Holiday Treats that are Bad for Teeth

The holidays have arrived and that means lots of holiday goodies. However, those sweet and savory treats that are not so good for your waistline are not good for your teeth either. In fact, some foods can cause serious damage to your teeth.

According to your family dentist in Corona, some foods you can skip will keep you out of the dentist’s chair before your regularly scheduled dental appointment.

 Starchy Foods that are Bad for Teeth

Pretzels, Christmas cakes, cookies and your grandmothers favorite gingerbread men may be delicious, but they are bad for teeth. Because starchy foods convert to bacteria and acid and stick to the backs of your teeth, they can wear down the enamel on your teeth. If you must indulge, make sure to rinse and brush afterwards.

Sticky Foods that are Bad for Teeth

Most sticky foods are bad for teeth. From sweet and gooey caramels to your favorite dried apricots, figs, dates and pineapple, sticky foods stick between your teeth eating away at the enamel on your teeth. Sticky foods can also cause problems for your dental restorations. Try enjoying along with a meal or avoid sticky foods completely.

Citrus Fruits in Moderation

Heading to the fruit basket instead of the sweets table at your work Christmas party is good for your waistline, but best to enjoy in moderation. Citrus fruits are bad for teeth as they are highly acidic and loaded with natural sugar. Your Corona family dentist recommends that you enjoy fruit as part of a meal. If you do snack on a tangerine during a break make sure to chase it with a glass of water.

Regular Dental Checkups for Healthy Teeth and Gums

If you want to keep your teeth and gums healthy over the holidays, try to avoid damaging foods and don’t forget to schedule your annual comprehensive dental examination with your dentist in Corona today.

Smile with CEREC® Dentistry in Corona

A new smile is waiting in Corona with cosmetic dentistry procedures that are more affordable than you think. In fact, you can have a brand new smile in less time for less money than you ever thought possible.

Your cosmetic dentist in Corona is a preferred CEREC® provider and has the skills you need to give you a beautiful smile in a single dental appointment. Sound impossible? It really isn’t.

No More Waiting with CEREC®

CEREC® is done chairside and takes a couple of hours to complete. Because everything is done onsite, you won’t have to deal with uncomfortable temporary veneers. If you have ever seen someone whose teeth just don’t look right, they are probably waiting for their permanent dental restorations to be completed.

The CEREC® chairside system takes the guesswork out of dental crowns. All you need to do is schedule an appointment with your cosmetic dentist in Corona to find out if you and CEREC® are a good fit. If you are, let the magic begin.

CEREC® in One Appointment

During your dental appointment, your Corona cosmetic dentist will take digital impressions of the tooth or teeth that need to be crowned. Because of the CEREC® software, you won’t ever have to deal with messy impressions. Once the pictures are taken, your cosmetic dentist in Corona will check for color and fit before sending the information to the in house milling machine for manufacture. During this time, you can relax while waiting for your new CEREC® dental crown, which takes about 30 minutes in the milling machine.

When your crown is ready, your dental team in Corona will check the crown for fit and color. Any adjustments needed will be performed before the crown is cemented into place.

CEREC® for a New You

CEREC® is the revolutionary one visit solution for chipped, cracked, or stained teeth. Call and schedule a CEREC® appointment with your cosmetic dentist in Corona today.

CEREC® for a New Smile in a Day

CEREC® is the amazing restoration process that takes place in a single dental appointment depending on how many teeth you are having restored. CEREC®, known as Chairside Economic Restorations of Esthetic Ceramics, is a remarkable treatment that repairs chips, cracks, and old dental restorations. If you were considering porcelain veneers but have badly damaged teeth, your Corona Dentist may recommend CEREC® instead.

What Is CEREC® Used For?

Your cosmetic dentist in Corona uses CEREC® for large cavities and to repair teeth that are require a crown. If you have teeth that are badly damaged, have large cavities or not enough tooth to hold up to an onlay or inlay, CEREC® may be the answer.

Is CEREC® Strong?

CEREC® can last for a decade or more as long as you practice good oral hygiene. CEREC® has improved over the years and is now just as strong as ceramic crowns and metal to porcelain crowns. It’s also much safer for your teeth as less of the natural tooth needs to be removed.

Traditional dental crowns require enamel removal for a good fit and some may require additional enamel removal from your abutment or connecting teeth. This makes CEREC® the perfect alternative if you are less than comfortable with enamel removal.

Are All Dentists CEREC® Approved?

Not all dentists are CEREC® approved. As the entire process takes place in the dental office, a dental practice would have to invest in the CEREC® technology. That technology includes the CEREC® computer system and the CEREC® milling machine.

All of this technology takes continued education. Your cosmetic dentistry team in Corona are preferred CEREC® providers and can give you the smile of your dreams in just one dental appointment.

If you would like more information regarding CEREC®, call and schedule an appointment with your cosmetic dentist in Corona today.

Cosmetic Dental Crowns in One Dental Visit

If your cosmetic dentist in Corona has told you teeth are too far gone for porcelain veneers, cosmetic dental crowns may be the answer. Just remember, conventional crowns take two dental appointments to complete making the procedure less than attractive for people who aren’t sure about cosmetic dentistry.

CEREC® Cosmetic Crowns in a Day

If you follow your Corona dentist’s office blog, you’ll remember that CEREC® is a remarkable one-day dental procedure that takes place chairside. In less than two hours, you can have a beautiful new cosmetic or restorative dental crown that is metal free, strong, and natural looking.

Conventional crowns, whether they are metal to porcelain or porcelain require two or even three dental appointments. Because you need to be fitted for an impression and have some tooth removal, the first appointment will not be the most comfortable one.

Cosmetic dental crowns require some removal of the natural structure of the tooth or teeth. This is necessary for proper fit as the crown fits like a cap over the tooth.

CEREC® dental crowns do not require as much removal and are fitted in one day with your dentist’s office in Corona.

Conventional Crowns Take Time

During your first appointment, your Corona cosmetic dentist will take x-rays and pictures before preparing the tooth. This requires some removal and for this reason, you will be fitted with a temporary dental crown.

Before you are fitted for your temp, your Corona dentist will make an impression for your final dental crown. This process is uncomfortable and for those with a gagging reflex, nearly impossible.

CEREC® is a Snap

CEREC® uses an intraoral camera that eliminates gagging and goopy impressions. The images are sent to the computer where you dentist in Corona will check for final color before sending to the in-house milling machine for manufacture.

Your crown takes about 45 minutes in the machine during which time you can relax, check your email, or watch TV.

When your crown is finished, it is checked for color and fit before being cemented and cured. Once satisfied your dentist in Corona will polish to perfection.

If you would like more information regarding CEREC®, call and schedule an appointment with your Corona dentist today.

Pay Close Attention to Women’s Oral Health

Men and women are different, very different, but did you know that men and women also differ when it comes to teeth and gums?

According to your dentist in Corona, women experience hormonal changes throughout life that will affect teeth and gums.

Puberty and Women's Oral Health

When tweens and teenage girls begin puberty, gums will bleed, swell, and get red. In some girls, an overreaction to bacteria and plaque will cause enlarged gums. Girls who are coming of age also suffer from mouth and canker sores. Regular dental visits with your Corona dentist will help prevent gingivitis, and the more serious periodontal disease.

 Menstruation and Women’s Oral Health

During the menstrual cycle, most women won’t detect any mouth changes a couple of days before their period. However, women who have cancer sores, bleeding or swollen gums, and puffy salivary glands need to pay attention as if these continue after a period; it could be a sign of something more serious.

Women’s Oral Health and Pregnancy

When a woman is expecting, hormones go crazy. While some women experience mild forms of gum disease, others may suffer from pregnancy gingivitis. Although not as severe as periodontitis, if left untreated pregnancy gingivitis, could cause complications. Your Corona dentist recommends more frequent dental checkups if you are pregnant.

Menopause Affects More Than Your Waistline

When women have progressed to menopause, extreme changes take place in the body and in the mouth. Women who are in menopause experience mouth sensitivity along with burning sensations. Of course, all of these symptoms are related to menopause. Another thing to consider is that women may also suffer from bone loss and dry mouth as well.

Dry mouth causes a decrease in saliva flow putting you at a higher risk for tooth decay and gum disease.

Women’s oral health is important. Call and schedule a dental appointment with your dentist in Corona today.

Professional Chairside Tooth Whitening in Corona

Summer is in full swing, and if your smile is having a tough time competing with your tan, it’s time to schedule an office tooth whitening session with your cosmetic dentist in Corona.

Although your Corona cosmetic dentist also offers custom made take home whitening trays, they will take a couple of weeks for results. Chairside professional tooth whitening gives you a beautiful smile in about sixty minutes.

Chairside Professional Tooth Whitening in Corona

If you follow this dental blog, you will know that over the counter gels, polishes, pastes, trays and strips won’t give you the same results as professional tooth whitening will.

Because professional tooth whitening has a higher concentration of whitening agents, your teeth will become whiter. In fact, with chairside tooth whitening in Corona, your teeth can be up to 10 shades brighter in just one tooth bleaching session.

 How In Office Chairside Tooth Whitening Works

Before you can have your teeth lightened, you will need a dental examination. If your cosmetic dentist in Corona deems you fit for teeth bleaching, your lips and gums will be covered to protect them from the process.

During your chairside tooth whitening treatment, a special gel will be applied to open the pores in your teeth. This allows the gel to penetrate. Once the gel is applied, your Corona cosmetic dentist will use a light or laser to speed up the whitening. This process is done up to three times during your professional tooth whitening session.

 Chairside Tooth Whitening for Maximum Results

Stubborn intrinsic stains can often be removed with in office professional tooth whitening. Just remember that tooth whitening will not work, professional or otherwise.

Only your dentist in Corona can determine if your teeth can be whitened professionally.

If you would like more information regarding professional chairside tooth whitening, call and schedule an appointment with your cosmetic dentist in Corona today.

Can You Afford Cosmetic Dentistry?

Not all cosmetic dentistry is expensive. In fact, several cosmetic dental procedures will enhance your smile without breaking the bank. Because of the advancements in cosmetic dentistry, everyone can afford a beautiful and healthy smile. 

Affordable Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures 

One of the most affordable ways to improve your smile is tooth whitening. However, spending hundreds of dollars on over the counter gels, polishes, pastes, strips and trays won’t get your teeth as white as professional tooth whitening.

You’ll spend more money in the long run and could damage your teeth. Just like anything, too much of a good thing is nearly always a bad thing. Over whitening your teeth can cause sensitivity, and could even make your teeth look blue and feel chalky. 

Cosmetic Dental Bonding 

Porcelain veneers aren’t cheap, and are not usually covered by most dental insurance plans, as they are a cosmetic procedure. Cosmetic dental bonding is a less expensive way of covering stains and repairing chips and cracks. Cosmetic dental bonding is also used for tooth colored fillings, to reshape teeth and to make teeth longer.

Although not as strong as porcelain veneers, the most advanced materials last longer, and are made from dental resin that replicates the enamel on your teeth. With proper care, dental bonding can last well over 10 years. However, if you don’t brush, floss or schedule regular dental appointments with your dentist in Corona, they won’t last nearly as long. 

Affordable Dental Crowns with CEREC® 

CEREC® is a same day dental procedure that your Corona Dentist used for dental crowns. Using CAD/CAM computer dentistry, your new crown is made and fitted the same day. With CEREC®, you don’t need multiple dental visits, which reduces the time and money spent on dental crowns.

If you would like more information regarding affordable cosmetic dentistry, call and schedule an appointment with your dentist in Corona today.

Invisalign® Instead of Conventional Braces

If you don’t want to wear conventional braces for up to two years, call your Invisalign dentist in Corona. As a preferred Invisalign® provider, the team from your Corona dentist office will determine if you are a good fit for clear braces.

Why Clear Braces are Great

Clear braces made by Invisalign® are clear and comfortable. Unlike those wires and brackets that used to be the only solution for crooked teeth, the Invisalign® system only needs to be checked out every six weeks. Conventional braces require twice-monthly dental appointments that involve pushing and pulling. Wires and brackets take some getting used to and hurt.

Invisalign® uses 11 to 31 sets of clear plastic aligners that you swap out every 7 to 14 days. You wear your aligners for 20 to 22 hours only removing when you eat, brush, and floss your teeth.

Invisalign® is the Best System

While there are other clear braces systems out there, Invisalign® is the best and has been around the longest. Because Invisalign® is the preferred choice of most dentists, you can’t go wrong.

What Can Invisalign® Do for Me?

Invisalign® can help correct minor imperfections such as crooked, tipped, or tilted teeth. If you have a small gap between your front teeth, clear braces can help with that as well. Your dentist in Corona explains that extreme over and underbites may require conventional wires and brackets.

How Long Do I Have to Wear Invisalign®?

It could take two years before you see any corrections with traditional wires and brackets. Invisalign® on the other hand can take as little as 9 months with most patients seeing results in 12 to 18 months.

You can have a beautiful straight smile without wires and brackets. Call and schedule an appointment with your Corona Dentist to see if you are a good candidate for clear braces from Invisalign®.  

Choosing a Cosmetic Dentist Takes Research

Because the American Dental Association does not recognize cosmetic dentistry as a specialty, any dentist can advertise cosmetic dental procedures. This can sometimes result in unhappy patients. Cosmetic dentistry really is a specialty that requires additional training and education. Your cosmetic dentist in Corona has the continued education and experience needed for porcelain veneers, CEREC®, Invisalign®, and cosmetic dental bonding.

Why Can’t a General Dentist Apply Porcelain Veneers?

Unfortunately, some general dentists are asked by patients to perform cosmetic dentistry procedures that they aren’t trained to do and, to make the patient happy, they comply. This results in billions of dollars spent every year on, “Botched,” cosmetic dental procedures.

If your general dentist in Corona is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry you are in good hands. The AACD recognizes dental professionals who continue cosmetic Dentistry continued education. In fact, doctors who complete the curriculum are awarded with an Accredited Membership. A select few of those dentists go on to become Accredited Fellows of the AACD.

Having an Accredited doctor to handle your cosmetic dentistry needs is an essential part of your overall plan.

A Good Cosmetic Dentist is Always Learning

Dentists that care about their practice are continually learning. Dental technology is rapidly changing. With additional education and training dentists are able to transform your smile. However, that takes classes, seminars and other tools.

When you arrive at your new cosmetic dentist’s office, check out your surroundings. Look for certificates letting you know how much experience and training he or she has. If the walls are covered in pictures and other art pieces that have nothing to do with the doctors training, it’s time to look for a new cosmetic dentist in Corona.

Do your research and make an informed choice when choosing a cosmetic dentist in Corona. Your smile is on the line and you want to make the right decisions.

Professional Tooth Whitening for Better Results

Professional tooth whitening will lighten your teeth up to 10 shades, which is much whiter than over the counter pastes, gels, and polishes. With professional tooth whitening in Corona, your smile will be white, bright, and safe. People who have overused tooth-whitening products have reported damage to their teeth.

Unlike non-prescription tooth whitening products, professional tooth whitening products are prescribed for use. People who love to whiten their teeth will often use too much product too often. Your Corona dentist has seen quite a few patients who have over whitened their teeth.

What is Tooth Whitening Used For?

People who have badly stained teeth from red wine and other foods and older people with yellow teeth will see an improvement with professional tooth whitening. Ask your dentist if your interior staining can be helped with tooth whitening as not all products work for intrinsic stains.

How Can Over Whitening Damage My Teeth?

When you over whiten your teeth, you could be damaging the enamel. Some problems that can occur from over whitening include gum irritation, weak enamel, chalky teeth and teeth that are see through. Over whitening can even damage the roots of your teeth.

If you over use tooth whitening strips, pastes, gums, gels and DIY whitening trays your teeth won’t be as lustrous.

Over the counter products, contain less hydrogen peroxide, which is the agent that bleaches your teeth. The products used by your dentist in Corona contain more.

Because your teeth will reach a plateau with the peroxide, they will not get any whiter. What will happen is that the proteins in your enamel will begin to break down altering the structure.

Professional Tooth Whitening

Because the tooth whitening process is monitored, your risk of overuse is minimal provided you follow your dentist’s instructions. Dentists also use a shade guide to make sure that your teeth are not over bleached.

If you are considering tooth whitening, talk to your dentist in Corona. A beautiful smile happens when it’s a professional one. Call for a professional tooth whitening consultation in Corona today.

Good Oral Hygiene for Healthy Teeth and Gums

Healthy teeth and gums start with good oral hygiene habits. One of those habits is a good healthy diet for everyone in the family. Watching what you eat is easy, but being diligent about what your partner and your kids put in their mouths on a daily basis can be tough.

According to your Corona Dentist, there are some things you can do to create healthy dietary habits even when the family isn’t home.

Start with a Good Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Start your family off with some hot cereal or a plate of bacon and eggs. Skip the sugary cereals and opt for pancakes, waffles, or French toast. Although they do contain sugar, it’s not the processed stuff you’ll find in packaged breakfast cereals.

Snack time is the Right Time

If your kid’s friends are used to bags of chips and Doritos at snack time your children don’t have to be part of the mix. Pack after school snacks or fill the fridge with fruits and veggies, chunks of cheese and some salami or lunchmeat. Pack a tuna salad and you can bet your kids will be the most popular in the neighborhood.

Dinnertime means Healthy Eating

One of the best times the dinner table. It’s a chance where everyone gets to sit down, enjoy each other’s company, and talk about their day.

Make sure that you prepare healthy meals, skip the urge for fast food, and enjoy the time with your family. Encourage your kids and your partner to slow down, chew their food, and wait until everyone is finished before excusing themselves from the table.

When it comes to healthy teeth and gums and good oral hygiene don’t forget your diet and your dental checkups. Call your Corona Dentist and schedule everyone’s dental checkup today.

What’s So Special About CEREC®?

CEREC® has been around for some time, but if you are just hearing about it, it’s probably because it has improved over the years. These days CEREC® does more than dental crowns. In fact, CEREC® is used for veneers, cosmetic dental bridges, tooth colored fillings, inlays, onlays and even dental implants. CEREC® can give you a beautiful smile in just one dental appointment using modern dental technology.

What is CEREC®?

CEREC® stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics. Using CAD/CAM, computer technology has changed the way the world sees cosmetic dentistry. With CEREC® you can have new dental crowns, veneers or tooth colored fillings in a single appointment. Of course, if you are considering CEREC® for dental implants, placement will take longer, as you will need time for the surgery to heal.

How Does CEREC® Work?

Before you are fitted for a CEREC® crown or other restoration, your mouth will be checked to make sure you are a good candidate. If you are, digital pictures will be taken before your dentist in Corona adjusts the image for a customized fit.

Once happy with the results on the screen, your images are sent to an in office milling machine. The CEREC® machine takes about 45 minutes to an hour to manufacture your new dental crowns.

When your crowns are finished, your Corona dentist will place temporarily to check for proper placement, color and fit. If everything checks out, your new dental crown or other CEREC® restoration will be bonded into place for a strong and secure fit.

How Long Does CEREC® Last?

Because CEREC® has improved over the years, you can expect to have healthy restorations for 10 to 15 years as long as you practice good oral hygiene habits. If you tend to grind your teeth or chew on ice and pencils the lifespan is greatly reduced.

If you would like to learn more about CEREC®, call or click and schedule an appointment with your dentist in Corona. Your smile will thank you for it. Call today.