March 24, 2020 By Paula

Can Invisalign® treat all types of orthodontic cases?

An imperfect smile doesn’t just affect how your pictures turn out—it can negatively impact your confidence and how others perceive you. Most people, especially adults, have a difficult time deciding between keeping their imperfect smile or enduring months (or years) with chunky, metal braces. Thankfully, there’s another option! Invisalign clear aligners are an effective and aesthetically pleasing alternative.

If you’re considering Invisalign, you may be wondering if this treatment can treat your orthodontic issue. Well, we’ve got good news for you! Modern advancements have made it possible for patients will all types of orthodontic problems to be candidates for Invisalign treatment.

The Responsibilities of Invisalign Wearers

Before discussing which orthodontic issues clear aligners address, you should understand that Invisalign requires a patient to be extremely responsible. To be an Invisalign patient, you must commit to:

Wear the aligners at least 22 hours a day
Properly clean the aligners
Only remove them when eating and brushing

This innovative orthodontic option is best suited for older teens and adults. Talk to your dentist today to learn about the pros and cons of Invisalign orthodontic treatment.

Continue reading to learn which orthodontic issues Invisalign treats.

Overbite

When the upper front teeth significantly overlap the lower front teeth, it’s called an overbite. This issue can lead to tooth wear, TMJ disorder, and speech issues.

Invisalign corrects mild to moderate forms of overbite. More severe cases require traditional braces or other types of oral appliances.

Underbite

As one would expect, an underbite is the exact opposite of an overbite. Underbites are typically treated with a combination of orthodontic methods. Your dentist may suggest elastics, rubber bands, or traditional braces in addition to Invisalign treatment.

In severe cases, clear aligners may not be an option.

Crossbite

If only some of your upper teeth are on the inside of your lower teeth when you smile, it’s called a crossbite. This creates issues when eating and speaking. It can also lead to TMJ disorder and unnatural tooth wear.

Invisalign can widen and narrow the top and bottom arches of your mouth so that they fit together properly. Elastics and rubber bands may be included in this treatment.

Gap teeth

Gaps in any part of your smile can be unattractive and detrimental to your oral health. Thankfully, Invisalign can quickly and effectively close these unwanted spaces between your teeth.

Open bite

The definition of an open bite is when the back teeth fully align and close together, but the front teeth do not touch. This is often due to habits like thumb sucking, pacifier use, tongue thrusting, and sippy cups.

Invisalign can correct and open bite, but it often proves to be incredibly challenging. Other orthodontic treatments may be recommended.

Crowded teeth

Crowded teeth overlap one another and are much more susceptible to cavities, gum disease, and unusual wear patterns on teeth. Invisalign clear aligners put pressure on the appropriate teeth to move them into the correct positions. This treatment is much simpler compared to other orthodontic issues.

Contact an Invisalign Dentist Today

The best way to discover if Invisalign clear aligners are the best orthodontic option for you is to visit your dentist today. To receive the most accurate care, be sure to choose a dentist who is a specially trained and certified Invisalign dentist.

To meet with our highly regarded Austin dentist, call 512-346-4690 today.

March 2, 2020 By Paula

5 Questions to Ask Your Family Dentist – Austin, TX

Visiting a family dentist every six months for a regular dental cleaning and exam is essential to a healthy, beautiful smile. Regular visits don’t just benefit your teeth, they build relationships with your dental team. While you and the dentist or dental hygienist are updating each other on the past six months of your lives, don’t forget they also have a wealth of information about your oral health and other aspects of dental care.

Every visit with your family dentist is the perfect time to ask these five questions so you know how to maintain the health of your family’s smiles.

1. How often should I visit the dentist?

As we stated earlier, most dentists recommend dental cleaning and exams every six months. However, based on her observations, your family dentist may suggest more frequent visits for you or your children.

2. How can I improve my oral hygiene routine?

A good daily oral hygiene routine is the best defense against cavities, gum disease, and a slew of other oral health problems. Your oral hygiene should include the following:

Proper brushing
Flossing
Rinsing with mouthwash

Ask your family dentist about how to brush and floss properly so you can ensure you’re doing everything possible to protect your mouth. Then, pass that knowledge on to your family!

In addition to these steps, eating the right foods throughout the day can strengthen teeth and balance the bacteria in the mouth. If you’re unsure where to start, begin with reducing the amount of sugar in your diet and eating more vegetables and dairy products.

3. Are my gums healthy?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 64.7 million Americans have an advanced form of gum disease called periodontitis. Even more suffer from the early stage of gum disease called gingivitis. Fortunately, gingivitis can be reversed, but the advanced stages require professional dental treatments.

Many times, patients don’t even realize they have gum disease until it has developed into periodontitis. Symptoms don’t always arise, but here are some signs to look for:

Red, swollen gums
Bleeding while brushing or flossing
Receding gums
Loose teeth
Persistent bad breath

If left untreated, gum disease can lead to tooth loss. Thankfully, attending regular dental cleanings almost guarantees gum disease won’t progress that far.

4. Why do I have bad breath?

Bad breath is extremely embarrassing. The causes of bad breath range from certain foods to serious medical problems. Here are the most common causes:

Eating onions and garlic
Smoking or chewing tobacco
Poor dental hygiene
Dry mouth
Medications
Mouth infection
Acid reflux
Metabolic disorders

The best way to know what’s causing bad breath is to visit with a family dentist. She can thoroughly inspect your mouth for any oral health issues that may be the source of the bad odor.

5. How can you help my children?

If you and your children aren’t already visiting the same dentist, you should be! A family dentist treats patients of all ages to make dental care more convenient and less stressful. You the rest of your family can visit the dentist on the same day at the same time.

Ask your family dentist about your child’s first dentist visit, dental sealants, cavity prevention, and anything else you can think of. She can answer all your questions as well as provide kid-friendly dental care to your little one.

Visit Your Family Dentist

Call your family dentist today to schedule appointments for your entire family. If you live in the Austin, TX area, our dental team is prepared and excited to have your family join ours. Our experienced dental team, state-of-the-art equipment, and modern techniques ensure your family the best care possible.

February 24, 2020 By Paula

Asking Siri or Alexa for “great dental care near me?”

So many people are searching for great dental care, but do they really know what that entails? Dental professionals should be held to a high standard! In this blog, we’ll define what “great dental care” is so you can find a dentist near you without settling for an average dental experience.

If you’re looking for “great dental care near me” in the Austin, TX area, consider Dr. Helen Ragsdale. Our dental practice is designed to make you and your family feel welcome and relaxed. Patients can feel confident in the hands of an experienced and skilled dentist who has served the Austin area for over twenty years.

Here are five qualities of great dental care:

1. A friendly atmosphere

Great dental care should start when you walk in the door. The administration team and dental assistants are a reflection of the dentist. When you show up for your first appointment, the front desk person should greet you, provide you with the paperwork or information that you need, and gladly answer any questions you have. You can expect every team member to be professional and friendly.

First impressions are important! A dentist who prioritizes patient experience will understand how important it is for you to feel welcome and cared for.

2. Patient comfort is prioritized

Unfortunately, the dentist office can bring about feelings of anxiety and stress. To combat this, dentists should create a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere. From the lobby to the dentist chair, patients should feel at ease.

Natural lighting, plants, indoor fountains, snacks, and beverages all contribute to making patients feel at home. Our dentist goes above and beyond by offering blankets, pillows, aromatherapy, sound therapy, TVs, and headphones while you’re in the dental chair. Private operatories are also provided for each patient.

3. Up-to-date technology

Scalpels and drills are no longer a dentist’s only treatment options. Modern dental technology allows dentists to provide great dental care through safer and more conservative means.

At our office, soft and hard tissue lasers are used to treat numerous dental issues. These make treatment less painful, less invasive, and much more comfortable. Patients can experience immediate results with laser teeth whitening and much faster recovery times with laser gum treatments.

4. Comprehensive care

When searching for “great dental care near me,” a dentist who offers comprehensive care is a must. Specialized dentists typically only offer one service and some general dentists only offer little more than preventive care.

Find a dentist who offers preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dental solutions so you never have to search for another dentist again.

From dental cleanings to dental bridges, dental veneers and full smile makeovers, our dentist offers everything you need to achieve a healthy, beautiful smile. Unless your teeth or mouth requires major surgery, you’ll most likely never need to visit another dentist.

5. An experienced dentist

A great dentist will have years of education, training, and hands-on experience. She will also have tons of patient reviews and before-and-after pictures to prove her skills and quality of work.

Don’t be afraid to ask about the dentist’s continuing education or pictures of past dental work. This way, you can feel confident in your dentist’s ability to provide excellent care and results no matter the treatment you’re receiving.

If you’re interested in meeting with our experienced dentist, call (512) 346-4690 today to schedule an appointment.

February 17, 2020 By Paula

Put This Local Dentist in Your Phone Now

If you’ve been searching for a local dentist in Austin, TX to meet all of your dental care needs, look no further! Our dentist, Dr. Helen Ragsdale, offers patient-oriented, comfort-focused dental care for patients of all ages. Our dental treatment philosophy boils down to four things: diagnosis, prevention, preservation, and conservation.

If you’d like to schedule an initial consultation with our friendly dental team, call (512) 346-4690 today.

Why choose us? Dr. Ragsdale has the five qualities of a great local dentist. Check them out in this blog!

1. Experience

Hands-on experience is necessary for dentists to perfect their skills, but most of us don’t want to be our dentist’s “first”. Especially when it comes to extraction, gum treatments, or cosmetic procedures. These procedures require precision and control that isn’t perfected overnight. To ensure you’re getting the best care, look for a local dentist with years of experience under her belt.

Dr. Ragsdale has been serving the Austin community for over twenty years. During that time, she has helped thousands of patients achieve and maintain healthy smiles, and she is the dentist that other dentists come to for training!

2. Up-to-date Technology

Innovative dental technology like low-radiation digital radiography, soft tissue lasers, and hard tissue lasers are the main ways our team has stayed true to our dental treatment philosophy. We are committed to providing comprehensive care to our patients and helping them keep as much natural teeth and bone structure as possible.

Unfortunately, not every dentist offers these options to their patients. Look for one who does!

3. Comprehensive Services

Many patients only visit their dentist every six months for regular dental cleanings and exams. For these patients, restorative or cosmetic treatment may not even cross their minds—until they need them. Here’s what could happen if your dentist doesn’t offer comprehensive care:

If you ever crack a tooth or want your teeth whitened, going to a new dentist will be a hassle. Not only will you have to do more research to find the best restorative or cosmetic dentist, but you’ll also have to go through the awkward stage of getting to know and trust a stranger. To avoid this issue in the future, you should choose a dentist that offers a wide range of services now.

At Austin Laser Dentist, we offer preventive, restorative, and cosmetic services. We also offer periodontal treatments and sedation dentistry.

4. Excellent Patient Reviews

What better way to learn about a dentist than through their own patients? Thanks to Google, Yelp, and Facebook, current patients can let others in on their personal experiences with a dentist.

Here’s a review from one of our many satisfied patients:

“Always a great experience! The people are so very friendly, helpful, professional and very, very good at what they do. I’ve been to a number of dentists during my many years on the planet, and I’ll say Dr. Helen and her team are by far the best I’ve ever encountered.” – Joel F.

5. Comfortable Office Environment

Visiting the dentist shouldn’t be a chore, and it shouldn’t be scary. Our dental team recognizes that not everyone has had great experiences with the dentist. Because of this, we go the extra mile to keep our patients relaxed and comfortable. At our office, we provide patients with:

Blankets
Pillows
Aromatherapy
Sound therapy
TVs and headphones
A private operatory
Sedation dentistry

To learn more about our practice or to make our dentist your local dentist, give us a call today at (512) 346-4690.

February 6, 2020 By Paula

5 Reasons You Need a Laser Dentist on Your Healthcare Team

Lasers are one of the most innovative and revolutionary advancements in dentistry. A laser dentist uses this minimally invasive technique to replace traditional treatment methods like drills and scalpels (YIKES!). Oral health issues like tooth decay and gum disease can now be remedied by hard and soft tissue lasers that use extremely concentrated light beams.

Hard and soft tissue lasers are used for numerous preventive, restorative, and cosmetic treatments such as:

Root canals
Decay removal
Curing of restorative materials
Cavity detection and preparation
Enamel and dentin procedures
Teeth whitening
Reshaping teeth
Cosmetically correcting gums
Removal of tooth structure or lesions

When you choose a laser dentist, you choose a dentist with advanced training in the safest and most effective dental technology. Continue reading to learn why a laser dentist is the best choice for you.

1. Prioritizes Comfort

A laser dentist desires to provide patients with the most comfortable dental experience possible. Traditional dental methods involve scalpels, sutures, and drills. For most treatments, those undesirable items can be replaced with a quiet, gentle laser that minimizes pain and eliminates unpleasant sounds. All-in-all, dental visits are much more pleasant with laser dentistry.

2. Reduces Anxiety

Patients who dread dental visits because of dental fear or anxiety usually feel much more comfortable and relaxed with a laser dentist. In addition to a quieter environment and more comfortable procedures, lasers reduce the need for shots and anesthesia.

3. Precision

Laser dentists are able to preserve more of the healthy tissue in teeth, bone, and gums than ever before with the accuracy of lasers. Because of this, the patient’s oral health is strengthened and the natural structures are more likely to stay intact. In addition, patients typically experience significantly less bleeding, swelling, and postsurgical pain which results in a quick recovery.

For cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening and gum lifts, dental laser precision provides patients with incredible results.

4. Early Cavity Detection

Laser dentists, like Dr. Helen Ragsdale, who use DIAGNOdent® laser cavity detection can spot tooth decay in the earliest stages—before any dentist could with probing. As soon as tooth decay is detected, the laser dentist can prevent it from progressing with minimally invasive techniques.

5. Fights Infection

As your laser dentist removes parts of the teeth and gums that have been infected by disease, the laser actually sterilizes while it works. Residual bacteria that are often left behind by a cavity or gum disease will immediately be eliminated during treatment. This lowers the patient’s risk of post-operative complications due to infection.

Find a Laser Dentist Near You

The key to choosing a laser dentist is to find one with plenty of skill and training. This ensures you experience all of the benefits we mentioned above.

If you live in the Austin, TX area, our Austin laser dentist is everything you’ve been looking for! Dr. Ragsdale was one of the first dentists in the area to offer laser dentistry. As a result, she is the dentist other dentists come to for training and experience in laser dental techniques.

Dr. Ragsdale has received advanced training through the World Clinical Laser Institute and the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental studies. Thanks to this experience, she provides patients with extremely precise, comfortable laser treatment for a variety of oral health care needs.

To schedule an appointment with our friendly dental team, call (512) 346-4690 today.

Austin Laser Dentist - Helen Ragsdale DDS