How Technology has changed Dentistry

Posted on April 6, 2019 by Dr. Hartrick's Team

Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI

Restorative dentistry looks to repair structural problems in teeth, either by repairing damaged teeth or replacing missing ones. Restorative treatments like fillings and crowns have been around for decades, but have come a long way in the past few years. Your Royal Oak dentist at Hartrick Dentistry wants to take a deeper look at how technology has changed industry standards like X-rays, fillings, and crowns for the better. The result of this change means better services to our patients, in less time, and at a good value.

Diagnostic tests provide dentists with even more ways to detect problems

More and more dental practices now use digital technology for their X-ray needs. X-rays have been a tried and true diagnostic method in dentistry for decades, but digital X-rays represent a major upgrade from what you may remember from 10-20 years ago. Digital X-rays produce clearer images that are more precise and emit a fraction of the radiation as compared to traditional X-ray machines. Hartrick Dentistry also uses a diagnodent laser pen, which can detect tooth decay in its earliest stages—well before it would be visible to the naked eye of even an experienced dentist, and with a 98 percent rate of accuracy.

Modern fillings repair teeth while also making them function better and even improving the appearance of your smile

Forget about the silver-looking dental amalgam fillings you remember from your childhood. Dentists that are operating at the forefront of dentistry work with composite fillings that can be matched to the color of your existing healthy natural teeth. These fillings also are metal-free, making them ideal for patients who suffer from a metal allergy, and are known to be safer since composite is free of any mercury.

Get crowns in a single day

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: You need a crown, so you go into the dentist’s office, have the damaged tooth drilled and cleaned, then receive a temporary restoration before returning to your dentist about two weeks later to have the permanent crown installed. Hartrick Dentistry has made the process of getting a crown more convenient than ever before by offering same-day crowns through the use of CEREC technology. This technological advance allows your dentist in Royal Oak to make a crown in an hour that is the same quality as the one that used to take two weeks to receive from an off-site dental laboratory. Make Hartrick Dentistry your choice for same-day dental crowns in the Royal Oak area.

State-of-the-art dental practice in Royal Oak

At Hartrick Dentistry, we believe it is important to take advantage of the latest technological advances so that we can provide the highest level of convenient and comfortable oral health care. Our dentist Dr. Nancy Hartrick and her staff of oral health professionals also pursue continuing training so that they are up to speed on the cutting-edge techniques in the field of dentistry.

To learn more about how Hartrick Dentistry uses technology to improve the level of care we provide, call (248) 549-0950 to schedule a consultation.

Hartrick Dentistry is here to serve patients in Royal Oak and Birmingham, Michigan.

Posted in Dental Technology

Why it’s not Normal for your Child to Snore

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Dr. Hartrick's Team

Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI

Parents, does your child snore at night? This may seem harmless, but frequent audible snoring in children actually is cause for concern. Unless your child has a cold or congestion from allergies that can block the nasal passageways, this type of frequent snoring is not normal, and you should have your child evaluated by a pediatric sleep apnea doctor in Royal Oak such as Dr. Nancy Hartrick.

Learn about what causes snoring

Snoring occurs when something impedes the passage of air in the throat when you sleep. As air passes around this obstruction, it creates a vibration, which produces the sound you hear when someone snores. In children, the most common causes for snoring include enlarged tonsils and adenoids, impeded nasal breathing because of an enlargement of the inner lining of the bones in the nose, allergies, and a deviated septum. Snoring also can be caused by a narrowing of the airway—either from weight gain or the shape of your child’s airway.

It is estimated that approximately 10 to 20 percent of children snore.

Snoring may be a sign of a sleep breathing disorder in your child

Snoring is considered the major warning sign of a serious sleep breathing disorder called obstructive sleep apnea. Patients who suffer from this disorder experience a blockage of their airway when they sleep. These blockages can be partial or complete, either decreasing airflow or causing total pauses in breathing. Each time one of these breathing interruptions takes place, the brain reacts as if the body is choking and sends warning signals that rouse you from sleep. Most often, a person with sleep apnea never consciously wakes, but these disruptions to the sleep cycle deprive someone of the restoration to mind and body that occur during deepest sleep. Any individual with sleep apnea also experiences hypoxia—the clinical term for a decrease in oxygen levels, which certainly is not healthy for a growing child.

Sleep apnea can provoke a host of different, serious, long-term problems in your child. The potential issues could include difficulty concentrating and performing at school, growth delays, high blood pressure, and chronic daytime fatigue no matter how early their bedtime is. Many children with sleep apnea also exhibit symptoms of a hyperactivity disorder like ADD or ADHD.

A sleep apnea dentist in Royal Oak has the training to diagnose a sleep breathing disorder in your child

Dentists who practice sleep apnea dentistry undergo special post-graduate education focusing on airway management. Your Birmingham sleep apnea dentist at Hartrick Dentistry can perform a sleep study on your child, then analyze the data to detect whether or not he or she is suffering from a sleep breathing disorder.

Pediatric sleep apnea treatment in Royal Oak

In most cases, removal of tonsils and adenoids resolves the airway obstruction that is causing sleep apnea in children. Hartrick Dentistry also can provide your child with an oral appliance, which helps maintain ideal oral resting posture—lips closed, teeth closed, and tongue resting against the palate—to keep an open airway throughout the night. These oral appliances look like the anti-snoring night guards that are available for purchase in stores but are made of higher-quality materials and fabricated from impressions of the mouth to ensure a snug, secure, comfortable fit.

Remember that sleep apnea is a serious condition that will not go away on its own. If your child is snoring, contact the office of Hartrick Dentistry today by calling (248) 549-0950 to schedule a sleep study.

Hartrick Dentistry serves the oral health needs of patients in the areas of Royal Oak and Birmingham in Michigan.

Posted in Sleep Apnea

How your Dentist can make you Appear Younger

Posted on February 10, 2019 by Dr. Hartrick's Team

Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI

Changes in appearance are part of the natural aging process, but that does not mean people are happy with the changes that come with age. You can undergo cosmetic surgery or have procedures like Botox administered in order to achieve a more youthful appearance, but did you know that your Royal Oak dentist also can help “turn back time” and bring back the appearance of your youth through rejuvenation dentistry?

Rejuvenation dentistry can be better than a facelift because it is about more than just improving your appearance

When performed by a well-trained and highly experienced dentist in Royal Oak with experience in rejuvenation procedures, a patient not only looks younger but benefits from an improved function of the teeth and jaws, while also receiving a beautiful smile full of perfect-looking teeth.

Not everyone is suited for rejuvenation dentistry. Certain symptoms can be indicators that you can benefit from procedures of this kind. Worn teeth, for example, can cause issues with the alignment of your bite and lead to other oral health problems. You can check yourself for excessive tooth wear by examining the biting edge of your teeth; if you notice a different color of material on the inside of your tooth, then your tooth wear is significant.

Symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder also can be managed through rejuvenation dentistry. Also known as TMJ disorder or TMD, this disorder occurs when the temporomandibular joint, which connects the lower jaw to the skull, enters a dysfunctional state. Tooth wear is one of the problems that can be symptomatic of TMJ disorder, as can teeth grinding as your jaw slips out of position and inordinate stress is placed on the jaw joint and musculature. Be on the lookout for symptoms of TMD such as jaw pain, popping and clicking sounds as the jaw opens and closes, limited range of motion in the jaw, ringing in the ears, or headaches of a migraine-like intensity that occur on a regular basis. Rejuvenation dentistry procedures can relieve symptoms of TMJ disorder, especially if they are performed by a neuromuscular dentist in Royal Oak such as Dr. Hartrick, who has unique post-graduate training focusing on the alignment of the bite and jaw.

Rejuvenation dentistry in Royal Oak also can be used to improve the appearance of other aesthetic facial flaws

Wrinkles around the mouth form when your teeth lose their length, forcing your lips and the skin around the mouth to compress closed. You may see these referred to as smoker’s lines or lipstick lines.
Jowls develop when the fat pads inside your cheeks cross over the jawline. The formation of jowls often is attributed to diminished elasticity in the skin of the cheeks. However, these jowls also can form due to tooth wear, tooth loss, or a shrinking jawbone—all of which can reduce the space between the upper and lower jaws.
A rounded face develops when the face changes shape due to the rise of the jaw; this often occurs in conjunction with the formation of jowls. A facelift will not correct this change in your appearance.
Profile changes cause an obvious alteration in your appearance by literally altering the shape of your face. These changes may include a shorter profile, a receding chin or hanging skin under your chin—also known as a turkey neck.

Look Younger in Royal Oak

A smile rejuvenation can help correct any of the above symptoms of facial aging through the use of dental restorations that are constructed in adherence to neuromuscular dimensions, maintaining or often improving the shape of your face and resolving some of the appearance changes that occur as you age or as a consequence of other oral health problems. At Hartrick Dentistry, your Royal Oak cosmetic dentist Dr. Nancy Hartrick puts her years of education and expertise to work for you to provide exceptional dental care to her patients. To learn more about the services offered at Hartrick Dentistry, call our office at (248) 549-0950 to schedule a consultation.

Hartrick Dentistry serves the oral health needs of patients in the areas of Royal Oak and Birmingham in Michigan.

Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry

Why Functional Medicine should be part of your Overall Healthcare

Posted on January 12, 2019 by Dr. Hartrick's Team

Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI

Functional medicine is a growing area of medical science today. If you are a proponent in functional medicine, which emphasizes the whole health of the patient rather than treatment of specific diseases or conditions, then receiving care from a professional and experienced dentist should be part of your overall healthcare plan.

What exactly is functional medicine? The website for the Institute for Functional Medicine defines the discipline as a system-oriented approach that engages both the patient and the medical practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. In essence, functional medicine seeks to minimize disease and the development of chronic conditions by emphasizing healthy lifestyles through good nutrition, exercise, proper sleep habits, stress management, and the elimination of negative habits such as smoking. By providing moral and emotional support, in addition to caring for the body, functional medicine attempts to lower the average cost of healthcare—which totals up to $3.2 trillion each year in the United States to care for all Americans.

When evaluating a patient, functional medicine places special emphasis on their past history, lifestyle, and physiology. One of the main goals of functional medicine is to prevent chronic diseases from developing in the first place, rather than manage their symptoms.

Dentistry is incorporated into the discipline of functional medicine as part of a comprehensive focus on the entire human body; specifically, functional medicine is applied through dentistry by looking at the connection of the mouth to overall health. Many dentists who subscribe to functional medicine maintain a metal-free practice—they do not use metal in any of their restorations, both out of consideration for any patients with a metal allergy and because of the presence of mercury in dental amalgam, and the risks of neurological and physiological damage associated with mercury exposure.

Airway management is another example of the whole-body approach that can be put into place by a dentist as part of an overall program of functional medicine. A sleep apnea dentist in Royal Oak such as Hartrick Dentistry, for instance, has special training to diagnose and treat any airway problem that may be causing a sleep breathing disorder.

One of the most versatile treatment applications with regard to functional medicine is myofunctional therapy, which seeks to help patients achieve a harmonious state in their orofacial system. A course of myofunctional therapy consists of a series of simple exercises working the tongue as well as the muscles of the face and mouth.

The goals of myofunctional therapy include achieving the ideal oral resting posture, which can help alleviate airway issues that can cause a sleep breathing disorder, while also being used to treat issues such as mouth breathing, issues with the facial growth and development of children, or eliminating negative oral habits like thumb sucking and tongue thrust.

At Hartrick Dentistry, we believe that there is no “one size fits all” approach when it comes to dentistry. No two people are alike, and we treat each of our patients accordingly, taking all factors such as oral health history and lifestyle into consideration when determining which method of treatment is best. We also believe in the importance in involving the patient in each decision related to treatment.

Functional Medicine in Royal Oak

Ready to learn more about how good oral health can help improve your overall health? Call the Royal Oak office of Hartrick Dentistry today at (248) 549-0950 to schedule a consultation.

Hartrick Dentistry is proud to serve the oral health needs of patients in the areas of Royal Oak and Birmingham, Michigan.

Posted in Oral Health

How to get a Smile Makeover before Christmas

Posted on December 2, 2018 by Dr. Hartrick's Team

Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI

This time of year everyone is thinking about gifts to give to their friends or loved ones. Often times, we think of everyone but ourselves! This Christmas, your cosmetic dentist in the Royal Oak area at Hartrick Dentistry wants you to know how you can get a smile makeover before Christmas. It could be the perfect gift for yourself.

There’s still time! Most cosmetic dental procedures can be done within a couple of weeks or less. Take a look at some of the most common cosmetic dental procedures to see which one may be the best fit for you. As with any treatment, be sure to schedule a consultation with Birmingham, Michigan’s cosmetic dentist Dr. Nancy Hartrick to see which treatments will be best for your case.

Teeth Whitening

Make your teeth dazzle this Christmas with a professional teeth whitening treatment using ZOOM! in Royal Oak. By using professional grade whitening gel, only available at the dentist’s office, your smile can be made shades whiter and brighter in as little as your lunch break. For those times when you need a little touching up, custom made tray and professional grade whitening gel can be provided to you for added convenience.

Veneers

For those patients looking to really revamp their smile, taking care of multiple smile imperfections at once, veneers may be the answer you have been looking for. By using ultrathin layers of porcelain, we handcraft veneers to fit over the front surface of your teeth. The veneers can hide imperfections such as teeth that are slightly crooked, misshapen, or discolored. The best part about veneers is that they never stain! A white shade can be chosen to give your smile an overall whiter appearance, just in time for the holidays. Act fast, however, because it takes a couple of weeks for our dental lab to fabricate the restorations.

Dental Crowns

Need a dental crown or have an old one that needs repair? Our CEREC crowns are made of high-quality dental porcelain that mimics the look of natural teeth. Also, our custom-made crowns are made in our office while you wait, which means you can have your new crown ready by Christmas.

Are you looking to replace a missing tooth? We also offer dental implants for those patients living with missing teeth. Known as the premier tooth replacement, dental implants are designed to last a lifetime. While it takes several months or more to achieve the final results of a dental implant, we can certainly begin the implant process to have you well on your way to smiling confidently again in no time!

Smile Makeover

Not sure which cosmetic dental treatment is for you? Our smile makeover includes only the finest cosmetic dental treatments that are specific to your needs. A thorough assessment of your oral health and a strong consideration of your desires for a new smile will be combined, along with Dr. Hartrick’s knowledge and expertise in cosmetic dentistry, to fabricate the most confident smile for you – just in time for Christmas.

Cosmetic Dentistry for Christmas in Royal Oak

If you would like to learn more about our cosmetic dentistry treatments or to schedule a consultation before the holidays, please contact Hartrick Dentistry by calling (248) 549-0950.

Hartrick Dentistry welcomes patients of Royal Oak and Birmingham areas.

Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry

Show Thanks for your Smile this Thanksgiving

Posted on November 4, 2018 by Dr. Hartrick's Team

Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI

As Thanksgiving approaches, what are you thankful for this year? Family, friends, your home, your job, and even your pets likely will make the list. Have you ever thought about giving thanks for your smile, though? After all, your teeth work hard for you for 365 days a year. Your Birmingham family dentist at Hartrick Dentistry suggests you show appreciation to your smile this Thanksgiving by making sure it is protected for the holiday season.

That Thanksgiving feast can threaten your oral health

Foods and drinks that are high in sugar, or high in acid, can cause the biggest problems for your teeth. Unfortunately, these high-sugar and highly acidic options are in abundance during the holiday season. When you eat or drink something with a high sugar content, any lingering sugar particles in your mouth become a food source for cavity-causing bacteria. Acid is arguably even more harmful. Unlike sugars, which are converted into acids by those bacteria, any acid you eat directly goes to work deteriorating your tooth enamel—the protective outer layer of your tooth structure. How you eat is important as well. When you eat a lengthy meal, or snack sporadically all day long, your teeth experience more exposure from these potentially harmful sugars, starches, and acids. Try to limit meal times and curtail snacking. How? We recommend planning some activities at holiday get-togethers that are not food-related.

Limit the sweets

Cake, cookies, candy, fudge, sweets… they’re all seemingly everywhere during the holiday season. We believe it is too harsh to try and bar yourself and your family from eating sweets during the holidays, but remember that balance is crucial. Limit your consumption of these sweets—not only to help your teeth but also in the name of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. One small purchase that can help manage a sweet tooth is a pack of sugar-free gum. Chewing gum can fulfill that craving without the potential oral health risks from sugar, while also promoting the production of saliva, a natural lubricant that scrubs away food particles before they can accumulate on or between tour teeth. While we know that you will want to enjoy some pie this Thanksgiving, pop some sugar-free gum in your mouth afterward to help remove food particles and sugars that may accumulate.

H2O is the way to go

At any time of the year, water is the healthiest beverage choice available. Pure drinking water has zero calories, contains no sugars, and is not acidic. It will not increase your risk of cavities and is also the best source of hydration you can have. When you drink water during a meal, or even just rinse with it after a meal, it helps keep your mouth clean. This can be especially handy when eating that Thanksgiving meal loaded with sweets and carbs—as is the case on many holidays. Looking to bolster your dental health? Put aside the water bottle and drink tap water, assuming it comes from a fluoridated water supply.

Dental cleanings in Royal Oak

Maintaining optimal oral health means finding the right dental practice to care for your family. At Hartrick Dentistry, Dr. Nancy Hartrick and her team of dental professionals pride themselves on treating each individual with care and respect, while also using state-of-the-art tools and techniques to meet all of their oral health needs. We welcome patients of any age to our comfortable facility. To learn more about our services or schedule a tour of our facility, call (248) 549-0950 to schedule a consultation.

Hartrick Dentistry is proud to serve the dental needs of patients in the areas of Royal Oak and Birmingham in Michigan.

Posted in General Dentistry

When Snoring becomes Scary

Posted on October 6, 2018 by Dr. Hartrick's Team

Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI

We all experience a bit of snoring from time to time, especially when sick or congested. However, snoring also can be a sign of a more serious disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea. Your Royal Oak sleep apnea dentist at Hartrick Dentistry wants you to know when snoring becomes scary, and what you should do about it.

What causes snoring?

Snoring usually occurs when the airway is restricted or blocked either by excess fat around the neck, natural anatomy or enlarged tonsils or adenoids. However, sometimes the airway becomes blocked as a result of a collapsed airway, which occurs when the lower jaw falls backward during sleep.

How do I know if I snore?

If you live alone, you likely will find it difficult to learn whether you snore or not. However, snoring results in cutting off airflow to the body, which causes the brain to wake out of deep sleep. When this happens several or more times a night, it results in chronic daytime fatigue, difficulty focusing, memory problems and more. If you have a partner, however, ask them if you snore. Since snoring is the number one indicator of a sleep breathing disorder, it’s best to get it checked out to protect your long-term health.

Why is snoring dangerous?

Snoring can be dangerous because it means that your body and brain aren’t receiving enough oxygen. When this happens, it increases your risk of diseases and ailments including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It even can lead to certain types of cancer and death, especially when left untreated.

How is sleep apnea diagnosed?

At Hartrick Dentistry, Dr. Hartrick can perform an airway evaluation or a sleep study to determine how well you’re breathing when you sleep. If sleep apnea is discovered, we can discuss treatment options that are non-invasive, and that does not involve the use of a CPAP machine.

How is sleep apnea treated?

Dr. Hartrick prefers to treat sleep apnea with a custom-made oral appliance that can be worn while you sleep. The purpose of the appliance is to reposition the lower jaw during sleep, which facilitates an open airway. The oral appliance is comfortable to wear, and convenient since it does not require any cords or electricity to work, unlike the CPAP. Plus, an oral appliance for sleep apnea will not make any noise, therefore, does not interfere with your partner’s sleep either.

What should I do if I think I have sleep apnea?

If you experience symptoms associated with this sleep breathing disorder, do not ignore it. Get help by seeking an evaluation with us at Hartrick Dentistry. Sleep apnea dentist in Royal Oak, Dr. Hartrick, can provide a simple evaluation to determine if you have sleep apnea, and then provide treatment that not only helps you rest better but improves your health by decreasing your risk of certain diseases and ailments.

Sleep Apnea Screening in Royal Oak

To learn more about sleep apnea or to receive a screening, please call Hartrick Dentistry by calling (248) 549-0950. We welcome patients of Royal Oak and Birmingham, Michigan.

Posted in Sleep Apnea

CPAP is not the Only Option

Posted on September 9, 2018 by Dr. Hartrick's Team

Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI

If your physician has diagnosed you with sleep apnea, most likely the only method of treatment you were given was the CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy.

Why the CPAP?

For decades, the CPAP has been the go-to treatment for sleep apnea sufferers and has been proven to be an effective treatment. Physicians tend to stick with treatments that work, hence why they recommend the CPAP time and time again. Also, until recently, insurance companies would not cover any other type of sleep apnea treatment, leaving patients with little to no options for treatment.

How the CPAP works

CPAP therapy works by efficiently forcing air into the patient’s airway by way of a mask that the patient wears while sleeping, which facilitates proper airflow and relieves sleep apnea symptoms. So, what’s the problem?

The problem with CPAP is that many patients do not adhere to treatment for reasons such as it is cumbersome, the mask causes irritations, the noise from the machine keeps their partner awake, the machine is bulky and difficult to take along when traveling. The list goes on. The bottom line is that many CPAP users discontinue treatment after only a few months. This is not good because sleep apnea should not be ignored due to its negative impact on one’s health. Here’s the good news; you have options.

Alternative treatment for sleep apnea

Oral appliance therapy is a breakthrough in sleep apnea treatment. Every patient is different, and so are these custom-made oral appliances. Dentists today are relying more and more on effective treatment by use of these oral appliances such as ResMed, SomnoMed, and Micro 2 appliances. Oral appliances are custom made, offering comfort and convenience.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

It is important not to ignore your symptoms of sleep apnea. If you have symptoms such as daytime fatigue, changes in mood, or snore while sleeping, you may have sleep apnea. The good news is that you do not have to be bothered by using an inconvenient CPAP machine. Come and see us at Hartrick Dentistry for a simple solution to your sleep apnea.

If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and seek an alternative treatment, contact Hartrick Dentistry today by calling (248) 549-0950. Dr. Hartrick can assess the severity of your sleep apnea, and work with you to customize an oral appliance that fits your changing needs for sleep apnea treatment.

Hartrick Dentistry is proud to serve the oral health needs of patients in the areas of Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI.

Posted in Sleep Apnea

What you need to know about Myofunctional Therapy

Posted on August 5, 2018 by HartrickDentistry

Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI

Have you heard of orofacial myofunctional therapy? It may be a mouthful to say, but a course of orofacial myofunctional therapy (also known as OMT) can treat a wide variety of issues affecting the mouth and face including obstructive sleep apnea, temporomandibular joint disorder, mouth breathing, tongue thrust, and more.

Here is what you need to know about myofunctional therapy:

What is orofacial myofunctional therapy?

It consists of a series of exercises that work the tongue, along with the muscles of the face and mouth. These simple, pain-free exercises re-train the orofacial system, allowing the muscles of the mouth and face to now perform at optimum levels. While the needs of each patient vary, a typical course of OMT lasts at least six months.

One of the primary goals of myofunctional therapy is to achieve or restore the ideal oral resting posture—which consists of having teeth closed with lips together, while the tongue rests gently against the palate and shallow breathing occurs through the nose.

Who needs myofunctional therapy?

Anyone suffering from an orofacial myofunctional disorder (which also is referred to as an OMD for short) can benefit from a course of this therapy, which corrects this negative habit over time.

Behaviors that can be evidence of an OMD include a speech impediment such as a lisp, teeth clenching or grinding (also known as bruxism), loud snoring, a sleep breathing disorder, tethered oral tissue such as a tongue-tie, habits such as thumb sucking or tongue thrust, frequently biting the nails or inanimate objects, frequently breathing through the mouth, or a slouching head posture. In babies, an OMD can cause difficulties breastfeeding, which could manifest as anything from difficulty latching to failure to thrive.

If you or a member of your family has an orofacial myofunctional disorder, this problem will not just go away on its own. In fact, it will only get worse over time. The long-term consequences of an untreated OMD may include bite alignment issues, as well as gum disease, sleep apnea, the abnormal or substandard growth of the face and jaw, or relapse following orthodontic treatment. Having an OMD diagnosed and treated as early in life as possible makes it easier to treat the disorder. The recommendations of the International Association of Orofacial Myology indicate that children be evaluated for the potential causes of an OMD, such as an airway restriction, as early as the age of 4 years old.

Myofunctional therapy also can be used to treat chronic conditions such as sleep apnea or temporomandibular joint disorder.

Myofunctional Therapy in Royal Oak and Birmingham

The staff at Hartrick Dentistry has special training to identify an OMD, and we can provide myofunctional therapy in the Royal Oak area. To learn more about the benefits of myofunctional therapy or to schedule an evaluation to see if you or someone you love has an OMD, call our office at (248) 549-0950 to schedule a consultation.

Hartrick Dentistry is proud to provide comprehensive oral health care for patients in the areas of Royal Oak and Birmingham, Michigan.

Posted in Myofunctional Therapy

Is Stress Ruining your Teeth-Here’s what we can do About it

Posted on July 5, 2018 by HartrickDentistry

Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI

Sensitive teeth are more common than you might think. According to a 2013 study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association that looked at dental practices in the northwest region of the United States, more than 12 percent of patients—or one in eight—suffered from sensitive teeth. The causes of tooth sensitivity can include cavities, gum disease, and using over-the-counter teeth whitening products but some of the greatest risks to your mouth come from the “hidden” cause of tooth sensitivity… stress.

How stress can damage your teeth

Bruxism is a behavior that occurs when you grind and clench your teeth. This action usually happens when a person is asleep, so patients who suffer from this issue often never realize they are doing it. However, the damage from bruxism can be devastating to your teeth. A patient with a severe case of bruxism may be placing as much as 250 pounds of additional pressure on their teeth. This pressure can cause enhanced sensitivity in teeth, along with a host of other potential problems, including tooth damage. In fact, patients with an advanced, untreated case of bruxism may have all their teeth worn down to the nubs as a result of bruxism.

How your local Bloomsburg family dentists can help

Hamilton Dental Care can prescribe a custom-made mouth guard to protect your teeth from the damaging effects of bruxism. Our custom-made mouth guards are constructed of the finest materials available and are fabricated using unique impressions of your teeth and mouth to ensure a snug yet comfortable fit.

Oral hygiene often can be affected during times of high stress. When you are worried or stressed about something going on in your life, it can be easy to neglect daily tasks like brushing and flossing. This can increase tooth sensitivity as plaque and tartar build up on your teeth and gums. No matter what is going on in your life, you need to be sure to take care of your teeth. That means brushing at least twice a day and flossing daily.

How your local Danville family dentist can help

Regular visits to your dentist for checkups and cleanings is a critical step in maintaining optimal levels of oral hygiene. These check-ups help your dentist remain aware of any changes in your oral health, and one of our hygienists can perform a cleaning that removes tartar buildup from your teeth and gum line.

Diet also can be affected during stressful times. Ever heard of “stress eating?” This is when people increase their consumption of junk food, binging on their favorite unhealthy treats when they get stressed out. Eating too many sugary foods or drinking carbonated beverages makes your teeth more sensitive because they can deteriorate the enamel—the harder outer layer of your tooth surface, and increase your risk of tooth decay.

How your local Lewisburg family dentist can help

We can suggest better food choices that promote good oral health and advise you on which foods could be a detriment to your oral health. You also may consider exercising in times of stress rather than reaching for unhealthy junk food or treats.

Family Dentist in Bloomsburg

Hamilton Dental Care can help protect your teeth against the devastating effects of stress. Contact our office at (570) 387-0533 to schedule a consultation and learn more about the services we offer.

Hamilton Dental Care is here to serve patients in the communities of Bloomsburg, Danville, and Lewisburg, PA.

Posted in Oral Health