Braces can change a person’s life — not just their appearance but their dental health as well. To be honest, though, wearing braces are, well, kind of a drag — especially for teenagers. Braces can be restrictive and confining; you’ll also have to give up certain favorite foods for a while. But more than any of that, they’re just plain unattractive. Even being able to choose colors for the brackets and elastic bands can’t fully ease a teenager’s embarrassment when they smile. There is, however, an alternative to braces: clear aligners. And they could make orthodontic treatment during this difficult phase of their life much easier to handle. Clear aligners are a set of clear plastic trays that can be taken in and out of the mouth. Each of the custom-designed trays is slightly smaller from the previous one in the series. After wearing the first tray for a couple of weeks (at least 20 to 22 hours a day), the patient switches to the next tray in the series. They repeat this process until they’ve worn all the trays. The gradual change from tray to tray moves the teeth to the desired position. Clear aligners have some distinct advantages over braces, especially for younger patients. They can be removed for cleaning or for a rare special event. They don’t limit movement as much as braces. And, they’re nearly invisible — other people may not even notice them. And newer aligners are now designed with tiny “power ridges” that increase their movement capabilities. This has made them more useful for teenagers with complicated bite problems and other issues. There are cases, though, where braces may be the better choice: where you need more control over tooth movement or the patient needs jaw surgery to achieve proper tooth alignment. And their removability could be an issue if the patient won’t leave them in their mouth for the necessary time each day. To find out if clear aligners might be a viable option for your teenager, visit us for a complete orthodontic examination. We can then discuss your best option — clear aligners or braces — to achieve the most desirable outcome for your teenager. If you would like more information on treating bite problems in teenagers with clear aligners, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Clear Aligners for teens.”

With the advent of home whitening kits, you no longer have to go to the dentist to have your teeth whitened. DIY kits are relatively safe and effective, if you follow the directions carefully. So, you might be thinking: why have a dentist whiten my teeth? Actually, there are good reasons why you might. Here are 4 of them. We’ll make sure your teeth are healthy first. Your teeth may need some attention first, such as treatment for dental disease, before we undertake whitening. We’ll also determine why your teeth are stained, which could impact how they’re whitened (more about that in a moment). Our application could take less time and last longer. Bleaching agents in home kits make up less than 10% of volume, much weaker than the applications we use. While it often takes several applications at home to achieve the desired brightness, you may only need one or two sessions with us. Our stronger solution may also extend the “fade time” — when the whitening begins to diminish — than what you may encounter with home whitening. We can be more precise achieving the right shade. There are different shades of teeth whiteness — what looks good for someone else might not look good for you. We have the training and expertise to achieve a color that’s right for you. What’s more, we also have techniques and equipment like UV lighting that enables us to color match more precisely than you can with a home kit. Your DIY kit can’t alter some forms of staining. Home kits bleach only the outermost layers of tooth enamel. That won’t help, though, if your discoloration originates inside the tooth. This intrinsic staining requires procedures only a dentist can perform to bleach the tooth from the inside out. Even if you’d still like to use a home kit we’ll be happy to advise you on purchasing and application. It’s also a good idea to have us check the staining first to see if a home kit will work at all. In the end, we share the same desire as you do: that your teeth are as healthy as they can be and bright as you want them to be. If you would like more information on tooth whitening options, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Tooth Whitening Safety Tips.”

An estimated 35 million people in the United States are missing all of their teeth on at least one jaw. Your situation may not be as serious — perhaps you’ve only lost one tooth. But even one missing tooth could eventually impact the health of underlying bone or other teeth — and it can certainly mar an otherwise attractive smile. Depending on other health factors, you could be an ideal candidate for a dental implant to replace that missing tooth. Since their introduction in the 1980s, implants have rapidly become the popular choice for tooth replacement. They’ve gained this popularity for several reasons: they’re a life-like replacement that also functions like a tooth; they’re adaptable to a variety of situations; and they enjoy a 95%-plus success rate. The key to their success lies in their unique construction: they replace the tooth root, not just the crown. They accomplish this through a metal titanium post imbedded directly into the bone. The titanium attracts bone cells, which eventually grow and adhere to the post to anchor the implant securely in the jaw. This growth also deters bone loss that occurs after tooth loss and continues after acquiring other forms of removable restorations like full or partial dentures. If implants have one drawback, though, it’s their cost, especially if you have multiple lost teeth. The good news if you’re missing several teeth is that each tooth does not need an implant due to their inherent strength. As few as two implants could replace three to four missing teeth or play a role as supports for other restorations like removable dentures. Some of the implants’ other benefits will also carry over, including enhanced bone health. To determine if dental implants are a good choice for your missing teeth, you’ll need to undergo an evaluation of your individual dental condition (including bone health). From there we can advise you on whether implants could change your dental health and your smile. If you would like more information on dental implants, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Implants 101.”

When is the best time to floss your teeth: Morning? Bedtime? How about: whenever and wherever the moment feels right? For Cam Newton, award-winning NFL quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, the answer is clearly the latter. During the third quarter of the 2016 season-opener between his team and the Denver Broncos, TV cameras focused on Newton as he sat on the bench. The 2015 MVP was clearly seen stretching a string of dental floss between his index fingers and taking care of some dental hygiene business… and thereby creating a minor storm on the internet. Inappropriate? We don’t think so. As dentists, we’re always happy when someone comes along to remind people how important it is to floss. And when that person has a million-dollar smile like Cam Newton’s — so much the better. Of course, there has been a lot of discussion lately about flossing. News outlets have gleefully reported that there’s a lack of hard evidence at present to show that flossing is effective. But we would like to point out that, as the saying goes, “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” There are a number of reasons why health care organizations like the American Dental Association (ADA) still firmly recommend daily flossing. Here are a few: It’s well established that when plaque is allowed to build up on teeth, tooth decay and gum disease are bound to follow. A tooth brush does a good job of cleaning most tooth surfaces, but it can’t reach into spaces between teeth. Cleaning between teeth (interdental cleaning) has been shown to remove plaque and food debris from these hard-to-reach spaces. Dental floss isn’t the only method for interdental cleaning… but it is recognized by dentists as the best way, and is an excellent method for doing this at home — or anywhere else! Whether you use dental floss or another type of interdental cleaner is up to you. But the ADA stands by its recommendations for maintaining good oral health: Brush twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste; visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and checkups; and clean between teeth once a day with an interdental cleaner like floss. It doesn’t matter if you do it in your own home, or on the sidelines of an NFL game… as long as you do it! If you would like more information about flossing and oral hygiene, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation.

Periodontal (gum) disease is potentially devastating to your teeth, gums and bone. To fight it we have to remove the substance that causes and sustains the disease from all oral surfaces — a thin layer of bacteria and food particles known as plaque. To accomplish this task, we use a variety of hand instruments called scalers to mechanically remove plaque and calculus (hardened plaque deposits), as well as ultrasonic equipment to vibrate plaque loose and flush it away with water. If we detect plaque deposits well below the gum line and around the tooth roots, we may need to use other techniques like root planing or surgery to access these deeper areas.  While gum disease is persistent and aggressive, these traditional techniques have proven quite effective in controlling the infection and restoring health to diseased gums. Yet like other aspects of medicine and dentistry, technological advances have created a new option for gum disease treatment: the Nd:YAG laser. The Nd:YAG laser is named for the crystal it uses to produce a narrow and intense beam of light on a specific frequency. In recent years it’s become an important surgical tool because it can distinguish between diseased and healthy tissue, destroying the former while not affecting the latter. It’s being used now on a limited basis for treating gum disease, especially for removing infected tissue in deep pockets that can form below the gum line, and for removing plaque and calculus from root surfaces.  Because of its precision, early evidence of effectiveness is encouraging: minimal tissue damage and swelling, less bleeding and reduced patient discomfort after treatment. The heat from the laser has also been shown to kill bacteria and essentially sterilize the area. Still, the findings aren’t conclusive enough as to whether lasers are superior in most circumstances to traditional scaling methods. For the time being, we’ll continue to use the tried and true methods for removing plaque and calculus. But as laser technology advances, the time may come when this new approach to gum disease treatment will become a more prominent and beneficial option for patients. If you would like more information on your treatment options for gum disease, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Lasers Versus Traditional Cleanings for Treating Gum Disease.”

A tooth that’s been chipped doesn’t mean it’s no longer healthy. The same, unfortunately, can’t be said about the attractiveness of your smile, especially if it’s one of your front teeth. A chipped tooth can be quite noticeable and make you self-conscious. The good news is a chipped tooth can be restored cosmetically to look just as normal and attractive as your other teeth. Depending on the application there are two different materials we commonly use: porcelains, a type of oven-fired ceramic most often found in veneers or crowns; or composite resins, a mixture of glass and plastic substances we apply in liquid form that hardens in built-up layers on the tooth’s surface to ultimately resemble normal tooth shape and color. So, which of these two materials is the best option for your tooth? That depends on the extent and location of the tooth damage. Composite resins are most often used for mild to moderate chipping or breaks in the enamel (and somewhat for the underlying dentin) or decayed areas in the front teeth. Porcelain veneers or crowns are better for more extensive damage or discoloration. Both materials have their advantages and disadvantages. Composite resins can be applied in one office visit, but they require a skillful technique and an artistic eye to achieve a life-like appearance; although their strength has improved over the years, they’re also limited in their durability and longevity compared to porcelain. Porcelain, on the other hand, is quite durable and has an excellent tooth-like appearance; they do, however, require removal of more tooth material than a composite resin to accommodate the new veneer or crown, along with more than one visit and the services of a dental lab to create the restoration. The best way to find out which option is best for you is to visit us for a thorough dental examination. From there we can review with you our findings, our recommendations and the costs associated with each option. But whichever material we use, porcelain or composite resins, you can look forward to a new smile you’ll be proud to display. If you would like more information on cosmetic treatments for teeth, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Artistic Repair of Front Teeth with Composite Resin.”

Academy Award-winning actress Kathy Bates knows how important it is to present your best face to the world — and one of the most important features of that face is a beaming smile. But there came a point when she noticed something was a little off. “I’ve always had good teeth, but it seemed to me as I was getting older that they weren’t looking as good,” Kathy explained in a recent interview with Dear Doctor magazine. That’s when she decided it was time to take action. Kathy had orthodontic treatment when she was in her fifties, and she keeps her smile bright with tooth whitening treatments. She uses a kit provided by her dentist with a safe, effective whitening solution. Of course, a bright, healthy smile looks great anywhere — whether you’re on the red carpet or “off the grid.” And you don’t have to be a Hollywood star to have professional whitening treatments. In fact, teeth whitening is one of the most popular and affordable cosmetic treatments modern dentistry offers. The basic options for professional teeth whitening include in-office bleaching or take-home kits. Both types of dentist-supervised treatments offer a safe and effective means of getting a brighter smile; the main difference is how long they take to produce results. A single one-hour treatment in the office can make your teeth up to ten shades lighter — a big difference! To get that same lightening with at-home trays, it would take several days. On the plus side, the take-home kit is less expensive, and can achieve the same results in a bit more time. It’s important to note that not all teeth can be whitened with these treatments. Some teeth have intrinsic (internal) stains that aren’t affected by external agents like bleaches. Also, teeth that have been restored (with bonding or veneers, for example) generally won’t change color. And you can’t necessarily whiten your teeth to any degree: Every tooth has a maximum whiteness, and adding more bleach won’t lighten it beyond that level. Most people, however, find that teeth whitening treatments produce noticeable and pleasing results. What about those off-the-shelf kits or in-the-mall kiosks? They might work… or they might not. But one thing’s for sure: Without a dentist’s supervision, you’re on your own. That’s the main reason why you should go with a pro if you’re considering teeth whitening. We not only ensure that your treatment is safe — we can also give you a realistic idea of what results to expect, and we will make sure that other dental problems aren’t keeping you from having a great-looking smile. How often does Kathy Bates see her dentist for a checkup and cleaning? “I go about every four months,” she noted. “I’m pretty careful about it.” And if you’ve seen her smile, you can tell that it pays off. If you would like more information about teeth whitening, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Important Teeth Whitening Questions Answered” and “Teeth Whitening.”

No one ever said it was easy to become a dentist. After earning an undergraduate degree in science, prospective dentists must successfully complete four years in the rigorous environment of an accredited dental school. After that, every dentist must pass a state-administered exam before being licensed to practice in that state.  At that point, you might think the dental educational process is over. But it isn’t. State regulations generally require dentists to complete a certain number of continuing-education credits every year, in order to maintain their licenses. It’s a way of ensuring that dentists stay current with the latest innovations in their field, and provide their patients with good-quality care. But some dedicated practitioners take it even further. Dentists who join the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) — a professional organization founded in 1952, which currently has about 37,000 members — must live up to a stricter standard. AGD members are committed to taking at least 75 hours of continuing education courses every three years. According to surveys, however, most members average more than 40 hours every year: That’s a full work-week dedicated to education. When a dentist has been a member of the AGD for three years, completed 500 hours of continuing education, and passed a comprehensive examination, he or she can become a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry. This honorary designation is a way of recognizing a dentist’s commitment to providing excellence in patient care. To date, about 11,000 members of the AGD have become Fellows. There’s one more step in the pyramid: Mastership. To attain this designation, after becoming a Fellow, a dentist must complete an additional 600 hours of continuing education, including 400 hours of “hands-on” training. Needless to say, this denotes an extremely high level of dedication. A dentist who receives this honor has devoted a significant amount of time to his or her profession, and is up to date on the most current standards of care. About 1,000 AGD members have achieved Mastership thus far. We’re pleased to let our patients know that Dr. Cindy Sumarauw was recently recognized as a Master by the Academy of General Dentistry. The Mastership Award symbolizes Dr. Sumarauw’s commitment to remain at the forefront of dental science.  And it’s one more way of showing her dedication to providing excellent dental care for her patients. If you have questions or concerns about your dental health, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation.

The mark of a great dental restoration is that you can’t see it. It’s there in plain sight, but others observing your new and improved smile can’t tell the difference between the restoration and your natural teeth. Everything looks, well, natural. That’s the great advantage of dental porcelain. A dental technician with technical skill and artistic flair can form this inorganic, ceramic material into a life-like replica of your tooth, with a shape and color that blends in with the rest of your teeth. And because of its strength properties, porcelain restorations can hold up to the normal chewing and biting forces in your mouth, as long as you use prudence when biting down on hard substances. Porcelain is also highly adaptable to different kinds of restorations. For natural teeth still viable but no longer attractive, porcelain can be the main ingredient in two very popular and effective restorations, the veneer and the crown. Although the porcelain material is the same for both, their construction and application are quite different. Veneers are very thin laminated layers of dental porcelain custom-colored and shaped for bonding to the outer visible portion of a tooth. They’re a great solution for relatively decay-free teeth that have minor to moderate defects like chipping, slight misalignment or heavy staining. They often require some permanent removal of tooth enamel to ensure their appearance isn’t too bulky, but causes minimal impact to the tooth. Crowns, on the other hand, are complete tooth replicas that are bonded in place over an existing tooth like a cap. They’re a good choice for teeth in which the root and inner layers are still viable, but the tooth has been significantly damaged by decay or trauma. They’re also useful as a protective cover for teeth that have undergone root canal treatment. But unlike the minimal impact of veneers, crowns require significant tooth alterations to accommodate them. In either case, though, the end result is much the same: both crowns and veneers can be fashioned to precisely mimic the shape, color and texture of natural teeth. In skillful hands, these porcelain restorations can transform your smile for the better and no one but you and your dentist will ever need to know. If you would like more information on porcelain restorations, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Porcelain Crowns & Veneers.”

The traditional way to restore a tooth with an artificial crown takes several weeks and multiple office visits: from tooth preparation and impression molding to crown production by a dental laboratory, followed by adjustments and cementing. There’s an alternative that reduces this process to a fraction of the time, and all from right inside our office. Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) using CEREC is a digital system that enables dentists to create dental restorations with laboratory-grade materials in minutes rather than weeks. As it continues to innovate, you’ll see more and more dentists investing in the new technology for their patients. A crown restoration with CAD/CAM begins like any other with decay removal and preparation of the tooth. It diverges, though, from the traditional in how an impression of your teeth and gums is obtained: instead of rubber-like molding materials to create a physical impression, we lightly dust the mouth interior with a reflective powder. Using a scanning wand, the reflective powder allows us to capture multiple, detailed images of your mouth that the CAD/CAM computer transforms into an accurate three-dimensional model. We use the model to first assess if the tooth has been effectively prepared for a restoration. If so, the design feature of the system will provide us with thousands of tooth forms to choose from to match with your natural teeth. You’ll be able to view the proposed size and shape of the new crown via computer simulation before signing off on the design. Next is the actual manufacture of the crown that takes place right in the dentist’s office. A pre-formed block of ceramic material is inserted in the milling equipment where, following the pre-determined computer design, the milling heads carve the ceramic block. After milling, we fine-tune the crown surface and apply stains or glazes fired to create a life-like color and texture that matches your natural teeth. We can then adjust the crown in your mouth and permanently affix it to the tooth. While much of the CAD/CAM system is automated, ultimate success still depends on the dentist’s expertise and artistry. CAD/CAM enhances those skills with greater precision and in much less time than traditional crowns. It’s certainly a growing option for many people to restore the form and function of decayed teeth. If you would like more information on computer-aided dental restorations, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Creating In-Office Dental Restorations with Computers.”