What Is Holistic Dentistry?

May 8, 2012

Dental health and overall health go hand-in-hand. That’s why Dr. Hornstein and the rest of the team at The Center for Advanced Dentistry place a strong emphasis on holistic dentistry. But what does that mean, exactly? What is holistic dentistry?

Holistic dentistry, and holistic medicine in general, promotes natural practices that benefit your entire wellbeing. So, for example, while custom-made oral appliances can effectively treat cases of bruxism and TMJ dysfunction, they don’t treat what is often the underlying cause—stress. But at The Center for Advanced Dentistry, we want to do both.

Which is why Dr. Hornstein promotes stress reduction through massage therapy. Our massage therapy options include:

  • Paraffin therapy
  • Reflexology massages
  • Chair massages
  • TMJ massages
  • Full body massages

Massage therapy isn’t all that our Beachwood office features, though. We also offer mercury free-fillings, biocompatibility testing, and nutrition information. With each one, we’re doing our part to ensure that our patients from Beachwood, Cleveland, Solon, Shaker Heights, Pepper Pike, and beyond have healthy smiles and healthy bodies.

Do you have questions about any of these services or about holistic dentistry in general? Dr. Hornstein would be happy to answer your questions. Give us a call today. Our team would be happy to schedule a visit for you!

Early Oral Cancer Detection with VELscope

May 1, 2012

When you think of the word “cancer,” what comes to mind first? Is it oral cancer? Probably not. But oral cancer is as serious as any other form, and in some cases, much more serious. Oral cancer claims the life of one American every hour. What’s more, this year around 40,000 Americans will be diagnosed with some form of the disease.

All of which begs one question: why is the death rate for oral cancer so high?

Because many diagnoses aren’t made until it’s already in a late stage of development. But at The Center for Advanced Dentistry, Dr. Hornstein is helping to change that with VELscope.

VELscope is a unique cancer screening tool that uses fluorescent light to detect potentially cancerous tissue cells before they can be detected with just a simple oral exam. That means patients who have been diagnosed with VELscope can begin treatment sooner, when chances of recovery are higher.

How Does VELscope Work?

An oral cancer screening with VELscope takes just seconds to complete and is absolutely painless. During your screening, Dr. Hornstein will simply shine the VELscope light over the interior of your smile. Under this light, abnormal cells will look distinctly different from health tissue.

Is it time for you to schedule your next regular checkup and oral cancer exam? Call The Center for Advanced Dentistry today. Dr. Hornstein serves patients from Cleveland, Solon, Shaker Heights, Pepper Pike, and surrounding areas.

Make Regular Visits to The Center for Advanced Dentistry a Priority in 2012

January 5, 2012

With 2011 behind us and 2012 just a few days old, you may be thinking about what improvements you can make in your life. Two of the most popular resolutions out there are eating better and exercising more. These are great, but we’d also like to encourage our patients to keep their smile in mind. Make 2012 a banner year for your oral health by making regular visits to Dr. Hornstein’s Beachwood dental office a priority.

Why Are Regular Visits So Important?

Regular visits are important for two reasons.

First, seeing us often gives Dr. Hornstein a chance to look for signs of gum disease, tooth decay, and oral cancer early, all of which can be more easily treated when found early.

Second, regular appointments let us give your teeth and gums a thorough cleaning. Daily brushing and flossing at home are vital, but even an excellent at-home oral health regimen can only do so much. With our team’s experience and knowledge, we can help you achieve the optimal oral health you’ve dreamed of.

Ready to schedule your first appointment of 2012? Contact The Center for Advanced Dentistry. Dr. Hornstein serves patients from Cleveland, Solon, Shaker Heights, Pepper Pike, and surrounding areas.

A Natural-Looking Smile with Dental Implants from Dr. Hornstein

September 16, 2011

It can be hard to feel confident when your smile’s missing one or more teeth. But missing teeth can affect more than your confidence—they can also have a serious impact on your oral health.

Patients with missing teeth will eventually experience bone loss in their jawbone, because where there used to be a root to anchor your tooth and stimulate the growth of new bone tissue, now there’s nothing at all. That means part of your jaw doesn’t have a purpose anymore. What’s more, as your jawbone grows increasingly weaker, it’s likely that you could lose more teeth over time.

Traditional dentures can help restore your smile’s appearance, but they can’t do much to restore the root you’ve lost. That’s why, at Dr. Hornstein’s Beachwood office, we offer dental implants.

How Dental Implants Work

Unlike traditional dentures and other restorative options, dental implants restore your missing tooth and your missing root. That means having a dental implant placed is almost like getting your old tooth back. And, as an added benefit, dental implants look completely natural. No one but you and Dr. Hornstein will ever need to know you have implants.

If you’d like to find out if you’re a candidate for dental implants, call our Beachwood office today to schedule a consultation appointment. In just a single visit, Dr. Hornstein can determine if dental implants are right for you and begin a treatment plan that will restore your smile.

Restore Your Smile with Porcelain Crowns from Dr. Hornstein

August 12, 2011

There could be any number of reasons for why you’ve lost confidence in your smile. You could have a tooth that’s been chipped for as long as you can remember. Or maybe one that cracked suddenly during a meal. It’s even possible t you have old metal fillings that are starting to deteriorate.

But all this can change. With porcelain crowns from Dr. Hornstein’s Beachwood office, you can restore confidence in your smile by restoring function and structure to a tooth that needs help.

By restoring your smile with porcelain crowns, you’re ensuring that your smile stays strong and healthy for years to come. Crowns can even help you preserve your jaw’s correct natural alignment, which is as important for the health of surrounding teeth as it is for the health of your entire jaw.

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A Whiter Smile in Just One Hour

July 28, 2011

Teeth can become stained for several reasons. One of the biggest is age, but certain beverages (like tea or coffee) can have a major effect, too, as can smoking and even certain medications. But with professional teeth whitening from Dr. Hornstein’s Beachwood dental office, a vibrant smile can be yours again, and in about just one hour.

Using Brite Smile’s professional whitening treatment, we can safely and effectively return your teeth to their optimal brightness.

Professional Whitening in the Comfort of Your Own Home

But in-office teeth whitening isn’t the only way you can revitalize your smile. With at-home teeth whitening, you can achieve professional results in the comfort of your own home. Results aren’t as immediate—best results take between one and two weeks—but you can still look forward to enjoying a brighter, more confident smile.

You can even use at-home teeth whitening in between in-office treatments. We call this our “Whitening for Life” program, and you can find out more about his it works by clicking here.

The Confident Smile of Your Dreams

If you have questions about our teeth whitening services or just want to schedule your next visit with Dr. Hornstein, give our Beachwood dental office a call today. Dr. Hornstein’s practice serves patients from Cleveland, Solon, Shaker Heights, Pepper Pike, and surrounding cities.

Kiss Chronic Bad Breath Goodbye

July 15, 2011

Do you try to masque chronic bad breath with gum or mints?  Those may help, but they don’t really treat the problem. Odds are, your recurring bad breath has something to do with your brushing habits, and it may even be a symptom of a serious problem.

Bad Breath – It’s Causes and What It Might Mean

One reason why some suffer from bad breath, also known as halitosis, is because of poor brushing habits. When you forget to brush (or floss), food particles can become trapped in your teeth, where they decay and mix together with bacteria to form a sulfur compound.

But your bad breath may not just be caused by old bits of food. In some cases, halitosis may a symptom of gum disease. Which mean, if you suffer from chronic bad breath and mints, gums, and brushing aren’t helping, you may want to schedule an appointment with Dr. Hornstein. He’ll put your smile through a comprehensive exam to look for any other symptoms that might indicate the presence of the disease.

If we find any, Dr. Hornstein can recommend a treatment process that will help you. Gum disease can often be treated by spending more time at the sink and with more regular dental visit. We may also recommend a professional kit like CloSYSII or a tongue scraper to help you.

Cleaner Breath and a Healthier Smile

To find out more about how Dr. Hornstein can treat bad breath, or to schedule a consultation visit, give us a call today. Our Beachwood dental office serves patients from Cleveland, Solon, Shaker Heights, Pepper Pike, and beyond.

Sleep Apnea Treatment for Patients in the Cleveland Area

June 27, 2011

If you snore at night or suffer from symptoms like irritability, difficulty concentrating, morning headaches, or daytime drowsiness, you may have sleep apnea.

An under-diagnosed condition, sleep apnea can disrupt your (and your partner’s) sleep and have a detrimental effect on your overall health, putting you at risk for a wide spectrum of serious conditions ranging from heart attack to stroke, high blood pressure, heartburn, depression, and even memory loss.

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Oral Health and Heart Disease

August 3, 2010

The following link is to a video from Health Day TV.  It shows the results of a study following patients for 8 years and compares the rate of teeth brushing against the incidence of cardiac problems.   Taking the time to brush has benefits beyond fresh breath. 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health

Quitting Smoking May Minimize Harmful Bacteria and Replenish Healthy Bacteria

July 22, 2010

Patients with chronic gum disease who quit smoking in addition to undergoing nonsurgical therapy not only demonstrated a lower abundance of harmful oral pathogens, but also an increase in health-associated bacteria. The researchers from The Ohio State University, Columbus Ohio, and Newcastle University, United Kingdom report their findings in the July 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

It is well established that oral bacteria play an important role in the origin of chronic gum disease and that smoking tobacco contributes to a pathogen rich environment. Although prior studies indicate that quitting smoking can alter the oral microbial community, it is unknown if pathogenic colonization can actually be reversed.

In order to determine the effect of quitting smoking on select oral bacteria researchers launched a long-term study, at the beginning of which, plaque samples were collected from 22 initial smokers. Twelve months following nonsurgical periodontal therapy and counseling samples were again taken from all 22 participants, however, 11 were quitters and 11 still smoked. Results showed decreased levels in various bacterial pathogens as well as an increase in health-associated species in those patients who no longer smoked.

“Following nonsurgical periodontal therapy and smoking cessation, the subgingival microbiome is recolonized by a greater number of health-associated species and there are a significantly lower prevalence and abundance of putative periodontal pathogens,” say the researchers. “These results indicate a critical role for smoking cessation counseling in periodontal therapy for smokers in order to effectively alter the subgingival microbiome.”

(S.L. Delima, R.K. McBride, P.M. Preshaw, P.A. Heasman, P.S. Kumar. 2010. Response of subgingival bacteria to smoking cessation. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 48. 7: 2344-2349.)