The Longevity and Durability of Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are one of the most innovative ways to replace teeth enamel that has become damaged, discolored, or is no longer appealing to look at. When teeth are not as white as they should be or are misplaced, you can use dental veneers to help solve these problems. As they get more popular, people want to know how long these devices will last. This is actually a very good question. Dental veneers are placed by removing a small part of the surface enamel and then using dental cement to hold the dental veneers in place. From our perspective, we know that dental veneers tend to last at least 10 years. Naturally, this depends a great deal on how well you take care of your teeth and if you do things that may put your teeth and dental veneers at risk. There have been numerous studies done around the longevity of veneers. What we have found is that when we studied people who have veneers, the largest group was people whose veneers lasted between five and six years. When the time frame was expanded to between 10 and 11 years, that number dropped but not significantly. People whose veneers had lasted this long accounted for 93 percent, which was almost the same as people whose veneers had lasted for between 12 and 13 years (91 percent). This shows that people who take care of their veneers can have them last a very long time. The first real drop we saw in the study was when we expanded the life cycle of the dental veneers to between 15 and 16 years. When we looked at the number of patients whose veneers had lasted this long, we found that 71 percent still had their original veneers without any need for repair or replacement.

With dental veneers, as with many things, how well you take care of them will determine how well they will last for you. You cannot do things like using your teeth as a tool, as you risk damaging the teeth and can reduce the life of your dental veneers. We have found that of all the dental veneers that failed, 45 percent of them failed because they had a fracture due to trauma, which can include putting too much pressure on them. An additional 28 percent failed because they were cracked, also a kind of trauma. This shows a very direct correlation between how long your veneers can last and what you do with your teeth.

Another thing to be aware of when it comes to your veneers is that they will respond to your oral health habits. Bad habits can lead to things like gum disease, which can cause the dental veneers to fail. In fact, 13 percent of failed veneers did so because of complications with gum disease. Seven percent failed because of plaque buildup that took place because the patient had bad oral health habits. These are easy to avoid with a little bit of diligence and can greatly extend the life of your veneers.

Invisalign Dentist  >  Cosmetic Dentist

Visit a Cosmetic Dentist if You Damage a Tooth in an Accident

As a cosmetic dentist, we work with patients that do not enjoy the appearance of their smile.  This is often due to dark stains or yellow teeth, gaps in between teeth, crooked teeth or those that are uneven in shape.  The aesthetic challenges that people have with their smile are vast, and we have a solution for addressing virtually all of them, including dental veneers and dental implants.  In most cases, our patients plan ahead for their visit and carefully consider what they want fixed with their smile.  There are times, however, where patients come to see us with a damaged tooth.  If this happens to you, we invite you to give us a call.

The likelihood of your tooth becoming cracked, chipped, or even knocked out is higher than you may think.  Most people do not consider whether or not they will be in an accident or what they would do if their tooth became damaged.  This is unfortunately because over 9 million people visit the ER after a slip and fall accident every year, there are around 5.4 million car wrecks, and over 5 million children will suffer from a sports-related injury.  The chances of being in an accident are incredibly high, and the only question is whether or not your teeth will become damaged in the process.  If they do, we encourage you to call us instead of seeking treatment from the emergency room.

When you visit the ER for a chipped tooth, the doctor can give you medication and send you on your way.  They are not trained in how to restore teeth.  Simultaneously, if you see a dentist that specializes in general care, they may be unable to restore your tooth in a way that looks natural.  As a cosmetic dentist, we specialize in dental restorations, dental veneers, and dental implants, and have multiple solutions for correcting a tooth that is cracked, chipped or otherwise broken while helping it to blend in with the surrounding teeth.  This way, when you smile, no one will be able to tell that you ever damaged your tooth in the first place.  This is our goal – to create a natural and beautiful restoration in a timely fashion.

Any time that you are in an accident and damage your tooth, it is imperative that you have it restored quickly.  A tooth that is cracked or chipped is susceptible to becoming infected.  Bacteria can enter the center of the tooth this way, infect the dental pulp and create the need for a root canal.  This can be uncomfortable on top of the damage that already exists.  By using dental veneers or crowns to restore your teeth, we can prevent this from happening and give you the ability to use your tooth without restriction.

Our solutions
Some of the restorative solutions we use in our cosmetic dentist office are dental bonding, dental veneers, and dental crowns.  We can also replace your knocked out tooth using a dental bridge or dental implant.  Regardless of how your tooth was damaged or how bad the damage is – give us a call for a natural looking restoration.

A Cosmetic Dentist Can Help You With Bite Balancing

As a cosmetic dentist, we can complete bite balancing procedures to improve the appearance and function of your bite.  When most people think about a beautiful smile, they think of bright, white, and straight teeth.  Few consider the jaw.  However, the jaw and bite often have the largest impact on how the smile looks.  This is because if you have an overbite, underbite or crossbite, it can alter the shape of your face.   Very often this is improved with orthodontics as part of a braces treatment.  It can also be corrected by cosmetic dentistry.

Whether you are best served by orthodontics or cosmetic dentistry depends on what is causing your bite to be off in the first place. As a dentist, we will examine your teeth and gums, take x-rays and watch for signs of anything that could disrupt how your teeth come together.  

Some common reasons are –

• Old dental work that has worn down such as an older crown
• Chipped teeth
• Uneven tooth wear
• Receding gums
• Adult tooth loss
• Teeth moving out of position due to a tongue thrust, accident, etc.

If we notice any of these issues during your dental examination, we can talk about the procedures that can be used to aid in your bite balancing.  For example, if your bite is off due to a chipped tooth, we can restore the tooth in our cosmetic dentistry office.  This can be done with a bonding procedure or a dental crown.  Both appear natural, and both will restore the full functionality of the damaged tooth.  Once the chip has been restored, your teeth should come together properly.  Another example is if a few teeth are worn down and the bite is not coming together correctly as a result.  This too can be fixed with dental crowns and once done, your bite should be improved.

Some other ways that bite balancing can occur is by replacing any teeth that have been lost.  We can use dental implants or a dental bridge to replace missing teeth.  As a cosmetic dentist, we perform these procedures on a regular basis, and once all of your missing teeth are replaced, it will be easier to bite down correctly.  Your smile will be improved at the same time.  Any time that we complete a procedure like this for bite balancing we will not only replace the tooth but ensure that the shape is a perfect for your bite.  This requires the skill of an expert, making it necessary to visit a cosmetic dentist that completes restorations on a regular basis.

If you have more significant issues with your smile or your bite, we may recommend retention or an orthodontics procedure. We will discuss the pros and cons of all options, which procedures can be completed the fastest and what is best for your particular situation. Our bite balancing procedures are incredibly effective and as a cosmetic dentist, we can make sure that your bite and smile are beautiful.

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.

In Our Dental Office We Use Fluoride: Here’s Why

When you visit our dental office, we may discuss fluoride with you. This is especially true if you have children.  Fluoride has become such a household name that it is easy to assume that most people know what it is and why it is good for them. We have found, however, that most of our patients are still unclear as to the benefits and why it helps in the first place.  With that in mind, here is why fluoride is one of our favorite tools for preventing cavities.
What is demineralization?

The process of the enamel on the outside of the tooth starting to wear away or become softer.  Demineralization occurs naturally as a person ages.  It can happen faster due to a poor or acidic diet, a lack of oral hygiene, brushing too aggressively, or failing to visit the dentist on a regular basis.  It creates a risk because teeth that are softer and weaker are less able to fight off tooth decay.  This leads to a situation where cavities are more prevalent.  In order to understand why fluoride is important, you must first know about demineralization and understand that everyone goes through this at some point.  Fluoride, however, can help to remineralize the teeth.  When you drink it, or fluoride is placed onto the teeth, it can strengthen them, and strong teeth are better equipped to fight off tooth decay.  In fact, after a fluoride treatment, the progression of tooth decay can often be stopped, and some of the damage reversed.
Where do you get fluoride?
In its natural state, fluorine is virtually everywhere.  It is in the food that you had for lunch, the air that you breathed in the restaurant and the dirt that you walked on.  While natural, it is not found in significant enough quantities in these states to make a major difference into how strong your teeth are.  In order to get the full benefit, you have to either drink fluoride through the public water or schedule a fluoride treatment with our dental office. In both scenarios, you will decrease your risk of getting cavities by thirty percent. We also recommend that you brush with a fluoride toothpaste two to three times per day in order to further strengthen your teeth.  While the paste is not as effective, it can work well to augment these other activities.
Why it's important to use fluoride –
In our dental office, we can treat tooth decay but prefer for our patients to avoid getting a cavity in the first place.  This can be hard to do considering that the CDC reported the single largest infectious disease in children is tooth decay.  It leads to missed days of school and causes uncomfortable toothaches, making it important to fight the condition and take steps to further prevent cavities. Knowing that, the benefits associated with reducing cavities by thirty percent are significant.  To learn more or to find out how fluoride treatments can help your child or teen, call and schedule an appointment.

Dentist  >  General Dentist

Visit Our General Dentist Office If You Have Severe Headaches

As a general dentist, we can help if you are experiencing severe headaches, neck, face, or jaw pain.  Around forty percent of the adult population suffers from headaches on a regular basis.  For most people, they are uncomfortable but can be solved with Tylenol.  For one out of every eight adults, the headaches are far more severe and can make it difficult to carry on with normal daily activities.  While most people don't think of a dentist when their head hurts, you should and here's why –
Headaches are typically caused by muscle tension.  The temporomandibular joint is what makes your jaw move and connects your lower jaw to your skull.  These muscles and joints are responsible for allowing you to chew and speak.  They are constantly used  including  to bite down over 2,000 times a day to swallow alone.  With constant use, if you start clenching or grinding your teeth, tension can be placed on these muscles and joints resulting in symptoms of a TMJ disorder.
People that suffer from even mild TMJ can have pain in their jaw that makes chewing uncomfortable or even difficult to open their mouth.  Many people also suffer from headaches, neck and face pain as a result of TMJ.  As a general dentist, this is something that we can help to address.
Not all cases of TMJ are ongoing.  Some people only experience symptoms during times of high stress, perhaps because the stress causing them to clench their teeth at night.  Others suffer on a daily basis and are often unaware of what is causing the problem in the first place.  In either case, we suggest wearing a removable oral appliance at night.  This is a simple device that is created based on an impression and measurements of your mouth.  It surrounds both your upper and lower teeth but is connected in such a way as to prevent your teeth from touching at night.  Without the ability to clench or grind your teeth, your jaw can relax while you sleep.  This solution is so simple, yet entirely effective because when your muscles and joints relax, you will wake up without tension and, therefore, without a headache.
If you aren't grinding your teeth at night, you may still be placing undue pressure onto some of your teeth or your jaw due to how you hold your mouth and jaw throughout the day.  Those with severely crooked teeth or those with damaged teeth are more likely to hold their jaw strangely, very often to prevent the damaged or infected tooth from being touched.  This can create further stress and tension because the jaw isn't allowed to remain in a relaxed state.  This too can lead to symptoms like headaches.  As a general dentist, if we see any infections or damage, we can treat them right away so that your mouth can return to good health.  By doing so, we can relieve some of the pressure you have been experiencing so that you can become headache-free.

Dental Office  >  Teeth Whitening Services