How Do Porcelain Veneers Improve Your Smile?

Porcelain veneers can improve anyone’s smile with a few simple steps and visits to a cosmetic dentist. Porcelain veneers can provide a complete smile makeover by covering your teeth with perfectly shaped and colored porcelain veneers. They can fill gaps in your teeth, cover crooked or stained teeth and provide a beautiful, natural looking smile.

They are a good alternative to a crown since very little of your tooth needs to be removed for installation. They are about as thick as a fingernail. When light is transmitted through the veneer, it gives the veneer a very natural and beautiful look.

The porcelain that the veneers are made from is very resistant to stains. This allows you to keep a bright, white smile even if you’re a coffee lover. Veneers might be the right choice for you if you have minor dental problems that you need to correct or just want that Hollywood smile. Visit a Plano cosmetic dentist for further information on porcelain dental veneers.

No Comments by admin on August 31, 2010

filed in Cosmetic Dentistry

tagged dentist plano, porcelain veneers plano

Sedation Dentistry in Plano: Spa on a Dentist’s Chair

Brushing is never enough, as a mouthwash advertisement says. However, gargling mouthwash is still not enough to achieve a perfect and healthy smile. When it comes to oral care, nothing can beat regular dental visits. If a trip to a dentist is something that you dread, sedation dentistry in Plano will definitely change how you perceive dental checkups.

The field of dentistry has changed a lot over the years. For example, composite fillings that match your teeth’s color replaced the dark-colored amalgam fillings of before. Root canal treatment can save problematic teeth from extraction. Now, sedation dentistry can make any dental procedure much more comfortable.

Sedation dentistry uses a new technique in oral care. A patient is given an oral anesthesia 30 minutes before a treatment or procedure. The oral anesthesia calms the mind and places the patient in a relaxed state. In some patients, the oral anesthesia induces sleep.

Patients who are more nervous about the dentist might opt for a sedation that allows them to sleep throughout the procedure. When they wake up, it seems as though they were just having a deep, restful nap. They feel soothed, and well cared for.

No Comments by admin on June 9, 2010

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What is tissue re-sculpting?

Tissue re-sculpting is also known as surgical crown lengthening or as a gum-lift procedure. If your gum line is uneven or you feel that you have an excessively gummy smile, you should consider a gum lift.

The length of the crown of the tooth is increased by removing a thin section of the gums. Sometimes misaligned teeth can cause the gum line to become irregular. In such cases, tissue re-sculpting can help produce an even gum line and greatly improve your smile. Sometimes a tooth that needs a crown or a filling may not have sufficient tooth structure above the gums for a restoration, or decay may extend deep beneath the gum line. In such cases, a gum lift is advised to enable a proper restoration.

The procedure commonly starts with numbing of the gums. The amount of time it takes varies depending on the number of teeth that require treatment. Incisions are placed on the gums to remove the excess gum tissue. These incisions further help in relocating the gums from their original position. Following this, your cosmetic dentist or periodontist in Plano will surgically reshape the remaining tissue so that it achieves an even, symmetrical gum line.

Bone beneath the gums may need to be reshaped if there is bone loss following severe gum disease. Normally some bone needs to be removed to achieve sufficient length to the tooth. The bone is removed using a combination of hand instruments and rotary instruments. Bone removal allows more of the tooth structure to be exposed.

If only soft tissue is removed, the procedure will take less time than if both soft tissue and bone are removed. Your teeth will look longer because your gums are now sitting at a lower level than they used to. Sutures are normally placed for at least 7-10 days after the procedure. Antibiotics and painkillers are prescribed. Dentists sometimes use a periodontal dressing to cover the surgical site.

Antiseptic mouth washes and proper oral hygiene using soft bristles must be observed to prevent inflammation to the area. Inflammation can delay healing and cause pain and swelling. Slight tenderness and pain in the area can be expected. Soft diet is usually advised for at least a couple of days after the surgery.

The gums can be removed using traditional scalpels, electrodes, or lasers. Dioxide lasers are used to perform soft tissue surgery in the oral cavity.

Tissue re-sculpting is also done along with veneers to provide symmetry to the gum line. This eliminates the need for expensive and time-consuming orthodontic treatment when there is misalignment of only one tooth. Ask your cosmetic dentist in Plano for more details

No Comments by admin on May 24, 2010

filed in Uncategorized

tagged cosmetic dentist plano, Plano Cosmetic Dentist, tissue re-sculpting

Laser Teeth Whitening

People like their teeth whitening done just like their fast food, their dry cleaning or their car wash—they want it fast and effective. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the demand for teeth whitening has increased 300 percent over the past 5 years. The increased demand and latest technologies have ensured that teeth-whitening is accessible to anyone.

Laser teeth whitening is a completely safe, FDA-approved procedure that has been performed on thousands of patients to date. Laser whitening is more effective and faster than normal whitening procedures. This procedure is done in the dental office and completed in less than one hour in most cases.

“Laser whitening” is a universal term used to describe whitening procedures that employs a light activated gel. This gel contains an ‘activator’ that becomes excited when light is applied. Halogen or LED lamps are most commonly used as curing lights to accelerate the whitening process.

The whitening gel normally contains hydrogen peroxide and the activator, in varying concentrations, depending on the product. When this gel is applied to the teeth and exposed to the light, the hydrogen peroxide breaks down into hydroxyl free radicals, which helps remove stains deep within the enamel and dentine. The toughest stains caused by tobacco, cigarettes, coffee are removed in no time.

Laser whitening is not permanent. It can last for years, but some patients may need to get the procedure redone every year to maintain the desired level of whitening. Dentists normally prescribe home whitening gels to touch up areas between appointments.

Visit your local Plano teeth whitening center and turn your teeth into the pearly whites you’ve always wanted.

No Comments by admin on May 3, 2010

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How to Floss Properly

Flossing is one of the most important steps in daily oral hygiene measures, along with brushing the teeth. Even the most attentive brushing technique can only remove 60 percent of the plaque in the mouth. The areas in between teeth, called ‘interdental’ areas, are not accessible to normal brushes, including powered ones.

The main reason most people don’t floss regularly is because it can be difficult to pass the floss in the tight spaces between the teeth. Proper technique can help reduce damage to the gums and prevent tearing and shredding of the floss and help achieve proper hygiene.

The Proper Technique–

To prepare for flossing, wind one end of a 60 cm (or 2 foot) length of ribbon or Teflon floss around the ring finger of your dominant hand, anchoring this end with a second loop overlapping the first. The remaining length of floss should be wound around the ring finger of the other hand to serve as a spool of clean floss. The section of floss remaining between the two should be approximately 15 cm (6 inches) long.The middle 2-3 cm is held taut between the tips of the thumbs and the first fingers.

The first finger of your non-dominant hand should be used to brace the floss against the tooth. The floss is passed through the space between teeth. A sliding motion helps introduce the floss beneath the space without any uncontrolled motion, which helps prevent damage to the gums.

Once through the space, the floss should be wrapped around the surface of one tooth and should be moved up and down to remove the plaque. The adjacent surface of the adjoining tooth is also cleaned this way. Care should be taken to pass the floss over the gum tissue in between the teeth while changing surfaces.

The floss can be removed from the space by simultaneously pulling both ends of the floss towards the cheeks or by releasing one end and pulling the entire length from between the teeth. Each contact can be cleaned with a fresh section of floss by unwinding the floss from the spool finger and taking up the increased length by winding onto the other ring finger.

With enough practice, the entire mouth can be flossed in less than 3 minutes. Bleeding from the gums can occur even with proper flossing technique. Readers should note that bleeding is a sign of inflammation of the gums, and not the result of damage caused by flossing or brushing. The purpose of flossing is not to remove pieces of food stuck in between teeth, but rather, to remove plaque from adhering to tooth surfaces. Ask your Plano dentist for more tips regarding flossing.

No Comments by admin on April 26, 2010

filed in Teeth Cleaning Tips

tagged plano dentist, teeth flossing technique

Dental Implants Interactive Learning Modules

No Comments by admin on April 25, 2010

filed in Dental Implants

tagged Plano dental implants

Teeth in a Day

You may have come across dental ads screaming “Teeth in a day!!!” So what are “Teeth in a day” procedures? Is it really possible to get teeth in a day from your local dentist?

“Teeth in a day” refers to the implant procedure that deals with placing immediate-loading implants. Immediate-loading implants are dental implants on which the crown is placed promptly after fixing the crown. That means you can start chewing normally on the implant within a few days. Normally dental implants are placed within the jaw bone and are allowed to fuse with the surrounding bone in a process called osseointergration. This procedure, called “delayed loading,” normally takes about three to six months. Patients receive a crown only after integration is complete. Most patients are not willing to wait for their new teeth. But until recently, most dentists were not willing to place immediate-loading implants in fear of failure, because studies at the time showed a dismal success rate for that type of implants.

But with better implant materials and improved surgical techniques, the implants are far more successful. The overall success rate is high, and with a healthy patient with no systemic or dental contraindications, results will be good. Now the entire jaw is scanned with 3-D CT to accurately assess the level of remaining bone, and, using computer software and surgical stents, the implant is guided in with high precision. With 3D imaging and CAD/CAM technology, the crown can be fabricated beforehand and placed along with the implant. If the surrounding bone and mucosa is healthy, the chance of success is high.

Immediate-loading implants can be placed immediately after extracting a decayed tooth. The socket of the tooth is widened slightly to allow placement of the implant. They cannot be placed, however, if the tooth was severely abscessed or the gum is unhealthy. These implants are not advised for people with uncontrolled diabetes or other systemic conditions that contraindicate a surgery. Sometimes the patient will have to return for minor adjustments to the crown as, even with extreme caution and skill by your local dentist, some corrections maybe needed. This procedure requires greater skill on the part of you local dentist/implantologist than other implant procedures, therefore, it will cost al little more.

Find out if your local dentist is comfortable with this procedure. Normally two visits are required, even if they are called ‘teeth in a day.’ The first visit usually consists of taking a case history and a detailed examination, followed by a couple of tests to check your health status. Even though the next visit may seem cumbersome, most patients experience little or no pain, and with increased success rates the procedure is becoming increasingly popular.

No Comments by admin on April 7, 2010

filed in Dental Implants

tagged dental implants plano, implants, teeth in a day

Plano Sedation Dentistry

This patient was never happy with her smile…until Dr. Hucklebridge and his staff took care of her! Here, she discusses her fantastic experience at Plano Smile Studio.