Oak Ridge Dental Blog

Once you get dentures to re-complete your smile, how long can you expect them to last? The answer is different for every patient, although some individuals are able to keep their dentures for around 10 years. If you want to maximize the lifespan of your dental prosthesis, then you need to be able to take proper care of it. Below are 5 tips you can follow to make sure your dentures stay in good shape for as long as possible.

Thanks to the materials that they’re made of, modern dentures tend to be very comfortable when worn. However, it’s never a good idea to wear your prosthesis for too long; as tempting as the idea might be, dentures are not meant to be worn 24/7. Why is periodically taking your dentures out important? And how many hours a day can you keep them in your mouth? Your dentist is here with the answers you’re looking for.

Veneers let you dramatically change your smile for the better by covering cracks, stains, and other imperfections simultaneously. But did you realize that when you commit to getting veneers, your teeth need to be prepared first? Specifically, a small bit of enamel needs to be taken off each tooth receiving a veneer. Your dentist is here to explain why this step is necessary as well as how much enamel needs to be removed.

Do your teeth look unusually short? If so, then chances are that you’re not happy with the impression your smile gives off. It may not be immediately obvious how short teeth can be fixed – but rest assured your cosmetic dentist does have a few solutions that are worth considering. Below, you can learn more about what can cause short teeth and how they can be addressed.

Plenty of celebrities use veneers to enhance their smiles, and you can do the same. From misshapen teeth to minor chips in the enamel, veneers can be used to solve all kinds of cosmetic issues. However, once they are in place, you need to take proper care of them to ensure that they last as long as possible. Fortunately, this is simpler than you might think – especially if you follow these 5 helpful tips from your knowledgeable dentist.

The more you know about sleep apnea, the better equipped you’ll be to deal with it if you ever experience it. However, while plenty of people have heard of this disorder, they often don’t fully realize how widespread it truly is – or how dangerous it can be in terms of your overall health. If you’d like to brush up on your sleep apnea knowledge, here are 6 facts that you might not have known.

People who want to straighten their smiles in a discreet way can often benefit from clear aligners. While these appliances are traditionally provided by dentists and orthodontists, there are some companies that offer aligners sent through the mail. On the surface, this can seem like a very convenient option. But make no mistake – there are a number of risks associated with mail-order aligners. Here are 3 problems you need to be aware of.

Many people with sleep apnea find that they’re unusually exhausted during the day. Naturally, when you’re tired, your first thought might be to take a nap. But while this might seem like a good idea on paper, the fact of the matter is that napping can be a bad idea when you’re suffering from a sleep disorder. Here’s why sleep apnea and naps don’t mix.

You’ve been wearing dentures for years. You’ve always been happy with the results and your ability to eat, smile, and speak with ease. But for some reason, your teeth no longer feel as good as they once did. They’re beginning to slip, and they are causing soreness in your gums. If you don’t know what to do, here are four signs you need to replace your dentures sooner rather than later.

Sleep apnea is a disorder where frequent interruptions in your breathing prevent you from getting quality sleep. Meanwhile, temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ disorder, is a problem with your jaw joints that results in chronic pain and other symptoms. These two issues might seem unrelated at a glance, but they can be more closely connected than you might think. Here’s the truth behind the relationship between TMJ disorder and sleep apnea.