greenwich-dentistry-sutton-smile-lab

5 Smile Flaws Easily Remedied by Veneers

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 10:03:50 GMT

Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you. If you have teeth that are discolored, gapped, or not properly aligned, you may be more likely to hide your smile.

At Greenwich Dentistry, experienced dentists Sean Sutton, DDS, and Mark Sutton, DDS, offer veneers, which can correct a range of smile imperfections without extensive dental work.

1. Hide cracks, chips, and breaks

Tooth damage, such as cracks and chips, can occur when you eat hard foods, grind your teeth in your sleep, or suffer trauma.

Porcelain veneers are an ideal way to quickly restore cracked or broken teeth. Dental veneers bond to the fronts of your teeth, instantly strengthening and covering the affected teeth.

Sparkling white teeth make a great first impression. But maintaining tooth whiteness may be difficult due to diet, lifestyle, and the natural aging process.

Teeth can become discolored and appear yellow or even gray after years of drinking coffee or wine or smoking. Furthermore, as you age, the natural enamel on the fronts of your teeth can wear away and allow the brown dentin inside your teeth to show through.

Putting veneers on your teeth can give you a bright white smile again.

2. Transform discolored teeth

Empty spaces in your teeth aren’t just an aesthetic concern. Gapped teeth can affect your bite and impact your oral health.

Our team can place veneers on your natural teeth to fill in any gaps and enhance the appearance of your smile.

3. Close gaps

What to expect during your veneer appointment

First, we take an impression, or a mold of your teeth, so we can get a model of your mouth. Then we send the mold to a dental lab, which creates your custom veneers.

When your veneers are ready, you come back to our office. Then we remove a small amount of enamel so your veneers don’t stick out and so they can bond securely to your teeth. Then we bond your veneers to your teeth. Once in place, you care for them just like you do your natural teeth.

If you want to see if veneers can help you get a great smile, book an appointment over the phone with Greenwich Dentistry today.

Dental veneers are thin, tooth-colored shells that are bonded securely to the fronts of your teeth. Veneers can cover imperfections and also strengthen the teeth they’re attached to. Veneers are a long-term restoration solution for many people who want to improve their smiles and oral health without a lot of hassle.

Our team can determine if you’re a candidate for veneers after a comprehensive dental exam and a discussion of your smile goals. Veneers can do a number of things to restore a smile, such as the following:

What can veneers do?

4. Even out your smile

With age comes natural wear and tear on teeth, which can give you an uneven smile. Over time, teeth can wear down differently, which can make some teeth larger or smaller than others.

If your teeth are naturally uneven, or if you have irregularities in the shapes and sizes of your teeth, veneers can cover them to give you a uniform smile.

5. Improve the appearance of crooked teeth

If your teeth are slightly crooked, you may be able to use veneers to fix the appearance of your teeth instead of using braces or Invisalign®.

We can place veneers on your teeth, so your teeth can look straight and not crooked.

Is InvisalignⓇ a Good Teeth Straightening Option For Me?

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 10:00:29 GMT

Everyone wants a dazzling, white smile of perfectly straight teeth, but not everyone wants to be bothered with braces. For all of their benefits, braces can be uncomfortable, and make you feel self-conscious while you’re wearing them. Your best option might be traditional braces if your dentist decides that you need them, or if your braces are the first step in a larger and longer treatment plan. Most people, however, can correct their alignment and their bite by using InvisalignⓇ.

Greenwich Dentistry is proud to offer the latest and greatest in Invisalign treatments to our patients. Sean Sutton, DDS, and Mark Sutton, DDS, are the experienced professionals that you need to help you straighten your teeth for your perfect smile. Both Drs. Sutton have decades of experience in the treatment of misaligned and problem teeth. Our practice offers more than Invisalign, covering all of your dental needs. First, though, let’s discuss these revolutionary aligners.

Who can use Invisalign?

People who use Invisalign may not be living with misaligned teeth as their only issue. Invisalign is used to treat a variety of dental and cosmetic issues that affect teeth, including:

Gap teeth
Overcrowding
Underbite
Overbite
Crossbite
Open bite

Invisalign is also cleared for use for people whose smile isn’t severely affected by any dental issue and want straighter teeth. Invisalign is available for children, teens, and adults so that Dr. Sutton can give everyone a better smile.

Correctly aligned teeth are about more than just a pretty smile - they can stop you from biting your cheeks and tongue and help your face’s overall appearance. Let us help you get started today by calling 203-869-2066 or book an appointment with us online.

I’m ready to start Invisalign!

For traditional braces, metal anchors are applied to your teeth, and wires are connected and adjusted with dental pliers. You might pick a color for the bands that go over the anchors on your teeth to make your braces look fun and customized. Every so often, you come back to your dentist to have your braces tightened, leaving your gums feeling tight and your mouth uncomfortable.

With Invisalign, however, there is a big change in procedure: instead of Dr. Sutton gluing anchors to your teeth, he takes x-rays and impressions of your teeth and uses them to create a 3-D digital model. Using special software, he creates a blueprint for your ideal results and creates clear trays just for you.

You can expect to wear your Invisalign clear aligners for at least 22 hours per day. Invisalign comfortably and quickly realigns your teeth, and you get a new set of trays every two weeks. The trays safely and gently guide your teeth to their optimal placement, instead of the harsh tightening sensations that come with traditional braces.

While getting your new trays won’t take very much time, Dr. Sutton will need to check your progress. We look forward to seeing you every 6-8 weeks to check your progress with your Invisalign treatment. The entire series normally takes approximately one year, and during this time, you will use up to 30 Invisalign trays.

What’s the Invisalign difference?

What To Look For When Choosing Your Family Dentist

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:58:08 GMT

Every family is different, but every family needs to prioritize quality dental care. The best dental care for you is a practice with all of the requisites for general dentistry, plus any additional certifications that a dentist may have. Some dental practices, for example, may offer services that are focused on cosmetic dentistry, and others focus on invasive oral procedures.

For warm, professional staff in a comfortable environment, Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, invites you to join our loyal and satisfied patient base. We offer a variety of dental services in a tranquil setting for the best possible experience. Greenwich Dental is led by Sean Sutton, DDS, and Mark Sutton, DDS, who have decades of experience between them.

How do I know which dentist is right for me?

Choosing a dentist that is strategic to your home or place of work is always a good idea. If you need a quick visit, you can add a trip to your dentist to your workday or your weekend routine. If you’re worried about making it to your appointment from soccer practice or after-school care, that’s another important consideration.

Choose by Location

At Greenwich Dental, we’re always excited to meet prospective patients. We offer a variety of general and cosmetic dental services to fit the needs of any family. If you’re concerned about the quality of your bite, we also offer Invisalign for teens and adults. Our spacious offices come with a breathtaking view of the property, and we also offer laser dentistry.

Have a consultation

I’m ready for my semi-annual cleaning.

We’d love to start with a consultation. To give you the best care, we need to know if you have any chronic conditions that could affect the health of your gums and teeth, like diabetes. When choosing a new dentist for your family, it’s critical to choose a provider who cares for hundreds of teeth each month. Call us today at 203-869-2066 or book an appointment with us online.

Anytime could be a good time for a new dentist, but finding a new dentist may have a few challenges. Popular dentists or dental practices with one dentist may be booked far into the future. Fortunately, we’re accepting new patients at Greenwich Dental and are happy to schedule time for you to meet one of our providers.

If you lose your dentist due to a move or they don’t accept your new insurance, it can be frustrating and annoying to look for another dental professional. Some may not have the services that you need or offer them for an affordable rate. If you’ve recently received dental insurance coverage, congratulations! With most dental insurance plans, preventative care, including cleanings, is free.

When is it time for a new dentist?

Friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, and even your old dentist can often refer you to an appropriate dentist for your family. Word-of-mouth will always be the best reference and an excellent way for great dentists to build their networks. The American Dental Association also has a search tool for board-certified member dentists.

Ask for recommendations

Some dentists will discount services as an introduction for new patients. As long as a dentist is board-certified and a member of the ADA, they are a dentist in good standing. Taking a new patient deal from a dentist is an easy way to see how they work, communicate, and whether or not they can help your family stay healthy.

New patient deals

If you’ve found a dentist that looks like they’ll be suitable for your family, ask to see their credentials. Our Drs. Sutton are happy to share their education, experience, certifications, and dental organization affiliations with you. Looking up patient reviews is another great way to see if a dentist is a good fit for your family.

Check for credentials

Why Crowns Are an Effective Solution To Restore Damaged Teeth

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:51:08 GMT

Not all crowns are worn on your head - there’s a crown that goes in your mouth. If you’ve had an accident that resulted in a damaged tooth, or if you’re experiencing tooth decay, a dental crown could be the solution for you. Dental crowns are a solution that protects your natural teeth and helps you to eat, drink, and speak normally.

Choosing to get a dental crown shouldn’t be a decision you make alone - it should come from a trusted professional. Sean Sutton, DDS, and Mark Sutton, DDS, lead our caring and compassionate team at Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut. We offer emergency dentistry and various cosmetic dental services to help with any cosmetic or dental issue.

What else can a dental crown do?

Dental crowns don’t need any additional maintenance that differs from your regular oral care routine. You can continue to take your medications as directed by your physician, and you won’t have to worry about taking your crown on and off. Your crown should stay in place permanently, so you shouldn’t need to replace your crown at any point.

Sadly, your crown can break, or it can become loose. If this happens, don’t panic! It happens all of the time, and our emergency dental services have assisted many people with loose or broken crowns. Drs. Sutton can help you with a temporary crown until your new crown is ready for you.

If you’re a patient who is missing several teeth in a row, dental crowns still have a role to play in maintaining your oral health. One or several dental crowns can be used to anchor or uphold dental bridges, which replace your missing teeth. Severely damaged teeth may need dental implants, which keep stress off your jaw and prevents your remaining teeth from shifting.

One of our experienced Drs. Sutton will be able to answer that question for you. When you come in for a consultation, your provider will examine your teeth and give you the best options to create the smile you want.

If your provider determines that you do need a crown, we start with a professional cleaning. After your teeth are clean, and we know whether or not you’re experiencing dental issues that you may not be aware of, we can offer you a crown, if necessary. We fit you with a temporary crown in your first appointment, and your personalized crown will be ready for you at your next appointment.

Not all bites are created equal. Some need extra help. If you’re missing teeth, have worn teeth, or think you might be losing a tooth, let us help you. Call us today at 203-869-2066 or book an appointment with us online.

Do I need a crown?

A dental crown (also called a cap) is a small cover customized to fit your tooth. Dental crowns have many jobs: they protect your damaged tooth, and they protect your other teeth. Dental crowns can be permanent or temporary, though you would only need a temporary crown if you’re waiting for a permanent crown to be created for you.

Crowns can reinvigorate discolored or misshapen teeth, cover dental implants, hold a dental bridge, or restore a worn or damaged tooth. Young children may need dental crowns for little teeth that can’t support a filling, reduce the risk of tooth decay, or reduce the likelihood of necessary dental surgery.

What is a dental crown?

Help! My Teeth are Yellow

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:48:44 GMT

Perfect smiles fill the pages of magazines and the pages of social media, earning admiration from people all over. Perfect teeth aren’t a guarantee for anyone, but you can give your smile an excellent boost with our Zoom teeth whitening system, crowns, or veneers. With so many options, it might be hard to choose what’s best, but that’s where our experts come in.

Our caring professionals at Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, understand how a dull smile can make you feel dull. Led by Sean Sutton, DDS, and Mark Sutton, DDS, we use many techniques to bring your smile back to the glory that you remember or would like to enjoy finally.

What are some options?

If your teeth are yellow, rest assured, you’re not alone. Teeth whitening a global industry, making billions of dollars every year. As a result, you have plenty of options, and most importantly, you have Drs. Sutton at Greenwich Dental.

Research suggested that professional teeth whitening treatments can make as much as a 15% greater difference in your teeth’s whiteness when compared to at-home whitening systems. Enter ZOOM! Teeth whitening. This phenomenal system has been growing in popularity due to its ease and effectiveness.

Similar to other teeth whitening treatments, you begin with a proper dental cleaning to maximize your results. After your teeth are clean and fresh, we apply a bleaching tray to your teeth and allow your teeth to soak. We then use a specialized LED light to activate the signature formulation, bringing your teeth shades brighter than when you walked in.

Philips ZOOM! Teeth Whitening System

Veneers are particularly advantageous to people whose teeth have been damaged, worn, or weak. To have a veneer, you’ll still need to have a natural tooth, which will be reshaped to fit your veneer. Veneers improve your smile, the look of your teeth, and make eating easier with durable material.

Veneers

Which option is for me?

While one option for whitening your teeth may seem like the best, what will be the healthiest for you is determined by Dr. Sutton. If you’re ready to change your smile for the better, we’re ready to help you get there. Call us today at 203-869-2066 or book an appointment with us online.

There are several things that can change the color of your teeth - some extrinsic, some intrinsic. Extrinsic causes of tooth discoloration are typically environmental, like foods and drinks. Intrinsic causes of dull and discolored teeth include trauma to your teeth and aging.

Foods and drinks can discolor your teeth. Some of the biggest offenders are wine and tomato-based foods and sauces. While having these foods sparingly isn’t likely to affect the color of your teeth, having them often raises the risk of discoloring your teeth. Coffee and tea also stain tooth enamel, despite the purported health benefits of tea.

Of the extrinsic causes of dull and yellow teeth, Drs. Sutton know that the biggest and most dangerous offender is nicotine and tobacco products. Not only can using tobacco and nicotine products stain your teeth, but they also raise your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, and lungs. Nicotine use has also been known to exacerbate wrinkles and halitosis.

The luckiest among us experience dull teeth due to aging, but childhood illnesses and tooth infections (typically periodontitis) are common intrinsic causes of dull teeth. Certain medications can change the color of your teeth, particularly tetracycline and doxycycline.

Why are my teeth yellow?

Crowns are similar to veneers, except instead of replacing your tooth, a crown covers the top of a weak or damaged tooth. Crowns are effective at repairing your smile and making eating and speaking easier. It is possible to lose a crown or damage it with hard food, but crowns can be cared for and placed back into position by Dr. Sutton.

Both veneers and crowns are cleaned as part of your daily dental hygiene. As you brush and floss your teeth twice daily, make sure to brush and floss your crown or veneer.

Crowns

Dental Veneers Can Correct Countless Smile Flaws

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:45:13 GMT

Have you always wanted a gorgeous smile that lights up a room? Dental veneers can transform your smile and boost your self-confidence by correcting several cosmetic issues, including crooked or discolored teeth. Veneers also can fill in gaps and protect your teeth from decay or infection.

Veneers can provide the smile you’re dreaming of while preserving your teeth. At Greenwich Dentistry, Sean Sutton, DDS, and Mark Sutton, DDS customize veneers to fit your mouth and match your natural teeth.

What to expect from a veneer treatment

During your first visit, our dental specialist reviews your goals and determines whether your mouth will respond well to veneers. The doctor then determines which veneer will best suit your ideal smile and provide you with a temporary veneer to protect your teeth.

Our specialist takes an impression of your teeth and sends the mold to a dental lab where porcelain veneers are carved out by a computer. The veneer bakes in an oven-like device that hardens the material to match the natural shade of your teeth.

The second appointment consists of cleaning the veneers, which prevents bacteria from becoming trapped under them. We then adjust your veneers to fit your mouth and look natural.

The bonding cement is applied and hardens quickly. Ultraviolet light helps speed up the process. Our doctor then removes excess cement and checks your bite to make sure the veneer fits appropriately over your other teeth.

To extend the life of your veneers, keep regular checkup appointments. Typically, veneers can last up to 15 years.

Once the veneers are cemented to your teeth, you can live life as usual. There are no side effects or downtime. Extra cement should wear away with regular brushing and flossing.

Here are tips for keeping your veneers intact:

Avoid chewing hard objects
Avoid opening things with your teeth
Avoid teeth grinding
Use a mouthguard when playing sports

If you’re interested in transforming your smile with veneers, contact us today at 203-869-2066, or visit us here to schedule an appointment.

After the procedure

Porcelain veneers are bonded to your natural teeth. They’re flexible and fit the surface of your teeth perfectly.

Veneers can be a conservative solution to several imperfections that could wreck your smile. Here are some benefits of veneers:

Provide a natural-looking solution
Restore frail teeth
Resist stains
Lightens darker teeth
Strengthens and protects natural teeth
Minimal gum irritation
Corrects minor alignment problems

Veneers explained

Is an Implant Better Than a Bridge?

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:34:53 GMT

When you lose one or more teeth due to an accident or an extraction, your first order of business is to replace them as soon as possible. The health of your jaw, your other teeth, and the function of your bite, all depend on a full set of teeth, helping to keep one another in perfect alignment.

Whether you need to replace just one tooth or several teeth, your two best choices are either a dental bridge or a dental implant. Which is better for you depends on several factors. The following questions may help you decide whether a dental bridge or a dental implant is best for you.

Would you rather avoid surgery?

Although implants have many advantages, one disadvantage is that they do require oral surgery. If you’d prefer to avoid surgery and opt-in for a fast and easy tooth replacement, a dental bridge may be ideal.

A dental bridge consists of a false tooth or series of false teeth, depending on how many you’re missing. The false teeth are spanned on either end by an empty crown.

To place the dental bridge, we modify and grind down the teeth that sit on either end of the gap caused by your missing teeth. These teeth are referred to as abutment teeth.

We then place the spanning crowns on the dental bridge to fit over your abutment teeth and hold your bridge securely in place. The lab custom shapes and colors the crowns and false teeth to match your natural teeth, so nobody can tell you were once missing teeth.

Dental implants cost more than bridges, at first. That cost can be significantly more if you have to replace more than one tooth.

Over the long term, however, dental implants might cost you less. Implants usually last longer than bridges and so don’t need to be replaced as often. If you have budgetary concerns, talk to us about which system is most cost-effective for you and what payment plans may be available.

Are you watching costs right now?

If you have dental insurance, you’re more likely to get reimbursed for a dental bridge than for a dental implant. Some insurance companies cover the cost of functional-only tooth replacements, such as dentures and bridges.

However, insurance companies typically regard dental implant surgery as a cosmetic procedure. Therefore, they don’t reimburse it. However, we can arrange payment plans so that you get the tooth replacement of your choice.

Get back to your full and functional smile by replacing your missing tooth or teeth with beautiful, custom-designed, and natural-looking dental bridges or dental implants. Call our staff or send us a message today.

Do you want insurance to pay?

While you can’t re-grow your missing tooth, if you’d like a replacement system that looks and functions almost exactly like a real tooth, a dental implant is your clear choice. Each implant is individually crafted and placed to mimic the look, feel, and function of a natural tooth -- from root to crown. Dental implants consist of:

An artificial “root,” (i.e., a titanium post that’s secured into your jawbone)
A natural-looking porcelain crown (i.e., a false tooth)
An abutment cap that joins the root and crown

A dental lab individually custom-crafts each implant as a discrete tooth. Each artificial root is separately inserted into your gum and down into your alveolar bone. The titanium post then fuses with your jawbone, so it’s held as securely as a real tooth.

The entire implant process may take several months to complete, especially if we need to build up your jawbone with a bone graft. Your mouth needs to heal completely between each step.

Dental implants aren’t just the most attractive option, they’re also the most functional tooth replacement. The artificial root stresses and puts pressure on your jawbone when you chew, which triggers the production of new bone cells. Dental implants prevent jawbone atrophy, unlike dentures or a bridge.

Do you want “your” tooth back?

Top Dental Technology and How It Helps Optimize Your Dental Health

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:30:50 GMT

Your teeth are far more than the things you use to smile and chew food. Without your teeth, you can’t speak as clearly, and your mouth takes on a different shape, which directly affects how people interact with you.

And not taking care of your teeth means running the risk of many avoidable health conditions, like heart disease and stroke. So even basic dental care can do a great deal to better your overall health, but your dentist has ways of keeping your teeth at their best. Let’s look at the types of dental technology available and what they can do to improve your dental health.

Residents in the Greenwich, Connecticut, area looking for ways to improve their dental health can find help with Mark Sutton, DDS, and Sean Sutton, DDS, of Greenwich Dentistry. Our compassionate team is dedicated to providing you with the best dental care in a relaxed, comfortable environment.

Digital scanner

One of the early steps in determining the condition of your teeth is getting as much accurate information as possible with a digital scan. To accomplish this, the iTero® intraoral digital scanner offers model scanning of your teeth to help us determine plans of action to address any issues you may have.

This method works by using a combination of a hydrogen peroxide whitening gel and LED light to brighten teeth by several shades. The results can last for several months or even over a year.

Zoom! bleaching

This is a great tool for dentists who want to help their patients see the results of the work to be done through a digital mockup. It helps you better visualize the end result, giving you more confidence that your smile will be its best.

Digital Smile Design (DSD)

How technology benefits your dental health

These modern tools make the process of identifying dental problems significantly easier and allow for safer, better solutions than many common tools of the past. With so many digital tools at our disposal, we don’t have to rely on traditional X-rays and other methods of examining your teeth.

Identifying things like bone density with these methods makes it much easier to determine things like the viability of dental implants or the success of root canals. Anything that makes our lives easier will only make it easier to help your teeth look their best.

Now you know the tools we have at our disposal for your dental health. If you’re having a problem with your teeth or you’re just looking to stay on top of your dental hygiene, be sure to make an appointment with us at Greenwich Dentistry today.

To give you the best advantages for improving the health of your teeth, here are the latest tools we use:

The technology we provide

Intraoral digital camera

This device allows us to diagnose and help treat dental caries and monitor restoration of teeth by capturing high-quality images. It’s very useful in endodontics, orthodontics, and other forms of oral medicine.

Laser dentistry

A method that goes back as far as 1989, laser dentistry offers a more comfortable option for patients when performing work on hard or soft tissue. This process can be used for treating many dental issues, such as tooth hypersensitivity, tooth decay, gum disease, and whitening teeth.

Invisalign®

This is an orthodontic tool used to align teeth in a fashion similar to braces, but it uses clear plastic aligners to treat a variety of dental issues such as overbite, underbite, crossbite, open bite, gap teeth, and crowded teeth.

Digital X-rays

A vital aid in detecting areas of bone loss and tooth decay, digital X-rays use an electronic sensor to perform much faster imaging than standard X-rays. The resulting bigger, clearer images can be a great deal of help in detecting problems and helping to guide how a procedure is done.

Understanding the Stages of Gum Disease

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:26:21 GMT

You’ve heard of gum disease, and you may have even heard the terms gingivitis and periodontitis. But do you really know what they all mean? Unfortunately, ignoring a visit to the dentist is exactly the wrong move!

At Greenwich Dentistry, located in Cos Cob, Connecticut, we understand that visiting the dentist isn’t always fun, but we want you to know how essential it is that you make regular dental checkups a routine part of your dental care.

The checkups are so important partly because they allow us to check your mouth for signs of gum disease. According to the CDC, more than 47% of adults 30 and over have some form of periodontal disease.

If you are in that group and you leave the disease unchecked, it can wreak havoc with your mouth, teeth, and even your jawbone. While different dentists may classify the progression of gum disease slightly differently, here’s a general overview to help you understand the stages of gum disease and how to deal with each one.

Stage 2: Early Periodontitis

As the bacterial infection continues, your gum disease turns into periodontitis. Damage at this point is no longer reversible. Your gums will begin to pull away from your teeth as pockets of infection form and even intrude into the jawbone. Your gums will feel soft, spongy, and tender.

Treatment includes a deep dental cleaning called scaling and root planing to remove the bacteria along and below the gum line.

Symptoms of the disease get worse as the infection continues to deepen. More jawbone can be lost, your teeth will begin to loosen, and your gums will recede further. The infection can also enter your bloodstream and attack your immune system. Treatment includes more root scaling and planing to remove as much of the bacteria as possible.

Stage 3: Moderate Periodontitis

As the neglected infection continues to spread beneath your gums, you will develop painful abscesses, and your teeth will loosen so much, they may fall out. Pus will build up between your gums and teeth and may even ooze out, and you’ll have severe pain when you chew. If your disease reaches this stage, it’s likely you’ll lose many or even all of your teeth that must be replaced with dentures.

Now that you know more about the progression of gum disease, you can see how important it is to catch it in the early stages before it causes damage. If you need to schedule a dental exam and cleaning, reach out to our expert team at Greenwich Dental. Just call our office, and we’ll make sure your teeth are clean and your mouth is healthy!

Stage 4: Advanced Periodontitis

When to seek emergency dental care

Any pain lasting more than 12 hours indicates you need emergency dental care. Even minor pain or swelling can indicate a deeper problem, such as an infection, which you want to address without delay.

Early treatment can make a big difference in oral health. If you experience dental pain, don’t hesitate to schedule a professional evaluation.

Our expert team at Greenwich Dentistry is here to help if you have a dental emergency. We can treat the immediate issue and make a personalized plan for your ongoing dental care. For all of your dental needs, call our Cos Cob office today.

If we catch your gum disease at this stage, you can usually reverse any damage with a thorough professional cleaning followed by improving your oral hygiene. Gingivitis begins when plaque and tartar build-up on and between your teeth and then the bacteria they hold begin to infect your gums.

Signs of gingivitis include pink and swollen gums, bad breath, and some bleeding may occur when you brush your teeth. Head straight to the dentist if you notice these symptoms.

Stage 1: Gingivitis

Are You Making These Common Brushing Mistakes?

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:23:52 GMT

It’s not enough to brush for the prescribed number of minutes per day. You have to brush properly, with an eye to getting all particles of food out of your mouth, for brushing to have the desired effect.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, dentists Drs. Mark and Sean Sutton want your oral health to be the best it can be. That’s why they have put together this handy list of the most common brushing mistakes to help you keep your teeth and gums healthy until your next dental visit.

1. Brushing for too short a time

You really do need to brush for at least two minutes, but most people’s guesstimate this time period and guess low. Set a timer or play a fave song while you brush to get you into a good mood and make brushing fun.

Your teeth need a scrubbing, but make it more of a “massage” than a scouring the saucepan kind of cleaning. Pay attention to all the surfaces and angles and don’t feel the need to attack the task of toothbrushing; gentle is better.

2. Overzealous brushing

Some people assume a stiffer bristle leads to a more thorough clean, but that isn’t true — stiff, coarse toothbrush bristles can actually harm your gums. Look for a brush with fine, soft bristles that are close together and can bend under pressure.

3. Using the wrong kind of brush

5. Skipping the gums

Your gum line is a border that bacteria love to cross, sneaking under the gum to grow on the surfaces of teeth below. Over time, this creates small pockets in the gums around the teeth, and this can lead to gum disease and infection. Brush the entire gum line in small circles and rinse well.

Worried about your tooth brushing technique? Ask about getting a brushing and flossing demonstration at your next cleaning. You can schedule an appointment today by calling our office at 203-869-2066 or by booking online.

Here are the five most common mistakes people make when brushing their teeth:

Top five common brushing mistakes

4. Not changing brushes often enough

Toothbrushes wear out every three to four months — sooner if you are a frequent brusher. When bristles look frayed, they lean or out from the center of the brush, or they all bend over in one direction, you’re past due for a new one. Keeping a spare is a good idea in case you realize your brush is used up and need a new one in the evening. You should also change your brush anytime you have been ill and have started recovering.

6 Problems Invisalign Corrects

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:20:54 GMT

If you think braces are the only way to repair your orthodontic issues, think again. Invisalign® aligners are an alternative therapy for many of the same bite difficulties, giving you a beautiful, straight smile you feel confident to flaunt.

Invisalign aligners are nearly undetectable, even from up close. They're also comfortable and tailored to your teeth. Because you take them out to eat and drink, Invisalign does not require any dietary adjustments.

People of various ages come see us at Greenwich Dentistry in Cos Cob, Connecticut. Dental specialists Sean Sutton, DDS, and Mark Sutton, DDS provide comprehensive dental care for adults, teens, and children. Most of our patients benefit from Invisalign, which can often help obtain a straighter smile in less time than it takes with traditional braces.

Here are some of the most common dental alignment issues that Invisalign may correct.

#2 – Under-and Overbite

An overbite occurs when your upper teeth overlap your lower front teeth. Most people have a very minor overbite. If you have a more noticeable overbite, it can damage your appearance as well as your dental health, possibly causing uneven wear on your teeth, as well as jaw pain.

An underbite is the opposite of a crossbite, in which your lower front teeth protrude ahead of your upper teeth, impairing your ability to chew food properly and speak coherently.

For a straighter, more functional bite, Invisalign aligners gently relocate mismatched teeth back into alignment.

The teeth in your upper and lower jaws do not line up properly when you have a crossbite. You could have a single misplaced tooth or several. Tooth damage, a receding gum line, and other gum issues are common consequences of a crossbite.

Your Invisalign treatment plan moves teeth into the proper position to correct any misalignment that is causing problems with your crossbite.

#3 – Misaligned teeth

Food can get lodged in gaps between teeth, causing hygiene issues and dental damage. Furthermore, gapped teeth can make you feel self-conscious about your appearance. Most gaps can be closed with Invisalign; however, if the gap is too great, we may need to suggest additional procedures.

#4 – Gapped teeth

#6 – Crooked teeth

Invisalign is a discreet way to straighten crooked teeth. The clear aligners gradually move your teeth into alignment and you come in about every two weeks to get your next set of aligners. This keeps your teeth moving in the right direction.

If you’d like to find out how Invisalign can help you, schedule a consultation with a Greenwich dentistry provider by giving us a call today. Put your best smile forward!

Teeth that overlap, appear twisted, or are forced in front of or behind adjoining teeth are referred to as crowded teeth. If you have this issue, your teeth may appear to be clumped together rather than uniformly spaced throughout your jaw when you smile.

When you have crowded teeth, it might be more difficult to keep your teeth clean. Brushing all of the tooth surfaces is difficult, and flossing is often impossible when you have really tight contacts. This means germs and plaque have more time to build up, paving the way to tooth decay and gum disease.

A customized Invisalign treatment plan helps to restore normal spacing between crowded teeth, resulting in a more attractive smile and easier oral hygiene.

#1 – Dental crowding

An open bite occurs when your upper and lower teeth do not contact when you close your mouth. It can give the appearance that your teeth are protruding and is most commonly caused by thumb sucking or the use of a pacifier. It can also occur in adults who place pencils or other things between their teeth.

An open bite, like other alignment issues, can impact your appearance as well as generate a lisp, make biting and chewing difficult, and lead to fractured back teeth.

#5 – Open bite

5 Things That May Be Staining Your Teeth

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:17:38 GMT

Your permanent teeth were created to last your lifetime. While they may have started out as pearly whites, the years can take their toll on your teeth in the form of stains and discoloration.

Dental stains and discolored teeth may not be a health hazard, but they can have a negative effect on your self-esteem, making you feel self-conscious about your smile. And feeling good about your smile is important — so much so that nearly all American adults consider a good smile a key social asset.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Cos Cob, Connecticut, our experienced dentists can restore your smile, giving you brighter, whiter teeth after just one visit with our in-office professional tooth whitening treatments.

Our dentists also know prevention is usually the best medicine. That’s why we put our heads together to provide you with a list of some of the most common reasons teeth get stained.

1. Eating and drinking things that affect your enamel

Your favorite foods and beverages may taste delicious, but they could also make it easier for stains to develop on your enamel. Some of the most common stain-causing foods and beverages are:

Coffee and black tea
Red wines and berries
Tomato-based foods and beverages
Foods and beverages with food coloring
Carbonated beverages (soda, sparkling water)

If you’re concerned about dental stains, avoid consuming these products or be sure to brush or at least rinse your mouth as soon as possible after eating or drinking them.

Tobacco products contain nicotine, which can make the enamel of your teeth yellow. Over time, this yellow color can darken and sometimes even take on a brown appearance. Whether you smoke cigarettes or cigars or chew tobacco, now is the time to quit — for both your health and the appearance of your teeth.

2. Smoking or using other tobacco products

Sometimes an underlying health condition can affect the enamel on your teeth, making it change color or become more susceptible to dental stains. Some of these medical conditions include:

Liver disease
Rickets
Eating disorders
Metabolic diseases

Also, while cancer doesn’t cause yellow teeth, the radiation and chemotherapy used to treat it can. If you have one of these conditions or another that’s linked to dental stains, talk to your Greenwich Dentistry provider about a solution.

3. Having an underlying health condition

Professional treatment for dental stains

At Greenwich Dentistry, our team uses the Philips Zoom!® professional in-office whitening system to give our patients the brightest smiles possible. Once your dentist determines that you’re a good candidate, we discuss the level of whitening you desire and review the process with you.

It’s a two-part system: The whitening solution uses safe and effective agents that break down the pigments that stain your teeth, while the light enhances the whitening so that you leave treatment with a smile that’s up to eight shades whiter. The process takes less than two hours in the office.

Are you ready to say goodbye to dental stains or discolored teeth? Schedule an appointment with a provider at Greenwich Dentistry today to get started.

Your teeth can develop stains on the surface of a tooth (extrinsic stains) or because there’s been a change in a deeper layer (intrinsic stains), which affects the tooth’s color. For some people, both types of stains may affect the appearance of their teeth.

In addition, as you get older your teeth naturally become more yellow as the hard enamel that covers the outside of your teeth gets thinner. This means it’s easier for particles to penetrate the surface of your teeth and create a stain and it’s more likely that the darker-colored dentin inside your teeth shows through.

There are many ways you can stain your teeth. Here’s a look at some of the most common things that cause tooth discoloration, dullness, and stains.

Common causes of teeth stains

Some medications can affect the appearance of your teeth, increasing your risk of dental stains, dull-looking teeth, and discoloration. Some of the most common ones include:

Antihistamines
Antibiotics
Blood pressure medications

Don’t stop taking medications you need because of dental stains. Talk to your provider about switching medications, or ask one of the dentists at Greenwich Dentistry about ways to stimulate saliva flow to help keep your teeth brighter.

4. Taking certain medications

5. Not taking preventive dental hygiene measures

Good oral hygiene — like regularly brushing and flossing and having routine professional teeth cleanings — goes a long way toward keeping your teeth as white as possible. If you’re not brushing and flossing enough and visiting your dentist at least twice a year, your chances of having dental stains increases.

7 Ways Veneers Can Enhance Your Smile

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:50:36 GMT

Few people inherit perfect smiles. Furthermore, daily life often throws curves that stain and damage your teeth. It’s good to know that there are plenty of cosmetic dentistry treatments that help you achieve the smile you want.

Dental veneers are more than a simple cosmetic enhancement to brighten your smile. Visit our veneer specialists at Greenwich Dentistry, located in Cos Cob, Connecticut, to learn more about the seven ways that veneers can enhance your smile and reinforce and protect your teeth now and in the future.

2. Fixing chips

Your teeth are one of the strongest substances in your body, but they can still be damaged. Chips are common and are often caused by falls, sports participation, or biting on hard foods, including candy and ice.

The thin porcelain shells of veneers can hide chips and other smile flaws, altering the shape, size, and color of the tooth behind the veneer.

Cracked teeth can still affect your appearance and also make your tooth more vulnerable to decay. Without treatment, a cracked tooth can lead to cavities or tooth loss.

Veneers reinforce cracked teeth, providing cosmetic and structural solutions for your smile. The strong porcelain shells restore your tooth’s healthy appearance while blocking bacteria, reducing the risk of additional damage.

3. Reinforcing cracks

Orthodontic treatment is one way to treat gaps between teeth as well as misalignments. However, if you don’t have a complex or significant alignment issue, braces may not be needed.

Veneers can be manufactured and shaped to close mild to moderate gaps. That is important because inconvenient tooth gaps can be a hiding place for bacteria and plaque. Therefore, veneers can improve your hygiene.

4. Filling gaps

7. Fast results

You’ve learned how veneers can correct many of the same issues as orthodontics. When veneers are an option, the speed of your cosmetic improvements is much faster. There’s no need for months of treatment like with braces. Upon applying your custom veneers, gaps and alignment issues are gone.

Veneers are just one way to improve the appearance and function of your smile. Find out more by calling Greenwich Dentistry. You can reach the appointment hotline at 203-869-2066. Book your appointment today.

Perhaps the best-known use of veneers is teeth capping for a brilliantly white smile. While dental office teeth whitening is a popular and effective treatment, it can’t fix all types of tooth discoloration. Veneers in the whiteness of your choice make an ideal solution when you have stains that don’t respond to regular teeth whitening treatments.

Applied to a discolored tooth, your dental veneer instantly whitens and brightens that tooth. You can choose to treat a single tooth, or you can choose the brilliance of your smile by using veneers on all visible teeth.

1. Your brightest smile

6. Shape adjustments

Gummy smiles are a common issue, where your smile shows an excess of pink tissue above or below your teeth. A perfect smile requires symmetry between the teeth and gums. Veneers are custom fit to your needs, and it’s possible to extend the length of exposed teeth to bring your smile into balance.

5. Alignment fixes

Alignment issues can benefit from orthodontic care, but it may not be necessary for every situation. One or two crooked or out-of-place teeth can be adjusted with veneers and without the time and expense of braces. Veneers quickly conceal mild and moderate misalignments.

Knocked Out Your Tooth? Take These Steps Immediately

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:46:55 GMT

Losing baby teeth happens to everyone. But, when it happens to a permanent or "adult" tooth, you have a dental emergency on your hands.

Teeth are strong, and they’re anchored securely in your jaw. Even so, approximately five million teeth in kids and adults are knocked out every year. Speaking of children and adults, they have a nearly equal risk of this issue because it often happens in accidents that affect anyone, such as sports accidents, falling off bikes, and car accidents.

Thankfully, our experienced dentists at Greenwich Dentistry, located in Cos Cob, Connecticut, can help save your tooth — but only if you preserve it properly and get to our office quickly enough after the accident.

If you knock a tooth out, here’s how to give yourself the best chances of saving it.

Take care of your tooth

That might seem obvious, but the first thing to do is find the knocked-out or broken piece of tooth. Once you find it, only touch it by the crown — that’s the visible, top portion of the tooth you can see when it’s in your mouth. If you handle the root that normally extends into your jaw, you can damage the tooth, reducing your chances of saving it.

After you find the tooth, rinse it with bottled water or milk, but don’t scrape, scrub, or use alcohol on it.

Finally, it’s crucial to keep the tooth moist. If you can, place the tooth back into its socket after rinsing your mouth out. You can also place it in a small container of milk or a special tooth preservation kit like “Save-A-Tooth.” Do not put a knocked-out tooth in tap water — exposing the tooth to the chemicals in the water can damage it.

Once you clean and safely store your tooth, head straight to our office.

If you want to save your tooth, See one of our dentists as soon as possible. The sooner we can assess the situation and take action, the better the chances we can save your tooth.

After we replant or repair your tooth, you’ll come back for a follow-up visit to make sure everything is still going well. That allows us to check that your tooth has reattached to your jaw and determine whether you require any additional care. For instance, a tooth that has been reimplanted after being knocked out is more susceptible to decay, so some people might need a root canal in the future.

And, rest assured that if we can’t save your tooth, you won’t have to live with a gap in your smile. We also offer several solutions to replace missing teeth, including bridges and dental implants.

If you knock out a tooth or have another dental emergency, don’t wait to contact our dental team. Call Greenwich Dentistry right away, and we’ll take great care of you.

Get to our office quickly

Any incident that can knock out a tooth may leave you a little shocked, but it’s essential that you stay calm.

If you can find and preserve your tooth, our dentists can potentially repair it and reimplant it in your jaw. If you call our office right away and let us know what happened, we can offer instructions to guide you, and then provide emergency dental services to treat your broken or knocked-out teeth.

However, for the best results, you have to act very quickly. If you stay calm and handle the tooth correctly, you have about 60 minutes before your tooth’s chances of survival begin to drop dramatically.

Don’t panic

The Benefits of Laser Dentistry

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:44:11 GMT

You’ve undoubtedly heard of the use of lasers for medical and aesthetic procedures, but did you know that lasers have also advanced the field of dentistry? While it’s still not widespread, laser dentistry techniques are changing how dentists perform routine and specialized treatments while greatly improving patient comfort and healing.

At Greenwich Dentistry, located in Cos Cob, Connecticut, you and your family can enjoy the benefits of laser dental treatments. We often recommend laser dentistry to their patients for a variety of different procedures for improving gum, tooth, and jawbone health.

Powerful yet safe

Lasers are very strong yet still very safe. They allow our dentists to treat the affected soft tissues and teeth while keeping the nearby areas of your mouth intact and unharmed.

Laser dentistry is less painful than many traditional dental procedures. For example, if we use laser dental techniques to fill a cavity, you may not even need anesthesia. The laser allows your dentist to target the treatment area more precisely than other methods, so less of your mouth feels pain or discomfort.

Less pain

Overall, laser treatments are less invasive than traditional procedures. Less invasive means less chance of infection after the treatment, potentially reducing your recovery time.

Minimally invasive

Is laser dentistry right for you?

If you’re looking for dental treatments that offer an effective solution to many different dental issues, if you want to improve your oral health, and if you want an easier, gentler experience at the dentist, then laser dentistry may be right for you. Whether you’re looking for a solution to sleep apnea or just need a filling, it’s worth finding out if you’re a good candidate for laser dentistry treatments.

Take the first step by calling our friendly, caring dental team at 203-869-2066, or schedule a consultation through our website today.

Laser dentistry uses light waves that convert into thermal energy, or heat, making laser technology a versatile tool for several types of treatments. With this advanced technology, our dentists can treat many different oral health issues, including soft tissues like your gums and hard structures like teeth and bone.

We use lasers in routine and specialized procedures, including:

Oral cancer detection
Painless removal of benign oral tumors
Preparation for a tooth receiving a filling
Teeth-whitening
Gum disease treatment
Canker and cold sore healing
Sleep apnea treatment
Improving denture fit

Our dentists may use laser dentistry in all phases of your treatment, from diagnostic to prevention.

How laser dentistry works

Lower anxiety about your procedure

Let’s face it: Many people feel anxiety before visiting the dentist to have a tooth filled or their gums treated to improve oral health. Laser dentistry helps eliminate your anxiety because it’s quieter than a drill and less physically intrusive. Once you experience the comparatively quiet and calm of a laser dental procedure, you’ll be calmer before you get here and more relaxed during every procedure.

Less bleeding and swelling also contribute to a speedier recovery process after your treatment. With more invasive, manipulative treatments, your gums won’t swell or bleed as much as they might.

Less bleeding and swelling

Why Your Child Should Get Sealants

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:40:21 GMT

Cavities are the leading cause of dental appointments for children. Some kids may get them as soon as their teeth erupt.

The breakdown of enamel is caused by carbohydrates in the diet. The bacteria in your child’s mouth feed on carbohydrates, and as the bacteria break the carbs down, they release an acid that eats away at tooth enamel.

A diet high in sugary cereals, pastries, soda, and sweets increases the risk of cavities. However, protein and fats don’t have an impact on your child’s risk of developing cavities.

Aside from making healthier choices for your child — which includes feeding them balanced meals with protein, fats, and healthy carbohydrates coming from vegetables — you can also opt for dental sealants.

Below, we asked our experts at Greenwich Dentistry to explain how dental sealants can prevent cavities and help you avoid a hefty medical bill.

At what age your child can get sealants

As soon as your child gets their first set of molars, which is usually around the age of six, you can opt for sealants.

When they reach the age of 12, and their second set of molars emerges, you can schedule an appointment to get a protective sealant on those as well.

Unlike fillings — which take longer to fix, cost more, and cause more discomfort during the procedure — sealants can be applied within minutes.

One of our experts uses a special solution to coat your child’s molars and dries the solution with a special light. Then the sealant is in place.

What to expect at the dental office

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dental sealants can prevent 80% of the cavities on the back teeth, where the majority of cavities occur.

Many insurance plans cover dental sealants, but even if you have to pay out-of-pocket, dental sealants are significantly cheaper compared to dental fillings.

How effective sealants are at preventing cavities

Ensure your child’s teeth stay cavity-free with dental sealants

Contact us to schedule an appointment, and ensure your child’s teeth are protected with an affordable yet powerful solution against cavities. Dental sealants can also be applied for adults who want to protect their molars against decay.

Sealants are thin coatings of plastic that our experts apply on the back molars, where the majority of the cavities occur.

The sealants fill the crevices and the grooves that are more likely to store food particles and are harder to reach with a toothbrush. Once put in place, sealants can last up to 10 years.

Sealants 101

The Benefits of Getting a Digital Impression of Your Teeth

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:36:56 GMT

Tooth loss is a big problem in the United States, with 120 million people missing at least one tooth, and 36 million people not having any teeth at all. People lose teeth for a number of reasons including dental caries (tooth decay), injuries, and oral cancer. And many need some sort of dental appliance just to chew and speak properly.

Whether you need dentures, bridges, implants, or some other dental prosthetic to manage missing teeth, one step you need to take is getting a dental impression. A dental impression allows a full 3D picture of your teeth to aid your dentist in making decisions on how dental appliances are placed, and traditional methods can be a bit messy and mildly uncomfortable.

Residents of Cos Cob, Connecticut, in need of dental impressions can find help from Dr. Sean Sutton and Dr. Mark Sutton and the experienced medical team at Greenwich Dentistry.

To fully understand the benefits of digital impressions, let’s look at how traditional dental impressions work, how a digital impression is different, and how the digital version provides more benefits.

How is a digital impression different?

With a digital impression, the dental putty is replaced altogether, using instead a digital wand that passes over your teeth. The wand is part of a digital scanner that gathers information to compile a full image of your dental architecture. The whole process only takes a few minutes.

Here are the advantages of digital impressions:

How do digital impressions benefit your teeth?

Digital impressions record data of exactly what is in your mouth, providing as accurate a representation as possible for the fabrication of dentures, bridges, and crowns.

An accurate replica of your mouth

No unpleasant taste

Without dental putty, you don’t have to be concerned about the unpleasant taste that comes with waiting for it to set. The digital wand merely passes over your teeth to capture images.

Although still a newer process, digital impressions have quickly become more common, and the advantages over traditional methods are already clear. So, if you need dental work that requires a dental impression, make an appointment with Greenwich Dentistry today to enjoy the advantages of digital impressions.

With traditional impressions, a dental putty is placed into plastic or metal trays. These trays are placed over your teeth and left there until the putty hardens (often taking a few minutes). These impressions are then sent off to a lab where a cast is made from the impressions.

There are three different types of impressions made: preliminary, final, and bite. The first is a diagnostic impression used to start the process of making bridges, dentures, or other appliances. The final impressions are the ones sent off to the lab for fabrication of usable appliances, and the bite impression is used to demonstrate how your upper and lower teeth fit together.

How do you get a traditional dental impression?

No chance of teeth getting pulled out

Occasionally (but rarely), people with severe trauma or loose teeth run the risk of losing a tooth when a traditional impression is removed from their mouth. This can create problems that require a second impression to be made. Digital impressions don’t entail these specific risks as there is nothing to add pressure to sensitive teeth.

Gagging is a common complaint with traditional impressions, and if you’re someone who has a severe gag reflex, that can put you off the process entirely. The wand used for digital impressions simply passes over your teeth for a short time without causing any undue unpleasantness.

Removes the risks of gagging

My Teeth Are Stained and Dingy. What Are My Options?

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:33:20 GMT

When did you first start to notice that your teeth look less than perfect in terms of tone and color? Maybe stains snuck up on you, and you only noticed how dingy your teeth look when peeking in a mirror with harsh lighting.

You might have noticed a change for the worse in your smile’s appearance when looking back at photos of yourself or comparing the color of your teeth to that of younger people.

Either way, now that you see stains on your teeth, it might be hard to get that flaw out of your mind. An imperfect dental appearance can damage your self-esteem and even stop you from smiling in public.

At Greenwich Dentistry of Greenwich, Connecticut, we offer professional-quality teeth whitening treatment and cosmetic dentistry options to restore the pristine appearance of your smile.

If you’re stressed out about stained or yellow teeth, consult with Dr. Sean Sutton and Dr. Mark Sutton of Greenwich Dentistry to better understand the tools available to you to address it.

Cleansing your dental enamel

You’d be surprised how much of a change a brighter smile can make in your overall appearance. Whiter teeth can even make you look younger!

While at-home whitening kits are available for sale, over-the-counter products aren’t likely to give you ideal results. The Greenwich Dentistry team offers results you can count on, with significant, even-toned whitening and brightening of your smile using state-of-the-art laser Philips Zoom technology. The procedure takes about two hours to complete.

At Greenwich Dentistry, we use safe and effective agents to lift stains away from your dental enamel. The effect is enhanced with the application of LED light technology, only available with an in-office dental whitening treatment.

The team at Greenwich Dentistry works with you to determine the best target shade to leave your smile looking natural and perfect after your treatment session.

For teeth whitening treatments that can restore the smiles of adults of all ages, get in touch with the Drs. Sutton and the team at Greenwich Dentistry. Schedule your appointment over the phone today.

Both staining and yellowing of teeth relate to issues with dental enamel. Your teeth are naturally coated with a layer of this hard but somewhat permeable protective substance. The enamel is also what gives your teeth that “pearly white” look. Damage or wear-and-tear to your dental enamel can leave you with an inconsistent tooth tone or shade.

Your dental enamel can develop stains over time due to certain foods, beverages, and behaviors. Blueberries, coffee, and smoking cigarettes are common causes of dental discoloration and staining. Good dental hygiene limits staining to a certain degree, but once stains have penetrated your dental enamel, you won’t be able to get them off with a toothbrush.

Dental enamel also wears away over time, especially if you brush too hard or drink lots of acidic beverages. The underlying layer of your teeth, dentin, is more yellow than the white enamel covering. If the enamel wears thin, the yellow shade of your dentin starts to show through. That’s why teeth often appear more yellow as you get older.

Dental enamel discoloration

Here’s How to Floss Around Your New Crown

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:31:16 GMT

Dental crowns are a form of restorative work that can make your smile look new again. Whether you’ve had a root canal or you’ve decided to cover over misshapen teeth, a dental crown can help your teeth look great.

But a dental crown is a significant investment in your teeth, so you want to protect it as well as you can. One of the best things that you can do is to maintain good oral hygiene practices, including flossing. The providers at Greenwich Dental explain more about the correct ways to floss around your new crown.

How long crowns last

You can expect your crown to last for 5-10 years on average. However, you can do a lot to influence the lifespan of your crown.

Brushing your teeth on a regular basis and properly flossing can improve your oral health and extend the length of time you can make your crown last.

You need to floss at least once a day but it’s important to make sure that you’re doing it the right way.

Use the floss in a C-shape to floss around your crown. You should carefully move the floss out of your mouth, so you don’t end up pulling on the edges of the crown.

Make sure that you floss in an up-and-down motion, rather than in a side-to-side sawing type of motion.

How to properly floss around your crown

If you can’t get in the habit of using floss on a regular basis, you do have alternative options. You can use a water flosser, which sprays jets of water to get the food particles out from between your teeth.

However, you shouldn’t use floss picks as an alternative to flossing your teeth. Floss picks don’t do as good of a job at removing all the plaque between your teeth.

If you need a dental crown, schedule a consultation today. Contact the skilled providers at Greenwich Dentistry or request an appointment online.

Alternatives to using floss

A crown is like a cap over your natural tooth. It’s made with ceramic or other materials. Crowns are used in the following circumstances:

Your tooth is cracked
Your tooth is weakened by previous cavities
If you’ve had a root canal
Your teeth are severely decayed

A crown is color-matched to your surrounding teeth, so you shouldn’t need to worry about how well it will match.

When you might need a crown

How Long Will My New Veneers Last?

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:28:47 GMT

Veneers have become a top choice for many people seeking to improve their smile by brightening it and covering over small imperfections. Veneers are relatively inexpensive compared to complete smile makeovers and can deliver a fantastic smile for years to come.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, dentists Drs. Mark and Sean Sutton deliver the latest in dental technology including beautiful veneers which correct a multitude of dental flaws. To ensure your new veneers last as long as possible, here’s what you need to know.

Enamel removal

To ensure your new veneers fit snugly against the front faces of your teeth, we remove a thin layer of enamel from your teeth. We give you a local anesthetic to ensure this process won’t hurt, and it only takes a few minutes.

We carefully create molds of your teeth to tailor your veneers for a perfect fit and a smooth, even smile. During this step, we discuss what you want your smile to look like.

One of the great things about veneers is that we can cosmetically alter your smile to slightly change the appearance of the shape of your teeth, as well as lighten your smile by multiple shades.

Mold creation

We send the molds of your teeth to a laboratory along with all of the specifications for their fabrication. When your new veneers arrive at our office, you come in for the application. We fit your veneers securely to your teeth with a special bonding agent and ensure they are even and snug for a perfect smile.

Veneer application

How long veneers will last

The lifespan of your dental veneers is directly affected by how well you take care of your oral health. Brush and floss daily as you would anyway, visit your dentist twice a year for cleanings, and make an appointment with our office promptly if a veneer shows any sign of damage.

Porcelain veneers can last up to a decade or longer but need replacing eventually. When it’s time, don’t put off replacement veneers. Since your enamel has been thinned on the face of your teeth, your teeth are vulnerable if your veneers loosen or come off.

To learn more about dental veneers, schedule an appointment today by calling our office at 203-869-2066 or by booking online.

Dental veneers are thin shells of porcelain that create a perfect front-facing facade for each tooth. We customize these shells to fit perfectly over your teeth and can lighten the color of your smile.

Here are the steps involved in making these customized porcelain shells:

How veneers are made

Start the New Year With Cosmetic Dentistry and a Big Smile

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:26:08 GMT

The new year is here, and many people’s thoughts turn to self-improvement. Have you made any New Year’s resolutions in the last few weeks? You’re not alone. Did you know that one of the places where you can achieve the best aesthetic results is actually with your teeth?

If you notice that you hide your smile because of how it looks, cosmetic dentistry could be a part of your plan for a better future. When you feel good about your smile, it’s easier to put yourself out there — at work, with family, in photos, and with friends. A perfect smile is a great start to a perfect year!

At Greenwich Dentistry, Dr. Sean Sutton, Dr. Mark Sutton, and their team offer a variety of cosmetic dentistry options. What do you want to change about your smile? Visit our Cos Cob, Connecticut, office and find out more about the best dental interventions to brighten, straighten, or repair your teeth.

Gaps and crooked teeth

One common complaint about the appearance of teeth is that they may not all be straight and even. You might have some crooked teeth, visible gaps between teeth, or issues with bite alignment like an over- or under-bite.

Improperly aligned teeth aren’t just a cosmetic issue. Well-aligned teeth tend to be easier to care for, with fewer places for debris and bacteria to gather and cause potential oral health problems.

Your provider at Greenwich Dentistry looks at your bite alignment and suggests the best techniques to straighten and even out your teeth. You could benefit from clear dental aligners that work even better than traditional wire braces, straightening your smile in less than a year.

The dental enamel that coats the outside of your teeth can become stained. And, dental enamel tends to wear away over time, revealing deeper dentin layers with a more yellow color. Maybe your cosmetic dentistry plan for this year is going to be all about teeth whitening treatments.

At Greenwich Dentistry, we provide professional teeth whitening that’s more effective, and safer for your mouth, than any drugstore kit. Our team customizes trays of bleaching solution to fit your mouth perfectly and brighten your teeth by several shades! You also don’t have to worry about discomfort, even if you have sensitive teeth, with our gentle whitening services.

You might also be interested in dental veneers. This cosmetic dental procedure covers the front of your natural tooth with a thin layer of material, often porcelain. Veneers can address both the color and shape of your teeth, and you can use veneers to change the appearance of one of your teeth, or your whole bite.

To learn more about all the ways that the team at Greenwich Dentistry can improve the appearance of your smile this year, giving you great results that can last for years to come, contact us today. Schedule your initial consultation appointment over the phone now, or request an appointment with our online tool.

Stains and yellowing

The first step to get a great looking smile is to make sure that all your teeth are in good repair. Your provider at Greenwich Dentistry may recommend dental restoration procedures, including fillings, crowns, dental implants, and bridges to repair or strengthen damaged teeth.

Once your teeth are all strong and healthy, it's time to start talking about aesthetics and cosmetic dentistry.

Dental restoration

5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Invisalign Treatment

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:23:31 GMT

There’s a lot to love about Invisalign®. Since it was approved in the mid-1990s as an alternative to the metal bracket-and-wire braces for mild-to-moderate alignment issues, it’s been a game-changer in the orthodontic industry.

Instead of metal, Invisalign uses a series of removable, clear aligner trays to shift your teeth into their correct positions, and unless someone’s looking closely, no one will know you’re having work done.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Cos Cob, Connecticut, Dr. Sean Sutton and Dr. Mark Sutton are pleased to offer Invisalign to their patients who need orthodontic treatment. While most patients find them easy to use and wonderfully clear, they come with a few rules you need to follow to make the most of your treatment.

Here are five ways you can get the most out of your treatment.

2. Follow your treatment plan

In most cases, you’ll get a series of several trays at each office visit. You wear each set in the series for about two weeks, then switch out to the next set. We provide you with written instructions.

Following the instructions and swapping out trays at specific times are integral parts of your treatment plan. Each tray places the precise amount of force your teeth need at a given time to make them move. After you’ve reached the end point for that set, though, leaving them in longer won’t do anything to help your bite. Use the trays as directed and in the proper order to reach the maximum adjustment.

As we’ve mentioned, you need to take your aligners out when you eat and drink. Not only is that to prevent damage to the trays, but it’s also to prevent food and drink from causing stains in the plastic. Once the stains are there, you won’t be able to get them out, and your aligners will no longer be clear.

Yes, it’s tempting to grab a coffee on the run or gobble down your Chinese take out with extra soy sauce, but think before you act and remove the aligners first.

3. Just say “no” to stains

With metal braces, there are so many nooks and crannies where the brush can’t go and where the floss gets stuck. With Invisalign, you remove the trays before brushing and flossing, so you can get everywhere. Remember to clean the aligners at the same time, so bacteria don’t build up between the material and your teeth.

4. Practice good oral hygiene

5. Take good care of your aligners

Aligners aren’t toys, and if you’re going to invest time and money into these oral appliances, you should invest in their care as well. Make sure to brush, rinse, and let the office know if any part is rubbing too tightly.

If you need orthodontia and are thinking of going with Invisalign, it’s time to come into Greenwich Dentistry for a consultation with one of our dentists. To get started, give the office a call at 203-869-2066, or contact us online today.

Metal braces boast a 100% compliance rate, since you can’t take the hardware out. Invisalign, though, is designed to be removed when you eat and when you brush your teeth. That means you have to remember to put the trays back in when you’re done.

In addition, to get the results you want in the treatment period your dentist specifies, you need to wear your aligners 20-22 hours each day, even when you’re sleeping. You need to be responsible enough to keep to the schedule to get the job done.

1. Be responsible

How Laser Dentistry Can Improve Your Oral Health

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:20:55 GMT

The field of dentistry has changed a lot in the past few decades, and one change that’s made a big difference to both dentists and patients is the use of lasers. Laser dentistry harnesses the precision of laser energy to treat an array of problems without drills or other invasive tools.

You may already know that lasers can help people whiten their teeth. But laser technology is used in many other ways too.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Cos Cob, Connecticut, Sean Sutton, DDS, and Mark Sutton, DDS, are skilled in state-of-the-art laser dentistry treatments aimed at helping patients enjoy optimal oral health while alleviating the anxiety that often goes hand-in-hand with dental visits.

In this post, our team reviews five ways laser dentistry can help you maintain your healthy smile.

2. Treats tooth decay

Traditionally, “drilling and filling” has been the first-line treatment for cavities. While effective, drilling can cause additional tooth trauma by damaging healthy tooth material surrounding the decayed area.

Because lasers are precise, they can eliminate the decayed portion of the tooth without harming healthy tooth material. That precision also means less discomfort as your tooth heals.

Nearly half of Americans have gum disease, a leading cause of adult tooth loss. Triggered by bacterial infection, gum disease causes your gums to recede, allowing bacteria to move down the tooth surface to the root.

Deep-cleaning techniques can sometimes treat gum disease in its early and middle stages. Advanced disease may require oral surgery to peel back the gum tissue and access the root.

At our practice, we use lasers to access infected tissue below the gum line, carefully and precisely removing it using laser energy. This approach involves far less tissue trauma and less bleeding, risk of infection, and discomfort afterward.

3. Treats gum disease

Lasers rely on highly focused beams of energy to remove infected soft tissue and eliminate decayed tooth material, resulting in far less trauma, bleeding, and swelling. As a result, treatment is much more comfortable, and recovery is more comfortable too.

That’s especially important for the roughly 20% of adults who suffer from dental anxiety, avoiding appointments often because they worry about pain. Lasers also eliminate another common cause of anxiety: the noise of a dental drill.

4. Makes treatment more comfortable

5. Speeds up recovery

Finally, laser dentistry can speed up your healing time after treatment. As noted, because laser procedures are less invasive than traditional dental treatments, they cause less tissue damage, bleeding, and swelling.

These factors combine to support a faster recovery. Plus, lasers help promote the development of collagen, a protein that plays a key role in tissue healing.

The versatility of laser treatment means they’re used in lots of treatments that support optimal oral health at every age. To learn how lasers can help you maintain your beautiful, healthy smile, call 203-869-2066 to book an appointment with the team at Greenwich Dentistry today.

Tooth sensitivity happens when sugars or sensations like cold or heat travel through tiny tubules in your tooth’s dentin — the layer just below the enamel. The tubules deliver those sensations to nerves in the central pulp part of your tooth.

Tooth sensitivity can happen to anyone but is more common among people with receding gums and those with thin or worn enamel. Lasers help reduce sensitivity by desensitizing nerve responses, helping you enjoy the foods you love without worrying about tooth pain.

1. Reduces sensitivity

Why the iTero Digital Scanner Will Improve Your Dental Visit

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:18:08 GMT

Few people enjoy dental visits, but modern amenities can make your trips to the dentist more comfortable. Such amenities as iPads, noise-canceling headphones, and innovative technology like the iTero® digital scanner can help you relax.

Take traditional dental impressions.

Instead of old-school putty and trays that leave you scraping the chalk-like flavor out of your mouth, the iTero scanner is digital. It involves a wand-like device to scan your mouth and take digital impressions of your teeth and gums.

This advanced imaging technology creates a 3D model of your teeth and gums in minutes so you and your dentist can see an accurate rendering of your mouth.

We prioritize our patients’ comfort at Greenwich Dentistry in Cos Cob, Connecticut. You can listen to your personal Spotify channels on our noise-canceling headphones or relax in silence if you prefer. And we use other innovative tools, such as the iTero digital scanner.

No more messy impression material

Even in the best scenario, the putty materials used in traditional impressions are uncomfortable; for some patients, they’re gag-inducing. No matter how they flavor this putty, it’s no fun having it plastered in your mouth and waiting while it sets.

The iTero scanner takes impressions of your mouth in a few minutes vs. the 10 minutes or more it takes with putty impressions. It’s also more accurate because results using the traditional method can get distorted thanks to tray placement, putty shrinkage, or patient movement.

Faster and more accurate

With an accurate 3D model, your providers at Greenwich Dentistry can show you exactly what’s happening in your mouth. The iTero scanner also allows you to visualize the “after” if you’re considering specific treatments.

Clear communication

No radiation exposure

Traditional putty impressions require patients to sit for X-rays, which means radiation exposure. But the iTero scanner is radiation-free and completely safe. That could be especially comforting if you need multiple impressions taken.

To learn more about the iTero digital scanner and how technology can improve your dental visits, call the Greenwich Dentistry office at 203-869-2066 today to schedule an appointment.

Here are five ways this advanced digital tool can improve your dental visit while helping us better see the shape of your teeth and gums.

How the iTero digital scanner enhances your comfort

The iTero digital scanner is helpful in various applications. Whether you need restorative treatments like crowns and bridges, cosmetic treatments like veneers, or orthodontic treatments like Invisalign®, the scanner ensures we have the necessary and most accurate information.

Versatility

Straighten Your Teeth Without Anyone Knowing

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:13:54 GMT

Straightening your teeth can transform your oral health as well as your smile. Yet, you may not want to live with a mouthful of metal. Those metal brackets and wires can cut up the inside of your mouth and feel embarrassing.

Fortunately, modern technology like Invisalign® straightens your teeth with near-invisible aligning trays. These aligners are made of clear plastic and fit over your teeth. Because the aligners blend with your teeth, they’re less visible than traditional metal braces.

We want you to be comfortable at Greenwich Dentistry in Cos Cob, Connecticut. To help you relax during your visit, we offer amenities like noise-canceling headphones and smart TVs tuned to your favorite show. And we provide modern solutions to straighten teeth, like Invisalign.

How Invisalign works

Our expert team at Greenwich Dentistry takes digital X-rays of your mouth to develop your custom aligners. With these images, we create a 3D model of your teeth and mouth to plan your ideal smile. You can even get a sneak peek at your future smile.

Your dentist describes your personal Invisalign plan. Depending on your situation, you change your Invisalign aligners approximately every two weeks and go through 18-30 aligners. Your dentist checks your progress every 6-8 weeks; the process takes about a year.

Why patients like Invisalign clear aligners:

They’re nearly invisible
There are no dietary restrictions because you take them out to eat
There are fewer dental visits than with traditional braces
They’re more comfortable than conventional braces

And thanks to 3D imaging, you can glimpse your future smile before you start.

Crooked teeth are tough to clean properly. When you can’t floss well between your teeth, bacteria can build up, leading to tooth decay and gum disease.

Not everyone is born with perfect teeth. Many people have teeth spaced too far apart or too close together. Some people have teeth that don’t meet in front, which causes an underbite or overbite. These issues can impact your chewing, speaking, or ability to maintain oral hygiene.

To discover more about how Invisalign can straighten your teeth without anyone knowing, call the Greenwich Dentistry office at 203-869-2066 to schedule an appointment.

Why straight teeth are good for your oral health

Invisalign is the brand name for a series of clear aligners that blend in with your teeth when you wear them. Custom-made for your mouth, they gradually shift your teeth if used properly.

You can take them out when you eat and brush and floss your teeth; otherwise, you need to wear them 20-22 hours each day. Much less visible than traditional braces, many people find Invisalign trays more comfortable to wear too.

Invisalign straightens teeth discreetly

Kick Off Summer with a Bright White Smile

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 15:56:46 GMT

Enhancing your pearly whites is always a good idea. A bright, white smile can make you look and feel more confident and make a great impression. One effective way to achieve a brilliant smile is through an advanced teeth whitening system.

Whether your teeth are stained by coffee, tea, red wine, cigarettes, or other common culprits, our expert team at Greenwich Dentistry can restore your smile. One effective system is laser teeth whitening via Philips Zoom.

What can you expect after your teeth whitening?

We provide personalized aftercare instructions tailored to your lifestyle and needs. This guidance may include avoiding or limiting certain foods and beverages that cause teeth staining, such as coffee, red wine, or berries.

You also need to keep up with your oral hygiene. Regular flossing and brushing are always in fashion and help maintain a healthy and bright smile.

If you’d like to know more about this advanced teeth whitening treatment, schedule a consultation here at Greenwich Dentistry in Cos Cob, Connecticut. One of our team discusses your teeth whitening goals with you and makes recommendations for your personalized plan.

You probably know that certain drinks, foods, and tobacco products can stain your teeth. But did you know aging also dulls your once-pearly whites? As you age, your tooth enamel thins and your teeth can appear yellow thanks to the yellowish cast of the material (dentin) underneath.

Philips Zoom is a professional teeth whitening treatment that scrubs away even the most stubborn discoloration and enhances your smile.

It’s a combination of a powerful peroxide-based whitening gel that bleaches your teeth and an LED light that speeds the process and makes for a brighter, whiter smile in just one session.

Also known as light-activated teeth whitening, Philips Zoom is more effective than at-home teeth whitening treatments. It’s performed under the supervision of a dental professional, so you get the results you want.

It’s also convenient because you can enjoy a brighter smile in under two hours. How much brighter? Some people see up to eight shades lighter in only one session.

At your session, you lean back in the chair and allow the expert application of the specially formulated gel.

Then, you can relax with a neck pillow and watch your favorite show on one of our smart TVs or listen to music via headphones while the Philips Zoom LED light activates the gel to work faster and deeper so you can enjoy a bright, white smile.

Teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic dental procedures available because it’s safe, noninvasive, and accessible, and it boosts confidence. Imagine flashing your pearly whites at your next meeting or event — or at the beach this summer.

How Philips Zoom works to brighten and whiten your teeth

Scared of the Dentist? Try Laser Treatments

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 15:46:33 GMT

Dental anxiety is real for some people and might cause them to neglect their oral health. If that describes you, there’s good news: Advances in technology in the form of laser treatments can help you get the dental care you need without the anxiety.

Say goodbye to hand-scraping tartar and plaque buildup. A focused light beam can gently clean your teeth instead.

At Greenwich Dentistry, we aim to make your dental visit as comfortable as possible. We offer amenities such as smart TVs to watch your favorite shows, noise-canceling headphones, and laser treatments.

How do dental lasers work?

You might already know that a laser is a strong beam of light. When used in a surgical procedure or at a dental office, the laser can vaporize hard or soft tissues when needed — for example, in preparation for a root canal.

We also use lasers for teeth whitening because the beam helps the whitening solution seep into your teeth quicker to give you immediate results.

Dental lasers are powerful tools with a variety of applications depending on your oral health needs and goals.

Many patients appreciate the efficiency of the laser. Patients with dental anxiety can relax because it often eliminates the need for a drill or local anesthesia. And if you’re relaxed, your dentist can work more quickly.

When used in dental cleaning, lasers eliminate plaque buildup without the traditional hand-scraping. And they can detect tooth decay and eliminate bacteria that lead to gum disease.

Also, most people experience less pain and swelling with dental laser treatments. Healing is faster with laser dentistry.

Laser dentistry, however, isn’t appropriate for all dental procedures. For example, if you’re replacing a loose filling or you need a bridge, laser treatment may not be possible. In that case, we still do everything possible to ensure your comfort at Greenwich Dentistry.

If you’re letting dental anxiety get in the way of needed dental care, schedule a consultation at Greenwich Dentistry to see if laser dentistry might be the solution. Call our office in Cos Cob, Connecticut, and let our expert team help put you at ease.

The benefits of dental lasers

Dental laser treatments offer a safe and powerful way to treat tooth decay, find cavities, and make fillings quick and less painful. Laser dental treatments can remove bacteria from your teeth and gums to reverse gum disease.

Laser dentistry helps reduce tooth sensitivities and can whiten discolored teeth too.

What are dental laser treatments?

What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 15:43:53 GMT

If you’re suffering from a throbbing toothache or fractured tooth, you need urgent dental care. But there’s a difference between urgent care and a life-threatening dental emergency.

The American Dental Association classifies dental emergencies as situations involving uncontrolled bleeding, swelling, or facial bone trauma that threatens to block a patient’s airways.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Cos Cob, Connecticut, we take a broader view of dental emergencies because we know how pain can disrupt your life.

We see patients with broken or chipped teeth, severe mouth pain, facial swelling, and other issues that call for emergency dentistry. If you’re experiencing mouth pain and unsure what to do, you can always reach one of our dentists by phone.

1. Throbbing toothache

If you’re suffering from persistent pain in your tooth, come in to see us. A toothache can indicate an infection, a cavity, or other root cause that needs attention.

If you’re in an accident or suffer an injury that knocks out a permanent tooth, that’s a dental emergency. To have the best chance of saving your tooth, we recommend rinsing it and trying to put it back in its socket. You can use gauze or a cold tea bag to reduce bleeding.

If you can’t put the tooth back into its socket, drop the tooth in a glass of saliva or milk and bring it with you. We can stop the bleeding and address your pain as we work to save your tooth.

2. Knocked-out tooth

You might have an abscess if you have a bad taste in your mouth, fever, throbbing pain, sensitivity to temperature, or pain when you bite.

You might’ve heard of an abscessed tooth but aren’t sure what that means. Simply put, it’s a pus bubble that forms on or around your tooth. It’s a sign of an infection from a cavity or previous dental work; if it breaks, it can be dangerous.

3. Abscess

If you’re in an accident and break your jaw or other facial bones, go straight to the ER. Call us at Greenwich Dentistry if you experience any of the following common dental emergencies:

5 common dental emergencies

If you have swelling along your jaw that’s painful or tender to the touch, it’s a good idea to have it checked out. Facial swelling could indicate something serious.

At Greenwich Dentistry, we’re equipped to handle a range of dental emergencies in-office, and a dentist is available by phone to offer emergency guidance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Contact us at 203-869-2066.

5. Facial swelling

If you see or feel a bump on your gums, it could be a canker sore, which is irritating but not dangerous. Or, it could be something more serious, like a symptom of an abscessed tooth.

4. Bumps on your gums

How to Make the Most of Your Dental Crown

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 15:36:11 GMT

Dental crowns are common in modern dentistry. True to the name, dental crowns are covers for your teeth. Each crown is measured for a specific tooth to fit correctly and provide protection. A crown covers damaged or broken teeth.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Cos Cob, Connecticut, we recommend dental crowns for several reasons, including after a root canal, to help support a bridge, or to cover a tooth with a large filling. The purpose of a crown is to ensure your tooth’s longevity.

We use porcelain and zirconia for dental crowns. Porcelain can match your tooth color, so it’s good for more visible teeth, while zirconia offers a strong material for your back molars. We also give care instructions for your dental crown.

Care and maintenance of your dental crown

There’s no special care required for a crown beyond your daily flossing and brushing. Maintain good oral hygiene at home and keep up with your twice-a-year teeth cleanings to make the most of your dental crown.

Dental crowns blend in with your existing teeth and protect damaged teeth. They’re a great option to avoid losing a tooth altogether, which can be painful and lead to other complications.

Our dentists at Greenwich Dentistry offer dental crowns and many other services to ensure the long-term oral health of our patients. To learn more or schedule an appointment, call our Greenwich office today.

When we recommend a dental crown, it’s because you have a damaged tooth. For example, you may have a back molar that’s more filling than a tooth. Or you may have pain from an infected tooth that only a root canal can solve. In both cases, a crown offers protection.

We install dental crowns in two visits. On the first visit, we eliminate any bacteria from the infected area and take impressions of your tooth to ensure a perfect fit. The impressions are sent to a lab that custom-builds your crown.

In some cases, we place a temporary crown over your tooth to protect it until the permanent crown arrives.

On your second visit, we check the fit of the crown and bond it to your tooth with dental cement. It may take a day or two for the crown to settle; once it does, you’ll forget it’s there.

Your new crown prevents further damage to your tooth and does so for a long time — with proper care, your crown can last 10 years or more.

What to expect from a dental crown?

Dental Implants vs. Veneers: Which Are Ideal for Me?

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 15:33:45 GMT

When you’re ready to address dental issues to enhance your smile, you have options. Two popular ones are dental implants and veneers. They’re different procedures, however. Which one might work best for you?

With any dental decision, there’s no one-size-fits-all choice. At Greenwich Dentistry, we evaluate your oral health and learn your preferences to make recommendations that suit your needs. We offer general dentistry and specialized procedures like veneers and dental implants.

Here are the differences between these two popular smile-enhancing options.

Durability

The titanium implant becomes part of your jawbone; it’s sturdy and designed to last a lifetime.

Implants look and function like natural teeth for a great smile and easy chewing and speaking.

Natural looking

Implants preserve your mouth’s structure because they keep adjacent teeth from shifting. And they promote a healthy jaw by preventing bone loss in your jawbone, a risk with missing teeth.

Improved oral health

These long-term, durable devices replace missing or severely damaged teeth. The process involves surgically implanting a titanium post into your jawbone. The post, once it fuses with your jawbone, anchors an artificial tooth or crown customized to match your other teeth.

The advantages of dental implants include:

Dental implants

Dental implants restore your smile. There’s no need to worry about unsightly gaps or dentures that don’t stay in place.

However, getting a dental implant requires a surgical procedure, has a higher initial cost than veneers, and takes several months to complete.

Confidence boost

Porcelain veneers are matched to your teeth’s natural color, and food, drinks, and smoking won’t stain them. With veneers, your smile remains bright.

Stain-resistant

Veneers are thin shells custom-made for the surfaces of your teeth. Typically made of porcelain, they can disguise discolored, chipped, or misaligned teeth.

There are several advantages of veneers:

Veneers

Getting veneers doesn’t require surgery, and the procedure can be completed more quickly than with implants.

Minimally invasive

Which option is best for you?

Choosing between dental implants and veneers depends on the problem you’re trying to fix.

Implants are a great choice if you’re looking for a permanent solution to replace missing teeth or improve functionality. Veneers are ideal if you want a dazzling smile without surgery.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Cos Cob, Connecticut, we’re happy to discuss these and other cosmetic dentistry offerings. Call our office today to schedule your appointment.

Veneers can solve dental issues like gapped teeth, crooked teeth, and irregularly shaped teeth. They’re also good for stained teeth that haven’t responded to whitening.

However, although veneers are long-lasting, they have a lifespan of 10-15 years and are susceptible to chips or cracks over time.

Versatility

5 Popular Reasons to Consider Invisalign

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 15:22:36 GMT

No longer do you have to choose between a mouthful of metal or crooked teeth. Invisalign® is the modern alternative to traditional braces. It works on overcrowded mouths, teeth widely spaced, and underbites or overbites.

This innovative orthodontic treatment uses a set of clear, removable aligners to shift your teeth gradually into the desired position.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, we assess your oral health, take imprints and X-rays of your teeth, and discuss your goals for a dazzling smile. If it’s a fit, we recommend Invisalign. This popular treatment is nearly invisible, and many find it more comfortable.

1. Predictable results

Before you start wearing Invisalign clear aligners, your Greenwich Dentistry provider uses a 3D imaging tool and computer simulations to predict your teeth’s movement. They show you a virtual representation of how your teeth move at each stage.

This step helps you visualize what to expect from Invisalign treatment, and you can easily track your progress as you move through the series of aligners.

You can take Invisalign aligners out when you eat, brush your teeth, or floss. Traditional, fixed braces can trap food particles in your teeth, making it hard to floss, but Invisalign makes it easier to maintain dental hygiene.

Also, if you want to take out your aligners for a special occasion, you can.

2. Better dental hygiene

The rough metal edges and wires traditional braces are known for can tear up the inside of your mouth. Invisalign is smooth and designed to fit your teeth comfortably. Each set of aligners gradually shifts your teeth gently and comfortably compared with metal braces.

3. More comfortable

5. Shorter treatment

Often, people find their Invisalign treatment takes less time than it would with traditional braces. While everyone’s case differs, 12-18 months is typical for Invisalign. Also, you won’t need to visit the office as much; you receive multiple aligners and can change them at home.

If you’d like to flash a gorgeous smile and want to know more about discreet, comfortable, efficient Invisalign, the team at Greenwich Dentistry can help. Call our Cos Cob office today to schedule your appointment.

This popular alternative to metal braces offers many benefits beyond that they’re hardly noticeable, including:

5 reasons to consider Invisalign

4. No dietary restrictions

With traditional braces, you’re advised not to eat popcorn, nuts, and many other foods. The concerns range from the risk of damage from a popcorn kernel to the stickiness of a marshmallow. However, with Invisalign, you can remove your aligners to eat whatever you want.

All About Dental Sealants

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 15:17:43 GMT

Modern dental care includes sealants to ward off cavities. Cavities are common, but dental sealants can help you prevent them by adding a thin, protective layer to your molars.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, we offer a range of dental care services, including such preventive measures as teeth cleanings and dental sealants.

How dental sealants work

At Greenwich Dentistry, getting dental sealants is a simple and painless procedure. We start by thoroughly cleaning your teeth to ensure there’s no debris or bacteria on the surface of the tooth or teeth being treated.

Next, we add a special solution that creates a rough surface on the teeth so the sealant has something to stick to. Then we apply a liquid sealant that quickly hardens.

Thanks to a fast and painless procedure, dental sealants are a perfect cavity prevention measure for children, teens, and adults. They’re more cost-effective than filling cavities, and they can last years. Plus, there’s no downtime, so you can go about your day afterward.

When you have regular teeth cleanings, we check your sealants and may recommend reapplying. But if you keep up with brushing, flossing, and dental checkups, your sealants offer excellent next-level protection for your teeth.

Benefits of dental sealants

If you’re considering sealants, be aware of their limitations too. For one, they primarily protect the chewing surfaces of teeth. They don’t protect the sides or areas between your teeth. You still need to brush and floss your teeth daily.

Sealants do wear down over time or can become damaged. Your Greenwich Dentistry dentist can advise you on when it’s time to reapply.

Dental sealants are a useful cavity-fighting tool, allowing your molars to perform their important function free from decay. To learn more about sealants or other ways to protect your teeth, call our Cos Cob office today.

Limitations of dental sealants

The molars in the back of your mouth help you chew food. Those teeth feature a rugged surface that allows you to tear meat and other foods into small particles so you can swallow and digest them.

However, the molars — most adults have 12 — have pits that can collect food particles, and brushing and flossing don’t always get rid of them.

Those food particles can break down on and around your molars and lead to cavities. Dental sealants offer a protective barrier for your molars, preventing what you eat from settling in your molars and causing decay.

Sealants have become more popular as dentists increasingly prioritize cavity prevention.

Why consider dental sealants?

Do This if You Knock Out a Tooth

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 15:13:49 GMT

If you’re 5 years old, losing a tooth is a cause for celebration. You proudly show off the empty space in your mouth while waiting for the “toof” fairy to appear. But losing an adult tooth isn’t fun. That’s a dental emergency.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, we offer emergency dental services. Dr. Mark Sutton and Dr. Sean Sutton are available via telephone to guide you in case of a dental emergency, such as having a tooth knocked out in an accident or because of injury.

1. Find the tooth

Hopefully, you can find your tooth in one piece. If so, carefully pick it up by the top and avoid touching the sensitive tooth roots. If the tooth is broken, bring whatever pieces you can salvage to the office.

If the tooth has dirt on it, rinse it gently with milk or a saline solution, but don’t put it under a running faucet. Use a bowl of lukewarm water if necessary.

2. Rinse off the tooth

You can replace the clean tooth in your mouth if the roots are attached to the tooth. Fit it right back into its socket if you can.

Otherwise, transport the tooth in a cup of milk or keep the tooth in your cheek. Milk and saliva are the best ways to keep a knocked-out tooth moist. You don’t want it to dry out, but don’t plop it in water.

3. Preserve the tooth

5. Manage your pain and bleeding

Ibuprofen can help with pain. Stay away from aspirin, which is a blood thinner and can prevent clotting. Use gauze or a damp tea bag to apply pressure to the area and encourage blood clotting while you make your way to the office.

The team here at Greenwich Dentistry is committed to safeguarding your oral health. If you’re experiencing a dental emergency, call our Cos Cob office at 203-869-2066 as soon as possible. We may be able to save your tooth.

First, stay calm and focused. The next few minutes can make the difference in saving your tooth. So, take a breath and focus.

What to do if you knock out a tooth

4. Get emergency dental care

At Greenwich Dentistry, one of our dentists is always available by phone and can advise you of your next steps.

Ideally, you get to the emergency dentist within a few minutes, but certainly within an hour. The quicker you get to the dentist, the better chance we have of reattaching your tooth.

Signs It's Time to Fix the Gap in Your Teeth

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 14:54:49 GMT

If you feel self-conscious about the gap between your teeth, you don’t have to cover up the problem. You're not alone if you try to hide the gap in your teeth by keeping your mouth closed when you smile.

A study found 3 in 5 people don’t like their smiles. If you’re in that group, you can do something about it.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, the father-and-son team of Dr. Mark Sutton and Dr. Sean Sutton offers a variety of cosmetic dentistry treatments to correct a range of smile flaws, including gapped teeth, and help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted.

Signs that it’s time to fix your teeth gap

Enhancing your confidence and self-esteem are good reasons to fix your dental gap. The team at Greenwich Dentistry wants you to enjoy your smile. If you’re hiding your smile instead, then it may be time to see us.

Other reasons to consider fixing your teeth gap include:

To make chewing easier; food may get stuck in the gap
To speak more clearly; a gap may cause a whistling sound when you talk
To lower your risk of gum irritation due to infection
To prevent surrounding teeth from shifting and causing misalignments or bite issues
To help fix other orthodontic issues, such as crowded or crooked teeth

If you’re ready to fix the gap in your teeth, we have several options at Greenwich Dentistry, including veneers and Invisalign®.

Veneers are thin porcelain shells placed on the fronts of teeth to hide imperfections, including gaps. Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment that relies on a series of clear aligners to move your teeth gradually into proper position.

If you’re ready to get started on a new smile, call the Cos Cob office of Greenwich Dentistry today.

The most common dental gap is between your two front teeth. Known as midline diastema, it’s often genetic. If your siblings or a parent also has a gap in their front teeth, you have your genes to thank. However, sometimes your teeth gap is due to something else.

For example, some teeth gaps result from a swallowing reflex where you press your tongue to the back of your front teeth instead of the roof of your mouth. Gapped teeth can also be a symptom of gum disease.

We can trace other types of diastema to small teeth, missing teeth, or a band of connective tissue that’s too big for your mouth. This connective tissue, called the frenum, links your lips to your gums.

Teeth gaps are common, and our dentists can diagnose the reason and discuss the options for closing the gap.

What causes teeth gaps?

Love Coffee but Want a White Smile? Here Are Some Simple Tricks

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 14:50:26 GMT

Your smile is often the first impression you make, and no one wants to flash a mouthful of stained teeth. Before you wrap your hands around another cup of joe, here’s how to enjoy coffee while maintaining your pearly whites.

Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, offers a full range of dental care services, including professional teeth whitening if your smile needs a reset.

Tips to maintain a white smile and still enjoy coffee

Fortunately, you don’t have to give up coffee to maintain a bright smile. Consider these simple habits — you likely do some of them already.

Using a straw reduces how much contact coffee has with your teeth. Less direct contact helps reduce staining.

Use a straw

Coffee contains many acids that can weaken teeth enamel, so clean your teeth after your coffee to avoid damage. However, don’t do it right away as that can further harm the enamel.

Saliva naturally breaks down coffee acids, so if you wait an hour after drinking coffee to brush your teeth, you let saliva do its thing. Then, brushing your teeth can wash away the stains before they set.

If you’re on the go and can’t brush your teeth, rinse your mouth with water. Even a quick water rinse can help prevent the tannins from clinging to your teeth.

Brush your teeth

Get professional teeth whitening

If your love of coffee has already taken its toll on your teeth, Greenwich Dentistry can help. We use Philips Zoom whitening treatment, combining a bleaching solution with LED light technology to noticeably brighten your teeth.

Some patients see their teeth get up to eight shades lighter after a Zoom whitening session.

To see if professional teeth whitening is right for you, call the Cos Cob office of Greenwich Dentistry today.

Dental enamel is your teeth’s protective coating. But it’s not indestructible. The acids in coffee can weaken enamel and create a path for tannins and other plant-based substances to discolor your teeth over time.

Why coffee stains teeth

See our dentists for regular cleanings and checkups every six months. Drs. Mark and Sean Sutton evaluate your oral hygiene and recommend treatment options, including teeth whitening.

Schedule regular dental cleanings

The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is a natural mineral found in water and many foods. It strengthens your teeth enamel to help prevent tooth decay.

Don’t forget to floss. Flossing is a big part of a healthy mouth and bright, clean teeth.

Maintain good oral hygiene

Don’t sip on a cup of coffee throughout the day because that gives the coffee more time to coat your teeth.

Drink it at once

The Truth About Sugar and Your Teeth

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 14:41:12 GMT

You probably know sugary treats wreak havoc on your teeth. But you might not realize it’s not simply sugar’s fault. It’s what happens after you indulge that leads to tooth decay, gum disease, and other problems.

Maintaining a healthy mouth and teeth requires regular dental checkups. On your first visit to Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, we get to know you and your oral health concerns so we can provide the best dental experience possible.

Common misconceptions about cavities

You know tooth decay leads to cavities (dental caries), gum disease, and other dental problems. Tooth decay starts with enamel-destroying bacteria, but it’s not just sugar that can lead to cavities. Here are a few misconceptions about cavities.

No matter how much you may indulge your sweet tooth, sugar isn’t the only cause of cavities.

Carbohydrates like bread and pasta can rot teeth and even lead to dry mouth. If saliva production drops, your mouth has fewer good bacteria to restore tooth enamel.

Sugar is the sole cause of cavities

Actually, they do. Sure, those tiny teeth fall out at some point, but if your little one gets cavities, it can lead to future problems. Baby teeth cavities can result in issues with jaw structure, bacterial infections, and crooked adult teeth.

Baby teeth cavities don’t count

Expert dental care

The Greenwich Dentistry team led by Dr. Sean Sutton and Dr. Mark Sutton can help you catch potential dental problems early and treat existing ones before they worsen. To schedule your appointment, call the Cos Cob office today.

Your mouth is home to countless bacteria. Many help you digest food and provide other benefits, but some produce harmful acids when they interact with sugar. These acids eat away at your tooth enamel, a process called demineralization.

When you brush your teeth, you wash away many of these bacteria, and your saliva holds different bacteria that help repair the tooth enamel. You want to make sure you have more of the good bacteria than the bad.

What happens when you eat sugar

Plaque, tartar, gingivitis, and gum disease are all signs of poor dental hygiene. They can be painful, lead to further tooth decay, and cause tooth loss if not treated properly.

Fortunately, preventive care goes a long way to preventing a multitude of problems beyond cavities. Brushing your teeth after meals, flossing twice a day, and scheduling dental checkups twice a year can keep your pearly whites healthy and intact.

Oral hygiene is just about cavities

You always know when you have a cavity

It’s hard to ignore a painful tooth or heightened tooth sensitivity to hot and cold. But in the early stages of a cavity, you might not feel anything. That’s yet another reason to have checkups every six months.

Are Sealants Only for Children?

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 14:36:48 GMT

You know that regular teeth brushing, flossing, and dental checkups are vital to ensure oral health at all ages. Yet, you may not have considered dental sealants for your adult teeth.

Dental sealants are protective coatings for your molars that protect these hard-to-clean teeth from cavities.

Sealants have become popular in recent years for children, but that doesn’t mean they’re only for children. Studies show young adults ages 20-34 have the highest incidence of cavities in their back teeth, making those in this age group good candidates for dental sealants.

Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, offers general dentistry, including routine cleanings and dental sealants.

What to expect from dental sealants

When you visit Greenwich Dentistry for dental sealants, we first clean your teeth. We want to start with a fresh canvas by removing any plaque. Next, we dry your molars and may apply a solution that makes your teeth a little rougher so the sealant bonds better.

Next, we apply sealant to your back teeth. Once it’s applied, we let it harden and may use a special light to help it cure. The whole process only takes a few minutes.

We make a final evaluation and schedule your next visit. You can return to your daily schedule because there’s no downtime needed after the procedure.

With sealants, you don’t need to do anything special to care for your teeth. You can brush and floss as usual and feel confident your teeth are protected.

The bottom line is cavities aren’t just for kids. Adults get them too.

To determine if your teeth are good candidates for dental sealants, we evaluate them and may take X-rays to assess your overall oral health. We may not recommend dental sealants if you already have extensive tooth decay, tooth restorations, or other oral health problems.

If you’re considering the cavity-fighting protection of dental sealants, schedule an appointment with Greenwich Dentistry by calling our Cos Cob office today.

Are dental sealants right for you?

Your hard-working molars do most of the chewing when you eat. And because they’re in the back of your mouth and contain multiple grooves, they’re harder to clean. Food can get caught in your molars and lead to cavities.

Dental sealants can reduce cavity risk by 80%. Painting a dental sealant on the top surface of a tooth creates a smooth surface, which makes cleaning the tooth easier and reduces the likelihood that food gets trapped and leads to decay.

Fewer cavities make for better long-term oral health and less expensive dental bills later in life.

Benefits of dental sealants

Help! I Just Found an Abscess on My Gums

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 14:33:21 GMT

Does your tongue keep poking an inflamed bump on your gumline? That unmistakable, pus-filled bump makes you groan because it hurts — and you know it won’t go away on its own.

The expert team at Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, can help you find relief from a painful gum abscess. We evaluate your inflamed gums, diagnose the cause, and prescribe treatment. We offer emergency appointments so you can feel better sooner

Causes of abscesses

Bacteria can take up residence in your gums or between your teeth and gums, leading to an abscess. An abscess can happen for several reasons.

Poor oral hygiene

If you haven’t maintained a regimen of brushing, flossing, and routine dental care, plaque and tartar build up in your mouth, allowing bacteria to gather and leading to gum disease.

You can remove plaque with regular brushing and flossing. Plaque that hardens, known as tartar, is much more difficult to remove. Professional dental cleanings scrub away the plaque and tartar, which is why your teeth feel so smooth and clean after a dental visit.

Trapped food particles

Small pieces of food that get trapped between your teeth or in your gums become a breeding ground for bacteria. Flossing helps, but pockets can still develop in your gums to trap food, especially if you had a molar pulled or are missing another tooth.

If something sharp punctures your gum, a toothpick, for example, this injury can allow bacteria into your mouth. An injury like that can turn into an abscess.

Injury

An untreated cavity or toothache could prompt your body to create a gum abscess to protect the rest of your teeth and prevent infection from spreading. But you don’t want to ignore it.

Existing dental concerns

Seek immediate dental care

Don’t hesitate to make a dental appointment if you have an abscess. Left untreated, what started as an uncomplicated abscess can turn into a serious, even life-threatening illness. For example, the infection can spread and lead to a sinus infection or blood infection.

Treating an early abscess is usually a routine procedure. We may prescribe an antibiotic and drain the abscess. If we drain it, we numb the area and make a tiny incision. Sometimes, we need to perform a tooth extraction or root canal.

If you have a painful abscess on your gums, call the Cos Cob office of Greenwich Dentistry today for effective relief.

An abscess can occur anywhere in your body. It’s a localized infection characterized by a small, pus-filled bump surrounded by tender, swollen tissue. Your body creates a defense mechanism to prevent the infection from spreading.

What’s an abscess?

Other risk factors

Smoking, poor nutrition, a compromised immune system, and even medical conditions like heart disease can increase your risk of gum abscesses.

Simple Ways to Make Sure Your Gums Stay Healthy for the Long Haul

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 14:29:00 GMT

The health of your gums is more than just an oral care concern. Gum disease can lead to conditions like dementia, diabetes, and heart disease.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, Drs. Mark and Sean Sutton help you maintain healthy gums and teeth to protect your oral and overall health. Here, they offer a few simple, healthy habits to ensure your gums provide you with a lifetime of protection.

Simple ways to maintain healthy gums

The basic healthy habits below are foundational to good health, including healthy gums.

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins and low in sugar can contribute to gum health. Sugars and acids can damage your tooth enamel and contribute to inflammation. When you limit these, you help your teeth and gums stay healthier.

Eat healthy foods

Smoking and using tobacco products do more than stain teeth. They weaken the body’s immune system, making it harder to fight gum disease.

Drink plenty of water

Water keeps you hydrated and produces saliva to help neutralize harmful acids that damage your teeth and gums.

Don’t smoke or use tobacco products

Schedule regular checkups

See our expert dental team every six months for a checkup and professional cleaning. Our dentists can detect and treat gum disease early and help you maintain healthy gums.

Dental health goes beyond a great smile. Your mouth is also a window into your overall health. Taking steps now to maintain healthy gums gives you a better chance of preventing gum disease and other serious diseases over the long haul.

To schedule your dental checkup, call Greenwich Dentistry at our Cos Cob office today. We look forward to helping you achieve healthy gums and teeth.

Your mouth contains lots of bacteria. These serve as teeth and gum protectors, keeping things in balance until you eat or drink something that causes some bacteria to multiply.

This bacteria buildup can cause inflammation, triggering your body’s immune system to bring the bacteria into balance. All this activity can damage your gums, and the “bad” bacteria can infiltrate your bloodstream, putting you at higher risk of several degenerative diseases.

The mouth’s role in your overall health

Your twice-daily teeth cleanings remove plaque caused by bacteria buildup. Use a soft-bristled brush and brush gently so you don’t damage your gums. Don’t forget to floss daily, as it removes plaque from between your teeth.

Brush and floss daily

Use therapeutic mouthwash

The American Dental Association classifies mouthwash as therapeutic or cosmetic. Therapeutic mouthwash includes fluoride, essential oils, and peroxide to reduce plaque, gingivitis, and other barriers to healthy gums and teeth.

Signs You're Grinding Your Teeth and Don't Even Know It

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 14:19:47 GMT

Teeth grinding is common. Also known as bruxism, it can cause problems such as jaw pain, headaches, and damaged teeth and jaws. And you might not even know you’re doing it. Many people grind their teeth while asleep. Waking up with certain symptoms could be a clue.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, our experts see firsthand the signs of bruxism. Here, they share some common ones, so you can get the treatment you need.

5 signs of teeth grinding

Knowing you’re a teeth grinder is the first step toward protecting your teeth. Here are some common symptoms.

Regularly grinding or clenching your teeth can flatten them, damage the protective enamel, and even cause a fracture. Tooth enamel keeps your teeth healthy when intact; if damaged, it can lead to tooth sensitivity.

Teeth grinding can also impact fillings, crowns, and other dental work. Regular teeth cleanings are the first line of defense against such outcomes.

Damaged teeth

Underneath your tooth enamel is a softer material called dentin. Dentin has minuscule tubes leading to the nerves of your teeth. If your enamel is worn down and exposes the dentin, your teeth can be highly sensitive to hot, cold, or acidic foods or drinks.

Teeth sensitivity

Jaw pain

Teeth grinding can cause jaw soreness because you’re overworking the muscles. In extreme cases, teeth grinding can lead to temporomandibular joint dysfunction or TMJ. TMJ can make your jaw tender, so it hurts to eat or speak.

It’s common to clench or gnash your teeth at times of high stress or anger. But if you grind your teeth throughout the day or night, you might do serious damage to your choppers.

Grinding your teeth at night is called sleep bruxism, which might be accompanied by sleep apnea (interrupted breathing during sleep). Routinely grinding your teeth when awake could relate to stress or anger.

Either way, you might not realize you’re grinding away at your pearly whites.

What’s bruxism?

Earaches

The ears are close to the jaws, so teeth grinding can affect them too. Repetitive grinding creates tension in the jaws and head. That might show up as ear pain or a ringing in your ear.

How to stop grinding your teeth

After we evaluate your teeth, we ask a few questions about your lifestyle and sleep habits. In some cases, we recommend a mouthguard to protect your teeth while you sleep.

Sometimes, the root cause of teeth grinding is an abnormal bite or misaligned teeth, and we might recommend an orthodontic solution, Invisalign®.

Psychological or sleep problems like sleep apnea can cause teeth grinding. Stress management tools like exercising or therapy can help, as can treatment for sleep apnea.

Don’t let bruxism damage your teeth. If you regularly experience any of the above symptoms, Greenwich Dentistry can help. Call our Cos Cob office to schedule your appointment today.

Waking up often with a headache can indicate bruxism. Imagine spending the night gritting or grinding your teeth and the tension that could cause. People have described this feeling as a tension headache, a common symptom of teeth grinding.

Headaches

Are You Brushing and Flossing Properly?

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 12:46:19 GMT

You’ve probably been told to brush and floss your teeth since childhood. But did you know there’s a proper way to perform these daily habits? Following dentist-approved methods can help you maintain healthy pearly whites.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, our experts offer the latest in dental care. From teeth whitening to emergency dental care to routine teeth cleaning, they share the best oral care methods with patients, including how to brush and floss your teeth.

Use the right toothbrush

We recommend a soft-bristled toothbrush, which strikes a balance between a brush that’s too soft or too hard. Soft bristles can remove the bacteria that leads to plaque and tartar buildup and, eventually, cavities.

A toothbrush that’s too hard can wear away protective enamel on your teeth and damage your gums.

The American Dental Association (ADA) offers toothbrush ratings to help you choose a good one. Remember to change your toothbrush every three months.

It’s easy to develop habits detrimental to your dental health, such as scrubbing your teeth and gums.

Instead, hold your soft-bristled toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and use short, back-and-forth motions on your teeth. The ADA recommends two minutes of brushing. Set a timer or play your favorite two-minute song to keep you on track.

Don’t brush right after eating. Acidic foods and drinks soften tooth enamel, so brushing right away can remove some enamel. After 30-60 minutes, your saliva has had time to neutralize these acids. Saliva helps balance pH levels in your mouth.

Don’t brush too hard. It’s easy to damage your gums with enthusiastic teeth brushing.

Brush up on your technique

Hopefully, you floss at least once a day. Flossing your teeth removes food particles and plaque, making it easier to rinse them away when you brush.

Wrap the floss around your index fingers and slide it between your teeth. Gently rub the floss against your teeth and scrape upward. Don’t dig around your gum line with the floss or use a sawing motion with the floss between your teeth.

If your gums bleed or feel tender when you floss or brush, you might be using too much force.

If you experience tooth or gum pain, visit us at Greenwich Dentistry. We recommend dental cleanings every six months for your best oral health. Call our Cos Cob office today to request an appointment.

What about flossing?

It’s possible to brush your teeth too hard or use the wrong toothbrush. That can cause:

Receding gums
Sensitive teeth
More cavities
Plaque and tartar buildup

If any of those sound familiar, reconsider your teeth-brushing routine.

Brushing your teeth

Versatile Veneers: The Perfect Cover-Up

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 12:30:55 GMT

You have a dull ache in your tooth. Is it a dental emergency? Most everyone experiences tooth pain at some point, so it helps to know when it requires emergency treatment.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, our expert team recognizes that dental emergencies can be stressful. We offer a calm environment to evaluate your teeth and ensure you receive proper medical treatment so you feel better.

The American Dental Association (ADA) categorizes dental emergencies as life-threatening situations. You may need immediate treatment to stop bleeding, stem an infection, or relieve severe pain. However, some dental emergencies might be less obvious.

Take tooth pain. It’s usually an underlying symptom of problems that can become a dental emergency if left untreated. Treating it sooner rather than later can save you stress, pain, and money.

Who benefits from veneers

Anyone who feels self-conscious about their smile could be a good candidate for veneers. They can cover up:

Discolored teeth
Chipped teeth
Uneven teeth
Cracked teeth
Gummy smile
Gapped teeth

Veneers could be a good option for you if you have :

Healthy teeth and gums
Good oral hygiene
Enough tooth enamel
No teeth-grinding habits

Extensive cavities or gum disease could be disqualifying. At your consultation at Greenwich Dentistry, we assess your oral health to see if veneers are right for you.

If you’re considering veneers or are unhappy with the appearance of your teeth, our expert team can assess your teeth and oral health and make a recommendation.

If you decide to proceed, we take a small amount of enamel from the tooth or teeth being treated. That helps the veneers adhere to the teeth.

We then take an impression of your teeth. The dental lab uses these impressions to make your veneers.

On your return visit, we apply the veneers to your teeth with a special bonding cement and use a laser to harden the adhesive within about 20 seconds.

How veneers work

Once we place your veneers, we usually recommend waiting a few hours before eating — and sticking with soft foods to start. Some people find their teeth are extra sensitive to heat or cold in the first days after getting veneers.

Veneers don’t require any special care. You only need to brush and floss as usual and attend regular dental checkups.

Dental veneers can transform your smile. If you’d like to discuss whether they’re a good option for you, call our Cos Cob office today to book an appointment with the team at Greenwich Dentistry.

What you can expect afterward

Dental veneers are razor-thin, porcelain shells that we bond to the front of one or several of your teeth. They hide imperfections while giving you a dazzling, natural-looking smile.

Your veneers are custom-made, and we can match them to your natural tooth color. No one knows you have veneers unless you tell them.

What are dental veneers

Is a Dental Bridge the Best Choice to Replace My Missing Teeth?

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 12:24:48 GMT

No one wants holes in their smile, but the loss of teeth is more than a cosmetic issue. Missing teeth can lead to significant oral health problems.

If you’re missing teeth, a dental bridge can be a good option. Dental bridges replace missing teeth in a natural-looking and functional way.

The expert team at Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, guides you through the best choices for your teeth, including whether a dental bridge is best for your situation.

Types of bridges

There are four types of bridges to satisfy different patient needs:

This common bridge uses pontics supported by crowns on the teeth adjacent to the gap. Traditional bridges are long-lasting and look natural. A downside is that they require work on healthy teeth for the crowns.

Traditional

This option can help if you only have one tooth next to the gap to use for support. It’s less invasive than a traditional dental bridge and could be a good choice in certain situations.

Cantilever

A dental bridge, as its name suggests, bridges the gap between teeth. Whether you’re missing one tooth or several teeth, a dental bridge often uses crowns on either side of the gap to stabilize the artificial teeth in between.

These artificial teeth, known as pontics, are made of porcelain, gold, or other materials.

What’s a dental bridge?

Implant-supported

This type of bridge uses dental implants to anchor it. Implant-supported bridges prevent bone loss and are durable. A downside is the implant requires surgery and, therefore, a longer healing process.

Each bridge type makes it easier to chew food, looks natural, and requires only routine care. But which is right for you? It depends on factors like oral health, jawbone health, and the health of the adjacent teeth.

Before recommending a type of bridge for your missing teeth, we evaluate the number of missing teeth, jawbone density, potential risks, and preferences. We rely on a combination of physical evaluation and imaging studies like X-rays to make recommendations.

If you’re ready to address your missing teeth, we’re ready to help. Whether it’s a dental bridge or another teeth-replacement option, our expert team at Greenwich Dentistry can help you make the right decision. Call our Cos Cob office today to make an appointment.

Resin-bonded

A less-permanent dental bridge can be a good option for still-growing adolescents. If your child loses a tooth playing sports, for example, this type of bridge may be right for them. We attach a fake tooth or teeth with a winged device that mounts to the back of the adjacent teeth.

Give Yourself the Gift of a Smile Makeover This Holiday Season

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 12:15:09 GMT

This holiday season, consider giving yourself a gift you’ll enjoy for a long time. A smile makeover can boost your confidence, improve your health, and help you start the new year with a big grin.

Teeth whitening

Teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic dental procedures. It’s a quick, effective way to brighten teeth stained by products like coffee, tea, or red wine. Another common cause of teeth discoloration is getting older, which can leave teeth looking yellow and dingy.

Professional whitening treatments can scrub these stains so your teeth have a movie-star sparkle.

Dental veneers are thin covers custom-made for the fronts of your teeth. Veneers hide gummy smiles, cover cracked or gapped teeth, and address other smile imperfections. They’re noninvasive and can last for years.

Veneers

The nearly invisible alternative to metal braces, Invisalign straightens crooked teeth, addressing teeth gaps, underbites, and overbites.

Invisalign offers predictable results and is more comfortable than traditional braces. The process involves custom, clear aligner trays to gradually shift your teeth to the correct place. You take them out to eat, brush, and floss your teeth. Most people wear them for about a year.

Invisalign®

New smile in the new year?

Greenwich Dentistry is your trusted resource for a smile makeover. At your consultation, we evaluate your oral health and smile goals to make appropriate recommendations. If you’re ready for a whiter, brighter smile, call our Cos Cob office today to schedule your appointment.

A smile makeover is a transformative approach to oral health using several cosmetic and restorative dental treatments.

With a smile makeover at Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, we review your options for a more radiant smile and create a customized plan that accounts for your skin tone, teeth color, shape, size, and other elements.

These are some of the most popular treatment options for smile makeovers.

What’s a smile makeover?

Implants

Dental implants replace missing or badly decayed teeth. Titanium screws serve as the tooth roots. We implant these screws into your jawbone and attach crowns to them. The result gives you the look, feel, and functionality of natural teeth.

According to the American Dental Association, dental implants are one of the most significant dental advancements in decades. They also make excellent replacements for poor-fitting dentures.

Crowns protect weakened teeth. We usually recommend a crown to strengthen a tooth with a large filling because the crown holds together what’s left of the tooth. We also recommend crowns after root canals. They’re often made of porcelain to match your teeth.

Crowns

Start the New Year with a Whiter, Brighter Smile

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 11:57:49 GMT

A brighter, whiter smile is a confidence booster and a wonderful way to kick off 2025. A healthy smile projects friendliness and makes a good first impression.

At Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, our expert team specializes in gleaming smiles. Here, we offer a handful of strategies to brighten your smile in the new year.

Brush for two minutes

Yes, two minutes of teeth brushing can feel like an eternity, but dentists have their reasons.

First, two minutes means you only spend 30 seconds per mouth quadrant. Second, brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day reduces plaque, which can reduce cavities and gingivitis. Don’t forget to use toothpaste with fluoride and to floss after brushing.

You already know too much sugar isn’t good for you. But you might not realize the harm it can do to your teeth. Sugar promotes bacterial growth, breaking down your tooth’s protective enamel.

Reduce sugary foods

Professional teeth whitening at Greenwich Dentistry can reverse teeth discoloration. As mentioned, the teeth’s protective outer shell breaks down over time. As the enamel weakens, the yellowish, softer material (dentin) underneath shows through.

Habits like drinking coffee or smoking cigarettes can stain your teeth, stains that brushing alone can’t remove. That’s where whitening treatments can help.

We typically use a peroxide-based solution combined with laser technology to bleach your teeth and return them to their original glory. Just one session can brighten your teeth up to eight shades.

Consider teeth whitening treatments

What you can expect

When you visit Greenwich Dentistry, our expert team assesses your oral health, asks about your medical history, and discusses your goals for a whiter smile. We can then make a recommendation that may include whitening treatments.

To learn more, call our Cos Cob office today to make an appointment.

It’s normal for teeth to become discolored over time, taking on a yellowish or grayish tint because of age, what you eat and drink, or other factors. Here are five ways to change that:

New Year’s resolutions for a whiter smile

Schedule regular dental care

A great way to get and maintain a bright smile is by attending regular dental checkups. In addition to dental cleanings, your bi-annual dental visits include oral health checks to ensure you aren’t showing early symptoms of gum disease or forming any cavities.

Coffee, tea, red wine, and tobacco products are common culprits for discoloration. They contain chemicals that can get into the nooks and crannies of your teeth. Coffee, tea, soda, and other consumables also contribute to increased acidity, which breaks down tooth enamel.

Reduce tooth-staining items

Copy of 4 Benefits of Dental Sealants for Children

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 11:44:50 GMT

You have a dull ache in your tooth. Is it a dental emergency? Most everyone experiences tooth pain at some point, so it helps to know when it requires emergency treatment.

Take tooth pain. It’s usually an underlying symptom of problems that can become a dental emergency if left untreated. Treating it sooner rather than later can save you stress, pain, and money.

Infections

You could have an infection if you have ongoing, throbbing dental pain. For example, an abscessed tooth has a pocket filled with pus caused by bacteria.

Infection symptoms can include redness, swelling, pain, and even fever. Such symptoms require emergency dental care. Don’t let them linger; infection can lead to serious health issues such as sepsis.

Cracked or broken teeth usually expose nerves to the air, which is painful. A knocked-out tooth requires speedy action to save it. Handle the tooth only by the top and rinse it with milk or water if it’s dirty. Ideally, place it back in its socket, being careful not to touch the roots.

If you break a prosthetic tooth, you’re probably not in pain since there are no nerve endings. In such cases, you can wait until office hours to call the dentist.

Trauma

Decaying teeth cause inflammation, which can hurt and lead to advanced periodontal disease. Cavities aren’t usually dental emergencies; if you keep up with twice-yearly dental visits, we can often catch them before they become emergencies.

However, cavities can escalate and become a dental emergency.

Cavities

When to seek emergency dental care

Any pain lasting more than 12 hours indicates you need emergency dental care. Even minor pain or swelling can indicate a deeper problem, such as an infection, which you want to address without delay.

Early treatment can make a big difference in oral health. If you experience dental pain, don’t hesitate to schedule a professional evaluation.

It’s hard to ignore a knocked-out tooth or bleeding mouth. However, other examples of tooth pain can still fit into the category of dental emergencies.

Common dental emergencies

4 Benefits of Dental Sealants for Children

Ruan@develomark.com (Ruan Marinho) — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 09:09:47 GMT

As a parent, you want to protect your child from unpleasant things in life. Take cavities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that half of children ages 6-9 have had cavities. Your child doesn’t have to be in that group.

Dental sealants are an effective option for parents looking to protect their child’s oral health by preventing tooth decay.

Greenwich Dentistry in Greenwich, Connecticut, offers up-to-date family dental care, including dental sealants to protect your child’s teeth from cavities.

Made of a safe resin, sealants are a cost-effective and painless procedure that creates a barrier preventing bacteria from taking hold in your child’s mouth.

Expert advice

At Greenwich Dentistry, our expert team is proud to offer proven techniques to ensure the dental health of our youngest patients. To learn more about protecting your child’s teeth with dental sealants, contact our Cos Cob office today.

4 benefits of dental sealants for children

Think of dental sealants as a protective coat for your child’s teeth, shielding them from cavities like bundling up shields them from cold weather.

The CDC reports that children ages 6-11 without dental sealants have almost three times as many cavities in their molars as kids who received sealants.

That’s a lot of cavities!

Sealants work because they cover the pitted surface of the molars, where cavities often start. Those back teeth are hard for children to brush well, and the bumpy surfaces hide bacteria and food particles, contributing to tooth decay.

Cavity protection

Applying a dental sealant to your child’s molars is a quick and painless procedure. After we clean your child’s teeth to remove any debris or food particles, we apply a special gel and follow with the sealant.

Children typically have eight molars, and the sealant bonds to the craggy chewing areas, forming a protective layer.

It only takes a few minutes after we clean your child’s teeth to protect them with sealants. Then you can go about your day.

Painless application

Long-lasting

With regular tooth brushing and dental checkups, dental sealants can last years. It’s safe to apply them early when your child’s first teeth come in and later reapply as your child grows and their adult teeth come in.

Cost-effective

Getting dental sealants is cheaper than filling cavities, and your insurance may cover some or all of them. Plus, your child doesn’t have to experience the pain of cavities or the uncomfortable experience of drilling in their mouth to get them filled.