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Are you making resolutions for the new year? Sadly, studies show that setting unrealistic expectations will likely have you failing by February. This year, why not simply make a pledge to improve your dental health?
A healthier smile is easily doable. Start by establishing a routine of brushing your teeth for two minutes at least twice a day and flossing daily. Stay hydrated, especially with fluoridated water, to help prevent cavities and to flush away bacteria between meals. Eat a balanced, nutritious diet and cut back on sugary treats and carbohydrates that can cause damage to your teeth.
Make your resolution stick by partnering with your dentist. Schedule an exam and teeth-cleaning twice a year to monitor your oral health. You’ll find that metro Detroit dental professionals offer a range of the latest treatments to ensure a healthy mouth and make your smile shine.
Don’t be surprised that your resolution will lead to life-changing moments. A rejuvenated appearance is a boost to your self-esteem, your relationships, and your professional success — and it often goes hand-in-hand with a healthy, beautiful smile.
Q: I’m up for a promotion, competing with a “kid” in the office. Can a new smile help me get my edge back?
A: “Imagine walking into a room and flashing a big, bright, celebrity smile. It sends an instant message: ‘I’m happy, healthy, vital, and confident,” says Dr. Craig Goldin, of the award-winning Cosmetic Dentistry Institute. His wife, Dr. Marcy Goldin, an adjunct clinical professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, agrees: “No matter what your dental needs are, we can create a picture-perfect smile that will leave a lasting impression.”
The Cosmetic Dentistry Institute provides an array of the most advanced technology and treatments, making it easy, quick, and pain-free to transform your smile. “Luminous, natural-looking porcelain veneers are carefully crafted to change the shape, size, color, and length of teeth that are crooked, chipped, or stained,” Dr. David Whalen says.
“If you have missing teeth, we can replace them with state-of-the-art dental implants that look, feel, and function like natural teeth and allow you to smile, chew, and speak more confidently,” adds Dr. Craig Goldin, a Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists who also has advanced training and certification in IV sedation and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD Fellowship is recognized as the highest level of competence in cosmetic dentistry, and only 65 dentists in the world have earned this distinction.
“Sedation dentistry is a wonderful and effective option for people who are busy, anxious, or who need a series of dental problems taken care of in just one visit,” Dr. Marcy Goldin explains. “You can fall asleep wrapped in a blanket on a Tempur-Pedic cushion and wake up to a younger, healthier, more beautiful smile!”
Q: Is there a safe and quick way to straighten my teeth or my children’s teeth without breaking the bank?
A: With Fastbraces technology, teeth can be straightened in less time — six months to a year — rather than two or three years using traditional braces. It’s a fast, safe, easy, and affordable solution for teens and adults, Dr. Dolores Baran says.
“From the beginning of treatment, Fastbraces’ patented, triangular-shaped brackets move the roots and crowns of your teeth toward their final positions. When your treatment is complete, you wear a retainer for only 15 to 20 minutes a day.”
Fastbraces generally costs far less than traditional braces. The advanced technology uses just one orthodontic wire and is safer for root structure, and patients get results with less sensitivity.
“I’ve done treatments with Fastbraces that I would never do with traditional braces,” Dr. Baran says. “One young man was told by three different people that he would need surgery and have to have his jaw broken in order to straighten his teeth. Using Fastbraces, we got it done without surgery.”
Ready to straighten your smile? Call for a complimentary consultation.
Q: Can physical therapy help my TMJ pain?
A: When treating TMJ (temporomandibular joint syndrome), the specially trained physical therapists at Team Rehab will analyze a patient’s posture, look for dysfunctions in the patient’s neck, and examine the range of motion of the jaw to detect where the TMJ stems from and to develop an individualized program of treatment for each patient. Physical therapy treatments may include ultrasound, moist heat, ice, stretching, and exercises that help improve posture and muscle strength.
Manual therapy can also be used to relax the muscles of the neck and face, and to relieve any stiffness in the muscles of the jaw and neck. Physical therapists may also work on the muscle structures inside the mouth, to move the temporomandibular joint out of a compressed state and into a painless state of rest. Team Rehab therapists can ease your TMJ pain.
Q: Is there a minimally invasive procedure to correct receding gums?
A: With the Chao Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation Technique, receding gums are typically treated with no cutting, no stitches, and virtually no pain. Periodontist Dr. Joseph Nemeth was the first gum specialist in Michigan to be certified in the use of this minimally invasive technique by its originator and developer, Dr. John Chao.
“When gums recede, your teeth look much longer and your smile looks older. This condition also can lead to tooth sensitivity, decay, and bone loss,” Dr. Nemeth explains. “Using the Pinhole Technique, we make a small pinhole in the gum above the teeth to be treated. With special instruments, we then loosen up the gum tissue and bring it down over the receded areas where it should be. This improves the smile tremendously and prevents further gum and bone recession and loss.”
Dr. Nemeth places Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) through the pinhole. A membrane derived from the patient’s own blood, PRF increases the blood supply in the gums, speeds healing, and further enhances the result.
The Pinhole Technique offers many advantages over traditional gum grafting, including no incisions or sutures, less discomfort, and a faster recovery, Dr. Nemeth says. “It’s a great technique. Patients do well and are extremely happy to have a healthier, more attractive smile.”
Q: Is it possible that I could be hurting my teeth at home?
A: A strong coating of enamel protects your teeth from decay and sensitivity. Although enamel is the hardest tissue in the human body, it can wear away due to certain foods you eat and your oral care habits.
Highly acidic foods and drinks, including citrus fruits and juices, carbonated soda, black coffee, and wine are very abrasive to tooth enamel. Just four daily acidic experiences can put your enamel at risk.
Consider these steps to prevent acid wear:
• Reduce your exposure to acidic foods and drinks.
• Avoid sipping acidic drinks. Use a straw to protect your teeth.
• Drink water while you eat acidic foods.
• Chew sugar-free gum with xylitol between meals to boost saliva, which reduces acids and strengthens teeth with calcium and other minerals.
Brushing your teeth too soon after eating an acidic meal also weakens tooth enamel. Instead, rinse your mouth with water or a fluoride-containing mouth rinse, or eat a calcium-rich dairy product like cheese. Wait at least 30 minutes and then brush gently using a soft toothbrush and low-abrasion fluoride toothpaste.
You may want to add an enamel-strengthening dental product or a remineralizing treatment to your oral hygiene routine. If you have questions regarding enamel loss, please call Dr. Mindy Salzberg-Siegel to discuss your concerns.
Q: I’d love a new smile for the new year! What are some of the procedures I should consider?
A: There are many cosmetic dental procedures available to improve your teeth and enhance your smile. Depending on your particular needs, cosmetic dental treatments can change your smile dramatically, from restoring a single tooth to having a full mouth makeover. Dr. Aziza Askari and Comfort Dental Spa offer many cosmetic procedures including teeth-whitening, porcelain veneers, porcelain crowns (caps), tooth-bonding, dental implants, and orthodontics.
Using conservative, state-of-the-art procedures and technology, Dr. Askari and the Comfort Dental team can restore and enhance the natural beauty of your smile, often in less time than you would imagine. Thanks to advances in modern dentistry, cosmetic treatments can make a difference in making you — and your smile — shine!
Q: Are “Teeth in a Day” a good option?
A: Almost all of us have seen the advertisements on television where what we’re supposed to believe is that a patient had all or most of their teeth “replaced” in a day — and if you’re experiencing a similar situation, this might be the answer for you. Is it for real?
This procedure has been called “All on 4” or “Teeth in a Day” by some dental laboratories. What it means is that the dentist is surgically placing four new implants to support a denture in a patient’s jawbone, and the lab made the implants that same day. Since dental implants normally require four months to “integrate,” or heal, in a person’s jaw — preferably undisturbed during that time — how can this procedure work?
The denture has a metal reinforced base that helps dissipate biting forces around the implants to help prevent an implant from not integrating in the bone. The goal is that the denture will work well enough to allow the implants to heal, and the patient can go home with their new teeth that day.
The procedure might work just fine if everything goes right. However, the choices for a person’s final teeth, which happens months later, will be limited because there aren’t enough implants to support cemented crown-and-bridge porcelain teeth.
This can be a difficult decision, but with the help of a dentist who places and restores implants, like Dr. H. Karl Winter, it can be much easier to determine whether this procedure is right for you, or if other options should be explored.
Dr. Winter has placed and restored dental implants for 25 years and can help you make the right choice. Are teeth in one day right for you? Call to schedule an implant consultation with Dr. Winter today!
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