Am I A Candidate for a Smile Makeover?

Did you know smiling and laughing are actually healthy for you? It’s true! As well as being attractive; smiling and laughing are beneficial to your entire well-being!

The psychological value of smiling and laughing is just as impressive. These activities release inner tension and repressed tendencies. When a person is tired or unhappy, it is better to relax through smiling and / or laughing than any other non-active means.

If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, a Smile Makeover may be beneficial to you.

∙ Do you dislike the appearance of your smile?
∙ Are you embarrassed to smile?
∙ Do you cover your mouth when your smile or laugh?
∙ Do you feel that you show too many or too few teeth when you smile or laugh?
∙ Do you show too much gum when you smile or laugh?
∙ Do you feel that your teeth are too long or too short?
∙ Do you feel that your teeth are too wide or too narrow?
∙ Do you feel that your teeth are too square or too round?
∙ Do you feel that your smile holds you back in your personal or professional life?
∙ When you look in the mirror are you conscious of any defects to your teeth or gums?
∙ Do you wish your teeth were whiter?
∙ Are your teeth crooked or uneven, chipped or broken? Are you missing teeth or have unsightly gaps between your teeth?
∙ Do you require extensive dental restorations or treatment?

A Smile Makeover can transform the way you look and feel – heightening your confidence, self-esteem and facial appearance. A Smile Makeover can change your life. Contact us today for your Smile Consultation.

The Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry

A healthy, dazzling, bright smile is often considered the single biggest asset in your overall aesthetic appeal, so it is important that we not only look after our teeth, but also allow them to help us shine.

With the treatments offered by modern cosmetic dentistry, it is now possible to not only maintain your smile for health, but also to use its methods to improve overall appearance and boost your level of confidence and self esteem. Restoring and maintaining teeth that suffer from the forces of lifestyle and diet can be achieved with methods that not only rectify but also enhance your teeth, giving you new health and vitality. 

Simple and effective treatments such as teeth whitening and veneering offer a virtually pain free, effective option for maximum results at virtually no trouble or inconvenience to you. Treatment can effectively reverse the damaging effects of caffeine, red wine, tobacco and soft drinks and lighten teeth by up to ten shades, brightening your overall appearance for years. 

Oral problems such as chipped teeth, decay and problems in shape, size and colour can all contribute to a decline in your teeth’s appearance and level of effectiveness. Modern cosmetic dentists can offer you the chance to maximise the health and vitality of your mouth, whilst avoiding some of the more unsightly options available from past dental practice, such as mercury implants.

Crowns, bridging treatments and white fillings now make achieving a beautiful and symmetrical smile a reality, while strengthening and preventing possible future problems, at a minimum interference to your mouths existing structure and appearance.

While a visit to the dentist was once considered a necessary ordeal experienced only under duress, your cosmetic dentist can now help to transform your teeth into your greatest asset.

When has the cosmetic makeover gone too far?

Advances In Dentistry…Some Good…Some Not So Good

There have been many advances in dentistry over the last few years. Some are a good value to you, the patient, others, well I would classify them as gimmicks that have not value at all.

A couple of examples of the good ones are implants. In 1968, this office was built by Dr. Nelson. He was one of the implant pioneers in the Portland area. Today the success rate is around 98% and accepted world wide. They have become simplified and their cost, relative to other treatments, have come down. In many cases, a tooth can be extracted and an implant placed the same day! In endodontics (root canals), electronics have taken out much of the guesswork. Nickel-titanium (the same metal that allows the Twistoflex glasses frames to bend so much and bounce back), files, and rotary instruments have made the process much quicker. Most are done in one appointment and in less than one hour!

There have been many other great advances in dentistry. Some technologies, however, in my opinion, aren’t in the best interest of the patients. For example, there is a milling machine that allows the dentist to “make” a crown in a single appointment. What the patient may not know is that the machine is approximately $100,000 and owned by the doctor who now has to make payments. Let me share with you an excerpt from the president of the ODA (Oregon Dental Association) in one of our journals, ” Do not overtreat!! Often that old amalgam restoration will outlast by many times the porcelain crown you just sold the last patient because you need to make a payment on your new Cerac machine. The patient’s pocket is not a bottomless pit. Be reasonable with treatment plans and fees”. (the complete article can be found in the February 2004 Oregon Board of Dentistry News, President’s Message) Need I say more? Besides, I used to be a dental lab technician and I can say, without a doubt, that they are substandard to a quality “hand made” inlay or crown.

Some other examples are “lasers” and those one-hour bleaching systems. Independent (Clinical Research Association) has shown how those bleaching systems don’t work as well as the “home” bleaching systems. An article from the JADA February 2004 issue states, “With respect to esthetics, our literature review showed that power bleaching has questionable whitening efficacy. Jones and colleagues demonstrated that a typical in-office laser bleaching session produced significantly fewer desirable color changes than did two at home bleaching protocols. No perceivable difference between energized versus nonenergized bleaching when performed under standardized conditions.” What happens is that the teeth become dehydrated making them “look” whiter, but it is short lived. There are some other issues, but you might ask yourself, “why are so many dentists pushing these systems?”. Well, mostly it has to do with advertising. Have you seen those “make over” type shows? They are actually paid add spots. These doctors can create a “want” for the dentists campaigns. It has nothing to do with the efficacy of the product!

I have been following these trends and will always do my best to keep my patients well informed of the pros and cons of all treatments. Before using any product in this office, it is thoroughly researched. I love what I do, I love the patients I work with and I will always strive to earn their trust by “watching out for them”.

Mercury Free, Metal Free Office

This seems to be a hot topic to some people so I will stick to what is KNOWN. There is a known dentist in the area that is scaring families into thinking that fetuses get mercury poisoning from their mothers through the mercury fillings in their mouths and other bizarre statements. When we take a look at the objective (as opposed to anecdotal) research that has been conducted, a much different story arises. For example: John W. Albers, M.D., PhD., of the University of Michigan Medical School says there is no association between abnormal neurological signs and amalgam exposure. The Life Science Research Office (non-profit, independent) report can be viewed by clicking here. There are thousands of research projects that have been done by non-profit and independent programs.

Let’s face it, All dentists would love to replace all of the silver/mercury fillings out there. There is a lot of money to be made but not by being dishonest about why they should be replaced. Amalgams have been a good restoration for many years and outlast many of the newer materials today but you have to admit they aren’t the best looking. So cosmetically you want those silver/gray looking fillings replaced with something that looks great? Sure!! But let’s be honest about the reason why. Make sure it is your reason and not the dentists. More information available at www.agd.org.

Cosmetic Dentistry – What Does It Mean?

You can find cosmetic dentists everywhere: in the yellow pages, the Internet, radio etc. However, there is no such thing as a specialty of cosmetic dentistry.

ADA Specialties -
Endodontics, Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery, Radiology, Oral-Maxillofacial Pathology, Orthodontics, Pediatrics, Periodontology, Prosthodontics (Maxillofacial Prosthodontics), Public Health

Why are there so many dentists advertising as cosmetic dentists? The word “cosmetic” is a powerful word used in the advertising industry and it is no different in dentistry. I feel it is overly abused. As an informed consumer in dentistry you need to have your dentist inform you of all of the possible options that you might have. What is the problem with cosmetic dentistry? If your dentists are limited to a type of dentistry like cosmetics then you have limited options. With this in mind you should seek a dentist that is well rounded in their post-doctoral (continuing education courses) studies. The saying, “if all you have is a hammer then everything looks like a nail”, comes to mind. When looking at treatment options you need to have a variety of plans that can be tailor made to your needs, not the doctors. An article I wrote was published in the Academy of General Dentistry titled, “When has the cosmetic makeover gone too far“.  This publication is distributed to dentists all over the country and can give you some insight to this issue we dentists are struggling with. There are many dentists out there and you need to find one that is right for you. An interview with a prospective dentist might be a good idea – it is your money and your dental health…, be wise.

My Problem with Cosmetic Dentistry

I feel there is a severe problem with the shift towards cosmetic dentistry. Without a comprehensive understanding of dentistry you cannot be expected to identify potential options that the patient has the right to know. For example, there is a prominent cosmetic dentist in California that teaches at one of the big cosmetic schools. On his website he lists his services – Veneers, All porcelain crowns, Metal-free filings, Specialized hygiene services,Teeth whitening. That is it!!! Where did the rest of his dental background go? What about orthodontics, endodontics, perio surgery etc??? Since all he sees is a couple of solutions then you will not get what you need. If all you have is a hammer then everything looks like a nail. Click on this link for an article (.pdf format) that I have written on this subject and it has been published in a dental journal.

Take years off the way you look and feel with cosmetic dentistry!

Cosmetic Dentistry is fast becoming the most popular form of esthetic enhancement. Unlike plastic surgery, Cosmetic Dentistry isn’t a major operation. Imagine coming in for a single appointment or two and emerging with the smile you’ve always wanted…no pain, no strain and no time taken out of your busy life. The results are immediate and dramatic.

Cosmetic Dentistry is the intricate combination of art and dental science. It encompasses several dental treatments, all of which are designed to enhance the appearance of your smile. Cosmetic Dentistry treatments include;

- Extreme Makeovers
- Tooth Whitening
- Dental Implants
- Porcelain Veneers
- Porcelain Crowns And Bridges
- Porcelain Inlays And Onlays
- Tooth-Colored Restorations
- Composite Bonding

Previously, little could be done to treat crooked, chipped or stained teeth. Today, through the continual advancements in the field of Cosmetic Dentistry treatment your dream smile is closer than you think.

We want you to look and feel your best. Cosmetic Dentistry can take years off the way you look and feel and give you the smile of your dreams. Contact us today and achieve your perfect smile tomorrow. We look forward to hearing from you.