Dental Cleaning Practices

During a routine teeth cleaning, plaque and tartar deposits are removed and your teeth are polished. Plaque is a soft, sticky film that is full of oral bacteria. These bacteria cause tooth decay and gum disease if they are not removed by brushing and flossing. Tartar is calcified plaque that cannot be removed at home and can only be removed by special tools during a professional cleaning.

During your next cleaning, we will use a mirror to see all parts of your mouth. This helps us spot tartar, swollen gums, irritated areas, bleeding, and other issues. We may use an ultrasonic instrument to loosen hardened tartar deposits so that they can be easily rinsed away with a gentle mist of cool water. The ultrasonic instrument is adjustable according to your comfort level.

Once we have removed larger tartar deposits, we will switch to handheld instruments called scalers. These are used to remove small deposits and smooth the surfaces of your teeth. Each tooth is carefully scaled to remove every bit of tartar. Finally, we polish your teeth. To polish them, we use a hand-piece with a soft cupped tip. Rather than typical toothpaste, we use a gritty polishing agent called prophylaxis paste. Each tooth is polished to make them smooth, shiny, and free of minor stains. You may also need a fluoride treatment if you are prone to cavities.

A professional dental cleaning is typically pain-free. If you have any discomfort, let us know so that we can take precautions to ensure your experience is comfortable for you. Call us today to learn more or to schedule your next checkup with our Santa Clara dentist.

What is Unique about Ceramic Braces?

Ceramic braces are among the discreet orthodontic options that use brackets and wires, as opposed to aligners. This treatment is less obvious than metal braces and, depending on the type, can also deliver other advantages. The following is some information about what makes ceramic braces special.

Ceramic Instead of Metal Brackets

The brackets of ceramic orthodontics distinguish this treatment from metal braces. With ceramic orthodontics, the brackets are made of tooth-colored ceramic tinted to match the smile of the patient. While not quite as sturdy as metal brackets, these brackets still withstand normal conditions well and are fairly resistant to stains.

Self-Ligating Brackets

Damon braces, a leading form of ceramic orthodontics, uses self-ligating technology on its brackets. This means that the brackets hold the wires on their own and let the wires move rather than using rubber bands and holding the wires stationary. Self-ligating braces also are more comfortable and may speed up treatment time.

With ceramic orthodontics, discretion is an option for patients of all ages, including many whose bite irregularities rule out Invisalign. Like metal braces, this treatment tends to take about two years for most patients. You can schedule a consultation with our orthodontist in Rocklin to find out if ceramic orthodontics would work well for you.

How a Smile Makeover Can Improve Your Self-Confidence

A smile makeover can give you a glowing smile and boost your self-confidence. Although in the past, dentistry was largely focused on treating problems and relieving pain, today’s dentistry philosophy focuses on preventing problems and improving the overall health and appearance of the smile. Our cosmetic dentist in Santa Clara offers many treatments that can give you the smile of your dreams.

Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you. A stained smile can make you feel embarrassed. Your teeth might look ill-maintained or un-brushed. Whitening can erase those stains and refresh your smile. Our dentist uses powerful professional whitening treatments that work quickly and effectively to lighten your teeth up to ten shades brighter.

Chipped, worn, and fractured teeth can be aging. You might find yourself hiding your teeth behind your lips or your hand. Dental bonding, ceramic veneers, and porcelain crowns can all be options for teeth that have been damaged and become unsightly.

Even crooked teeth can be straightened and improved with orthodontics. Invisalign clear aligners straighten teeth without the look and feel of braces. The only thing people will see during your treatment is your beautiful smile.

Any of these treatments can be incorporated into your smile makeover and customized according to your needs. Call our office today to learn more about smile makeovers or to schedule an appointment with our smile makeover dentist in Santa Clara.

What You Need to Do to Get Invisalign

Invisalign is a fascinating straightener for teeth that are slightly above the usual standard for braces. While not really an orthodontic product, Invisalign acts perfectly well against crooked or gapped teeth, and even mild cases of underbite or overbite. Best of all, it does so in relative secrecy—the aligners are made of translucent, medical-grade plastic and don’t interfere with your natural smile at all.

Steps for getting Invisalign start with your consult, at which your dentist confirms your candidacy. Before you go, you may want to take an online smile test, or look at pictures of Invisalign clients. At your consult, the dentist will collect several data, including dental impressions, bite registrations, and x-rays. In addition to these, Invisalign requires 8 patient photographs, including both full-face close-ups and close-ups of both upper and lower arches. 

Our Invisalign dentist in Los Angeles does not always recommend Invisalign for patients with severe orthodontic issues—these are still best fixed with braces. Invisalign is meant as a slightly more exclusive product, for patients who have suffered dental relapse from a past orthodontic experience, or who want to elevate their teeth from slightly below average to well above average.

Contact our office for more.

Reasons to Get Invisalign

There are many reasons as to why you might be unhappy with the appearance of your smile. Perhaps your teeth are crooked, crowded, or unevenly spaced. Maybe there’s a gap right in the front that you wish would go away. If you are looking for ways to even out your smile, metal braces may not be your only choice. Many local dentists are now offering teeth-straightening options that are nearly invisible through the use of clear plastic aligners.

Invisalign clear plastic retainers snap into place and are worn nearly around the clock to slowly shift your teeth into proper position. They are comfortable to wear and are not likely to damage soft tissues like metal in traditional braces might. These clear aligners are practically invisible when you are wearing them, even when you are having conversations up close.

Because you take your aligners out when you eat, you will not have to avoid certain foods as you would with traditional metal braces. You will not have to learn new ways to brush and floss your teeth. You simply complete your normal oral hygiene routine after eating, then you simply snap the aligners back into their place.

How are Inlays and Onlays Made?

Inlays and onlays are used when teeth have moderate decay or damage that cannot be restored with a filling but enables them to avoid a dental crown. The inlay or onlay restores the tooth’s strength and appearance while conserving the maximum amount of healthy tooth structure. The two restorations are similar: An onlay is used when the damage includes one or more cusp while an inlay can be used to restore a tooth that has damage within the cusps. If you are a candidate for an inlay or an onlay, you will need two or three dental appointments. Both restorations are placed in similar procedures.

At the initial appointment, the treatment site will be numbed with a local anesthetic so that we can prepare the tooth and remove the damaged or decayed tissue. We take a mold of the tooth and send the impression off to a dental lab, which creates a precise inlay or onlay to fit the tooth. The restoration is usually made of dental porcelain, which is well-tolerated by the oral tissues and closely matches the color or appearance of the tooth. At the next appointment, the inlay or onlay will be bonded securely to the tooth. Call our cosmetic dentist in Los Angeles today to find out more or to schedule an appointment with our team.

What Porcelain Crowns are Used for

Porcelain crowns are used to restore teeth after damage has occurred.  Our cosmetic dentist in Santa Clara can use them in many ways to improve the health, function, and aesthetics of your smile. If you have a seriously compromised tooth, a crown may be a good choice for you.

Unlike other restorations, such as fillings or onlays, which only cover part of the tooth, dental crowns cover the entire tooth above the gum line. They can be used to:

·         Protect a tooth with a large filling

·         Restore a tooth that has had a root canal treatment

·         Improve the appearance of a misshapen or badly discolored tooth

·         Strengthen a badly damaged or decayed tooth

·         Hold the parts of a cracked or fractured tooth together

A crown can also replace a missing tooth. It can be used to cap a dental implant, or two crowns can be used to support a dental bridge.

If you are a candidate for a dental crown, you will likely need two dental visits. At the first visit, your tooth will be prepared using a local anesthetic to numb the treatment site. The damaged tissue is then removed, and the tooth is shaped to receive the crown. After an impression is made to create a model of your tooth, a temporary crown is attached to protect it in the meantime. At the next appointment, your permanent crown can be placed and bonded. With good care, a crown can last a lifetime. Call our office today to learn more about how crowns can improve your smile, or to schedule a consultation with our porcelain crowns dentist in Santa Clara.

Details About Treatment with Braces

Orthodontic treatment is a reliable route to healthier, better-looking teeth. Knowing a bit about braces can help you prepare to have your teeth straightened successfully. Here are some key details to remember.

How Bite Correction Works

No matter which type of orthodontics you get, the basic working principle remains the same. Pressure is placed on the teeth and gradually adjusted to move the teeth towards their ultimate positions. A period of months to a couple of years is generally required for results.

Why Appointments Are Important

Visits are scheduled regularly during orthodontic treatment. At these visits, our orthodontist checks your progress and moves your treatment to the next stage as necessary. If you miss visits, your treatment completion could be delayed.

How Extra Oral Care Helps

Orthodontics can trap extra food and plaque against the teeth, so brushing becomes even more important during treatment. Good oral hygiene can help you avoid dental treatment later, and at the same time help you finish treatment with a smile that is in great shape.

Bite correction is different for every individual, but the above tips can help you regardless of the orthodontic work you need. You can schedule a consultation with our Northridge dentist to learn more details about orthodontic treatment.

Can Veneers Get Damaged?

Veneers are made of strong porcelain, but as with any material, they can get damaged. The best way to keep your dental veneers intact and on your teeth is through good dental habits and proper dental hygiene.

Some of the things that can damage your veneers include:

1. Bruxism
Grinding or clenching your teeth can put extreme pressure on your teeth and veneers and could crack them or weaken the bond, leading to premature failure or veneer damage.

2. Phosphoric acid
Most acidic foods and drinks will not damage your veneers, but phosphoric acid, which can be found in colas and some other sodas, can be damaging in large amounts. An occasional soda is fine, but if you regularly consume soda, use a straw to avoid damaging your veneers and teeth.

3. Alcohol
Occasional alcohol is fine, but heavy drinking can weaken the bonding agent and cause your veneers to fail or fall off your teeth.

4. Non-food items
Teeth were made to eat food, and porcelain veneers are strong enough for this job, too. However, chewing on ice, pencils, fingernails and other non-food items can damage your veneers.

5. Poor dental hygiene
Poor dental hygiene is bad for your teeth and can cause decay to develop along the borders of your veneers or beneath your veneers.

Call our Los Angeles porcelain veneer expert to learn more about how you can protect your veneers or to schedule your consultation.

What Can A Smile Makeover Fix?

When it comes to the look of your teeth and your smile, there are many treatments that can correct a wide array of issues. Those with multiple problems with their teeth may be wondering if there is a way to shorten the process of dealing with all of the problems through what is called a makeover. However, there can be several misconceptions about what exactly a makeover entails.

A smile makeover is not just one or two procedures. The makeover process is individually tailored to the needs of each patient. This means that you and your dentist will decide on what changes you wish to make to your teeth so that a treatment plan can be designed with various procedures to accomplish your overall goal. Each makeover will consist of different procedures based on a patient’s individual goals.

In your case, your makeover may consist of whitening your teeth and correcting crowding of your teeth. This can be done with whitening treatments and perhaps the use of clear plastic aligners. Another patient may require a dental bridge combined with whitening. Another may need to have crowns to correct cracked or damaged teeth. You may need to see a couple of dentists to get all of the care required for an improved smile.

Types of Oral Surgery

Unfortunately, not all dental and oral issues can be corrected with treatments. Some more serious concerns require surgical methods. This applies to the gums, jaw, and teeth. Our dentist in Orange County inspects your smile and all surrounding areas during routine dental exams in order to detect any need or risk for treatment, surgical and otherwise.

Common types of oral surgery include:

•    Dental extractions, to remove teeth suffering from deep decay, damage, or spacing issues
•    Bone and gum grafting, to add tissue to areas affected by periodontal disease or to support dental implants
•    Dental implant placement, to replace knocked-out or extracted teeth
•    TMJ treatment, such as arthrocentesis, but only when all other tactics have been attempted
•    Periodontal procedures, such as gingival flap surgery

During any of these procedures, our dentist will apply a local anesthetic to the area. Dental sedation may be used if the patient prefers it and the conditions are conducive. They will be sure to explain the process beforehand, and include information about any risks or possible alternatives in order for you to have all the information you need. Be sure to follow any aftercare instructions provided to ensure proper recovery.

How Do Invisible Braces Work

It’s no secret that no one loves the look of metal braces. They are bulky and heavily noticeable. It can be daunting to have to go to work, school, or social events every day knowing you don’t look your best or yourself at all. Fortunately, modern dentistry now offers invisible braces.

Invisible braces, also known as Invisalign, feature clear aligners which fit much like mouth guards. They are virtually invisible when worn, but can be removed in order to eat, drink, and brush the teeth. Not only do they look better than traditional braces, but are much easier to wear.

Unlike braces, which pull the teeth, invisible braces work by pushing the teeth into place. Pictures and impressions are taken of the arches in order for them to be custom made to each patient, specifically. The first aligners will fit very closely to where the teeth are now. Each one applies a certain amount of pressure to the teeth in order to push them into healthier spaces. Aligners should be worn for no less than twenty hours a day, two weeks at a time. Patients will have the next few aligners with them to switch out on their own, but must attend visits to our expert in orthodontics in Rocklin every four to six weeks for check-ups.

For more information about how invisible braces work, you can schedule a consultation appointment today.