Porcelain Veneers Without the Hassle

If you have been considering Porcelain Veneers to improve your smile, schedule an appointment with your dentist who can determine if Porcelain Veneers are right for you. Dental Care of Corona has more than 40 years of combined service and expertise when it comes to Porcelain Veneers.

With Porcelain Veneers, you can get rid of that unsightly gab between your front teeth or repair that chip or crack. When you schedule an appointment for Porcelain Veneers, you can even mask those stains that will not budge with regular tooth whitening methods. Porcelain Veneers look just like your natural teeth and will not only improve your smile, but also boost your self-confidence.

Made out of wafer thin shells of dental ceramic, Porcelain Veneers bond on to the front surfaces of your teeth making them the perfect choice for people who are afraid to smile because of cosmetic issues. Porcelain Veneers are versatile and simple to apply thanks to the highly skilled team of Dental Cosmetic technicians from Dental Care of Corona.

The Porcelain Veneers used by Dental Care of Corona can usually be placed without the use of an anesthetic, and without changing the shape of your teeth.

When you schedule an appointment with Dental Care of Corona for Porcelain Veneers, you will be given a thorough examination to determine if Porcelain Veneers are right for you. Dental Care of Corona has hundreds of happy patients who can smile with ease thanks to the placement of Porcelain Veneers.

If you are a good candidate for Porcelain Veneers, Dental Care of Corona will individually design your new Porcelain Veneers to enhance and improve the characteristics of your smile.

During your appointment, an impression or mold of your teeth will be made to send to a dental lab. Once your new veneers are ready, Dental Care of Corona will check for fit before permanently cementing in place. After your new Porcelain Veneers are bonded to your teeth, they will look completely natural. In fact, the only people who will know that you have new Porcelain Veneers are you and your dentist.

Porcelain Veneers are extremely durable and stronger than dental bonding. Porcelain Veneers are so strong that you can expect them to last for more than 10 years if you practice good oral hygiene and resist the temptation to bite things you shouldn’t such as an ice cube, or the end of your pen.

If you would like more information regarding Porcelain Veneers, schedule an appointment with Dental Care of Corona today. 

Skipping the Dentist Can be bad for your Wallet

If you have been avoiding a much-needed dental checkup because you are afraid of what might be found, call, or click now. Avoiding the dentist is only going to make things worse, especially if you already suspect that you are having issues with your teeth and gums.

Skipping your twice-yearly dental checkups is a bad idea, even if you practice good oral hygiene. You may have only had a small cavity when you started to feel that twinge of pain after you took a sip of your morning coffee, but if you left it too long, you may be scheduling an appointment for root canal therapy. Leaving tooth decay to do its own thing isn’t the only problem you may be suffering from if you do not see your dentist on a regular basis.

Without regular cleanings with your dentist or dental hygienist, plaque may begin to form in between your teeth and gums. Leftover food can quickly convert to bacteria, which will destroy the enamel on your teeth. If you do not have your dentist clean your teeth, you may need a more advanced treatment such as a deep cleaning.

During a deep cleaning your dentist will use special instruments for Root Scaling and Planing to scrape and smooth the roots of your teeth tooth to get rid of plaque and tartar. Tartar is that hard substance caused by food particles and plaque that only a dentist can remove.

Your twice-yearly dental checkup should also include an oral cancer screening. Early detection is the key when it comes to throat, mouth, and lip and tongue cancer. Ask your dentist if a velscope is used to detect cancers that are invisible to the naked eye.

Keep your mouth healthy and schedule a thorough dental checkup with your dentist today. Waiting until something really hurts is painful for both your tooth and your wallet.

Root Planing and Scaling for Gum Disease

Root Planing and Scaling is a treatment that is used by dentists to prevent the spread of gum disease, and if you are experiencing bleeding gums, you may want to schedule an appointment with your dentist who can determine if your periodontal disease can be treated with Root Planing and Scaling.

Oral B explains that Root Planing and Scaling is one of the most effective treatments to halt the progression of periodontal disease stopping it in its tracks before it becomes more severe. Root Planing and Scaling cleans between your teeth and gums down to the roots of your teeth to get rid of plaque and tartar accumulation.

When you schedule an appointment with your dentist, x-rays will be taken to determine if you are suffering from gingivitis or the more serious periodontitis. During your periodontal examination and probing, your dentist will be able to determine how healthy your teeth and gums are. This will help your dentist diagnose gingivitis or periodontal disease while also revealing exposed roots, receding gums, tooth grinding or any other problems that you may be having.

During the examination and probing, your dentist will measure the spaces between your teeth and your gums. If there are concerns regarding the health of your gums, your dentist may refer you to a specialist, or periodontist.

If your dentist decides to perform a Root Planing and Scaling, a local anesthetic may be used to numb the roots of your teeth and your gums. Once you are numb, your dentist may use a standard scraping tool or an ultrasonic tool during the Root Planing and Scaling. Antibiotic fibers may also be placed in the pockets to help speed up the healing process while helping to prevent infection. The fibers will remain for about a week before being removed by your dentist during your next appointment.

Root Planing and Scaling causes very little discomfort, although you may be a bit sore after the treatment.

Gum disease can be serious if left to its own devices causing all kinds of problems including tooth loss. If left untreated your gingivitis can progress to the more serious periodontal disease.

If you are experiencing bleeding, red or swollen gums, schedule an appointment with your dentist who can determine if you need a Root Planing and Scaling treatment.

A Disappearing Toothache Could Be a Sign of Something Worse

That toothache isn’t going to go away by itself, and if you have been going through a bottle of clove oil in a day or two, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your dentist.

According to AAE.org, leaving a toothache to its own devices can cause serious problems, and without dental care, it could turn into a nasty abscess. An abscess isn’t much fun and can cause other complications including a trip to the E.R. and even death.

A tooth abscess is literally a pocket of puss caused by an infection in or around your tooth. Unfortunately, not all people feel pain when an abscess occurs, but if you do notice an ache in the bone that is around your tooth, you need to schedule an appointment with your dentist, as this is probably the most common symptom when it comes to a tooth abscess. If you have a continuous and severe throbbing or gnawing pain or shooting and sharp pains, you could be dealing with an abscessed tooth. Other signs that you may have a tooth abscess include, but are not limited to, 

• Gum swelling
• Pain when chewing
• Fever
• Tooth sensitivity to hot and cold
• Constant bad breath
• Swollen neck glands
• Bitter taste in your mouth
• Feeling ill or uneasy
• General discomfort
• Swelling and redness of the gums
• Upper or lower jaw swelling
• An open sore that could be draining on the side of your gum 

If the pulp inside your tooth dies from the infection your toothache may suddenly stop, however, that does not mean that you are out of the woods and magically healed. Once the pulp dies, the infection in your tooth will remain active, spread, and continue to destroy tissue. The only way to get rid of the infection is to see your dentist, even if you are out of pain.

Dental abscesses are usually treated with endodontic surgery or more commonly a root canal. Root canals are no more painful than a filling. During a root canal, your dentist will remove all of the bacteria and dead tissue from the canals in the roots of your teeth before cleaning, shaping, and filling the root canals. Once satisfied your dentist will either place a permanent or temporary filling depending on the severity of the infection.

After your root canal procedure, your dentist will ask you to come back for another visit to place a dental restoration, such as a crown, over the top to restore and protect it. Once your root canal and dental restoration are completed, your tooth will function just as it used to.

If you have a nagging toothache, or one that just disappeared, schedule an appointment with your dentist today. A dental abscess really can be dangerous and should not be overlooked. Call or click today.

Is The Six Month Smiles Treatment Right For You?

If you thought a new smile would take years because you had to wear braces, think again. Thanks to the revolutionary cosmetic dental restoration procedures available from your dentist, you can have a brand new toothy grin in as little as six months.

The Six Month Smiles program, available in Corona, is done by focusing on just the teeth in the front of your mouth that need correcting without making any major changes to your bite. Similar to traditional or standard braces, Six Month Smiles are much more aesthetic as your dentist uses white brackets and white wires to correct your smile and straighten your teeth.

With the Six Month Short Term Orthodontic Treatment, you can have the smile that you have always dreamt about in less than a year.

Although the Six Month Smiles works for some, it may not be right for everyone. The best way to determine if you are a good candidate for the Six Months Smiles program is to schedule a consultation with your Six Months Smiles provider. However, there are a few questions that you can ask yourself before you take the next step. Just remember these questions are not meant to replace a consultation with your dentist for the Six Months Smiles Orthodontic Treatment as only a certified provider can determine if you are right for this 21^st century innovative procedure.  

The first question that you will want to ask yourself is what the motivation behind improving your smile is. Is it because you are self-conscious when you smile, speak or laugh, or is it because you have a big occasion or event coming up. Do you want a new smile because of your career or because you speak in front of large groups.

The second question that you will want to ask yourself is what really bothers you about your smile. Do you have a gap in-between your teeth are they crowded together crooked or just out of place.

Ask yourself what other problems you have with your smile whether it is the overall shape of your teeth, the fact that they are too long or too short, not white enough or they seem to be worn.

If you have real concerns about your smile, have not previously been fitted with an orthodontic appliance, and just don’t like the overall shape of your smile, schedule an appointment with your dentist who can determine if the Six Months Smile Orthodontic Treatment is right for you. 

Can Gum Disease affect Cognitive Function?

Bleeding gums are a sign of gum disease. Gingivitis, and the more severe periodontal disease should be taken care of immediately, otherwise you may eventually lose your teeth. However, what is even more shocking is that gum disease and tooth loss could also cause a decline in thinking skills, especially among people over the age of 50.  

Researchers are investigating whether people who have poor dental health also suffer from poor cognitive functions, which technically mean people who have gum disease also have problems with managing numbers, words, and memory.

Recent research indicates that that every person, whether male or female, who had a tooth removed or had lost a tooth, saw a loss in cognitive function. In fact, people who had lost all of their teeth had quite poor cognition compared with those who had more. The study also found poor cognitive behaviors in people who suffered from severe gum disease, or periodontitis.

Conducted in 1996 and lasting until 1998, the study consisted of data that was gathered from people who took part in memory and thinking skills tests. The 6,000 participants were both men and women between the ages of 45 and 64. Thirteen percent of those who took part in the study had lost their natural teeth with about a fifth of the participants having less than 20 teeth remaining. About 12 percent of the participants had deep gum pockets and serious bleeding gum issues.

What the researchers discovered was that the scores on thinking and memory tests, including number skills, word fluency and word recall, was lower in people who didn’t have teeth. People who had better oral health and more teeth had better test scores than those with severe gum disease as well.

Some researchers believe that poor dental health may reflect poor eating habits. People with tooth and gum problems may not be able to eat certain, “Brain foods,” which could contribute to poor cognitive functions. Researchers agree that it could be a contributing factor, but so could inflammation from gum disease. Inflammation, regardless of where it is located in the system can affect cognition.

So what’s the bottom line? Good oral health habits just may help you think better and remember where you put your keys.

If you would like more information regarding oral hygiene, schedule an appointment with your dentist today. 

The Dangers of Missing Teeth

Your dentist will tell you that missing teeth will affect more than your self confidence and although that gap in the middle of your smile may not do much for your self-esteem, it isn’t doing much for your oral health either.

Your teeth are meant to be a team, and if one is lost because of gum disease, tooth decay or an accident, you need to bring in a replacement.

Although some people don’t take losing a tooth too seriously, the long-term consequence can be detrimental. If you have missing teeth the rest of your teeth are in danger as well.

Missing teeth not only show when you smile, but will also age you. Your face will appear gaunt because there is no cheek support. Your dentist explains that other problems that can occur because of tooth loss include periodontal problems, malocclusion, hypereruption, lost fillings, tooth fractures, speech defects, chewing problems and TMJ.

According to Web MD, your teeth will move freely until they come into contact with something. In other words, if you lose a tooth, your surrounding teeth may drift into the hole that was left by the missing tooth. The movement could be tipping or rotating and will eventually affect your bite. This is known as malocclusion. If this occurs, it could be putting a strain on your TMJ or jaw joints. Not only will this cause pain, but severe TMJ disorders can actually cause your jaw to lock into place.

Tooth loss hinders your chewing ability on the side where you lost the tooth because there is less chewing surface. When this occurs, you will naturally chew on the other side. This will result in additional force that could cause lost fillings and broken teeth.

If you have a tooth that normally touches the missing tooth when you put your teeth together, hypereruption can occur causing your tooth to protrude. So much so that your roots could begin to show. This will cause sensitive teeth, root decay and gum problems.

Although it is nearly impossible to prevent all types of tooth loss, good oral hygiene that includes brushing twice and flossing once each day can certainly help you keep your teeth. If you play sports, wear a mouthguard and don’t forget to schedule regular checkups with your dentist.

For more information regarding the dangers of missing teeth, schedule an appointment with your dentist today.