to visit our Ohio family dentists twice a year for regular check-ups. This will ensure that your teeth and gums stay healthy, and if any problems do arise, regular check-ups will enable us to treat the problem before it becomes serious.

Stow Dental Group offers family dentistry services for people of all ages. We recognize that different stages of life present different dental needs. Therefore, we offer a variety of services that will treat the entire spectrum of dental health issues affecting different members of your family.

The easiest way to ensure a healthy smile throughout your life is to maintain proper dental hygiene and go for regular dental check-ups twice a year. This is certainly an attainable New Year's resolution. We hope it makes your list.

Please contact our Stow family dentists today to schedule your next check-up. Stow Dental Group serves patients in Stow and Akron-Canton, Ohio.

Stow and Akron-Canton, Ohio

Dentures are one excellent treatment option to replace missing teeth. Recent advances in cosmetic dentistry technology have vastly improved dentures, making them much more comfortable and functional than they were years ago. The Ohio cosmetic dentists at Stow Dental Group can fit you with dentures that will closely resemble the appearance of your natural teeth so that you can maintain a beautiful smile or enhance your previous one.

Causes of Tooth Loss

Tooth loss can be caused by:

• Periodontal disease (gum disease)
• Tooth decay
• Injury to the mouth

It is very important to replace missing teeth. Failure to do so can cause remaining teeth to shift in your mouth, impacting their alignment. Missing teeth can also prevent you from chewing properly, and they may lead to a sagging facial appearance that makes you look older than you are.

IMPLANT RETAINED DENTURES
Using implants under full or partial dentures is absolutely the most secure way to hold your dentures in place. Depending on each situation, your Stow Dental Group doctor will discuss and advise a consultation in order to decide where and how many implants will be needed to fully restore your function and appearance to years younger.

Full Dentures

Full dentures, also called complete dentures, are used to replace an entire set of natural teeth. If you are missing all of your upper or lower teeth, full dentures may be the most efficient and cost effective way to replace them. Your dentures will be custom fabricated over the course of several visits to our Ohio cosmetic dentists. Of course your input is always important in every step of the process.

If one or more teeth need to be extracted, it will take approximately six to eight weeks for your gums to heal. At this time, you will be fit for your set of dentures. While this may seem like a long time to wait for your dentures, failing to do so will only lead to potential complications and further dental work down the road. Temporary dentures can be constructed during the healing phase so that one never needs to go without teeth. These can also act as an excellent back up pair after the final dentures are constructed.

Partial Dentures

If you are only missing a few teeth, then you may be a candidate for partial dentures. Partial dentures, also called removable dental bridges, fill the gap between several missing teeth. Partial dentures are very versatile and are custom fited to the unique specifications of each mouth.

Removable partial dentures attach to your adjacent natural teeth using metal or tooth colored clasps. A porcelain crown is generally attached to provide additional strength and support to the denture.

If you only need to replace one or two teeth, dental implants may be a better option for you. At your initial consultation, our experienced Ohio implant dentists will advise you as to the best option to suit your needs.

The Stow Dental Group Difference

The Ohio cosmetic dentists at The Stow Dental Group use the most advanced techniques and technology to ensure that you receive the highest quality denture work possible. We custom design every set of dentures to address the unique qualities of your mouth. We pride ourselves on crafting every smile to enhance your surrounding facial features. The result is highly customized, quality denture work that yields aesthetically pleasing results. We are not dentures in a day…we are quality that shows in your smile!

If you need to replace missing teeth, please contact our Ohio cosmetic dentists today to schedule your initial consultation. Stow Dental Group serves patients in Arkon-Canton and Stow, Ohio.

Becoming more popular, especially amongst teens and adults, the days of metal braces may be on the wane with Invisalign. If you have crooked or misaligned teeth and want to fix them, but don’t want to deal with traditional braces, Invisalign might be the answer you've been looking for. These are virtually invisible when worn.

The Invisalign aligners fit over the top and bottom teeth, much like a mouth guard might. As your teeth straighten, you will get a different set of aligners about every six weeks. Changing aligners does not always require you to make an appointment with the dentist, and you can simply come down to the office to pick up your next series. However, one of the major benefits of Invisalign is that the aligners can be removed for special events or when eating.

While the Invisalign course of treatment varies from individual to individual, you can expect to see major improvements in less than a year. Compare this to the one to two years you might have to wear traditional braces.

While there is some pressure when wearing the aligners, there is no pain. Most of the discomfort will come during the time you change to a new aligner, but this will soon pass as you become used to the new series of aligners. Usually within 3 days.

If you are interested in Invisalign dental aligners and are in the Stow or Akron-Canton, Ohio area, please contact the experienced orthodontists at Stow Dental Group for an initial consultation.

One thing many people dread about tooth restoration procedures, like getting a crown, is that it takes more than one visit to the dentist. No one wants to wait around with a temporary crown while the permanent is being made in a lab. With the E4D system used at Stow Dental Group, there is no waiting for the crown.

E4D is the latest upgrade to the CAD/CAM system, which has allowed dentists to create and mill crowns in one visit. This allows the patient to get back to their busy schedule and keep them from worrying about how they will keep their temporary from falling off.

E4D Process

• Using a laser scanning device over the area to get the crown, a digital impression is taken to make a 3D model of the tooth
• The 3D map is fed into the chair side computer that uses CAD/CAM software so that the dentist, can adjust and determine the parameters of the restorations
• The design is sent to the E4D milling center where the restoration is created. While the restoration is being made, the dentist can continue to focus on other areas that may need attention saving valuable time.

This is an accurate and quick way to get you smiling again with crowns that look and feel like your natural teeth. The technology has advanced to the point where even veneers can now be made in one visit. With the addition of a porcelain furnace, we can customize your restoration right at the chair side, just like the lab would do.

As with all dental work, every situation is different and this technology is not always the best way or even a feasible alternative for a laboratory fabricated crown. It is up to you and your doctor to decide which type of crown is best for your situation!

If you are in need of crown work or would like to know more about the E4D, please contact the experienced reconstructive dentists at Stow Dental Group in Stow, Ohio.