Dr. Michael Acquista D.D.S.
Dentist | General Practice
479 Bay Ridge Pkwy Brooklyn NY, 11209Rating
5/5
About
Hi, I'm Michael Acquista DDS. I got my dental degree from Columbia School of Dental & Oral Surgery and have been in private practice in Bay Ridge for over 30 years. My office is small and you will receive individual attention. I offer the best ways to prevent tooth decay and gum disease, the best Cosmetic Dentistry and esthetics, filling materials, crowns, bridges, implant restorations and dentures. I promise I will exceed your expectations and do everything possible to explain your conditions and treatment options as well as being gentle and thorough. We perform all dental procedures except Orthodontics, complex extractions and surgery, but I will refer you to the finest specialists if need be.
Education and Training
Columbia College of Arts and Sciences B.A. Pre-Med / Philosophy 1977
Columbia School of Dental and Oral Surgery D.D.S. 1981
Provider Details
Dr. Michael Acquista D.D.S.'s Expert Contributions
Healthy Eating
Healthy eating: It is so important, but Doctors don't learn much about it. C. Everett Koop, former U.S. Surgeon General, suggested we should, but not much has happened. I want that to change. I lecture to other Doctors and my patients about it, and on smilebayridge.com, I have hyperlinks to...
Can I go to work the next day after a tooth extraction?
Yes. READ MORE
Do the teeth whitening pens work?
The best deal for mild to moderate whitening is the whitening strips at Costco. Whitening pens are not that great. If you need a lot of whitening, go to the dentist for custom trays and overnight whitening gel (~$700). READ MORE
Can I get a filling if I am pregnant?
Yes, you can get novocaine and a filling, but NOT a silver filling. Silver fillings cause a brief exposure to mercury, which can be bad for the baby. READ MORE
Does hydrogen peroxide kill cavities?
No. It might kill some germs, but not all. The decay must be removed and a filling placed to seal out decay. Don't wait, because the decay might get deeper and reach the pulp with the nerve, and that will be a much bigger problem. See a dentist. READ MORE
How long do composite fillings last on back teeth?
It depends. If you eat a lot of sugar and drink sugary drinks, they might READ MORE
How long do composite fillings last?
Silver amalgam fillings are considered successful if they last 10 years. Composites should last that long, but if moisture or saliva contaminates them during placement, they can fail prematurely and, unfortunately, the average lifetime before decay recurs is less than eight years, I think. Much depends on diet, hygiene, how cavity prone you are from a genetic standpoint, and the quality of care, materials, and techniques of the treating dentist. It is sad that newer materials don’t last as long as older silver fillings, and many dentists are careless as well as many patients have horrible diets. READ MORE
Should I brush my teeth after a filling?
You can brush with your regular schedule once or twice per day. If a silver filling is placed, wait for one hour before brushing. There is no need to brush just because a filling was placed, but rinse your mouth with water to be sure any remnants of your old filling, decay, or excess material from the new filling is removed. READ MORE
How long do you have to wear braces after your teeth are straight?
That depends on your individual condition and treatment. Ask the Orthodontist and they can tell you. READ MORE
Can braces tighten loose teeth?
No. But why is the tooth loose? Most often, a tooth can become mobile when there is a lot of bone loss around it. But you are very young and usually that happens with age. If the tooth is loose due to trauma. then maybe it can be splinted to the adjacent teeth to make it tighter. Go to a dentist and find out why it is loose and what can be done about it. READ MORE
Can you get braces if you need fillings?
Get the fillings done first, then get braces. READ MORE
Can scaling damage your teeth?
No READ MORE
Can dentures have their color customized?
Dentures have a pink portion that looks like the gums, and teeth. People with darker skin color can have darker gum color and the shade of the teeth can be selected by the patient as well. The conventional shade guide we use has a shade B-1 which is the lightest and brightest. They also have "bleach shades" available which are even whiter, but I am unsure if they make denture teeth those shades. Also, there are custom denture teeth made of porcelain (hard to find these days) or "composite " materials that are more expensive, and more esthetic than conventional stock processed acrylic teeth. Ask your dentist. READ MORE
What is the best teeth whitening treatment at the dentist?
Laser whitening is too expensive. Forget that. Then there is Zoom; also expensive, and they don’t make you a custom fitted tray so that you cannot “touch up” after 18 months when whitening begins to revert. Some offices offer free whitening for life, but require you to get and pay high fees for checkups and cleanings and X-rays, which is far from “free.” In-office 1-hour bleaching without the light works, but it depends how much lighter you want your teeth to be. One hour only lightens so much. Zoom light assisted bleaching and home bleaching are the same. READ MORE
How do you flush out a dry socket?
After an extraction has clotted, it is recommended that you rinse with water after every meal for the next week to keep the area clean to encourage normal healing. A dry socket occurs when the socket does not clot properly. Usually this is painful, and the doctor will apply a dry socket paste to the area to reduce pain and encourage a clot to form so natural healing can occur. I am not sure what you mean. If a doctor told you to flush it out, then rinse with water after eating. If not, I am afraid rinsing might cause it to bleed because of a clotting problem. Ask your doctor. READ MORE
Is it normal for a crown to be sensitive?
Sometimes a new crown can be sensitive if the bite is hitting too hard and it has to be relieved by grinding a bit off and repolishing. Sometimes, if the tooth did not have root canal and there was deep decay and you got the crown shortly after the decay was removed, it might be sensitive for another month before it heals. Sometimes the sensitivity may mean that the pulp is dying and you will need root canal. Sometimes the tooth has exposed root structure beneath or above where the crown ends (the margin) and the root surface should be covered, so the crown needs to be remade. READ MORE
Do crowns on front teeth look natural?
The hardest tooth to match is a single front tooth. Some crowns look better than others. Get a ceramic crown done by a local lab and go to the lab for a custom shade match. Do not accept the crown unless you are happy with it. READ MORE
Can a dental cleaning whiten teeth?
Yes, if you have stains on the surface of your teeth, the cleaning will remove them. It will not lighten the inside of your teeth like whitening products do. READ MORE
Are dental implants long-lasting?
Yes. If you use a good, surgeon, lab and restorative dentist. Generally speaking, implants have over 90% success for 10 years, they do not decay and there is negligible bone loss around the implant over time. Ask the surgeon for their long-term success rate and ask the restoring dentist the same question. Do not look for the least expensive option, because they are often the worst. READ MORE
Are zirconia crowns more expensive than porcelain?
No. Ceramic crowns are about the same fee whether they are porcelain, zirconia or lithium disilicate. However, don’t be so sure that you want zirconia crowns, because they are not the most esthetic crowns available. If you come in for a consultation and I see your X-rays, I can explain more. READ MORE
How to treat a mouth burn in a child?
You can buy orabase at the pharmacy and apply it to the burn with a q-tip. It is a suave that will cover the lesion and protect it like a band-aid. They also sell orabase with benzocaine which will numb the pain somewhat. After a day or two, it will begin to heal and pain will lessen. If the burn was large or deep, you should see a dentist or physician and let them evaluate it. Sometimes orabase with a steroid can be prescribed. Sometimes an antibiotic ointment may be indicated. READ MORE
Areas of expertise and specialization
Faculty Titles & Positions
- - 2017
Awards
Treatments
- Bridges
- Cosmetic Dentistry
- Bonding
- Bleaching
- Veneers
- Ceramic Crowns
- Crowns
- Dental Fillings
- Extractions
- Fluoride
- Implant Dentistry
- Initial Oral Examination
- Metal-free Crowns (ceramic Crowns)
- Night Guards
- Periodontal Treatment
- Perioprotect
- Root Canals
- Teeth Whitening
- Brushing And Flossing Instructions
- Fluoride Treatments
- Sealants
- Cosmetic Dentures
- Treating Bad Breath
- Diagnosing Oral Diseases
- Tooth Decay
- Periodontal (gum) Disease
- Tmj Problems
- Malocclusion
- Restoring Decayed Teeth
- Amalgam (silver) Fillings
- Composite Fillings
- Root Canal Therapy
- Non-surgical Gum Treatments
- Periodontal Therapy
- Dental Emergencies
- Toothaches
- Traumatic Injuries
Professional Memberships
- Acdemy of General Dentistry, Steinway Study Club, Peninsula Dental Society,
- American Dental Association
- Professional Member Academy of General Dentistry
- Professional Member Steinway Study Club
- Professional Member Peninsula Dental Society
- Professional Member Bay Ridge Dental Society
Charities and Philanthropic Endeavors
- Guild for Exceptional Children
Areas of research
Nutrition, Diabetes, Perioprotect medical device, Bioactive glass restorative materials, Holistic medicine, herbal remedies, fish oil, cholesterol medications.Dr. Michael Acquista D.D.S.'s Practice location
Dr. Michael Acquista, DDS
479 Bay Ridge Pkwy -Brooklyn, NY 11209Get Direction
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