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S. John Salivonchik's Blog

Will Stress Impact My Smile?

June 24, 2013

In our last post, we talked about a topic that isn’t discussed too often—the relationship between hormones and oral health. Today we’d like to highlight a similar issue, which is the relationship between stress, the immune system, and your smile.

Our society seems to be more stressed today than ever before. With busy schedules and the need to always be “connected” it’s easy for your nerves to run high. But all that stress will negatively impact your health, and not just your overall health—your oral health, too.

How? Through inflammation.

Inflammation is a part of the body’s immune response. When it’s working the way it’s supposed to, it can be beneficial. But when the body can no longer regulate it properly, as happens when stress levels are high, the body can actually use inflammation—which is one of the symptoms of gum disease—against itself. On top of this, the AGD reported last year that stress-induced immune system issues can have an impact on a patient’s smile.

For patients of Dr. S John Salivonchik, that means learning how to manage stress, and it means making regular care a priority. To keep your smile healthy in between visits, follow a thorough brushing and flossing routine. Also, be sure your family visits our Coplay dental office twice a year. During a regular checkup with Dr. Salivonchik, our team will look for changes in your health that might be indicate a need for advanced care.

Is it time for your next regular visit? Call our office today to reserve an appointment with Dr. Salivonchik. We serve patients from Whitehall, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, The Poconos, and beyond.

Do Hormones Affect Oral Health?

June 10, 2013

Filed under: General Dentistry — Tags: , , , , , , , — S. John salivonchik @ 8:42 pm

It’s common to think of oral and overall health as belonging to completely separate spheres. The truth is, though, they’re intricately linked. A condition like gum disease not only impacts the health of your smile but has been connected to health problems in the rest of the body, including preterm birth, diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease.

The connection for these has been thoroughly discussed but not as much the connection between hormone levels and oral health. Women are especially vulnerable because of the hormone changes that occur at puberty, during pregnancy, and at menopause. Woman who are taking birth control or who are about to start their next period are also more vulnerable.

What does this mean for Dr. S John Salivonchik’s Coplay-area patients? It means that all patients, but women especially, need to make regular care a priority. During a regular checkup, Dr. Salivonchik will look for signs of gum disease and make a treatment recommendation if he finds any. Symptoms of gum disease include swollen or bleeding gums and discoloration.

To keep your teeth clean between appointments, we recommend that you brush at least twice a day, floss at least once, and rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash. You should also let Dr. Salivonchik know if you’re pregnant or have any other risk factors we should be aware of.

Is it time for your next checkup and professional cleaning? Call Dr. Salivonchik’s office today. Our practice is located in Lehigh Valley and serves patients from Coplay, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, The Poconos, and beyond.

Further Convenient with an Inlay or Onlay Milled By CEREC

May 21, 2013

In our last post we talked about CEREC and how it’s making crown restorations easier and more convenient. Crowns are just the beginning, though. Our CEREC milling can also fabricate metal-free inlays and onlays that will blend in seamlessly with your smile.

It’s helpful to think of inlays and onlays as in-between services. Let’s say you have a big filling that needs to be replaced. On the one hand, you almost need more than a filling to put in its place; on the other, a full crown could almost be described as overkill. What you really need is a service that can bridge the gap between a filling and a crown—that’s where inlays and onlays come in.

Inlays are made to go between a tooth’s cusps, which are the bumps on top of a tooth. Onlays, meanwhile, are made to fit over one or more cusps. In both cases, because they’re being milled with Dr. Salivonchik’s CEREC machine, patients can look forward to getting the care they need in a single appointment instead of two or more.

Is an inlay or onlay right for you? To find out, call Dr. Salivonchik to reserve an appointment. During at a consultation at his Coplay dental office, Dr. Salivonchik can help you understand your needs and explain the best course of action that will work best for you. We’re proud to serve patients all around the Lehigh Valley area.

Convenient Restorations with CEREC

May 7, 2013

It’s not uncommon for patients to put off care because of a busy schedule. With so much to do, you might wonder if you really have time for a procedure that takes at least two appointments. Thankfully, with the advances being made in today’s dental technology, certain services are taking less time than they ever have.

One example of this is dental crowns. In the past, it took at least two visits to restore a chipped, broken, or decayed tooth with a crown. Now, with CEREC and e.max crowns, patients can get the custom-made restoration they need in a single appointment.

That’s because it only takes about two hours for CEREC’s in-office milling unit to fabricate a restoration. During that time, you can rest comfortably in Dr. Salivonchik’s Coplay office. Then, when the milling process is complete, we can attach your crown and have you on your way again with no need for a second appointment.

That also means you don’t have to worry about damaging or losing a temporary crown. Thanks to CEREC and e.max, the stress of restoring a tooth with a crown has been eliminated. Now the focus can be on what it should’ve been all along—giving you your best possible smile right when you need it.

To learn more about how Dr. Salivonchik can restore your tooth with CEREC, call our Coplay dental office today. Our office is located in Lehigh Valley and serves patients from Coplay, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, The Poconos, and surrounding areas.

Straighten Your Smile This Spring with Invisalign

April 19, 2013

Spring has sprung, and that means spending more time outdoors with friends and loved ones. In moments like these, what you want to do is share your smile, not hide it. But that’s easier said than done when you don’t have a straight smile.

Thankfully, help is possible. At Dr. Salivonchik’s Coplay dental office, we don’t want to let misaligned teeth stand in the way of you creating happy memories with your family. That’s why we offer Invisalign clear braces.

The Invisalign model is different from the traditional braces model. It uses a series of aligners instead of brackets and wires. What’s more, your Invisalign aligners are removable. That lets patients take them out to enjoy their favorite foods, and it makes brushing and flossing easier too. Traditional braces can make brushing and floss more difficult because food can become trapped in areas that are hard to clean with floss or a brush. As a result, that can make you more vulnerable to decay.

Do you have questions about how Invisalign can help you straighten your smile while also protecting it from common oral health conditions?  Let Dr. Salivonchik help you get the answers you’re looking by coming in for a visit.

Call our Coplay office today to schedule a visit. We’re happy to offer care to patients all around Lehigh Valley, including Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, The Poconos, and beyond.

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