Bagley, Goodwin, & Hrinda Dental Blog

Give Your Gums Star Treatment with Periodontal Disease Therapy

May 19, 2014

People often forget that to have a healthy result, one must have a healthy foundation. Many people believe that as long as your teeth are straight and white, they are healthy. Unfortunately, not much attention is paid to the gums, which are the most crucial contributors to a healthy smile. Gum (periodontal) disease is when your gums are under attack, and it can result in unhealthy teeth. Our experienced doctors are dedicated to making sure your gums are as healthy as they can be, which is why they offer periodontal therapy to their patients.

Periodontal disease affects over 80% of the population, which makes it one of the more common diseases out there. One point that may be shocking is the fact that many people may not even be aware that they are suffering from periodontal disease, leaving their mouths to ongoing infection and deterioration. Some of the most common signs of periodontal disease are swollen gums, gums that bleed when you brush or floss, tenderness, and loose teeth. If left untreated, periodontal disease can lead to an increased risk in heart disease, stroke, dementia, and much, much more.

When you come in for your appointment, we will tackle your periodontal disease with scaling and root planing. These procedures allow us to remove plaque and tartar from below the gum line. This way, we are able to remove all of the harmful bacteria in areas that your toothbrush and flossing cannot reach, giving you a clear mouth! We will also be able to smooth the root surfaces, making it more difficult for tartar to build. We will give you antibiotics for your gum disease, helping your mouth heal, then close the appointment with instructions on how to better take care of your gums. If you’re interested in how our doctors are able to help you with your periodontal disease, make an appointment at our office, and we’d be more than happy to help.

Do you want to find out how the doctors at Bagley, Goodwin, and Hrinda can help you? Call us today for an appointment at our Greenfield office. Our team will be happy to assess your needs and recommend a specific plan. If you have any questions afterwards, do not hesitate to ask. We offer care to patients from Greenfield, Deerfield, Conway, Shelburne Falls, Turner Falls, Northfield, Amherst, Northampton, and beyond.

Fillings vs. Crowns

April 21, 2014

Dentists have two solutions for treating tooth decay—fillings and crowns. With both, the goal is always the same: stopping decay in its tracks and saving the damaged tooth from being lost.

Fillings are great for treating mild to moderate cases of decay. What’s more, there are two different kinds. Amalgam fillings are made from a variety of metals and have a dark gray color. Composite fillings are made from composite resin and can be shaded to blend in with surrounding teeth. Both can offer patients long-lasting results.

Crowns are made to help patients with more advanced cases of decay. More specifically, they’re used in cases where a tooth is in danger of being lost. Your custom-made crown will be placed over the tooth and permanently attached. Most crowns today are made from porcelain or porcelain fused to metal. With their natural appearance and their strength, crowns can give patients functional, natural-looking results.

Do you want to find out how the doctors at Bagley, Goodwin and Hrinda can help you? Call us today for an appointment. At our Greenfield office. Our team will be happy to assess your needs and recommend a specific plan. If you have any questions afterwards, don’t hesitate to ask. We offer care to patients from Greenfield, Deerfield, Conway, Shelburne Falls, Turner Falls, Northfield, Amherst, Northampton, and beyond.

Protecting Smiles and Lives with Oral Cancer Screenings

March 10, 2014

You already know checkups are important, but they’re about more than just having your teeth checked for gum disease or cavities. Regular checkups also give our doctors a chance to perform regular oral cancer screenings.

Every year, oral cancer claims thousands of lives—more than Hodgkin’s disease, lymphoma, cervical cancer, laryngeal cancer, thyroid cancer or skin cancer. The most common risk factors for it include tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption, though an increasing number of cases—in both women and men—have been linked to the same strain of HPV behind cervical cancer.

All of which explains why it’s important for every patient to be screened.

During regular checkups at the office of Bagley, Goodwin and Hrinda, we’re happy to look for signs of oral cancer with an oral cancer screening. Some of the most common signs include:

A sore or lesion in the mouth that won’t heal
A lump or thickening in the cheek
A patch of white or red on the gums, tongue, tonsil, or lining of the mouth
Difficulty chewing, swallowing, or moving the tongue and the jaw
Swelling around the jaw
Chronic hoarseness

When oral cancer is treated early, the survival rate for it climbs to as high as 80% to 90%, proving that, as with many other oral health issues, early treatment is vital.

Is it time for your next appointment with our Greenfield dental team? Call Bagley, Goodwin & Hrinda today to schedule a visit. Our doctors serve patients from Greenfield, Deerfield, Conway, Shelburne Falls, Turner Falls, Northfield, Amherst, Northampton, and beyond.

Designing Quality Crowns with iTero

February 12, 2014

Do you have a tooth that’s cracked, chipped, or badly decayed? At Bagley Goodwin & Hrinda, we can help you protect a vulnerable tooth with a custom-made crown designed using iTero.

In the past, designing a crown meant taking an impression with putty. But now, taking an impression is much simpler. Using the iTero wand, our Greenfield dental team can capture a startlingly clear image of your tooth in a matter of seconds. What’s more, the image produced by iTero’s wand is far more detailed and accurate, ensuring that the finished crown you end up with is a better match for your smile.

How does a crown help your smile? A tooth that’s badly decayed or damaged could develop an infection if it’s not treated. Crowns cover vulnerable teeth to protect them. They can also restore your smile’s appearance and functionality.

Not every crown is the same, though. Some are made of porcelain and others from zirconia, precious metal, gold, or porcelain fused to metal. Which type of crown is right for you? That’s a question we can help you answer during a consultation at our Greenfield. During your appointment, your dentist will look at your tooth and decide exactly what you need.

Do you think you might need a crown? Call Bagley Goodwin & Hrinda today for an appointment. We’re using iTero to design quality crowns for patients from Greenfield, Conway, Shelburne Falls, Turners Falls, Northfield, Amherst, Northampton, and beyond.

January 10, 2014

Are you missing one or more teeth? The team at Bagley, Goodwin & Hrinda in Greenfield, MA can help. Using dental implants, patients who need to replace a single tooth, multiple teeth, or a full upper or lower arch can get the help they need. What’s more, patients who end up with one or more dental implants can look forward to great results that look and feel natural.

With traditional restorative services, it’s much harder to achieve results that feel natural because those methods only restore what’s above the gum line. What they don’t do is replace your smile’s underlying structure.

Tooth roots serve a very important function by securing your teeth to your jaw and encouraging the growth of new bone tissue, keeping your jaw healthy and strong throughout life. They achieve these results using small rods of titanium, which are surgically placed in the jaw. Over time, they’ll bond with the jaw, mimicking the natural structure of teeth.

The surgical phase of a dental implant procedure is called the placement phase. In the restoration phase, your crown, bridge, partial, or full denture is attached to your implant(s). Not every dental office can perform both phases, but at Bagley, Goodwin & Hrinda, our doctors can guide patients through both of them on-site, without the need for a referral.

Not every patient is an ideal patient for dental implants, though. To find out if this revolutionary restorative service is right for you, call Bagley, Goodwin & Hrinda to schedule a consultation. Our doctors are happy to place and restore dental implants for patients from Deerfield, Conway, Shelburne Falls, Turner Falls, Northfield, Amherst, Northampton, and surrounding states.

Exceptional Dental Care for Greenfield, MA and Beyond

December 9, 2013

Dental Appointment Welcome to the blog for Bagley, Goodwin, and Hrinda. Here you’ll find valuable information about the general, cosmetic, and restorative services we offer, plus helpful tips about oral health in general. Whether you’re just looking for some information on a particular dental service, or you’re new to the Greenfield area and need to find a permanent dentist, we think you’ll find our blog helpful.

Our doctors offer care for a wide variety of common oral health problems. Some of our most popular services include:

Working with you one-on-one, Drs. Bagley, Goodwin, and Hrinda can help you understand how your smile is doing and what services you might need to improve your health. We recommend that our patients from Greenfield, MA and beyond see us for care at least twice a year. Through regular appointments like these, we can check for changes that might indicate the need for more advanced care.

Do you want to schedule an appointment with Drs. Bagley, Goodwin or Hrinda? Call our Greenfield dental office today. We serve patients from Deerfield, Conway, Shelburne Falls, Turners Falls, Northfield, Amherst, Northampton, and beyond. And for more info on our services, explore our site or check back with our blog.

Greenfield Dentists Highlight Tooth Renewal Study

May 31, 2013

Alligator Teeth Fascinating scientific research is being done all the time to improve the field of dentistry. Through studies over the years, we came to find out the importance of fluoride and dental sealants. Research has allowed us to come up with better materials for making tooth restorations and dental implants look aesthetically pleasing while still being durable. Recent research done at the University of Southern California could be one of the first steps in learning how stem cells can help us regenerate teeth the way certain animals do in nature. Greenfield dentists, Drs. Bagley, Goodwin, and Hrinda will tell you more about this fascinating new information.

Future Hope for Natural Human Tooth Restoration

The global team of researchers were led by USC pathology Professor Cheng-Ming Chuong, M.D., Ph.D. Titling the study “Specialized stem cell niche enables repetitive renewal of alligator teeth,” the scientists results were published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This is the official journal of the United States National Academy of Sciences.

Professor Chong pointed out that people only generate teeth twice in their life time. The first is when baby teeth gradually erupt. After they fall out one-at-a-time, permanent teeth grow in. This is a small amount of teeth renewal compared to the alligator, which was the focus of the study. The research team focused on stem cells as being an important part of the natural regrowth of teeth that occurs when an alligator has a dental casualty due to hunting or fighting. The theory of the study was that if we can understand the way alligator’s teeth work, maybe we can replicate the process to restore human teeth.

The Three Faces of Alligator Teeth (more…)

Greenfield, MA Dentists Educate on Gum Disease

May 24, 2013

GumsAndTeeth Don’t panic if one of your Greenfield, MA dentists, Drs. Bagley, Goodwin, and Hrinda. tell you that you have gum disease at your next checkup. While we are passionate about trying to prevent gum disease when possible, the problem is pervasive. In fact, roughly 80% of American adults have some form of gum disease as we speak. You may be one of the majority, or on your way to your first signs of gingivitis (early gum disease). Education and implementation of proper oral hygiene at home can help.

Preventing Gum Disease Before it Starts

You can start your gum disease prevention in two simple ways:

You should visit your Greenfield, MA dentists for checkups and cleanings every six months, year after year. A mere 24% of people in the United States follow this schedule, but it’s never too late to make a change. Gum disease is inflammation that results from infection. It begins with plaque, which calcifies into tartar. When tartar develops, there’s only one person that can clean it off safely and properly – your dental hygienist. This is why twice annual cleanings are so important.
Twice daily brushing, daily flossing, and swishing your mouth with a germ killing rinse approved by the ADA (American Dental Association) will keep plaque and tartar from building up quickly between dental cleanings. Follow a proper regimen, and you’ll likely find that your dental checkups get easier and easier, and your dentist and hygienist will be congratulating you for the good work. (more…)

Children’s Dentistry Offered in Greenfield

May 18, 2013

Father Son Brushing Are you hoping to set a tone for a lifetime of positive experiences at the dentist for your child? Your Greenfield dentists, Drs. Bagley, Goodwin, and Hrinda, are dedicated to offering the best care for patients of all ages. We understand children and are happy to offer kid-friendly dentistry to our littlest patients.

Dental Education at Home

Do you teach your child how to take care of their teeth? Many parents know that they need to tell kids to brush their teeth, but they don’t realize that it’s best to do the brushing at least up to 8-years-old. Children simply don’t have the dexterity and patience to do a proper two minute job. Preventive dental appointments are recommended every six months from the time your baby’s teeth first start to erupt. Don’t forget to encourage your little ones to floss at night. As they get further in to their childhood years, your Greenfield dentists may suggest dental sealants and fluoride treatments which can strengthen, protect, and cause an inhospitable environment for bacteria to congregate on young teeth.

Dental Education in the Office

It’s perfectly normal for children to be uneasy about new experiences. This is why we have armed our office with kid-friendly amenities to make the experience more comfortable and exciting. If your child is particularly nervous, be sure to let them know they have headphones with their favorite music, heated neck pillows and blankets, and lots of friendly faces to look forward to. (more…)

Greenfield, MA Dentists Describe Modern Dentures

May 11, 2013

Older Smiling Couple Ideally, we hope that you visit us every six months, and keep up with your twice-daily oral hygiene so that you can keep your natural teeth for your entire long life. However, things happen. Injuries can occur. Bad habits of earlier days can rear their ugly heads even as you’ve adopted better dental self-care more recently. If you lose one tooth, several, or every single one in your mouth, we can help with tooth replacements. For some people dentures are the best option. Greenfield, MA dentists, Drs. Bagley, Goodwin, and Hrinda, will tell you more about this tried-and-true means of restoring a smile with missing teeth. (more…)