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Dr. Keenan Smith General Dentistry

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About Dr. Keenan Smith General Dentistry

General dentist in Greenville, SC, offering the highest quality in modern, comfortable, pain-free dental care: family and pediatric dentistry, as well as cosmetic dentistry.

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463 Woodruff Rd, Greenville, SC 29607
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Services Dr. Keenan Smith General Dentistry Offers

Comprehensive Exams

Knowing just what to expect with a comprehensive oral exam helps make each patient feel comfortable with the process. Dr. Keenan will include a review of your complete medical history, which provides helpful information when deciding how to best address any dental needs he may uncover. A review of the medical history may include discussing family history of certain illnesses, current medical conditions or medications being taken, and any concerns or complaints you may have with your teeth or gums.

Once the background information is gathered, X-rays are taken and a complete examination of the mouth begins. This examination includes soft tissue as well as teeth. As Dr. Keenan examines the soft tissue, he'll be looking for evidence of gum disease, bleeding, and the possible markers of oral cancer. When examining the teeth, the dentist looks at each tooth individually looking for signs of decay. Each tooth's gum pocket is measured in six places to ensure gums are not receding.

He'll also look for bite issues that need to be corrected — overbite, underbite, or crossbite. Any of these conditions can result in a patient's teeth wearing too quickly or unevenly. Pain in the jaw or joint areas can result, as well as difficulty with opening and closing the mouth.

At the conclusion of the comprehensive exam, the dentist and the patient develop a care plan that addresses any issues found during the process. Options for treatment and the timeline for taking care of any problems is discussed. Dr. Keenan takes the time to listen to concerns and answer any questions you may have about the proposed care plan.

Dental Cleaning

Dental cleanings are one of the most common components of routine dental care. However, regular teeth cleanings play a much more important role in healthy living than most patients realize. When your mouth is a healthy place, many other parts of your body benefit as a result.

If you think about it, your mouth gets quite the workout all day, every day. It's the point of entry for a whole host of foods and drinks, often stays open for long periods of time while talking, and provides the perfect place for a host of microorganisms to hang out. All of this added together means that your teeth require some special care to keep them at their peak of performance.

Over time, bacteria help to form layers of plaque and tartar on your teeth. If that isn't removed on a regular basis, your body's immune system can become overly stressed, trying to constantly address all of those foreign invaders knocking at the gates of your mouth. Gums can become inflamed and begin to bleed as your immune system struggles to keep up. So it's not surprising the regular dental cleanings have been proven to help prevent other serious health conditions like stroke, heart disease, and even dementia.

A dental cleaning is done by a dental hygienist. During the cleaning, the hygienist will use a variety of tools to clean the teeth both above and below the gums. Your hygienist will provide you with valuable feedback on areas of your mouth that you're cleaning well in addition to places you may be missing. Your reward at the end of the process is free dental care packet and that “fresh from the dentist” feeling!

Periodontal Deep Cleaning

Periodontal deep cleaning differs quite a bit from a routine dental cleaning. In a regular dental cleaning the focus is almost exclusively on cleaning and polishing the teeth above the gum line. These occur at frequently scheduled intervals to ensure that an excess tartar buildup is removed quickly.

In a periodontal deep cleaning procedure, the teeth are thoroughly cleaned below the gum line. This type of deep cleaning is usually recommended for patients who have issues with gum disease.

Gum disease results when the gums pull away from the teeth themselves at a depth of four millimeters or greater, due to an excessive amount of tartar buildup that is causing the immune system to trigger a response involving swelling and bleeding gums. Typically, gum disease results from poor routine oral care and a lack of regular professional cleanings. If left unaddressed, this condition can result in teeth loosening, bone loss, and eventually complete loss of the teeth themselves.

During a periodontal deep clean procedure, the area that's being cleaned will be numbed while the dentist removes the tartar buildup and any other accumulated debris from below the gum line. As a final step, the dentist planes (shapes) the root of each tooth to restore a smooth surface that will not allow places for bacteria or debris to settle.

Immediate after care often includes the prescription of an antibiotic and pain reliever. More frequent follow up visits may be recommended to make sure everything is healing well and any new issues are addressed quickly. After a periodontal deep clean has been completed, scheduling routine cleanings to maintain good dental health is essential. The news patients love to hear is that gum disease is completely curable with proper dental care and the establishment of a strong, daily routine of teeth and gum care.

Diagnostic X-rays

Dental x-rays provide the dentist with a complete view of the mouth that allows him to diagnose and address potential problem issues before they become serious. Family dentists will usually request that new patients get x-rays as part of the initial intake process. Existing patients also have periodic x-rays, usually once a year.

Diagnostic dental x-rays done on a routine schedule provide the dentist with a helpful visual timeline of how your mouth is progressing through time. Cavities in difficult-to-access areas of the mouth, abscesses, tumors, cysts, bone loss, malformed bone, and other potential problems are all easily seen using this technology. Issues with impacted teeth such as wisdom teeth or congenitally missing teeth can be addressed using x-rays. In children, dental x-rays provided the dentist with valuable information on how to teeth are forming as the child grows.

Types of x-rays the dentist may recommend include two to four bitewing x-rays. These provide a view of the crown portions of your teeth in order check for early signs of decay starting to form in between your teeth. To get a good look at your teeth's bone height or root tips, periapical x-rays provide the best view. A panoramic x-ray shows the entire mouth, sinuses, and a complete view of the upper and lower jaws.

Some frequent patient questions about using dental x-rays as part of an exam include questions about the safety of radiation exposure and when it's safe to have x-rays taken. Dental x-rays use a very low level of radiation to reduce the risks associated with radiation exposure. Before x-rays are taken, a lead bib is laid over the patient to reduce exposure. Dental x-rays are generally regarded as safe for pregnant women, women of childbearing age and young children. The dentist would be more than happy to discuss specific concerns with your situation. Just ask!

Complete Oral Exam

A complete oral exam is a multi-step process that is designed to help the dentist understand your unique health background in order to provide you with the best dental care possible. An oral exam always starts with lots of questions. These questions can include things like family and personal history of illnesses. The illnesses we'll discuss include a wide variety, from high blood pressure to diabetes. Oral health is often mistakenly understood in isolation. Issues with your health elsewhere in the body have a strong connection to the dental health. Make sure you come prepared to talk about family and personal health histories. Past surgeries, current medication and dietary supplement use, allergies, and past issues with anesthesia will all be discussed.

Once we've peppered you with questions, the actual exam is ready to begin. If you're a new patient or it's been awhile since we've done them, x-rays may be suggested. These provide the dentist with a complete view of the teeth impossible gain by other means. X-rays help diagnose everything from small, developing hard to see cavities to tumors and bone loss.

Next comes the oral cleaning. During the cleaning phase, the hygienist will scrape off accumulated tartar and plaque, probe the gumline to measure the depth of your teeth's gum pockets, look for cavities, and polish the teeth. Flossing and a fluoride treatment are also part of this process. If it looks like you've been missing places during brushing, the hygienist will let you know where to focus your efforts. If you haven't missed any areas, we'll just tell you to keep up the good work!

To finish, the dentist will come in to discuss the findings of the exam and answer any questions you have. If issues discovered during the oral exam need to be addressed, the dentist will develop a treatment plan and schedule follow up visits for additional care. You'll be sent home with a dental care packet, a smile on your face, and that “fresh from the dentist” feeling in your mouth!

TMJ Exam

A TMJ, or temporomandibular joint exam occurs when a patient is experiencing discomfort in the joint around the jaw area. Some common symptoms of TMJ-related issues can include a popping, clicking or shifting of the jaw as it opens and closes. Tightness, muscle pain, and frequent headaches are often associated with TMJ. Symptoms associated with TMJ sometimes go away by themselves over time. Oftentimes however, TMJ-related symptoms require treatment in order to reduce the pain, tightness, and limited range of motion in the jaw area.

The TMJ exam begins with the dentist gently palpating, or feeling the different muscle and soft tissue structures in and around the main jaw joint near your temples. This allows him to determine if there's any muscles that are unusually tight or if certain areas around the joint are painful to the touch. He'll also be listening for popping or grating sounds as you open and close your jaw. These sounds help him diagnose a possible disc displacement inside of or a gradual wearing away of the joint itself. How wide you are able to open your mouth and how straight a path your jaw follows as it opens are other things he will be looking for.

If the result of your exam is a TMJ diagnosis, there are several treatment options he may suggest. These may include either over-the-counter or prescription pain medication and muscle relaxers to help with pain and feelings of muscle tightness. In more severe cases, bite guards and physical therapy may serve to lessen the effects of TMJ.

Composite Restoration

A damaged or partially-rotten tooth can be a source of major embarrassment to many patients we work with. Not being able to smile confidently, feeling self-conscious, can be quite frustrating. The great news with composite restoration is that these damaged teeth can be restored to a like-new condition using this technique. No more hidden smiles or lack of confidence!

Composite restoration is a process where a resin and glass mixture is molded onto a damaged or rotten tooth to restore it to it's original shape and color. The resin is built up onto the original tooth one layer at a time. The resin bonds with the original tooth's biological structure to ensure a lasting fix that rivals that of the original tooth.

Once the resin has been layered up to the desired height and thickness, it is smoothed and shaped by the dentist to match that of the original tooth. Once the tooth shaping is complete, a sealer is placed over the composite resin to seal it. The color of the composite resin can be adjusted for an exact match to the original tooth's color.

If you've been slow to smile because there's something not quite right with your smile, composite restoration may be just what you need to bring back your old level of confidence in your smile. If this sounds interesting, call and ask us to schedule a time for a consultation.

Partial and Full Dentures

Teeth are something that we just can't live without. But the truth of the matter is, sometimes things happen to our original equipment and they need to be replaced. If you're in that position, come talk to us.

The exact process of getting dentures will vary a bit depending on your unique situation. But the general process is pretty straightforward. It usually begins with removing any remaining teeth that need to be extracted. After your mouth has had a chance to heal, the dentist will take an impression of your mouth so your dentures fit just right. You'll discuss options like the exact color of your new full dentures or partials.

Once the dentures have been built, you'll come back for your fitting where minor adjustments are made and you learn about how to care for your new teeth. Feel free to ask as many questions as you like. We want you to feel confident that you know all about how to put on and remove your dentures and care for them. You'll continue to have regular routine checkups with the dentist to make sure your oral health is tip-top and you're doing well with adjusting and caring for your dentures.

Whether you're in need of partial dentures to replace several teeth or full dentures to replace them all, we specialize in preparing, fitting and creating affordable, high-quality dentures that will bring back your quality of life.

Cosmetic - Veneers

Having a great smile gives you confidence. Porcelain dental veneers help to fix a number of cosmetic dental issues. Issues with teeth that are chipped, worn down, discolored, or even misaligned or misshaped can all be addressed with cosmetic dental veneers.

The process is a simple one that usually involves just a few visits from start to finish. Your first visit is the consultation. During the consultation, we'll listen as you explain what you'd like our cosmetic dentistry to help your smile achieve. We'll take an in-depth look at your teeth. This may involve things like a visual exam, x-rays, and impressions of your mouth and teeth. We'll explain what cosmetic dentistry can do and what it can't do, based on your situation. The dentist will then suggest a course of action designed to meet your goals.

On your next visit your teeth will be prepped for the veneer. Prepping usually involves removing a very thin layer of your tooth enamel in order to provide a place for the new cosmetic veneers to sit. Once the new veneers are in from the dental lab, the dentist fits the veneers to your teeth, making small adjustments to the shape and color to ensure you have a result you can be proud of.

Porcelain dental veneers offer a conservative, long lasting solution to many minor cosmetic issues. If that sounds like something you'd be interested in learning more about, contact our office for an appointment to have your questions answered.

Cosmetic - Whitening / Bleaching

Teeth whitening is by far the most commonly-used type of cosmetic dentistry procedure. From in-home whitening kits you buy at the grocery store to the professional-grade cosmetic whitening treatments we offer here at our office, the desired result is whiter teeth that radiate a vibrant smile.

There are many reasons that teeth lose their whiteness over time. Teeth are porous and allow stains to penetrate the enamel on the surface of the teeth. Drinking dark-colored liquids like coffee, tea or red wine can help to accelerate the process of darkening your teeth over time. Poor dental care can also be an aggravating factor. Age can also play a role as the enamel on your teeth thins over time, allowing the teeth's appearance to darken more quickly. Whatever the reason for darkening or staining may be, the good news is in nearly all cases, your teeth's original whiteness can be restored.

While there are many options for whitening teeth that don't involve a trip to the dentist, over-the-counter treatments do have some significant disadvantages over a professional whitening. Do-at-home kits aren't customized to your teeth. Whitening strips don't always reach all surfaces of each tooth, leading to inconsistent surface whitening. The concentration of the whitening agent is also significantly lower in commercially available whitening kits. We always make sure we're wearing our sunglasses after each whitening appointment (haha)!

A cosmetic whitening at our office will involve one to several appointments, depending on the level of staining. In-office whitening sessions usually last about an hour. The results of the whitening vary depending on the types of beverages and foods the patient eats and drinks as well as their level of daily dental care. But it is not usual for a professional whitening to last for 8 months of longer.

If you've been frustrated with the results you've been able to get from over-the-counter whitening kits or just have questions about what a professional whitening could do for your smile, feel free to give us a call!

Crowns & Bridges

Sometimes the tooth fairy doesn't restrict her activities to snatching teeth of excited children in exchange for a quarter underneath the pillow. At times, adults are faced with the need to trade in one or more teeth to the fairy that many haven't done business with in many decades.

Crowns and bridges both provide long-term fixes for patients who have had to part with some of their original hardware. A crown is a permanent prosthetic device that is used to fit on top of, or cap a damaged tooth over cover an implant. Often shaped like the top of a tooth, a crown serves the biting or grinding purpose of the original tooth, allowing the patient restored use of the tooth. Crowns are commonly used at the end of a root canal procedure where a tooth has been saved from extraction by removing the top of the tooth to drill out the infected core and rebuild it.

Bridges are used to replace one or more teeth. They're complete artificial teeth that are custom made and then cemented in place to the original teeth surrounding the area of the mouth that needs to be filled. Unlike partial dentures, bridges are permanently fixed into place and supported by existing teeth. They're never removed and are cared for and function just like the original teeth.

Crowns and bridges both serve several important functions. First and foremost they improve the cosmetic appearance of the patient. Well designed crowns and bridges are virtually impossible to distinguish from natural teeth. They restore the full ability of the mouth to bite and chew with a complete set of teeth, easing the burden on existing teeth. They also serve the important function of preventing existing teeth from shifting out of place due to the gap created by missing teeth. Full smiles can give you the confidence you're looking for!

Implant Restoration

Dental implants are a great way to restore the original look and function of a tooth that has been lost. Implants mimic the natural tooth in the way they're actually implanted and fused to the jawbone in much the same way the original root of your tooth was. The process for receiving an implant usually happens in two parts, the implant or artificial root is placed into the bone of the jaw. The implant is then allowed to heal and fuse to the bone. This process often takes several months. In the meantime, a crown is molded to the exact specifications of the original tooth.

Once the implant has healed, the crown is installed on top of the implant. This creates a permanent, natural looking tooth replacement that is actually fused into the jaw bone itself, just as the original tooth had been. Dental implants provide patients with a durable, natural-feeling solution to replacing a missing tooth.

If you've been considering having a tooth replaced for cosmetic or functional reasons using a dental implant, Dr. Keenan would be glad to discuss the pros and cons with you to come up with a plan to address your long term dental health care objectives.

Special Services

Nitrous Oxide

Going to the dentist for a procedure can make even the bravest people nervous. The thought of drills, tools, and lectures on flossing and brushing cause some people to a little bit skittish. That's where nitrous oxide comes in. This breathable gas helps people to feel more at ease and can take some of the edge of a painful sensations. The gas is mixed with oxygen and administered by breathing in through a small mask placed over the nose. More commonly known as “laughing gas,” nitrous oxide is used by our dentist to help with patients who need some extra relaxing and pain reduction (but don't worry, you won't be laughing uncontrollably with this mixture!). Nitrous has the benefit of being able to combine with other more powerful painkillers. So if you need both to stay comfortable, we've got you covered.

Nitrous oxide has many benefits that make it so popular for use in dentistry. Even though it does a very thorough job of relaxing people in the span of just a few minutes, it wears off very quickly after you stop breathing it. You remain completely conscious the entire time and are aware of your surroundings. This allows you to hear and respond to the dentist and any directions he may have for you during the procedure.

The side effects are few. Some people report that it makes their arms and legs feel heavy or tingly while they're actively breathing it. Unlike many other forms of sedation methods, you may even be able to drive yourself home after the procedure is done.

If being anxious or afraid of going to see the dentist has kept you away from getting regular dental care, come talk to us about how nitrous oxide can be used to help make coming to visit easier on you. There's no need to allow fear to block you from receiving the care you need.

Pediatric Services

Children begin getting their first set of teeth around 6 months of age and around 6 or 7 start to lose their first set of teeth and get their adult teeth. Pediatric dentistry addresses oral health needs of infants up to children in their teen years. Taking care of the teeth even at a very early age can set the stage for a lifetime of good oral health.

Pediatric dentistry begins at the earliest ages with infant oral health exams where inheritable risk factors such as high propensity for cavities in parents are discussed. Periodic teeth cleanings and fluoride treatments keep developing children's teeth healthy. Repair of cavities or defects in developing teeth may also be necessary.

In addition to taking care of cleanings and filling cavities, pediatric dentistry involves counseling parents on developing good oral hygiene habits in children such as brushing and flossing and avoiding those habits with long term consequences such as thumb sucking. Monitoring and early intervention can also help make issues involving teeth straightening or improper bite development less complicated to correct in the long term.

Outside of keeping good care of developing teeth, a pediatric dentist possesses special skills in working with younger patients who are not always content to sit in the exam chair and calmly have a difficult procedure completed. They realize that you can't related to young patients as just small adults. Specialized care is required when working with pediatric patients. Our office features specialized equipment for caring for smaller patients.

If you have a youngster in your family, getting them regular dental care is vital to ensuring they develop healthy teeth that will last a lifetime. Establishing routines to keep teeth healthy and happy now will result in strong oral health habits that follow them well into adulthood. Make an appointment to come by our office to see our dentist and talk about how our pediatric dentistry can help!

Emergency Dental Care

Life happens, sometimes at just the wrong time. There are few things in the world as painful as a tooth abscess that's just begun to beat the war drum or a filling that came out right in the middle of a bowl of popcorn at your favorite movie. We provide emergency dental care to our patients. Your dental emergency is our priority and we're ready to help whenever life throws you a curveball.

Accidents are a common cause of dental care that can't wait for a dentist's normal business hours. Knocked out or broken teeth as a result of a sporting or adventure related activity is one of the most frequent reasons for receiving after hours dental care. Depending on the severity and placement of the injury, chipping or cracking a tooth during an activity may also necessitate emergency care.

The failure of previously-installed dental work is sometimes the cause of emergency situations also. Fillings don't stay in forever, and sometimes chose just the wrong time to wring loose. A cracked bridge or an dental implant can also be the source of pain the likes of which is seldom felt in everyday life. Infections in teeth or abscesses that have become so inflamed they cannot safely wait to be addressed are cause for emergency dental care as well.

We understanding that dental emergencies happen and waiting until regular business hours isn't always an option. If you're in need of help taking care of one of these dental emergencies, call us. We'll act quickly to help resolve your issue and get you feeling back to normal quickly.

Extractions

You were told that adult teeth were built to last a lifetime. Unfortunately, life is filled with many perils for your teeth and they can't always take you the distance. There are lots of reasons why you may need to part with a tooth earlier than you expected.

One common reason is there just may not be enough space in your mouth to accommodate them all. Teeth sometimes need to be extracted because they're too tightly spaced and they're pushing your other teeth out of their original positions. Sometimes a tooth can't even emerge from below the gum because there are just too many teeth already above it. Often the dentist will recommend removing the tooth before it tries to emerge on it's own.

Another very common cause is an infection. If a cavity has reached the root of the tooth where the nerve and blood vessels are, the tooth may need to go before the infection spreads to the bone or other areas in the mouth. Similarly, if gum disease has developed unchecked the tooth can loosen from the bone and need to be taken out.

Whatever the reason your tooth may need to hit the road, Dr. Keenan has the experience and equipment to make your extraction pain-free.

In several weeks, you'll come in for a follow up visit to ensure that everything is healing properly. At this time the dentist may discuss options with you such as beginning the process of creating a dental implant to take the place of the tooth that's been removed.

Night Guards

Do you wake up in the morning with headaches or with teeth or your jaw feeling sore? If so, you may want to contact us to see if you are part of the 15% of Americans that suffer from a condition called bruxism. Bruxism is a fancy word for grinding your teeth at night. This common condition is something that's easy to remedy the effects of with the use of a night guard and other minor lifestyle adjustments.

There are several treatments for bruxism, the most common of which is a night guard. A night guard is a plastic mouthpiece that you wear at night. It keeps your teeth from rubbing together and provides some cushioning for the clenching your jaw experiences with night grinding. In order to make sure we get you a perfect fitting night guard, impressions of your teeth are taken at the dentist's office and sent off to a dental lab. At the lab, they create a custom night guard that matches the mold taken at the dentist's office. When the night guard comes back from the lab, we'll bring you in for a custom fitting to make sure that everything is fitting comfortably and ready for you to use. We'll discuss how to care for your night guard and other factors you may be able to control that would help ease the severity of your nighttime teeth grinding.

Some simple adjustments like avoiding caffeine later in the day or reducing the level of stress you experience during the day by doing yoga or exercising regularly can help to lessen the effects. So if you're tired of experiencing the pain of night grinding, come see us to talk about how custom fitting night guards can help!

Invisalign

Invisalign is an exciting alternative to braces for straightening teeth. Traditionally, teeth straightening involved braces cemented to your teeth with monthly trips to the orthodontist for adjustments and rubber band changes. For many reasons, this system was less than ideal for most people.

There's now a new alternative that allows you to skip the unsightly look and uncomfortable feel of braces altogether. Here's how it works. The Invisalign system is a series of clear plastic aligners that fit over your teeth. The series of aligners are designed to gradually guide your teeth to the straightened position your dentist has chosen for you. Slowly over time, you move through the series of aligners as they gently shift your teeth into the desired position. Each aligner is worn for approximately two weeks before you move on to the next one.

This exciting technology has lots of advantages over braces. For one, the Invisalign aligners are clear plastic and nearly impossible to see. Unlike braces, there are no wires, metal bands around molars, or braces cemented to your teeth. There's no hardware that stays in your mouth so your teeth and gums don't become irritated and inflamed like is often the case with traditional braces. It's likely you'll be the only one to know you're wearing them. “Metal mouth” isn't something you'll ever hear with this teeth alignment system!

The liners are removable for easy cleaning and don't require special time and effort to clean your teeth like braces. You can eat whatever you'd like. Since there's no permanent hardware in the mouth, there are no dietary restrictions that come with braces. Popcorn and caramel apples are yours for the eating!

Sound like something you might be interested in? Get in touch and we'll talk about how the Invisalign system could be a perfect fit for you. The perfect smile has never been easier or more comfortable to achieve!

Oral Surgery

There are quite a few oral surgery procedures out there and many reasons for having one done. We do many common oral surgery procedures right here in our office. We're well equipped to make your surgery as comfortable and stress free an experience as possible. Dr. Keenan has extensive experience with a variety of oral surgery procedures.

One of the most common types of oral surgery involves removing the wisdom teeth. This third set of molars are the teeth that most often end up needing to be removed. It's not uncommon for them to be removed simply because there is not enough space for them to emerge without crowding out existing teeth or failing to emerge from the gum like they should.

Tooth extractions would also necessitate the need for oral surgery. If the tooth is infected or has become loosened due to poor oral hygiene below the gums it may need to be removed. Preparation for dentures will sometimes also be a reason for teeth to be extracted.

Another frequently done oral surgery is to prepare a patient for a dental implant. With a dental implant, the metal post must first be inserted into the jawbone and allowed time to heal in place before the crown is placed onto the post to create the look and feel of a natural tooth.

Finally, if we find something that looks suspicious during our oral cancer screening that is included as part of our comprehensive oral exam we may take a biopsy of the affected tissue to send to our lab for analysis. During a biopsy procedure the dentist will cut off a small part of the tissue in order to get a sample large enough for testing.

There are many reasons for needing oral surgery. But whatever the cause, we're experienced and equipped to make your experience a positive one. Our dentist takes the time to explain each procedure and answer any questions ahead of time. That way, you're comfortable with the process before it even begins.

Treatment of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a medical disorder that can be tricky to detect because the disorder happens while the patient is sleeping. Although it can be difficult to spot, it's far from uncommon. In fact, approximately 25 million Americans suffer from the effects of sleep apnea. Symptoms can include a chronically dry mouth, lethargy, irritability, impaired mental functioning, snoring or gasping as you wake up at night, or the inability to fall asleep at night time.

It's not uncommon for the family dentist to be the first medical professional to suspect a patient has sleep apnea due to the more frequent contact most dentists have with their patients. If after talking with the patient, the dentist suspects you may suffer from sleep apnea, you may be referred for diagnosis to a sleep medicine specialist. Typically a sleep study is conducted. The results of the sleep study are analyzed and a diagnosis made, if appropriate.

There are a number of treatments available for sleep apnea. The treatment prescribed depends on many factors such the severity and medical condition of the patient. Treatment solutions may include the prescription of a CPAP machine. This machine pumps air through a mask worn at nighttime to help maintain positive air pressure in the patient's throat at nighttime to keep the airways open. A surgical procedure may be recommended in some cases.

One of the most common and least invasive treatments is the custom made sleep apnea dental appliance. This appliance looks and feels a lot like a regular night guard. But it is specially designed to help keep air passages clear when it's being worn. If this solution is right for you, the dentist will take impressions of your mouth and send them off to the dental lab where are custom fit sleep apnea dental appliance will be created. You'll have a fitting session with the dentist where he will discuss how to use it as well as the best means for daily care for your appliance. We'll make sure it's fitting perfectly and all your questions are answered before you leave!

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More About Dr. Keenan Smith General Dentistry

Dr. Keenan W. Smith is a general dentist in Greenville, SC, offering modern, comfortable, pain-free dental care. We provide a complete range of family dentistry and pediatric dentistry services, including maintenance, diagnostic and restorative treatment. Cosmetic dentistry is also available, including veneers and whitening. We offer sedation dentistry using nitrous oxide, a safe and comfortable option for patients who are anxious.

When you arrive at our modern office, our friendly staff will welcome you and make sure you're comfortable. You'll receive the highest quality dental care, and leave with a thorough understanding of your oral health. We offer a complete range of services, including maintenance, diagnostic and restorative treatment. Our mission is to provide the best in dental care in the Greenville, SC area, and our hundreds of excellent patient reviews tell us we're doing just that!