Showing posts with label braces. Show all posts
Showing posts with label braces. Show all posts
Monday, July 10, 2017
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Cosmetic Bonding
What do you do if you have a small gap in between your teeth?
You could get braces.
You could get crowns or veneers.
But both of those options are expensive and time consuming.
What if there was a way to close gaps that didn't cost a lot that
could be done in 1 appointment?
There is!
It's called cosmetic bonding.
Here is a case that I just did today.
Before
After
Cosmetic bonding is a small amount of filling material that
is placed on the side of 1, or both, teeth in order to close the gap.
There are other types of cosmetic bonding but the same concept applies.
It's as strong as a normal filling because that's what it is.
No numbing shots
No big bill
No weeks or months of treatment
Monday, November 14, 2016
Which floss is the best?
People ask me which type of floss is the "best" type of floss.
Thin Floss
Thick Floss
Waxed......
Unwaxed.......
Floss on a handle
etc.
etc.
etc.
The answer to this is easy.
The best floss is ........whichever floss you will use.
The percentage of people who will floss daily is around 40%.
And the number of people who will never floss is around 20%.
So the "type" of floss you use is not nearly as important
as actually "using" the floss. Because it really doesn't matter.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Tooth completely turned sideways.
This was one of the more challenging cosmetic bonding cases that I have done.
Some teeth that we bond are slightly tilted.
Some are slightly rotated.
Some are too long or too short.
This tooth is rotated 90 degrees.
Meaning the tooth is turned completely sideways.
The bonding was tough because the proportions are off due to the rotation.
However, The patient was very happy with the result.
She was told that expensive braces was her only option.
Turns out 30 minutes in the chair.....
no shots
no drilling
and the cost of a filling later she looked like this.
This is simply filling material and it can be done in lots and lots of cases.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Do teeth really make that big of a difference?
Here are a few faces that you may recognize.
Something is missing however.
Can you spot it?
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
When, if ever, should my kid see an orthodontist?
When Should my Child See an Orthodontist?
This is a great question. Most parents hope that the answer to this question is… never. Braces can be an expensive process. And if you have multiple children that need braces, the financial outlay can become burdensome. So, most parents hope that their child is one of the lucky ones whose teeth simply come in straight and won’t ever need to be straightened.
Well, how do you know? How do you know when, or even if, your child needs to go to the orthodontist? Here is some information that may help. This chart Problems to Watch for in Growing Children July 2012 (PDF) indicates some of the things to look for in your child’s oral development to assist in knowing if an appointment with an orthodontist is wise. These are not all of the issues out there, but it’s a very good sampling of what can go wrong.
As a general dentist, I can say that the use of an Orthodontic Specialist can be critical in the health of your child’s teeth. Teeth that are crowded are much harder to keep clean then teeth that are not crowded. A child’s speech development can be negatively affected by severe open bites. And, the list can go on and on. Making sure that your child’s teeth are straight is more than just about good looks. There is a very large functional component that is involved that must be considered.
Getting to an orthodontist is as easy as can be. You do not even need to have a referral from a general dentist. You can simply call an orthodontist and schedule an evaluation for your child. If you would prefer to have a referral simply visit your dentist and ask for a quick evaluation to see what they think.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
The trouble with braces.
If you are in braces right now, or have a family member that is in
braces right now then this is something you need to read.
One of the biggest problems we see with braces is the
amount of cavities that people have right after the braces are removed.
There are a couple of reasons for this.
#1 Is that braces trap food.
There are lots of nooks and crannies where food can get trapped
and hide out even without having braces.
Once braces are placed the amount of food that can be trapped can triple.
Residual food hanging around in your mouth will feed cavity causing bacteria.
#2 Its harder to floss.
Trapping food is bad enough. But the fact that its even harder to get the
food out because flossing is now much harder makes it even worse.
Tomorrow I will discuss some things that can be done about this.
But for now just know that those with braces must be more diligent
then the average person when it comes to caring for your teeth
when you have braces on.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Threatening your kids when they don't brush.
This post is not meant to be a lecture on how to raise children.
And trust me when I tell you that I do my share of threatening.
"You won't get any desert if you don't eat your beans."
"You wont get to watch the movie if you don't finish your chores."
Etc.
Etc.
The threatening that I am talking about is threatening your children
that they will have to get stabbed in the mouth with a needle by
the horrible mean dentist if they do not brush their teeth.
You may laugh, but it happens ALL THE TIME.
Children come in to get one simple cavity filled and they are out of
control and crying before they even walk through the door.
Their parents have scared them so badly that just the site of me sends
them into a screaming fit.
This wouldn't be so bad if the parent would then help me calm them down.
But that, usually, does not happen.
The parent will sit out in the waiting room and say things like....
"You knew this was going to happen" or
"Okay, you have to go get your shots now" or
"Don't cry, I told you he would drill on you if you didn't brush"
Do any of you know how hard it is for me at that point?
Do any of you know how hard it is on the child at that point?
Not only is it hard right then but this kind of thing will build an emotional
wall in that child that may remain for the rest of their life.
Most people that hate to come to the dentist due to experiences
when they were little children.
Bottom line is this.
If you can't get your children to brush their teeth by saying please or by using some
other type of positive reinforcement that is fine. Threatening to cut off the
x-box is, in my mind, a fine thing to do.
Just don't tell them how horrifying it will be to see the dentist.
It will makes things that much worse now, and later on down the road as well.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Do I need a crown on my tooth?
Every instance is different but here is a tooth with multiple problems
that did not end up needing a crown.
The filling is experiencing some break down around the edges
and a case could be made to replace it.
What gives this tooth the added need to be worked on
is the hole that you can see in the bottom left of the tooth.
This tooth for sure needs a makeover now.
Our filing material of choice is the newer white filling material.
It wears great, looks great, and polishes very well.
Not all teeth like this can be fixed without the use of a crown but
this one did and the patient was very happy.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Which retainer is right for me?
Lots of people ask me about retainers.
Most retainers are given to folks from their orthodontists.
The type of retainer you have really depends on the personal preference of the Orthodontist.
Some orthodontists like the retainers that you can take in and out every night.
These come in two forms. The ones that use wire to retain the teeth position
and the ones that are made simply of clear plastic.
Other orthodontists like the small metal wires that are actually
glued to the teeth and can not be removed.
So which one is better?
That depends on what irritates you most.
Would it irritate you more to have something glued into your
mouth that you could never take out?
Or would it irritate you more to always have to remember to put your retainer
in every night and take it with you on every trip vacation and overnighter you go on?
Both will do a fine job.
My Mother has a retainer that she puts in every night and has done so for over 30 years.
My wife has a bonded metal wire that she has had in place for over 20 years.
Both seem to like what they have and wouldn't change.
If you have a particular type of retainer and you would like
to try another kind that is no problem.
We can switch you to another kind, let you try it for a while, and then
switch you back if you don't like it.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Big or Small we do it all.
Lots of things in a dental office are time consuming and complicated.
Many however, are very simple and quick.
Today we had a women who had a little cavity on one of her front teeth.
Without getting her numb and in about 15 minutes
we were able to remove all of the decay and restore the
tooth to a very natural looking state.
Before
After
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Before and After
Here is a fairly simple case from today.
this old metal filling was starting to decay around the edges.
Before
Once the old metal was removed the new white filling was
placed and the patient is ready to eat right away.
After
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Clear, Plastic, Braces
Everyone calls these types of braces Invisalign.
However, another product is out on the market that
does the exact same thing except less expensive.
This product is called Clear Correct.
The trays are still clear.
Your teeth still move.
You can still take them out.
If you have orthodontic insurance you are still covered.
The bottom line is you simply pay less.
Monday, June 25, 2012
What kind of bleaching is right for me?
Teeth whitening is a very hot topic these days.
It seems as though everybody and their dog is offering to have your
teeth whitened for life, by tomorrow.
So what is real and what is hype?
As a disclaimer let me just say that tooth whitening can be accomplished successfully with ANY of these methods and that the following is based on fact with my opinion thrown in for flavor.
There are basically 3 ways to whiten your teeth.
#1 With the whiteners you buy in the stores.
This includes strips, trays, paint on stuff, etc.
Couple of things to consider here. The strength of the bleach has to be over the counter strength which is going to be less then bleach you can get form your dentist. Its like buying Tylenol from the store vs getting Lortab from the dentist. Next is the way the bleach is delivered. Below is a picture of a bleaching strip. Since this strip is sold to everyone, it then by nature, fits no one. Administering bleach to the masses can be a very inexact science that could lead to burned gums or uneven bleaching of the teeth.
#2 Is custom trays made by your dentist and you do the bleaching at home.
This way of bleaching has a lot of up side.
First the strength of bleach is prescription strength which will allow you to bleach faster. Second while bleaching faster it is still slow enough to stop when you begin feeling too much sensitivity. Lastly the trays are made specifically for you. They will fit no one else and thus deliver the bleach right to where it is needed.
#3 In office light whitening.
This option is nice because it is the fastest. But there are some draw backs. The machines to do the bleaching are expensive so the cost must be passed on the the patient. Next, you can't stop bleaching when you begin to feel sensitive. You will lay back being one shade and be several shades lighter when you sit up. If you happen to have lightened up too much and your teeth are very sensitive to even breath you are kind of out of luck.
So again, there are probably many of you reading this that have gotten your teeth whitened by any of the ways just mentioned and it has worked well for you. And that is great. I personally have chosen to offer only the 2nd option in my office as I feel it is the best bang for the buck and offers the least chance of complications for my patients.Thursday, May 17, 2012
Problems with braces part II.
Yesterday we talked about people getting increased amounts
of cavities when they have braces on.
Today we will talk about some ways to decrease those cavities.
First, is to simply increase the amount of brushing you do.
Keep a brush in your car, desk at work, locker at school, etc.
Brushing more then the standard twice a day is key.
Second, rinsing with a fluoridated mouth wash is a fabulous idea.
Many companies have them now, Act, Listerine, Colgate, etc.
These rinses will keep up your teeth's defenses to decay.
Third, watch what you eat.
Do NOT eat anything that is sticky.
First time you try to pick gummy bears out of your braces you will
understand why I said this, and most everything sticky is very high in sugar.
Finally, there are a lot of ingenious ideas that people have come up with
to help people with their flossing while in braces.
As the traditional "wrapping the floss around the fingers" thing
doesn't work to well here are some things that might.
This final one is a water pick.
Not exactly a flosser but it will do wonders to blow out the stuff
that is hiding around the brackets of your braces.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Trouble with braces.
If you are in braces right now, or have a family member that is in
braces right now then this is something you need to read.
One of the biggest problems we see with braces is the
amount of cavities that people have right after the braces are removed.
There are a couple of reasons for this.
#1 Is that braces trap food.
There are lots of nooks and crannies where food can get trapped
and hide out even without having braces.
Once braces are placed the amount of food that can be trapped can triple.
Residual food hanging around in your mouth will feed cavity causing bacteria.
#2 Its harder to floss.
Trapping food is bad enough. But the fact that its even harder to get the
food out because flossing is now much harder makes it even worse.
Tomorrow I will discuss some things that can be done about this.
But for now just know that those with braces must be more diligent
then the average person when it comes to caring for your teeth
when you have braces on.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Do you have bad breath?
What is the cause of bad breath??
There are many causes.
Teeth that are decayed.
Gum disease.
Bacteria.
Digestion problems.
Etc.
One of the first things to do in order to determine the cause of your
bad breath is to get to a dentist and get a good cleaning.
This will make sure you start off with a clean slate.
Then.....
For 2 weeks commit to brushing after each meal.
For 2 weeks commit to flossing daily.
And for 2 weeks commit to rinsing with a mouthwash such as Listerine, daily.
(Important note: You also need to brush your tongue.
Tongue scrapers, pictured below, are also available.)
After the 2 week period see how your breath is.
If it still smells as fresh and clean as it did when you left the dentist office
then your bad breath was, more then likely, a result of poor oral care.
This would be good news because all you need to do is continue
your new pattern of brushing, flossing, and rinsing and your bad breath should be history.
If things return to there normal, bad breath, state then other things need to be considered.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
What is wrong here?
There could be many things wrong, but the thing
that I am choosing to focus on is the missing teeth.
Many people think that it is okay to just remove one tooth.
That nothing could possible happen.
Well, that is just not the case.
Teeth are held in place, in large part, by the teeth around them.
Teeth are only so tall because they run into the teeth in the other jaw.
Teeth are only so far forward in your mouth because of the teeth next
to them in the same jaw.
By pulling a tooth you may set in motion a whole lot of tooth movement
that you did not want and or plan on.
Your speech patterns.
Your ability to chew properly.
And the look of your smile may all be negatively effected.
Here is a picture of someone who had front teeth extracted.
Their other teeth are no shifting sideways.
This is an x-ray of someone that had back teeth extracted.
This shows the teeth further back tipping into the open spaces.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Meet Mike
Today we are going to meet Mike.
Mike was a good guy.
But, Mike was not having a good day.
Mike really needed that tooth because Mike
Really wanted to meet a nice lady.
This is Mike now.
Ladies, Mike is 29 and now has an AMAZING smile!
Anyone interested can let us know and we will get you in touch with Mike.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Cosmetic Bonding
This is Ms. W
Ms. W had some lateral incisors that came in smaller then they should have.
She wanted to change the way they looked so we helped her out.
Picture of the side tooth that was too small.
and the side tooth after.
The whole smile before.
and the whole smile after.
1 hour - no shots - no drilling into the teeth - one happy patient
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)