Blog Archive
If you wake up in the morning with tired or tight jaw muscles and neck or face soreness, you may be grinding your teeth at night. The reasons for teeth grinding are varied, but Dr. Brian LaBombard and his team at Airport Dental Care in Austin, Texas, have a lot...
You’ve got a problem with your smile, and you’re looking for a quick fix. Porcelain veneers just might be the way to go. Veneers are thin, porcelain shells custom-made to cover the fronts of teeth. They’re popular among people wanting to create a uniform smile or address damaged teeth. And...
Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars in the back of your mouth. You’ve got wisdom teeth on both sides of your mouth, top and bottom. They typically don’t erupt, or come through your gums, until the ages of 17-25. Some people don’t have wisdom teeth, and some have...
If you’re one of the 178 million Americans missing at least one tooth, replacement is essential. Replacing a missing tooth protects the alignment of your other teeth, helps maintain the shape of your face, and prevents difficulties with eating or speaking. Your options to replace a missing tooth usually are...
So you have a cavity. You were hoping to avoid another filling, but here you are again. A dental filling is exactly what the name implies — a substance that fills the internal area of a tooth that your dentist has removed because of decay. Fillings are added to prevent...
If you’re keeping up with your regular dental visits, you know that X-rays of your teeth and mouth are a regular part of your exams so your dentist can check for issues that aren’t visible to the naked eye. If your oral health is good, you won’t have X-rays at...
You’ve heard it your entire life: Floss and brush your teeth every day. But you may not remember hearing specific directions on how to floss and brush most effectively. Your parents might have taught you when you were little, but that was a few years ago, so it’s time for...
You have a problem. You want straighter teeth to give you that beautiful smile you’ve always dreamed of, but you don’t want anyone to know you’re straightening your teeth. Traditional metal braces are impossible to wear without anyone spotting them, but a new system of clear, plastic aligners called ClearCorrect®...
You know you have a problem with your smile, but you’re not sure of the best way to fix it. A veneer is a thin porcelain or resin shell permanently bonded to the front side of your tooth. Veneers are custom-made to match the color and shade of your natural teeth. The...
A tooth extraction is never anyone’s first choice for a dental procedure, but sometimes it’s necessary to preserve your dental health. During a tooth extraction, your tooth is removed from its socket with specialty tools. This procedure can be performed by a dentist, periodontist, or oral surgeon. Extractions may be...
People missing one or more teeth often struggle with their oral health and self-esteem. Gaps in the teeth bring health issues and can be embarrassing. If you’re missing teeth, you might be looking for some type of replacement. Many consider dental implants the best method to replace missing teeth. With this procedure,...
If you’re unhappy with the alignment of your teeth and looking for a quick, easy, and inconspicuous way to straighten them, ClearCorrect™ aligners might be the perfect solution. Rather than big, bulky metal braces, ClearCorrect aligners are clear plastic trays that straighten your teeth a little at a time. Dr....
You know you’re supposed to brush your teeth twice a day, floss once a day, and visit your dentist a couple of times a year for a professional cleaning. You know this because you’ve been told over and over again. You’ve got the basics down, but there’s more to oral...
You already know that getting consistently good sleep is one of the best things you can do for your overall health. What you may not know, though, is that your sleeping habits can play a role in your oral health. So in addition to brushing, flossing, and scheduling professional teeth cleanings, getting a...
Imagine your dentist has just told you that your wisdom teeth are impacted and need to be removed. (“Impacted” means the tooth hasn’t come in — or erupted — as expected, is coming in at the wrong angle, or is even blocked from coming in.) You don’t want to have the surgery,...
If you often wake up in the morning with a headache or sore jaw, you may be grinding your teeth at night. Also called bruxism, teeth grinding can be difficult to diagnose because you usually don’t know you’re doing it. Signs and symptoms of bruxism include teeth that are flattened, broken,...
Photography has always been an important part of dentistry. And with the rise of digital technology, imaging has become even more accessible and valuable to dentists. Photos taken inside and outside your mouth are an important part of preventive dentistry, providing information to your dentist as they seek the best possible outcome...
You’ve had a baby and you’re no doubt busy checking off milestones in the first few months of your child’s life. One that’s easy to overlook: Taking your baby to the dentist for a checkup. If you’ve let this slip through the cracks, don’t worry. You and your baby are...
Getting a tooth removed is a fairly straightforward procedure. One of the most important parts of the process is helping your mouth to heal afterward. In most cases, everything proceeds normally, but in 2%-5% of cases, a complication called dry socket occurs. After your tooth is removed, a blood clot...
If you’re not having any major issues with your teeth and mouth, you may be tempted to skip your regular dental exams when they roll around twice a year. At Airport Dental Care in Austin, Texas, we’ve seen many patients over the years who have given in to that temptation...
It’s one of the most common fears every time your visit to the dentist is approaching: Will I have any cavities? You don’t want your dentist to think you’re not taking good care of your teeth — even though you can’t remember the last time you flossed — and you...
With more than 4 million people in the United States wearing braces, straight teeth are definitely a priority for many Americans. And the reason most people have for straightening their teeth is fairly obvious: Your smile simply looks better with straight teeth than with a mouth full of crooked ones. ...
If you consistently wake up in the morning with jaw pain and headaches, one of the most likely causes of those symptoms is grinding your teeth while you’re asleep. And one of the best methods to keep the problem from causing you pain is a night guard that keeps you...
If you have teeth that are causing you embarrassment — maybe they’re cracked, chipped, or crooked — you don’t have to live like that. Among the many cosmetic dental options available, porcelain veneers are one of the best choices you can make. At Airport Dental Care in Austin, Texas, Dr....
Every year in the United States, about 10 million wisdom teeth are removed from 5 million people at a total cost of about $3 billion. While there’s some debate whether all these extractions are strictly necessary (especially for people who aren’t experiencing any issues), if your wisdom teeth are causing...
Dr. Brian LaBombard at Airport Dental Care is very good at performing root canals. He’s done so many, he could probably do one in his sleep. (Don’t worry, he won’t actually try that.) But here’s the thing: He’d rather not have to do a root canal on you. If you...
You know how your parents always made you brush your teeth at least twice a day and you grumbled about it day after day? Turns out your parents were right (just like they were on a lot of other issues). Brushing your teeth is a vital defense to preventing the...
If you’re a coffee lover, your favorite part of the day might just be that first hot sip of morning brew. Depending on how many cups you drink after the first one, though, you may be experiencing an unfortunate side effect of coffee consumption: stained, yellowing teeth. If the surface...
When you think about going to the dentist, you probably focus mostly on the cleaning part of the procedure: Lying on your back in the chair while the hygienist and dentist make sure your teeth are clean and problem-free. What you may not think about is exactly how the dentist...
Even with regular brushing and flossing, your mouth can use extra help every now and then to get clean deep down. Potentially harmful bacteria are numerous in your mouth, forming deposits of plaque on your teeth and gums. Regular professional dental care keeps your mouth healthy. At Airport Dental Care,...
An impacted tooth sounds ominous, but you can actually have one and not suffer any pain, swelling, or other giveaway symptoms. An impacted tooth doesn’t always break through the skin of your gums or present other problems. It’s simply stuck in a strange place, not where it belongs. Some people...
Teeth grinding, which is medically known as bruxism, may not seem like the most serious problem, but this condition can do real damage to your teeth, lead to poor sleep, and cause facial pain. Our highly qualified dental team here at Airport Dental Care, under the direction of Dr. Brian...
Braces and clear aligners both work by gradually shifting your teeth into their proper positions. While there are a few extreme cases that warrant metal wires and brackets, clear aligners can correct almost all crooked teeth and misaligned bites. Dr. Brian LaBombard at Airport Dental Care in Austin, Texas, trusts...
Are you smiling a little less revealingly because you’ve noticed your teeth are stained and discolored? It happens to many people, even those who have good dental hygiene habits. Teeth whitening might just be the perfect solution to restore your smile’s old sparkle. Dr. Brian LaBombard at Airport Dental Care...
The way your teeth look when you grin says a lot about you. People make snap judgments about your age, your health, your attention to hygiene, and even your work ethic based on the appearance of your teeth. If a quick look in the mirror has you wondering what you...
We call your third molars “wisdom teeth” because they don't come in until you're older, typically between the ages of 17 and 21. Because your wisdom teeth don't emerge until after adolescence, they can cause trouble in your fully developed adult mouth. However, while some dentists always recommend surgery to...
Does intense snoring jolt you awake in the middle of the night? Do you consistently wake up with a morning headache? Sleep apnea isn’t just a nuisance at night — it can affect how you feel in the morning, your ability to think clearly at work, and even your heart...
You lead every day with your smile, whether at home, at play, or on the job. Suddenly, you realize one morning that your teeth are looking awfully yellow. When did your teeth yellow, and is there anything you can do about it? Fortunately, the answer is yes — now more...
Wisdom teeth, also known as “third molars,” are the molars that are the farthest back in your mouth. They typically erupt between the ages of 18 and 24, although in some cases, they never break through the gum tissue or only partially come in. Wisdom teeth that don’t fully erupt...
Did you know that only 64% of American adults have visited the dentist in the past year? Not seeing the dentist regularly can have detrimental effects on your health. Not only does our team clean your teeth and remove the plaque and germs that build up on your teeth, but...
As a kid, you may remember that proud moment at the dentist’s office when you could announce to your mom or dad that you didn’t have any cavities. Maybe your dentist let you pick out a prize for your efforts. As an adult, the stakes are a little higher as...
You may not look forward to the inconvenience of a root canal, but rest assured that it’s no more invasive than many other standard dental procedures. They’re pretty common, too – with more than 25 million performed every year in the United States. At Airport Dental Care, located in...
Dental veneers are thin shells made of porcelain or resin that bond to the front of your teeth in order to improve the cosmetic appearance of your smile. Whether you have misaligned teeth, chipped enamel, or discolored teeth, veneers can transform your smile and improve your confidence. As with any...
A whopping 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth thanks to tooth decay and gum disease, to say nothing of the scores of Americans who struggle with dull and yellow teeth over time. Though a smile that’s powered by sparkling pearly whites is certainly one that speaks to...
Straight teeth not only give you a winning smile, they also play a critical role in your dental health. If your teeth are misaligned and you’re exploring your options, why not consider ClearCorrect, which is revolutionizing the way we approach straightening teeth? At Airport Dental Care, under the experienced direction...
Who doesn’t want a superstar smile to usher in 2020? And let’s take it a step further: Why shouldn’t your smile be guaranteed to dazzle year-round? It takes two to create a fabulous smile — you and your dentist. Dr. Brian LaBombard’s experience treating patients of all ages, expertise in...
Do you wake up feeling tired every morning, despite spending the recommended 7-9 hours in bed? Well, the hours you spend in bed don’t necessarily correlate to the hours you spend asleep — and they definitely don’t correlate to the hours you spend in deep sleep, the most restorative part...
Gently place your index fingers on either side of your face just in front of your ears, and then open and close your mouth. What you’re feeling are the rounded ends of your jawbone as they glide across the sockets in your temporal bones or the lower lateral areas of...
If you’re like most people, at least once you’ve said to yourself: “Eh, skipping just one night of brushing won’t hurt my teeth.” Perhaps that one night has turned into several over the course of many years. We get it — sometimes brushing and flossing at the end of a...
Did you know that the average person has an estimated 700 different strains of bacteria in their mouth? Most of them are perfectly harmless, but your mouth is the gateway to your body, and where a tooth has been extracted, it forms the perfect entry point for harmful bacteria. So...
Waking up with a headache is not a great way to start your day. While your head pain may come from sinus problems, the inability to sleep, or a little too much to drink the night before, it may be something else. If a chronic issue with teeth grinding (also...
82% of the U.S. population believe straight, white teeth can help you get ahead in life. If you agree, then you’ve probably considered braces to help enhance your smile. The only problem is you don't want braces that stand out; especially if you're an adult. Thankfully, clear braces exist to...
Teeth whitening is a safe, popular, and effective way to create a whiter, brighter smile without placing veneers or removing stained tooth enamel. At Airport Dental Care in Austin, Texas, Dr. Brian LaBombard offers his dental patients chairside teeth whitening using safe, effective GLO™ Science whitening techniques. Who needs teeth...
A smile that has a gaping hole where a tooth should be can be a confidence killer. But more importantly, empty spaces in your mouth can lead to more serious health issues like jaw bone deterioration or uneven wear for the surrounding teeth. There are several ways you can fill...
Do you frequently flash an open-lipped smile without a care for what other people think about your teeth? If the answer is “definitely not!” but you’re already doing all you can to take care of your teeth — brushing, flossing, and getting regular cleanings —veneers might be the next step...
There’s perhaps no dental procedure more dreaded than a root canal, but this is an unfounded fear. Contemporary dental techniques make root canals virtually painless, in line with what you’d expect when receiving a filling. Chances are that the symptoms that led to a root canal are far more painful...
If you’re like the vast majority of people (or 99.7% of adults who responded in a recent poll about oral health), you believe that a beautiful smile isn’t simply attractive — it’s an important social asset. Because you’ve long understood that your smile is one of the first things...