Carolina Complete Dental Blog

Does My Child Have to Have a Shot to Get Dental Work?

January 27, 2024

Goose Creek dentist Dr. Barganier of Carolina Complete Dental Care discusses dental pain relief options for children who have a hard time with needles and getting shots. No one of any age gets shots in their mouth for fun, and fear of needles (trypanophobia) is a documented condition. Children may fear shots because they seem so unfamiliar, with a fear of potential pain. Does your child have to have a shot to get dental work? It will depend on the procedure being done, and what Carolina Complete Dental Care advises.

Pain relief methods that do not require a shot include:

Topical anesthetic alone numbs the gums enough for most children to tolerate dental work.

Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) can relax a child but isn’t appropriate for all kids.

Oral sedation may be effective pain relief for young children receiving extensive care.
Laser therapies can eliminate the need for shots.

Some other ways to calm a child who fears shots:

Demonstrate a small pinch on their arm to show how a shot could feel, substituting words like “sleepy juice” and “tickling your teeth” that seem less scary. Don’t lie about pain— but avoid horror stories!
Have the child meet the dentist at a separate appointment where no dental work is being done so they can meet the staff, ask questions, and get more comfortable with our office at Carolina Complete Dental Care.

If you have any questions or concerns, we’re happy to help! Get in touch with Carolina Complete Dental Care today.

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Questions to Ask at a Back-to-School Dental Visit

January 13, 2024

Goose Creek dentist Dr. Barganier of Carolina Complete Dental Care shares ideas for questions parents and children can ask at a back-to-school dental visit. Some schools require a back-to-school dental visit, but even if yours doesn’t, right before school starts is a good time to schedule one of your child’s regular checkups. Carolina Complete Dental Care can take care of any problems so your child won’t have to miss class after school starts, and if oral hygiene routines got a little lax over the summer, Carolina Complete Dental Care can help get kids back on track.

Here are a few questions to ask at your child’s appointment:

How is my child’s overall dental health?
Will my child get a cleaning today?
Does my child need an x-ray?
Do you recommend sealants?
Can you check my child’s mouthguard?

These questions cover all the bases for general dental health and safety. A mouthguard will be checked for wear, tear and fit in case a replacement will be needed, while sealants can help prevent cavities in permanent molars. A professional cleaning picks up where brushing and flossing leave off to give your child a nice bright smile to begin their school year.

If you need to schedule a dental checkup for your child at any time of year, give Carolina Complete Dental Care a call today!

A Deeper Dental Cleaning: Scaling & Root Planing

December 27, 2023

Goose Creek dentist, Dr. Jason Barganier at Carolina Complete Dental Care tells patients about what scaling and root planing is and why it might be part of your treatment plan. Teeth are typically the first thing that comes to mind for people when they hear the words dentist or dentistry, which makes sense—the root word dent actually means tooth! However, your teeth require healthy gums to hold them in place.

Did you know gum disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss? That’s why it’s important for us to examine your gums just as thoroughly as your teeth, and for you to remain diligent about your oral hygiene routines and cleaning visits with your Goose Creek dental team at Carolina Complete Dental Care.

If You Have Gum Disease

First, know that you’re not alone. Nearly half of adults in the U.S. over the age of 30 experience chronic periodontitis (the advanced stage of gum disease, which starts as gingivitis). Gum disease can be treated, and one of our first steps might be scaling and root planing.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a visit with Carolina Complete Dental Care to ensure your teeth and gums are in good shape, contact Carolina Complete Dental Care today!

Mouthwash: More Harm Than Good?

December 13, 2023

Goose Creek dentist, Dr. Jason Barganier at Carolina Complete Dental Care lets patients know that certain mouthwashes may actually be harmful to their oral health. At Carolina Complete Dental Care, we know a lot of people feel they’re adding a layer of tooth decay and gum disease prevention to their oral hygiene routines when they swish with mouthwash—which may be true, but it depends on the mouthwash. If you floss and brush properly, mouthwash isn’t always necessary, and certain types could even be harmful to your oral health.

Think about it this way: do you take antibiotics when you don’t have an infection that requires them? Like antibiotics, certain mouthwashes can kill beneficial bacteria and either create or aggravate problems.

It’s All About the Ingredients

One of the conditions that can be exacerbated by mouthwash is dry mouth, and it’s usually due to the alcohol content many of them carry. Do you know that burning feeling that makes it feel like it’s working? That’s the alcohol, and it’s actually doing more harm than good.

If you have any questions or concerns about this topic or any other oral health subject, contact Carolina Complete Dental Care today. We love staying in touch with our dental family!

Is it Time to Toss that Toothbrush?

November 27, 2023

Goose Creek dentists, Dr. Barganier, Dr. Zuffi, & Dr. Williams at Carolina Complete Dental Care talk about when and why you should toss your old toothbrush and replace it with a new one. When you find a toothbrush that’s just right for you, it can be easy to get attached. After all, you use your toothbrush morning and night (ideally) to prevent plaque and bacteria from hardening and becoming tartar—that’s what we like to call quality time!

When your toothbrush does so much good, you want to return the favor, so throwing it out every three months can seem like a betrayal. What if it were your toothbrush that betrayed you, though?

Learning to Let Go

Bad jokes aside, it’s important to replace your toothbrush seasonally (at least). Want to know why? First of all, your toothbrush bristles will inevitably become worn down over, and frayed, worn bristles just won’t get the job done. Second, old toothbrushes can be breeding grounds for bacteria and pathogens, and you should always replace toothbrushes after an illness to prevent reinfection.

If you’d like advice on toothbrushes or anything else dental health-related, your Goose Creek dentists, Dr. Barganier, Dr. Zuffi, and Dr. Williams, would be happy to hear from you! Contact Carolina Complete Dental Care today, and schedule a visit to find out if your toothbrush is serving you well.

How Long Will I Have to Wear a Retainer?

November 13, 2023

Goose Creek dentists Dr. Barganier, Dr. Zuffi, & Dr. Williams of Carolina Complete Dental Care discusses how long a retainer should be worn after orthodontic treatment. You’ve worn your braces or aligners, kept your checkup appointments, and followed treatment instructions from Carolina Complete Dental Care. You love your new smile, but it’s not over yet—how long will you have to wear a retainer? There are two types of retainers: removable and fixed.

Removable retainers are taken out of your mouth during your oral hygiene routine or while eating. Removable retainers should be worn full-time for at least 12 months following removal of your braces. If your teeth have stopped moving, you may get the go-ahead for night wear only. However, some people may wear them at night indefinitely. Removable aligners include those used for clear aligner orthodontics systems.
Fixed retainers are held in place after being cemented to the backs of your teeth. They are typically worn for several years.

This may not be the news you had hoped to hear, but you’ve put a lot of time and money into your beautiful new smile. If you want that gorgeous grin to be a permanent part of your life, you have to do all you can protect it.

Carolina Complete Dental Care can answer questions about retainer use and any other dental concerns you may have. We’d here to help, so get in touch with Carolina Complete Dental Care anytime!

Hey Teeth—Down in Front!

October 27, 2023

Goose Creek, dentists at Carolina Complete Dental Care discuss the Inman Aligner™ and how it can help straighten misaligned front teeth in just a few weeks. The Inman Aligner™ is an efficient way to straighten front teeth that are crowded or protruding. The aligner is safe, quick, and affordable—a great solution for those who’d like to elevate the appearance of their smile for an upcoming special event or occasion. The dentists from Carolina Complete Dental Care tell you more about the Inman Aligner below.

Front teeth can be gently guided to their ideal position in a short time—most cases take 6-18 weeks. The Inman Aligner is a removable appliance that can be used either as a standalone treatment or prior to further cosmetic procedures such as bonding or veneers.

The appliance has nickel-titanium coil springs powering two aligner bows positioned opposite one another and guiding the teeth into their desired formation. The design produces a gentle force that is active over a large range of movement, which is why the Inman Aligner works so quickly.

If you would like to discuss the Inman Aligner or any other orthodontic treatment with us, get in touch today at Carolina Complete Dental Care! We would love to answer any questions you may have.

Mail-Order Braces: Buyer Beware

October 13, 2023

Goose Creek, dentists at Carolina Complete Dental Care share a glossary of terms you might hear frequently in the dental office Mail-order braces are a controversial dental topic, and the dentists of Carolina Complete Dental Care weigh in today. Direct-to-consumer orthodontics companies make many appealing promises—no dental visits, aligners delivered to your door, and lower costs. But are the risks worth it?

Not according to this consumer alert from the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). As of November 2017, the AAO had filed complaints with 36 State Dental Boards, alleging direct-to-consumer orthodontics can not only cause long-term oral health problems for their users but may be illegal. (These claims are pending investigation.)

A licensed doctor is not seen before or during self-managed orthodontic treatment. While direct-to-consumer braces companies base aligner prescriptions on computer-simulated mouth scans as licensed dentists do, teeth movement doesn’t always follow the initial computer assessment—and self-managed orthodontic treatment makes no further adjustments to correct that.

In short, wearers get what they get—and it may not be what they signed up for. Regular checkups are part of Invisalign® or any other orthodontic treatment so the dentists at Carolina Complete Dental Care can make adjustments as teeth are moving.

Dentists say moving teeth without thorough examinations of mouth and gums may lead to permanent tooth loss and damage. Self-managed orthodontics customers have reported ruined bites, teeth that looked more crooked than before, and badly damaged gums from ill-fitting aligners.

Let Carolina Complete Dental Care help you make the most informed decision for your health and schedule a consultation to discuss your orthodontics options with our dentists today.

What Did My Dentist Just Say?

September 27, 2023

Goose Creek, dentists at Carolina Complete Dental Care share a glossary of terms you might hear frequently in the dental office The dentists at Carolina Complete Dental Care believe that education is paramount in our mission to help our Goose Creek friends and neighbors improve and maintain their oral health. For this reason, we try to avoid using dental jargon when we’re speaking with our valued patient family.

However, there are terms that can’t be broken down as easily; in those cases, we’ll explain things in as much detail as you need to feel comfortable and confident in your care. Usually what we’re describing isn’t as complex as it sounds!

That’s a Mouthful

As an example: alveoloplasty. That’s just the technical term for the surgical reshaping of your jawbone, often performed after extraction to prepare your mouth for a tooth or teeth replacement. Words (or abbreviations) you’ll hear more commonly include prophylaxis, scaling, root planing, TMJ, and bruxism. For a crash course on these words and more, check out this glossary.

If you have questions about the terms you see (or terms that didn’t make the list) and you’d like to talk about it over an appointment, please contact us today at Carolina Complete Dental Care. Your Goose Creek dentists love talking all things oral health and sharing smiles with you!

Zirconia Crowns for Kids

September 13, 2023

Goose Creek, dentists at Carolina Complete Dental Care discuss the features and benefits of zirconia dental crowns for kids. Zirconia has been used in major medical procedures like hip replacement for many years due to its strength and biocompatibility. It took the dental industry until the early 2000s to catch up, beginning with adult dental procedures such as dental implants, root canals and dental crowns. In 2010, zirconia became available for use in pediatric dentistry. The dentists at Carolina Complete Dental Care outline some benefits of zirconia dental crowns for kids below.

The use of white zirconia results in a durable and visually pleasing stainless-steel crown. As the strongest non-metal material available on the market for use in restorative pediatric dentistry, it has allowed kids to enjoy natural-looking dental solutions they can rely on for:

Damaged, chipped, or broken teeth
Abnormal tooth development
Significant dental decay
Damage from cavities in early childhood

The dentist may choose a crown restoration to protect a compromised tooth from breakage that the process of filling a tooth may cause. Zirconia crowns don’t stain, chip, or break and are resistant to plaque and decay.

If you have any questions about zirconia crowns for kids or would like to schedule an appointment, get in touch with Carolina Complete Dental Care today!