Blog - James Frizzell DDS (Niagara) - Weebly

Mouthguards Reduce Injuries among Ice Hockey Players

12/9/2019

With over 20 years of experience, James Frizzell, DDS, operates a private dental practice in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Dr. James Frizzell and his staff provide thoughtful, attentive care related to general and preventive dentistry as well as restorative and cosmetic procedures. As a dentist, James Frizzell, DDS, has encountered several trauma cases related to ice hockey injuries. Research shows that wearing a mouthguard can significantly decrease an ice hockey player’s risk for dental injury.

When hockey players step on the ice, they are immediately at risk for injury. With hockey sticks flailing, players checking, and pucks flying at up to 105 miles per hour, it isn’t surprising that players experience injuries to the head and mouth. Thankfully, most sports organizations recognize the risks associated with hockey and require protective equipment, including mouthguards.

According to a study conducted by the Journal of Sports Medicine, mouthguards significantly reduce the risk of oral and facial injuries to hockey players. In fact, players who do not wear mouthguards are twice as likely to experience a serious injury. Not only do well-designed guards result in fewer lost or broken teeth, they also function as a shock absorber, reducing the impact of blows to the face or jaw.

Some ice hockey players resist the idea of using mouthguards while they play, but dentists can provide valuable information regarding their long-term benefits.

VELscope Oral Screenings Help Identify Cancer

12/3/2019

James Frizzell, DDS, is a longtime Niagara Falls, Ontario family dentist who provides a full range of care within a well-equipped setting. Among the leading-edge offerings at Dr. James Frizzell's practice is VELscope oral screening, which employs tissue fluorescence during inspection of the oral cavity, instead of traditional techniques of reflectance.

Producing a visible and safe blue light, the VELscope VX handpiece is directed into the oral cavity, where it detects natural tissue fluorescence. This is enabled by fluorophore chemical compounds, which when engaged by light in a wavelength such as blue respond through emitting a longer wavelength light such as green.

The importance of detecting abnormal fluorescence patterns centers on being able to observe unhealthy mucosal tissue that might not be detectable with the naked eye. The causes of this degraded tissue can be varied and include cancer-related issues such as premalignant dysplasia. Allowing real-time visualization and analysis, the VELscope screening approach is also useful in enabling surgeons to evaluate the appropriate surgical excision margins.

Porcelain Crowns Help Protect and Beautify Teeth

11/5/2019

A dentist practicing in Niagara Falls, Ontario, James Frizzell, DDS, offers comprehensive and compassionate services in his dental office. Frequently performing pro bono and volunteer work, he provides general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. Among the restorative procedures, James Frizzell, DDS, is experienced in placing porcelain crowns.

Porcelain crowns have several benefits for patients. They can restore a natural appearance when a tooth is damaged by accident or when its enamel is badly eroded by tooth decay or other causes. They are also used when grinding has compromised the integrity of a tooth. Crowns cover a defective or unsightly tooth from the tips to the gum line, taking the place of old fillings and matching the tooth’s original color.

Being fitted with a crown requires multiple visits to a dental office. It takes time for laboratories to make them, so dentists fit patients with a temporary crown.

Porcelain crowns do have some drawbacks. Some patients report sensitivity to hot and cold foods. Although crowns are durable, natural teeth are more flexible, and patients may have to avoid certain foods. A mouth guard may be necessary to preserve the porcelain from pressure by those who grind their teeth or clench their jaws during sleep.

Dental Issues Associated with Persistent Thumb Sucking

10/25/2019

Based in Niagara Falls, Ontario, James Frizzell, DDS, offers patients of all ages quality restorative and cosmetic dental care. Dr. James Frizzell’s work as a dentist includes engaging with Niagara Falls families to ensure that their children have the brightest, healthiest smiles possible.

Young children may develop oral health issues stemming from the common habit of thumb sucking. This behavior can begin in the womb and provides infants with a sense of security and relaxation. Indeed, many young children fall asleep with their thumbs still in their mouths. During the ages of 2-4, most children outgrow the thumb-sucking habit, but it can persist into elementary school.

As the permanent teeth come in, thumb sucking can affect both the mouth’s growth and teeth alignment. It can also alter the contours of the roof of the mouth. Intensity of sucking is a key factor, with aggressive thumb suckers more likely to develop baby teeth issues.

If thumb sucking persists as the primary teeth erupt, parents should try to break the habit by either praising the child when he or she stops or addressing the underlying sense of anxiety that may be causing the habit to persist. Consulting with a dentist or pediatrician is also an option, as these professionals can recommend thumb and mouth appliances, as well as bitter medicines that coat the thumb.

University of Toronto’s Ulife Website

12/14/2018

James Frizzell, DDS, serves as a dentist in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Before opening his Niagara office, Dr. James Frizzell received his DDS from the University of Toronto. Outside of academics, students at U of T have access to a broad array of enrichment opportunities and can use Ulife as an online portal to get involved.

Ulife is a website hub for campus organizations, opportunities, and awards benefiting individual students looking for ways to get involved as well as student clubs and faculty trying to advertise various events. Run by the St. George campus’ Office of Student Life, the Scarborough campus’ Department of Student Life, and the Mississauga campus’ Student Affairs Office, Ulife hosts thousands of entries across all three campuses.

Students can find information about sports teams, drop-in classes, social activism, and research opportunities. They also can learn about open leadership positions and campus-wide social events. Students are able to browse Ulife at random or search using a specific key word to find opportunities.

Uses and Indications of Dental Sealants

12/9/2018

As head of Frizzell Dental in Niagara Falls, Ontario, James Frizzell, DDS, provides preventive care and treatment for adults, children, and teenagers. An experienced dentist, James Frizzell, DDS, offers sealants to many of his Niagara Falls patients as a decay prevention measure.

Used to prevent fissure and pit cavities, dental sealants cover the tooth in a hard plastic material. They are most commonly applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, where food tends to gather in natural grooves and crevices. The bristles of a toothbrush are often not quite long enough to reach the depths of these areas, and decay can develop as a result. Dental sealants protect these areas and create a smoother surface that the patient can more easily clean.

As part of the Human Services Healthy People 2020 initiative, the United States Department of Health and Human Services recommended an increase in the use of dental sealants for children and adolescents. Dental sealants are particularly useful for patients between the ages of 6 and 14, as these years tend to see a particularly high incidence of cavities in the permanent teeth. Some younger children may also be candidates for the procedure, particularly if baby teeth present with deep grooves that would be difficult to clean. Similarly, older adolescents and adults may benefit from sealants on deeply grooved teeth, provided that those teeth do not have pre-existing decay or fillings.

Preventing Oral Health Problems - Fluoride Applications

10/26/2017

James Frizzell, DDS, owns a private dental clinic serving people in the Niagara Falls, Ontario, region. A full service Niagara Falls-based dentist, Dr. James Frizzell performs a wide variety of procedures, including those that prevent tooth decay from arising in the first place.

When dentists recommend fluoride applications, it’s because fluoride can play a key role in strengthening teeth and preventing tooth decay. Some people get enough fluoride from municipal water systems that add a small amount of it to the water in the interest of public health.

Fluoride, a mineral found naturally in food and water, works by preventing tooth enamel breakdown that can occur when teeth are exposed to sugar or to the acids that some oral bacteria secrete. Generally, fluoride fortifies the enamel as the mineral is absorbed into it.

However, in the cases where people rely on non-fluoridated well water or live in places where the public water supply is not fluoridated, dentists may suggest in-office fluoride applications. The procedure, during which a dental professional applies a fluoride-rich gel or foam to the teeth, is simple and noninvasive.

Care for Baby's First Teeth

10/19/2017

James Frizzell, DDS, serves as dentist to patients of all ages at his practice in Niagara Falls, Ontario. To promote good oral health for a lifetime, James Frizzell, DDS, helps Niagara Falls-area parents to properly care for their babies’ emerging teeth.

Even before a baby begins to show teeth, parents can start an oral hygiene regimen. Wiping the baby's gums with a wet washcloth or gauze can help to acclimate the baby to brushing, while also ensuring that the teeth receive attention as soon as they begin to poke through the gums.

Parents can switch to a toothbrush when they notice the first teeth start to emerge. A baby's first toothbrush should have a small head and soft bristles, as well as a large handle and a grip that the parent can easily manipulate.

Babies with teeth should receive a thorough brushing both in the morning and at night. Using a small amount of fluoride toothpaste, no bigger than a grain of rice, can help do the job. The inside, outside, and chewing surfaces need a brushing, as does the tongue. Finally, to establish good hygiene habits from the outset, the baby should have his or her first dental visit before the age of 12 months.

Home Dental Care for Babies and Toddlers

10/10/2017

As the owner of Frizzell Dental in Niagara Falls, Ontario, James Frizzell, DDS, leads his practice in offering prevention and treatment of oral health issues to patients of all ages. As a dentist, Dr. James Frizzell upholds a commitment to educating families about proper dental care for their young children.

For most children, teeth begin to erupt at approximately the age of 6 months. Experts recommend that parents take their child to visit a dentist no more than 6 months after the first tooth has erupted or before the child's first birthday, whichever occurs first. This visit may occur earlier if the child's pediatrician believes him or her to be at risk of dental problems.

Home dental care, however, begins long before the child first enters the dental office. Days after birth, a parent can begin to clean the child's gums with a soft, clean cloth. When teeth begin to erupt, the parent may graduate to a soft toothbrush. After the child's third birthday, the parent can begin to use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste, though paste use may be advisable before age 3 if a dentist so advises.

Once the child is 3 years old, he or she can start learning to brush his or her own teeth. The parent should continue to supervise, however, both to ensure thoroughness and to help prevent the child from swallowing the toothpaste. Parents can also coach children in good brushing techniques and, as soon as the teeth touch, in the proper way to floss.

Using Sealants to Prevent Tooth Decay

9/18/2017

In practice as a dentist for over 20 years, James Frizzell, DDS, treats patients for procedures ranging from cleanings to root canals. Based in Niagara Falls, Ontario, he provides services in his office as well as outside locations on humanitarian trips. Younger patients who visit James Frizzell, DDS, in Niagara Falls can benefit from the use of chemical sealants to ward off tooth decay.

Dr. Frizzell uses sealants mostly on children whose premolars and molars are coming in. Placed on the grooves of these back teeth that are hard to reach with brushing and flossing, sealants help prevent tooth decay during the vulnerable ages of six to 14. Adults without cavities on their molars may also be good candidates.

The painless procedure begins with a thorough cleaning. After each tooth is dried, the dentist places an acid solution on the chewing portions to roughen up the surface. This enables better absorption of the sealing agent. The teeth are rinsed and dried again, then the dentist paints the sealant onto the enamel, sometimes uses a curing light to bond the sealant.

Sealants are effective for as long as 10 years. At regular cleanings, dentists inspect the sealant for chipping or wearing, and teeth may be resealed if necessary during that time.

Author

James Frizzell, DDS, has operated a Niagara Falls, Ontario, dental practice for the past 18 years, offering patients courteous and dependable oral healthcare.

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