No matter the reason for the loss it is important to replace missing teeth as soon as possible. When a tooth is removed it affects more than the appearance of your smile.  Other teeth will begin to shift in your mouth making brushing and flossing more difficult.  The jaw bone that once anchored the tooth is no longer needed in that area and begins to recede.  Chewing food may become more difficult causing nutrition problems, especially for older patients.

How to Replace a Lost Tooth:

Dental Implants, Dental Bridges and Removable Appliances  are all common choices.  What is the best choice? That will depend upon your oral health and the number and placement of the missing teeth.  For most people, the strongest, most durable replacement option is the dental implant.

Dental implants are small titanium screws that act as an artificial tooth root.  The implant is placed in your jaw bone and the bone and surrounding tissue grow around the implant and hold it in place.  A special dental crown is attached to the implant for a natural looking and feeling tooth replacement.  Implants are used to replace just one missing tooth or can be used to replace many.

Dental implants can even be used to anchor full dentures — no more slipping. The beauty of the dental implant is that it acts and feels just like a real tooth so the patient does not have to change their eating or hygiene habits.

Please contact Dr. Mark Levy at StoneRidge Dental Care in Columbus, OH  at 614-476-6696 today for more information about tooth replacement using dental implants, bridges or removable appliances.

What is obstructive sleep apnea? Why is this happening to me?

Sleep apnea is a condition in which the upper airway collapses during sleep. This causes the sleeper to literally stop breathing. Each of these stoppages is called an apnea. Apneas can occur a few times each night or even hundreds of times.

Why this occurs is simple. The throat contains many muscles that control our airway and allow us to speak, breath and swallow. During sleep our muscles relax and this causes the airway to narrow and sometimes to become completely blocked. Think of a garden hose with a kink that stops the flow of water.

Because the airway is blocked, the oxygen levels in the body fall. The sleeper will typically waken with a gasp and begin breathing again. The remarkable thing about this process is that the sleeper does not remember waking during the night.

Most people with sleep apnea are not aware of their abnormal nighttime breathing until a bed partner complains or extreme daytime fatigue prompts them to seek medical help.

Fortunately there are good treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea. While the CPAP is the gold standard for treatment, many patients find sleeping with the masks, hoses and machine difficult and stop treatment. An oral appliance can also be used to treat sleep apnea and most patients find them comfortable and easy to use.

For more information about obstructive sleep apnea and to discover if you are a candidate for oral appliance therapy please contact Dr. Mark Levy at StoneRidge Dental Care in Columbus, OH at 614-476-6696.

Root canal therapy works to heal the inside structure of the tooth which has been damaged and infected. The pulp inside your tooth is made up of of arteries, veins, nerves and lymphatic vessels. This  is what gives nourishment to the tooth which keeps it strong and healthy. The pulp of your tooth is also the part that feels the difference between hot and cold and it is the part that lets you know when something is wrong.

Problems with the pulp can start with bacterial infections caused by tooth decay or trauma. The tissue in the tooth begins to break down and die and you begin to feel pain. At this point you can either remove the tooth and replace it with an implant.

Most of the time we try to be conservative and keep the tooth.  To cure the infection we clean out the pulp and replace it with a biocompatible sealer to fill the space — a root canal. Modern anesthetics ensure that you don’t feel discomfort during the procedure and digital x-rays allow us to instantly see how treatment is progressing.

Many people feel anxiety about dental visits. This tends to increase for root canal visits because people have heard horror stories from many years ago. Don’t worry, if you feel extremely nervous about your needed root canal please let us know. Sedation dentistry offers you options for receiving this needed care without fear or anxiety.

Please contact StoneRidge Dental Care in the Columbus, OH area today at 614-476-6696 to schedule your next appointment.

When the researchers from the University of Pennsylvania adjusted their results according to other health risk factors and sociodemographic factors the association between sleep and cardiometabolic problems remained. The investigators concluded that poor sleep patterns are associated with a number of outcomes including obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart attack and stroke. This supports previous studies but the wording of the questions used  focused on sleep quality versus length of sleep — in other words did you actually get 8 hours of good quality sleep or were you continually woken during the night by your bed partner snoring loudly?

Loud snoring can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea which is a dangerous condition for the sleeper. What most people don’t realize is that the person trying to sleep with someone with sleep apnea also has their health impacted in a big way. The loud snoring, gasping for air and pauses in breathing cause both bed partners disturbed sleep. If this sounds familiar it may be time to seek a diagnosis and get treatment.

To schedule your consultation regarding snoring and obstructive sleep apnea please contact Dr. Mark Levy at StoneRidge Dental Care in Gahanna, OH today at 614-476-6696. You both deserve a good night’s sleep to ensure your health!

Why do energy drinks cause dental damage?

Most energy drinks are highly acidic. Not only does the acid erode your tooth enamel but it also changes the pH levels in your mouth making it much more hospitable to bacteria.

Most energy drinks contain lots of sugar. Yes, there are some sugar free brands available but most rely at least partly on sugar for a quick energy rush. Sugar is always bad for your teeth but combined with the high acid content of the drinks your dental enamel faces an uphill battle. The acid has compromised the enamel and the sugar feeds all the bacteria that are growing in the pH altered mouth.

Some drinks can also cause dry mouth. Caffeine is a diuretic and some energy drinks can cause you to dehydrate. When your mouth is dry the chances of tooth decay and gum disease increase. We need our saliva to keep our mouths clean and healthy.

Too much caffeine can cause your body to secrete calcium through urine. Both bones and teeth suffer when calcium levels decline.

If you consume lots of energy drinks try to protect your smile by rinsing with water after finishing the drink. Wait to brush your teeth about an hour so you don’t further damage your dental enamel. Chew sugar-free gum containing xylitol to help with saliva flow. Cosmetic damage that includes discoloration may be repaired using dental veneers.

Please contact StoneRidge Dental Care in Columbus, OH today if you are experiencing sensitivity or discomfort. By treating these problems early you can avoid serious dental damage. Call 614-476-6696 today to schedule your appointment.

Apnea events are counted when the breathing stops or slows for at least 10 seconds at a time and this can occur many times each night. Those patients who stop breathing 10-29 times per hour are considered to have mild to moderate sleep apnea, those with 30 or more interruptions per hour have severe sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea has severe health consequences greatly increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Most women don’t realize that cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women in America so diagnosing and treating a risk factor like obstructive sleep apnea is vital.

Patients with OSA often go undiagnosed. They are not aware that they snore, gasp and stop breathing during sleep and may only seek diagnosis when a bed partner complains about the noise keeping them up at night. Women especially  may be diagnosed less frequently because daytime sleepiness is a key symptom that men report much more frequently than women. It is more common for breathing problems to keep women from falling asleep or staying asleep.

Treating obstructive sleep apnea usually involves sleeping with a CPAP machine which pumps air through a mask allowing the sleeper to breath all night. Unfortunately this treatment is not well tolerated by many patients. A very good treatment for mild to moderate sleep apnea is an oral appliance made by a specially trained dentist. The oral appliance is created in a lab and worn in the mouth at night and helps hold the jaw in a position that keeps the airway open allowing a full night of breathing and sleep.

If loud snoring, daytime fatigue and weight gain are a problem please contact Dr. Mark Levy at StoneRidge Dental Care in Gahanna, OH at 614-476-6696 to schedule your consultation and discuss diagnosis and treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea.

• Natural energy drinks – Instead of Red Bull and Monster consumers will be looking for an energy boost from more natural ingredients like vitamins and tea extracts.
• Sleep – Study after study confirms the link between poor quality sleep with  high blood pressure, heart disease, weight gain, depression and even sexual dysfunction. Anyone who snores loudly should be tested for a sleep breathing disorder such as sleep apnea to preserve their own health as well as the health  of their bed partner.
• Flexitarian eating – This means that more American’s will enjoy a few more vegan or vegetarian meals each week for health purposes but still eat animal protein on occasion. Vegan and vegetarian diets can be excellent for gum health.
• Health Apps -  Do it yourself health applications for smart phones and tablet computers can do everything from monitor your moles and blood pressure to scan your sleep for disruptions. Expect to see even more as the Apple App Store expects their offerings to increase to 13,000 in this category by the end of the year.
• Digital Motivation – Track your fitness with a gadget or commit to losing weight via a Facebook page where your friends can help lend accountability to your actions.

According to Mark Weisman of the Values Institute “These trends are consistent with the growing importance of health in America — if not yet as a daily routine then certainly as a primary goal in 2012 for three out of four consumers… Health is the new prestige barometer in the country — meaning that the great majority of Americans would rather be considered healthy than wealthy.”

We must add improving our oral health to the list above. In 2012 make a commitment to proper brushing, flossing and regularly schedule hygiene visits. Overall health begins with a healthy smile and StoneRidge Dental Care in  Gahanna, OH is looking forward to helping you make 2012 your healthiest year ever. Contact us at 614-476-6696 today.

This is interesting because about 5 million people in the US suffer from fibromyalgia and most are women. Prior scientific studies have shown that waking at night, fatigue and insomnia are common in people with the condition. This study shows that the sleep problems occur before the patients develop fibromyalgia. Dr. Paul Mork explained “Our findings indicate a strong association between sleep disturbance and fibromyalgia risk in adult women. We found a dose-response relation, where women who often reported sleep problems had a greater risk of fibromyalgia than those who never experienced sleep problems.”

While many people suffer from insomnia or waking at night, others suffer sleep disturbances because of their bed partner’s sleep problems. Loud snoring or the snoring and gasping sounds of a bed partner with sleep apnea provide continual interruptions throughout the night for both parties. The big difference is the partner with sleep apnea doesn’t remember the wakings but the exhausted spouse can detail the night all too clearly.

If a bed partner’s sleep issues are affecting your health it is time to get a diagnosis and put a stop to the snoring once and for all. Not everyone that snores has obstructive sleep apnea but an oral appliance created by Columbus area sleep medicine dentist Dr. Mark Levy can quiet that snore and allow an open, quiet airway all night long.

For more information please contact StoneRidge Dental Care at 614-476-6696 today.

A crown is a permanent restoration that is created in a dental lab.  While dental veneers are used for most cosmetic cases sometimes a dental crown can also be used to improve the appearance of a tooth by changing its shape, color or alignment. Crowns are also placed over dental implants to replace missing teeth.

A dentist will recommend a crown when:

• A tooth has fractured
• When a cavity or replacement filling is so big that not enough tooth is left for a strong restoration
• To replace a tooth using a dental implant
• For cosmetic purposes when a tooth needs more reshaping than is possible using dental veneers
• To restore a tooth that has had a root canal

Depending upon where the tooth needing the crown is located you may be able to have your dental crown made in just one visit thanks to our CEREC. This amazing machine creates a custom porcelain crown right in our own office.

Many crowns are made in dental labs which will require two visits to the office. During the first visit your tooth will be prepared for the crown, impressions will be taken and a temporary crown placed in your mouth. The dental laboratory will create your crown and send it to us. You will return to the office where we will remove the temporary crown and cement the permanent restoration in place. Your bite will be tested to make sure that all of your teeth are fitting together properly with the new crown in place. With good home oral hygiene care your dental crown will last for many years.

Please contact StoneRidge Dental Care in Gahanna, OH at 614-476-6696 today to schedule your appointment for your dental crown.

Following the hectic holiday season we are all a little overtired during the first week in January. If it seems to be taking you more than a few days to get back into your normal routine without excessive daytime tiredness you may want to check to see if an undiagnosed sleep disorder could be stealing your energy.

Good sleep hygiene is important for a good night of sleep every night so here are a few tips:

• Make sure your sleep environment is comfortable and cool
• Use a good pillow that supports your head and neck
• Try a white noise machine to help you relax
• Avoid caffeine late in the afternoon and evening and don’t drink alcohol before bed
• Watch your fluid consumption in the evening so you don’t have to wake in the night to urinate
• Stick to a regular bedtime
• Don’t use the bedroom for work or watching TV

Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes the sleeper to stop breathing during sleep. If you snore loudly, experience excessive daytime sleepiness, have morning headaches and are having difficulty losing weight you may have obstructive sleep apnea. For more information about sleep apnea and available treatment options please contact your Columbus area sleep medicine dentist Dr. Mark Levy at StoneRidge Dental Care at 614-476-6696 today.