Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Thinking of whitening your teeth?

There are lots of reasons why teeth whitening is a topic this time of year. Summer is a time for weddings, family reunions, travel and outdoor fun. Generally it is a time when a lot of photos are taken and people want to look their best. That often means teeth whitening.

Whitening is a very common treatment that can be done a number of different ways. It is often the first step someone takes when it comes to cosmetic dentistry and it is also one of the easiest and quickest treatments you can have to improve your smile. That is why teeth whitening is so popular.

When it comes to teeth whitening, you can get over the counter products at your local grocery store or drug store. These over the counter products can be effective but lack the strength and uniformity of the treatments you can get from a dentist. And, in this case, strength of the chemicals equates to the amount of product and time you need to achieve a result. And, in the end, it makes a difference in what kind of result you will see. Most people who are serious about whitening their teeth wind up at the dentist asking for options even after they have tried the over the counter products.

Most dentists have a take-home whitening kit that you can purchase. Generally, it is more effective than the over the counter products. However, when someone comes to me for whitening, it is usually all about laser whitening. This is the one-hour whitening process we offer where we apply a special chemical to your teeth. That chemical reacts to a light source we place in your mouth and the results are whiter teeth. This is known as chairside whitening or laser whitening.

If you would like more information on whitening your teeth for an upcoming occasion, please contact me.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Join our social network

Over the summer, we will be starting a Facebook page for our practice. If you haven’t tried social networking online, you should give it a try. It a great way to stay connected with people and share information with each other.

I will post it in my blog when we are ready for you to search us out and become our friend on facebook. Until then, you may want to try out Facebook. If you are unfamiliar with it, it is a free service with a lot of important privacy options. Users will tell you that it is a good way to keep up with what is going on with friends.

This is why we are making a Facebook page for my practice. As you, know, my practice is not your average dental practice. We make all kinds of efforts to ensure your comfort and to keep you posted on the important advancements in dentistry that can be of benefit to you and your family. Our Facebook page will allow us to do that even better, so we want to encourage anyone who is not on it to join up. We’ll be out there looking for you to become a Facebook friend really soon.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Headaches and TMJ

Most people would not consider going to a dentist for treatment of a headache, but a lot of patients did, and it has dramatically changed their life for the better. If you or someone you care about is suffering from chronic migraines, you could be instrumental in helping them take that “bad bite” out of their life and towards getting their life back.

I have passionately sought after extensive post-graduate training in Neuromuscular Dentistry and treating “TMJ”, a jaw joint disorder that results from an imbalance in the bite and chewing muscles. When these 3 areas are not in sync, all kinds of chronic upper body pain, including headaches is often the result. In a nutshell, if your teeth don’t bite together properly, the jaw joint and chewing muscles become tired and fatigued, causing pain the jaw, head, neck, shoulders, face, ears, and more.

Most people just go to their family physician when they have a persistent headache. Almost always, a family doctor will prescribe pain medication in extreme cases because the patient just wants the pain to go away. The actual cause of the headache is often well disguised and can appear to be something more apparent. I do my best to let area doctors know that they should refer patients with chronic, undiagnosed head, neck or jaw pain to me for a TMJ exam. Our TMJ exams are thorough, interactive, and enlightening. Our non-surgical treatment options are designed to re-align the bite to alleviate the cause of the wide array of symptoms associated with this disorder.

We are here to help and offer hope for many people who suffer from chronic, debilitating, undiagnosed upper body pain. If you think you might be able to help someone find us, then perhaps you could send them this message and make a real difference in their life.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Time for some Spring Cleaning

It’s spring and people are getting organized for the warm weather ahead. One of the things you want to complete on your To Do list is to schedule your annual exam and cleanings. Making appointments now will help you prioritize this important task and get it on the schedule!

Annual exams are so important to avoid costly long-term dental issues. One of the things we do in an annual exam is an oral cancer screening. This is a short, painless, almost unnoticeable procedure but it is vital in early detection of oral cancer. It is one of the primary reasons you should be regular with your annual exams.

Thorough cleanings will give you the best chance to avoid long-term problems like gum disease. This is important to do a few times each year in addition to regular brushing and flossing. Gum disease can also lead to other system-wide physical problems including heart disease and strokes. So, if you are eating a healthy diet and living a healthy lifestyle to avoid health problems, you should realize that dental health is part of that picture.

So, why not get a leg up on your scheduling plans for the spring? Contact us today to schedule your appointment.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Avoiding Tooth Erosion

Yes, you should be maintaining a regular cleaning and check-up schedule for your dental health and the dental health of your family. We are always happy to see you when it is time for a cleaning or check up. However, sometimes it is important to review the things you can be doing at home to maintain healthy teeth and gums.

Everything you eat has some affect on your teeth and it is important to make sure you maintain healthy teeth by avoiding what is commonly known as tooth erosion. This can lead to cracked teeth, discoloration, sensitivity and more. Basically tooth erosion is just like it sounds, where the teeth are work away by the acids in what you eat.

Keeping this in mind makes it easy to avoid contributing to the problem. When you eat acidic foods or drinks, simply rinse out your mouth with water to neutralize the remaining acid in your mouth. This simple step is probably the most effective easy thing you can do to avoid tooth erosion. Of course cutting back on carbonated drinks and acidic foods helps, too. When you do eat or drink something that is high in acid, swallow it quickly to avoid it remaining in your mouth a long time.

Brushing is important in avoiding tooth erosion, too. Using a soft toothbrush reduces the friction on teeth that can contribute to erosion and waiting at least an hour to brush following acidic foods helps as well. This gives teeth the chance to remineralize after being exposed to the acids you just ate or drank.

Remembering these simple tips will contribute to your dental health by helping you avoid tooth erosion. If you have any other questions regarding your dental care, please contact me any time. I look forward to seeing you on your next appointment.

Monday, February 2, 2009

New Year. New Smiles.

It is a new year and a good time to talk about new advantages for a new year. And, the biggest advantage is a bright, beautiful smile.

As a cosmetic dentist, I see the changes all the time when people get a beautiful, new smile. Both men and women choose to improve their smiles for many reasons. Some reasons are personal and some reasons are for business. The bottom line in all cases is that the patient wants to make an improvement in their appearance. They want permanent improvements, not just a short-term fix to make you look a little younger. With smiles, permanent improvements mean long-lasting improvements that work at any age. This is because, with a new smile, the real benefit is that your personality comes shining through so much more brightly.

This is a huge advantage socially and in business. However, most people get new smiles because they simply want to make an improvement in their appearance. My advanced training in designing new smiles with porcelain veneers allows me to help so many people reach these goals. It is no wonder I see so many people smiling all the time!

Monday, December 29, 2008

Happy New Year

I wanted to take a moment to wish all of you a happy new year. Going into 2009, you are assured to get the same high-quality attention and dental care from me and my team. Each year, we all do our best to improve our skills and our practice to offer you the best dental service in the area.

And, as we head into the new year, I’d like to remind you to make sure and prioritize dental health for you and your family. The little things you do for home care and with your regular cleaning and prevention visits are very important.

Best wishes for the new year. I hope that you will continue to tell your family and friends about our practice and let people know about the excellent dental care your receive from us.