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Dental sealants are an excellent way to protect children’s teeth from tooth decay by coating them with a thin plastic material. Their teeth look and feel like normal, but they are protected from plaque build-up and decay early on. Dr. Meuselbach and our staff recommend sealants as a preventive measure for children before any decay appears on their teeth.

Who should get dental sealants?

Dental sealants are intended for young children as soon as their first teeth come in. Decay is most common in the molars, so taking your child to Robert Scott Meuselbach DDS for sealants right when you see the molars grow in gives your child the best chance to fight tooth decay.

A child’s first set of permanent molars grow in between ages five and seven, while the second permanent molars come in between 11 and 14 years of age. Some teens and adults who don’t have tooth decay may get sealants as well, but it is less common.

How long do dental sealants last?

Once the sealant has been placed on the teeth, it lasts up to ten years. Expect to have Dr. Meuselbach check the sealant at every visit to our West Chester office, which should be twice a year. We will look at the sealant and determine if it needs to be replaced.

What is the process of getting sealants?

Applying sealants is a simple, pain-free procedure that is done quickly at Robert Scott Meuselbach DDS. There is absolutely no effect on the tooth structure from sealants.

For starters, the teeth are cleaned carefully, then dried with an absorbent material. A mild acid solution is applied to them to roughen them slightly. This is done so the sealant can bond properly to the teeth. Then the teeth are rinsed and dried, and the sealant material is painted on and dried with a special light.

Molars are susceptible to decay early on, which is why sealants are an important treatment to get for your children’s first set of teeth.

For many of our patients at Robert Scott Meuselbach DDS, summer means a season of relaxation, vacation, and outdoor fun and activities. While you can’t take a vacation from dental emergencies, you can always be prepared for anything that can happen. Today, Dr. Meuselbach and our team thought we would give our patients a few tips on handling a dental emergency when you’re far from home (and our office).

Throbbing Toothache – Try brushing and flossing to ease the pain; the issue could be simply that a piece of food is nestled in an uncomfortable spot between your teeth. If that is the case, try to gently remove the object with dental floss. If it still hurts, stick to soft foods, try an over-the-counter pain reliever, or dip a cotton ball in clove oil and insert it on the affected area until you can get to a local dentist.

Bitten Lip or Tongue – Clean the area gently with a cloth and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, go to a hospital emergency room immediately.

Lost Filling or Crown – Dental wax will work to keep the sharp edges of your tooth from bothering you. If you can, save the crown or filling, and if you happen to have denture adhesive handy, you can use it to temporarily reattach the crown until you can get to a local dentist.

Broken Tooth – Hold the tooth by the crown and rinse off the root of the tooth in water if it’s dirty. If possible, gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket. If that isn’t possible, put the tooth in a cup of milk and get to a local dentist as quickly as possible.

Broken Jaw – Apply cold compresses to control swelling. Visit a hospital emergency room as soon as possible.

If you have a dental emergency after regular office hours and you happen to be in town, please give us a call. If you are calling us after hours, please follow the emergency prompts to contact Dr. Meuselbach.

The Fourth of July is a great time to get together with friends and family members for BBQ, games, fireworks, and other celebrations in honor of our country’s independence. While your fellow revelers eat hot dogs and wave flags, you can impress them by sharing these fascinating facts and historical tidbits about some of our country’s traditions and symbols from the team at Robert Scott Meuselbach DDS.

The Statue of Liberty

With a torch in one hand and a tablet in the other, the Statue of Liberty is one of the most iconic and recognizable symbols of our country. However, as recognizable as certain parts of the statue are, not many people know that broken shackles, which represent oppression and tyranny, are lying at Lady Liberty’s feet. According to the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, the copper-plated lady weighs in at a whopping 450,000 tons and has been holding her torch up for more than 125 years, which must make for some impressive arm muscles.

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

Since 1916, people have been flocking to Coney Island on the Fourth of July to witness what some people call the “superbowl of competitive eating.” Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating contest challenges competitors to devour as many hot dogs as they can in just ten minutes, with the current record holder swallowing a whopping 68 hot dogs! If you’d like to witness this bizarre and frenzied eating competition but you won’t be anywhere near Coney Island on the fourth, don’t worry. ESPN has been broadcasting this popular event for several years, so you can watch from the comfort of your couch while you eat a reasonably portioned meal.

The History Behind Fireworks

Viewing the nighttime fireworks display is exciting way to finish off the fourth. Many people know that these brilliant displays probably originated with the Chinese. However, many historians also believe that fireworks were stumbled upon when the Chinese roasted bamboo sticks over fires and watched them explode. After many years of roasting the sticks, a group of alchemists created an early form of gunpowder, which they stuffed into the bamboo sticks to create an even more powerful explosion, paving the way for the today’s modern fireworks.

Whether you’re planning on visiting the Statue of Liberty, watching fireworks in West Chester, or even participating in a hot dog eating contest, Dr. Meuselbach and our team hope you have a safe and fun-filled holiday. Happy Fourth of July!

We all want to have a smile that makes us feel happy. We want to look in the mirror and feel good about ourselves. Botox has been used for several years to help reduce the appearance of lines, wrinkles, and folds caused by repetitive muscle contractions and old age. While Botox is commonly used to reduce crow’s feet (smile lines), frown lines, and wrinkles on the upper portion of the face, more people are using Botox to improve their smiles. If you’re looking to have a smile makeover, here are three ways Botox at our West Chester office can help.

Improving a Gummy Smile without Surgery

For years, dentists corrected a gummy smile with two surgical procedures: crown lengthening or gingivectomies. While both dental surgeries are relatively painless, they are intrusive; a dental laser removes excess gum and then sculpts and reshapes the gums into an even shape. Healing can take several weeks. However, you can also improve a gummy with Botox. How does it work? We inject Botox into the muscles that control and elevate the upper lip; this relaxes the muscles and allows them to hide more of the gums. There is no downtime to heal with this procedure, and you'll see results in 24 to 36 hours. In addition, a Botox treatment lasts six months, which means you won’t be coming back to see Dr. Meuselbach for further restorations.

Fixing Upper and Lower Lip Lines

Upper and lower lips lines are sometimes called “smoker’s lines,” but age, genetics, excessive sun exposure, and a host of other things can also cause these lines to form. Botox injections between the lip and the skin will cause the orbicularis muscle to relax, which softens lip lines and greatly improves a person’s smile. Furthermore, Botox doesn’t just get rid of lip lines, but it also creates fuller and more youthful lips.

Changing a Down-turned Smile

Do you always look like you’re sad or frowning? Does your droopy smile make you self-conscious? An overactive depressor angulu oris, which is a muscle in the lower part of the face, can make it look like you have a down-turned smile. Botox can be injected to weaken the muscles that pull down the corners of the mouth, which in turn allows the corners of the lips to rise.

While Botox can give you a fuller and happier smile, be sure to consult with Dr. Meuselbach about the best course of action.