Keep Our Emergency Dentist Office On Your Contact List

No one of plans an emergency dentist visit. Even as we write this, we know the vast majority of you are probably thinking, what a silly thing to prepare for. The truth is that most people have developed an idea that teeth are invulnerable. Others don’t even consider teeth at all outside of brushing them or if something gets stuck between them. This nonchalant attitude is based on the fact that, while dental emergencies do happen, we have a cheerful disconnect with regard to them ever happening to us. There is little doubt that lifestyle affects how likely it is that you will need emergency dental care, be it dental or otherwise. At the same time, there are factors that cannot be controlled. Things like DNA, accidents, or unforeseeable diseases can affect your teeth at the most inopportune times, requiring you to visit an emergency dentist for care. The most important piece of advice we can give you is that when you have a situation where you need emergency medical care for your teeth, you do not pause or delay. Delaying can lead to further damage, a spreading infection, or a worsening gum disease.

In reality, the need for an emergency dentist is one that is growing. As people play more aggressive sports and become more aware of the importance of taking care of their teeth, people are more conscious of the need to seek medical attention in the advent of a dental emergency. Often they do not know where or how to get hold of an emergency dentist. As a result, a large number of people will end up in the emergency room of their local hospital. There is nothing wrong with visiting the ER if you have an accident or are in immediate need, as long as you realize that the skilled doctors there are not trained to be dentists. This means they will treat the symptoms, like pain, and send you home without ever treating the cause of the pain. Unfortunately with dental challenges, often there is a deep underlying reason you are experiencing discomfort. Typically people who visited an emergency room with a dental emergency had to return there or go see their regular dentist. Statistically, 20% of patients seen and treated for dental emergencies in an ER, returned shortly thereafter with the same problem. An emergency dentist, on the other hand, is trained to look for, and cure, the root causes of your discomfort so that the problem actually goes away.

There are many reasons that bring a person in to see an emergency dentist. Many of those same reasons are likely to drive you to go to an emergency room if you do not have contact information for us. Therefore, we highly recommend keeping contact information for your emergency dentist handy. The most common reason people seek dental attention is having a toothache. Other reasons, why people have been known to come in for emergency dental treatment, includes cracked teeth, a tooth that has been chipped, a knocked out tooth in an accident, or the loss of a filling. All of these are issues that we can correct quickly.

What Is a Cosmetic Dentist and What Do They Do?

The difference between a cosmetic dentist and a general dentist is that while a general dentist is usually solely focused on the function and health of a person's teeth, gums and/or bite, a cosmetic dentist specializes in the appearance of the teeth in addition to their function.

For the most part, general dentists focus on ensuring that your teeth and gums are both functional and healthy. However, while they may be functional, not all dental solutions look good. While patients may be relieved that their problem has been 'fixed', some people may not be happy with how their teeth look, especially in regard to their front teeth.

In our office, the work of a cosmetic dentist extends beyond ensuring that your teeth and gums are both functional and healthy. They are also concerned about whether or not you are pleased with the appearance of your teeth and, if not, work to create a beautiful smile that you are pleased with. They do not just restore teeth to their original appearance, but work to improve the shape and color of your teeth, which will largely depend on your personal preferences and opinion.  This doesn't necessarily mean that every person wants or can achieve, a 'Hollywood' smile. It simply means that crooked, misaligned or stained teeth can play havoc with your self-image and we can correct them.

Common Cosmetic Dental Procedures

• Teeth Whitening: Not only do many people have naturally yellowish teeth, but the enamel is susceptible to discoloration by certain medications, red wine, coffee, tea, and nicotine. Many stains can be removed, and natural discoloration improved by a whitening procedure.
• Dental Veneers: Dental veneers, made of either porcelain or composite resin, are wafer-thin, custom-made, 'shells' bonded to each tooth. They are custom made to match the natural color of your teeth and improve your appearance by changing the shape, length or size of an existing tooth.
• Crowns: Dental crowns are tooth-shaped "caps" that partially, or completely, covers the visible part of the tooth. Crowns can restore or change the shape of the tooth, and thus can vastly improve its appearance.
• Crown-Lengthening: raises and sculpts the gum line. This procedure reshapes the gum tissue which can balance an asymmetrical gum line, or reduce a 'gummy' smile. 
• Bonding: a process in which an enamel-like material is applied to the surface of the tooth, sculpted, then hardened and polished.

If you are unhappy with the appearance of your teeth and would like to improve your smile, there are quite a few options open to you over and above the few mentioned above.  After examining your mouth and thoroughly assessing your individual problems, we will be able to discuss all possible options with you, including the pros and cons of each method. We will also discuss what the changes will look like, the details of the treatment, and what maintenance will be necessary. As a cosmetic dentist, our goal is to produce the result that you are happy with and to use the least invasive procedures as possible.