Posts Tagged “cosmetic dentist”
A Pain In The Neck… And Head… And Back… And Jaw
TMJ Pain
Martial arts students or people who study self-defence will tell you that one of the most effective methods for rendering an assailant unconscious quickly is by applying enough force to the jaw to cause sudden pain in the joint connecting jaw to skull. This then renders whoever is on the receiving end unconscious, so clearly this is an important part of the anatomy; if the reaction to sudden severe pain in this area by the nervous system is to knock you out until it doesn’t hurt quite as bad anymore, then it’s clearly not an area to take risks with.
TMJ pain is caused by structural disorders in the same area, causing symptomatic appearances of pain due to the massive force that the human bite can bring to bear being misaligned and causing damage to one or both of these joints. This is bad news and the pain this causes can be found in the neck and shoulders too, and is not something one should live with. There are temporary pain relief measures, but nobody wants pain as a constant companion.
A cosmetic dentist can tell you about the various TMJ treatment options available, which vary depending on the cause and severity of the pain. Now, TMJ pain is not fatal, but constant uncomfortable pain in this area can have various knock-on effects to your mood, health and even your ability to complete necessary daily tasks, such as work, for example. In addition, relying heavily on painkillers to manage TMJ pain can be detrimental to your health. The best option is to consult your local dentist and have the problem fixed and the pain stopped.
Posted in: TMJ Pain, TMJ Treatment, cosmetic dentist
Tags: cosmetic dentist, TMJ Pain, TMJ Treatment
| January 25, 2010 at 3:11 pm | 2 comments
Finding The Middle Ground
Many people manage to quit smoking. It is possible, it’s not a myth, and your health really does improve as a result. But while those nicotine stains on your smoking hand might fade away, the stains on your teeth that smoking causes will not, and your smile will always give you away as having been a smoker. Let’s be honest, it’s not a pleasant sight, is it? Shane MacGowan might be cool, but his teeth could scare children. Just because you don’t smell like smoke anymore doesn’t mean that the other aesthetic drawbacks of smoking will disappear overnight.
There are a few different ways to improve that smile—and despite rumours to the contrary, ex-smokers do smile—and the first of these would be over-the-counter teeth whitening kits. These are good options, although it is important to read the instructions or you could end up with a smile like David Schwimmer’s character Ross in that episode of Friends. You know, the one where he leaves the peroxide on overnight and his smile can be seen under a blacklight. A cosmetic dentist can tell you how to operate these kits, should you be in any doubt, and as you neither want to horrify nor blind people with your smile. It’s best to seek their advice if you have any queries over your teeth, and many cosmetic dentists offer free consultations about the stain removal and teeth whitening options available to you.
Faster, if more expensive, options are to have your cosmetic dentist whiten your teeth for you. The various methods they can employ depend on the severity of the staining, but as skilled professionals they can distance you from the Pogues look without making you the punchline of a sitcom gag.
Posted in: Teeth Whitening, cosmetic dentist
Tags: cosmetic dentist, Teeth Whitening, Teeth Whitening Kits
| January 25, 2010 at 10:15 am | 1 comment
Cost Efficient Smile Makeovers
Most people have some feature of their body that they don’t feel 100% comfortable with. In fact it’s such a common fact of life that phrases such as “Does my bum look big in this?” have become clichés quoted as often as the greatest works of philosophy and literature. In terms of body shape, often a change of diet and more regular exercise will produce the desired effect, but if you’re not comfortable with your smile then there is not a lot you can do to improve it without professional help.
Before After
This can be a stumbling block for some as they feel slightly embarrassed by seeking professional cosmetic help, and they automatically assume that it will be incredibly expensive. This is not necessarily true as with continuing advances in the field of smile makeovers, the cost of treatments is coming down all of the time. Many clinics also offer very sensible credit plans to help spread the cost of treatments.
Many cosmetic dentists offer free consultations where they can examine your current bite, teeth alignment and what you want your smile to look like, and advise on exactly what course of treatment they think in required to get there. One method of smile makeover which is becoming more and more common is using porcelain veneers. This method involves using a series of tooth shaped porcelain “shields” to essentially build a new smile over your old one, filling in any existing gaps and providing a bright, straight smile. Porcelain veneers aren’t suitable for everyone however, and some people may require additional orthodontic work to prepare their bite first. That said, if you are unsatisfied with your smile then you’ll never know what is possible until you speak to a cosmetic dentist, so why wait?
Posted in: Porcelain Veneers, Smile Makeover
Tags: cosmetic dentist, Orthodontic Work, Porcelain Veneers, Smile Makeovers, Teeth Alignment
| January 11, 2010 at 12:25 pm | No comment
Check Your Bite
Misaligned or uneven teeth can cause bite problems in people of all ages. The misalignment of teeth is called malocclusion, and can be caused by myriad factors including habits, accidents or just the way they have grown. It can also be a side effect of other dental treatments earlier in the patient’s life, but thankfully all types of malocclusion are treatable.
Before After
A common complaint following restorative dental work on a crown or filling is that it is too high or thick. This can lead to pain not just in that particular tooth but also complaints from pain in facial muscles being asked to work in an unfamiliar manner. Continued malocclusion can even lead to more serious problems such as TMJ pain.
If you are concerned that you may have bite problems then you should speak to a dentist or orthodontist as soon as possible. If the problem is more an aesthetic one then it may be best to seek the advice of a dedicated cosmetic dentist to make sure you receive the most relevant and up to date information as possible. These people will be able to diagnose exactly what they think may be causing the discomfort or pain and advise the most appropriate course of treatment or therapy. Remember that not all the treatments that you have read about may be suitable for you personally, but if you attend your consultations with an open mind then you will be able to make an informed decision with your dentist on the best course of action to take.
Posted in: Bite Problems, cosmetic dentist
Tags: Bite Problems, cosmetic dentist, Malocclusion, Orthodontist, TMJ Pain
| January 8, 2010 at 11:22 am | 1 comment
A New Smile For A New Year
With the New Year comes a whole host of new ideas and promises to yourself, with the vast majority of them being health related. Eat a healthier diet, exercise more, perhaps even drink less, but few include their dental health in this equation, often considering their current oral hygiene routine to be sufficient. However many people only go as far as brushing their teeth twice a day, neglecting the flossing and use of mouth wash that dentists recommend. This is most likely because we are brought up as children with cleaning our teeth twice a day, yet flossing and mouthwash are best left until adulthood and so do not form as much of an automatic habit. That said, we pick up enough bad habits as adults, so there is no excuse for not picking up one or two good ones as well. There is plenty of information online and available from your dentist about proper flossing and mouthwash usage, so if all you do is brush; make it one of your New Year resolutions is to take the next step.
Taking care of yourself better in the New Year can be made easier if you get a New You as part of the equation. If you aren’t 100% comfortable with the appearance of your smile then it is worth speaking to a cosmetic dentist about what treatments may be available. Perhaps you’re concerned about staining or discolouration, or maybe there are alignment issues that prevent you from having complete confidence when smiling. Like all fields of medicine, cosmetic dentistry is constantly developing new and more effective treatments for a range of issues that are much more common than you probably realise. You would also be surprised at the amount of people who regularly visit a cosmetic dentist to maintain their smile, even if they might not admit to it! Get the New You the smile they deserve by speaking to a cosmetic dentist in 2010.
Posted in: Cosmetic Dentistry, cosmetic dentist
Tags: cosmetic dentist, Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Health, Dental Hygiene
| December 17, 2009 at 11:42 am | 1 comment
The Wonder Of Invisible Braces
As mentioned in a previous blog, an excellent example of how the world of cosmetic dentistry has developed over the years is the Invisalign system. This kind of orthodontic treatment straightens crooked teeth and closes gaps in your smile with the use of a clear plastic aligner, rather than strapping up your mouth with metal wires and elastic bands. This is not only a lot more comfortable for the wearer, who can remove the aligners while eating and to clean their teeth, but they are also far more discreet. In fact most people won’t even notice that you’re wearing them at all!
The first step on the path to a straighter smile from Invisalign is a trip to a cosmetic dentist for a consultation. Most Invisalign certified dentists will not charge you for your initial consultation and this will give them a chance to discuss with you exactly what you’re looking for from your treatment and what procedure they would recommend. In the event that you aren’t suitable for the Invisalign treatment your dentist will still be able to suggest alternative courses of action, some of which we will talk about in later blogs. Either way, this consultation will allow you to make the most informed decision possible and won’t cost you anything, so what do you have to lose?
Should you decide to proceed with the treatment your dentist will take a mould of your teeth and several photos of your bite. These will then be sent to the Invisalign laboratory, where they will create a 3D model of your teeth and use their patented software to simulate the movement of your teeth from their present state to your desired one. The lab will then produce several sets of retainers, each designed to be worn for 2 weeks at a time, moving your teeth little by little to their desired position. Your dentist will explain to you everything you need to know about how to wear your new Invisalign braces, how to clean them and how long the treatment is expected to take.
As these kinds of braces can be removed by the patient, successful treatment does require a certain level of dedication and commitment. If you never wear them then they aren’t going to work, and there is nothing your dentist can do about that! However even if there is some initial discomfort it will be worth it for the winning smile you are left with.
Posted in: Invisalign, braces
Tags: Aligners, braces, cosmetic dentist, Invisalign
| December 17, 2009 at 9:38 am | 2 comments
Counting the Cost
As we grow older, minor issues with the alignment of our teeth or bite can manifest themselves as serious problems, some causing discomfort, others leading to serious infection or damage to surrounding teeth and tissues. However, if you were to speak to most adults with slightly misaligned teeth, the vast majority would not put getting them fixed very highly on their list of priorities for the week, month or even year, even once made aware of the risks to their oral health that they are taking.
Part of the reason for this is the perceived cost of serious orthodontic work, as although a sick man will put no price on regaining his health, an otherwise healthy person with a busy lifestyle and multiple financial commitments will find it hard to justify the outlay on fixing a problem they consider to have not happened yet. The good news is that the vast majority of cosmetic dentists offer some kind of payment plans for large treatments, often at 0% interest. This of course takes a large lump sum that many people may struggle to find in one go and turns it in to little more than another phone bill each month – well worth your future dental health.
Another turn-off for a lot of people is the effect they fear having a mouth full of wires will have on their personal relationships, both at work and in their social lives. What they don’t realise is just how far cosmetic dentistry has come in recent years, and how inconspicuous modern orthodontic treatments can be. One such treatment is known as Invisalign, which involves the wearing of clear aligners that you remove for eating and teeth cleaning. Invisalign aligners are different to the “train-track” braces of old, not only because they can barely be seen when worn, but also because they require no permanent fixings within the mouth, making them significantly more comfortable to wear. We will cover these kinds of braces in more detail in another blog, but if you have been put off orthodontics in the past then it would be well worth your time to revisit the subject with an orthodontist and see what new treatments may be available to you.
Posted in: Orthodontics, Orthodontist
Tags: cosmetic dentist, Invisalign, Orthodontics, Orthodontist
| December 17, 2009 at 9:31 am | 4 comments
More Than Just A Dentist
The journal of the American Dentists Association has recently published findings that suggest dentists could play a much more central role in detecting serious non-oral health concerns.
The study, conducted in Sweden, involved a sample of 200 over 45s with no previous record of known cardiovascular issues. Rather than conducting the usual oral check-up, their dentists were asked to perform further tasks that are normally the preserve of GPs or other kinds of health care professionals. Patients’ blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels were all tested, and the figures were then used to calculate the patients’ potential risk of future cardiovascular disease using a software tool known as HeartScore.
From these check-ups, dentists involved in the study felt that 12 people in the sample had a 10 percent chance of developing a fatal heart condition over the next ten years, with 6 patients going on to be prescribed medication to lower their blood pressure – a potentially life saving decision!
Obviously these additional tests do add significantly to the time of each appointment, but it is undoubtedly an excellent way of making the most of what will probably be the only time most patients see a healthcare professional each year. This convergence of roles could have an added benefit to dental care in the UK, where dentist attendances are far lower than Sweden, by giving people who are more interested in the heart screening process the opportunity to have their teeth checked in the same appointment. You may even see the practise picked up by your cosmetic dentist in due course.
This report was welcomed by prominent dentists as a further sign of how the industry can contribute further to the overall health of their patients. “Dentistry is not simply about filling cavities and creating new smiles,” echoed cosmetic dentist Dr Rick Coker, Board member at the Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics, “it is about saving lives.”
Posted in: Cosmetic Dentistry
Tags: American Dentists Association, cardiovascular disease, cosmetic dentist
| November 26, 2009 at 3:30 pm | No comment
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