Digital Dental X-rays

75% Reduction in Radiation

We've introduced the use of digital X-rays in our practice. With digital X-rays, there is no delay while images are developed. It is cutting-edge technology that reduces radiation emissions by 75% when compared to traditional, non-digital X-rays. We have computers and large monitors in every treatment room so we can review images with you and explain radiographic findings. With panoramic imaging, a digital sensor is placed in your mouth and in a single shot, both upper and lower dental arches and your jaws are captured on screen and ready for viewing. To top it off, no chemicals are required, so digital X-rays are friendly to the environment. 

Donald W. Ray II, DMD 
Mary Alice Connor, DMD 
432 Frye Farm Road 
Greensburg, PA 15601 
(724) 537-0800 
SimplyPerfectSmiles.net

Understanding Your Dental Plan

Learn more about what the American Dental Association has to say about understanding your dental plan.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Donald W. Ray II, DMD 
Mary Alice Connor, DMD  
432 Frye Farm Road  
Greensburg, PA 15601  
(724) 537-0800  
SimplyPerfectSmiles.net

Children's Orthodontic Treatments

Starting Early, a Full Range of Orthodontic Options

He sees children at that crucial stage, between 6 and 11, when they have a mix of baby and permanent teeth. His comprehensive knowledge of craniofacial growth and development allows him to identify and correct teeth and jaw disharmony, when those corrections can actually prevent extractions of permanent teeth in their teen years.

Early treatment by a trained dentist can save thousands of dollars. He can address early crowding of their front teeth, crossbites in their back teeth, and a mismatch of their upper and lower jaws. These treatments normally take less than 6 to 18 months and occur before they get to their teenage stage, when young adults are sensitive to appearing different.

Donald W. Ray II, DMD 
Mary Alice Connor, DMD 
432 Frye Farm Road 
Greensburg, PA 15601 
(724) 537-0800 
SimplyPerfectSmiles.net

Oral Care During the Holidays: Sugar-Free Countdown to Christmas

Below is an excerpt from an article found on Colgate.com that was written by Sher Warkentin

Maintaining good oral care during the holidays can be tough with the bombardment of sugary sweets all season. Counting down to Christmas with an advent calendar is a fun activity for your kids, but if they are filled with chocolate and sweets, it won't be so great for their teeth. Check out these simple sugar-free ideas to fill your countdown instead.

Holiday Activity Fun
Fill your child's countdown with special moments that they will cherish all year round. For each day of the month come up with a fun holiday activity that you can do together as a family. Some ideas include: watching a holiday movie, going ice skating, building a snowman and looking at Christmas lights. Write down the activity on a slip of paper and tuck one note into each day of your advent calendar.

A Puzzling Treat
Give your child a fun challenge with a customized puzzle. Draw a picture or write a special message on a blank puzzle. Break the pieces apart and place one puzzle piece in each day of your advent calendar. Every day your child can add the pieces together until they have a completed puzzle revealing a special holiday message or fun activity to do together.

To read the entire article visit Colgate.com.

The remainder of the article details the following:

• Sugar-Free Trinkets
• Story-A-Day

Donald W. Ray II, DMD 
Mary Alice Connor, DMD  
432 Frye Farm Road  
Greensburg, PA 15601  
(724) 537-0800  
SimplyPerfectSmiles.net

Tobacco Risks on Oral Health

Learn what the American Dental Association has to say about tobacco risks on oral health.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Donald W. Ray II, DMD 
Mary Alice Connor, DMD  
432 Frye Farm Road  
Greensburg, PA 15601  
(724) 537-0800  
SimplyPerfectSmiles.net

Kids' Healthy Teeth During the Holidays

Below is an excerpt from an article found on Colgate.com that was written by Elizabeth SanFilippo

Chances are good that visions of cookies, desserts and candy canes may be dancing in your children's heads this holiday season. While you will do what you can to limit their intake of these sugary treats, your kids will probably be eating their fair share of sugar at your family holiday parties. Despite their consumption of sugar, there are ways to keep your kids' healthy teeth and gums in shape and to minimize damage to their dental health.

Why Is Sugar Bad for Dental Health?
Whether your kids are eating chocolate cake, sugar cookies or peppermint candy, they are ingesting sugar. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), naturally occurring bacteria in the mouth feed on this sugar, and the byproduct is acid. This acid can eat away at tooth enamel, which can lead to tooth decay and cavities. The more time teeth spend exposed to sugar, the higher the risk that your children will face dental health problems. Hard candies, and sticky candies such as taffy and caramel, can be worse for teeth than other treats such as cake and cookies.

Brush after Eating a Sugary Treat
In general, the ADA recommends that everyone brush their teeth and gums at least twice a day for at least two minutes each time. Flossing should also be done at least once a day. During the holidays, encourage your kids to brush and floss even more than this, particularly right after they finish dessert. If a toothbrush is not handy, the next best thing to do is rinse. Encourage your kids to rinse their mouths with water - not soda or even sparkling grape juice - which will help wash away sugar, acids and any other food that may be stuck to their teeth.

To read the entire article visit Colgate.com.

The remainder of the article details the following:

• Limit Sugar Time
• Make Dessert a Part of the Meal
• Make Toothbrushing Fun
• Schedule a Dentist Visit

Donald W. Ray II, DMD 
Mary Alice Connor, DMD  
432 Frye Farm Road  
Greensburg, PA 15601  
(724) 537-0800  
SimplyPerfectSmiles.net

Making Your Best Smile Look Even Better!

A perfect smile is a wonderful gift to give to yourself. But imagine how your new smile could be improved by erasing your facial wrinkles and age lines. In as little as a single visit, we can wipe out lines and wrinkles from around your mouth, erase those annoying crow's feet, and dispatch stress lines on your forehead. We now provide BOTOX™ treatments to temporarily improve the appearance of moderate to severe frown lines between your eyebrows, on your forehead, and around your eyes. Schedule a free consultation to see if BOTOX is right for you.

Donald W. Ray II, DMD 
Mary Alice Connor, DMD
432 Frye Farm Road
Greensburg, PA 15601
(724) 537-0800
SimplyPerfectSmiles.net

Regular Dental Check-Ups

Learn what the American Dental Association has to say about regular dental check-ups.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Donald W. Ray II, DMD 
Mary Alice Connor, DMD  
432 Frye Farm Road  
Greensburg, PA 15601  
(724) 537-0800  
SimplyPerfectSmiles.net

Surprisingly Simple Food Tips for Healthy Teeth

Below is an excerpt from an article found on Colgate.com that was written by Donna Pleis

You already know the value of regular tooth brushing and flossing to the prevention of tooth decay and gum disease, but what you eat can help too. Here are a few tips for healthy teeth involving simple foods that may be more helpful to your dental health than you thought they were.

An Element of Strength
The mineral, fluoride, plays an important role in building strong teeth and bones, and ultimately protecting your teeth against tooth decay. This is why fluoride has been included in toothpastes like Colgate Cavity Protection and many community water supplies. But did you know it's also found naturally in many foods? Any fluoride you ingest is absorbed and distributed throughout the body, according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), though most of it deposited into your bones and teeth.

So, to give you and your family's teeth an extra bit of strength now and then, serve up foods with naturally high concentrations of fluoride. Most seafood is a good source of this because oceans are full of natural sodium fluoride. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), tea and gelatin contain fluoride as well. Carrots, beets, canned pork and beans also have significant amounts (who would've thought?), as well as infant formula, juices, canned tomato products and cheeses. And if you like baked potatoes, don't peel off the skin; that's where most of the fluoride is found. You can identify more fluoride-rich foods at the USDA National Nutrient Database.

To read the entire article visit Colgate.com.

The remainder of the article details the following:

• 'Moo're Dairy Please
• Swish and Swallow
• Candy and Chewing Gum
• Nature's Toothbrush

Donald W. Ray II, DMD 
Mary Alice Connor, DMD  
432 Frye Farm Road  
Greensburg, PA 15601  
(724) 537-0800  
SimplyPerfectSmiles.net

Gum Disease Linked to Heart Disease

Gum Disease Can Contribute to Heart Disease and Even Stroke

Analysis of medical research shows that gum disease, stroke, and heart disease are linked. A troublesome conclusion, since heart disease is commonly fatal, which means if you suffer from gum disease, treating it is of utmost importance to retaining your health. The American Dental Association estimates that 8 out of 10 Americans have periodontal (gum) disease. These figures should guarantee that gum disease would be handled as a nationwide epidemic. But because tooth loss is considered merely unpleasant, not immediately life threatening, the danger of the disease has been ignored for far too long. However, that thought process is altering.

The American Academy of Periodontology has released the following statement: "Studies found periodontal infection may contribute to the development of heart disease, increase the risk of premature, underweight births, and pose a serious threat to people whose health is already compromised due to diabetes and respiratory diseases." The bacteria that infect your gums when you suffer from periodontal disease can invade your soft tissues, move into your bloodstream, and create problems in your heart, lungs, and other vital organs.

Donald W. Ray II, DMD 
Mary Alice Connor, DMD 
432 Frye Farm Road 
Greensburg, PA 15601 
(724) 537-0800 
SimplyPerfectSmiles.net