When it comes to protecting your oral health, there are two ways to go about it. You can take steps to prevent oral health problems and you can deal with those that arise, treating them to prevent further damage.

This process begins with a solid oral hygiene regimen at home. As most people know by the time they reach adulthood, this means brushing, flossing and rinsing with mouthwash at least twice a day, although ideally, it should be after every meal. It means avoiding sugary foods and beverages that could hasten bacterial growth and eat away at enamel, leading to gum disease and tooth decay.… Continue Reading

Whether you need partial or full dentures to complete your smile after tooth loss, the truth is that they are not your natural teeth and they will take some getting used to. Dentures are one of several possible solutions to tooth loss, along with fixed bridgework and dental implants, just for example. In some cases, they are the only option, and in many cases, they are the most affordable option.

While dentures can improve appearance and function, allowing patients to smile and eat with confidence, just as they did before tooth loss, they feel and act differently than natural teeth. They may rub and irritate gums.… Continue Reading

Most of us have an issue or two with our natural smile. Rare is the person born to have perfectly straight, white, beautiful teeth naturally, and even those who were born under a lucky star could see changes in teeth over the course of a lifetime due to the yellowing of age, staining from food and beverages, trauma like cracks and chips, and of course, damage from decay and disease.

While some people suffer from serious issues that require major interventions, such as the use of orthodontic braces, this might be overkill for others. If you find yourself dealing with minor alignment issues like crowding, gaps, overbite, or underbite that you’d like to correct without the hassle and expense of orthodontic braces, you’ll be happy to hear that Invisalign could be just what you’re looking for.… Continue Reading

Like most people wary of spending days in bed, miserable with the flu, you probably got the flu shot this year. Unfortunately, it’s hit or miss how the flu vaccine will work in any given year, and this year, a strain mutation had a significant impact on overall effectiveness. While the flu vaccine last year was said to be nearly 50% effective, this year’s vaccine may come in at a significantly lower percentage.

Plus, the vaccine doesn’t protect against the common cold, and this year, that leaves people dealing with a lingering cough that could stick around for weeks. As if it’s not enough that you’re sniffling, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, and wishing you could just get a full night of rest, you might be surprised to learn that colds and flus can have an impact on your oral health.… Continue Reading

At one point in time, if you lost a tooth it was pretty much gone for good. Even after the invention of dentures, a missing tooth still presented problems and your dental options were still rather limited.

That was then. This is now. You don’t have to struggle with ill-fitting dentures or need to undergo expensive bone grafts to get natural looking, fully functional teeth any more.  Advanced dental implants can provide you with a safe, effective and long-lasting way to create your ideal smile.

Dental implants come in several varieties but all are basically composed of two parts: a titanium root and a porcelain crown.… Continue Reading

Everyone wants a gorgeous, pearly white smile. A brighter smile can make you appear younger, feel more confident and may even make you want to smile more. In fact, teeth whitening systems have become so popular that it is actually one of the most commonly performed dental procedures done today.

Many people ask us about the differences between in-office and at-home teeth whitening systems. Basically, both of them can give you the white smile that you want. Each one removes the layers of stains caused by aging, smoking or drinking coffee.

No matter what the cause, you can come in for an in-office whitening or the at-home system.… Continue Reading

We recently wrote about gum recession, but what if you have the opposite problem? Do you feel like you show too much gum when you smile?

If so, you’re not the only one. According to the NY Times, roughly 14% of women and 7% of men have excessive gingival (gum) exposure when smiling – otherwise known as a gummy smile.

Gummy smile can be caused by several things, including abnormal eruption of the teeth, a hyperactive upper lip muscle, or the growth pattern of your upper jaw bone.

Either way, if you suffer from a gummy smile, you’ve probably wished you could do something about it – and the fact is you can, through gummy smile correction.… Continue Reading

Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought your teeth look a little too long?

If so, you might be suffering from a condition called gum recession.

Gum recession occurs as a result of bone loss around the tooth. This bone loss is caused by periodontal disease – bacterial gum infections that destroy gum tissue and supporting bone.

When supporting bone and tissue is destroyed, your gums shrink back and expose the tooth root, leaving it vulnerable and sensitive. If left untreated, gum recession can lead to other, more serious dental issues, so it’s best to address it right away.… Continue Reading

It used to be that when you were faced with the decision of getting dental implants, you knew you were about to embark on a costly and time-consuming route.

After all, many patients who need implant-supported dentures suffer from extensive bone loss, and must undergo bone grafting before the implants can be placed – a procedure that can take more than a year.

However, with recent advances in technology, there is a new technique available that allows dentists to place your implants in just one day, and for you to walk out with a brand-new, functional smile.

The All-on-Four Technique

The All-on-Four Technique is a revolutionary dental implant procedure that uses just four implants to place a full set of teeth on the arch.… Continue Reading

For anyone who has had to wear dentures before the development of dental implants, it was common knowledge that dentures were a poor substitute for natural teeth with many downsides. To a great degree, they felt like a necessary evil.

Dentures worn with no anchoring support on your jaw will slip out of place when pressure is placed on them. This makes eating a real hassle, often requiring that you blend or mash foods that take some biting or chewing strength to eat properly.

The denture will also slip out of place when talking. This can cause an unsightly protrusion of one of your dentures in the front of your mouth or a strange clicking sound while speaking.… Continue Reading