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Archive:
- 2021
- January (5)
- Hoping to Show Your Smile Again in 2021? Be Sure You're Ready
- Your Gums Need Extra Care After Periodontal Disease
- Infection Control at the Dental Office Isn't Something New
- How to Ensure Your Child's Teeth and Gums Stay Healthy Now and Later
- Keep Your Child's Fluoride Intake at a Safe but Effective Level
- 2020
- December (6)
- Don't Let Bad Breath Ruin Your Date Under the Mistletoe
- The Kind of Tooth Pain You Have May Identify the True Problem
- Although Challenging, Cleaning Around Implants Boosts Their Longevity
- Here's What To Do If Your Child Complains of a Toothache
- Targeted Tooth Removal Could Aid Treatment for Certain Bite Problems
- Your Food's Micronutrients Make a Difference in Your Dental Health
- November (6)
- New Recommendations Make Water Fluoridation Safer Than Ever
- That Energy Drink You Take for a Boost Might Be Hurting Your Dental Health
- Keep Your Implants Clean to Avoid a Damaging Gum Infection
- Today's Dentures Are More Secure and Comfortable to Wear
- How to Avoid This Painful Condition After Tooth Extraction
- A Mild NSAID May Be All You Need To Manage Discomfort After Dental Work
- October (6)
- Preventing Gum Disease Could Help More Than Your Teeth and Gums
- Dental Implants Could Help You Avoid This Long-Term Effect of Losing Teeth
- 3 Ways to Protect Your Dental Work From an Early Demise
- Use Appropriate Hygiene Products for Maximum Smile Protection
- Far From a Safer Alternative to Smoking, Vaping Could Ruin Your Oral Health
- A Little Daily Brushing and Flossing Can Add Up to a Lifetime of Healthy Teeth and Gums
- September (6)
- How to Care for Your Child's Valuable Primary Teeth
- Improve Your Smile With These Dental Enhancements
- Get Your Teeth Examined if You Have Frequent Sinus Infections
- Replace Your Teeth in Stages With the Help of Dental Implants
- Your Dentist Could Help You Overcome Sleep Apnea
- Eliminating an Infant's Lip or Tongue Tie Can Make Breastfeeding Easier
- August (6)
- We Need to Act Quickly to Save Your Loose Tooth
- Keep These Top Factors in Mind When Buying Your Next Toothbrush
- Sedation Can Help a Child Receive Needed Dental Care Now and in the Future
- Your 'Toothache' Might Signal a Problem Other Than in Your Mouth
- Porcelain Veneers Could Change Your Smile and Your Life!
- Use This Product to Check Your Brushing and Flossing Effectiveness
- July (6)
- A Shingles Outbreak Could Interrupt Your Dental Care
- Getting Implants Can Be a Long Process - But Worth it
- Here Is How We May Be Able to Bring an Impacted Tooth Where It Should Be
- Some Simple Cosmetic Techniques Could Help Your Smile Age Gracefully
- Even All-Natural Fruit Juices Could Raise Your Child's Risk for Tooth Decay
- Implants Make Dentures More Secure, Comfortable and Bone-Friendly
- June (6)
- Answering Your Questions about Your Upcoming Teeth Whitening
- A Little Dairy Can Go a Long Way for Maintaining Healthy Teeth
- Prevention and Early Detection of Root Cavities Could Save a Tooth
- Here's the Scoop on Your Upcoming Root Canal
- That Odd 'Lacy' Mouth Sore is No Cause for Alarm
- Treating Gum Disease is Good for Your Whole Body, Not Just Your Mouth
- May (7)
- 3 Surprising Things You Should Be Doing to Improve Your Dental Health
- 3 Reasons a Root Canal Treatment Might Fail and What You Can Do About It
- With Outdoor Sports (Hopefully) Poised to Begin, Be Prepared for Oral Injuries
- 3 Things You Should Do to Protect Your Teeth Later in Life
- Instill These Habits in Your Child for a Lifetime of Great Dental Health
- Diabetes Can Make Getting an Implant Difficult, But Not Impossible
- Friendly Bacteria Can Help Protect Our Mouths From Disease
- April (6)
- Are Lasers the Future for Treating Advanced Tooth Decay?
- These High-Tech Tools Help Your Veneers Look Attractive and Natural
- Need a Root Canal? Here's a Step-by-Step Guide on What to Expect
- Give Your Child Added Protection Against Cavities With Topical Fluoride
- Oral Cancer Is Deadly - But You Can Lower Your Risk With a Healthy Lifestyle
- Managing Diabetes and Gum Disease Together will Lessen the Effect of Both
- March (6)
- What to Do For Mouth Injuries Your Child Might Encounter
- A Pediatric Dentist Could be a Great Choice for Your Child's Dental Care
- Make Efforts to Protect Your Teeth from Disease While Wearing Braces
- Conscious Sedation can Help Ease Your Child's Dental Visit Anxiety
- Removing One or More Teeth Could Improve Orthodontic Outcomes
- See Your Dentist ASAP to Save Your Loose Tooth
- February (6)
- A Root Canal Treatment can Save Your Tooth and Relieve Pain
- A Loose Tooth is a Sign of Deeper Dental Trouble
- One Visit May Be All You Need to Restore a Chipped Tooth
- Here's How to Avoid Dry Socket After Tooth Extraction Surgery
- Extracting a Tooth is a Routine Procedure
- An Infected or Injured Primary Tooth Can Be Saved - but it's Complicated
- January (6)
- 4 Things to Do to Keep Your Child's Dental Development on Track
- Like the Pros, the Athlete in Your Family Needs a Mouthguard to Prevent Dental Injuries
- Cosmetic Gum Surgery Can Help Restore Lost Tissues Around Teeth
- Improve Your Brushing and Flossing Techniques for a Healthier Mouth
- 4 Ways You Can Improve Your Smile in the New Year
- You May Need Something Other Than Ointment to Clear up This Facial Rash
- 2019
- December (6)
- Here's How to Cut Through All the Choices to Find Your Right Toothbrush
- You may need a Periodontist to Fully Treat Your Gum Disease
- How Dentists Provide Your Child the Benefit of X-Rays as Safely as Possible
- For a Smooth Transition, Be Sure Your New Dentist Has Your Dental Records
- 4 Common Causes for Gum Recession
- Teeth Grinding Could Endanger Your Dental Health
- November (6)
- Share These Timely Dental Care Tips With Your College-Bound Son or Daughter
- Professional Whitening Offers an Effective Way to Restore Your Smile's Luster
- Teens May Need a Temporary Restoration for Missing Teeth
- Seek Coordinated Treatment If You Have Both TMD and Fibromyalgia
- Don't Let Gum Disease Cut Short Your Implant's Service Life
- To Extract or not Extract? The Big Decision About Your Child's Wisdom Teeth
- October (6)
- Implant Failure Is Rare, but Possible. Here Are a Few Ways to Avoid It
- There Are a Lot of Bacteria in Your Mouth but Only a Few Mean You Harm
- The Triple Partnership That Could Save a Cancer Patient's Oral Health
- Clean Your Implants Just Like Your Other Teeth
- You May Need an Endodontist for a Tooth With Interior Decay
- How to Lower Your Child's Tooth Decay Risk From Halloween Candy
- September (6)
- Behavioral Therapy Could Reduce a Child's Dental Anxiety Without Drugs
- Don't Delay Seeing the Dentist If You Suspect Gum Recession
- Dental Sealants Give Children an Added Boost Against Tooth Decay
- Two Mouth and Face Pain Disorders and What You Can Do About Them
- Watch Out for These Dental Health Issues as You Age
- 4 Ways You Can Take Years off Your Smile
- August (6)
- That Toothache Might Not Be From Your Tooth: The Problem of Referred Pain
- Implant-Supported Dentures Could Improve Your Bone Health
- Considering a Smile Makeover? Be Sure You Include Your Bite
- Look for These Basics When Buying Your Next Toothbrush
- Don't Let Summer Heat Increase Your Risk of Dental Disease
- Do a Little Extra Food Prep to Ease TMD Discomfort
- July (7)
- A Child's Damaged Tooth may require a Different Approach than an Adult's
- Jaw Joint Disorders may be Connected to Other Health Problems
- Simple or Surgical? Choosing the Right Kind of Tooth Extraction
- How to Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthy During Pregnancy
- Even All-Natural Fruit Juice Could Increase the Risk of Tooth Decay
- This Rare Tongue Condition Often Looks Worse than it Actually is
- Take a Look into Your Future with a Trial Smile
- June (6)
- Root Canals are a Safe Way to Save Teeth
- Here's How You Can Protect Your Child's Teeth from Tooth Decay
- Tooth Type and Condition can Affect Root Canal Therapy Effectiveness
- Manage Your GERD Symptoms to Prevent Enamel Erosion
- Getting a New 'Tooth in a Day' Will Depend on Your Bone Health
- Dentures with Implants Could Help You Avoid Bone Loss
- May (6)
- Your Teenager not Ready for an Implant? Here's What We Can Do Instead
- Affordable Veneers Can Give You a New Smile
- Root Canal Therapy Might Just Save Your Tooth!
- A Detailed 'Smile Analysis' Sets the Stage for a Successful Makeover
- Keep an Eye on Your Family's Fluoride Intake
- 3 Things You Can do to Help Promote Your Child's Dental Development
- April (6)
- Gum Disease Could be Affecting More Than Just Your Mouth
- Prompt Treatment for Gum Disease Could Ultimately Save Your Teeth
- Don't Use Benzocaine Products to Ease Your Baby's Teething Pain
- Here's How to Care for 3 Common Dental Restorations
- Your Teenager's Teeth May Not Be Mature Enough for Veneers
- Stress and Nighttime Teeth Grinding
- March (6)
- March Is the Time to Evaluate Sleep Problems
- Get a Look at Your Future Makeover Look Now with a 'Trial Smile'
- Treating Gum Abscesses and the Underlying Gum Disease
- What You Should Do to Protect an Older Loved One's Dental Health
- Catch Root Resorption Early for Best Chances of Saving Your Tooth
- Dental Sealants can help Prevent Tooth Decay in Children
- February (6)
- Watch Out for Signs of Gum Recession
- You May Need Your Dentist's Help Easing the Pain of Severe Canker Sores
- 4 Things to Avoid if You Want to Support Your Child's Dental Development
- Here's What you Need to Know about a Root Canal Treatment
- Stop Gum Disease Before it Harms Your Health
- Your Regular Dental Visits Might Change if You've had Gum Disease
- January (6)
- A New Veneer with Minimal or No Tooth Alteration
- 3 Reasons Why Your New Dentist Needs Your Treatment Records
- What Happens in a Root Canal Treatment and How it Can Save Your Tooth
- 'Get Rid' of Those Unattractive Teeth with Porcelain Veneers
- Dental Implants Better than Ever thanks to Ongoing Tech Advances
- 4 Ways to Check on Your Brushing and Flossing Effectiveness
- 2018
- December (6)
- Treating Gum Disease around Tooth Roots is Hard - but Not Impossible
- Take Care of Your Dental Appliance and It Will Take Care of You
- Porcelain Veneers Might not be the Best Option for Teenagers
- Be Alert to the Unintended Consequences of Cancer Treatment to Oral Health
- Early Action Needed to Save Your Tooth from Root Resorption
- Keeping Your Smile Healthy Through the Holidays
- November (6)
- A Stainless Steel Crown Could Help a Struggling Primary Molar Last Longer
- Have Your Child's Chronic Mouth Breathing Checked to Avoid Bite Problems
- Don't Ignore Sudden Tooth Pain - Your Teeth may be Telling you Something
- Advanced Equipment and Safe Practices Ensure X-Ray Safety for Children
- TMD and Fibromyalgia Could Share Links in Chronic Pain
- Practice Caution with Energy or Sports Drinks to Protect Your Enamel
- October (6)
- Five Tips for Top-Notch Tooth Brushing
- New Dental Advances Promise Better Outcomes for Treating Decay
- Dental Implants can also Support Other Traditional Restorations
- Inflammation is a Key Element in Both Oral and Systemic Diseases
- Loose Permanent Teeth is a Problem - take Action Now
- Stay Ahead of Plaque Buildup with Effective Brushing and Flossing
- September (6)
- The Parent-Dentist Partnership: Establishing Better Oral Health for Your Child
- 4 Reasons Why You May Need to See a Periodontist for Your Gum Disease
- What You Should Know About a Home Teeth Whitening Kit
- 3 Surprising Sugar Sources Your Baby Might be Consuming
- Protect Your Teeth During Football Season
- Ease Your Child's Teething Discomfort with these Tips
- July (7)
- Implant-Based Removable Dentures a Good Choice for Patients with Extensive Bone Loss
- Think Water First for Summer Thirst
- Don't Take a Vacation From Oral Hygiene This Summer!
- No- or Minimal-Prep Veneers Reduce Permanent Alterations to Your Teeth
- We'll Help You Maintain Your Oral Health After Gum Disease
- Your Dental Care Efforts are Just as Important as Your Dentist's
- Tips for Picture-Perfect Summer Smiles
- June (6)
- Bone Grafting Might be Necessary Before You Obtain an Implant
- FAQs About Children's Dental Development
- Take These Measures to Lower Your Child's Tooth Decay Risk
- Finding the Right Solution for Your Gummy Smile
- June Is Men's Health Month
- Use the Same Prevention Strategy to Defeat Tooth Decay and Gum Disease
- March (5)
- It's Spring Cleaning Time...for Your Teeth!
- Provisional Restorations let you Try out Your New Smile First
- 3 Fluoride Sources You Should Monitor for Your Family's Dental Health
- 3 Tips for Helping Your Kids Develop Great Tooth-Friendly Habits
- Why the Ointment You're Using Could be Making Your Facial Rash Worse
- 2017
- 2016
- November (5)
- Reduce Your Oral Cancer Risk with Better Diet and Lifestyle Choices
- Clear Aligners Make it Easier for Teenagers to have Their Teeth Straightened
- 4 Reasons you may want Your Dentist to Whiten Your Teeth
- Transform Your Smile and Dental Health by Correcting Your Bad Bite
- Follow These Common Sense Steps When Your Child has a Toothache
- October (5)
- What to Expect Before, During and After Implant Surgery
- Don't let Gum Disease - the 'Other Dental Disease' - Rob you of Your Smile
- Reduce Sugar Consumption - for a Healthier Mouth and Body
- Keeping up Good Hygiene Still a Necessity with Dental Implants
- Teenagers May Need a Temporary Tooth Replacement
- August (5)
- Do you need Simple Tooth Removal or Surgery? It Depends on a few Factors
- People Born with Missing Teeth can Still Gain a Beautiful Smile
- You can Still have Implants with Diabetes - if you have it under Control
- See Your new Look Before Dental Work with a 'Trial Smile'
- Topical Fluoride Adds Extra Protection against Tooth Decay
- June (5)
- Keeping Gum Disease at Bay Could Help Your Overall Health
- The Risk for Gum Disease Increases While Wearing Braces
- Monitoring Blood Pressure is Also Important During Dental Care
- Adult Tooth Root Resorption is a Serious Issue that Requires Prompt Action
- Weigh a Poor Smile's Emotional and Social Cost when Considering Restorations
- March (5)
- Surgically Accessing Sinuses can Help Grow New Bone for Implants
- Kids, Cats and Canines: Dental Development Through the Ages
- Removable Dentures Remain a Viable Option for People with Total Tooth Loss
- Advancing Gum Disease Requires Thorough Treatment to Control it
- Support Your Child's Teeth Development with Proper Hygiene and Dental Care
- 2015
- 2014
- December (5)
- Reduce Your Risk of Oral Cancer With a Healthy Whole Food Diet
- Periodontal Surgery may be Needed to Halt Gum Disease and Encourage Healing
- Extend the Life of Your Dental Appliance With Proper Care
- More Than a new Smile - Dental Implants Help Stop Bone Loss as Well
- Dealing With Dental Emergencies While Traveling Abroad
- August (5)
- Does Your Toothbrush Need A Cleaning?
- Replace Missing Teeth to Prevent Other Teeth From Moving Out of Place
- Composite Resins are a Viable Restoration Option for Mildly Defective Teeth
- A Fixed Bridge Remains an Effective Option for Tooth Replacement
- Make Informed Choices on Drinking Water by Knowing the Facts
- April (5)
- Five Things You Should Know About Sleep Apnea
- Seeking Relief From Burning Mouth Syndrome
- Non-Vital Bleaching Removes Unsightly Tooth Discoloration From Within
- Considering Bone and Gums Critical to Achieving a Better Smile With Implants
- Know What to do to Ease Your Child Out of the Thumb Sucking Habit
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
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My Blog
Posts for: December, 2013

Compared to traditional braces, orthodontic clear aligners seem miraculous in many ways, almost too good to be true. You may be wondering if they really work. The answer is yes — but they are not for everyone.
What are orthodontic aligners and how do they work?
Clear orthodontic aligners are an alternative to traditional braces that are used to move your teeth and transform your smile without much interference to your daily life. They are removable trays made of a clear plastic material that is essentially invisible.
When using aligners, a sequence of slightly different trays is custom-made to fit over your teeth. You must wear each one 20 hours a day for two weeks before changing to the next in the series. The aligners are computer generated, designed by state-of-the-art techniques based on models and images of your own teeth. They work because slight changes in the sequential aligners gradually shift your teeth. If they are worn consistently, the process takes from six months to two or three years.
Advantages over traditional braces are:
- The aligners can be removed for eating, drinking, brushing, flossing and social occasions.
- They have no rough edges or wires, making them more comfortable.
- Changes become visible quickly as your teeth move into their new, better positions.
Clear aligners are a good solution for correcting mild to moderately crowded or incorrectly spaced teeth. They are most effective if your back teeth already fit together properly. Clear aligners are usually effective in correcting simpler or tipping movements of teeth in two dimensions. For more complex movements, traditional braces may be required. Clear aligners are usually recommended for adults whose teeth and jaws are fully developed, and not for children.
When do you need traditional fixed braces?
Traditional braces are fixed brackets attached to the teeth through which narrow, flexible wires are threaded. They may be necessary if your teeth do not meet properly, creating too much overbite or underbite. Closing spaces where teeth are missing, rotating teeth, or other complicated situations probably make you a better candidate for traditional braces.
Each particular situation is unique. To find out if clear aligners are right for you, make an appointment with us for an assessment and diagnosis of your own situation. For more information see the Dear Doctor magazine article “Clear Orthodontic Aligners.”

Many people view a tooth extraction (removal) as a major ordeal; but from a dentist’s standpoint it’s a routine procedure. That’s not to say, though, that all extractions are alike — there are varying levels of complexity depending on the type, size and location of the tooth.
Teeth are held in place to the jawbone by a tissue known as the periodontal ligament, whose collagen fibers attach the tooth to the bone of the jaws. By gently manipulating the tooth, we can release the hold that these fibers have on the tooth. This takes not only skill but also a kind of “feel” that comes with experience.
From that point, removing the tooth will depend on its root structure and how it’s positioned in the jaw. Upper front teeth have a single, straight root usually shaped like a cone; their path of removal is relatively straight and uncomplicated. Many teeth in the back, however, have more than one root, and not as straight in shape as an upper front tooth, that complicates the path of removal. Depending on the level of complication, the extraction may require an oral surgeon, a dental specialist.
After the tooth is extracted, it may be necessary to fill the socket (the area of the bone once occupied by the tooth) with some form of grafting material that will encourage bone growth. This new growth will aid with any future plans for dental implants.
After the procedure, we will give you instructions for cleaning and caring for the extraction site as you recover over the next few days. We may also prescribe medications to help you cope with discomfort and swelling, as well as antibiotics and antibacterial mouth rinses.
Before undertaking any extraction, we would first conduct a thorough examination and provide you with your options and our recommendations for treatment. We would also discuss your options for replacing the teeth after theyâ??ve been extracted.
The thought of having an extraction may fill you with anxiety. But in the hands of an experienced professional, removing a tooth is a routine and safe procedure.
If you would like more information on tooth extractions, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Simple Tooth Extraction?”

There are a number of materials and techniques available in cosmetic dentistry that help us improve our patients' smiles. Porcelain veneers stand out as one of the most popular and least interventional of these options.
As the name implies, a veneer is a thin layer of dental restorative material that covers the original tooth surface. Veneers don't require an extensive amount of tooth preparation or removal of sound tooth structure, as with a crown or bridge.
Veneers are made of dental porcelain, a material compatible with living tissue and with a very life-like appearance. The dentist as artist can fashion the porcelain to precisely imitate an individual's natural teeth, including the natural color and hue of surrounding teeth.
Are porcelain veneers an option for you? Only a smile analysis in our office can determine that. Your teeth must be in a somewhat normal position. The teeth in question must have a sufficient amount of remaining tooth structure to support veneers. And you must have symmetrical gum contours that will allow for proper framing of the teeth, which will enhance the final cosmetic result.
If your current dental health meets these criteria, then porcelain veneers could help correct spaces between teeth that aren't too wide, improve poor color, or address poor shape, contours or minor bite problems. Veneers, however, do have their limitations. They aren't effective if you have poor tooth position, if the root positions are widely out of line, or if you have a poor profile. Some form of orthodontics may be needed initially for these situations.
That being said, porcelain veneers are an excellent long-term option in the right situation. Depending on your individual circumstance and how you care for your teeth, a veneer application can last for several years, or if they come loose or become chipped they can be repaired in most cases. The material is strong enough to withstand normal pressures exerted during chewing or biting, as long as you avoid activities like opening nutshells with your teeth or chewing on very hard candy.
Overall, porcelain veneers can give your smile a whole new look with little impact on your remaining tooth structure.
If you would like more information on porcelain veneers, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Smile Design Enhanced With Porcelain Veneers.”

It's not just your teeth that are on display when you smile; it's also your gums. For a smile to look appealing, there needs to be a frame of healthy pink tissue to set off those pearly whites. But just as there can be cosmetic issues with teeth, the shape or condition of the gums, too, can create an aesthetic problem. If you feel the appearance of your gums is in any way detracting from the appeal of your smile, we can help with a variety of in-office surgical procedures.
Here are some common cosmetic gum problems — and possible solutions:
Problem: Too Much Gum Tissue. A smile can look “gummy” when excessive gum tissue covers more of the enamel surface of a tooth's crown (upper portion) than normal.
Solution: Crown Lengthening. This is a procedure in which gum tissue (and rarely but sometimes a small amount of bone tissue) is removed to expose more tooth surface.
Problem: Not Enough Gum Tissue. Sometimes your gums can shrink down (recede), exposing some of a tooth's root — which is more yellow than the enamel surface of the tooth.
Solution: Gum Grafting. There are various grafting procedures that can be used to cover exposed roots by moving gingival (gum) tissue from one site in the mouth to another. Sometimes laboratory-processed donor tissue can even be used to minimize the surgery.
Problem: Uneven Gum Line. This means that some teeth are covered by more gum tissue than others, which can make a smile seem off-kilter.
Solution: Gum tissue can be recontoured (reshaped) for a very pleasing effect with either conventional surgery or the newer dental laser technology.
All of the above procedures can be performed at the dental office — usually with only a local anesthetic (numbing shot). In fact, for laser surgery you may need only a topical anesthetic gel. An examination is required to determine whether conventional or laser treatment is in your best interests. Whatever your cosmetic gum surgery needs may be, the procedures are routine and predictable — and they can work wonders for your smile!
If you have any questions about cosmetic gum surgery, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Gummy Smiles” and “Periodontal Plastic Surgery.”