When your smile isn't quite perfect, Invisalign offers a subtle tooth straightening option. Your Niskayuna, NY, dentists, Drs. Todd Vaccaro and Kent Molino can help you improve the alignment of your smile with this innovative orthodontic treatment.

Invisalign can change the way you think about orthodontic treatment

Metal-free Invisalign straightens your teeth using a series of clear, removable aligner trays that fit snugly over your teeth. They work by exerting constant and gentle pressure. Before your treatment begins, you'll visit the Niskayuna, NY, dental office where digital impressions, images, and X-rays of your mouth are made. The images combine to form a virtual 3D representation of your teeth that is used to create your aligner trays and plot your treatment.

Every aligner tray carries out a specific straightening goal and is worn for about two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, you'll begin wearing the next aligner tray in the series.

When you choose Invisalign, you'll enjoy these advantages:

• No noticeable changes to your smile during treatment: Your clear aligner trays are practically invisible and won't call attention to the fact that you've begun orthodontic treatment.
• Flexibility: Although your trays are designed for wearing 22 hours per day, you can take them out occasionally. They can be removed when you play sports, eat, brush your teeth, or attend any special events like prom or a wedding. Talk to your Niskayuna dentist about when it's okay to do so.
• Easy oral hygiene routine: Your usual oral hygiene routine won't change just because you're straightening your teeth. You'll remove the trays before brushing and flossing, then rinse them and put them back in your mouth when you finish.
• No food restrictions: You won't have to alter your diet just because you're improving your smile. You can eat hard and crunchy foods and even enjoy sticky foods and popcorn. Before you eat or drink, you'll take out your trays and replace them after you've completed your meal. (Since some beverages may stain the trays, it's best to take them out when you drink anything other than water.)
• An effective option for many orthodontic issues: Invisalign treatment can straighten crooked teeth, address crowding and spacing issues, and correct mild to moderate bite problems.

Transform your smile with Invisalign! Call your dentists in Niskayuna, NY, Drs. Todd Vaccaro and Kent Molino, at (518) 377-3628 to schedule an appointment.

Here’s why it’s so important to treat your tooth loss as soon as possible.

From gum disease to sports injuries, there are many reasons adults end up losing one or more permanent teeth. When emergency dental issues like this arise it’s important that you have dentists in Niskayuna, NY, like our own Dr. Kent Molino and Dr. Todd Vacaro, that you trust to provide you with the restorative dentistry you need. So what happens if you decide not to replace your missing teeth? Here are some of the consequences of untreated tooth loss,

Bone Loss

This is one of the biggest problems that people with tooth loss face. Jawbone atrophy is inevitable, no matter whether you are missing one, several or all of your teeth. This is because the tooth roots are responsible for stimulating the jawbone, which helps to keep it strong. When you lose a tooth, the bone doesn’t receive the full amount of stimulation necessary. Over time this leads to significant changes in bone density.

Misaligned Teeth

Along with unsightly gaps in your smile, the rest of your teeth will gradually begin to drift into these spaces between your teeth. This can lead to larger gaps between teeth, crowding, crookedness, twisting and other issues. Getting braces on top of replacing missing teeth is probably the last thing you want to deal with. By filling those gaps as soon as possible after tooth loss our Niskayuna, NY, restorative dentists can prevent the need for braces or other restorative procedures to correct your smile.

What is the solution?

We know that there are many people living in and around Niskayuna, NY, with tooth loss. So what can be done to prevent these issues above? A dental implant is the next best thing to maintaining your real teeth. Implants function just like real teeth, replacing your missing tooth roots and providing your jawbone with the stimulation it needs. Most healthy adults dealing with tooth loss can benefit from getting dental implants.

Don’t let tooth loss leave you dealing with more serious health problems. Call our Niskayuna, NY, dental office today at (518) 377-3628 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kent Molino or Dr. Todd Vaccaro.

When you have a cavity, the best course of action is to have it treated as soon as possible before it advanced to major tooth decay. Nowadays most patients want tooth-colored restorations for cavities. These may also be your preference for cosmetic reasons. Family dentists Drs. Kent Molino and Todd Vaccaro at Molino and Vaccaro Dental in Niskayuna, NY can treat your dental decay and save your tooth while helping to preserve its appearance.

Causes of Cavities
Cavities are caused by poor dental hygiene, bad bacteria, and the sugar in food that feeds the progression of tooth decay. Children are most prone to cavities because they often eat a lot of sweets and don’t brush their teeth as often as they should. Cavities are also common in patients who don’t make it a point to see their dentist for regular visits (preferably at least two times per year). But the good news is that a cavity can be treated with a tooth colored restoration.

Tooth-Colored Restorations
After a cavity is cleaned and disinfected, the next step is to fill it with a protective material. Amalgam material (also called a silver filling) was the norm in past years because of its durability, but it is very visible when you laugh or talk. The modern solution is a tooth-colored restoration, sometimes called a white filling, which is made of composite material or porcelain. The restoration fits in with the rest of your smile so that no one can tell that you’ve had a cavity filled.

Keeping Your Smile Beautiful and Healthy
Avoid the habits that caused you to have a cavity problem if you want to keep your tooth-colored restoration intact and your whole smile healthy. Here are a few simple tips:

- Brush in the morning and at night, paying close attention to the top surfaces of the teeth to remove film and particles.
- Eat less sugary foods and add more calcium-rich foods to your diet.
- Commit to biannual tooth cleanings and checkups by your Niskayuna, NY family dentist.

Have Your Smile Restored
You can save your damaged tooth while also preserving its white appearance with tooth colored restorations. Call Dr. Kent Molino or Dr. Todd Vaccaro at Molino and Vaccaro Dental in Niskayuna, NY at 518-377-3628. You can rest assured you’ll find a family dentist who is committed to professional and caring dental care.

If your smile's tooth loss makes you feel like frowning and the thought of dentures brings you down, implants can keep you feeling confident and comfortable. Designed to look, feel, and function like real teeth, implants are a great way to restore your smile to its original glory. Read on to learn how Drs. Kent Molino and Todd Vaccaro in Niskayuna can improve your smile with the help of dental implants.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are metal posts that are placed under the gums, a position that allows them to naturally fuse with the jawbone to create an artificial tooth with unmatched look and feel.

Implants come in two types: endosteal (made of titanium and placed in the jawbone) or subperiosteal (which are affixed on or above the jawbone). If your jawbone is unable to support dental implants, your Niskayuna dentist may perform a ridge expansion, sinus lift, or bone augmentation to accommodate them.

What are the benefits of dental implants?

• Unlike dentures, dental implants stay in place. That means no shifting or slipping, embarrassing/inconvenient false tooth removal, or sticky, messy adhesives.
• Dental implants are attractive, giving you an even, straight, and shiny smile.
• While dentures can cause you to mumble or slur your words, dental implants are permanent and won't impact your speech.
• Dental implants are comfortable. They stay in place and become part of your mouth, not an implement that needs to be inserted and removed.
• You can eat like normal. Whereas dentures can shift around and make chewing difficult, dental implants are securely attached.
• Implants last a long time. They are built to be durable for decades, and possibly a lifetime.
• Oral hygiene is easier. You can brush, floss, and rinse just like you would with your original teeth.

Give us a call

If you are considering dental implants, schedule a consultation with Todd Vaccaro, DDS, in Niskayuna at (518) 377-3628 today!

Invisalign is more than a discreet and practically invisible alternative to metallic braces. While the system is probably best known for the clear aligner trays that make it possible to get straighter teeth without braces, it is also a much less invasive system that allows you to maintain your normal oral hygiene and dietary routines while your teeth are gradually shifted into alignment. Dr. Kent Molino and Dr. Todd Vaccaro offer Invisalign and other general and cosmetic dentistry services for the whole family in Niskayuna, NY.

Get Straighter Teeth and a Healthier Smile with Invisalign in Niskayuna, NY

Invisalign is available for adult and teenage patients with mild to moderate bite and alignment issues like crowding, overbite, underbite, crossbite, and open bite. If your dentist determines that you should undergo orthodontic treatment, a consultation will follow to establish a custom treatment plan to help shift your teeth into the proper alignment. Like traditional braces, Invisalign gradually shifts the teeth into place over a specified treatment period.

Invisalign consists of a series of removable trays that are worn for two weeks each. The trays are custom designed for your teeth and specific alignment needs. The dentist designs a digital treatment plan (which lays out the position and degree that your teeth need to shift for the desired alignment), and the trays are then designed according to your specific needs.

Each tray is worn for two weeks and then changed for the next one in the series. They can be removed for up to two hours every day, so you can brush and floss every day as normal, and continue to eat and drink your favorite foods without restrictions. The typical treatment for Invisalign is an average of 15 months, depending on your specific alignment needs.

Find a Dentist in Niskayuna, NY

To learn more about how Invisalign works and whether it is right for you, contact our office by calling 518-377-3628 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Molino or Dr. Vaccaro today.