Dental Maintenance Is Self-Care

Dental Maintenance Is Self-Care

by | Jul 31, 2023 | Uncategorized

The idea of “self-care” has been transformed over the years. What used to be a night to yourself turned into shopping sprees and take-out. While there’s nothing wrong with any of those things, it can be easy to lose sight of what actually helps you feel and be better. Self-care should be something that puts energy into your personal bank for the things you love most.

At its core, taking care of your hygiene and your health is the ultimate form of self-care. While it takes time out of your day that could be dedicated to more fun or lucrative activities, it’s time you’re spending on yourself. It’s time you’re investing in your well-being. And it’s worth every second.

If you’re busy enough that you find it difficult to give your teeth the red-carpet treatment they deserve, we’ve got some tips that might make it easier to keep them glowing.


Build Your Hygiene Into an Existing Routine
Everyone’s got that one thing they’re not willing to give up. For many, it’s their daily shower. If you’re the type of person who will miss an appointment rather than a shower, brush your teeth while you’re there! No one will judge you.

Are you serious about a healthy diet? Do you always pack your lunch? Then, toss in a floss pick with your veggie bag. It serves as a visual reminder, and it only adds an extra thirty seconds into a pretty set-in-stone part of your day.

Think about the habits that aren’t in any danger of going away. Brainstorm some ways that you can fit your toothbrush, toothpaste, or mouthwash in, and it won’t seem like such a burden.


Find Accessible Professionals
Even people who take great care of their teeth need the dentist. Your bi-annual dental cleanings and checkups will make it so that you don’t have to work so hard in the long run. We clean and strengthen your teeth with a fluoride treatment, and as a result, you’re here less often for fillings and crowns.

If it’s hard for you to fit in a dentist appointment, you may just be looking in the wrong place for your dentist. Find someone with a schedule that accommodates you, who allows online scheduling, and who takes emergency appointments.

For Dentistry That Values Your Time and Happiness
At Greene Street Dental, we’re confident that we can be your accessible dental office with care so meticulous, it feels like luxury treatment. Our general dentists want to make it as easy as possible for you to see us, so you can fill out paperwork online and schedule your appointments yourself. That means, no unnecessary phone calls or waiting periods.

We’ll do whatever it takes to make dental care feel and look good again. Call our office at (212) 226-5777 or book online today.

Advanced Technology at Greene Street Dental

Advanced Technology at Greene Street Dental

by | Jul 31, 2023 | Uncategorized

Technology should make our lives easier–not more complicated. Thankfully, dentistry has become so advanced that the annoyances of traditional dentistry are almost completely a thing of the past. Not only does technology-based dentistry improve the quality of your care, but it can provide peace of mind about your care and help you reach your cosmetic dentistry goals.

Our dentists are trained in many of the best dental and oral health technologies. They are continually learning the best approaches and methods to utilize tech, so we can catch health problems faster, heal problem areas quicker, and cause less pain in the process.

Computer-Aided Design With Intraoral Cameras
If you’ve ever had a sticky mold shoved onto the roof of your mouth to gag on for 2 to 5 minutes, you’ve been a victim of the bygone area of modeling. These molds were created to precisely measure your teeth and gums, so the models could be sent away to another location. There, a dentist would create your crown, veneers, inlay or onlay, dentures, bond, or other dental restoration.

With Computer-Aided Design (CAD), we have the capability of precisely measuring your mouth without the use of a sticky mold. Using an intraoral camera, we can get accurate pictures of the inside of your mouth to design your new smile in the office!

That way, you get to see your smile on a picture of yourself before we even start on the treatment. For Invisalign patients, this can be a great way to know whether it’s worth the commitment.

The iTero Scanner
Our intraoral camera is called the iTero scanner, and it’s not just good for creating digital models of your mouth.

The iTero scanner can help us get an accurate picture of your tooth and gum health. With this close-up view, we can detect cavities earlier and in hard-to-see places. Specifically, the iTero has made a name for itself by detecting cavities at contact points between teeth earlier than X-rays can detect.

While X-rays are necessary and helpful tools, it’s a huge advantage to have another means of cavity detection that doesn’t require radiation. Plus, with the scanner, you can see everything we see, so you are empowered to make decisions about your health. Dental exams don’t make you feel powerless when you know what’s going on with your teeth.

Our Other Technology-Assisted Services

The iTero scanner is a powerhouse in our office, but that’s not all we can do. In addition to all of the standard technology in every dentist’s office, we have soft-tissue lasers that assist in many areas of routine and surgical procedures.

Soft tissue lasers:

  • Reduce healing time for surgeries
  • Help tissue heal faster
  • Reduce or eliminate bleeding entirely
  • Therapeutically reduce pain and inflammation
  • Aid recovery in gum disease patients
  • Assist with anti-bacterial cleansing during root canals
  • Sterilize teeth and gums
  • Whiten teeth faster

It’s getting easier and easier to treat oral health problems, and we want to be a part of that. Where we can reduce pain and pain points for our patients, we will.

Visit Our SoHo Office for Cutting-Edge Dental Care
An office that invests in its tools invests in its patients. At Greene Street Dental, our technology-based practice informs every aspect of our care. You deserve to play an active role in your dental and oral health, and you deserve the best that medicine has to offer. For dentistry that redefines what it looks like to take care of your health, schedule an appointment at our Lower Manhattan dental office today.

 

Wearing Invisalign as an Adult: Is There a Stigma?

Wearing Invisalign as an Adult: Is There a Stigma?

by | Jul 27, 2023 | Uncategorized

People talk a lot about adult braces having a stigma, as they’re more difficult to hide than clear aligners. However, because Invisalign has been painted as a completely invisible, unnoticeable solution, some are surprised when other people notice. While Invisalign aligners are a much more discreet option, you may find that people ask you about them anyway.

Does this mean there’s a stigma? More importantly, does it matter? Research shows that people who are happy with their teeth are happier in general, and Invisalign can improve your confidence by a lot (The Angle Orthodontist).

Other People Probably Don’t Notice, But What If They Do?
Intentionally or not, people make decisions about your competence, confidence, and intelligence completely based on your smile. Studies in the British Dental Journal and The International Journal of Prosthodontics found that participants with healthier teeth were perceived to be more socially competent, smarter, and well-adjusted. So, does this translate to orthodontics?

It’s hard to tell. One study in the European Journal of Orthodontics found that people perceived others as smarter when they didn’t have an orthodontic appliance on at all; they were more negative toward metal braces, and about neutral to clear aligners. For people who are worried about being judged for their Invisalign retainers, perhaps that’s comforting.

But the real question is, does it matter if they notice or perceive you differently?
Your Perception of Yourself Is More Important
Much more research has been dedicated to your self-perception when you’re happy with your teeth. For example:

  • The psychological well-being of women is at risk when they have poor oral health or are unhappy with their teeth, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH).
  • People who are sensitive about their oral health and the attractiveness of their smile also have a poor perception of their bodies, according to a study on BioMed Central (BMC Oral Health).
  • Both males and females are becoming more aware of things to be dissatisfied with in their own smiles, per the NIH.
  • People who had orthodontic treatment and tooth whitening procedures perceived themselves more positively, according to a study in the International Dental Journal.

Your teeth matter to you. They matter to you more than they matter to anyone else. And did you know that when you feel better about yourself, you’re actually more resilient to the negativity around you?

When you feel good about yourself and who you are, things like other people’s perceptions of you don’t matter nearly as much. According to research in Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, when you feel better about yourself, you’re more optimistic. When you are more optimistic, you are more resilient. And resilience is your safe-guard against all kinds of negativity and sadness.

You Have Control Over Your Smile With Aesthetic Dentistry
Having a smile that you love is important to your confidence, well-being, and success. Yeah, people might notice your Invisalign, but not only is Invisalign less noticeable and perceived positively compared to braces–it may very well be your path to greater life satisfaction.

If you’re happy with your smile, then you’re way ahead of the curve! If you’re not, you have the power to change that. We want to help you get the smile you crave and deserve.

Get Your Ideal Smile With Invisalign at Greene Street Dental
Your smile says so much about you, especially to yourself. If it’s in our power to help you reach your smile goals and start living, then we want to help. Allow our doctors to show you what your new smile could look like with some of our advanced technology. That way, you’ll have an end goal and something wonderful to look forward to.

Schedule your appointment at our lower Manhattan office by booking online or by calling (212) 226-5777.