Have you ever wondered how the teeth of celebrities are so perfect? They’re blindingly white, straight, gap-less, and often cause us to feel insecure about our own teeth. But were they born with these perfect teeth, or is there something else at play here? More than likely, these are not their real teeth and are instead veneers.

So, what are veneers? Veneers are thin shells that do not replace your teeth like an implant, but rather adhere to the front of them are to change their shape and reduce gaps. They come in two different kinds of materials: porcelain and composite resin with porcelain being the more expensive and time consuming one. However, porcelain veneers are stronger, stain resistant, and tend to last longer than their composite resin counterpart.

How Are Composite Veneers Applied?

The whole procedure can be done with one visit and is completely painless so it requires no local anesthesia to numb the area. Your dentist will apply a mild, harmless chemical on the surface of your tooth that acts as a glue for the composite resin to stick to. The composite resin is then applied in layers until the desired thickness is achieved, then hardened with the use of a bright light. The resin will be the same color as your natural tooth so they don’t look out of place when finished. Once the last layer has completely hardened, your dentist will then apply the finishing touches by shaping and polishing the tooth to give it a natural and smooth appearance.

How Are Porcelain Veneers Applied?

Porcelain veneers are typically done in two visits and may require the application of a topical anesthetic since your dentist needs to remove a thin layer of enamel from your natural tooth before the veneer can be applied. During the first session, your dentist will make a mold of your teeth since porcelain veneers are custom made for your teeth. While these are being created, your dentist may apply temporary veneers which will be removed until the permanent veneers are completed. Keep in mind that these temporary veneers are very fragile and need to be handled delicately during eating and cleaning as they may become loose.

During your next visit, your dentist will remove the temporary veneers and put a mild chemical on your teeth to make them a little rough, much like the composite veneers. The porcelain veneers are then glued to your teeth one by one.

Am I a Candidate?

Unfortunately, not everyone is eligible for getting veneers, whether it be the composite or Porcelain variety. Listed below are possible reasons why you may not qualify:

• Too little enamel
• Tooth decay
• Gum disease
• If you clench or grind your teeth which can damage and break the veneers

What Else Should I Know?

• Veneers, no matter if porcelain or not, MUST be brushed and cleaned just like your regular teeth.
• This procedure cannot be reversed because part of your enamel has been shaved away.
• Veneers are fragile and can chip. If this happens they will need to be replaced. Avoid chewing hard foods and objects such as ice cubes and fingernails.
• Since veneers are a cosmetic procedure, they may not be covered under your insurance. Talk to your dentist about your options.

Again, only your dentist can answer everything about this procedure. If you’re interested or wondering if you might be a candidate, contact your dentist and set up a consultation.

When you think of cavities, you often associate them with children. Their sugar rich snack life of soda, chocolate bars, and coated candies leave their teeth extremely susceptible to tooth decay, but children are not the only ones who fall victim to this. In fact, anyone who consumes any form of sugar is at risk for cavities, and some may be more prone to them than others depending on a multitude of factors.

Before we get into those, however, it’s important to know exactly what a cavity is. Essentially, a cavity is a small hole in your tooth caused by the breakdown of enamel, which is the outer layer of your tooth. The plaque on your teeth absorb any sugars that you eat and produce acid that wear away at the enamel until a hole forms. This hole will need to be filled and fixed by your dentist as there is no way to repair them at home.

So, how do you know if you have a cavity? The signs and symptoms of cavities will vary, and you often won’t know in the beginning stages that you have one, but as time goes on and the cavity becomes more noticeable, you may experience:

• Spontaneous tooth pain or discomfort
• Sensitivity to hot and cold foods/drinks
• Sharp pains
• Holes in your teeth
• Pain when you chew

As far as the people who are more prone to getting cavities, studies have shown that the following factors put an individual more at risk:

• Inadequate brushing
• Age
• Dry mouth
• Heartburn
• Eating disorders
• Certain medications

Taking proper care of your teeth and attending your bi-annual check ups are very important in reducing your risk of cavities. Talk to your dentist for a detailed prevention plan if you happen to be prone for cavities.

The removal of wisdom teeth is a highly debatable topic in the dentistry world with everyone having their own opinion on if they actually need to be extracted. Societal norm says yes, once your wisdom teeth come in then you need to immediately get in touch with a dental surgeon and get them removed ASAP. But is it really necessary? Let’s find out.

What is a Wisdom Tooth?

Before we begin to cover whether they should be kept in your mouth or not, you need to know what a wisdom tooth actually is. Your wisdom teeth are your third and final set of molars that start to make an appearance after the majority of your adult teeth have come in, but some people don’t develop them at all. For those that do, the actual timeframe varies, but the most common age when wisdom teeth begin to be noticeable is around the late teen to early adult age. They are usually found on x-rays during your bi-annual cleaning. Individuals will begin to feel pain and discomfort at the very back of their gums, similar to an intense toothache. This is the wisdom tooth attempting to break through the surface of the gum, but the pain will be more severe if the wisdom tooth becomes impacted or is growing in crooked.

Why do we have Wisdom Teeth?

Anthropologists hypothesize that wisdom teeth aided our ancestors when they needed to break down much more tough and raw food, but nowadays they don’t seem to serve much of a purpose with the invention of stoves, ovens, and various other cooking machinery. Modern food is much easier to chew and process and thus, wisdom teeth have outgrown their purpose, much like our appendixes.

Can I Keep my Wisdom Teeth Intact?

Honestly, at the end of the day, it is your call. You have personal autonomy over your body which means that you can make the decision that is best for you. If your wisdom teeth are growing in just fine with minimal pain and don’t cause problems for the surrounding teeth, then there should be no reason why you wouldn’t be allowed to keep them. It just means that you have to take care of them as you do with the rest of your teeth, keeping them free of bacteria and providing daily cleaning. However, wisdom teeth that are unable to break through the gumline and become impacted are a major health risk and definitely should be removed. Wisdom teeth that grow in crooked and cause crowding, risking the health of the surrounding teeth, should also be considered for immediate extraction.

What is the Extraction Process?

Extraction takes very little of your time and is a relatively simple procedure, granted that there are no complications with the way that your tooth is growing. A local anesthetic is applied, but for more squeamish patients, a temporary sedative can also be an option to keep them more comfortable. Your dental surgeon will go over all the details and make the procedure as comfortable and pain-free as possible.

What About the Healing Process?

Time will vary from patient to patient, but full healing could take anywhere from a couple weeks to a month, depending on the circumstances surrounding the extraction. During this time, it is best to eat foods that are not to difficult to chew and avoid using straws as that causes suction and could tear the stitches or increase bleeding. Once again, your dental surgeon will provide you with complete post-op care instructions to ensure that your healing goes smoothly. If non-dissolvable stitches were used, they will be removed a week later when your dentist checks on the status of your teeth.

Conclusion

Work with your dentist to find out the best option for you. Your comfort and oral health should always be the priority during this time and it’s important to know all the facts. If you have any questions about your oral health, the state of your wisdom teeth, or other dental related questions, navigate to the ‘Contact’ section of our website and schedule a complimentary consultation today.

Earlier this week, we talked about flossing and how important it is in your daily routine in order to maintain optimal oral and physical health. Today, we’re going to expand on that and go over proper brushing and flossing techniques to ensure that it is being done correctly and effectively.

Let’s start with flossing, since that should come first.

1. Start by taking a piece of floss that is equal to the length of your forearm. Some flosses come pre-cut which is useful.
   
2. Wrap the floss around your index and middle fingers, leaving around two inches of space to use on your teeth.
   
3. Wiggle the floss between your teeth, wrapping it into a “C” shape around the bottom of a tooth and gently under the base on the gumline. Repeat this 2-3 times per tooth, making sure not to forget the back of your teeth as well. Move down the line of floss as it begins to weaken or fray.

After flossing, brush your teeth to remove the particles that you have uprooted from between them. Preferably, you should brush after every meal, but as long as you’re doing it at least once a day before bed, you should be safe. Like flossing, there is a proper way to brush your teeth to ensure maximum efficacy.

1. Start by angling your brush at a 45 degree angle, focusing on the area where the teeth and gums meet.

2. Use a gentle, circular motion, moving your brush up and down the surface of the tooth. Be careful and don’t scrub, as it damages the gums and results in premature gum recession.

3. DO NOT RUSH. Brushing your teeth should take at least 2-3 minutes for a thorough cleaning. Try timing yourself, or play your current favorite song and brush until it is over.

4. Finish by swishing a mouthwash around your mouth to remove any remaining bacteria and food particles. DO NOT SWALLOW.

Other helpful tips:

1. Flossing can be a hard routine to get into, especially since it is a time-consuming repetitive task. We recommend flossing while you watch TV at night.

2. Your gums will bleed when you first start flossing as they’re not used to it. The bleeding should stop after 2-3 days of continuous flossing.

3. Those with braces may have a harder time with these tasks. Specialized toothbrushes and flossing methods are available for you, providing by your dentist.

4. Choose a toothbrush with soft, rounded bristles, and replace it every 3 months.

This is a general guide and results will vary with each individual. For more information, contact your family dentist for all questions and concerns.

So, you’ve gotten into an accident and now you’re missing a few teeth, or maybe age has caught up with you and some of your teeth just aren’t quite what they used to be. Luckily, you have some options when it comes to restoring your smile. Let’s take a brief look at a couple of procedures: implants and bridges.

Let’s start with implants.

What is an Implant?

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root made typically out of titanium that is inserted into the jawbone where the real tooth was previously located. Over a lengthy process of about six months, the artificial root fuses with the surrounding tissue to create a solid foundation for the temporary crown that is placed on top. After that, the gums continue to form and morph themselves around the structure, finalizing in a way that looks completely natural. Once this process is complete, a permanent crown will take the place of the temporary one.

What is a Bridge?

A dental bridge is exactly what it sounds like. Unlike implants which replace the whole tooth root, a bridge ‘bridges’ the space between teeth, connecting to the adjacent teeth. The surrounding teeth provide support for the new crown that is placed. In order to do that, however, the supporting teeth may have to be permanently altered and filed down to achieve optimum results.

Am I a Candidate?

Well, that depends. A consultation with your dentist will confirm which is best, but there are a number of factors standing in the way of your candidacy for each procedure.

For implants, the candidate must have fully matured, meaning that there will be no more developmental bone growth for them to go through. X-Rays and CT Scans will determine whether or not there is enough bone structure in order for an implant to be inserted. Bone density and quality are both major contributing factors to being accepted for this procedure. Patients who smoke will need to quit in order to be considered as smoking results in a higher rate of implant failure. Those who also suffer from cancer, periodontal disease, or diabetes may need to go through extra steps before they qualify as candidates.

In terms of candidacy, dental bridges are a little more lenient because of their less invasive nature. However, those who are missing multiple teeth will not be able to have this done as dental bridges rely on the surrounding teeth for support. Teeth which have chips, cracks, are in a state of decay, or are not stable will have to go through additional steps and treatments before a dental bridge can be considered.

Cost Considerations

Especially with elective cosmetic procedures which are not covered under insurance, the cost of treatments can greatly sway a patient’s opinion on which treatment to opt in for.

Implants are the more costly of the two, ranging in price from $900 to $3,000 per implant, while bridges are far less expensive, ranging from $700 to $1,500. These costs only cover the implant itself, and do not include any additional appointments that may be required either before or after the treatment itself. Your dentist will be able to provide you with a more clear and concise breakdown of costs during a consultation.

In the case of implants and bridges, it is important to consider the long-term benefits. Yes, bridges do cost less, are much less invasive, and the procedure is far shorter, but the main reason that patients choose implants is durability. Dental bridges, if cared for properly, can have a lifespan of 10 to 20 years before they need to be replaced, whereas implants will typically last well over 40 years. It is important to evaluate your unique circumstances and weigh your options carefully as replacing bridges throughout your lifetime could go well over the cost of an implant.

Speak with your dentist about your options, find out if they offer a payment plan, and ask questions for a complete and thorough evaluation.