Retainer Basics

If you’ve recently completed orthodontic treatment with Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS, you’ll need to select a retainer to help maintain the straightness of your teeth. If you don’t wear a retainer after all that hard work, your teeth will begin to shift back to their original location. (This is especially common in the lower front ones.) While orthodontists offer fixed retainers and those are good for some purposes, they cannot be removed for cleaning purposes or to allow patients to eat the full range of foods they did before. The removable retainers offered at our office are more commonly used by people who have completed Clear Correct treatment and want to continue a similar style of care.

Removable retainers are created from a mold of your teeth using acrylic material and hooks or clasps that insert in and around the back of the teeth to hold them in place. They should be removed any time you eat, brush your teeth, or engage in contact sports, but otherwise, be worn throughout the day and night.

If you have questions or concerns about orthodontic maintenance options, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.lisbradleydds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS in Brentwood, TN, call 615-778-0810.

Dental Bonding

One of the cosmetic services that Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS provides to patients is dental bonding. Dental bonding is a procedure in which a tooth-colored resin material is applied and hardened with a special light, which helps bond the material to a tooth. Dental bonding is used to fix aesthetic repairs while working to restore a tooth back to its natural function.

Dental bonding is used to repair decayed teeth, teeth that are chipped or cracked, and/or to improve the appearance of discolored teeth. Dental bonding takes very little to almost no preparation, and the use of anesthesia isn’t always necessary. Dental bonding is one of the least expensive of cosmetic dental procedures and can usually be performed in one visit to the office.

If you have questions or concerns about cosmetic dental services, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.lisbradleydds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS in Brentwood, TN, call 615-778-0810.

Causes of Filling Failure

We provide patients with inconspicuous, comfortable fillings at Dr. Lis Bradley’s Brentwood dental office, and as scientists study fillings more, our procedures continue to improve. We want to pass along the results of a study on filling failure that provides some good news as well as information about when people need to especially be on their guard.

Fillings do not usually last longer than ten years before needing to be replaced, but a few factors cause them to fail early. Two of the most common of these are smoking and alcohol use. The new study also found that early filling failure tends to run in families, suggesting there could be a genetic component. For people in these categories, it is especially important to maintain regular dental check-ups, so we can examine each filling’s viability and replace it before failure allows decay to resume or function to be compromised.

The study also had a very positive finding. White-colored composite fillings, which have recently emerged as an alternative to amalgam ones, have just as high a rate of success. This is good news because the white fillings are generally thought to be more attractive and avoid some of the problems with metal, such as sensitivity to coldness and heat.

Lis Bradley, DDS, operates at 8112 Isabella Ln, Suite 101, Brentwood, Tennessee. To schedule an appointment, visit Lis Bradley or call 615-778-0810.

 

ClearCorrect Braces

ClearCorrect is an invisible alternative to braces that Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS provides to patients. ClearCorrect is a clear aligner system that uses a series of aligners to straighten teeth. Because they are removable, daily activities such as eating and practicing proper oral care won’t be interrupted. ClearCorrect treatment involves several phases of aligner therapy, but treatment time will depend on the patient.  

ClearCorrect can be used to treat orthodontic issues that relate to crowded teeth, gaps between teeth, overbites, underbites, and even teeth that are crooked. ClearCorrect aligners should be worn all the time, except when eating and drinking. Because the aligners are virtually invisible, they will have little to no impact on your self-esteem. To determine if ClearCorrect is right for you, schedule a consultation today.

If you have questions or concerns about ClearCorrect or orthodontic options, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.lisbradleydds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS in Brentwood, TN, call 615-778-0810.