Inlays/Onlays

Inlays and Onlays are restorative devices commonly referred to as partial crowns. They are placed onto a tooth, restoring function and appearance. Drs. Joseph Dallessandro and Jiah Choi provide these services to our patients in the New York, NY, area. We can help you if you’re self-conscious of your smile. Contact our office today.

 

The difference between inlays and onlays is the severity of the damage to the teeth. These partial crowns are applied at the tooths base. If the cusp isn’t damaged then an inlay can be used. It’s bonded directly to the tooth. Onlays are needed when the cusps need replacing. They extend onto the chewing surface to do so.

 

Inlays/onlays are available in a variety of different materials. These include gold, composite resin, and porcelain. Your New York dentists recommend porcelain. It’s the strongest and most natural looking in appearance. With porcelain, you won’t even be able to notice that the partial crowns are there.

 

The entire inlay/onlay process takes between 2-3 appointments. The first step is removing the decayed material. An impression or mold is then made of the tooth. This is the basis for your restorative device. It is sent to a dental laboratory to be created. It will take between 2-3 weeks for completion. In the meantime, a temporary sealant is applied. At the second appointment, the sealant is removed. Your inlay/onlay will then be permanently bonded.

 

If the biting surfaces of your teeth are damaged, prohibiting their use and hurting your appearance, contact Drs. Joseph Dallessandro and Jiah Choi of New York, NY. To schedule an appointment, visit our website or call 212-988-1089.

 

Root Canal Therapy

An infected tooth requires immediate treatment. This is the best way to prevent the infection from spreading, stop bone loss, and possibly save the tooth. In the dental profession, endodontics is the specialty comprising of the nerves and roots. The most common procedure; the root canal. Root canal therapy is used for infections. At your New York, NY, dental office, Drs. Joseph Dallessandro and Jiah Choi offer root canal therapy.

 

Infections are often found in the roots of the tooth. Thus, a root canal is necessary. At the procedure, a local anesthetic is applied to the tooth. This keeps you comfortable and experiencing minimal discomfort. Your New York dentist will drill into the tooth, opening the root canal. The infection can be spotted. All affected tissue is removed and the area thoroughly cleaned. Afterward, the hole is sealed and a temporary crown is applied. The crown assists the healing process while restoring appearance.

 

Root canals are the most infamous of dental procedures. They have a bad reputation that is simply incorrect. With today's technology and medicine, root canals are highly successful and almost pain-free. Any soreness experienced the next day can be treated with over-the-counter pain medication. Antibiotics may also be prescribed if an infection occurs. The result is an infection-free mouth and the ability to enjoy the foods you love.

 

If you or a loved one need root canal therapy, contact our New York, NY, office. To schedule an appointment with Drs. Joseph Dallessandro and Jiah Choi, visit our website or call 212-988-1089.

Periodontal Splinting

When you’re a child, a loose tooth is exciting! As an adult, the reaction is quite the opposite. A loose adult tooth is often caused by injury, misalignment, lost gum tissue, or orthodontic treatment. Like people, teeth are stronger together. Periodontal splinting attaches weak teeth, combining them into a stronger unit. If you are interested in learning more about this procedure, contact Drs. Joseph Dallessandro and Jiah Choi at their New York, NY, office.

 

It’s important to schedule an appointment with your New York dentist as soon as a loose tooth is noticed. If left untreated, a loose tooth damages the other periodontal structures. Trauma is one of the main factors behind this problem. It’s caused by grinding or clenching your teeth or loss of bone support. A combination of the two is also possible. Periodontal disease is the other major cause.

 

The act of splinting loose teeth corrects the uneven pressure caused by the misaligned bite. There are temporary and permanent splinting available. For temporary splinting, there are extra-coronal and intra-coronal splints. Extra splints are bonded to the enamel. Intra splints require a channel cut into the teeth. It’s then placed in this area and cemented into place. For permanent splinting, the teeth are crowned and a splint fuses each crown together.

 

Drs. Joseph Dallessandro and Jiah Choi are located in New York, NY. To schedule an appointment, visit our website or call 212-988-1089.

Occlusal Adjustment

If you’re waking up with sore jaws, or feel like your bite is uneven when eating, you need an occlusal adjustment. An occlusal adjustment fixes the misalignment of the teeth. Drs. Dallessandro and Choi provide this service to our patients at our New York, NY, office. When left untreated a misaligned mouth leads to chronic pain and/or a temporomandibular joint disorder.

 

The main cause of a misaligned bite are teeth that are crowded, missing, loose, or shifting. The result is abnormal pressure caused by an uneven distribution. Teeth are meant to come and work in a complete set. When one piece of the puzzle is out of place, the whole thing falls apart. Fixing your bite makes your teeth meet properly.

 

The procedure itself is relatively painless. Local or general anesthetic are applied. Your New York dentists use a dental drill with a fine filing stone. Removal mouthpieces are placed to relax the jaw and protect the teeth.

 

Patients that are eligible for an occlusal adjustment are those with shifting teeth, who clench or grind or have an uneven bite. In some cases, tooth sensitivity can be treated with an occlusal adjustment. A computer scan of the mouth pinpoints discrepancies in your mouth. These indicate where the adjustments need to be made. It’s highly efficient and prevents unnecessary procedures.

 

For more information, contact our New York, NY, office. To schedule an appointment with Drs. Joseph Dallessandro and Jiah Choi, visit our website or call 212-988-1089.

Canker Sores

Canker sores are small, shallow ulcers that appear in your mouth and make it difficult for you to eat and talk. The cause of canker sores isn't known although stress is thought to trigger the ulcers. When possible, we encourage our patients at Family Dental Care of Chicago to avoid foods that have citric or other acids. The foods to avoid when you have an ulcer include lemons, oranges, apples, and tomatoes.

There are signs that you may have canker sores including include pain on your tongue or the inside of your cheeks and a burning sensation in your mouth. Canker sores are generally oval shape and are usually white or gray with a red edge.

While there is no extract treatment for canker sores, we encourage you to rinse your mouth with hot salt water a couple of times a day to help with recovery. If you still have a canker sore after 1-2 weeks we advise you to make an appointment with us. 

To schedule an appointment, call 212-988-1089 or visit Joseph Dallessandro DDS.

Night Guard Maintenance

For people who suffer from bruxism, a night guard can be essential to oral comfort. Bruxism, or night time teeth grinding, puts strain on the temporomandibular joint and can erode or crack enamel. A custom-fitted oral appliance can keep the patient’s jaws parted, sparing them dental trauma and helping to keep their airways open if they have obstructive sleep apnea. But night guards need to be kept clean, and we at Dr. Joseph Dallessandro’s Midtown dental practice want to make sure patients are doing it right.

The specifics of how to clean an oral appliance will depend on its design and may be found on a manufacturer’s website. But the biggest variance is whether it should be kept wet or dry when not in use. After being removed in the morning, a night guard should be brushed with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Patients should not use toothpaste, as the fluoride could scratch plastic. Many manufacturers also sell cleaning solution which can improve a night guard’s smell and help kill lingering bacteria. But patients also need to remember to clean the container out daily, which can be done with antibacterial soap and water.

Patients should be careful to keep the night guard at room temperature and not subject it to hot water or prolonged sunlight. Like a denture, the oral appliance’s shape could become distorted in excessive heat. Patients should not attempt to fix a broken night guard on their own or wear one that is no longer fitting well.

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.

 

Smoking and Pulpitis

Smoking is harmful to a patient’s immune system. There are also several reasons why it is harmful to oral health, including that it causes oral cancer and bad breath, but recently, scientists found evidence of a new way in which its interactions with the immune system are harmful to teeth, specifically. We at the Midtown dental practice of Dr. Joseph Dallessandro want our patients to be fully aware of the health hazards they’re facing, so we thought we’d take a moment to talk about dental pulp infections.

Pulpitis is the condition in which the sensitive pulp of a tooth is swollen, resulting in soreness. Like other forms of inflammation, it is an immune system response that traps disease-spreading bacteria and concentrates white blood cells and antimicrobial peptides. The latter are acids which latch onto bacteria, allowing them to be killed, and they’re one of the body’s most important defenses against infection. But according to a new study, smokers lack antimicrobial peptides in their dental pulp, putting them at risk for longer, more severe, and recurring infections.

Dental pulp infections are a serious concern. If they progress, they can cause facial abscesses and blood poisoning. Root canal therapy, in which dental pulp is extracted and replaced with a sealant, can be effective at treating them. But patients who wish to avoid severe pulp infections would do well to abandon smoking. The study also found that after a patient quits, peptides can sometimes return.

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.