Day: September 15, 2017

Dental Care

Tips To Help You Decide Whether Porcelain Veneers Are For You

 The principle idea behind veneers is to improve the appearance of your teeth. Porcelain veneers have become one of the most popular options as they are extremely tough and durable; you may need to consider if these are the right option for you if you have any of the following issues:

  • Discoloration

Teeth are subject to all sorts of food, drinks, fluoride, dental treatments and other environmental toxins throughout the day. It is hardly surprising that, over time, these products stain your teeth; leaving them discolored.

If your teeth fall into this category then you may wish to consider having porcelain veneers fitted to improve the look of your teeth and restore your smile.

  • Damaged

There are many ways in which your teeth can be damaged, through force in a fight, or while playing sport. They can also develop cracks and holes through decay.

Again, porcelain veneers can help return the look of your teeth to what they should be.

  • Misaligned

There are many reasons why you teeth can become misaligned. It may be that they have grown that way when you were a child; and never been corrected.  Alternatively you may have lost a tooth and the surrounding teeth have moved to fill the gap.

Veneers can correct this issue by surrounding all your teeth and making them look perfect; just like your favorite celebrity.

  • Gaps

Just as a gap can help your teeth become misaligned it can also cause issues when eating and with your confidence when you need to smile. This will no longer be an issue if you have porcelain veneers fitted.

Why Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers are not the only option. If you have any of the above issues you may be interested to know that there are various options regarding which type of veneer you choose. Of course, your budget will affect your final decision.

There are, however, several reasons why you should opt for porcelain veneers:

  • Strength

The first and most important point is that porcelain is very strong. Although it has been used for years to make veneers; the very latest technology allows the current range of porcelain veneers to be twice as strong as previous versions!

A quality porcelain veneer will act in the same way as your natural teeth; allowing you to enjoy your favorite food at any time of the day.

  • Non-Abrasive

Porcelain veneers are designed to be non-abrasive. This prevents the veneer from grinding down the teeth surrounding it. This was a common problem in the past and led to a lot more dental work!

  • Fit

Modern veneers are tailored to fit your teeth before the final pressing takes place. Not only does this mean that they are unique; but they are also an exceptionally good fit.

The better the fit of your porcelain veneers the easier they will be to fit and the less cement which will be required; all good things!

Summary

If the appearance of your teeth needs improving then porcelain veneers are probably the best solution for your needs. See your local dentist now; they can help you visualize and achieve the right result.

Drug rehab

Do You Need Drug Rehab?

In the past the idea of admitting you had a drug issue; or any kind of addiction was considered ridiculous. Owning up to such an issue would have been the same as admitting you were a criminal or involved in the criminal underworld.

It was a taboo subject, despite the fact that many innocent people suffered and continue to suffer from this ailment.

Fortunately, with the plethora of celebrities who have admitted addiction issues and entered drug rehab; this taboo is now gone. In fact, it is almost a rite of passage to have a drug addiction!

Of course, drug addiction is not a good thing; it can have an extremely detrimental effect on your life and the lives of those around you. If you are developing any of the following symptoms you need to consider the possibility that you have an addiction and need drug rehab:

Change in Behavior

Drugs give you a high, but this inevitably leads to a low and a craving for more of the drug. In a surprisingly short space of time you can find that all your waking thoughts are revolving round drugs and your next hit.

Of course, this means that you will no longer partake in the activities you used to and will no longer care about work or other passions in your life.

Other people will notice that you become withdrawn, sullen and even obnoxious.

Personal Hygiene

As you focus more on your next fix you will think less about how you look or your personal hygiene. It is often difficult for loved ones to mention this to you, but if you stop and look in the mirror you will notice the difference.

Inhibitions

Drugs generally lead you to drop your inhibitions. This may mean being more promiscuous or taking more risks in your everyday activities.

If you are starting to throw caution to the wind in every situation then you are in need of a drug rehab clinic.

Paranoia

The majority of drugs provide you with a heightened sense of awareness of what is around you; so much so that you can feel like you are in a dream world. Unfortunately, these hallucinations can lead you to alter your perception of truth and make you suspicious of everything and everyone round you.

High levels of paranoia are a common sign of drug addiction.

Aggression

As you focus more on your drug and your own needs you are likely to see anyone else as an obstacle to your ‘happiness’. This will make you aggressive; especially when you factor in the need for your drug and a potential inability to locate it.

Aggression can manifest itself as bad temper or physical violence and is a sure sign that you need help.

Financial Issues

Finally, as you focus less on normal affairs and more on your drug addiction you are likely to spend the money you have without thinking and leave bills unpaid. You may even lose your job; leaving you in an increasingly difficult financial position.

These are not the only signs that show you are in need of drug rehab but if you are displaying one or more of these it s tie to start admitting you have a problem.

Dental Care

Crown Lengthening for Achieving your Dream of Getting a Prettier Smile

It’s a no-brainer that most of us want to have prettier smiles. Some people opt to get a professional’s help to achieve this.

According to the Oral Health Foundation, a smile is greatly important in building one’s personality, relationships with other people, self-confidence, and success. However, being able to show your smile with confidence is something not everyone can do. For those who do not have a perfect set of teeth, it can be a little challenging.

Some may have issues with the alignment of their teeth. Then, there are those who don’t feel contented with the size of their exposed teeth. Some people also have too much gum tissue around their upper teeth, giving what most dentists call a “gummy smile”. The procedure for correcting the latter problem is called crown lengthening.

Crown Lengthening: What It Is

Crown lengthening is a surgical procedure that will expose a greater amount of the person’s tooth. It requires a surgeon to remove a little of the gum tissues, the bone, or, at times, both. It is generally done to correct tooth issues when there is not much tooth above the gum that could support a filling or a crown. In other words, it is done for aesthetic purposes. However, it is also an essential procedure when a tooth breaks off near the gum line.

Do You Need to Undergo Procedure?

The first thing to do before deciding to go through crown lengthening is to visit a periodontist.  A periodontist can be a Washington DC dental implants specialist. He will review your X-rays and medical history, and he will set a date for your oral surgery. Before the appointment, you can also get a professional tooth cleaning. The dentist will decide whether you will need a temporary crown to protect the tooth months before the actual procedure or not.

How the Procedure Goes

Before the procedure, your periodontist will educate you on what to expect during and after the procedure.

The surgery itself begins by using local anesthesia. The amount of anesthesia will depend on the number of teeth that the periodontist will be working on. If he will remove both soft tissues and bone, then the procedure will take more time. Once enough tooth is already showing, the periodontist will stitch the gums together. He may also remove any temporary crowns before the procedure begins and will put them back after.

After the whole procedure, you will receive prescriptions and diet plans. You will also receive directions on how to take care of your teeth and gums while you are still healing. There is the risk of bleeding for some time after going through the procedure. Infections may also occur after the surgery. Your teeth and gums’ sensitivity to hot and cold may also increase. These are all normal effects, but they should eventually disappear.

Final Thoughts

A crown lengthening procedure may cost a bit. However, if you have a gummy smile and are aiming to achieve a prettier smile, then the best option to choose is to undergo this. When you’ve finally decided to do so, you can always choose among the best clinics and periodontists around the US.

Dental

Oral Therapy for Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder characterized by an individual having inconsistent breathing pattern while sleeping. Breathing temporarily stops for ten seconds and can sometimes happen repeatedly for five times in an hour. This disorder is sometimes connected to snoring which results to higher airway resistance.

Our brain can detect a problem with our breathing whenever our oxygen levels decrease. When this happens, our brain wakes us up so that we can continue breathing normally. However, for those with sleep apnea, their brain does not send the right signals to wake up the person.

Different oral appliance therapies for sleep apnea

There are a lot of available treatments to sleep apnea. One of which is oral appliance. There are also two types of oral appliances to help in treating sleep apnea: mandibular repositioning devices and tongue retaining devices.

Mandibular repositioning devices are used to adjust the lower jaw in order for your airway to remain open while you are sleeping. Tongue retaining devices, on the other hand, help the airway to stay open by holding on to your tongue. These oral appliances are specially made to match the shape of your teeth and mouth. They can also effectively stop snoring.However, only professionals like dental partners of Boston – Charles River are advised to perform such therapies.

Advantages of oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea

  1. You can see instant results on the first night of using them.
  2. It is handy and convenient to use. You can bring it anywhere.
  3. It can also be unnoticeable once used.
  4. It conserves energy especially because you do not need to charge it.

Disadvantages of oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea

  1. There is a possibility for you to have TMJ or temporal mandibular joint arthritis.
  2. Your teeth may tend to move.
  3. You might feel a strange sensation after removing the device.

How much do oral appliances cost?

The price range of an oral appliance usually range from $1800 – $2000. The mouthpiece you will be using, dentist visits, adjustments or modifications to the mouthpiece, and follow ups are already included in this price. It might be expensive, but there are health care providers who will cover this treatment.

How do you get a sleep apnea oral appliance?

The first thing you should do is to consult with a doctor. They will know best what will work for you because there are instances wherein people with sleep apnea are not advised to use sleep therapies. To assess you, they might conduct a sleep study and then discuss your symptoms. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, there will be treatment options presented to you.

If a dental device is required, you will be endorsed to a dentist who specializes in treating sleep disorders related to breathing.

Dental Care

Nighttime Tips for Improving Your Oral Health

Oral health is extremely important. Ignorance of it can lead to serious dental problems like tooth decay, bacterial infections, and more.

In order to know if your teeth are in good condition, it is important that you visit the dentist at least once a year for your regular checkup. If the dentist finds something wrong, then you may go for a dental procedure to prevent further damage to your teeth. You may also visit the dentist to make your teeth look nicer. A Naperville cosmetic dentist is the specialist that can help you when it comes to improving your dental aesthetics.

Most of the time, bacteria or dirt will build up in between teeth and inside the mouth faster at night because this is when the mouth is the least active. Thus, if one does not observe proper dental hygiene before they sleep, they increase the chance of having dental problems. Here are a few nighttime habits that you should develop in order to improve your oral health.

Follow Healthy Dental Routine

At the top of the list is brushing and flossing. This is, in fact, the last thing that you should do before you sleep. Brushing and flossing are really important because they allow you take out all of the dirt and the remnants of foods or drinks that you have consumed, thus keeping your teeth fresh and clean.

Observe Proper Brushing and Flossing Technique

It’s one thing to brush and floss your teeth every night before you sleep. However, it’s another matter to brush and floss properly. No matter how much you follow these dental routines, your teeth will never be totally clean if you don’t use the proper techniques.

For brushing your teeth, you have to make sure that you brush each tooth individually. Make sure you brush the front, the back, and the sides of the teeth. For flossing, you have to make sure that you press the floss into the gaps between the teeth to take out the dirt.

Don’t Eat Before You Sleep

Another thing to do is to never eat before you sleep, especially if you have already brushed and flossed. If you are really hungry and can’t help eating, you’ll have to brush and floss again. Otherwise, you will risk the chances of bacteria growth. Eat a good dinner so that you will not feel hungry at midnight.

Drink Lots of Water

Drinking water that contains fluoride can help in preventing cavities. It will also wash away unwanted sugar that is left behind your mouth. Any food residue and cavity-causing bacteria can be removed with a few sip of water. Of course, drinking water does not mean you have to skip brushing your teeth.

Final Thoughts

Taking care of your teeth is one of the most important things that you should do for yourself. Once you start to develop dental problems like tooth decay, bleeding gums, or other conditions, then you’ll have to undergo painful procedures that will cost a lot. The best way to avoid all of these is to start developing some healthy nighttime oral habits.