Are You At Risk for Getting Cavities?

All patients are vulnerable to getting cavities, but some are more vulnerable than others because of certain circumstances in their life. Today, we’d like to mention a few of those circumstances so that you can be better equipped to care for your smile.

Having a cavity already

If you have a history of cavities, this can increase your likelihood of developing more cavities in the future. Prevent this by brushing, flossing, and using a fluoride mouthwash.

Consuming acidic or sugary foods

The real cause of cavities isn’t sugar per se but the reaction that occurs when sugar and bacteria collide. Together, they create acid, which is harmful to teeth. Not surprisingly, acidic foods can also damage teeth. To avoid cavities, limit your consumption of acidic or sugary foods.

Poorly done fillings or crowns

If a filling or crown isn’t properly placed, that can make it possible for bacteria to continue harming teeth, despite the appearance of having been treated.

Other common causes include:

• Family history
• Dry mouth
• Eating disorders
• Poor oral health

Do you want to avoid getting one or more cavities? Call Verona Dental Arts today to reserve your next appointment with Dr. Michael Scurti. We recommend that patients see us twice a year for regular care, and with the end of the year approaching quickly, there’s no better time for a visit than now.

We serve patients from Verona, West Orange, Livingston, Clifton, and surrounding New Jersey towns.

A History of Dental Implants

Among all the restorative services available to patients today, dental implants are among the most effective. With dental implants, Dr. Michael Scurti can help patients from Verona and beyond replace one or more missing teeth.

But did you know this seemingly “modern” solution is actually not as modern as you may think?  Implants as we think of them today go back to at least 1965, when Swedish surgeon Per-Ingvar Brånemark learned that titanium and bone could fuse together, creating a bond similar to the bond shared by the jaw and a natural tooth root.

Historical evidence shows that people have been using similar materials to replace teeth for many, many years, though. The oldest piece of evidence comes from Honduras and is a 1,300-year-old mandible with shells used as replacement teeth. It also appears that the Egyptians and the Romans had methods of their own for replacing teeth, sometimes with gold wires and sometimes with cast-iron. So if you have any hesitation about how dental implants work, you can rest assured knowing that similar techniques have been used all throughout history.

Do you have missing teeth? Find out how dental implants may be able to help. Call Verona Dental Arts today to schedule an appointment. We serve patients from Verona, West Orange, Livingston, Clifton, and surrounding New Jersey towns.

Plan Your Holiday Dental Care Now

With the end of October comes the beginning of the year-end holiday season. If you want to go into this year’s holiday festivities with a smile that’s bold and dazzling, you need to start planning your cosmetic care right now. At Dr. Michael Scurti’s Verona dental office, we offer three great cosmetic services:

• Teeth whitening
• Porcelain veneers
• Cosmetic bonding and shaping

With these services, our Verona dental team can put together a plan to help you achieve a gorgeous smile in time for Thanksgiving and the December holidays. Whether you just want a whiter smile, or you need help hiding flaws like craps, chips, or misalignment, we can put together a sure-fire plan for you.

How fast can we have your new smile ready? Two of our cosmetic services—teeth whitening and cosmetic bonding—can deliver amazing results in a single appointment. Porcelain veneers, on the other hands, takes a minimum of two.

Which service is right for you? Dr. Scurti would be happy to help you answer that question with a consultation appointment. During your visit, we can assess your oral health and determine the best course of action for you to take.

Go into the holidays feeling more confident about your smile than you ever have before. Call us today to reserve an appointment. We serve patients from Verona, West Orange, Livingston, Clifton, and nearby New Jersey cities.

Protect Your Smile This Halloween with Xylitol

When you think of October, you think of Halloween. Of course, the big draw for Halloween—even more so than costumes or decorations—is candy. But too much candy can negatively impact your oral health. That’s why Dr. Michael Scurti and his Verona dental team want to recommend switching to candy sweetened with xylitol this year.

What Is Xylitol?

Xylitol is a natural sweetener derived from fibrous plant material. Unlike regular sugar or corn syrup, it has few calories and doesn’t have the same impact on oral health. Regular sweeteners cause cavities by stimulating the production of bacteria and acid, which eat away at tooth enamel. Xylitol, by comparison, creates a neutral environment, beneficial for your oral health and not destructive. Xylitol is even used by some toothpaste brands to help patients fight cavities.

Where Can You Buy Xylitol Candy?

If you’re interested in switching from regular Snickers and Milky Ways this year to something that’s more beneficial for your smile, you can find candies sweetened with xylitol online and in a health food store near you. These candies taste great and will let the children in your community enjoy their Halloween, but their little teeth will be at a smaller risk for developing cavities.

Do you have more questions for us about xylitol and its benefits? Don’t hesitate to call Verona Dental Arts with your questions. We’re happy to help patients from Verona, Clifton, West Orange, and all surrounding communities in New Jersey.

Oral Health and Acid Reflux

How many times have you struggled with heartburn this week? Most patients experience a bit from time to time, while others struggle with it two, three, or more times a week. Does that sound more like your experience?

Heartburn that occurs so frequently is a symptom of a condition called acid reflux disease. Other symptoms of this condition include:

• Bloating or burping
• Regurgitation
• Narrowing of the esophagus
• Nausea
• Hiccups
• Black or bloody stools, or bloody vomiting
• Weight loss
• Dry cough, sore throat, wheezing, hoarseness

Aside from these symptoms, acid reflux disease can also have an effect on your oral health. That’s because of how acid reflux works. For patients who struggle with acid reflux, what happens is that stomach acid routinely escapes from the stomach and ends up in the esophagus. If any of this acid comes into contact with your teeth, it can dissolve the protective layer of enamel on the outside, exposing the sensitive layer of dentin underneath.

Have your teeth been damaged by stomach acid? Here are a few symptoms:

• Sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods
• Teeth that have thinned or shortened
• Pain or irritation
• Teeth with sharp edges

Do you recognize these symptoms with your own smile? Call Verona Dental Arts today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Michael Scurti. We serve patients from Clifton, West Orange, and all surrounding communities in New Jersey.

Your Verona Dentist Reminds You to Use Your Dental Benefits

Now that we’re almost done with September, we’re entering the home stretch for 2013. From now until January 1, 2014, time will seem to move a lot faster, with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the December holiday season taking up so much time and attention. But along with the passing from one year to another, January will also see the dental benefits of patients go back to what they were at the start of 2013. That’s why Verona patients should take advantage of what remains of their benefits before the year ends.

In particular, here’s what you can expect.

Yearly Maximum

Dental benefits exist to help patients cover the cost of many kinds of services. The yearly maximum attached to your plan doesn’t rollover at the end of the year, though. Take advantage of what you have left with a visit to your Verona dentist.

Deductible

A deductible is the amount you have to pay before your insurance company starts covering care, and every year comes with a new one. If you’ve paid your deductible for 2013, make sure you’re getting the most out of your remaining benefits.

Insurance Fees

When 2014 comes, that may also signal a change in your premiums or co-pays. Because you can’t know for sure, though, why not seeing your Verona dentist now, with the current fees that are in place?

Emergencies

You never know when an emergency will strike—that’s part of what makes an emergency what it is. But not all emergencies come out of nowhere. Regular care every six months may help you avoid one by giving your doctor a chance to monitor your smile for potential problems twice during the year.

Do you want to schedule an appointment with your Verona general dentist? Call Verona Dental Arts today for an appointment. We serve patients from Clifton, West Orange, and all surrounding communities in New Jersey.

Full-Mouth Reconstruction for Verona and Beyond

In our last post, we highlighted the comprehensive restorative dental services offered by Verona Dental Arts. Today, we want to focus on just one of those services we mentioned: full-mouth reconstruction. With this incredible service, patients of Dr. Scurti can see dramatic changes to the appearance and functionality of their smiles.

What Does a Full-Mouth Reconstruction Involve?

Similar to the way a cosmetic smile makeover will combine two or more services together, a full-mouth reconstruction will use some of today’s best restorative services to transform your teeth and gums.

But which ones do you need? As with any major treatment decision, Dr. Scurti will help you decide with an exam and consultation. The purpose of your visit will be to determine your needs and what we can do to help.

Some of our biggest restorative dentistry services include:

• CEREC one visit crowns
• Dental implants
• Periodontal therapy
• Root canal therapy
• All-on-4s
• Dentures and partials
• Crown and bridge therapy

A full-mouth reconstruction will involve two or more of these and can be completed in just a few visits.

Do You Want To Know How a Full-Mouth Reconstruction Can Help You?
If you need help improving the appearance and functionality of your smile, call Verona Dental Arts to reserve an appointment with Dr. Scurti. We would be happy to answer any questions you might have about the treatment plan we recommend. We provide effective care to patients from Verona, Clifton, West Orange, Livingston, nearby New Jersey communities, and beyond.