Our Blog

Snoring may not be something you take seriously. You might even laugh or joke about it. But the fact is, anytime you or your partner snore to the point of waking, it could be a sign of serious health problems.

Sleep Apnea and Its Effects

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that is potentially dangerous, and the most common symptom is loud snoring. Breathing repeatedly starts and stops throughout the night, and you wake up feeling tired. Other serious effects from sleep apnea could be potentially dangerous to your health if left unaddressed.

Besides losing a good night's sleep, you may experience difficulty concentrating. Depression, risk of heart attack, irritability, high blood pressure, memory loss, sexual dysfunction, and chances of stroke all increase when sleep apnea is not treated.

Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat relax to the point of inhibiting natural breathing. The muscles used to support the soft palate relax and the airway closes, causing breathing to stop for ten to 20 seconds. This lowers the oxygen level in the brain. As the brain senses the inhibited oxygen levels it rouses the sleeper awake so the airway can reopen. Normally, the reawakening is so brief the person won't remember it.

If you think you may have sleep apnea, visit our Champlin, MN office and let Doctors Bauer, Lawrenz, and Stark determine what treatment is needed. Without it, you could risk losing more than a restful night's sleep.

Prevention and Treatment

Anyone can develop sleep apnea, but it is more common among middle-aged adults who are overweight. Doctors Bauer, Lawrenz, and Stark can help you determine the cause and suggest positive treatment.

A common treatment for apnea is the placement of oral devices that are designed to help keep the airway open. By bringing the jaw forward, the device opens the airway and thereby discourages snoring. We are experienced in sleep apnea appliances, and Doctors Bauer, Lawrenz, and Stark can prescribe a fitted device and monitor its success with follow-up therapy.

A continuous positive airway pressure mask, known as a CPAP, is among the other treatment options. A mask is fitted over the mouth and forces oxygen through the throat while you sleep. The pressure holds the soft tissue and throat muscles open.

Our professionals at Champlin Family Dental can advise you of other ways to prevent sleep apnea, including weight loss, avoiding alcohol, or alternative sleeping positions. We can help you sleep return to easy sleep, knowing you are safer and healthier during your resting hours.

Once upon a time, silver fillings ruled in dental offices everywhere. For a long time, they were the only option dentists used to close off the spaces on teeth where bacteria could easily enter.

Most patients did not regard a pearly white and silver smile as something to be super excited about. Luckily, we have a range of more aesthetically pleasing options today. The most common material used for fillings now is composite, also known as tooth-colored fillings.

Composite fillings are made to match the shade of your teeth, so they offer a seamless addition to your smile. They even let light travel through them the same way that natural enamel does. Composite fillings are great because they erase imperfections and can even reshape your teeth by minimizing excessive spacing. If you have a gap between your two front teeth, for example, a composite filling is an easy, non-invasive, and most important, cost-effective way to give you the instant fix you desire.

Overall, tooth-colored fillings make an easy choice all around. Easily placed, readily repaired, and well disguised. In a world where a perfect smile seems to have become standard for everybody, why not get composite fillings for yourself?

You can smile with the confidence of knowing that nobody will spot a shiny silver thing in your mouth. Visit our Champlin, MN office to get a consult or give us a call! We’re always happy to answer your questions.

Gum disease is about much more than pesky bleeding gums – it's a serious and progressive condition that, over time, can result in tooth loss, which in turn can have a significant bearing on your quality of life. Many people avoid being evaluated for gum disease because they worry that if they do have the condition, their only option will be to undergo surgery or let their teeth fall out. In fact, there are several non-surgical options to help treat gum disease (also called periodontal disease) and prevent eventual tooth loss. Wondering what they are? Here's a quick rundown of your options:

• Regular dental cleaning: When your gum disease is in its earliest stages, regular cleanings at least twice a year may be enough to ward off further development, especially if you rigorously follow your dentist's recommendations for home care, including regular flossing. To get your periodontal disease under control, you may need to have cleanings more than twice a year, returning to twice-yearly cleanings once your gums are healthy again.
• Scaling and root planing: These procedures involve deep cleaning above and below the gum line to remove plaque and tartar and to smooth rough spots on or near the root that can provide places for bacteria to lodge. Once the material below the gum line is removed, Doctors Bauer, Lawrenz, and Stark may apply an antibacterial gel to help kill any bacteria that remain. Because these procedures involve using special instruments to reach deep pockets of plaque and bacteria, most patients opt for a local anesthetic to help avoid discomfort. For more advanced cases of gum disease, you may need two sessions to complete the procedure. Afterward, you may experience some slight discomfort and bleeding from your gums which will resolve soon afterward. We can recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever to help relieve any discomfort.
• Medication: Antibiotics can be used in some cases to help destroy bacteria beneath the gum line and help preserve the tooth's attachment and prevent loosening and eventual loss. Both over-the-counter and prescription mouthwashes are available, as well as oral antibiotics that can be used to destroy gum disease-causing bacteria. Toothpastes containing antibiotics are also available and are usually used in combination with other products or treatments.

If you're experiencing signs of periodontal disease – tender, bleeding or swollen gums, receding gums, gums that bleed after brushing, or loose teeth – delaying treatment is the worst thing you can do. Make an appointment at our Champlin, MN office and learn about all the options that can help you keep your teeth and gums as healthy as can be.

Your regular dentist is a lot like your regular doctor. You see them both frequently for checkups and advice on maintaining your health. Your dentist is the one to visit for dental concerns such as discovering and treating cavities and gingivitis, fitting crowns and putting in fillings, performing simple extractions and many more of the procedures that keep our teeth and mouths healthy. And just as your general practitioner might refer you to a specialist if needed, your dentist might recommend a dental specialist called a periodontist like Doctors Bauer, Lawrenz, and Stark for expert treatment of more serious periodontal conditions.

The word “periodontist” was coined from the Greek words for “around” and “tooth”—in other words, a practitioner whose specialty is the treatment of the supporting structures around our teeth. These structures include the gums, the bone tissue holding the tooth, and the connective tissue between tooth and bone. A degree in periodontology generally requires three additional years of post-doctoral study after dental school focused on the treatment of periodontal disease and cosmetic restorations.

What special care does a periodontist provide?

• Diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease. Periodontitis is a disease of the gums and bones around the teeth caused by the body’s response to the bacteria in plaque. The earlier it is treated, the better. Untreated gum disease can lead to serious infection and tooth and bone loss.
• Surgical care for periodontal disease. This might involve gum grafting for receding gums or regeneration therapy to restore bone tissue.
• Debridement, scaling and root planing. These procedures remove excessive plaque and tartar from areas of the tooth above and below the gumline.
• Monitoring interactions with other health conditions. If you have diabetes, heart disease or other systemic diseases, it’s a good idea to have a periodontal evaluation. Pregnant women can also benefit from an exam if they develop gum swelling and bleeding as a result of the changes caused by pregnancy hormones.
• Implant placement. For those considering an implant, periodontists will make sure the underlying bone is healthy and has enough density for an implant, can build up the bone if needed, and will place the implant in the bone.

Your regular dentist is your first stop when taking care of your dental health. Gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease, can usually be treated by your regular dentist or dental hygienist. But if you need a specialist for more advanced periodontal disease, if you have medical issues that interact with gum health, or if you are considering a dental implant, Doctors Bauer, Lawrenz, and Stark can provide you with the best possible care for your individual needs from the comfort of our Champlin, MN office.