If you would like to improve the appearance of your smile, porcelain laminate veneers can whiten, brighten and even help straighten your teeth! Made of a thin layer of dental ceramic, porcelain veneers are physically bonded directly to the surface of your teeth, immediately enhancing your smile.

If you are considering a smile makeover, here are some other facts about porcelain laminate veneers that you might find interesting:

• Dental porcelain is used to create veneers that mimic natural tooth enamel perfectly. They require the removal of a minimal amount of surface enamel before application — about 0.5 millimeters to be exact. Because of this reduction, porcelain laminates are considered to be an irreversible treatment. The end results are high-strength, durable, and natural looking translucent tooth-like restorations.
• Fabricating a set of porcelain laminate veneers typically takes about a week, although times can vary. We will work closely with you and our dental laboratory technician to determine the exact color, shade and brightness that will best match your expectations for a new smile.
• Porcelain laminate veneers are the best restorative option if you have teeth that are in good position and alignment. They are also an excellent solution if you have small gaps between your teeth, or if your teeth are asymmetrically shaped or discolored. Porcelain laminate veneers cannot correct poor tooth position, bite relations or a poor profile. In these cases, orthodontic treatment may be necessary first.
• Porcelain laminate veneers can last anywhere from 7 to 20 years especially if the teeth they are bonded to don't undergo any major changes like gum line shrinkage, which may expose the root surfaces of the teeth.
• Due to their glass-like structure porcelain veneers can break. You should avoid doing things that might stress them, like opening pistachio nuts with your teeth or eating candy apples.

If you would like to discuss improving your smile with us using these impeccable restorations, please call our office today to schedule a consultation. To learn more about porcelain laminate veneers, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “Smile Design Enhanced With Porcelain Veneers.”

The old saying, “If it ain't broke, don't fix it,” doesn't really apply when discussing your wisdom teeth. It's great if they are not bothering you, but don't wait for problems to develop before you take action. This may seem counter-intuitive, but you should know that the best time to have your wisdom teeth removed is when they are not causing problems.

Why do wisdom teeth cause problems?

Wisdom teeth are so-called because they appear at ages 17 to 25, the age of supposedly attaining wisdom. They are also known as third molars and are farthest back in your jaws. For some people they come through the gum-line only partially, or they may not erupt into the mouth at all. Unerupted they have the potential to cause problems associated with the neighboring teeth and surrounding gums.

You may have heard of “impacted” wisdom teeth. This means that they are impacted or forced against neighboring structures, teeth or bone that prevent them from coming into the mouth in correct biting position. Since they are your last teeth to come in, space for them may be severely limited. They may push into the teeth that are already in place, becoming stuck as they try to erupt. When wisdom teeth are trapped like this below the gum line and are pushing against neighboring teeth, these molars can cause problems such as infections, cysts, or gum disease.

My wisdom teeth seem OK, so why remove them?

The dilemma is that if you wait until you feel pain connected with your wisdom teeth, their neighboring teeth may already be in trouble.

Another reason to remove these back teeth before they cause problems is that it's a good idea to have your surgery while you are young. Younger, healthy patients with no infections at the site have the best chance of having their wisdom teeth extracted without complications, with an easier recovery and uneventful healing.

Of course, each situation is different. Make an appointment with us for an examination and a consultation to discuss the risks and benefits of removing your wisdom teeth. For more information read the article “Removing Wisdom Teeth” in Dear Doctor magazine.

You have only one chance to make a first impression, and a big part of that impression is your smile. For many people, poor self-image starts with being self-conscious and inhibited about their smile.

A great smile is contagious. It can help you win friends and influence people. Conversely, inhibitions about your smile can have a negative impact on your relationships with family and friends, your career goals, and even your love life. If you think that self-consciousness about how your smile looks is holding you back, consider a smile makeover. With cosmetic and restorative dental procedures your smile can be the image of radiant health and happiness that you wish it could be.

A smile makeover is designed to enhance or even transform your self-image by giving you a brighter and more youthful smile, making your teeth look and function better through cosmetic and restorative dental procedures.

Here are ten reasons you may need a smile makeover:

1. You are self-conscious about spaces and gaps between your teeth.
2. Your teeth seem too small, and your smile seems “gummy.”
3. Your teeth make you look older because they are stained or yellow.
4. Your teeth are crooked, chipped, crowded or worn out.
5. Your teeth do not work together effectively when you are biting or chewing.
6. You hide your smile when posing for a photo, and you habitually hold your hand in front of your mouth when speaking or laughing.
7. When you are interviewing for a new job or networking as part of your current job, your self-consciousness limits your ability to connect with people.
8. Your friendships and family relations are suffering because of your low self-esteem.
9. You wish you had a certain celebrity's smile or a friend's smile, instead of your own.

Perhaps most importantly:

10. Your inhibitions about your smile are affecting other people's perceptions of you in all areas of your life.

If any of the above sound like you, contact us today to schedule an appointment or to discuss your questions about cosmetic dentistry and a smile makeover. You can also learn more by reading the article “The Impact of a Smile Makeover: What does it really mean?” in Dear Doctor magazine.

Once an exclusive procedure reserved for movie stars and millionaires, teeth whitening has become increasingly popular among all sectors of the population — including teens. While long-standing research has proven the process to be safe and effective, there are a few things everyone should know in order to make the experience as pleasant and successful as possible.

Teens, perhaps even more than others, can benefit from the confidence that comes with a healthy smile. And, because sensitivity of the gums is rarely a problem in younger people, their whitening treatments are less likely to cause discomfort. However, it's important for teens (and everyone else) to get treatments under the watchful eye of a dentist. Why?

For one thing, immature adult teeth are relatively vulnerable to the whitening process. And for young and old alike, a discolored tooth may be a symptom of an underlying dental problem, like an abscess or a root canal infection. These problems must be treated before the whitening process is begun. Also, teeth can't always be lightened to the same degree, and existing or planned dental work may have an impact on the whitening procedure. So it's best to come in and see us before you begin any tooth whitening treatment.

There are generally three methods used in tooth-whitening: in-office treatments with concentrated bleach application, at-home treatments with custom-made trays and appropriate dentist-supplied bleach, and over-the-counter (OTC) products. All use a type of peroxide to lighten the teeth, and all are safe when used as directed, under a dentist's supervision.

So what's the difference? Time! One study showed as few as three in-office visits were needed to lighten tooth color by six shades — a change that required 16 days with OTC products. Many opt for the cost-effective middle ground of custom-tray bleaching, which can achieve the same whitening in one week.

But what's especially important for a teen is that a dentist becomes involved in his or her treatment. In some cases, over-enthusiastic young people have used OTC bleach excessively, causing severe damage to the enamel layer of their teeth.

If you would like more information about teeth whitening for teens, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about these issues by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Tooth Whitening Safety Tips” and “Important Teeth Whitening Questions Answered.”

Nolan Gould, who plays Luke on the popular TV comedy Modern Family, has beautiful, straight teeth. But in an exclusive interview with Dear Doctor magazine, the young actor said it wasn't always that way.

“My teeth used to be pretty messed up,” Nolan said. “I had two extra teeth when I was born. They hadn't come out (erupted) yet. And all the other teeth that were already there were starting to point backwards because it was getting so crowded in my mouth. At about the age of 7, I started going to the orthodontist to get my teeth checked.”

Age 7 may sound early for a visit to the orthodontist, but in fact that's exactly the age we recommend for a first orthodontic evaluation. Malocclusions (bad bites) often become noticeable around this time, as the child's permanent (adult) teeth erupt. We might already be able to see evidence of the following problems: crowding, too much space between teeth, protruding teeth, extra or missing teeth, and sometimes problems with jaw growth. So even if your child is too young for braces, it is not necessarily too early for an orthodontic evaluation.

This type of exam can spot subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth while some baby teeth are still present. Early detection of orthodontic problems makes it easier to correct those problems in the long run. Waiting until all of the permanent teeth are in, or until facial growth is nearly complete, may make correction more difficult or even impossible. That's why the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children get a check-up with an orthodontist no later than age 7.

Orthodontic treatment itself usually begins between ages 7 and 14. Therapy that begins while a child is still growing, often referred to as “interceptive orthodontics,” helps produce optimal results. In Nolan's case, an early orthodontic evaluation allowed his orthodontist enough time to plan the most effective treatment. Nolan's two extra teeth were removed before they had a chance to push his other teeth even further out of alignment, and he was given orthodontic appliances which fit behind the teeth.

“You can remove them, which is really good for acting, especially because you can't see them. I can wear them 24/7 and nobody will ever notice.”

One thing that is noticeable, however, is Nolan's perfectly aligned smile!

If you would like to learn more about improving tooth alignment with orthodontics, please contact us to schedule an appointment for a consultation. To read Dear Doctor's entire interview with Nolan Gould, please see “Nolan Gould.” Dear Doctor also has more on an “Early Orthodontic Evaluation.”