It's so much more than 'just a cleaning"

Do you ever wonder why the American Dental Association (ADA) , and your dentist, recommend you come in every 6 months? The importance of regular dental visits are essential for the maintenance of healthy teeth and gums. If you need additional help your dentist may suggest more frequent visits.

What's happening during your visit?

During your appointment your dentist, or hygienist, will evaluate the health of your gums, check for tooth decay,  perform a head and neck exam looking for anything out of the ordinary, your mouth for any signs of oral cancer, as well as check the movement of your lower jaw. Your hygienist will then clean your teeth stressing the importance of maintaining proper at home oral hygiene. They will pay close attention to plaque and tartar. These two things build up very quickly between visits if good oral, at home, hygiene is not practiced. If the plaque and tartar are not removed it can harden on teeth, irritate the gums and lead to gum disease.  They will work to remove the stains from food, beverages, as well as tobacco.  

There are several routine parts to a dental exam including:

Head and Neck Exam

• face
• neck
• lymph nodes
• lower jaw joints (TMJs)

Clinical Dental Exam

• oral cancer screening
• examine the gums
• look for signs of gum disease
• loose teeth
• tissue condition inside of mouth
• tongue
• check your bite
• visual evidence of tooth decay
• broken teeth
• damaged fillings
• evaluate any dental appliance 
• contact between teeth
• x-rays

Professional Cleaning

• evaluate the cleanliness of your teeth and gums
• remove any plaque and tarter
• polish your teeth
• Floss between your teeth
• review recommended brushing and flossing techniques 

After your exam and cleaning have been performed any additional treatment recommendations will be made. As you can see, your 6 month routine visits are so much more than "just a cleaning".  By seeing your dentist  for your continuous care visits and by following a good, at home, oral hygiene routine, you are more likely to keep your teeth and gums healthy for years to come. 

At Glacier Dental we take pride in giving you the tools to have a healthy smile and look forward to building personal relationships with each of our patients. Has it been more than 6 months since we have had the pleasure of serving you? Give us a call today to reserve a time that works best for you, 920.235.3251!

Everything you need for a healthy stocking this Christmas!

Glacier Dental has everything you need to fill those stockings with  healthy alternatives, or additions, this holiday season! Some of the fantastic options are: whitening kits, whitening toothpaste, sugar free gum and mints, electric toothbrushes, waterpiks, and so much more!

Stop in to pick up your stocking stuffers or perfect gift for that health conscious family member today.

Glacier Dental Holiday Hours:

We will be Closed Monday, December 26th and Monday, January 2nd.

From all of us at Glacier Dental we wish you and your family a very happy holiday season!

Crowns in ONE Day at Glacier Dental!

Today's dentistry is a far cry from years past. Patients today do not need to settle for obvious silver fillings or metal crowns because there are treatment options available that look just as beautiful as a natural tooth. By treating a patient with the most up to date technology and minimally- invasive techniques, more tooth structure can be conserved allowing for a healthy strong smile. Technology is making today's modern dentistry more convenient, less time consuming, and more patient friendly.

Introducing the E4D Dentist System- Modern Dentistry that Fits Your Lifestyle.The E4D Dentist system allows dentists to create clean, fast digital impressions in a few minutes using a laser scanner in the mouth. This laser scanning technology is not only extremely precise when “capturing” all of the details of a patient’s smile, but is also as safe as the check-out scanner at a grocery store. Best of all, there is no need for a patient to hold unpleasant, possibly distasteful impression material in his or her mouth.

Once the digital impression is captured, a dental professional custom-designs a crown or veneer suited for the patient using a computer-based design center. From there, the information is sent to an in-office milling unit, where the patient’s crown or veneer is made. Shortly thereafter, it’s permanently seated in his or her mouth.

No Temporaries!The benefits of a single visit restoration go beyond saving you time. Your final crown, filling, or veneer can be seated in the same appointment so you can avoid the hassle of a temporary and a second office visit.

E4D — Right Around the Corner

You don’t have to travel far to experience the convenience and precision of E4D Dentistry. We’ve already invested in this innovative technology because we believe our patients deserve modern dentistry that fits their lifestyles. Simply call us at (920) 235-3251 and we’ll be happy to answer your questions about E4D Dentistry.

One warm coat makes a difference!

At Glacier Dental it is our mission to enrich our community.  We are so excited to team up with the Oshkosh Area School District's ELL program, and our amazing patients,  to do a coat drive! 

The ELL students of Webster, Merrill, and Oshkosh North High School, as well as their families, are in desperate need of winter gear. These students and their families have come to Oshkosh form Africa, Syria, Pakistan, and Thailand and need our help to get the winter gear they need to stay warm and healthy this winter. New or gently used coats, boots, hats, scarves, and mittens will be accepted with open arms at Glacier Dental through the end of December. The sooner we collect these items the sooner another person stays warm. 

Thank you in advance for joining us in this great cause!

Why say yes to fluoride as an adult

More often than not, dental offices do not offer adults fluoride varnish treatments at their continuing care appointments because insurance companies typically only cover fluoride for children. However, adults truly do benefit from fluoride treatment,  sometimes more than children.

At Glacier Dental, the hygienists offer a topical fluoride varnish to all patients. The benefits of having the fluoride placed on your teeth include: strengthening the tooth from the outside in and reducing tooth sensitivity. It also adheres directly to the tooth and is not swallowed, in return not harming your body internally.

Similar to your skin, your teeth have pores all over them. After your routine cleaning, the fluoride would be placed on your teeth with a little brush, similar to a paintbrush. Your teeth absorb the fluoride through the pores and in return your teeth become stronger from the outside in. The fluoride itself feels like a coating on the outside of your teeth, once placed it is advised you don't eat anything crunchy or drink anything too hot for four hours, as it will scrape/melt the fluoride off your teeth.

Although it is recommended to have fluoride varnish placed at your six month cleanings, it is most effective for the first 90 days. If you're prone to getting cavities fluoride is a great option to help fight back. Recent studies have actually shown teeth that have very small cavities starting can actually be reversed with the repeated application of fluoride at your appointments. Glacier Dental also offers a take home toothpaste with extra fluoride in it called Prevident. It is used just like normal toothpaste and helps gap the bridge between the end of the 90-day effectiveness and your upcoming cleaning appointment.

If you have any other questions regarding fluoride, be sure to ask your hygienist at your next continuing care appointment!

Best Dental Clinic 3 Years in a row!

We couldn't be more excited to announce that we have the honor of being voted the Best Dental Clinic in The Best of Winnebago Reader's choice Awards! We owe it all to our amazing patients.Our top priority is to treat you as an individual and to get to know you personally. We promise you a caring and attentive staff, an enthusiastic manner, and state-of-the-art dental care delivered with exceptional comfort in a friendly atmosphere.

Thank you for voting us Best of Winnebago 3 years in a row! 

We look forward to serving you again at your next visit.

How to choose the right toothpaste.

Walking down the toothpaste aisle can be overwhelming. The promises of fighting cavities, plaque, tartar, or gingivitis; stain removal; desensitizing, oh, and of course providing fresh breath liter the aisle. So how do you even begin choosing which one is right for you? Is it by the commercial that gets stuck in our head or colorful packaging that catches your eye? Selecting the right toothpaste doesn't have to be difficult. Here are some tips to keep in mind when shopping for the toothpaste that is right for you.

First Things First: A great place to start when looking for a toothpaste is to look for the ADA's (American Dental Association) Seal of Acceptance. This is granted after the toothpaste has gone through clinical trials and has meet their standards of being safe and effective. 

Next: Key Ingredient: All toothpastes that have the ADA Seal of Acceptance contain fluoride. Most Dental experts agree that fluoride is the first ingredient you should look for when choosing a toothpaste. This mineral , naturally found in water, protects the teeth. Fluoridated water has been found to reduce tooth decay by nearly 40%!

Give Me More: After you have identified the ADA's Seal of Acceptance and the presence of fluoride you can choose a toothpaste that also helps with specific things; such as:

• Whitening. Keep in mind these product do not contain teeth whitening bleach, but rather use chemicals or polishing agents to remove surface stains that may make teeth appear brighter. 
• Tartar Control.Tartar is the hard deposits that collect on the root or crowns or the tooth. These toothpastes can help reduce tartar.
• Prevent Gum Disease. Plaque, made up of mostly bacteria, is a sticky substance that can build up on teeth and may cause cavities and gum disease. These toothpastes help control plaque and can also help reduce Gingivitis; a mild inflammation of gum tissue. 
• Fight Bad Breath. These product may contain active agents that either kill bacteria in plaque or neutralize bad odors.
• Desensitizing. These products may prevent  irritation to the nerves causing discomfort by hot, cold, sweet or acidic foods. 

Hopefully these tips in choosing the right toothpaste will help you out the next time you find yourself in the toothpaste aisle. If you find yourself with more questions and need a recommendation, ask your hygienist at your next visit!