Transform Your Smile for St. Patrick’s Day with a Smile Makeover

smile makeoverCountless Americans dream of warmer days as the Arctic winter chill slowly transforms into spring. While St Patrick’s Day was originally an Irish religious feast across the globe, it’s currently one of the nation’s most anticipated social holidays. Every year, March represents the Irish-American heritage month. And on March 17th almost 32 million Americans, or 10% of the national population, push that pride to its limit. Of course, whether your veins bleed green or you’re just in envy of those who do, your New York City Cosmetic Dentist can help your smile reflect the fun and comradery of the springtime celebrations. But how can you transform your smile for St. Patrick’s Day?

Invisalign and Beyond
Braces may be a rite of passage for adolescents and teens, but needs change once adulthood hits. Whether your job requires you to be in the spotlight, you’re rebuilding a solid dating life after a bad breakup, or you just don’t want to wear metal brackets on your teeth, traditional braces may not fit your current lifestyle. You can still have straight teeth thanks to Invisalign. Similar to traditional braces, Invisalign permanently repairs crooked teeth, gaps, or bite issues but without the discomfort or embarrassment of metal brackets and wires. And since the aligners are clear, you can attend and enjoy as many social events as you want without a single worry.

Porcelain Veneers
Some dental issues can be extensive and lead to expensive ongoing treatment options. If permanent repairs mean less to you than an aesthetic cover-up, porcelain veneers may be the perfect solutions for your needs. Porcelain veneers are porcelain or resin shells that are customized to each patient’s needs to fit over existing teeth and cover a variety of dental issues. These shells are about the width of a contact lens and are irreversible since a small amount of enamel must usually be filed away to affix the veneers. Porcelain veneers aren’t guaranteed to last a lifetime but with proper care, they can last a decade or two without repair or replacement concerns. Often touted as the celebrity secret to perfect teeth, porcelain veneers can change your life in as little as two appointments with your New York City Cosmetic Dentist.

Professional Teeth Whitening
Go into any grocery, discount, or box store and you’ll see rows of teeth whitening kits beaming with outrageous promises. But those one-size-fits-all solutions are hit or miss at most. If used correctly and long enough, they will work for most in a pinch but often at a cost to your dental health or sanity. Very rarely do those commercial box kits provide the whitening power consumers want and need. Professional teeth whitening is different. Using higher concentrations of peroxide gel, your New York City Cosmetic Dentist can lift years of stains from your teeth and give you the smile of your dreams in as early as a single visit. Of course, the results are far more potent and last longer with repeated applications. Depending on the shade differences you want, your teeth can be smile-ready in one to four weeks, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. So what are you waiting for? 

5 Reasons You Need a Smile Makeover

smile makeoverAlmost one-third of Americans admit to being unhappy with their smiles and over 80% are unhappy enough with their appearance to unlink themselves from social media pictures. It may seem like the pressure’s off to have a perfect smile since the holiday season is over, but spring’s just around the corner. And with it comes a new bouquet of new personal or professional opportunities to tackle and conquer. Your New York City Cosmetic Dentist can help ensure your smile is ready for any challenge by providing the right smile makeover for your needs. But what are some major reasons you may need a smile makeover

There’s More Than One Solution to Any Concern
A smile makeover is defined as usually two or more treatments used to correct or cover existing dental issues. In some cases, one treatment option is enough to provide impressive changes such as with professional teeth whitening. But compound issues may need a joint solution such as cosmetic bonding and Invisalign. Whether your teeth are badly stained, have chips or cracks, are gapped or misaligned, the right treatment solutions can give you the smile you’ve always wanted and deserve. 

Get Your Confidence Back
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but when a few simple aesthetic flaws are all it takes to avoid social activities and enjoy life to the fullest something needs to be done. This is especially the case when lack of confidence turns to embarrassment. Fortunately, the right smile makeover can help ensure it’s an easy fix. Even serious issues such as missing teeth, fractures, and gum recession due to periodontal disease or years of smoking can be corrected and reversed while focusing on the underlying issues to prevent them from ever returning.

Make the Right Impression the First Time
There are no second chances to make a great first impression. But while perfection isn’t necessarily a requirement for social or romantic connections, not making the right impression can be an expensive professional mistake. In fact, almost three-quarters of American adults believe an unattractive smile can hinder or limit career success. Why blow your shot at advancement or getting your foot in the door at your dream employer when the right smile makeover can help your smile open the right doors to secure your future?

You Can’t Hide in the Shadows Forever
Dental-related confidence issues can make you feel like hiding your smile forever. But studies have proven that smiling can improve your happiness, health, and chances of success. In fact, even faking a broad smile until it becomes genuine goes a lot further than most people think. And if you can trick your own brain into being happier, just imagine how easily you could trick others. Of course, the right smile makeover can make that smile a genuine fixture for years to come so you can leave the shadows and enter the spotlight.

It May Be More Affordable Than You Think
You should never have to postpone or avoid dental care due to finances, and the right smile makeover may be more affordable than you think. There’s only one way to know for sure, however. Contact your New York City Cosmetic Dentist when you’re ready to discuss the right smile makeover treatment and payment options for your specific needs and budget. Isn’t it time you got the smile you deserve? 

Top 4 Reasons to Choose Teeth Tomorrow® to Replace Missing Teeth

teeth tomorrow for missing teethAccording to national research, about 120 people in America are missing at least one tooth and over 36 million people are completely edentulous (toothless). Tooth loss can lead to a number of health concerns including lack of confidence, bone loss, sinus collapse, and trouble eating and breathing. Edentulism only increases with age as do the problems associated with tooth loss. In fact, when it comes to the older population the ratio is closer to 2:1 with 23 million without any teeth and 12 million missing either their upper or lower teeth but not both. There are several options for tooth loss treatment, including various types of dentures, bridges, traditional dental implants, and more recently, Teeth Tomorrow. But what are some of the top reasons for choosing Teeth Tomorrow to replace missing teeth?

Fewer Dental Implants Are Needed for Brand New Smile
Dental implants are individual replacement teeth solutions, but each missing tooth requires a separate implant. The result can become extensive, expensive, and painful when several teeth or an entire mouthful need to be replaced. Teeth Tomorrow offers a solution combining the ease of implants with the perfect appearance of modern fixed dentures. It’s still a permanent procedure as the entire bridge of prosthetic teeth fit into implants but only five or six implantations are required for an entire replacement arch (top or bottom row of teeth). That results in fewer headaches and a far more affordable solution to tooth loss.

Teeth Tomorrow Is an Efficient Solution
Dental implants can take a couple hours to complete the root surgery alone, and that’s for each individual implant. If you need a full-mouth or row of teeth in need of replacing, that can become a long and tedious procedure. That can take weeks or even months to complete depending on a number of issues including age, health, and pain tolerance. Teeth Tomorrow, however, can be completed in as few as four appointments after the initial consultation with your Johns Creek Dentist. You’ll still need to wait a few months for the permanent bridge to allow for proper osseointegration. But your permanent smile will be complete and ready for its close up much sooner. 

The Teeth Tomorrow Treatment Is Durable
Teeth Tomorrow prosthetic teeth are created from a material called Prettau Zirconia. This non-metal material is stronger and more resilient than common dental materials such as porcelain, resin, or acrylic. Once cured, the material is stain-resistant, impervious to cracks or other damage, looks completely natural, and can last for years to come. In fact, a recent study of over 2,000 implant patients found that zirconia prosthesis had a survival rate of 99.3% after five years. With the right maintenance and dental care, your new smile could last far longer without any concerns while adding so much more life to your years.

Teeth Tomorrow Is Far Less Invasive Than Traditional Implants
Traditional dental implants are highly invasive surgical procedures that require the jawbone to be strong and dense enough to accept the root implantation. Bone grafting is often required to achieve the proper thickness needed to withstand the treatment. This often results in extra surgeries, extra pain medication or sedation, and months of extra healing time. That’s not the case with Teeth Tomorrow. Even if your jaw has suffered some atrophy, the roots can still usually be implanted in the strongest areas so there’s usually no need for a bone graft. Give your Johns Creek Dentist a call when you’re ready to discuss whether Teeth Tomorrow is the right solution for you. 

3 Ways Alcohol Can Damage Your Oral Health

oral healthAmericans love their celebrations, and many live for the moments they can let their hair down, socialize, and connect or relax with friends and loved ones. Alcohol is a main attraction and theme in many of those celebrations as proven by the fact that over 86% of American adults admit to drinking at some point in their lives, while over 70% of Americans drink at least once a year and over 56% drink alcohol at least once a month. Holidays are huge lures for alcohol enjoyment, and as winter melts into spring St. Patrick’s Day promises to provide plenty of Irish luck, comradery, and loads of green Guinness to boot. Unfortunately, your teeth can suffer as a result if you’re not careful. But how can alcohol damage or threaten your oral health

Stained Enamel and Beyond
Some alcoholic favorites such as red wine, sangria, and dark liquors such as whiskey and rum contain dyes or tannins that stain easily. Natural enamel is strong enough to withstand normal life challenges. But alcohol contains acids and sugars that can break down the tooth surface, cause it to weaken or crack, and eventually seep beneath the surface to stain from the inside-out. Limit dark alcohol consumption when possible, use whitening toothpaste regularly to combat those negative forces, and reduce mouth acids by drinking plenty of water to rinse away the tannins.

Plaque and Cavities
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day per men is considered moderate alcohol use. Of course, that limit is seriously challenged and often ignored completely on St. Patrick’s Day when almost 820% more Guinness is consumed globally. Those estimated 13 million pints during that one day can do a real number on consumers teeth. Heavy or binge drinking leads to extra mouth acids and sugars which can quickly cause gum disease, mouth sores, and extra decay-causing bacteria. Unattended, those culprits leave behind sticky plaque (the bacteria’s waste product) as they proceed to burrow and eat through your teeth. The result can be a nasty oral health disaster full of cavities and decay.

Oral Cancer
Alcohol abuse is defined as consuming more than 21 drinks per week, and while that may seem like an insane amount it can easily occur during holidays or celebratory times. While alcohol is a liquid, excessive usage actually causes dehydration within the body. Smoking does the same thing. Whether combined or used alone, excessive alcohol intake can encourage disease-causing bacteria to invade the mouth. Unhindered by saliva and enzymes to wash those pathogens away, they can enter the bloodstream through the soft tissue in the mouth, damage cell walls, and result in oral cancer. Left untreated, cardiovascular disease can occur as well. Fortunately, a call to your Red Bank New Jersey Dentist  can get you set up for a thorough check-up, cleaning, and any necessary treatment to stop existing damage in its tracks and even reverse it so you can celebrate life via better oral health.

What You Need to Know About Oral Health in Your 40′s

preventive dental careDepending on gender and a slew of life choices, the average American can expect to live well into their 70s. Yet while it may come to no surprise that the 40s may be considered the new 20s according to some social research, try telling that to your body. Modern middle-agers are healthier and more effervescent than ever but life can truly take a toll, especially on your oral health. Fortunately, you can easily get the jump on those changes if you know what to expect regarding your oral health in your 40′s.

Old Fillings Will Need to Be Replaced
Over 90% of Americans between 20 and 64 have dental cavities in at least some of their permanent teeth. So, it’s pretty likely that you will have fillings by the time you reach your 40s. If you’ve had fillings for a considerable amount of time, chances are those are silver amalgams. While those types of fillings are strong and provide fast treatment, they also contain 50% mercury by weight. Amalgams don’t affect everyone equally, but the metal used is not biocompatible to the human body and may lead to some serious bodily and dental health issues. Fortunately, your Moorestown Dentist can replace amalgams with tooth-colored fillings to improve your health and extend your smile for years to come.

Gum Disease Is No Laughing Matter
Gum disease is a serious condition that can destroy your smile and lead to chronic or even fatal diseases if left untreated. Gingivitis is the first stage which is easily corrected and reversed with proper home oral health care dental cleanings. However, it advances so easily that half of Americans over the age of 30 have periodontal disease, the most advanced stage of gum disease. The advanced stage progresses slowly, so there are several obvious warning signs including infected pockets in the gums, bleeding gums, loose or missing teeth, severe inflammation, and excessive decay. In most cases, however, your Moorestown Dentist can diagnose and treat gum disease before it becomes a serious problem.

Teeth Grinding is More Than a Bad Habit
Stress can affect anyone regardless of age, but when it settles in the mouth and causes repetitive clenching or grinding of the teeth, it often progresses to a condition known as TMJ disorder. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects the jawbone to the skull and acts as a sliding hinge for easy and pain-free talking, eating, and general facial mobility. When stress causes the teeth to clench or grind and wear down that joint can become loose or locked and lead to extreme pain and bite issues. A simple treatment from your Moorestown Dentist may be all it takes to correct this issue.

Regular Checkups Are Important
The general rule of thumb is to visit a dentist twice a year, but over 100 fail to do that even once annually. Regardless of how strong your home hygiene habits are, a thorough dental exam is the only way to achieve preventive dental care that can diagnose and treat impending issues or reverse high-risk concerns. Dental check-ups are especially important if your teeth are sensitive to temperature, you’ve had any dental treatments in the past, you have persistent dry mouth or bad breath, you’re a smoker, or if you have any oral pain or bleeding gums. A call to your Moorestown Dentist can help you get the preventive care you need to avoid potentially serious problems in the future. 

3 Reasons Why You Should Replace Silver Fillings

non-mercury dental fillingsAccording to national research, approximately 25% of Americans have untreated dental caries and 96% of Americans have significant dental decay by the time they reach the age of 65. It’s no wonder why over 100,000 new amalgam fillings are placed annually. But while the ADA insists mercury fillings are safe and effective options for dental care, many medical and academic studies claim otherwise and back up those claims with scientific fact. Of course, each patient is different so individual resistance plays a large part in those final results. But here are a few reasons why you should consider replacing silver fillings with non-mercury tooth fillings.

Amalgams Can Cause Your Teeth to Break
Amalgam fillings contain several types of metal that combine together in the form of a putty. Once placed in the mouth that putty hardens to a solid metal consistency. Amalgams do not move or offer any type of flexibility once filled into the tooth. However, over the course of time, that metal can react to various temperatures. Ice, cold beverages, hot food, and even coffee can make the metal expand and compress inside an already weakened tooth. And if enough extremes are present, the weakened tooth can crack or fracture under the pressure. Non-mercury tooth fillings bond with the tooth and flex as necessary without reacting so drastically to temperature changes.

Amalgam Fillings May Be Corrosive and Stain
Amalgams have been the primary type of fillings used for over 150 years. They’re affordable and set quickly without needing to be customized or specially molded. But they do contain an alloy of specific metals. These metals include silver, tin, mercury, and copper as the main combination. Sometimes indium, palladium, nickel, and zinc are added to the mix. Amalgams are known to last a decade or longer, but they may eventually expand, compress, loosen, or even corrode due to a combination of life factors and bodily reactions with the metal. Once the metal loosens and begins breaking down, the silver fillings can leave behind blue or black stains on the previously filled teeth. And in some cases, those stains can be so severe that they’re confused with further decay or require the tooth to be completely removed. 

Amalgam Fillings Contain Mercury
Metal of any kind inside the body can corrode, break down, and release gases or contaminants into the bloodstream. Mercury, one of the most toxic substances on the planet, is the primary metal in amalgams accounting for approximately 50% of the metal overall. Some metals are less harmful than others and there’s a huge difference between inorganic and organic metals. But science has proven that the main metals in amalgams can attack neurotransmitters in the brain. Even if the mercury in amalgams is inorganic, it can convert to organic once it begins breaking down. However, the combination of silver, zinc, tin, nickel, and copper can result in more problems at first. And many of those problems can end up being periodontal issues such as gum disease, oral lesions, bone loss, sinusitis, TMJ, and oral cancer. Fortunately, a call to your Fort Lauderdale Holistic Dentist can eliminate these concerns once and for all by replacing your silver fillings with non-mercury tooth fillings.