Diabetes and Oral Hygiene

Do you or someone you know live with diabetes? It’s a rather common disease that affects the body’s ability to process sugar normally. Food is converted to sugar which is then converted to energy to be used by the body. The disruption in this process causes problems for other areas in the body, such as blood circulation, eyes, and even oral hygiene. We at Ressler, Hirschl & Lelchuk, DDS, PA realize that our diabetic patients are at a higher risk for gum disease if blood sugar isn’t properly controlled. Your Florida dentist recommends regular checkups to make sure that your dental hygiene remains at its best!

In Type 1 diabetes, the body doesn’t make enough insulin to convert sugar to energy, while in Type 2 diabetes, the body stops responding to insulin altogether. Practicing good oral hygiene and maintaining safe blood sugar levels will help decrease the risk of gum disease and other oral issues. 

In summary, you should:

- Control your blood sugar levels as best you can, which includes a healthy diet and taking the medicine prescribed by your doctor.

- Avoid smoking, since this also increases the risk of gum disease.

- Clean your dentures (if you wear them) every day.

- Brush and floss your teeth twice a day.

- See your dentist for regular appointments. 

Ressler, Hirschl & Lelchuk, DDS, PA is located at two Florida locations for your convenience. You can find our North Miami Beach office in the Intracostal Mall at 3909 NE 163rd St., Suite 310. Our Mount Sinai Medical Center is located at 4300 Alton Road, Suite 1190, in Miami Beach. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit miami-dental.net or call our North Miami Beach office at 305-949-2630 or Mount Sinai Medical Center at 305-532-1444.

 

Periodontal Sectioning

Ever heard of the common saying “as fun as pulling teeth?” That’s why Drs. Lelchuk, Ressler, and Hirschl provide Periodontal Sectioning services for our clients in the Miami area. It is a quicker and easier extraction process. The tooth is broken into multiple pieces then removed from your mouth. It creates a minimally painful and shorter recovery time. Learn more at our offices in North Miami Beach and Miami Beach.

 

Three situations require sectioning: wisdom teeth, multi-faceted or unique teeth, and pediatric extraction. Each of these procedures provides a better experience for both the patient and your Miami dentist. Wisdom teeth extraction is the most common sectioning procedure. They are the last set of molars to come in and are also the biggest. This naturally makes it harder to remove. Sectioning them is the only way. Uniquely rooted teeth are much sturdier than others. Their roots are deeper or more intricate. Sectioning addresses these problems. Lastly, a child is much more apprehensive of a tooth removal than an adult. Sectioning requires a lot less force. It also leaves a much smaller wound. This greatly reduces the recovery time and risk of infection. These benefits are great for everyone, especially children.

 

The procedure starts with a local or general anesthetic being applied. This minimizes your pain and discomfort. Once the area is numb, your Miami dentist begins the procedure. The pulp is cut and the tooth sectioned into pieces. Throughout the procedure, water flushes out any debris or tooth fragments.

 

Follow your provided post-operative instructions afterward. Doing so keeps any stitches from loosening. Eat softer foods at first. Avoid hot foods for as long as necessary. Do not engage in any physical activity. Contact your dentist with any questions.

 

Drs. Lelchuk, Ressler, and Hirschl are located in both North Miami Beach and Miami Beach. You can schedule an appointment through our website or by calling. To reach the Intracoastal Mall office, call 305-949-2630. For the Mount Sinai Medical Center, contact 305-532-1444.

Flossing with Braces

Flossing is another task made difficult by braces. As if having braces wasn’t hard enough already! The truth is that flossing with braces doesn’t have to be challenging. There are a handful of techniques and applicators that make it easier. Drs. Lelchuk, Hirschl, and Ressler recommend these to all our orthodontic patients. Learn more by contacting our offices in North Miami Beach and Miami Beach.

 

Daily flossing is essential when you have braces. Your braces create a variety of spaces for bacteria to develop. Food is constantly getting wedged and trapped. This attracts even more bacteria in certain areas. Only floss can fully clean these areas.

 

Flossing is just as important as brushing twice daily. To get under the wires, you’ll need a floss threader. This is a necessary dental appliance. It loops your floss through it and then under the wire. You can then floss normally. Make sure to do this for all of your teeth. Debris and bacteria can grow anywhere.

 

Another option is floss picks. These look like a small two-pronged tool with floss between them. Floss picks are small enough to also move under the wires. Lastly, consider investing in a Waterpik. These spray a steady stream of water at your teeth. The pressure removes all the trapped food. Most even come with special tools for orthodontic cleanings.

 

Overlooking flossing in your daily dental routine is a critical mistake. Your mouth can’t be completely clean without it. If you have braces and are struggling with dental maintenance, contact us today. Drs. Lelchuk, Ressler, and Hirschl are available by appointment. You can visit our website to learn more. To reach the Intracoastal Mall (North Miami Beach) office, call 305-949-2630. For the Mount Sinai Medical Center (Miami Beach), call 305-532-1444.

Pacifiers and Teeth

Drs. Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk get a lot of questions from parents about weaning their child off a pacifier.  Infants are soothed by pacifiers and when the time comes, it is one of the hardest habits to break.  It can require a great deal of persuasion, but because of the effect they can have on the growth and development of the teeth and mouth children should stop using pacifiers by the age of two.

Prolonged pacifier use can cause changes in the shape of the roof of the mouth, prevent proper growth of the mouth, and create problems with tooth alignment.  Narrowing of the roof of the mouth and misalignment of the jaws can also occur.  Using a pacifier too long can also lead to a variety of complications including tilting in of the bottom teeth, and slanting in of the top and front teeth. Until the age of two, any alignment problem with the teeth or developing bone is usually corrected within six months after pacifier use has stopped.  We can help and support parents having any trouble weaning their child off a pacifier before that age.

Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate from two locations. To schedule an appointment at the location at Mount Sinai Medical Center, 4300 Alton Road, Suite 1190, Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, call 305-532-1444. To schedule an appointment at Intracoastal Mall, 3909 NE 163rd St, Suite 310, North Miami Beach, Florida, 33160, call 305-949-2630. You can also visit Miami-Dental.com and fill out a contact form.

Pediatric Dental Care

At the dental practice of Drs. Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk, we are proud to serve the families of our community, and we want them to know it’s just as important for children to have regular dental visits.  A child’s first dental visit should be scheduled when the first baby tooth appears, or around the child’s first birthday.  Baby teeth eventually come out, but their growth and development are important for overall oral health for the child and the development of their adult teeth.

Baby teeth should be brushed and cared for like adult teeth, and it’s important to monitor their growth and development.  Missing any tooth for too long can change the development of surrounding teeth and compromise the structure of the jaw bone, but regular checkups can keep a child’s tooth development right on track.  Our dentists are skilled and experienced in administering dental care to children.  If your child has seemed nervous about seeing a dentist for the first time, we recommend going through a brushing routine with them at home and talking about the dental visit before you arrive.  Once we get your child’s oral health off to a great start, we offer a full range of services for child patients including dental cleanings, fluoride treatments, and sealants.

We love to see good oral hygiene habits formed early and make lifetime patients out of kids from our community!  Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate from two locations. To schedule an appointment at the location at Mount Sinai Medical Center, 4300 Alton Road, Suite 1190, Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, call 305-532-1444. To schedule an appointment at Intracoastal Mall, 3909 NE 163rd St, Suite 310, North Miami Beach, Florida, 33160, call 305-949-2630. You can also visit Miami-Dental.com and fill out a contact form.

Halitosis in Children

Good breath is as important a part of a healthy smile as strong teeth, and that’s true for children, as well. When children suffer from chronic halitosis, it may be due to diabetes or a previously unknown allergy. However, it is usually due to bacterial build-up, which is why we want our patients to know about some of children’s particular hygiene issues in this area.

Excessive bacteria growth usually occurs in creviced tissue that regularly accumulates food debris. The tongue obviously fits this description, which is why children are encouraged to brush it as well as their teeth. The tonsils could also be a breeding ground for bacteria. Small children get frequent sinus infections, and nasal drip accumulating in the throat provides bacteria with another food source. Bad breath could also be a sign that a child has cankers or another kind of mouth sore.

People with dry mouth are particularly susceptible to bad breath because saliva is an important check on bacteria growth. Children often dry out from mouth breathing and may need to see a specialist for help. However, chewing sugar-free gum can work as a stop-gap to increase saliva production. Dry mouth is also a common medication side effect, including for ADHD and anxiety pills that are often prescribed to children. Parents may want to talk to their child’s doctor about getting an adjustment if this is an issue, as it poses a risk to both a child’s social life and their oral health.

Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate from two locations. To schedule an appointment at the location at Mount Sinai Medical Center, 4300 Alton Road, Suite 1190, Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, call 305-532-1444. To schedule an appointment at Intracoastal Mall, 3909 NE 163^rd St, Suite 310, North Miami Beach, Florida, 33160, call 305-949-2630. They can also be reached on their website, Miami-Dental.com, through a contact form.

 

Acid Reflux and Tooth Decay

Patients at Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk’s dental offices receive preventive care appropriate for every part of life. Although childhood dental education emphasizes plaque as a major cause of tooth decay, one of the biggest threats to adults is acid reflux. We offer many services for repairing and strengthening enamel, but for the sake of acid reflux patients’ comfort, as well as their health, they will likely have to make some lifestyle changes.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is said to occur when a patient suffers heartburn at least twice a week.  Heartburn is actually caused by stomach acid escaping into the esophagus, burning soft tissues as it goes, and potentially getting as far as the mouth. Prolonged, repeated exposure to acid causes enamel to erode, leaving teeth discolored, sensitive, and misshapen. Because of their position in the mouth, it is often the inward and downward facing sides of the upper teeth which are most affected. Smoothing of the molars could cause problems for the patient’s bite.

Sealants can help strengthen teeth, but enamel cannot be regrown once it has been lost. Partial crowns are valuable tools for reversing the damage of acid reflux, but to prevent further problems, patients should reduce their intake of high-fat and acidic food, as well as alcohol, chocolate, and caffeine. Patients are also advised to not eat in large quantities before lying down and to quit smoking.

Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate from two locations. To schedule an appointment at the location at Mount Sinai Medical Center, 4300 Alton Road, Suite 1190, Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, call 305-532-1444. To schedule an appointment at Intracoastal Mall, 3909 NE 163^rd St, Suite 310, North Miami Beach, Florida, 33160, call 305-949-2630. They can also be reached on their website, Miami-Dental.com, through a contact form.

 

Gum Line Corrections

A gum line correction, which you may have heard called crown lengthening, is a fancy way of saying sculpting the gum line.  During this procedure, a dentist removes excess gum tissue to expose more tooth.  Drs. Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk perform this procedure for patients looking for a cosmetic solution and patients needing dental restorations. 

We see many patients who are unhappy with the overall appearance of their smile, and patients with a gummy smile often ask what can be done to achieve the look they want.  We are happy to offer gum line correction so that any patient can have their perfect smile.  Gum line corrections are also performed when patients receiving dental restorations need a better surface for the crown or other restoration to attach to.  Eliminating excess gum tissue allows the restoration to be fit over the tooth

Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk trat patients at two locations. To schedule an appointment at the location at Mount Sinai Medical Center, 4300 Alton Road, Suite 1190, Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, call 305-532-1444. To schedule an appointment at Intracoastal Mall, 3909 NE 163^rd St, Suite 310, North Miami Beach, Florida, 33160, call 305-949-2630. You can also visit Miami-Dental.com and fill out a contact form.

Teeth Types: Shapes, Sizes and Function

At Miami Dental, we do our best to answer all the questions you have about your teeth. Have you ever wondered why your teeth are different shapes and sizes? The reason is that they all serve different purposes in your mouth. Although the common goal is to chew your food and nourish your body, each type of tooth has its own function.

Read on to learn about the different types of teeth and the purpose they serve in your mouth!

• Incisors – located at the front of the mouth, these teeth have a sharp biting surface and are used for cutting or shearing food into small chewable pieces.


• Canines – located at the ‘corners’ of the dental arches, these teeth have a sharp pointed biting surface. Their function is to grip and tear food.


• Premolars – Unlike incisors and canines, these teeth have a flat biting surface. Their function is to tear and crush food.


• Molars – The molars are the largest teeth in the mouth and they too have a large flat biting surface. The function of these is perhaps the strongest of all as they chew, crush, and grind food.

 

If you have questions about your pearly whites, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.miami-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors, give us a call at our Miami Beach office: 305-532-1444 or our North Miami Beach office: 305-949-2630.

Unavoidable Tooth Extractions

Although permanent teeth were meant to last a lifetime, there are a number of reasons why our doctors at Miami Dental may need to perform an extraction. A very common reason involves a tooth that is too badly damaged, from trauma or decay, to be repaired. This is why we emphasize the importance of oral hygiene during every patient visit. Wisdom teeth removal is the most common type of tooth extraction because these teeth can easily become infected if they do not emerge properly. Aside from wisdom teeth removal, other reasons for extractions may include:

• Severe tooth damage/trauma – some teeth have such extensive decay and damage (broken or cracked) that repair is not possible.


• Orthodontic treatment – people getting braces may need teeth extracted to create room for teeth that are being moved into place.


• Some teeth may need to be extracted if they have the potential of becoming infected.


• Extra teeth – extra teeth may block other teeth from erupting, therefore, will require extraction.

If you have a tooth that is causing you pain, don’t wait any longer and give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.miami-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors, give us a call at our Miami Beach office: 305-532-1444 or our North Miami Beach office: 305-949-2630.

What is Scaling and Root Planing Used For?

If you dread the dental drill but have been told that you have gingivitis, it’s important that you take gingivitis seriously and treat it promptly. Root planing and scaling is one of the most effective ways to treat gum disease before it becomes severe. It is done when gums have either started to pull away from the teeth or the roots of the teeth have tartar on them. Depending on the condition of the patient’s gums, the amount of tartar present, the depth of the pockets, and the progression of periodontitis, Dr. Ressler, Dr. Hirschl, or Dr. Lelchuk, may recommend scaling and root planing.

Scaling and root planing can be used as a stand-alone treatment, or a preventative measure and are commonly performed on cases of gingivitis and moderate to severe periodontal disease. The objective of this non-surgical procedure is to remove dental plaque and tartar, which causes gum inflammation. When scaling is performed, calculus and plaque that attaches to the tooth surfaces are removed. The process especially targets the area below the gum line, along the root. Root planing is when the root of the tooth is literally smoothed, which promotes healing and also helps prevent bacteria from forming in the future. If treatment is successful, you’ll protect your teeth, reduce bad breath and have a more aesthetically pleasing smile.

To learn more about scaling and root planing as well as the services we provide at the practice, visit www.miami-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors, give us a call at our Miami Beach office: 305-532-1444 or North Miami Beach office: 305-949-2630. 

Special Needs Dentistry

Patients with special needs are those who due to physical, medical, developmental or cognitive conditions require special consideration when receiving dental treatment. If you have a loved one who suffers from a disability, it’s understandable why you may be concerned about their dental health. Fortunately, for those who cannot maintain or receive traditional dental care, Drs. Ressler, Hirschl and Lelchuk offer a compassionate, efficient environment for the patient.

Caring for a special needs patient takes empathy, patience, and understanding. Here at Miami Dental, our doctors can accommodate for these types of patients and focus on meeting their needs and working with their limitations. Patients who have trouble practicing oral hygiene may need to visit us more often to check for signs of dental problems while others require more attention during the appointment. Our goal is to treat our patients as if they are family. Therefore, we promise to make the dental care for your loved ones as enjoyable and comfortable as possible.

To learn more about our special needs dentistry services as well as the general services we provide at the practice, visit www.miami-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors, give us a call at our Miami Beach office: 305-532-1444 or North Miami Beach office: 305-949-2630. 

The Proper Flossing Technique

Sometimes our lives are so hectic that we forget to floss our teeth on a daily basis, however, many of us tend to use this as an excuse. Every six months you visit our doctors at Miami Dental for a cleaning and every six months you are likely to get a lecture about flossing. Here at the practice, we’ve heard all of the excuses including the ever-so-popular, “I don’t know how to floss.” Well, we hate to inform you that you won’t be able to use that one anymore, because here is the proper technique for flossing your teeth.

• Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty.


• Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers.


• Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums.


• When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a “C” shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth.


• Hold the floss tightly against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up-and-down motions. Repeat this method on the rest of your teeth and don’t forget the back ones!

To learn more about dental health as well as the services we provide at the practice, visit www.miami-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors, give us a call at our Miami Beach office: 305-532-1444 or North Miami Beach office: 305-949-2630. 

Are You Brushing Effectively?

Here at Miami Dental, our staff understands that brushing your teeth becomes so second-nature that you may not realize how ineffective your oral hygiene routine may be. What you need to be aware of is that periodontal disease and decay are both caused by bacterial plaque, a colorless film which sticks to your teeth at the gum line. By thoroughly brushing and flossing daily, you can remove these germs and help preserve your smile for years to come. Therefore, the next time you step in front of the sink to clean those pearly whites you should utilize these brushing tips.

• Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums.


• Move the brush back and forth gently in short (tooth-wide) strokes.


• Brush the outer tooth surfaces, the inner tooth surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.


• Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, using a gentle up-and-down stroke.


• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria.

To learn more about dental health as well as the services we provide at the practice, visit www.miami-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors, give us a call at our Miami Beach office: 305-532-1444 or North Miami Beach office: 305-949-2630.