I Have a Gummy Smile – What Can I Do?

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Your gums play an important role in the health of your mouth. Gums keep your teeth secure and protected and help nourish the roots of your teeth. Your gums are a wonderful feature, but for some people, gums cover more of the teeth than is desired. This is what some people refer to as a “gummy smile”.

You don’t have to live with a gummy smile – your dentist in Beaver Dam and Owensboro KY can help. At Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry, we offer gum recontouring services to help lengthen your teeth and create the smile you’ve always wanted.

What Are Gum Recontouring Services?

Gum recontouring is a service that allows your dentist to choose a new gumline for your teeth. During the procedure, your dentist will mark the new gum line, numb your gums, and then remove portions of the gum either with a laser or with a scalpel.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

You may be a good candidate for gum recontouring if you have excess gum tissue or an uneven gum line. If you’ve always wanted longer teeth to help your confidence, gum recontouring may be for you. Your dentist can talk to you more about your case.

How Can I Get Started?

If you’re interested in gum recontouring, contact Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry for cosmetic dentistry services in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY. Some people combine gum recontouring with other services like teeth whitening or dental veneers. This helps them achieve the beautiful smile they’ve always wanted. We can help! Call today to make an appointment.

How to Find the Right Dentist for Your Family

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The benefits of a family dentist are spelled out right in the title. If you find the right practice, you can have everyone in the family visit, so everything can get done in one fell swoop. Of course, few things in life are ever as easy as they seem. We’ll look at what to remember before you choose a family dentist and how the staff at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry can help you simplify matters.

Factors to Keep In Mind 

Before you choose a family dentist, here’s what you should know:

  • Family dentists in Owensboro, KY are just as good with adults as they are with kids! Just because the staff is trained to help kids calm down, doesn’t mean they aren’t qualified to work with adults. With the right family dentist, you can get everyone on the same general schedule, so your life has fewer interruptions.
  • Family dentists keep everyone’s records together. This way, you don’t have to worry about scheduling the wrong kid for the right appointment. Family dentists understand that your life is hectic, so their logs group people together by clan.
  • Family dentist practices tend to have strong relationships with their clients. While it’s easy to get drawn into new businesses, thanks to special promotions, the reality is that relationships and history are typically more valuable than any one-time deal. Instead of explaining the same issue repeatedly, you can work with someone with all the details at their fingertips.

How to Find the Right Dentist 

If you’re looking for the right dental team in Owensboro, it always comes down to reputation. We’ve worked hard at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry to build trust with our clients. Contact us today to learn more about how our services can help everyone get the care they need!

Dentist and patient

How Facial Spasms Affect Your Teeth

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Facial spasms refer to any involuntary contraction of your facial muscles. For the most part, they’re uncommon occurrences, though it’s worth noting that they’re likely more common than we think.

Because facial spasms can occur for any number of reasons, including an extra cup of coffee or an unexpected stressor, we don’t always even notice them (which means they’re never reported to a dentist in Owensboro, KY). Below, we’ll look at how facial spasms affect more than the muscles in your face.

Facial Spasms and Your Teeth

Facial spasms come in a variety of flavors, with some affecting your eyelids and others affecting your jaw. Bruxism and Meige syndrome are medical terms that refer to involuntary movements of the jaw and mouth. With Meige syndrome, you’ll probably have a heads up about your facial spasms because it happens when you’re awake.

With bruxism, though, you’re grinding and clenching your teeth while you’re asleep. Sometimes, the only way you’ll know that this is occurring is if a partner tells you or if you start to have visible wear and tear on your teeth. With bruxism, you’re slowly grinding your teeth down, which can not just weaken the tooth, it can eventually cause you to either need a root canal or to lose it entirely.

How to Treat Facial Spasms

Treating facial spasms starts with diagnosing them. If you’re not sure what’s causing your facial tics or jaw pain, it helps to have the right professional evaluate you for damage and (potentially) restorative rehab in Owensboro, KY. At the very least, standard dental exams can reveal changes from your teeth over the years.

Missing a Tooth? 4 Tooth Replacement Options to Know About

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Even just one missing tooth can make a big difference in your mouth. Luckily, yourdentist in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY, can help. The dental professionals at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry offer a range of artificial tooth options for patients.

From implants to bridges, we can replace missing teeth with fully functional, attractive artificial options. Below are four choices for you if you’re missing a tooth.

1. Dentures

Dentures can replace an entire arch of teeth at one time. If you’re missing many of your teeth, or need to have many teeth extracted, dentures may be a good option for you. Dentures fit over the mouth and are not permanently installed, which means they need to be removed on a regular basis for cleaning. They’re also removed at night to give your mouth time to rest.

2. Dental Implants

A dental implant is an artificial tooth that is surgically installed in the body. Each implant is inserted into a hole drilled in the jaw bone, then the screw is allowed to become fused with the body the way that a tooth root is fused with the body. Dental implants are an option if you are missing a tooth and have a healthy jawbone.

3. Dental Bridge

A dental bridge is a prosthetic tooth that’s held in place with crowns that fit over the teeth on either side of the hole. Dental bridges don’t rely on a healthy jaw bone for installation, but they do rely on healthy teeth surrounding the gap in the mouth.

4. Partial Denture

A partial denture is a denture that can replace several missing teeth. Like regular dentures, partial dentures are worn and are not permanently installed in the mouth.

At Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry, we provide all these options for our patients and more. Do you need toreplace missing teeth in Beaver Dam and Owensboro KY? Call today.

Are Dental X-rays Safe?

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Dental X-rays are an important tool that dentists use to diagnose patients and provide excellent dental care. Dentists use dental x-rays periodically to take a deep dive into the patient’s oral health status and see things they otherwise wouldn’t be able to see.

When you come in for a dental exam with yourdentist in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY, you may be given dental X-rays. If you have questions about the safety of dental X-rays, you’re not alone. Dental X-rays expose patients to a small amount of radiation, and that leaves many patients with questions. Here’s what you need to know about dental x-rays, their usefulness, and their overall safety.

Why Do I Need Dental X-Rays?

Dental X-rays help your dentist see things that are going on inside the mouth that might not be visible during the examination. Dental X-rays can be used to check the status of your jaw bone, tooth roots, and sinuses. Using dental X-rays, your dentist may be able to identify a cavity or other problems taking place in the teeth.

Are Dental X-Rays Safe?

Dental X-rays are considered quite safe. In fact, the amount of radiation that is released during a dental x-ray is equivalent to the amount of radiation that is released by items like cell phones, televisions, and the earth. In addition, most dentists don’t take dental X-rays at every visit to the dentist. Instead, dentists only take X-rays periodically to help limit patient exposure.

Overall, x-rays are an important tool that can help dentists uncover problems before they become serious. If you needdental x-rays in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY, your dental professional at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry will make it happen. We track when our patients get x-rays and recommend x-ray use when our patients need x-rays again.

Call today to make an appointment.

3 Ways to Protect Your Teeth from Injury

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Protecting your teeth from injury is important. When teeth become cracked, chipped or damaged, this can lead to bacterial infection, tooth loss and tooth extraction.

As yourdentist in Owensboro and Beaver Dam, KY, we can help you protect your teeth from injury. We offer tips and dental cleanings to patients to help them protect their teeth.

1. Get a mouthguard for athletics. 

If you participate in sports, especially if you participate in high impact sports like hockey or football, then it’s important to protect your teeth from injury. You can do this by getting a mouthguard for your teeth.

Mouthguards can be purchased from pharmacies and other stores, but the best type of mouthguards are those that are custom made for your teeth. Your dentist at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry can help you find a mouth guard that will fit over your teeth and guard your smile.

2. Know if you grind your teeth. 

If you grind your teeth, it’s important to protect your teeth from injury. Grinding happens primarily at night, and most people who grind their teeth aren’t aware this is something they do.

Your dentist will be able to tell you if you grind your teeth because your dentist can see the signs of grinding on your teeth when you come in for a dental exam. If your dentist at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry says that you do grind your teeth, get a mouthguard to help protect your teeth from damage.

3. Maintain strong, healthy teeth. 

One more thing you can do to protect your teeth from damage is to maintain good oral hygiene habits and to visit the dentist twice yearly for checkups. To make yourdentist appointment in Owensboro and Beaver Dam, KY, call your dentist today.

woman at dentist

3 Reasons to Make a Dental Appointment In the Next 6 Months

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When was the last time you saw the dentist? The next time you visit the dentist should be six months after your last appointment. Below, we’ve listed three reasons to make adental appointment in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY, in the next six months.

1. Dentist Recommendations

Generally speaking, most dentists recommend that their patients come for dental cleanings twice yearly. Every patient is unique, so your dentist may give you a different schedule to follow, but if you’re like most people, you should see the dentist twice annually.

The good news is that most dental insurance plans will cover two dental cleanings annually. This preventative care can help you take good care of your teeth, so take advantage of that dental insurance benefit.

2. Help Prevent Dental Problems

When you go to the dentist for a cleaning and examination, your dentist will look for problems like cavities, impacted wisdom teeth, dental infections, cracks in your teeth, and more.

Going every six months can help ensure that if your dentist does catch a problem, it will most likely be in its early stages. Catching problems early is important for preventing permanent teeth loss and dental emergencies requiring a root canal.

3. Maintain a Healthy, Beautiful Smile

Getting your teeth cleaned frequently can help prevent gum disease and tooth discoloration. This helps keep your teeth white and bright so you can confidently smile.

Is it time for you to see the dentist inBeaver Dam and Owensboro, KY? If so, contact Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry to make an appointment.

dental-care-woman-with-beautiful-smile-using-floss-teeth-image

3 Things to Know About Maintaining White Teeth

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Teeth have a way of turning yellow over time. Achieving white teeth is a multi-step process. If you want the whitest, brightest teeth possible, maintaining your oral hygiene and seeking whitening services can help.

As yourdentist in Owensboro and Beaver Dam, KY, we offer dental exams and whitening services. If having white teeth is your goal, we can help. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Good Oral Hygiene Habits Help Maintain White Teeth

Clean teeth are slick, so food particles won’t stick to them, which can help prevent stains. There are many parts to maintaining good oral hygiene habits, including:

  • Visit the dentist twice annually. See the dentist twice per year for a dental examination and cleaning. During the examination, dental professionals will remove plaque and tartar and polish the tooth enamel to help prevent your teeth from yellowing.
  • Brush your teeth twice per day. Brushing twice daily can help eliminate plaque, which can contribute to staining. Brushing your teeth is an important part of preventing stains and discolorations.
  • Floss once daily. Like brushing, flossing also helps remove plaque to keep your teeth clean.

2. Whitening Toothpaste Can Help, But Not for Everyone

Whitening toothpaste can make your teeth somewhat whiter over time. Whitening toothpaste doesn’t work for everyone because it can contribute to tooth sensitivity. You should not use whitening toothpaste if you already struggle with tooth sensitivity.

3. Getting Your Teeth Whitened By the Dentist Is Effective

Seek professionalteeth whitening in Owensboro and Beaver Dam, KY, to make your teeth as white as possible. Getting your teeth professionally whitened can make them several shades whiter quickly. This is much more efficient than DIY and home whitening products, like whitening toothpaste.

Are you interested in teeth whitening services? Call Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry to make an appointment. We offer professional teeth whitening services that can help.

What Are the Signs of an Impacted Wisdom Tooth?

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Wisdom teeth can be a problem because many people don’t have room in their mouth for any more molars. If your wisdom tooth becomes impacted, your dentist in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY, can help. Here’s what you need to know about impacted wisdom teeth and how they affect your oral health and hygiene.

What Is An Impacted Wisdom Tooth?

An impacted wisdom tooth is a tooth that has become trapped in your jaws or gums. Impacted wisdom teeth can be partially visible and partially covered by gums or may be fully covered by the gums.

What Are the Signs of An Impacted Wisdom Tooth?

Many people are unaware that they have impacted wisdom teeth and see no symptoms. Other people do notice symptoms but don’t know what they mean. Below are some of the symptoms of an impacted wisdom tooth:

  • Swelling in the jaw
  • Bleeding in the gums
  • Pain in the area around the impacted tooth
  • Difficulty opening your mouth all the way
  • Bad breath

What Should You Do About An Impacted Wisdom Tooth?

Often, dentists will recommend that their patients have their impacted wisdom teeth removed. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause problems like cavities, infection, and gum disease. To prevent this from happening, dentists will recommend extraction.

If you don’t want to have your wisdom tooth removed because it is not causing pain, your dentist may take a wait-and-see approach. It’s important to watch for signs of a problem and to contact your dentist if you start having pain in the area.

If you have an impacted wisdom tooth, you may need a tooth extraction in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY. Call your dentist at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry to make an appointment and find out more about what your dentist can do.

Why Doesn’t My Bad Breath Go Away When I Brush My Teeth?

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Bad breath usually goes away when you brush your teeth, but when it doesn’t, it can be an embarrassing problem. If you’re having a hard time treating your bad breath with simple tooth brushing, it could be a sign of poor dental health. If you’re experiencing a problem with bad breath, your dentist in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY can help you determine whether you’re having a dental hygiene problem. Here’s what to know.

What Causes Bad Breath?

Bad breath is usually caused by a combination of bacteria and bits of food caught in your mouth after eating. Sometimes, however, bad breath can be caused after food has been consumed and absorbed into the blood stream.

This causes the breath itself to smell like the food that’s been consumed, and can lead to temporary bad breath. Garlic and onions are two foods that are easily absorbed into the blood stream and thus can be smelled on the breath for a while after being consumed.

Why Won’t My Bad Breath Go Away When I Brush My Teeth?

If your bad breath won’t go away when you brush your teeth, this may be because the food has been absorbed into the blood stream (as may be the case with garlic and onions), or it could be that your mouth contains a lot of extra bacteria. If you notice that you have very bad breath no matter what type of food has been consumed, then this may be the result of periodontitis or gingivitis.

If your bad breath is the result of a buildup of bacteria in your mouth, you may need periodontal therapy in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY. Call Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry today to get an appointment.