Dental Gum Disease

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about gum disease:

What’s the best way to prevent gum disease?

The best way is to maintain healthy dental habits throughout your lifetime, including brushing and flossing, making healthy food and beverage choices, and seeing the dentist regularly. But don’t worry. Effective treatment exists for every stage of gum disease, too.

Will getting my teeth cleaned hurt? 

Our goal is to make sure every patient is completely comfortable throughout their care. Dr. Brent and our hygienists have a very gentle touch, and they communicate with you and listen to you every step of the way as they remove plaque and tartar, polish your teeth, and floss between your teeth.

How do I know if I have gum disease?

The American Dental Association has reported that nearly 80% of Americans have some form of periodontal (gum) disease; evaluation by dental professionals will help you find out if you’re one of them! Early gum disease may not be obvious to you, but common symptoms may include swollen or bleeding gums, bad breath, loose teeth, or dark buildup between teeth.

How is gum disease treated?

Dr. Brent will evaluate your gum health and help choose the right treatment for you. Mild gum disease, known as gingivitis, can be treated and even reversed with regular routine cleanings. The longer you may have gone without addressing the condition, the harder we may have to work to treat it, but we have the techniques and expertise to do so and get you healthy again. More advanced periodontal disease may call for scaling and root planing with more regular maintenance visits. In some cases, a laser may be used or an antibiotic therapy called ARESTIN™, which eradicates the bacteria that cause gum disease. And it works painlessly!

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City
(913) 220-2209
KCFamilyDental.com 

Improve your Dental Health with a Intra Oral Camera

Intra-Oral Camera Makes You a Part of the Team

You want to make the most informed decisions possible in order to improve your dental health. Dr. Brent is making this easier with the intra-oral camera. This high-tech device is a small-scale video camera that presents a close-up picture of the interior of your mouth. You can now see for yourself what work needs to be accomplished and which teeth are in great shape. You’ll love how this works to make you an active participant in every dental decision.

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City
(913) 220-2209
KCFamilyDental.com 

Prevent Headaches and Jaw Pain with an Oral Night Guard

TMJ/TMD – Proper Bite Alignment Treatment Helps You Say ‘Goodbye’ to Headaches and Jaw Pain!

Do you recognize that dental occlusion (i.e. your bite) is sometimes the reason behind frequent headaches, aching or popping jaws, or shoulder and neck pain? If your teeth have been worn down over the years or are missing due to accident or dental disease, your jaw is not capable of returning to its intended relaxed position. This creates tension in the muscles of your jaw and can cause a variety of pain that you may have already grown accustomed to enduring. By reestablishing your dental occlusion, your jaw can be returned to the comfortable position that nature intended. Relieving TMJ-related pain can sometimes be as simple as creating a removable night guard to be worn while you sleep. Depending on the cause of symptoms, some may need a full mouth rehabilitation to reestablish natural alignment.

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City
(913) 220-2209
KCFamilyDental.com 

Oral Health Linked to Overall Health

Biofilm: The Culprit to Keep at Bay

Have you heard the word “biofilm” before? This is something created by bacteria adhering to surfaces in a watery environment. Where is it found? Clogged drains and slippery rocks are good examples. It can also be found on your teeth! This yellowish plaque build-up is believed to be the big culprit when it comes to cavities, gingivitis, and periodontitis. But the KC Dental team is your ally in the fight against gum disease.

Oral Health is Part of Overall Health

Understanding of the risks of gum disease has greatly increased in the last few years. We now know that gum disease can contribute to systemic diseases including strokes, heart disease, and premature labor. With advanced periodontal disease, treatment may require surgery. But mild cases of periodontal disease have effective NON-surgical options that, coupled with improved dental hygiene, can effectively stop the spread of the disease.

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City
(913) 220-2209
KCFamilyDental.com 

Dental Root Canals

Saving Hopeless Teeth

A root canal…the very idea is enough to make people shudder. In the past, before the advent of proper tools and anesthesia, the root canal earned a dreaded reputation. Dr. Brent understands your concerns and has this procedure down to an art form. If you’ve heard others complain about root canals, you will be pleasantly surprised to see how smoothly this procedure can go. Modern anesthetics and advanced technology render root canals extremely manageable. When dental decay touches the nerve of the tooth (or the tooth has developed an infection), and a simple filling will not repair the damage, extraction used to be necessary. This can cause a whole new list of problems. But Dr. Brent will remove the infection – eliminating pain – and fill and seal the tooth, saving it! Call us today and find out how we can help you save your teeth.

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City
(913) 220-2209
KCFamilyDental.com 

Children's Dental Sealants

Preventing Child Tooth Decay – the Easy Way!

While we all try to do a good job brushing our teeth, it can be hard to reach the plaque and food in the deep grooves in the back teeth. This results in bacteria and plaque formation, which will cause decay. And once the tooth has decay, it is impaired permanently and will need a filling or a crown. 

The use of dental sealants can offset a child’s difficulties with brushing properly, guarding their teeth from harm. The procedure is harmless, painless, and takes just a few minutes to achieve. After the tooth (or teeth) is cleansed and sterilized, a thin coat of a white sealant is coated on the tooth. Then a curing light is directed toward the sealant to bond it into place. These steps require no shots, drills, or the reduction of any tooth structure. Placing dental sealants is one of the best pre-emptive actions both children and adolescents can have done to preserve their natural teeth!

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City
(913) 220-2209
KCFamilyDental.com 

Preventing Dental Gum Disease

The Importance of Keeping Your Mouth Healthy

The prevention of periodontal disease is simple. Regular brushing twice a day, flossing every day, making healthy food choices, and visiting Dr. Brent twice a year for exams and cleanings are the primary defense against gum disease. Gum disease frequently has minor symptoms that can go unnoticed, so getting your gums checked by our team is especially important.

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City
(913) 220-2209
KCFamilyDental.com 

Reverse Numbness after Dental Treatments

No More “Fat Lips” or Numbness After Treatment!

When a patient stands up from the dental chair after restorative care, they are often “numb” for 3 to 5 hours. It’s difficult to talk or eat and their face and lips often feel “fat.” What if that didn’t have to occur? At KC Family Dental, we’re delighted to offer our patients OraVerse™. An astounding product, it reverses the effects of anesthetic after your treatment is complete. It takes approximately 30 minutes for you to return to normal. So, if the thought of being numb for hours after your treatment makes you uncomfortable – we can take care of that for you!

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City
(913) 220-2209
KCFamilyDental.com 

Dental Bridge Treatments

An Affordable Alternative for Multiple Missing Teeth

For some of Dr. Brent’s patients who have multiple missing teeth, a bridge may be an appropriate solution. Custom made with the same innovative materials, a bridge is secured on either side with crowns and fills the void area for a return to function and comfort, as well as restoring your full smile.

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City
(913) 220-2209
KCFamilyDental.com 

Teaching Children Good Dental Habits

Good Habits Can Produce a Lifetime of Healthy Teeth

Introducing good habits early, in an atmosphere that’s comfortable and fun, is a fundamental building block for producing a lifetime of good oral health. Children’s teeth can be extremely susceptible to cavities even at a very young age for many reasons: 

Children struggle to brush well on their own. Because of this, it is essential for parents to assist in their child’s daily dental care. This allows for thorough cleaning and encourages the development of proper dental habits. 

Little kids like to eat all day long. This habit produces a prolonged exposure to acid (every time you eat you make acid), which may bring about more cavities. A dirty tooth causes the generation of more acid, which increases enamel vulnerability. 

The good news is that recognizing poor dietary and hygiene routines, along with applying fluoride to the mineralizing teeth, can considerably reduce the risk of your child developing a cavity.

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City 
(913) 220-2209 
KCFamilyDental.com 

Oral Cancer Screenings

The Risks and Realities of Oral Cancer

Early detection of oral cancer means a 90% cure rate. And yet, the mortality rate has remained virtually unchanged for 40 years – one American nearly every hour dies. This is unacceptable! 

To help us safeguard your total oral health, we provide highly effective oral cancer screenings using the latest FDA-approved oral cancer screening system, VELscope™. This tool uses a specially designed light that makes any suspicious tissue instantly and clearly visible during your exam. Don’t wait! This screening could literally save your life!

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City 
(913) 220-2209 
KCFamilyDental.com 

Regular Dental Hygiene Visits

The Importance of Hygiene Visits

Plaque is a sticky, gooey substance, and while regular brushing can usually eliminate most of it, any that remains can harden into tartar. A typical toothbrush and floss don’t stand a chance against tartar. So tartar continues to accumulate below the gumline as well as on the surface of your teeth. Soon, you risk more serious problems – the potential development of gum disease. Recent research shows a clear link between untreated gum disease and other, more serious conditions like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Which means having your teeth cleaned by a professional hygienist is one of the best reasons to visit your dentist. In fact, having your teeth cleaned regularly is one of the easiest things you can do to stay healthy!

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City 
(913) 220-2209 
KCFamilyDental.com 

Custom Dental Mouthguards

Worried About Knocking Out a Tooth?

The number of teeth knocked out in America every year is staggering – nearly 5 million! Even sports you wouldn’t normally think of as dangerous present a hazard for your teeth without the proper protection. Unfortunately, the one-size-fits-all mouthguards found in stores don’t always fit very well, so using these can hamper proper breathing while running during sports. On the other hand, custom-made sports mouthguards fit well, protect well, and can be worn for any sport. The American Dental Association advocates wearing custom mouthguards for all sports ranging from acrobatics to wrestling. We can do a mouthguard in the colors of your team. Team discount or team mouthguard fitting party available.

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205
Kansas City 
(913) 220-2209 
KCFamilyDental.com 

Dental Digital X-rays

Advanced Digital Imaging

At KC Family Dental, we have moved into the next generation of X-ray technology with digital imaging. A sensor placed in your mouth allows us to capture an image directly into our computer. We can instantly begin evaluating the state of your dental health at the bone level. Even better, the original data can be easily stored and later overlaid with more current information to highlight treatment progress and overall changes to your dental health. Not only does this method allow us more options than conventional X-rays, but it does it all while exposing you to 75% less radiation than traditional captures. Our panoramic X-ray machine also allows us to take a single image of your entire jaw, so we can see the full structure for better evaluation and greater precision in treatment.

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS 
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205 
Kansas City  
(913) 220-2209  
KCFamilyDental.com 

General Dentistry for Seniors

Senior Dental Care is Different

Just as our bodies alter as we grow older, our teeth and gums do too. Years of plaque accumulation, as well as drinking coffee and tea or using tobacco, can make teeth turn dark. Ask us about techniques that can reverse this. A reduction of saliva is sometimes a side effect of medications. There are easy-to-use products that can make this condition more bearable. Your fillings are becoming older, too – more prone to becoming weak and cracking. Regular check-ups will allow us to keep your fillings in tip-top shape. Gum disease and root decay pose a higher risk of development in seniors. If your gums become red or begin to bleed, or your teeth start to feel loose, contact us promptly. Remember, daily cleaning and good nutrition are crucial for maintaining healthy gums.

KC Family Dental 
Sarah Brent, DDS 
4034 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Fairway, KS 66205 
Kansas City  
(913) 220-2209  
KCFamilyDental.com