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Teeth Straightening With Orthodontic Treatment

Orthodontic treatment is recommended to dental patients who have been suffering from misaligned teeth. The purpose of this treatment is to realign a set of misaligned teeth for a better appearance. However, straight teeth are not the only benefit of dental braces.

If you are someone looking to get dental braces, you will be delighted to know that dental braces come along with other significant benefits. Healing from speech impairment is one of such major benefits. While your dentist is likely to only point out the primary benefit of dental braces, here are the other benefits of teeth straightening with orthodontic treatment that you should know:

Strengthening gum tissues and bones

Here’s a simple fact: When you do not have enough teeth, the jawbone starts to recede and your gums become weak, with no teeth to support. When you have misaligned teeth, you are likely to have spaces in between your teeth. The bone underneath these spaces tends to recede and the gums become weak, often in an irreversible manner.

Thus, by aligning your teeth properly and eliminating these spaces in the process, dental braces prevent help your bone and gums to remain strong.

Preventing oral infections 

When your teeth are misaligned, it means that their shape is not even. One may overlap another and some may even be positioned improperly. For this reason, your toothbrush may not be able to reach out to some places on your teeth.

By aligning your teeth, dental braces ensure that your teeth do not overlap with each other anymore, and each of them is positioned properly. Thus, it helps you in cleaning your teeth better, keeping away the bacteria that may otherwise feast in the places where your toothbrush cannot reach.

Reducing teeth grinding 

One tooth is bound to collide with another when your teeth are misaligned, and increase your chances of grinding them. Orthodontic braces prevent this, effectively.

By aligning your teeth perfectly, there is an even space and shape distributed throughout your teeth, which prevents grinding. Even when you have your braces on, you are less likely to grind your teeth, due to the chips and wires on them.

Improving speech

Your teeth play a vital role in delivering your speech. They regulation your pronunciation. For instance, people who have perfectly aligned teeth, pronounce the letter ‘S’, with a sharp and crisp hissing sound. However, people with a slightly misaligned set of teeth pronounce it with a rather bland hiss.

This is one of the several other instances where your teeth play a role in your speech delivery. By aligning your teeth properly, dental braces help you in improving your pronunciation and overall speech, and would surely save you from potential embarrassments!

Overall, orthodontic treatment is meant to heighten your self-esteem. With improved speech and appearance, there is not an entity that you can’t woe! And you need not worry about looking different with those braces on. It is a sustainability approach after all, and this is why over 4 million Americans have them on, as per The Washington Post! If you are looking to get orthodontic treatment, book an appointment with a dentist, now!

What to Do in Case of Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies could occur at any moment. It could be as severe as a broken tooth owing to an accident, or as minor as something stuck in between your teeth. Whatever the matter be, it has to be treated with proper care.
How do you ensure that you have the perfect knowledge of what to do in any sort of dental emergency? To address that, the following are the most common dental emergencies and what you should do in each of those situations.

Something caught in between your teeth

First and foremost, do not use a pin or any sharp object to pick it out. This might injure your gum and make the matter worse. Always use a floss to remove whatever is stuck in between the teeth.
Start gently and only floss rigorously if the object still doesn’t come out. Even still if you are unable to pick it out, see a dentist the next morning.

Broken braces

In case a wire breaks and pokes your inner mouth, the first thing you can consider is to put orthodontic wax at the end of the wire. If you do not have an orthodontic wax, use a pencil eraser to position it comfortably.
Do make sure to visit an orthodontist as soon as you can, and do not try to cut the wire off!

Suspected abscess

If you suspect an abscess (a bacterial infection that occurs between the gum and teeth or in the root of a tooth), do not waste any time in consulting your dentist. This is a serious oral health issue that could be highly consequential if left untreated.
Until your dentist sees you, keep rinsing your mouth with saltwater, twice or thrice a day. This would help in drawing the pus to the surface.

A crown falls off!

Firstly, do not panic. Before booking an immediate appointment with your dentist, try to put the crown back in place by using a dental adhesive or a toothpaste.
If unable to do so, you may use a cotton swab and put a little clove oil on it and apply it to the area. This is to reduce the pain.

Partially uprooted tooth

Visit your dentist immediately. Until then, apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the outside of the cheek, instead of having painkillers straight away.

Uprooted tooth / broken tooth

This is likely to occur from an accident. If you have an uprooted tooth, try to put it back in the socket but do not force it down. If you are unable, save the broken or uprooted tooth, rinse your mouth with water and wash away any tooth fragments from the mouth.
If you’re bleeding, ensure to put a gauze to the area until the bleeding stops. Visit the dentist as soon as you can!

Toothaches

If you experience unusual toothaches, rinse your mouth with warm saltwater. Do this twice a day. Floss gently to check if there is any food particle stuck in there. If the pain persists, book an appointment with your dentist.

Loose braces

Use orthodontic wax to reattach the loose braces. Following that, call your orthodontist right away to book an appointment!

Any sort of oral injury

In case of any injury, use an ice pack wrapped around a towel and apply it to your cheek for not more than 10 minutes at a time. If you’re bleeding, use a tea bag and apply it to the injured area for around 15 minutes. You may even consider rinsing your mouth with warm water. If the condition does not improve see a dentist right away.

In the event of any dental emergency, consulting a dentist is a necessity if the condition does not improve for you any time soon. It is important to treat the emergency as soon as possible to prevent any further consequences arising from the situation.

Why would you Need a Professional Dental Cleaning?

Dental cleaning might seem to be the simplest purpose of a visit to your dentist. But it is one of the most important ones! In this article we are here to discuss two important verticals of the process of dental cleaning: when you need them and how are they executed. Let us move straight into the central focus of our topic of discussion…

When Do you Need a Dental Cleaning? Do you Really Need it?

Has your dentist recently advised you to walk in for a deep cleaning process? If so, you perhaps have no reasons to guess that he might just be trying to make some extra bucks. He’s actually not! But how do you make it out?

Try noticing something in your teeth. If you find that the gums have become so diseased that they are pulling away from the teeth and creating spaces called ‘pockets’ and even exposing the bone, you know that your dentist could go for nothing but a deep cleaning. Deep cleaning is short of actual surgery and a rather invasive procedure that creates sounds that might be annoying to some and less disturbing to others. Worse still, the thought of deep cleaning sounds often result in some amounts of dental anxiety.

Your dentist in fact goes through X-rays and other examining processes before determining that your teeth need a deep cleaning. So don’t sit back thinking that you should only go for it if your insurance provides for the same! It is a rather essential procedure, which, if neglected, might bear dire consequences!

What Does Dental Cleaning Resolve?

The plethora of bacteria in our mouths often mixes with other substances to form sticky plaque on teeth. The plaque that does not get brushed or flossed away hardens to form a substance known as tartar. This causes inflammation of the gums, characterized by redness which could bleed easily. This is when your dentist or hygienist suggests a deep dental cleaning for you.

When pockets become deep enough, the teeth can become loose and may even be lost. Your dentist measures the depth of the pockets before recommending a professional cleaning. Healthy gums are supposed to have pockets that measure no more than 3 mm. A little more than that hints that your teeth are in trouble!

How is Does your Dentist go About the Deep Cleaning Process?

Deep cleaning has two parts – scaling and root planing. Scaling is when your dentist removes the plaque or tartar from both above and below your gum line. This ensures that all the way down to the bottom of the pocket has been perfectly cleaned. Root planing follows this. Its purpose is, smoothing out your teeth roots to aid reattachment of the gums to your teeth. Scaling and root planing may take more than one visit and often requires a local anesthetic too.

A dental cleaning process necessarily requires some after-care steps. Your dentist might prescribe an antibiotic for the infection or an over-the-counter pain reliever to ease any discomfort. Once you get rid of your problem, do not forget to get into the habit of regular oral hygiene so that the you do not get into the same trouble once more!

All You Need to Know About Dental Veneer – A Dental Guide

Veneers… Its Purpose:

Veneers are thin wafer-like materials that are attached to the front of your teeth to give your damaged or discolored teeth a transformed look. In the field of cosmetic dentistry, veneers have well served the purpose of giving your teeth the natural and original look. Porcelain veneers are thin shells of medical-grade ceramic that are individually crafted for each patient. The popularity of veneers counts on the fact that it is made from a material that closely resembles the appearance of your natural enamel. It makes them rank among the most trusted procedures in cosmetic dentistry.

The History of Veneers:

The use of dental veneers can actually be traced back to almost a hundred years back. It made its debut in the film industry. In the late 1920s, a Hollywood dentist, Dr. Charles Pincus, used veneers to enhance the smile of a film actor. However, he lacked the technology to permanently affix the porcelain to the recipient’s teeth. Later in the 1960s, Dr. Michael Bunocore contributed in kick starting the technology of adhesive dentistry. The veneers were etched with a mild acidic solution to the candidate’s teeth.

How has Veneers Changed Over the Years?

Over the past 30 years, advancement in technology has made this cosmetic procedure evolve with better results that give an enhanced and natural look than ever before. Newer types of porcelain veneers that are being developed have better light reflecting capacities. With the emergence of 3D imaging technology, dentists are now able to create same-day restorations. These are a near-perfect match to the shape and color of the patient’s original teeth. Also, nowadays, veneers might be combined with other procedures like, say, dental crowns deliver patients with comprehensive and satisfactory results!

Who can/should go for Veneers?

In order to determine an individual’s candidacy for veneers, it is best to consult a cosmetic dentist.  After evaluating your health history, condition of your enamel and your overall dental health, a dentist will be able to make an informed decision on the issue. Else, he or she could recommend alternative treatments.

However, generally speaking, one could go for veneers in order to address multiple issues, such as:

    • Cracked or chipped tooth
    • Gaps in between your teeth
    • Small misalignment in your teeth.
    • Discoloration of teeth where your teeth turns yellowish or brownish

In order to qualify for a veneer treatment, an individual’s dental health needs to possess certain elements. Not only specific issues with your teeth structure, shape and color authorize you to go for veneers, but also, you need ascertain the following:

    • Have sufficient amount of enamel since your dentist would have to remove a thin layer of enamel in order to attach the veneers.
    • Be committed to proper oral hygiene as veneers cannot be artificially whitened. Therefore, a good and regular dental hygiene needs to be strictly maintained such that your veneers do not get damaged early!
    • Have a good periodontal health

The last point in the above-mentioned list needs a special mention, because, patients with a tooth decay or gum disease typically do not qualify for veneers.

On an average, veneers are known to last for about 10 years.  The durability largely depends upon how the candidates maintain it. Proper oral hygiene practices actually help your veneers last for more than 10 years even. However, in case of traditional veneers, the ground work plays a significant role too. That is to say, prepping your tooth is very crucial. An acid gel is applied, which dissolves some of the minerals from the surface of your teeth. This creates a microscopic rough surface, which allows the bonding agent to settle down well into the fissures. This creates a strong base for the porcelain veneers.

The Choice Between Traditional and No-Prep Veneers

This is an important step while you go for veneers today. Let us have close look at the gross differences.  In order to place traditional veneers, a dentist removes a thin layer of enamel from your teeth. No-prep veneers on the other hand, are much thinner, meaning that a dentist must remove only a little amount of enamel. In many dental offices, no-prep veneers can be fabricated and fitted in a single day. Now, not all patients are candidates for the no-prep veneers. They might look too bulky, for patients with large gaps between their teeth.  So, the choice ultimately rests upon your dentist and he would have to well examine your condition before recommending veneers for you!

The Unknown Factors of Cosmetic Dentistry

It’s important to know which shades of cosmetic dentistry your dentist deals with, as every practitioner is different. While you consult with the practitioner, you must listen to what services he could provide you with as well as discuss your own expectations.

There are many different brands of materials, dental prosthetic, and applications to choose from. For instance, there are many brands of teeth whitening products and they all aim at getting the same results but there are subtle differences that you should be aware of. Talking to your dentist does the job for you. It works to put the best smile on your face.

What are the general aspects of cosmetic dentistry that you are acquainted with?

Teeth whitening, veneers, crowns or even implants and bridges. These are the ones that normally help you out with stained or discolored teeth, a chipped, cracked or broken tooth, gaps in between teeth, and even the missing tooth menace. But there’s a lot more to it.

Your smile accounts for one-third of your face. Hence, you tend to remain under the notion that a smile beautification alone could change our appearance. Here, you are wrong. Some of the non-dental factors that influence an individual’s aesthetics are:

Facial height –

Some people have long faces with a narrow jaw. This means a large portion of your teeth is exhibited. Usually, some amount of gum grafting can solve this issue. Your dentist could examine your case and come out with a unique solution for this.

Facial Width –

The width of your cheekbone (or upper jawbone) is a crucial part of the framework that influences your smile. If you are one with a narrow face width your dentist would probably advise you to go for a palatal expansion in order to achieve a better face balance as well as aesthetics.

Lip Volume –

In simple terms lip structure is broadly of two types: thin lips and fat lips. The ones with thin and tight lips may show excessive amounts of their teeth when smiling while the others do not. This is important while planning your cosmetic treatment strategy.

Smile Line –

This again refers to the volume of your teeth length that is being revealed while you smile. This is somewhat related to the lip volume factor and is an important parameter to be considered for your smile correction.

Age – 

Generally, our age will impact the tenseness of our lips and cheeks. As we age, more of our bottom teeth begin to show and the height of the face generally decreases. It’s important to reach a result that both suits your age and addresses the goals that you want out of your smile.

Skin and lip color – 

You may unconsciously be getting a tan or age might take its toll upon your skin color. Sometimes, just wearing a lip balm of a darker or lighter shade will have a huge teeth whitening effect on your smile. The contrast gives the impression that the teeth are shades lighter. While considering teeth whitening options this is one of the factors that heavily count.

All of the above factors count well while determining the strategy for upgrading your facial aesthetics and consequently your overall appearance. In fact, there is no such specialization within the dental field termed as cosmetic dentistry. Rather it is just a name given to the vast majority of dental procedures or treatments that can help you with the aesthetics of your smile.

Therefore, the term “cosmetic dentistry” is kind of a paradox in itself. In fact, every dentist is a cosmetic dentist in some way or other because all modern dental procedures more or less concentrate on how your smile is impacted. Staying well-versed with the intricate details of this part of dentistry, would hence help you a lot!