Joshua Hong, DDS Blog

Do you get nervous at just the thought of going to the dental office? This is much more common than you may think. In fact, over 30 million Americans experience stress related to the dental office. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that you need to avoid dental care forever. There are various options to help even the most anxious patients get the care they need without the added stress. Here are the different sedation methods available.

As common as dental phobias are, anxious people often can’t pinpoint their sources. Most of these folks just know they dislike dentists and don’t want to attend checkups. Even so, you really should learn the causes of these fears; doing so helps you overcome them. The good news is that your Goodyear practice can help you with this work. To that end, here’s a primer on what causes dental phobias and how to best conquer them.

Do you wake up in the morning with a sore jaw that you can’t explain? If so, you might be subconsciously grinding your teeth at night in a condition known as bruxism. Unfortunately, the added pressure from constant clenching can push your teeth out of alignment, which can cause dental problems in addition to TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders.

Your dentist can straighten your smile with Invisalign, but many patients want to know whether their nightly habit will interfere with this orthodontic treatment. Continue reading to learn why you have nothing to worry about!

Many people feel self-conscious about how their crooked grin affects their appearance, but did you know it’s also a dental health risk? If your teeth overlap, it’s harder to reach all surfaces to brush and floss them. Unfortunately, this increases your vulnerability to oral issues like cavities and gum disease.

Your dentist can straighten your smile with Invisalign, but it’s important to be well-informed before deciding on the best way to address your concerns. Continue reading to learn 3 things to know before starting this alternative orthodontic treatment!

The field of dentistry and technology are advancing at a rapid rate. While that means that tooth-replacement solutions look and feel more lifelike than ever before, it also can leave patients feeling overwhelmed. For example, if you’re considering dental implants, you may be wondering how long they last, if they are easy to care for, and if they are worth the investment of your valuable time and money. To help, here are five surprising facts about dental implants.

Dental implants have restored the smiles of countless patients with lifelike prosthetic devices that look, feel, and work just like the real thing. These prosthetic devices seem so perfectly natural that many patients may wonder if they are vulnerable to the same infections as real teeth. Read on to learn about why dental implants can’t get cavities and what you can do to protect them from destructive infections.

Congratulations on your dental implant treatment! With your new teeth firmly set in your smile, you’ll be able to enjoy a lifetime of improved oral function – and compliments. That is, you will as long as you take good care of your oral health.

Your dental replacements might be inorganic, but they still require maintenance and an optimal environment for peak performance. Flossing is an important piece of the puzzle, and if you’d like to learn more, just keep reading.

Your dentures are a durable, natural-looking way to replace lost teeth, but unfortunately, they don’t last forever. Though most pairs will last up to ten years with proper care and maintenance, sometimes they need to be repaired or replaced a little sooner. Here’s how to tell if it’s time for new prosthetics, and what you can do to ensure that they last as long as possible.

Did you know the first set of veneers was designed in 1928 by a California dentist who created removable prosthetics to temporarily improve an actor’s smile for the big screen? Perhaps because of this, many people assume that cosmetic dental services today are still exclusive to the rich and famous.

Fortunately, thanks to the many advances in technology and techniques since then, there are now many ways that your dentist can upgrade your grin to boost your confidence in your appearance. Continue reading to learn about 3 popular procedures available to people from all walks of life!

Did you know that dentures can affect your sense of taste? If your favorite meals have felt a little off lately, it might not be the chef’s fault. The problem could be that your dentures are blocking important taste-receptors or harboring lingering flavors from breakfast!

If you’d rather preserve your natural sense of taste than live with denture-altered flavors, keep reading. You’ll learn more about how this happens and what you can do about it.