S. John Salivonchik's Blog

Do Hormones Affect Oral Health?

June 10, 2013

Filed under: General Dentistry — Tags: Allentown, Bethlehem, Dr. S John Salivonchik, Easton, gum disease, Lehigh Valley, The Poconos, Whitehall — S. John salivonchik @ 8:42 pm

It’s common to think of oral and overall health as belonging to completely separate spheres. The truth is, though, they’re intricately linked. A condition like gum disease not only impacts the health of your smile but has been connected to health problems in the rest of the body, including preterm birth, diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease.

The connection for these has been thoroughly discussed but not as much the connection between hormone levels and oral health. Women are especially vulnerable because of the hormone changes that occur at puberty, during pregnancy, and at menopause. Woman who are taking birth control or who are about to start their next period are also more vulnerable.

What does this mean for Dr. S John Salivonchik’s Coplay-area patients? It means that all patients, but women especially, need to make regular care a priority. During a regular checkup, Dr. Salivonchik will look for signs of gum disease and make a treatment recommendation if he finds any. Symptoms of gum disease include swollen or bleeding gums and discoloration.

To keep your teeth clean between appointments, we recommend that you brush at least twice a day, floss at least once, and rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash. You should also let Dr. Salivonchik know if you’re pregnant or have any other risk factors we should be aware of.

Is it time for your next checkup and professional cleaning? Call Dr. Salivonchik’s office today. Our practice is located in Lehigh Valley and serves patients from Coplay, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, The Poconos, and beyond.

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Further Convenient with an Inlay or Onlay Milled By CEREC

May 21, 2013

Filed under: CEREC,Cosmetic Dentistry — Tags: Bethlehem, cerec, Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. John Salivonchik, Easton, inlays, Lehigh Valley, onlays, Restorative Dentistry, The Poconos, Whitehall — S. John salivonchik @ 7:56 am

In our last post we talked about CEREC and how it’s making crown restorations easier and more convenient. Crowns are just the beginning, though. Our CEREC milling can also fabricate metal-free inlays and onlays that will blend in seamlessly with your smile.

It’s helpful to think of inlays and onlays as in-between services. Let’s say you have a big filling that needs to be replaced. On the one hand, you almost need more than a filling to put in its place; on the other, a full crown could almost be described as overkill. What you really need is a service that can bridge the gap between a filling and a crown—that’s where inlays and onlays come in.

Inlays are made to go between a tooth’s cusps, which are the bumps on top of a tooth. Onlays, meanwhile, are made to fit over one or more cusps. In both cases, because they’re being milled with Dr. Salivonchik’s CEREC machine, patients can look forward to getting the care they need in a single appointment instead of two or more.

Is an inlay or onlay right for you? To find out, call Dr. Salivonchik to reserve an appointment. During at a consultation at his Coplay dental office, Dr. Salivonchik can help you understand your needs and explain the best course of action that will work best for you. We’re proud to serve patients all around the Lehigh Valley area.

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Convenient Restorations with CEREC

May 7, 2013

Filed under: CEREC,Cosmetic Dentistry — Tags: Allentown, Bethlehem, CEREC crowns, Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. John Salivonchik, Easton, Lehigh Valley, Porcelain crowns, Restorative Dentistry, The Poconos, Whitehall — S. John salivonchik @ 6:54 pm

It’s not uncommon for patients to put off care because of a busy schedule. With so much to do, you might wonder if you really have time for a procedure that takes at least two appointments. Thankfully, with the advances being made in today’s dental technology, certain services are taking less time than they ever have.

One example of this is dental crowns. In the past, it took at least two visits to restore a chipped, broken, or decayed tooth with a crown. Now, with CEREC and e.max crowns, patients can get the custom-made restoration they need in a single appointment.

That’s because it only takes about two hours for CEREC’s in-office milling unit to fabricate a restoration. During that time, you can rest comfortably in Dr. Salivonchik’s Coplay office. Then, when the milling process is complete, we can attach your crown and have you on your way again with no need for a second appointment.

That also means you don’t have to worry about damaging or losing a temporary crown. Thanks to CEREC and e.max, the stress of restoring a tooth with a crown has been eliminated. Now the focus can be on what it should’ve been all along—giving you your best possible smile right when you need it.

To learn more about how Dr. Salivonchik can restore your tooth with CEREC, call our Coplay dental office today. Our office is located in Lehigh Valley and serves patients from Coplay, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, The Poconos, and surrounding areas.

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Straighten Your Smile This Spring with Invisalign

April 19, 2013

Filed under: Invisalign clear braces — Tags: Allentown, Bethlehem, Dr. John Salivonchik, Easton, Invisalign, Lehigh Valley, The Poconos, Whitehall — S. John salivonchik @ 7:22 am

Spring has sprung, and that means spending more time outdoors with friends and loved ones. In moments like these, what you want to do is share your smile, not hide it. But that’s easier said than done when you don’t have a straight smile.

Thankfully, help is possible. At Dr. Salivonchik’s Coplay dental office, we don’t want to let misaligned teeth stand in the way of you creating happy memories with your family. That’s why we offer Invisalign clear braces.

The Invisalign model is different from the traditional braces model. It uses a series of aligners instead of brackets and wires. What’s more, your Invisalign aligners are removable. That lets patients take them out to enjoy their favorite foods, and it makes brushing and flossing easier too. Traditional braces can make brushing and floss more difficult because food can become trapped in areas that are hard to clean with floss or a brush. As a result, that can make you more vulnerable to decay.

Do you have questions about how Invisalign can help you straighten your smile while also protecting it from common oral health conditions? Let Dr. Salivonchik help you get the answers you’re looking by coming in for a visit.

Call our Coplay office today to schedule a visit. We’re happy to offer care to patients all around Lehigh Valley, including Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, The Poconos, and beyond.

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A Memorably Relaxing Visit with IV Sedation

April 5, 2013

Filed under: Sedation Dentistry — Tags: Allentown, Bethlehem, Dr. John Salivonchik, Easton, IV sedation, Lehigh Valley, Sedation Dentistry, The Poconos, Whitehall — S. John salivonchik @ 6:21 pm

IV sedation is one of the comfort services Dr. Salivonchik offers to his patients from Coplay and beyond. It’s designed to help patients who are nervous about seeking care because they have a fear of the dentist. This is a common condition that sometimes has roots in the patient’s past. In other cases, it may stem from the fact that a patient doesn’t respond well to local anesthetics or might have trouble sitting comfortable in a dental chair.

Using IV sedation, Dr. Salivonchik can create memorably relaxed visits that feel as if they’ve only taken a moment to complete. To ensure that you’re comfortable, our Coplay dental team will match your dosage with the intensity of your discomfort or anxiety. We’ll also keep your safety firmly in mind by monitoring your blood pressure and breathing during your appointment.

Why else should you consider IV sedation with Dr. Salivonchik? Because it allows us to complete more work for you in a single visit. That, in turn, decreases the number of visits required to help you reclaim your oral health.

Would you like to learn more about IV sedation and how it works? Dr. Salivonchik would be happy to talk with you during a special consultation visit. We can talk to you about the sedation process, explain what you have to do to prepare, and talk about what you can expect during your procedure.

Call us today to reserve an appointment. We’re located in Lehigh Valley and offer our services to Coplay, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, The Poconos, and beyond.

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