A New Year and a New Smile

It’s a New Year, and if one of your New Year’s resolutions is to fix your smile, call and schedule an appointment with your dentist for a no obligation cosmetic dentistry consultation.

Your dentist explains that one of the first things people notice about you is your pearly whites, and if yours is less than impressionable, you may want to consider cosmetic dentistry.

In a recent Colgate survey, nearly 88 percent of people surveyed said that a beautiful smile was the first thing that they remembered about a person with a staggering 94 percent saying the first thing they noticed was not the body or the eyes, but the smile. More than a third surveyed also said they would probably not go on a blind date with someone who had crooked teeth.

A beautiful smile helps you get noticed, and more importantly helps you get that dream job or promotion that you have been vying for. A nice smile also helps boost your self-esteem and gives you more confidence.

If you would like to feel more confident when you smile, call or click and schedule an appointment with your dentist who can determine what dental cosmetic procedures would be best for your particular needs.

During your appointment, your dentist will thoroughly examine your mouth making sure you are healthy enough for any type of cosmetic dental procedure. If you have gum disease or tooth decay, your dentist will want to take care of that first before continuing. Even tooth whitening requires a healthy mouth as the bleaching agent could cause problems if your gums are red, swollen, bleeding or receding.

If you have been given a clean bill of health, your dentist will discuss your cosmetic treatment options, which may include Dental Veneers, Dental Bonding, CEREC Restorations, Tooth Whitening, Inlays, Onlays, Tooth Colored Fillings, Invisible Braces, Tooth Colored Crowns or a Complete Mouth Restoration.    

If a new smile has been on your mind, call and schedule an appointment with your dentist who can determine what type of cosmetic dental restorations are right for you. Call or click today. 

Have You Seen Your Dentist Lately?

Now that the New Year has officially arrived you may want to start 2016 off the right way by scheduling a dental appointment with your dentist.

According to Colgate, some people may only need to visit the dentist once a year; however, there are patients that should schedule dental appointments twice a year.

Over 50 years ago, people who were having dental examinations to enter the military didn’t have the best teeth and gums; in fact, they were in quite bad shape. Back then, most people did not take oral hygiene or oral health seriously, as there were really no guidelines when it came to how often you should see your dentist. These days’ dentists concentrate on preventive dentistry. Decades ago, most dentists focused on fixing dental problems instead of helping prevent them.

Your dentist explains that even if you practice good oral health habits, including brushing twice and flossing once each day along with a good diet, you still need to schedule annual or bi-annual appointments with your dentist.

During your dental appointment, your dentist will check for any problems that you cannot feel or see. Unfortunately, quite a few of the dental problems that occur are not visible until they are more advanced. These include gum disease, cavities, and oral cancer. When you see your dentist on a regular basis, any problems can be treated before they become serious.

Seeing a dentist twice a year works for most people, while some can go longer between visits. Other patients may require additional dental visits. People who are not at risk when it comes to gum disease and cavities may be able to get away with seeing a dentist every 12 months. However, those that run a higher risk of dental problems may need to schedule appointments with their dentist every three to four months or even more frequently. People in the high-risk group include:

• Pregnant women
• Smokers
• Diabetics
• People who have gum disease
• People who have a weak immune system when it comes to bacterial infections
• People who have plaque buildup
• People who have a tendency to get more cavities than others do

Your dental appointment schedule could change during your lifetime as illness or stress may require more dental appointments than usual.

Start the New Year off the right way and schedule your annual, bi-annual of quarterly appointment with your dentist today.

Give Yourself the Gift of a New Smile

For the best holiday smile, you cannot beat cosmetic dentistry, and if you want to treat yourself to a new toothy grin, call and schedule an appointment with your dentist who can help you come up with a plan that may include tooth whitening, dental veneers, tooth colored fillings or dental bonding. Your cosmetic dentist may also recommend inlays, onlays, dental crowns; tooth colored fillings or dental implants. If you have always thought your gums were too large for your smile, your dentist may also recommend gummy smile repair.

A gummy smile can make you feel self-conscious when you smile. Your smile has everything to do with perception and aesthetics and if you are showing too much gum tissue and your gums are more prominent when you smile than your teeth, you may have a gummy smile. If you have a gummy smile, your teeth will appear smaller than they should.

According to your dentist, gummy smiles happen when your teeth and gums are out of proportion with each other. The position of your upper lip also comes into play and can be a combination of several things. These include the amount of gum tissue that you have on display, the shape, and size of your teeth, the degree, and the length of the movement of your upper lip and the vertical positioning of your teeth and upper jaw in relationship to your head or skull.

You may have a gummy smile for a variety of reasons. However, only your dentist can provide you with the critical diagnosis that is needed to repair your gummy smile. According to your dentist, several factors could be causing your gummy smile, but it is imperative that you have the correct diagnosis and treatment as incorrect gummy smile correction procedures could make the problem worse.

If you are unhappy with your smile, call and schedule an appointment with your dentist who can come up with a plan to give you the grin that you deserve. Call or click today. 

Think Before You Eat and Drink

It’s the silly season again and that means lots of parties and lots of food, and even if you are watching your weight, there are some foods that you should avoid or keep to a minimum to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

When you eat foods and drinks that contain sugar, the bacteria that naturally occur in your mouth will feed on sugar creating acids. Those acids will wear down the enamel making it weaker. The weaker your tooth’s enamel, the more susceptible you will be to tooth decay and gum disease.

The holidays are known for lots of goodies including sweet treats, cakes, candies and deliciously sweet dried fruit, however, those dates and dried cherries in the fruitcake could cause problems for your teeth. Dried fruit may be good for your figure, but can also stick to your teeth. If you must enjoy a dried apricot, fig, or date, rinse your mouth with water afterwards.

If you snack on sweets all day or over an extended period, such as a holiday party or holiday event, it can be especially harmful, as damaging acids will form in your mouth every time you consume a snack that is loaded with sugar. Even healthy servings of cranberry sauce can cause those acids to start forming. If that isn’t bad enough the sugary treat will continue affecting your teeth for 20 minutes or more after you have finished.

Snacking on sugary drinks and sweets all day long will increase your risk of gum disease and decay. If you brush and floss after indulging, you will see a reduction in bacteria.

When it comes to keeping cavities at bay, your dentist recommends that you balance out your sugary drinks and sweets with other types of foods. Eating sweets with foods that are rich in carbohydrates will help ease the impact that sugar will have on your teeth.

If you must indulge, choose wisely and consume sweets that dissolve quickly as this will limit the contact with the enamel on your teeth. Instead of caramels and gummy Santa’s, opt for plain dark chocolate, which is said to be good for your teeth.

Make sure that you are prepared and carry floss and a toothbrush with you. If you are eating sweets, it is important to brush if you can. However make sure that you wait about a half an hour if you are consuming foods that are acidic, such as wine or citrus fruits, as brushing can soften the enamel if you do not wait.

This holiday season think before you eat and drink, and remember to schedule an appointment with your dentist for the New Year. 

Smile this Thanksgiving and Mean it

The holidays are all about gathering together with friends and family, sharing food, laughter, conversation, and of course, smiles, and if your grin isn't what you’d like it to be, Thanksgiving may not be as fun for you as it could be.

Chipped or missing teeth, especially if the tooth or teeth are located in the front of your mouth can affect your self-esteem. In fact, in recent studies those surveyed admitted to having a lack of self-confidence because of their smile, but thanks to the marvels of cosmetic dentistry, you could have a new smile quicker than you think.

If all you need is to repair a couple of chips or fill in the gap between your teeth, talk to your dentist about CEREC. CEREC is the only dental system on the planet where you can walk in with badly stained or chipped teeth and walk out with a beautiful new smile in a single office visit.

One of the biggest advantages with CEREC is time. Because dental veneers, crowns, inlays and onlays only require a single visit, you will have fewer shots, less time drilling and less time in the dentist’s chair.

Decades ago, your dentist’s only option for repairing damaged or decayed teeth was with materials made out of gold, amalgam and other metals. However, your CEREC dentist uses tooth colored ceramic materials that will help restore your teeth back to their natural beauty, strength, and function.

Because the materials used in CEREC closely match the natural structure and composition of your tooth, your restored teeth will expand and contract at the same time. This means your tooth will not crack. Old metal fillings do not expand and can chip, leak or break because the materials do not expand and contract.

With CEREC your dentist can save as much of your natural healthy tooth as possible making your CEREC dental restoration even stronger.

When it comes to cosmetic dental restoration, you really can have it taken care of in a single appointment. Talk to your dentist today and find out what cosmetic dental procedures you can take care of in time for the holidays. Call or click today.  

Smiling is Contagious

These days a beautiful smile doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. In fact, thanks to 21^st century modern dentistry you can straighten your crooked teeth, whiten your stained teeth, or replace a missing tooth. Cosmetic dentistry is something that everyone can afford and not only helps your smile, but can also boost your self-confidence.

Your smile is the first thing that people notice when you meet, and if you are tired of putting your hand in front of your mouth when you speak or are constantly smiling with a closed mouth, cosmetic dentistry can help.

Your dentist explains that a beautiful smile makes you feel great, while discolored and crooked teeth will have the opposite effect.

People who have misaligned, crooked, decayed, or discolored teeth quite often avoid smiling while others who suffer from gum disease and constant bad breath are afraid to speak to others and often shy away from conversations or will look away when speaking.

If you are worried about your teeth and gums, schedule an appointment with your dentist who can come up with a, “Smile,” plan to help boost your self-confidence.

Your dentist explains that there really is a psychology when it comes to smiling, which can help boost your mood as the response to moving your facial muscles actually lets your brain know that it’s time to release those endorphins and start feeling good.

Smiling really is contagious. When you smile, people around you smile. If you expose a wide toothy genuine grin, others will follow suit, while a fake smile will generate a fake smile in return.

Smiling makes you look younger while frowning ages you. If you give a neutral expression, you are most probably looking your age.

A smile can actually reduce conflict and make other people feel more open and comfortable during a conversation. Smiling can also make you more approachable.

Unfortunately, some people are just too embarrassed to smile out of fear because of something that may have happened when they were younger, or because they are truly ashamed of the way that their teeth and gums appear.  

If you are afraid to smile because of your lackluster grin, schedule an appointment with your dentist today who can determine the best cosmetic and restorative dental procedures for your needs. Call or click today. 

Why Do I Need Scaling and Root Planing?

If you have been experiencing red, swollen, and bleeding gums every time you brush or floss, it is time to schedule an appointment with your dentist who can determine if you are dealing with some type of gum disease.

Gingivitis is the least serious and can usually be taken care of with a professional cleaning. Gingivitis can be reversed as long as you follow your dentist’s instructions, brush twice, and floss once each day, eat tooth and gum healthy foods and schedule regular checkups with your dentist.

However, if your gum disease has advanced to the more serious periodontal disease, your dentist may recommend Scaling and root planing. If it is past the point of no return, and yes, some types of periodontitis are irreversible, then he or she may refer you to a gum specialist or a periodontist who can determine what steps need to be taken to get your gums healthy again

Scaling and root planing is the most conservative and most common type of periodontal disease treatment.

Scaling is used to remove the tartar or calculus and plaque that are attached to the surfaces of your tooth. Scaling targets the hard to reach areas below your gum line and along the roots of your teeth.

Plaque is loaded with bacteria and will stick to your teeth. Over time, that plaque will harden turning into tartar. Plaque is likely to stick to the rough surfaces on your teeth. Because of this, your dentist will use root planing to remove any of the calculus that is still on your teeth while smoothing out the irregular spots on the surfaces of your teeth.

Bacteria will eventually cause periodontitis as tartar and plaque give teeth an irregular surface that makes it easy for bacteria to hide and attach itself. Scaling and root planing will remove the tartar and plaque giving your gums a chance to heal. As long as you practice good oral health habits, you may not need another scaling and root planing. If you are in the early stages of gum disease, this maybe all that you need for treatment, however, more advanced gum disease may require more invasive procedures such as surgery.

If you would like more information regarding a professional deep teeth cleaning, or scaling and root planing, schedule an appointment with your dentist today who can determine what comes next if you are suffering from gingivitis or gum disease. Call and schedule an appointment today.