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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Dental care is more than brushing and flossing every day, visiting the dentist at least twice a year and occasionally having a problem treated. To get the most out of your care, we need to consider the “big picture” of risk management: identifying where your oral health is most at risk and tailoring your treatment approach accordingly. With that in mind, here are the 4 main risk areas we should address for your long-term dental […]
Managing pain is an important part of dental care — alleviating pain caused by disease or trauma and reducing discomfort during and after treatments. In many of these instances we can do this effectively with mild, over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen or aspirin. These Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are safer and have fewer side effects than stronger prescription pain drugs, and have proven effective after extensive studies. Nevertheless, they can cause problems if not taken properly. […]
There are many different removable appliances — from dentures to retainers — that help people enjoy better mouth function and a more attractive smile. But like many things we use, they can wear out. Because they’re also spending a lot of time in the mouth they can become an attractive home for disease-causing bacteria. You can extend your appliance’s life through regular cleaning and maintenance. Here are 4 tips to help you do it properly. […]
Think braces and you may conjure up the image of a teenager undergoing what is for many adolescents a rite of passage. But while correcting poor bites (malocclusions) is usually optimal between pre-adolescence and early adulthood, it’s just as viable an option for older adults. Still, many people in their later years with malocclusions think orthodontics isn’t worth the bother — it’s simply too late for them or they don’t want the “embarrassment” of wearing […]