Impact of Smoking on Oral Health

Bad breath, tooth discoloration, and increase build-up of plaque and tartar on the teeth are only a few of the unpleasant characteristics that arise while smoking. At the dental practice of Dr. Joseph S Dallessandro, we know you understand that smoking is bad for your overall health, so it should be no surprise that cigarettes and chewing tobacco are harmful to your oral health as well.

Not only does smoking increase the chance that you will develop gum disease, it makes treatment much more difficult because smoking hinders the healing in your mouth. Smoking and other tobacco products can lead to gum disease by affecting the attachment of bone and soft tissue to your teeth. More specifically, it appears that smoking interferes with the normal function of gum tissue cells. This interference makes smokers more prone to infections, such as periodontal disease, and also seems to impair blood flow to the gums – which may affect wound healing.

If you have questions or concerns regarding smoking and dental health, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.josephdallessandro.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Joseph S Dallessandro in our New York, NY office, call 212-988-1089.

Dental Bridges

Dental bridges, like implants and partial dentures, are used to replace missing teeth. Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth. They can be supported in any of three ways - by natural teeth, by dental implants, and by a combination of teeth and implants. If you are looking for an efficient way to replace missing teeth, Dr. Joseph S Dallessandro is here to assist you.

Dental bridges can restore a patient’s ability to speak because they are designed to bridge the gap that has been created by one or more missing teeth. Additionally, missing teeth can cause facial skin to sag and dental bridges can help a person maintain the shape of their face. There are several types of dental bridges that Dr. Dallessandro can discuss with you. A dental bridge is typically placed in two separate visits to the office.

If you have questions or concerns regarding dental bridges or restorative dentistry, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.josephdallessandro.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Joseph S Dallessandro in our New York, NY office, call 212-988-1089.

Reasons for Extractions

Tooth extractions at the Upper East Side office of Dr. Joseph Dallessandro are usually a simple affair. But because we work so hard to save teeth, if we’ve recommended an extraction, it means there’s a major issue. To help patients understand what they’re facing, we’re dedicating this week’s post to reasons for tooth extractions.

If a tooth’s pulp is infected, root canals are usually an effective means of treatment. Sometimes root canals can fail due to abnormalities in the tooth’s structure, but even then, a specialist would retreat it while replacing the tip of the tooth root. But if an infection has progressed too far, it poses a danger to the patient’s overall health. A tooth may also need to be extracted if it is badly cracked along the root or if the surrounding gum tissue is too compromised to support it.

What’s much more common is for teeth to be extracted due to overcrowding or difficulty erupting. The wisdom teeth, which are the largest teeth and the last to emerge, often get trapped, requiring them to be extracted. Premolars may also be removed to allow the remaining teeth to form an arch, and baby teeth may be removed if they do not fall out naturally while the adult tooth is pushing through.

Joseph S. Dallessandro, DDS, and Jiah Choi, DDS, operate at 360 E 72nd St, Ste B, New York, New York, 10021. To set up an appointment, call 212-988-1089, or visit Joseph Dallessandro DDS and fill out a contact sheet.