How to Best Clean Dental Veneers

If you’re reading this article, chances are you are the proud owner of a brand new set of dental veneers, the most effective way to dramatically improve the appearance of one’s smile action. Candidates and recent patients may be curious about the best way to properly care for and maintain them. Our veneers dentist in Torrance is happy to provide you with all the answers you seek.

Veneers are wafer-thin tiles, usually manufactured from porcelain or in some cases composite resin, that are affixed to the front of visible teeth to change their shape, size, or to hide any discoloration the teeth may have accumulated over the years. As they are in fact individual pieces as opposed to one solid denture-like fixture, cleaning them is quite similar to cleaning the completely natural teeth you took care of before. Continuing your previous routine of brushing thoroughly twice a day and cleaning between the veneers daily with dental floss to dislodge any foreign debris is one obvious way to keep them pristine – be careful as you do, however, as a common experience is flossing too hard and accidentally fracturing one or more of the veneers. Using less abrasive toothpaste will help your veneers last as long as possible and stay as beautiful as they were the day you left our office.

There are many preemptive measures you can take as a patient to not only keep your veneers clean, but also to keep them looking clean, as well. Veneers of all varieties are quite prone to staining – the last thing you want to do after all is finally said and done is tarnish your new smile with a dull, dingy tinge. The best way to avoid doing so? Abstaining from foods and beverages with dark staining properties, coffee and red wine being two prime examples. Another bad habit to break would be indulging in tobacco products, whether chewed or inhaled. While it is possible to lift some varieties of less severe stains from the artificial material via in-office whitening treatments and/or switching to a whitening toothpaste, in most cases severely discolored veneers will unfortunately have to be replaced. This is quite costly, especially so if your veneers happen to be made of ceramic. Prevention is the most logical course of action.

Consult with our Torrance cosmetic dentist to learn more.

What to Ask Your Dental Implant Dentist

Many patients who are missing one or more adult teeth entirely may worry that their smile is beyond redemption. Something not everybody may be aware of is the option of a dental implant, the best way to replace teeth which have been lost or removed down to the root either through trauma, decay, disease, or extraction. You probably have many questions regarding the procedure, and our highly-qualified implants dentist in BeverlyHills is more than happy to answer all of them.

To start, what is a dental implant? A dental implant is a restorative fixture used when a tooth must be replaced completely. Unlike less advanced forms of whole-tooth replacement, such as dental bridges, implants are embedded directly into the jawbone, through the gumline, replacing the root completely, and braced there through surgical means – it is usually a titanium screw, and once it has been installed it is covered by a crown which will mimic the appearance of the natural tooth before. It is a permanent solution and once it has been placed can be used exactly like a genuine tooth, allowing you to enjoy the same things you did before losing the original one. The procedure is safe, virtually painless, and takes less than a day to recover from before you will be free to return to your regular life.

The next thing you’re probably wondering is why anybody would want to undergo such a drastic procedure just to replace a tooth. There are many ways a dental implant can improve your life, both cosmetic and practical. For one thing, a renewed smile has a dramatic effect on the confidence of the patient. More tangibly, it also reduced the surface area of your enamel, giving bacteria less of a chance to penetrate your teeth and cause unwanted decay. Most importantly, this procedure will prevent the rest of your teeth from gradually shifting toward the opening where your old tooth was previously and help you avoid other complications in the future, as well.

While there is a small likelihood that the body will reject your new implant, the chances of this happening in an otherwise healthy candidate are slim to none. A dental implant will last decades if properly cared for and maintained. 

Choosing Your Tooth Restoration Option

When it comes to restoring your teeth, there are multiple options available depending on your case. Our Northridge cosmetic dentist is here to help. Our experts can examine your smile to determine the best restoration option available.

If you have dental cavities, there are tooth colored fillings to give your teeth a natural look. Today’s dental composite resins are common in non-amalgam fillings. These composites are made of a plastic resin and silica filler. There are also new ways of bonding filling to the teeth to create a stronger, more protected connection and also more comfortable dental fillings.

Rebuilding teeth depends on the bond between resin materials and both the enamel and dentin. This recreates a tooth that not only looks natural but responds naturally too. The restored tooth will be able to withstand the stress of a bite making it very strong. Dentists are now using more tooth-like materials that are both safe and predicable such as composite resins and porcelains.

If you have an unstable tooth, you may get a crown. This is an indirect tooth restoration that completely covers a damaged tooth that is too unstable for a filling to correct. Crowns give a tooth back its healthy color and function. Some crowns can be made of metal and then covered with a porcelain coating, while others are fully ceramic.

Implants are another restoration option if you are missing one or more teeth. This replaces the entire structure of the tooth including the root.  It is made up of a titanium fixture and then surgically placed into the jawbone, which functions as the tooth root. It takes some time for the jawbone and the fixture to fuse together. Once this happens, a replacement tooth is attached. Dental implants have little to no impact on adjacent teeth.

Bridges are another option for replacing multiple damaged teeth. This is when one or more crowns are splinted together to replace the teeth. This restoration option can restore your smile and proper chewing function.

The least invasive option is teeth whitening. This restoration option is just for lightening and brighter. This can be done in our office or at home. The bleach strength used will depend on the level of your discoloration of your teeth and personal preferences. If you’re going to consider tooth restoration, talk to our dentists. Schedule a consultation with us so we can start restoring your smile.