NTI-tss Device

Dr. Walter Kostrzewski of Comfortable Care Dentistry in Milford, CT utilizes the NTI-tss device for patients who suffer from:

• Migraines
• Headaches
• TMJ
• Jaw pain

The NTI device is the most effective non-drug FDA-cleared method of migraine prevention on the market and is available through our office. This device is not available over-the-counter, a patient seeking migraine or TMJ pain relied must first be evaluated and properly diagnosed by a trained professional. Dr. Kostrzewski is experienced in locating the reasons for your pain and can determine if the NTI device is right for you.

The NTI is a small nightguard that fits over your front teeth to help alleviate the pains of migraines and TMJ. Its design allows your canine and back teeth to be separated in a comfortable position that minimizes the intensity of your nighttime clenching forces.

Benefits of the NTI Device:

• No Drugs
• No Shots
• No Surgery
• No Side Effects
• Safe for use during pregnancy

How Does it Work?

The NTI device combats the natural tendency of migraine and TMJ suffers to clench their teeth in harmful ways. When you sleep, your pains are likely caused by the natural clenching and grinding that occurs resulting in migraine or tension-type headaches. The NTI device reduces clenching by disallowing the canine and back teeth to touch. This mouthpiece diminishes muscle contractions in the head and the face, thus providing relief for the user.

The NTI device is only available through licensed dentists. If Dr. Kostrzewski and our Milford, CT office are remotely close to you, contact us today to learn more about how you can find relief.

1-800-917-5269

Choosing a Veneers Dentist in CT

Given the latest trends in dentistry and improving your overall appearance, many of our Milford patients inquire about dental veneers. Veneers are ultra-thin sheets of tooth-like material that are bonded to the front surfaces of the teeth to improve appearance and often, oral health. Aesthetics are important to many people, particularly those in the business world, people who are looking to make good impressions, and people who may be recently single and are entering the dating world again. Dr. Kostrzewski and other dentists will tell you that your smile is the first thing people notice about you when they meet you. This is why it is important to make a good first impression and have a confident smile that says “I’m a poised individual ready to take on the world” or perhaps something along those lines.

To make this good first impression with your smile you may have considered veneers for your smile makeover or upgrade. Ultimately Dr. Kostrzewski can help you determine how to reach your smile goals but very often patients who want veneers are eligible and can benefit from them. These patients should know there is more to veneers and their placement than just carefully bonding them onto their teeth.

Placing and creating dental veneers is actually quite meticulous as a good veneers dentist will take into account your overall appearance as well as subtle characteristics to make your smile glow. For example, when Dr. K evaluates you and your smile goals he will consider such physical features as your skin tone, eye color, hair color, nose shape, lips, and how they complement each other. In short, Dr. K will be customizing your new veneers smile to your individual physical characteristics.

Beware the dentist who cuts and pastes smiles. Brad Pitt’s or Angelina Jolie’s smile just make not work with your features. Instead trust your smile to a professional who has the education and training that is put to use by other dentists, dental manufacturers, and the dental industry as a whole. Learn more about veneers and Dr. K’s credentials by clicking the previous links.

Why Choose Invisalign in Milford

Most patients are aware of Invisalign and ask for it by name. But did you know that Invisalign isn’t available at every dentist or orthodontist office? It’s true, Invisalign dentists must complete a course offered through Invisalign to be able to provide the treatment to patients. Invisalign, like traditional braces, allows your dentist to formulate a dental treatment plan that will straighten teeth as well as improve your smile. Dr. Walter Kostrzewski of Comfortable Care Dentistry in Milford, CT also has a background in cosmetic dentistry, giving Invisalign patients an added reason to choose our practice for their Invisalign treatment.

Cosmetic dentists like Dr. Kostrzewski, or Dr. K as our patients call him, have undergone additional training that incorporates dental health treatments such as Invisalign with aesthetic benefits. While there are a limited number of Invisalign dentists in Connecticut, there are also a limited amount of dentists in Connecticut who have the training and experience to deliver the exceptional results you will find at Comfortable Care Dentistry. Learn more about Dr. K.

We encourage you to contact our office to come in for a comprehensive dental evaluation with Dr. K to determine if you can benefit from Invisalign or some other cosmetic dentistry treatment that will give you the smile you want. If you and Dr. K. decide that Invisalign is right for you we will quickly start a treatment plan that is individualized just for you and gives you the results you want.

Invisalign can be used to treat a number of cases that allow teens and adults to benefit from aligner therapy while maintaining their mature or professional appearance. If you suffer from any of the following dental problems, Invisalign may be right for you:

• Spaced Teeth
• Overly Crowded Teeth
• Crossbite
• Underbite
• Overbite

Contact the Milford dental office of Dr. Walter Kostrzewski today to have the smile of your dreams tomorrow.

1-800-917-5269

Smiles for Life Charity

Dr. Kostrzewksi of Comfortable Care Dentistry was recently featured in an article about the Crown Council’s Smiles for Life charity. Read the article below or follow the link to the Milford Patch.

It’s time again for the Crown Council’s Smiles for Life campaign.  This March through June, your local Crown Council dentist, Comfortble Care Dentistry, is offering teeth whitening services at a significantly reduced price, and will donate 100 percent of the proceeds to help children facing serious health and educational problems in communities throughout North America.

“The teeth whitening procedure is quick and painless, with excellent results,” explains “Dr. K”, a Crown Council dentist located in Milford.  “Most importantly, a few minutes in the chair can help touch a child’s life forever.”

The Smiles for Life Foundation is the children’s charity organization of the Crown Council, an organization of leading-edge dentists throughout North America.  Each year over a four-month period, Crown Council dentists participating in the Smiles for Life campaign offer professional teeth whitening service at a considerably reduced price and donate 100 percent of the proceeds to children’s charities.  The Crown Council’s Smiles for Life Foundation has raised more than $27 million since 1998, benefiting nearly 500 children’s charities across North America. Since joining the campaign in 1998 Comfortable Care Dentistry,  has raised nearly $ 200,000.

“Smiles for Life allows a person to help children in need by doing something that benefits them as well,” explains Greg Anderson, director of the Crown Council.  “Dr. K and the Comfortable Care Team, donate their time and expertise, while Discus Dental provides all supplies.  You receive a brighter smile, and, best of all, provide children with a brighter future.”

Half of the donations are earmarked for a local children’s charity partner, and the balance goes to the Smiles For Life Foundation to be distributed to worthy and approved children’s charities across the U.S. and Canada. Participating charities includes Children’s Miracle Network, Children of Romania, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, CURE (in Cambodia), Smiles For Hope, and the Kids Cancer Care Foundation.

Gift certificates for teeth whitening services are also available at Comfortable Care Dentistry. These certificates are a perfect gift idea for loved ones for Valentines Day, wedding showers, birthdays and other special occasions—AND, they help needy kids at the same time. Call 203-876-9887 or go to www.CTSmiles.com.

Custom Mouth Guard

If you are an athlete you probably know how easy it is to sustain an injury on the field or the ice. In fact, many sports injuries that occur each year take place in the mouth. The American Dental Association puts annual sports-related oral injuries in the 200,000 range. The truth is that many of these injuries could have been prevented with the use of a custom-made sports mouth guard. The misconception that mouthguards are uncomfortable, bulky, and impede breathing or speech has been debunked. While the disadvantages of sports mouth guards may hold true for stock mouth guards, customized guards like the ones we make at our Milford office are comfortable, effective, and allow athletes in every sport to breathe easy.

Sports mouth guards are designed to cushion the force of a blow to the jaw and oral region by dissipating the energy of a hit or fall. This cushioning effect greatly decreases the incidence of oral injury such as tooth loss or damage. Additionally, they have been shown to decrease the incidence of concussions because the lower jaw is not forced back into the base of the skull. They protect the teeth and the soft tissues of the mouth by preventing the jaws from being brought together forcefully. Other benefits of sports mouth guards include preventing the onset of ongoing dental problems that generate dental costs in the thousands.

Don’t be one of the 40% of athletes who sustain a dental injury this year. Get a custom-made sports mouth guard that protects your teeth from damage while helping you to prevent harmful and season-ending concussions. These mouth guards are superior in every way to the stock or boil mouthguards that you see at sporting goods stores. Sports mouth guards customized by Dr. Kostrzewski are fabricated over a dental model using vacuum formed thermoplastic material and are recommended by The Academy for Sports Dentistry.

Dentures & Alternatives

Dr. Walter Kostrzewski of Comfortable Care Dentistry is an experienced dentist who can help you to restore your smile if you suffer from missing teeth. We offer dentures to our patients who are missing teeth in the form of complete dentures and partial dentures. Complete dentures are for patients who are missing all of their teeth and partials are for patients who are only missing some teeth. We can place dentures after irreparable teeth have been removed (tooth extraction) and the gum tissue has healed. This process usually takes about three to four months and a temporary denture can be made while your gums heal.

Are Dentures Covered by Dental Insurance?

Because dentures are a restorative dentistry procedure they are generally covered by dental insurance. You will have to contact your individual insurance provider to see the specific costs they will cover. We recommend you do this before you elect to get dentures placed so that you are not surprised by any miscellaneous costs.

Can I Continue to Eat Whatever Foods I Like?

The short of the answer to this question is no. Dentures wearers are advised to avoid certain foods such as foods that are extremely sticky or hard. Chewing gum, sharp-edged bones, and toothpicks are all items denture-wearers should avoid.

Denture Alternatives

Dental implants are quickly becoming the most popular alternative to dentures because they most closely replace missing teeth. Dr. Kostrzewski is trained to place dental implants in Connecticut and can advise you if you are eligible for this type of treatment. The advantages to dental implants are that they form a permanent bond to your jaw bone through a process called osseointegration and the dental crowns that are custom-made for your teeth look and feel completely natural. The downside to dental implants is that they are more expensive than dentures and may not be available to all patients.

To learn more about dentures, dental implants, or how to replace your missing teeth contact our Milford, CT office today.

Sagging face from tooth loss

Many dental patients are aware of some of the health issues that can arise from the loss of teeth including impaired speech, loss of ability to chew, and a decrease in nutrition. But an important factor that Comfortable Care Dentistry wants to bring attention to regarding tooth loss is the deterioration of bone where the teeth once lied. Although the appearance of a lost tooth can have significant psychological and social consequences it is the bone that supports the teeth that can have serious functional, health, and aesthetic affects that needs to be addressed quickly.

When a tooth is lost the lack of stimulation in the alveolar bone causes it to diminish, resulting in more future health and social issues. Within the first year of tooth loss the bone can decrease 25% in width and up to four millimeters in height in the next few years. This can result in the loss of more teeth, the impairment of the ability to chew and speak, the loss of function, and results in a more aged look as the aesthetics of the face can change as well.

Teeth are usually lost due to old age, trauma, or poor dental care that causes them to decay. The longer a patient waits to take measures to replace the tooth, the more of a chance they have at suffering the consequences associated with bone loss. There are several options to replace missing teeth including dental bridges, dentures, and dental implants. The most common method of replacing teeth was the fixed partial denture, or fixed bridge. A fixed bridge is attached to the two surrounding healthy teeth and a prosthesis is placed in the middle to replace the missing tooth. Current research has shown that although the fixed bridge may help to replace a missing tooth, the surrounding teeth are more susceptible to tooth decay, root canal problems, and gum disease.

The dental implant is now the most highly recommended tooth replacement procedure as it is serves to replace missing teeth and avoids debilitating bone loss. The dental implant replaces the tooth’s root by a process called osseointegration where the implant fuses with the jawbone and creates a restoration that is natural looking and feeling.

If you have recently lost a tooth or would like to schedule a consultation with Milford’s Dental Implant Dentist, contact us today.

Happy Veteran's Day Troops!

Dr. K and the dental team at Comfortable Care Dentistry are working with the Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics (ACE) to help provide dental services to our troops. The charity titled “A Soldiers Smile” was kicked off this past weekend just in time for Veteran’s Day this Friday the 11^th. The A Soldiers Smile events are slated to take place across the country in participating VA hospitals and at local dentist’s offices such as our Milford dentistry office. Dr. K and other select dentists have volunteered their time, experience and goodwill so that our less than fortunate troops can get the dental care they deserve.

The charity is also backed by Montel Williams, the award winning talk show host who himself is a decorated military veteran. Montel has already begun to generate exposure for this event and has done some traveling as well as made appearances on national TV shows explaining the A Soldiers Smile events and charity. Dr. K will be providing cosmetic and restorative dentistry procedures to select US troops and will help them to regain their oral health as well as self-confidence. We all know that a poor smile can affect our self-esteem and US soldiers who have served our countries deserve to have access to dental care that improves their lives.

Although this may come as a shock to many, a lot of or vets have difficulty getting proper dental care for their oral health problems. There are laws in place that have restrictions on providing health care for veterans based on their condition in or out of service and their income level. These laws can limit the health care that our vets should be granted and Dr. K and other dentists are helping to take action today.

Veteran’s Day is this Friday the 11^th. Remember to thank a vet for their service to our country.

Halloween Candy Buy Back

Dr. Walter Kostrzewski, or Dr. K as his patients know him is again supporting this year’s Halloween Candy Buy Back program which raises candy from the local community to donate to our troops who are in harm’s way. The event, slated to commence on Tuesday November 1^st at 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm will allow kids to donate their Halloween candy in exchange for goody bags, a free dinner at Bertucci’s, Sundae House ice cream, a dental care kit and more.

Kids will walk away knowing that they have improved the lives of our troops and brought smiles to their faces. This year’s Halloween Candy Buy Back will be sending 60,000 care packages to our troops so that we can show our appreciation for their service to our country with a few treats. Last year’s program sent 125 tons of candy and other care products that were greatly appreciated by our US troops.

We are asking participants to separate chocolate candy from the rest of the candy so that we can ensure it gets to our troops un-melted. In addition to the candy we are sending over we hope to receive 100,000 toothbrush/toothpaste sets to include in the care packages. If you can help us reach this important goal it would be greatly appreciated. Additional items you may want to provide:

• Commercially sealed Lip Balm, toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss, mouthwash
• Beanie Babies/WebKinz or other small stuffed animals
• Hand-Knit/Crochet Scarves and Hats
• Socks (dark colors are best)
• Small packages Beef Jerky
• Energy/Protein Bars
• Individual Packets of Hot Cereal
• DVD’s / CD’s
• Personal Letters of Appreciation

Dr. K and the Comfortable Care Dentistry staff will host the Halloween Candy Buy Back at their Milford, CT office located at 203 Cherry Street, zip code 06460. For more information contact them at 1-800-917-5269.

Gapped front teeth

Many Americans suffer from a gap or space in their front teeth that is caused by a fold of tissue that connects the gum to the lip. This is called the frenum and people with gapped teeth have large frenums. Sometimes the frenum can extend lower than usual and contribute to separation in the front teeth. People with large frenums often wonder if they can have the gap closed as their frenum muscle is preventing their front teeth from coming together. A large frenum does not prevent patients from having orthodontic treatment to close the space however the frenum will likely need to be removed in a frenectomy to prevent it from reopening.

Because every case is different it is important to be diagnosed by a dentist or orthodontist. There may be other factors that cause the spacing in the front teeth besides a large frenum such as:

• A deep bite (overlap of upper and lower front teeth)
• Tongue thrust (caused by involuntary tongue habit)
• Tongue or finger sucking habits
• Bite collapse
• Foreign objects such as pencils or toothpicks between teeth
• Missing teeth
• Non-replacement of missing teeth

After a proper evaluation the dentist will be able to diagnose the reason for the spaced teeth and decide on which treatment plan will work for the patient. Sometimes the teeth can be closed with no more than a retainer or orthodontic treatment. Other times a frenectomy may be required to fix the gapped teeth so that they do not move apart again.

Most dentists prefer to make attempts to close the gap with less invasive methods rather than removing the frenum. This is because prior removal of the frenum can result in scar tissue than can prevent space closure. It can also be difficult to gauge how much muscle tissue needs to be taken away before the teeth are moved into the proper position. Before you make a decision to have a more advanced surgical procedure consult with your dentist first to see if your gap can be closed with more conservative treatments.