Blog Archive
It’s common knowledge that smoking tobacco, eating fried foods, and not getting enough exercise are bad for your heart. But did you know sleep or lack of it, also affects heart health? About 40 to 80% of people with cardiovascular disease also have sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that keeps...
Braces and Invisalign® clear aligners straighten your teeth to improve how your smile looks and functions. You likely already know the benefits of these popular orthodontic treatments, but do you know how they work? At Bucktown Wicker Park Dental in Chicago, Illinois, our highly skilled team provides helpful, in-depth answers...
If you're ready to reclaim your radiant smile or have more questions about how veneers can serve your specific needs, call Bucktown Wicker Park Dental in Chicago, Illinois, today. In cosmetic dentistry, veneers are the most versatile, transformative solution. These ultra-thin shells hug the contours of your teeth and are...
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered dramatic changes throughout everyday life — and in the medical community as well. Not only are providers across the country postponing elective procedures, but many are also encouraging people to avoid in-office appointments to reduce their risk of exposure to this highly contagious coronavirus.But what...
Dental implants revolutionized the world of restorative dentistry. Rather than a denture or bridge that sits on top of the gum and jaw, an implant involves installing a stud, acting as the root of the new tooth, into the jawbone itself. This results in a stable, comfortable replacement. The All-on-4®...
Clear aligners are a popular method for correcting problems with malocclusion, which is the term for a range of different types of tooth misalignment (overbite, underbite, open bite, crowded bite, crossbite, and gapped teeth). Invisalign® is the most commonly used treatment option for these issues and is made from a...
If you find yourself waking up feeling groggy or fatigued throughout the day, or if your partner has mentioned loud snoring or instances of you gasping for breath during the night, you might be wondering if sleep apnea is the culprit. Although a sleep study is the only way to...
Tooth loss results from many different dental issues and can affect people from many age groups. It’s a problem often associated with people over 65, but adults ages 20-64 lose teeth as well, most having only 80% of their teeth left and a smaller percentage having none at all. In...
Food, drink, and daily living take a toll on the whiteness of your smile. Sure, there are aisles full of whitening products at your local pharmacy, but none of these have the strength of a dental office whitening session, one of the most requested cosmetic treatments for teeth. The team...
A slight underbite may be barely noticeable and a severe one can drastically distort your face, but either type requires correction. At Bucktown Wicker Park Dental in Chicago, our highly trained and experienced providers specialize in difficult malocclusions — the official term for misaligned bites. Whether your teeth are crooked, misshapen, or out of...
If you’re missing one or more teeth, you may be self-conscious about your smile. However, even more important than the cosmetic implications is the fact that having missing teeth can affect the health of your jawbone and remaining teeth. When it comes to replacing missing teeth, there are a number...
Your smile has the power to cheer up another person, exude self-confidence, and even relieve your own stress! But if you don’t love your smile, you might not be inclined to share it with the world. If yellow, stained teeth are holding back your smile, you’re not alone. Removing stains and...
You’ve heard that Invisalign® offers an alternative to metal braces, turning orthodontics into a covert mission. But you may not know that Invisalign has another trick up its sleeve: helping people with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that affects millions of adults and children, but many don’t realize that the...
Missing teeth can make it tough to be you. You may slur your words, dribble your soup, and forgo smiling. Those vacancies in your teeth can also increase your risk for oral health problems. Fortunately, dentures can solve these issues, which can make eating and speaking easier and smiling more...
Tooth loss is very common in America, with 150 million people dealing with at least one tooth missing and 36 million having no teeth at all. And the amount of people missing teeth is expected to increase in the years to come. When it comes to replacing missing teeth, there...
What would you do if someone told you there was a simple, safe, proven treatment that takes just an hour to complete, but that could potentially help you feel more attractive and more confident for the rest of the year? You’d certainly want to hear more, wouldn’t you? Well, with...
Obstructive sleep apnea, which is the most common type of sleep apnea, is a condition in which tissues in and around the airways collapse during sleep, causing the person to wake briefly to clear their airways. Unfortunately, this can happen many times throughout the night, which can lead to poor sleep quality and...
If you’re thinking about getting veneers, you probably have plenty of questions. At Bucktown Wicker Park Dental, located in Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Melissa Daza and Dr. Michelle Schwartz are always happy to answer your questions in the context of your oral health and smile goals. One of the most common...
Straight teeth are the foundations of a beautiful smile. Very few people are born with and develop perfectly aligned teeth. If you’re one of the many who need help creating the healthy and beautiful smile you desire, orthodontic treatment may be in your future. Orthodontics may generate visions of shiny...
Nothing dampens your confidence quite as quickly as yellow teeth, and while there are plenty of over-the-counter options that promise to brighten your smile, the reality is that they often don’t deliver the results you want. If you’re tired of trying over-the-counter products without any luck, there is help. Dr....
Do you wake up with a sore throat? Do you ever feel drowsy all day long, no matter how much sleep you get? These are just two common signs of sleep apnea. And, if you’re overweight or obese, they could be connected. Up to 9% of American adults have obstructive...
When you have missing teeth, you definitely want to replace them. It’s not an uncommon condition either: Only 48% of adults aged 20-64 have all of their permanent teeth. Having missing teeth in your mouth has plenty of effects on your appearance and health. One of the biggest effects of...
Braces have come a long way, but they still require the same basic component: brackets and wires in your mouth throughout the process. While this gives them the power to straighten even the most problematic teeth, braces are still an uncomfortable, visible hassle that can leave a person hiding their...
It could be that morning cup of coffee or the glass of wine at dinner. You may be a fan of blueberries. Some medications could affect you, as can overexposure to fluoride. Even dental work can discolor your teeth. Not all of these can be fixed with a whitening treatment. When...
From toothpaste to gel strips to mouthwashes, there’s no shortage of options when it comes to whitening your teeth. However, not all products are created equally. Some products can take weeks to work, and some (such as DIY methods) may cause more harm than good. If you’re on a mission...
Despite the fact that enamel — the protective outer covering on your teeth — is the hardest material in the human body, chipping or cracking a tooth is relatively common. Maybe you chipped your tooth playing sports, or maybe it happened doing something much more mundane, like biting down on...
Some 2-9% of American adults have a condition called obstructive sleep apnea, and many cases go undiagnosed. More men than women have sleep apnea, and the most common symptom is snoring. You may be wondering why there’s a post about sleep apnea on a dentist’s blog. Dr. Melissa Daza and...
For patients who have lost multiple teeth, All-on-4® implants are one of the most advanced dental restoration options available, and their many advantages make them a popular choice. All-on-4 is a type of implant-supported denture that replaces a full arch of missing teeth using just four implants. Our team at...
You need a full set of teeth for both aesthetic and dental health reasons. Missing teeth can make you look less than your best, and it can also result in jaw-tissue loss and damage to your remaining teeth. This is where dentures come in. At Bucktown Wicker Park Dental in...
How you feel about yourself impacts how you interact with the world. Feeling good about your smile can improve your life in surprising ways. You may find your professional life changes for the better when you’re more confident about your appearance; and your social life could well become more interesting....
If your partner tells you that you’re snoring loudly at night, you may not think much of it. However, if you find yourself feeling drowsy all of the time or waking up gasping for air, you could have a condition known as sleep apnea. But did you know that the...
If you’re one of the 6 million people who’ve decided to use the Invisalign® system for straightening your teeth, you’re probably more than excited about your future smile. But now that you have your clear aligners, you may wonder what you need to do to take care of them. Well,...
According to a 2019 analysis, only 32% of American adults floss daily. While flossing may not be the most fun activity, it can prevent the buildup of food debris between your teeth. As a result, regular flossing helps prevent tooth decay. Flossing is even more important today than it was...
What you eat has an impact on every aspect of your health, including your oral health. Our team at Bucktown Wicker Park Dental in Chicago, Illinois, recommend that you keep an eye on your diet and ensure you’re eating foods that are both good for you and not damaging to...
Perhaps you’re considering skipping your next dental appointment because you’re busy. Maybe you’re one of the many people who have dental anxiety. Maybe there’s some other reason. Regardless of why you may be planning to skip your next dental visit, Dr. Melissa Daza and Dr. Michelle Schwartz of Bucktown Wicker...
Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that affects as many as 25 million people. Because it occurs during sleep, many people who have sleep apnea are completely unaware of it. Your loved one may clue you in by complaining about loud snoring, which keeps them up at night. ...
Dental veneers offer one of the best ways to give your smile a natural look. At Bucktown Wicker Park Dental in Chicago, Illinois, our team provides expert care for your cosmetic dentistry needs with dental restorations that include veneers. Let’s first look at why you might be a candidate for...
A dental crown — a protective cap that gets affixed over a specific tooth — can serve a variety of purposes, from strengthening a tooth after a root canal to anchoring a dental bridge in place. Bridges are similarly versatile, helping to replace a single missing tooth or a whole...
In 2020, nearly 41 million Americans used dentures. Despite being so common, dentures have a bad reputation. However, thanks to new types of dentures that have a more personalized fit and better appearance, they no longer deserve that reputation. In this blog, our specialists at Bucktown Wicker Park Dental in...
At one time, not so long ago, if you lost all of your teeth, dentures were your only option. Dentures are OK for many people, but sometimes it can be difficult to keep them in place while eating or talking, and they eventually need to be adjusted or replaced. At...
If you’re struggling with yellow or discolored teeth, you’re not alone. That’s because even with the most diligent dental hygiene efforts, teeth can lose their luster for a variety of reasons. Common causes of tooth discoloration include: Diet Illness Certain medications Aging Too much fluoride Poor oral hygiene Fortunately, this...
Next to your eyes, your smile tells people more about you than any other part of your face. A bright and open smile conveys confidence and inspires trust. So when you cover up a gummy smile, you’re doing more than hiding your gums from the people around you. You’re also...
At Bucktown Wicker Park Dental in Chicago, Illinois, patients are getting straight teeth and better sleep thanks to Melissa Daza, DDS, Michelle Schwartz, DDS, and their expert dental team. While they treat all dental issues, they treat sleep apnea as well. If you have sleep apnea, you may not know...
Do you hide your teeth behind closed lips for family photos? Do you avoid showing your teeth to others for fear of ridicule? You can stop hiding your beautiful smile for good with Invisalign®. Here at Bucktown Dental, we know how important it is for you to feel confident when...
If you’ve been dreaming of straighter teeth — but hesitate to try traditional braces — you aren’t out of options. Invisalign is becoming a household name as more and more people trust Invisalign aligners to transform their smile. Even though Invisalign isn’t new (it’s been around since 1997), there are...
Missing teeth are more common than you might think. According to the CDC, among adults from 35-44, 69% have lost at least one permanent tooth to decay. By age 50, they’ve lost an average of 12 teeth (including wisdom teeth). And in the 65-74 age group, 26% have lost all...
Dull, discolored, stained, and yellowing teeth are a common problem for all people. They can cause embarrassment and even lower self-esteem. Sometimes the reason for discolored teeth is simply genetics. Other times your teeth reflect your lifestyle, diet, or poor dental hygiene. At Bucktown Dental in Wicker Park, Chicago, our...
Veneers make it easy to get the Hollywood smile you’ve always wanted. That’s because they can conceal numerous cosmetic flaws in an instant, ranging from tooth discoloration and staining to misshaped or uneven teeth. But the problems that veneers can address go beyond cosmetic issues alone. Our talented team at...
Sleep apnea means “sleep without breath,” and that’s exactly what the condition is: you stop breathing repeatedly during your sleep. There are several reasons you may stop breathing. Obstructive sleep apnea, the most common form, means that something is blocking your airway. Central sleep apnea is when your brain fails...
Veneers may have been first used by actors, but there’s no denying that veneers are one of the most popular cosmetic services whether you’re a celebrity or not. Veneers can transform your smile, leaving you with an irresistible smile. We know that having a beautiful smile is important, and at...
If you have lost a tooth, dental implant surgery restores your smile, protects your remaining teeth and jaw, and allows you to chew, speak, and have a full, gorgeous smile. An implant is a prosthetic tooth that is inserted into the space where the roots of the missing tooth were...
Over time, your teeth can become chipped, broken, and discolored. You may try to hide your imperfect teeth by only smiling with your mouth closed, or covering your mouth from time to time. Do you wonder what things would be like if you could feel confident when you smile? At...
Having a beautiful smile allows for an excellent first impression, whether it’s on a big job interview, a date, or just out and about. Why settle for anything less than a dream smile? With modern advances in professional teeth whitening, there’s no reason to settle. When it comes to dealing...
Dentures may seem convenient since no incisions are necessary to put them in place, but they come with some downsides. Many denture wearers complain about sore gums, receding gums, difficulty speaking, and changes in facial appearance. Our team of specialists at Bucktown Dental uses All-on-4® dental implants to eliminate...
Sleep apnea causes you to repeatedly stop breathing for at least 10 seconds at a time while you sleep. The most common type of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, occurs when your throat muscles collapse and block your airway. A person without sleep apnea may have up to five periods...
There is no doubt that a bright smile with straight teeth gives a good first impression. However, making sure that all of your teeth are in place and fit together when you close your mouth is also important for good health. Both adults and children benefit from properly aligned teeth....
Dentures can make you happier by restoring your smile and self-esteem. They’re removable, so it’s easy to keep them clean too. But they can feel a little loose and cause some pain at first. If you need dentures, Bucktown Dental in Chicago, Illinois, can help. Dr. Melissa Daza and Dr....
Your smile is one of the first things people see. But when you have dental imperfections, your smile is the last thing you want to show off. You may even feel self-conscious or embarrassed talking and laughing with people. Don’t let dental imperfections control your smile. Melissa Daza, DDS, Michelle...
Having a great smile makes you feel attractive and confident, and allows you to smile big for all of your selfies! Unfortunately, very few humans are born with perfect teeth. In fact, most people need a dentist’s help to improve them. Luckily, there are a number of treatment options that...
You were born with 32 teeth, but if you’re like most people, you won’t make it past age 50 without losing a few due to injury or infection. But there’s no reason to live with missing teeth these days. There are more options than ever to close those gaps and...
Excessive snoring, gasping for air, and even cessation of breathing are all symptoms of sleep apnea, a serious condition that can endanger your life. To keep sleep apnea sufferers safe at night, many doctors turn to the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine for good reason — it works. However,...