Did you know that crooked, gapped, or protruding teeth can harm your smile in more ways than one. You already know that crooked teeth can mar the overall look of your smile making it look unhealthy and unattractive. Second, crowded and overlapping teeth create a teeth cleaning nightmare and can increase the risk for gum disease and tooth decay. Traditional metal braces are the most conventional option for straightening a crooked smile, but Invisalign clear aligners, with their shorter average treatment time and discreet appearance might be just the right solution for you. (more…)
3 Helpful Uses for Dental Crowns
The ancient Etruscans used gold crowns to protect damaged teeth in addition to using them as a flashy way of showing off one’s wealth. For thousands of years, gold was the crown material of choice, but over the last 100 years or so, porcelain, zirconia, and porcelain-metal hybrid crowns have become more popular, due to their ability to blend in subtly with the surrounding teeth. Dental crowns are the second-most frequently placed dental restoration after dental fillings and with good reason: these simple dental restorations have a wide range of different applications in both restorative and cosmetic dentistry. (more…)
3 Common Hurdles to Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers provide an ideal way for your cosmetic dentist to correct a number of cosmetic smile flaws, like severe stains, chipped teeth, gapped teeth, or oddly shaped teeth, and help you achieve the kind of beautiful smile you’ve always felt lacking. Unfortunately, patients with certain oral health problems do not make good candidates for this procedure. Become a more informed dental patient with this guide to three common obstacles that interfere with qualifying for porcelain veneers. (more…)
Options for Denture Wearers
Experts report that as many as 35 million Americans have no remaining natural teeth and that over 20 million Americans wear dentures. Whether you’ve worn dentures for many years or you are expecting to be fitted for dentures in the near future, you might be surprised to learn that you have a number of options when it comes to the look, fit, and feel of your dentures. Before making this life-changing decision, you should take the time to do some research and learn which denture option best fits your lifestyle needs. (more…)
3 Reasons To Treat Sleep Apnea
According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, as many as 22 million American live with obstructive sleep apnea. Even more unsettling, as many as 80% of those people have moderate or severe sleep apnea that is undiagnosed (and, as a result, untreated). Since current research strongly suggests a close link between untreated sleep apnea and serious physical, neurological, and psychological health problems, getting an official diagnosis and seeking out treatment is essential. Whether your prescribed treatment plan includes an oral sleep apnea appliance from your dentist or a CPAP machine from a sleep doctor, sticking with your treatment will help you enjoy these benefits. (more…)
3 Ways Lasers Can Help Your Smile
In one of those ironic twists of scientific history, lasers were created before anyone had quite figured out how to use them. However, after the first recorded use of laser technology in 1960, scientists from many fields were discovering new ways to use these concentrated beams of intense light energy. It wasn’t too long before the medical field and eventually, the dental field, began using them as adjuncts to certain procedures. Your family dentist may even use laser dentistry to treat a number of commonplace oral health problems. (more…)
Overcoming Dental Anxiety
Are you feeling nervous about an upcoming dental treatment, like having a cavity filled or having root canal therapy? Maybe you are long overdue for a professional cleaning, but you have been too scared to even call and schedule the appointment. Dental anxiety is an all too common fear for many adults. In fact, up to 10 percent of Americans are believed to struggle with some degree of dental anxiety. Thankfully, sedation dentistry can help patients by allowing them to push past their anxiety, in order to get the oral care that is needed to maintain lovely and healthy smiles. (more…)
Understanding Your Options with Cosmetic Dentistry
Have you felt self-conscious about your smile for many years, but are finally ready to learn how cosmetic dentistry can help? If so, you may be amazed how many options there are for enhancing your natural smile. In fact, just about any concern you have with the look of your smile can be corrected through one form of cosmetic dentistry or another. Knowing which cosmetic treatment is best for your situation is as simple as answering a few simple questions. (more…)
Smile Prouder with Porcelain Veneers
Are you finally feeling readyto hit the dating scene running, just a bit timid because of your appearance? If you’re feeling less than confident about putting your “selfies” out there because of imperfections in your smile, porcelain veneers could help. Veneers allow patients to drastically improve the look of their smiles, with little damage to their existing teeth and in very little time. So don’t let self-consciousness hold you back. Instead see how cosmetic dentistry could enhance your smile and your confidence! (more…)
Dental Implants: Improving Your Smile and Confidence
If you have lost a tooth or teeth recently, then chances are you may be feeling a range of emotions, from overwhelmed about what to do now to embarrassed about the changes in your smile. Thanks to restorative dentistry, however, you do not have to settle when it comes to an incomplete smile. Dental implants are a highly effective way to deal with the cosmetic and functional issues that can arise as the result of adult tooth loss, improving your ability to chew and speak naturally once again. (more…)