Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Sleep Apnea Defined

Sleep Apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. There are two main types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea, the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax, and central sleep apnea, which occurs when your brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. Here at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center, we may suggest oral surgery to assist with sleep apnea, depending on the severity of the condition, but we always explore non-invasive options first.


When obstructive sleep apnea occurs, the muscles relax, your airway narrows or closes as you breathe in, and you can’t get an adequate breath in. Your brain senses this inability to breathe and briefly rouses you from sleep so you can reopen your airway. You may make a snorting, choking or gasping sound. When central sleep apnea occurs, you may awaken with shortness of breath or have a difficult time getting to sleep or staying asleep. Like with obstructive sleep apnea, snoring and daytime sleepiness can occur. Regardless of the type you have, it’s best to explore your treatment options.


If you sleep apnea is a concern of yours, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.nicholascosmeticdentalcenter.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center in Philadelphia, PA, call 215-279-1193.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Athletes and Mouth Guards

Mouthguards are an essential piece of equipment in contact sports such as football, hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, baseball, basketball, and more. Imagine having a tooth knocked out in the middle of a game. Not only will it affect your performance, but the healing time might put you on the bench for a few weeks. At Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center, we supply our pediatric and adult athletes with custom fitted mouth guards for the ultimate protection to ensure that you maintain your highest level of performance on the field, court, or rink.


Wearing a mouth guard helps protect teeth during sports and helps cushion a blow to the face, minimizing the risk of broken teeth and injuries to your lips, tongue, face or jaw. At Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center, our custom fitted mouth protectors are individually designed to fit your mouth and your mouth only. First, one of our doctors will make an impression of your teeth and a mouth guard is then molded over the model using a special material. The thinness of the custom mouth guard allows for easy breathing and also allows for easy communication so that you can shout out your signals clearly.


If you think you may benefit from a custom fitted mouth guard, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.nicholascosmeticdentalcenter.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center in Philadelphia, PA, call 215-279-1193.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Dental Phobia

If the thought of having your teeth cleaned by a dentist frightens you to no end, our doctors at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center are here to make you feel as comfortable as possible during a procedure. Dental phobia is different from dental anxiety and fear of the dentist, in the sense that it is much stronger. Someone with a dental phobia will avoid dental care at all costs until either a physical problem or the psychological burden of the phobia becomes overwhelming.


The most common causes of dental phobia are bad experiences, a history of abuse, uncaring dentists, humiliation, and post-traumatic stress. Anyone can be affected by dental phobia, regardless of age. Dental phobia not only allows a person’s dental health to suffer, but it may lead to anxiety and depression. Loss of self-esteem over not being able to do something as “simple” as going to the dentist and intense feelings of guilt over not having looked after one’s teeth properly are also very common. Our doctors are dedicated to making patient’s as relaxed as possible, this includes keeping them informed every step of the way and providing an individualized treatment plan.


If you fear the dentist, please let us know when scheduling your next appointment. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.nicholascosmeticdentalcenter.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center in Philadelphia, PA, call 215-279-1193.

Friday, August 12, 2016

Choosing Toothpaste to Meet Your Needs

When stepping foot into the oral hygiene aisle at the drugstore, our staff at Maiden Lane Dental understands that the selections of toothpaste can be overwhelming. Should you go for tartar control, fluoride, sensitive or whitening toothpaste? When it comes to choosing the toothpaste that is best for you, it’s important to consider your unique oral health needs. The best way to discover what those are is by scheduling an oral exam with our doctors at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center. In the meantime, here are some options to consider while browsing:



  • Anti-cavity: This type of toothpaste contains fluoride. Fluoride plays an active role in preventing decay, and it actively strengthens tooth enamel.

  • Anti-gingivitis: If you spit blood in the sink, this is an early sign of gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease. Anti-gingivitis toothpaste helps reduce oral bacteria and can be very effective at stopping gingivitis in its tracks.

  • Desensitizing: If you’ve ever bit into an ice cream cone and felt a sharp pain in your tooth’s nerve, this type of toothpaste will provide relief by blocking the tooth’s pain signal to the nerve.

  • Tartar-control: This toothpaste does exact what it says, however, the best way to remove tartar is by scheduling a professional dental cleaning with one of our doctors.

  • Whitening: This toothpaste contains chemicals that are able to help maintain the natural color of your teeth.


If you have questions about dental health or oral care, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.nicholascosmeticdentalcenter.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center in Philadelphia, PA, call 215-279-1193.

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Basics of Bruxism

Do you ever wake up from a night’s sleep with sore teeth and jaws? You could be grinding your teeth. The medical term for occasional teeth grinding is called bruxism and although this condition does not usually cause harm, when teeth grinding occurs on a regular basis the teeth can be damaged and other oral health complications can arise. At Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center, our doctors can develop an individualized treatment plan to help alleviate this condition.


Stress, anxiety, smoking, heavy alcohol, caffeine, depression and sleep disorders are all possible causes of teeth grinding. Treatment for teeth grinding depends on the cause. In some cases, chronic teeth grinding can result in fracturing, loosening or loss of teeth. Patients may benefit from a mouth guard to stabilize the jaw and prevent tooth damage that is caused by grinding.


If these bruxism symptoms sound all too familiar, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.nicholascosmeticdentalcenter.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center in Philadelphia, PA, call 215-279-1193.