Cosmetic Dentistry Directory Blog
Cosmetic Dentistry Directory
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Communicating With Your Cosmetic Dentist
In the old days of general dentistry, one went to the dentist for a problem solution – maybe a toothache needing a root canal or a lost tooth needing a bridge for replacement. There was not much discussion, nor much choice, so the dentist did what needed to be done and you went home until the next problem arose.
Things are very different now when you visit your cosmetic dentist. First, we go for problem prevention – for a check-up with oral cancer screening, for example. There are multiple options for solving each problem, and with our improved dental hygiene habits, many of our “problems” are purely cosmetic.
Morphing Software
Technology is now a part of talking with our dentist. Rather than simply saying, “I have a toothache; can you fix it?” and having the dental chair flattened and the drill started up, we say things like, “I don’t like the gap between my front teeth; how could that be fixed?”
Then your cosmetic dentist pulls the chairside monitor over and together you look at some morphing software to design a new smile. What would you look like with porcelain veneers? Your dentist uses the software to create an image of that.
Or perhaps the gap is too large for that solution and instead, you discuss Invisalign and how you could realign all your teeth without using any metal brackets or wires. The Invisalign software is then used to plan each stage of your realignment. Your dentist would work on that without you there, but could show you the stages once they are determined. Then later, when you are wearing the trays that belong to each stage of realignment, you will have a mental picture of what the trays are accomplishing for you – which teeth are being moved and in what way.
Digital Photos and X-Rays
When you go for a routine check-up, digital photos may be taken, downloaded, and emailed to you at home. Or they could be copied to a CD for you to take with you. Your dentist can display these photos on the chairside monitor and together you can discuss what procedures might be your best options for smile enhancement.
Digital X-rays might also be taken and immediately displayed on the monitor for further discussion. Your dentist can point out features of the X-rays and explain what they mean, and what could be done about them.
As you can see, this type of communication involves a great deal of patient education. With images in front of you of your own teeth and smile, you can learn how a qualified cosmetic dentist can change things and what the results will look like. And you can give your own input to the decision-making process.
To find such a dentist near where you live, please contact us today.
posted by JennyK at 3:37 PM
Thursday, May 20, 2010
What is Dental Porcelain?
One of the benefits offered by modern cosmetic dentistry is the improved materials used. You have probably heard about porcelain veneers and perhaps know that they are thin tooth covers placed on front teeth to enhance your smile.
The porcelain they are made from is a new material introduced by cosmetic dentistry and its most obvious benefit is that it is pearly white like teeth. It also has subtle variations in its whiteness like tooth enamel. It comes in many shades of white so that your cosmetic dentist can match your veneers to your natural teeth.
Dental porcelain is also used for:
- Tooth crowns;
- White fillings; and
- Dental bridges.
When your dentist uses porcelain for a restoration, it is known as an indirect restoration. The veneer, filling etc. is not applied directly to your teeth but is first custom-made in a dental lab. Then your dentist applies it to your teeth and perhaps does minor adjustments for a better fit. In contrast, direct restorations are procedures such as dental bonding, where no lab is involved.
If your cosmetic dentist has CEREC technology, he or she can make your porcelain restorations in his office. That saves you from coming back for a second visit after the lab has made your restoration.
Resemblance to Tooth Enamel
Both porcelain and tooth enamel are semi-translucent. In other words, they allow some light to pass through them and they reflect some. When porcelain restorations are affixed to your teeth, some light reflects directly off the porcelain to give it a shiny look. But some light is also allowed through to the dental cement that holds your restoration in place. That light then reflects off the cement, modifying the shine.
Similarly, some light that shines on tooth enamel is reflected directly off, creating a shine. But some penetrates the enamel and is reflected off the dentin layer beneath. In this way, both porcelain and tooth enamel have very similar pearly sheens and nobody can recognize your porcelain restorations as being dental work.
If you would like to have a smile makeover done by a fully-qualified cosmetic dentist, please contact us for the names of such dentists near you.
posted by JennyK at 2:30 PM
Friday, May 14, 2010
Reducing Dental Discomfort
Are you one of the many people who dislike visiting the dentist and feel a lot of anxiety or apprehension about the potential pain involved? If so, you will be glad to know that modern cosmetic dentists have your welfare and comfort at the top of their priority list. Great strides forward in dental technology, as well as in the training of cosmetic dentists, have created friendly and relaxed dental offices where you can feel confident of receiving kind treatment.
The Anesthetic Shot
Most people dislike the basic process of getting that shot of anesthetic. Now there is the Wand, a computer-controlled system for administering anesthetic painlessly. You will be sitting there waiting for the needle and your dentist will say, “Well, let’s give that a few minutes to numb you up. Would you like headphones to listen to music?” It was done already and you didn’t notice.
Before the Wand is used, your dentist will use a swab to numb the gum surface. Then the Wand will slowly and steadily give you anesthetic, operated by a foot pedal while your dentist simply holds the handpiece steady.
The Dental Drill
The second thing that creates apprehension for many people is the sound of the drill, that high-pitched, whine, so close at hand. At least modern drills are much faster than the slow old drills our grandparents had to deal with.
But in many cases, no drill at all is needed to remove decay. Your dentist may use air abrasion, where a stream of tiny particles is quietly directed to the treatment area and the unwanted damaged parts are suctioned away. Your gums, healthy teeth, and eyes are first protected and your dentist can control the air pressure, nozzle size and particle size. If you are having a white filling, air abrasion is often the method of choice for removing debris and decay.
Alternatively, a laser may be used. Again, it is silent and fast, and it effectively cleans out all unwanted tissue so that your dentist can fill or crown your tooth with no risk of infection. Hard tissue lasers work on tooth enamel, and soft tissue lasers work on the gums.
If you have been delaying your dental work because of a dental phobia, please know that computers and lasers have come to your rescue and cosmetic dental offices are oriented towards your comfort and satisfaction.
Dr. Mathilde Castellini in Orlando, Florida is a sympathetic dentist who will take extra good care of you, as she offers Holistic dentistry and Sedation dentistry as well as cosmetic and neuromuscular dentistry. Her practice is very safety-oriented.
To find a qualified cosmetic dentist in your area, please contact us today.
posted by JennyK at 12:20 PM
Friday, May 7, 2010
Catching Dental Problems Early
One of the beneficial changes that cosmetic dentistry has brought to the whole field of dentistry is a preventive approach. It is always better to treat a problem early, before it grows into a big problem. Preventive dentistry involves another advantage too – more patient education.
These two advantages go hand in hand because to understand the importance of preventive procedures, you need to understand what the potential problems are and what their early signs and symptoms would be.
Catching Oral Cancer Early
A trained cosmetic dentist can give you a quick test, taking perhaps five minutes, and if that test finds any abnormal cells in your mouth tissues, you might have just saved your life, or at least saved yourself tremendous pain and expense in the future.
Your dentist would take a tissue sample, send it to a lab, and you would soon know why those cells are abnormal and what to do about it. They may not be pre-cancer cells; there could be another problem. However, oral cancer can be treated fairly easily and effectively when it is diagnosed early.
Catching Cavities Early
Catching a cavity is less dramatic, perhaps, but it can still save you a lot of trouble and expense. A tiny cavity is easy to fill – it could possibly be done within minutes during the same visit. How much more sensible that is than waiting for months until your tooth’s nerve is dying and giving you a toothache. By that time, you would need a root canal, the dental procedure most famous for its pain.
However, that is no longer true because dentistry advancements have made a root canal far quicker, easier, safer, and more comfortable than it was in the past. A laser can be used to remove decay and debris, or perhaps air abrasion for some of it.
Catching Gum Disease Early
Early gum disease features reddened and perhaps swollen gums. When you brush and floss, they may bleed a little. Bacteria have spread in your mouth and established themselves below the gum line, creating or enlarging what are called “pockets” -- spaces between each tooth and its surrounding gums. Now they have access to the tooth roots.
Early detection of gum disease can make correction fairly easy. But once you get past the early stage of gingivitis and progress to full-fledged periodontal disease, there is a vicious cycle that is much harder to treat.
For more about the ways dental problems can be detected early, please see our page on Dental Technology: Catching Problems Early.
Most cosmetic dentists offer sedation dentistry – some form of mild sedative along with local anesthetic so that you can relax and stay calm. Think how much more comfortable life would be if, instead of delaying dental care out of apprehension, you went to your dentist regularly for check-ups and professional cleanings. You would know that if there is any developing problem in your mouth, it will be found and treated early, when it is all quick, cheap, and easy.
If you would like to talk to a cosmetic dentist in your area, please contact us today.
posted by JennyK at 12:45 PM
Monday, May 3, 2010
Advantages of Dental Bonding
Do you have a small gap between your two front teeth? Or a slightly crooked tooth visible in your smile? These small defects can be easily and quickly corrected by dental bonding. The term "bonding" refers to the procedure and to the material used in the procedure.
The dental bonding material is a soft, pliable substance that your cosmetic dentist can apply in increments and shape to solve the particular problem. It comes in many subtly different shades of white so it can be well-matched to the shade of your tooth enamel.
If you plan to have some dental bonding done and would also like to whiten your teeth, it would be smart to do the teeth whitening procedure first. That way, your cosmetic dentist can choose bonding to match your new bright color.
Being matched to the white of your teeth, dental bonding is not very visible as being a dental repair, but it does not quite have the pearly white shine of dental porcelain. However, it costs less and is done in just one visit.
Dental bonding can correct:
- Gaps - by slightly extending each adjacent tooth a little to fill the gap
- Crookedness - by providing a new front surface for the tooth that is a little thicker where the tooth slants back and thinner where it slants forward
- Mis-matched sizing - by slightly enlarging the smaller of the two teeth
- Deep stains - by covering the stain if teeth whitening does not remove it
You can read more at Dental Bonding Questions.
A little judicious dental bonding can transform your smile by correcting multiple small defects, and with a more even and straight tooth line, you can feel confident about smiling more often. They say that when you smile a lot, you feel more happy. Why not test that hypothesis?
To find a qualified cosmetic dentist in your area, please use the "Find a Dentist" feature above or click on the map below.
posted by Tiffany at 9:12 AM