What is Gum Contouring?

At the dental practice of Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS we see many patients who are unhappy with their smiles for various reasons.  The overall look of your smile includes the gums, and even when a patient has healthy teeth and gums they may be dissatisfied with the overall appearance of their smile due to excess gum tissue or a lack of tissue.  Gum contouring is a way to give any patient their best smile.

A lack of or excess of gum tissue can cause a smile to have the look of elongated teeth or a gummy smile.  To create a balanced look between gum and tooth, a gum contouring procedure can include removing gum tissue, placing gum grafts, or both.  Excess tissue is removed using a laser or scalpel tool.  Soft tissue grafts are harvested from a healthy location in the patient’s mouth, and placed where gum tissue is lacking or has receded.  The result is an even ratio of tooth to gums throughout the whole mouth.  Don’t let your gums keep you from your best smile!

To learn more about gum contouring and all the services provided 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.

Drinking Water for Oral Health

Drinking water is important for your health at all ages.  At the dental practice of Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS we have seen adult patients that are guilty of not drinking enough water, so we know it can be tough to monitor if kids are getting enough too.  We want to encourage you and the kids in your family to stay hydrated and healthy!

We all know kids love drinking juice and soda, but we forget that these beverages leave unwanted sugar behind on the teeth.  The type of bacteria that causes cavities feeds on sugar, and produces acid that wears away enamel. Enamel is not replaceable, so it’s important to take care of it even from a young age.  When kids drink juice or soda, it is helpful just to drink some water afterwards to dilute acids and wash away food particles and residue. You and your children should be drinking at least eight 8oz glasses of water each day.  Drinking tap water with fluoride is important to help prevent cavities.  If you’re worried that your children may not be drinking enough water, come see us to discuss tips that might help them drink more!

We love to see good oral hygiene habits formed early, and make lifetime patients out of kids from our community!  To learn more about the services we offer, visit www.lisbradleydds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS in Brentwood, TN, call 615-778-0810.

Flossing Traditional Braces

In our previous post, Dr. Lis Bradley DDS taught patients how to properly brush with traditional braces. Now, it’s time to teach you how to properly floss. This technique will help keep harmful bacteria away from brackets and wires and protect your teeth and gums in the process. Patients with and without braces should aim for flossing at least once a day or after every meal.

• Use waxed floss, because unwaxed floss is more likely to get caught and shred in your braces.


• Use about 18 inches of floss and thread it carefully.


• Take the floss and gently thread it under the main wire of the braces before passing it between two teeth. Then remove the floss and re-thread it under the main wire to pass between the next pair of teeth.


• Be sure not to snap the floss. Simply move the floss up and down carefully against the side of each tooth.

If you have questions or concerns about orthodontic oral care, 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.

Brushing with Braces

The importance of oral care is heightened when braces are applied to the teeth. This is because there are more spaces and places for food to get trapped. When food isn’t adequately brushed away, plaque will begin to accrue on enamel and can potentially cause periodontal disease for the patient. Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS and staff can’t monitor how much you brush, but we trust patients to follow this technique while aiming to brush at least twice a day.

• Prepare to brush – take off elastics, and any other removable parts of your orthodontic appliance.


• Clean your braces – use your brush at a 45-degree angle to clean around the wires and pins of your braces. Brush from the top of each wire and then from the bottom. Take time to ensure that all plaque and debris are removed.


• Brush your teeth – clean each tooth individually. First, place your brush at a 45-degree angle to the junction between the tooth and the gum, and then apply gentle pressure as you move in a circular motion. Use the same brushing action on all outer and inner tooth surfaces, tilting the brush as needed to better reach the insides of smaller front teeth.

If you have questions or concerns about orthodontic oral care, 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.

Replace Teeth With Implants

Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS has restored many smiles saved by single-tooth dental implants.  Implants are a permanent restorative option for teeth that are missing or have been extracted.  They look and feel like natural teeth, and are the most permanent and efficient means of replacing lost teeth.

An implant is placed over a series of appointments because of the healing time required.  Implants are titanium screws inserted through an incision in the gum. Over a period of 3-6 months, the jaw bone heals around the implant to become a solid, stable base for the new tooth. During this time a patient is fitted with a temporary crown, and a custom crown is created to match their smile perfectly.

After the jaw bone and gums have healed appropriately, the custom crown is placed in a second minor procedure.  The doctor may need to expose the head of the implant by removing some gum tissue, and the crown is screwed to the top of the implant.  When this is complete the tooth looks like part of the natural smile, and with proper care will last for decades!

To learn more about single-tooth implants and all the services we provide, visit www.lisbradleydds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS in Brentwood, TN, call 615-778-0810.

Periodontal Maintenance

In its most advanced stages, gum disease can lead to gum recession, and even tooth loss.  Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS wants to make sure it never gets to that point for you and your family!  When plaque builds up on a tooth, the gum starts to pull away from the tooth and form a pocket around the buildup, which only leads to more gum recession.  A deep periodontal cleaning, also called a scaling and root planing procedure, is used to treat this buildup and prevent the later stages of gum disease.

Scaling and root planning are two parts of a deep cleaning procedure your dentist can perform to help reverse the progress of gum disease.  The procedure beings with scaling, which is the process of the dentist removing plaque from the surface of the teeth, all the way down to the gums. Root planing is the term for any minor contouring to smooth the surface of a tooth near the root.  When plaque has been removed and the tooth root has been smoothed, the gums that have pulled away will have a clean, smooth surface to reattach to as they heal.

To learn more about deep periodontal cleaning and all the other treatments provided at the dental practice of Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS, visit www.lisbradleydds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS in Brentwood, TN, call 615-778-0810.

A Bright Smile is a Healthy Smile

Taking good care of your mouth – teeth and gums – does more than help ensure you have a bright, white, smile. The mouth is the doorway to our body and its first line of defense. It performs more essential functions than any other part of the body. Good oral hygiene and oral health can improve your overall health, reducing the risk of serious disease and perhaps even preserve your memory in your golden years. To preserve your oral health, schedule a consultation with Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS.

Your smile speaks volumes about who you are and leaves an everlasting impression, so it’s only natural that you want it to be as radiant as possible. To accomplish the whitening of your teeth, we utilize a tray whitening system here at the office and it is completed in just 2 steps. The first step is to make an impression of your teeth. With this impression, we'll craft you custom whitening trays that you can use over and over.

If you have questions or concerns about teeth whitening 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.

Porcelain Veneers

If your teeth suffer some undesirable defects, such as being cracked, chipped, or discolored due to stains, Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS thinks you may be a candidate for porcelain veneers. Dental veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells crafted of tooth-colored materials that are designed to cover the front side of teeth. They are an ideal choice if you wish to improve your smile and have become increasingly popular due to their simplicity and versatility.

Veneers are an excellent alternative to crowns in many situations because they offer a much more conservative approach to changing a tooth’s color, size or shape. When bonded to the teeth, they are virtually undetectable and highly resistant to coffee, wine, or even cigarette stains. Therefore, if you are seeking a bright smile that stays perfect, veneers are your best option. Because dental veneers are an irreversible process, it is critical that you are involved and informed every step of the way.

If you have questions or concerns about porcelain veneers or cosmetic dentistry, 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 Implant Restoration

Dental implants are a permanent and appealing solution to replace missing or extracted teeth. They provide a strong foundation for fixed (permanent) or removable replacement teeth that are made to match your natural teeth. In most cases, anyone healthy enough to undergo a routine dental extraction or oral surgery can be considered for a dental implant. Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS can provide implant candidates with a brand new smile over the course of a few months.  

The first part of the process is to install the implant itself, where a screw is placed into the jaw bone. Afterward, an incision is made in the gum so that the implant can be inserted. Multiple implants can be placed at once if necessary. After the implants are placed the gums are sutured. After the implant has healed it is time to place an abutment on the implant. The abutment serves as the base for your new tooth. Once this is placed, an impression of the abutment is taken and is used to create your permanent restoration. The entire implant process is performed over the course of several months depending on the individual patient case.

If you have questions or concerns about dental implant restoration, 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.

A Bright Smile is a Healthy Smile

Taking good care of your mouth – teeth and gums – does more than help ensure you have a bright, white, smile. The mouth is the doorway to our body and its first line of defense. It performs more essential functions than any other part of the body. Good oral hygiene and oral health can improve your overall health, reducing the risk of serious disease and perhaps even preserve your memory in your golden years. To preserve your oral health, schedule a consultation with Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS.

Your smile speaks volumes about who you are and leaves an everlasting impression, so it’s only natural that you want it to be as radiant as possible. To accomplish the whitening of your teeth, we utilize a tray whitening system here at the office and it is completed in just 2 steps. The first step is to make an impression of your teeth. With this impression, we'll craft you custom whitening trays that you can use over and over.

If you have questions or concerns about teeth whitening 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.

Gum Disease and Cirrhosis

Dentists have long been aware of a connection between periodontal disease and cirrhosis. At Dr. Lis Bradley’s dental office, we want patients to be aware that they can improve their health through better dental care, which is why we’re excited by new evidence that treating gum disease can alleviate some of cirrhosis’s effects.

Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver. It causes inflammation throughout the body and diminished cognitive ability. Scarred livers also have a harder time fighting off infections. Both cirrhosis and advanced gum disease can result from smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. But some studies have found that people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease also have higher rates of periodontal disease.

Recently, scientists carried out an experiment to determine whether people with cirrhosis improved after undergoing treatment for gum infections. They found that the people who were treated did produce more of the bacteria that reduce inflammation and were able to think more clearly. It is unclear why gum treatments would improve liver function, although scientists have proposed that people without gum disease are less likely to inhale harmful bacteria. Regardless, a fresher, less painful mouth can certainly improve the morale of people fighting chronic illnesses.

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

Cavity Prevention

To keep it simple, a cavity is a hole in your tooth. Many people believe that it’s only children who get cavities, but changes in your mouth as you age make them an adult problem too.  As you get older, your gums pull away from your teeth and this exposes the tooth roots of your teeth to dental plaque. Therefore, if you eat a lot of sugary or high-carb foods, you’re more likely to get cavities. If you suspect you have a cavity, schedule an appointment with Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS.

Cavity treatment depends on how bad the cavity is, but to prevent them you can start by brushing your teeth after every meal, using dental floss daily and rinsing your mouth to prevent the formation of plaque. When foods with carbohydrates like bread, cereal, milk, soda, cake, or candy stay on your teeth they can lead to tooth decay because the bacteria in your mouth turn them into acids. The bacteria, acid, food debris, and your saliva combine to form plaque, which clings to the teeth.

If you have questions or concerns about preventive oral care or general dentistry, 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.

Peri-Implantitis

If you’ve been through the process of getting a dental implant, you definitely don’t want to lose it. At Dr. Lis Bradley’s Brentwood dental office, we’re proud to say that our patients’ experiences with implants have been overwhelmingly positive. But inflammation around an implant, also known as peri-implantitis, can be a major problem, which is why we want to make sure our patients understand it.

In the absence of an autoimmune disorder, gingivitis (gum inflammation) is probably the result of a gum pocket infection. Gum pockets are a great place for decay-causing bacteria to hide. As they feed, they excrete acid, which sticks to plaque and irritates the surrounding tissue. Acid also wears away at a tooth’s root, regardless of whether the root is natural or an implant post. Severe gingivitis, known as periodontal disease, can result in loss of gum and bone tissue, causing the implant to come loose. If an implant is mobile, or twenty percent of the surrounding bone tissue has been lost, it needs to be removed.

Since it can take six months for an implant to integrate with the jaw bone, it would be a shame if the process had to be repeated. Patients should take red, sensitive, or bleeding gums as a sign that they need to schedule a cleaning. If an infection is caught early enough, we can do a scaling to remove decayed material.

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

 

What Is TMD?

The temporomandibular joint is a hinge that connects your jaw bone (mandible) to the temporal bones in your skull, in front of each ear.  A general term for any problem or issue with this joint is temporomandibular disorder, or TMD. Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS can help patients prevent and recover from the negative effects of TMD.

Patients that grind or clench their teeth often end up with a sore jaw.  Other patients experience injuries with facial trauma that cause jaw pain, or result in the patient feeling their jaw gets stuck or ‘locks’ in either an open or closed position.  A custom night guard keeps the jaw in a neutral position during sleep, and this helps many patients find relief from TMD symptoms.  For any pain, your dentist may recommend an over-the-counter painkiller or warm and cold compresses.  To prevent further discomfort, you may be assigned stretches for your jaw. 

Whatever your symptoms, you don’t have to suffer from discomfort in your jaw.  To learn more about TMD and the services provided 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.

Tooth Sensitivity in Children

Patients at Dr. Lis Bradley’s Brentwood dental practice can expect compassionate care for their whole family. Nobody, including children, should have to endure toothaches. But when diagnosing the cause of tooth sensitivity in children, there are some additional factors to keep in mind.

Adult teeth are often somewhat sensitive when they first break through the gum line. This problem will usually go away on its own and until then we can point parents toward safe pain relievers. But if a tooth is impacted (meaning it is trapped), extraction or orthodontic work may be necessary, which is why it’s safer to take children’s complaints seriously.

Children suffer from higher rates of tooth decay than people of any other age, and this is the most likely cause of their toothaches. However, it is also possible that they are brushing too hard and damaging their gums. We can teach them better brushing technique in either case. Children also suffer from high rates of sinus infections, which can cause pain that radiates into the upper teeth. Dental problems may be an indicator of an undiagnosed disease such as diabetes or the result of medications which cause dry mouth as a side effect, so it’s important for parents to think of dentists as part of a larger medical care team.

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

 

Scaling and Root Planing

In its most advanced stages, gum disease can lead to gum recession and even tooth loss.  Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS wants to make sure it never gets to that point for you and your family!  When plaque builds up on a tooth, the gum starts to pull away from the tooth and form a pocket around the buildup, which only leads to more gum recession.  A scaling and root planing procedure is used to treat this buildup and prevent the later stages of gum disease.

Scaling and root planning are two parts of a deep cleaning procedure your dentist can perform to help reverse the progress of gum disease.  The procedure beings with scaling, which is the process of the dentist removing plaque from the surface of the teeth, all the way down to the gums. Root planing is the term for any minor contouring to smooth the surface of a tooth near the root.  When plaque has been removed and the tooth root has been smoothed, the gums that have pulled away will have a clean, smooth surface to reattach to as they heal.

To learn more about deep periodontal cleaning and the other services provided at our 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 Instruments

Our instruments at Dr. Lis Bradley’s Brentwood dental practice are naturally objects of curiosity. They may also be objects of apprehension. To help patients become more comfortable with their dental care, we thought it would be a good idea to explain a little about what our tools are for.

Dental explorers are the instruments we use the most frequently, along with the handheld mirror. Also known as probes, explorers are small metal hooks that can be used to scrape away bits of tartar. They are used to push against enamel and examine gum pockets to determine whether there is an active infection. A variety of probes exist to check the various parts of teeth from different angles and scrape tartar from under the gums.

When we find tooth decay, we numb the patient with an injection and remove damaged enamel with a drill. The drill sprays water onto the teeth while in use to prevent heat damage. Once the decayed enamel has been removed, we mix the composites for a filling on a small spatula. Application and shaping of the filling are done using burnishers, which are instruments with blunt or rounded ends. If a filling needs to be removed, we remove debris with an evacuator, which is a more powerful version of the ejector used to vacuum away saliva.

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

 

Sjogren's Syndrome

Sjögren’s Syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that causes challenges for people’s oral health. At the Brentwood dental office of Dr. Lis Bradley, we want to make sure that our patients with this disorder understand what this disorder does and how it is tested for.

Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, creates an environment in which decay-causing bacteria flourish. Food debris remains stuck in the mouth, allowing bacteria to feed and multiply out of control. In people with Sjögren’s Syndrome, the immune system attacks the salivary glands, preventing them from producing saliva, and dry mouth commonly results.

Most cases of Sjögren’s Syndrome occur alongside lupus in older women. It seems to develop in people who are genetically susceptible after they have suffered an infection. It also causes the immune system to attack the tear ducts, resulting in dry eyes. If a patient presents with symptoms of Sjögren’s Syndrome, they will be referred to an oral surgeon who will take some samples of their saliva glands. (This is called a lower lip biopsy.) The tissues will then be analyzed in a laboratory. If a person does have the syndrome, they may benefit from the use of a water pick to help with their hygiene, and from throat moisturizers and medications to induce more saliva flow.

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

 

Restorative Dental Services

Restorative dentistry is defined as the study, diagnosis, and treatment, or diseases of the teeth and their surrounding structures. At the office of Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS, it is the goal of our entire staff to give our patients the smile they desire, while restoring function to his or oral cavity. Restorative dental services may include cosmetic enhancements, but they typically revolve around rehabilitating the teeth and gums.

Restorative dental services may include dental crowns, bridgework, esthetic fillings, and dental implants. Though crowns, bridges, and implants differ, each of them is designed to restore teeth with a natural look and feel. Additionally, dentures are a common restorative device used to replace missing teeth for people with no teeth. They can also be used in mouths where several teeth need to be replaced. To determine which restorative service is right for you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Lis Bradley, DDS.

If you have questions or concerns about restorative 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.

Electric Toothbrushes

Whenever you’re at the supermarket, you see a dizzying variety of oral hygiene products. At Dr. Lis Bradley’s Brentwood dental office, we help our patients to determine which tools best suit their needs. One of the most important decisions to make is whether to use a manual or electric toothbrush, and there are arguments to make for both.

Electric toothbrushes can make tens of thousands of brush strokes per minute. This means that any tooth surface a user puts the toothbrush on gets scrubbed thoroughly, but the user is still responsible for reaching every part of each tooth. Studies have not found that people who use electric toothbrushes have lower rates of decay than people who use manual toothbrushes properly, but to use a manual toothbrush properly, a person must brush for at least two minutes per session.

The obvious advantage of an electric toothbrush is for people who have difficulty moving their hands. Many electric toothbrushes also come with apps that can inform the user if they’ve missed a spot or are overbrushing. Some are kid-friendly to teach them good hygiene habits. Electric toothbrushes are expensive, but they’re a useful option for people who have been unsuccessful with the non-motorized kind.

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