FAQ

Did you know that your dental health could affect your overall general health? Having a beautiful, healthy smile isn’t just about looking good. U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, MD, Ph.D., reports that neglecting oral health can promote deadly diseases such as kidney and heart disease, oral cancer, diabetes, and/or respiratory ailments. Since your oral health mirrors your general health, you can take steps to prevent future problems. Proper nutrition, fluoride, and optimum oral hygiene will help keep your teeth and gums healthier for life. Regular checkups and tooth cleanings also prevent problems. Even with the best of care, some dental problems can still occur. Old crowns and amalgam fillings may need a redo – they don’t last forever. Accidents or dental trauma can cause missing or broken teeth that also may need to be restored.

Contrary to popular belief, cavities are NOT caused solely by eating too many sugary foods and/or not brushing enough. Many people who have a high-carbohydrate diet never get cavities, while others who do not consume many sugary foods continue to get cavities year after year. Tooth decay is caused by multiple factors, but the most important is the type and concentration of bacteria found in the mouth. Excessive amounts of specific “cavity-causing” bacteria can result in tooth decay even if a patient has good dental hygiene and a low-sugar diet. And many forms of decay are harder to detect with X-rays and are usually painless. So as the old adage goes, don’t wait till it hurts.

New techniques in cosmetic dentistry are making it convenient and attractive to make over your smile. For centuries, porcelain has been used by artists, and in the last few years, porcelain veneers – ultra-thin, translucent shells – have become the technique of choice for treating discolored, chipped, or stained front teeth. Veneers bond tenaciously to teeth and can be successfully applied to teeth in as little as one visit to render a complete smile makeover. Of course, a careful diagnostic first visit with the dentist is necessary in order to discuss patient preferences in color, size, and individual characterizations. Once cemented, veneers are beautiful and as strong as natural teeth, and can withstand normal chewing and function.

Malocclusion is the misalignment of teeth and upper and lower jaw structures resulting in an oral imbalance. Misaligned teeth can lead to premature wear of enamel, chipping, cracking, gum disease and bacterial buildup associated with systemic illness. Seven out of ten Americans have some kind of issue with their bite such as crowding, spacing, overbite or underbite. 

Straight teeth and properly aligned jaws can restore oral balance and harmony in order to facilitate health and longevity in the mouth by stopping bone loss, gum disease and breakdown of tooth enamel. 

Clear aligners are used to straighten teeth primarily to correct problems resulting from the misalignment of the upper and lower teeth that cause chipping and wear, gum inflammation and recession, bone loss and general premature aging in the mouth.

Crooked teeth can also cause your dental work to break down faster and jaw joints to develop problems. After years of gradual shifting of teeth have occurred, Clear Aligners are a fast, relatively inexpensive way to restore balance, harmony and beauty in the mouth.

Contrary to popular opinion, tooth whitening or “bleaching” is not a coloration process. Instead, a chemical gel called carbamide peroxide is applied to the tooth enamel in a plastic tray or brush-on technique. This chemical does not harm tooth enamel. It essentially super-cleans the organic material off of teeth, leaving the surface looking whiter and cleaner. Yellow-stained teeth tend to whiten to a greater extent than gray-toned teeth in general. Next to hair care, teeth whitening (or bleaching) is the most in-demand cosmetic procedure in America. It is relatively inexpensive and much less invasive than nearly any other cosmetic treatment. Everyone from news anchors to housewives to teenagers want brighter smiles. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, teeth whitening has increased 300 percent over the last five years.

For an effective, long-term solution for damaged or missing teeth, nothing compares to dental implants. Not all patients, however, are ideal candidates for implants. In general, you must meet the following conditions:

• Healthy Gums
• Sufficient Bone to Anchor the Implant(s)
• Good Oral Health Habits

Heavy smokers, those who suffer from chronic diseases (diabetes, hemophilia, immune deficiencies, etc.), and people with a history of grinding their teeth, generally do not qualify for implants. To find out if you are a good candidate for dental implants, schedule an appointment with our office. After an evaluation, we’ll discuss your options and create a treatment plan that will help you achieve a healthier, more confident smile.