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Impacted Wisdom Teeth: Do You Need to Have Them Removed?

July 25, 2014

The wisdom teeth, or third molars, are extraneous teeth located far in the back of the mouth. These teeth serve no real purpose and many people have them removed in their teens or early 20’s. How do you know if you need your wisdom teeth removed, and what does it mean when wisdom teeth are impacted? Drs. Clark and Clark at Hill Avenue Dentalcan help. Conveniently located in Superior, WI, our team offers everything you need to enjoy optimal oral health and a beautiful smile, including wisdom teeth extraction when necessary.

When Should Wisdom Teeth Be Removed?

While it is true that not all wisdom teeth must be removed, each patient should be thoroughly evaluated by a dentist prior to their full development and eruption to ensure proper growth. In many cases, the removal of one or more wisdom teeth is deemed necessary. These situations include the crowding of surrounding teeth, the inability erupt from the jaw bone itself, and partial eruption through the gum line.

When a wisdom tooth erupts only partially, the cut that it creates in the gum tissue becomes susceptible to bacterial infection. In addition to causing pain for the patient, these bacteria can lead to a variety of other issues, including illness accompanied by a fever. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms associated with an infection, it’s important to contact us as soon as possible so that we can begin treatment before the problem worsens. Signs of wisdom tooth impaction include:

·         Pain and inflammation in the gums surrounding the tooth
·         Headaches and/or ear pain
·         Tenderness and swelling in the jaw
·         An abscess in the gum tissue near a wisdom tooth
·         Recurrent bad breath
·         Unpleasant taste in the mouth
·         Unexplained bleeding
If you notice any of these symptoms, call our office right away to schedule your appointment.

Schedule Your Consultation Today

If you suspect that your wisdom teeth may be impacted or you’d like to find out more about how wisdom tooth extraction is performed, we invite you to contact our office in Superior, WI today to reserve your visit with Drs. Clark and Clark. Our team can’t wait to welcome you and your family to our cutting-edge practice. We proudly serve families from throughout the entire Superior area, including Duluth, Northeastern Minnesota, Douglas County, Northern Wisconsin, and beyond.

Stress & Oral Health: What’s the Connection?

July 10, 2014

When the stress of daily life and a busy schedule get you down, your oral health is probably the last thing on your mind. Though it’s a little-known fact, stress actually does play an important role in your oral health. At Hill Avenue Dental in Superior, WI, Dr. Doug Clark, Jr. and Dr. Doug Clark, III offer an extensive range of general and preventive dentistry services, as well as vital information for patients of all ages regarding how our daily stress level affects the health of our teeth and gums.

How Reducing Stress Can Save Your Smile

Everyone experiences some level of stress on a relatively regular basis. Whether it’s the traffic jam that makes you late for that important meeting, worries over your financial situation, or anything in between, this negative force in your life is actually capable of doing much more harm than most of us realize. Excessive stress has actually been linked to a number of potentially serious oral health concerns, including the following:

·         Teeth grinding (bruxism), particularly at night
·         Canker sores
·         Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD or TMJ disorder)
·         Periodontal disease
·         Xerostomia (chronic dry mouth)

While these problems must be treated by a dentist, the stress itself is the problem that should really be addressed. Talk to your doctor about relaxation techniques and methods of reducing stress in your daily life. Your smile won’t be the only part of you that benefits!

Contact Us Today and Learn More

Whether you are currently suffering obvious physical signs of stress and you need treatment or you’d simply like to find out more about ways to prevent these common oral health issues, we’re here to help. Contact our officein Superior, WI today to schedule your appointment with our caring team and experienced doctors. We look forward to helping you discover the best ways to reduce your stress and improve the quality of your dental health. Our state-of-the-art dental practice in Superior, WI also happily welcomes patients from throughout nearby areas, including Northern Wisconsin, Northeastern Minnesota, Duluth, Douglas County, and more. 

Have A Fuller Smile with Crown & Bridge Therapy

June 25, 2014

With summer knocking at your door, many people are doing everything they can to make sure they look their absolute best for the summer season. Whether it is buying the best food for the barbecue or going to the gym to get ready for the beach, many people want to have as much fun and feel as confident as possible inside and out. If you have teeth missing from your smile, you may find it difficult to find confidence in the way you look. You are sure to reconnect with old friends and meet many new people this summer season, so making the best impression is important. Dr. Doug Clark and Dr. H. Douglas Clark understand the struggle their patients go through when they have teeth missing from their smile, and they are able to give their patients the smile they have always wanted using crown & bridge therapy.
A crown, also known as a dental cap, is placed atop an existing tooth as to prevent it from any further harm or damage. Looking exactly like natural teeth, crowns are able to give you a healthy, beautiful smile without looking unnatural. There are many reasons why someone would need a crown, such as a cavity that as gone awry and a filling would not be able to take care of the issue. Crowns are also excellent for cracked or fractured teeth, after root canal therapy, or to keep a fixed bridge into place.
Bridges are used to replace a missing tooth, or a row of teeth, kept in place by crowns affixed to remaining teeth. The important thing with bridgesis that you must have healthy, stable teeth to act as anchors to keep the bridge properly in place.  Because bridges are not able to be moved, you do not have to worry about it moving out of place, being able to enjoy the security of your smile at all times.
If you are curious about crowns and bridges and how Drs. Clark can help give you a great looking smile in no time, please contact our office and make an appointment! We would love to see you, and will be more than happy to help!

Contact our office in Superior, WI today and schedule your appointment with our caring, experienced doctors. We look forward to completely transforming the way you look at your smile, allowing you to open up fully to the world and the people who are important to you. Our family-friendly office proudly serves patients from throughout Superior, Northeastern Minnesota, Douglas County, Duluth, Northern Wisconsin, and beyond. 

Which Toothpastes Stand Above The Rest?

June 19, 2014

Having good oral care is important for the care of the rest of your body. With summer knocking on your front door, you want to make sure your smile is as healthy as possible in order to enjoy the summer season, and finding the right toothpaste is an excellent way of making sure that happens. Many people may not know this, but if you have poor oral health, other areas of your body are affected, like your bones, your brain, and your heart. Brushing and flossing your teeth daily are an excellent way in making sure you stay on top of your oral health, but a lot of people may be confused as to which toothpastes are the best for them. Dr. Doug Clark and Dr. H. Douglas Clarkare dedicated to making sure their patients stay as informed as possible, even down to the types of toothpastes they use in order to achieve excellent oral health, not just for summer, but all year round.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when choosing a toothpaste is making sure the toothpaste contains fluoride. Fluoride is a natural mineral that has been shown to significantly decrease the odds of tooth decay over the past fifty years. The bacteria in your mouth thrive on the leftover sugars and starches that reside in your smile after eating, and fluoride helps fight against the acid released when that happens. Fluoride is a key component is strengthening your tooth enamel, and it can reverse the early stages of damage caused by acid by replenishing minerals your smile.
Another important thing to keep in mind when choosing a toothpaste is to find one that controls tartar. Tartar is hardened plaque, a bacterial layer. If tartar is not removed promptly and properly, it has the potential to lead to gum disease. Also, some tartar control toothpastes contain triclosan, an antibiotic that kills some of the bacteria in your mouth. It is also important to keep in mind finding a toothpaste that’s ADA approved. This way, you know the toothpaste is safe, effective, and contains fluoride!

Contact our office in Superior, WI today and schedule your appointment with our caring, experienced doctors. We look forward to completely transforming the way you look at your smile, allowing you to open up fully to the world and the people who are important to you. Our family-friendly office proudly serves patients from throughout Superior, Northeastern Minnesota, Douglas County, Duluth, Northern Wisconsin, and beyond.

Cosmetic Bonding in Superior, WI: Beautiful Tooth Repair for a Confident Smile

May 19, 2014

If there are aspects of your smile that make you feel self-conscious around others? Perhaps it’s a small chip in a single tooth, or a noticeable gap that keeps you from showing off your pearly whites as often as you’d like. Regardless of the problems you may have with the appearance of your smile, Drs. Clark and Clark at Hill Avenue Dental in Superior, WI are happy to help. Our team offers an all-encompassing selection of restorativeand cosmetic dentistrysolutions, including cosmetic bonding.
Is Cosmetic Bonding Right for Me?

A one-on-one consultation with Drs. Clark and Clark at Hill Avenue Dental will help determine in cosmetic bonding is the right solution for your individual situation. For most patients with healthy teeth and gums, cosmetic teeth bonding can help mask a variety of flaws, revealing a totally revitalized smile. Bonding material is color-matched to blend in with the rest of your teeth, promoting a completely natural look. The following are common ways we restore smiles with cosmetic bonding:

·         Filling in a gap between teeth
·         To cover and offer protection to an exposed root
·         Quickly cover blemishes like discoloration
·         To repair a fractured tooth
·         To lengthen a tooth that is too short in relation to others
·         To change the way a tooth is shaped
After the resin used to perform cosmetic bonding has fully bonded to the teeth, it is essentially permanent. Though some restorations may need to be touched up at various points during their lifetimes, the bonding should not break or fall out. As always, our doctors are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding cosmetic bonding and our other restorative dentistry procedures.
Teeth Bonding for a Gorgeous New Smile

Whether your smile suffers from a small chip or multiple large gaps, cosmetic bonding may be able to help you show off your pearly whites with confidence once again. Contact our officein Superior, WI today and schedule your appointment with our caring, experienced doctors. We look forward to completely transforming the way you look at your smile, allowing you to open up fully to the world and the people who are important to you. Our family-friendly office proudly serves patients from throughout Superior, Northeastern Minnesota, Douglas County, Duluth, Northern Wisconsin, and beyond. 

Tooth-Colored Fillings for a Beautiful, Healthy Smile from Hill Avenue Dental

May 5, 2014

Your smile says so much about you, conveying a wide range of emotions and attributes in a mere instant. If your smile is marred by dark metal fillings, however, you may feel less than eager to show it off to the world and to those who matter most. At Hill Avenue Dental in Superior, WI, Dr. Doug Clark, Jr. and Dr. Doug Clark, III offer a comprehensive array of restorative dentistry services that are as cosmetically attractive as they are effective. This includes the placement of tooth-colored fillings.
Superior Form and Function: Metal-Free Fillings

Dental fillings are the most common restoration today, repairing teeth that have been affected by tooth decay or injury. Previously, many fillings were made of an amalgam that contained silver, mercury, and other metals. While these restorations certainly served their primary purpose well enough, there came a time when both patients and doctors began to recognize some drawbacks. For one, metal fillings can actually change in size due to changes in temperature. This can lead to microscopic fractures in the tooth’s enamel, a problem that can become more serious over time.
Though research has yet to definitively prove that the mercury content in amalgam fillings is harmful, many health-conscious patients choose metal-free fillings anyway just to remove the possibility of potential side effects. Our composite resin fillings are color-matched to look completely natural, blending in with the shade of your smile seamlessly.
Schedule Your Appointment Today

Whether you currently have metal fillings and you’d like to replace them with resin restorations or you are currently in need of a new filling, the team at Hill Avenue Dental in Superior, WI is here to help. Contact our officetoday to schedule your appointment or just to learn more about our comprehensive array of restorative dentistry services. Our family-friendly dental practice happily welcomes patients from throughout the Superior area, as well as nearby communities in Douglas County, Duluth, Northeastern Minnesota, Northern Wisconsin, and beyond. 

CEREC One-Visit Crowns at Hill Avenue Dental in Superior, WI

April 22, 2014

If you damage a tooth or undergo root canal therapy, a crown must be placed over your natural tooth to restore full function and aesthetics. It wasn’t too long ago that having a dental crown placed was an inconvenient and time-consuming process, but today’s advanced technology allows Drs. Clark and Clark at Hill Avenue Dentalto drastically shorten the process. At our family-friendly dental practice in Superior, WI, we offer CEREC one-visit crowns that look and feel just like your natural teeth.
CEREC One-Day Crowns in Superior, WI

Chairside Economic Restorations of Esthetic Ceramics, or CEREC, technology allows a custom-made crown to be fabricated and placed all in one visit to our conveniently located dental practice. Rather than come in to the office once for impressions and again weeks later to have your restoration placed, you can leave our office after just one appointment with a brand new crown
Your restoration is crafted from a single block of dental porcelain, ensuring long-lasting strength and beauty. It’s never been easier to enjoy a complete smile once again with CEREC one-day crown technology at Hill Avenue Dental. Possibly better still, no one will be able to tell the difference between your natural teeth and your new crown; it is color-matched to seamlessly blend in to your smile with your other teeth.
Reserve Your CEREC Appointment Today

If you’d like to find out more about how revolutionary CEREC crown technology is changing the way patients receive dental care, we welcome you to contact our officein Superior, WI and talk with our team today. We happily serve patients from throughout Douglas County, Superior, Northeastern Minnesota, Duluth, Northern Wisconsin, and beyond. We can’t wait to help you achieve optimal oral health and a strong, beautiful smile. 

Understanding Root Canal Therapy in Superior, WI at Hill Avenue Dental

April 3, 2014

While it’s true that tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, it is still vulnerable to decay and damage. When a tooth becomes infected beneath the enamel and dentin – all the way down to the pulp – the result is discomfort that manifests in a variety of ways. At Hill Avenue Dental in Superior, WI, Drs. Clark and Clark help patients with severe toothaches and damaged dentition find relief from pain with restorative dentistry services, including root canal therapy.
How Root Canal Therapy Can Help You

When the pulp of a tooth becomes infected, the unfortunate person affected may feel intense pain from deep within the jaw, particularly when the area is placed under pressure. Even chewing soft foods may become painful. The gum tissue surrounding the affected tooth can grow irritated, red, and swollen. Hot and cold beverages and foods can cause further pain that lingers even after you’re finished eating. In advanced cases, the tooth actually begins to darken from the inside out.
Fortunately, complete relief from this type of pain and irritation can be achieved with root canal therapy at Hill Avenue Dental. During this procedure, all traces of decay and bacteria are eliminated from within the affected tooth. The cavity is then filled and covered with a sturdy, secure crown to complete the treatment. In some cases, a patient may require oral antibiotics to ensure full recovery from the infection. Drs. Clark and Clark will ensure that you are as comfortable as possible throughout the duration of your procedure, answering any questions and addressing any concerns you may have.
Schedule Your Appointment Today

Don’t face another day with tooth pain; contact our officein Superior, WI today and talk to our team about how root canal therapycan help you find real relief. Our caring, experienced doctors and staff welcome patients from throughout Superior, Douglas County, Duluth, Northeastern Minnesota, Northern Wisconsin, and beyond. 

Digital X-Rays Improve Patient Experience at Hill Avenue Dental in Superior, WI

March 25, 2014

As the technology that dentists use to treat their patients continues to advance, so does the science behind how patients’ mouths are examined in the dental chair. While traditional film x-rays are still the most widely used form of radiography across the country, advanced offices like Hill Avenue Dental in Superior, WI have begun to implement a better way of reviewing your oral health. Dr. Doug Clark, Jr. and Dr. H. Douglas Clark, III trust the cutting-edge technology of digital x-rays to give their patients the very best oral health care possible.
Benefits of Digital Radiography

Unlike traditional film x-rays that take time to develop in a darkroom, digital x-rays can be viewed immediately on a screen in the exam room. This saves you time and money, both of which we know are incredibly important to our busy patients. Because there are no chemicals involved, digital radiography is far more environmentally friendly as well.
Perhaps one of the most significant benefits associated with digital x-ray imaging is the difference in radiation as compared to regular x-rays. In fact, digital radiography exposes the patient to 90 percent less radiation. While traditional x-rays are still considered safe and do not pose any significant risk in controlled amounts, digital x-rays are rapidly becoming the preferred method of assessing oral health.
Only the Best Technology for Our Patients

At Hill Avenue Dental, Drs. Clark and Clark want you to know that your oral health is our top priority every day, so we utilize only the latest technology in our Superior, WIpractice. Contact ustoday to find out more about how digital radiography can benefit you. We also happily serve families from throughout nearby communities in Douglas County, Northeastern Minnesota, Duluth, Northern Wisconsin and more. We look forward to seeing your beautiful smile!

The Importance of Regular Oral Cancer Screening

March 4, 2014

Oral cancercauses approximately one death every hour of every day here in the United States, making it the 11th most fatal form of cancer in the country. At Hill Avenue Dental in Superior, WI, Dr. Doug Clark, Jr. and Dr. H. Douglas Clark, III provide all of their patients with oral cancer screenings as a part of regular preventative dentistry. This proactive approach to one of the deadliest diseases in America allows at-risk patients to pursue the timely treatment they need.
What Are the Signs of Oral Cancer?

Oral cancer most commonly affects the tissues of the lips and tongue, though it can also appear on the gums, the insides of the cheeks, and on the roof and the floor of the mouth. The majority of cases are associated with tobacco use and excessive consumption of alcohol. Genetics and a weakened immune system may also play a role. Other factors include certain medications, HPV (human papilloma virus), irritation in the mouth and poor oral health in general.
While the only definitive way to diagnose oral cancer involves a thorough screening and a subsequent biopsy of abnormal tissues, there are a few signs that you can watch out for at home, too. The following are some of the most common warnings signs of oral cancer:
·         Red or white patches in the mouth
·         Swelling or thickening of any tissue in or around the mouth
·         Unexplained bleeding
·         Loss of sensation and/or tenderness anywhere in the face, neck, mouth or head
·         Chronic hoarseness and/or difficulty speaking
·         A change in dentition, including how your dental prosthetics fit
Oral cancer screeningcan alert your dentist to any abnormalities that may signal the existence of a problem before it progresses. Whether or not you have a family history of oral cancer, this type of regular screening is vital to your oral health and overall well-being. Contact our officein Superior, WI today to find out how Drs. Clark and Clark can help you protect yourself and your family from the dangers of oral cancer. We also warmly welcome patients from nearby communities in Douglas County, Northern Wisconsin, Duluth, Hermantown, Cloquet, Proctor, Northeastern Minnesota and beyond.
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