Tooth Anatomy

What Are the Different Parts of a Tooth?

• Crown- the top part of the tooth, and the only part you can normally see. The shape of the crown determines the tooth's function. For example, front teeth are sharp and chisel-shaped for cutting, while molars have flat surfaces for grinding.
• Gumline- where the tooth and the gums meet. Without proper brushing and flossing, plaque and tartar can build up at the gumline, leading to gingivitis and gum disease.
• Root- the part of the tooth that is embedded in bone. The root makes up about two-thirds of the tooth and holds the tooth in place.
• Enamel- the outermost layer of the tooth. Enamel is the hardest, most mineralized tissue in the body - yet it can be damaged by decay if teeth are not cared for properly.
• Dentin- the layer of the tooth under the enamel. If decay is able to progress its way through the enamel, it next attacks the dentin - where millions of tiny tubes lead directly to the dental pulp.
• Pulp- the soft tissue found in the center of all teeth, where the nerve tissue and blood vessels are. If tooth decay reaches the pulp, you usually feel pain.

What Are the Different Types of Teeth?
Every tooth has a specific job or function (use the dental arch in this section to locate and identify each type of tooth):

• Incisors- the sharp, chisel-shaped front teeth (four upper, four lower) used for cutting food.
• Canines- sometimes called cuspids, these teeth are shaped like points (cusps) and are used for tearing food.
• Premolars- these teeth have two pointed cusps on their biting surface and are sometimes referred to as bicuspids. The premolars are for crushing and tearing.
• Molars- used for grinding, these teeth have several cusps on the biting surface

 

The above article is from: Colgate.com

Dr. Rick Kava's Sioux City Dental 
2930 Hamilton Blvd., Upper F Suite 101 
Sioux City, IA 51104 
(712) 258-6169 
DrKava.com

Tooth Decay and Sensitivity

What Causes Tooth Enamel Damage?

What happens when tooth enamel is damaged? The exposed part underneath becomes vulnerable to decay. Cavities aren't the only problem.

Teeth with damaged enamel can become sensitive to extreme temperatures. Suddenly, eating ice cream or sipping hot coffee can be painful or unpleasant.

 

Above article from: WebMD.com/oral-health

Dr. Rick Kava's Sioux City Dental 
2930 Hamilton Blvd., Upper F Suite 101 
Sioux City, IA 51104 
(712) 258-6169 
DrKava.com

Get Familiar With Oral Thrush

What Is Oral Thrush?
Oral thrush, also known as candidiasis, can occur in anyone of any age, from babies to the elderly. Oral thrush is a condition that occurs when a fungus called candida albicans builds up on the lining of the mouth. The result is white lesions on the tongue or inner cheeks.

Oral thrush can sometimes be confused with leukoplakia. But leukoplakia lesions are caused by chronic irritation from rough edges on teeth, fillings or crowns, not by an organism. And leukoplakia lesions develop over time, while thrush lesions may develop suddenly. A thrush infection can spread and involve the roof of the mouth and the gums, where it can cause symptoms such as redness and irritation. See your dentist if you have any type of lesions on your tongue or in your mouth so you can determine the cause of the problem and plan a course of treatment. The goal in treating thrush is to stop the infection from spreading.

Healthy babies and children may not need treatment-the lesions may resolve on their own. Sometimes adding yogurt to you or your child’s diet may do the trick and reset the bacterial imbalance caused by the excess amount of the thrush fungus.

People with HIV or other immunosuppressive illness are at increased risk for the infection to spread. If you are in this category, your doctor or dentist may recommend an antifungal medication.

To prevent thrush from occurring or recurring, follow a consistent oral health care routine, and try to include yogurt with live, active cultures in your diet, especially if you take antibiotics for a chronic condition. Frequent use of antibiotics can promote the growth of the Candida fungus because they upset the natural mixture of microorganisms in the body.

The above article is from: OralB.com

Dr. Rick Kava's Sioux City Dental 
2930 Hamilton Blvd., Upper F Suite 101 
Sioux City, IA 51104 
(712) 258-6169 
DrKava.com

Sleep Apnea & Snoring Disorder Dentist

You Need Restful Sleep to Stay Healthy
Restful sleep is very important to good health. It is as vital as air, food, and water. It helps to regenerate a good energy level on a daily basis. Your heart in particular takes on the effects of stress throughout your waking hours. When you finally rest with deep sleep, the heart muscle decompresses to ease its burden of stressful tension. Overall, sleep should regenerate all the organs in your body and slow the rate of development of age-related diseases. It helps to lessen the onset of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and memory loss.

Poor-quality sleep, or worse the lack of sleep, will place excessive strain on your heart muscle. Strokes, heart attacks, cardiovascular disease, and even death have been attributed to sleep disorders.
 Snoring Can Indicate a Serious Health Concern
Snoring can be a sign of more serious health problems. Often it is associated with sleep apnea, which is an obstruction in the air passage to and from the lungs. Lack of or minimal oxygen leads to high blood pressure, a key risk factor in the onset of heart disease or stroke. Insufficient or poor-quality sleep also affects the functioning of your brain and often leads to depression.

Sleep apnea can be severe or mild. We provide an oral appliance that subsides the snoring and prevents the associated risks. You will be pleased with the quality of life it brings for you and your partner.

Our Alternative to CPAP
CPAP is a device used to treat sleep apnea. The acronym is short for Continuous Positive Air Pressure. This machine provides a flow of air into the patient’s nose or mouth while sleeping. Although it solves the breathing problem, it presents another problem as many patients find it very uncomfortable to wear and therefore stop wearing it.

If you are frustrated with this bulky, uncomfortable mask, Dr. Kava can provide a custom oral appliance such as SomnoDentTM. These acrylic devices are similar to an orthodontic retainer in appearance, but work to realign your jaw and tongue to keep your airway passage open while you sleep. It works well, giving you a restful night. It is a cinch to insert or take out and clean, and convenient to take along when traveling. Let us relieve you of this health problem, and add to your daily energy level. Why suffer any longer?

Dr. Rick Kava's Sioux City Dental
2930 Hamilton Blvd., Upper F Suite 101
Sioux City, IA 51104
(712) 258-6169
DrKava.com

Sedation Dentistry

Our Sedation Dentistry Options
We understand that for some patients dental treatment can be worrisome. Fear develops around receiving a shot, drilling, and certain procedures. We can relieve your anxiety with conscious sedation dentistry. Our practice is one of the few in this state that has received the special training to provide both oral and IV sedation. Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is also administered when lighter sedation is all that’s needed.

IV sedation gives the highest level of relaxation. It takes effect very rapidly and allows accurate control over the amount of sedation. This is the main difference between taking a pill and having intravenous medication. As it flows through the bloodstream, it relaxes you to a deep level. You will be unaware of the procedure, and an hour will seem like only minutes. This method works well to relieve fear as well as for those who need more work accomplished in one visit.

For a lighter level of sedation, we provide oral conscious sedation. One hour before your appointment, you take a pill we have given you. As you begin to relax in the dental chair, you steadily reach a deeper level of relaxation, but will still be able to answer questions when asked by the doctor. Vital signs will be monitored and when the procedure is completed, a friend or family member will drive you home. Within an hour, you will be completely conscious.

Some people have even more fear of being “put out.” But you are not unconscious, just sedated to a level of being unaware of the procedure. You will have no memory of it, but retain perception of your environment. It is sedation that keeps you relaxed throughout treatment.

Dr. Rick Kava's Sioux City Dental 
2930 Hamilton Blvd., Upper F Suite 101 
Sioux City, IA 51104 
(712) 258-6169 
DrKava.com

Dental Crowns Dentist

Natural-Looking Crowns Made in One Appointment
If you have ever had a crown placed over a tooth, you may dread the entire process, with two or more trips to the dentist and waiting for two weeks with a temporary placed in your mouth.

You will be very pleased to know all that has changed. Dr. Kava can provide a perfectly fitting crown in just over an hour. With CEREC™ technology, we can design and mill a permanent crown in just minutes. No longer are impressions or temporaries needed. The crowns created by CEREC are very durable, functional, and natural looking.

The quick and easy procedure starts with a reflective powder applied to the tooth. A specially designed camera takes a very accurate picture of the tooth, which is displayed on our computer screen. Dr. Kava designs the restoration from the image, and CEREC accurately creates the crown. It is then bonded to the tooth – and that is the whole procedure! 

Dr. Rick Kava's Sioux City Dental  
2930 Hamilton Blvd., Upper F Suite 101  
Sioux City, IA 51104  
(712) 258-6169  
DrKava.com

Cosmetic Dentistry

Techniques for a Beautiful Smile
We want you to feel good, and part of feeling good about yourself is looking good. A beautiful smile is a very attractive part of your appearance, and we have easy makeovers that are less time consuming and more affordable than ever before! We start with the best preventive care and move forward with restorations such as veneers, crowns, whitening, and bonding to give you a great look that lets you smile confidently and more often.

A New Smile in as Few as Two Visits!
Perhaps you have avoided having your teeth straightened because of the commitment to years of treatment. But with porcelain veneers, you can have a new smile in as few as two visits! They correct unsightly gaps, misshapen teeth, and severe discoloration. Our veneers are thin, hard pieces of advanced dental ceramic. They bond to your natural teeth and create that even, uniform smile. They also can be used on a chipped or worn-down tooth. Veneers are made to match the color of your other teeth to give a very natural appearance to your smile.

Dr. Rick Kava's Sioux City Dental  
2930 Hamilton Blvd., Upper F Suite 101  
Sioux City, IA 51104  
(712) 258-6169  
DrKava.com

Dentist Sioux City IA

Dr. Rick Kava is pleased to be able to offer beautiful smiles to his neighbors in Sioux City and the surrounding communities. 

Dr. Kava earned his dental degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry, after earning his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Prior to entering private practice, he completed a general practice residency at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Omaha. 

Dr. Kava has taken numerous postgraduate education courses, selecting courses on a wide range of topics to maintain his comprehensive knowledge and skill level. He has completed the coursework at the Peter Dawson Academy for Advanced Dental Study, which emphasized occlusion (your bite), TMJ disorders, and esthetic restorative dentistry. Additionally, he has completed training in sleep apnea treatment, orthodontics, CEREC^TM restorations, and soft tissue laser treatments. His most recent course in conscious sedation at the Albert Einstein Institute Monte Fiore Hospital in Bronx, NY, allows him to offer a full range of sedation options so his patients can achieve healthy, beautiful smiles in complete comfort. 

A teacher as well as a student, Dr. Kava has lectured at the Western District of Nebraska State Dental Association and trained other dentists in soft tissue laser treatment in several venues, including the American Dental Association annual meeting. He is a contributing author to the Principles and Practice of Laser Dentistry by Robert Convissar and was featured as the cosmetic dentist for Extreme Makeover, Siouxland Edition. 

Dr. Kava is an active participant in the community, providing extensive assistance in the area of animal welfare and serving on the board of directors of the Siouxland Humane Society. He and Kris, his wife of 25 years, have three daughters, and in his spare time, he enjoys working outside, reading, golfing, and spending time with his family.

Dr. Rick Kava's Sioux City Dental 
2930 Hamilton Blvd., Upper F Suite 101 
Sioux City, IA 51104 
(712) 258-6169 
DrKava.com