McCarl Dental Group at Shipley’s Choice

Did you know that having straight rather than “crowded” teeth is much healthier for your gums? It is more difficult to clean crooked teeth so they are more prone to tooth decay and gum disease. Invisalign Orthodontic trays are a custom, invisible, removable, comfortable, affordable and effective way to straighten teeth!

The Invisalign system is a series of clear aligners that allows McCarl Dental patients to straighten their teeth without having to wear traditional braces. Each pair of aligners is worn two weeks. Patients are instructed to remove them only to eat, drink, brush and floss. In just months, the aligners move the teeth into the desired final position.  Patients of all ages love the comfort, ease and affordability of Invisalign.  Our Annapolis Maryland octogenarian is half way through her Invisalign treatment – she says it is a breeze! A McCarl Dental patient from Crownsville Maryland says, “The process was less costly and less time consuming than conventional braces. People never knew about my treatment unless I choose to tell them about my invisible braces. The best advice I would give someone considering Invisalign is not to hesitate. You will be wearing a great big smile immediately.”

Invisalign Orthodontics are often combined with other dental procedures including, dental implants, as well as porcelain veneers and crowns.  McCarl Dental Group has been named a 2010 Preferred Provider of Invisalign Orthodontics by Align Technology.

McCarl Dental Invisalign Orthodontics patients are all smiles with their straight and healthy teeth. Invisalign Orthodontics are affordable and we offer interest free financing options.

Special Offer Invisalign Orthodontics McCarl Dental Group

“The Time I Broke my Tooth”
by Amanda (age 12)

I have never been rushed to the hospital for an injury, but I over the summer I slipped unexpectedly.  It was 10:30pm, the night before my family was going to fly out to Orlando, Florida for a vacation.  I was brushing my teeth when my brother shouted out a joke he had just heard.  This made me laugh so hard that I lost my balance.  I slipped forward while my mouth was opened and hit my front tooth on the counter.  I had hit my tooth before, so I thought this was another one of those moments.  However, when I looked up and smiled into the mirror, I saw that half of my tooth was broken off!  I screamed, not knowing what to do.  My parents didn’t know what to do either.  My mom quickly searched the internet and said I needed immediate dental care.

“Where are we going to find a dentist to fix my tooth at 10:30 at night?” I asked.  We called Dr. Jay McCarl, and he spoke with my dad over the phone as I waited nervously beside him.  “Okay,” my dad said and then hung up phone.  He said that Dr. McCarl would meet us at the Shipley’s Choice Medical Center at 11:00pm.  My heart was so relieved that we had found somebody.  My parents drove me to the Medical Center, and we found Dr. McCarl standing at the front door.  We went into a room, and he numbed my gums.  This felt funny, but I had had this done before.  He spent a while fixing my tooth, but at this point I didn’t care how long it took.  I just wanted my tooth fixed before the trip.  Dr. McCarl was finished soon.  I smiled into a mirror again, but this time I looked perfectly normal.  This is a story I will always remember.  I am just thankful that I didn’t have to spend a week in Florida with a painful, broken tooth, because there is a dentist gracious enough to meet my needs even at 11:00 at night.

Your Severna Park Dentists at McCarl Dental Group are pleased to congratulate Mrs. Janice Tuttle, the winner of our first Sonicare Electric Toothbrush drawing!  You may enter to win our next Sonicare toothbrush at our Shipley’s Choice dental office or on the following link of the McCarl Dental Group website http://www.mccarldental.com/mccarl-dental-office-directions-hours-dental-services.php .

Electric tooth brushes are excellent for more thorough brushing because they make it easier to have the proper technique for cleaning teeth and gums, reducing tooth decay, gingivitis and other gum disease. Not everyone takes the time to correctly angle manual tooth brush bristles and apply the needed motion.  If teeth are brushed too hard, the gum tissue can become damaged causing recession and tooth sensitivity. An electric toothbrush requires less pressure, leaving gums with minimal damage from brushing. Even though it exerts less pressure, an electric toothbrush enhances plaque removal providing whiter and cleaner teeth and fresher breath.

Even with the most effective tooth brushing techniques, it is important to have a professional cleaning and dental exam at least every six months.  Please visit McCarl Dental Group one mile from Severna Park where we emphasize quality dental care, healthy smiles and patient satisfaction.

If your teeth are “talking to you” that message is sent along a nerve from your brain.  How does that message get to the nerve?

Reasons for sensitive teeth can include: tooth decay or cavities, fractured teeth, exposed roots, gum disease and grinding or clenching teeth. According to the Severna Park Dentists at McCarl Dental Group, the first priority is to identify the source of the problem. Dental treatment for sensitive teeth can be as simple as teaching brushing techniques for healthy gums, recommending toothpaste for sensitivity, prescribing fluoride rinses, and covering or sealing exposed roots. We may also recommend tooth restoration with a filling or crown, or a custom night guard (NTI) to prevent clenching and grinding.

Tooth sensitivity does not usually go away by itself, and because of the potential seriousness of the underlying causes, you should see your dentist if you are experiencing sensitivity or any other dental related discomfort.   The Severna Park Dentists and Hygienists at McCarl Dental Group are experts in treating and resolving tooth sensitivity.

It is important to maintain good oral health by establishing a habit of brushing twice daily and flossing carefully once a day.

Although most people think they know the reasons for proper, daily toothbrushing, few people realize that clean teeth and healthy gums can protect against a variety of general, even life-threatening, health problems. When you don’t brush regularly, harmful bacteria multiply and plaque forms.

Over time, the decay works its way below the enamel to infect tooth dentin.  Plaque build-up on tooth surfaces irritates gums, causing them to pull away from the teeth and expose the sensitive tooth roots. Loose gums form pockets where bacteria gathers, causing an infection. This can destroy the bone that holds teeth secure, resulting in tooth loosening or loss. Finally, chronic gum disease can break down the protective barrier between oral bacteria and your blood stream. This allows bacteria to enter your blood stream and increases the risk for a host of health problems like heart disease, stroke, respiratory illness, diabetes complications, and pregnancy complications.

You should replace your toothbrush after an illness such as a cold or flu or at least every three months – toothbrushes can become breeding grounds for germs, fungus and bacteria.

You also need to change your toothbrush when the bristles begin to show wear.  Toothbrushes wear out and lose their effectiveness.

If you would like to clean your toothbrush and it is not yet time to change it, sterilize it in the silverware rack of your dishwasher.

The Severna Park Dentists at McCarl Dental Group,  give our patients free replacement toothbrushes (and also toothpaste and floss) at every Dental Hygiene appointment.

What started as a carefree summer job before her senior year of high school turned into a career path for our dental hygienist, Kimberly Talbot.  Like many of our long time employees, Kim was recruited by Drs. McCarl after her mother Beth Smith began working as a receptionist at the Greenbelt office of McCarl Dental Group.  Kim continued working through her senior year at Severna Park High School and while attending Anne Arundel Community College.  “The doctors were always so flexible, letting me work around my changing school schedules” Kim recalls.  In 2005 Kim graduated from Dental Hygiene school at the top of her class earning the Golden Scaler Award.  Dr. Clayton McCarl was so confident of Kim’s success in hygiene school that he predicted she would be the “Golden Scaler” before Kim’s first day of class!  This award is presented annually to a student that has demonstrated remarkable skill and talent over the course of their classes. Golden Scaler students have the special “golden touch” that will serve them well as they begin their new career in dental hygiene. The award is a testament to her achievement. Armed with her golden scaler, Kim works part time as a hygienist in both our Greenbelt and Shipley’s Choice offices.  Kim is well known for her gentle touch and keeping patients at ease.  “I have always loved the dental field, but when I first started college I was also considering a career in teaching.  As a dental hygienist, I am able to do both.  Evaluating and treating patients is important, but I also get to educate and I love it!”  Another reason that Kim loves working with the Severna Park Dentists at McCarl Dental Group at Shipley’s Choice is that her mother, Beth, is our receptionist. “My mom and I have the best relationship and it is so fun and rewarding to get to work with her.”

“I have been with the McCarl Dental Group for 17 years.  That is half of my life!  They are not just bosses and coworkers, they are family!”

Beth Smith has been a fabulous addition to McCarl Dental Group since 1992 when she started working at the front desk in our Greenbelt, Maryland office. She helped open our second location at the Shipley’s Choice Medical Park in Millersville, Maryland in 2003, and still anchors operations at that office today. Beth greets each of our patients with a beautiful, sincere smile and attends to all of their administrative needs. Her cheerful disposition and exceptional competence make Beth a favorite of our Severna Park, Annapolis and Millersville patients.

This is how Beth became an employee at McCarl Dental Group, “My first encounter with the McCarls was on the Severn River. We were boating with friends, as were Clayton and Lisa McCarl, when we were introduced across the waves. Several weeks later, Clayton and I met again at the gym and through conversation discovered that I worked for a dentist.  He asked if I was happy with my job and I was, so that was that.  About a year later he came to me again with the same question and I felt ready for a change.  Well, it changed my life.  Within six months my daughter Kim joined the team as an assistant after high school and Saturdays.  Her sister also worked for a short time until going onto college.  Seventeen years later, Kim is a hygienist with two beautiful boys and we still enjoy the opportunity to work together in a family environment that extends to our patients.  Although I don’t spend as much time at the gym, I do enjoy playing tennis, gardening and volunteering through our local community church.”
You may have the pleasure of seeing Kim Talbot, Beth’s daughter as a hygienist sometime.  Kim works part-time at with the Severna Park Dentists at McCarl Dental Group at Shipley’s Choice in Millersville.