With Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry Jupiter Patients Reap Benefits Of Implant-Supported Dentures

April 11, 2014 By

AlVillalobos0401If you’re a candidate for getting traditional dentures (or if you’ve been living with them for some time and are considering other options) it’s worth knowing that when it comes to advances in cosmetic dentistry Tequesta patients are fortunate — dental implants have become a mature, safe and effective oral surgery procedure that nearly everyone can benefit from.

With dentures that are supported by dental implants Jupiter patients see several advantages over traditional dentures. First, of course, implant supported dentures are more solidly attached to the jawbone than regular dentures, taking full advantage of the exceptionally strong bond that is formed between the implants and the bone itself. The strength of that bond is comparable to that holding your original teeth in place — and the process is permanent, meaning the posts will not move.

Traditional dentures rest on the gums themselves, and despite considerable advances in adhesive materials are still prone to slipping, which can cause embarrassment and irritation. What’s more, over the long term regular dentures actually contribute to jawbone deterioration, which changes the structure and look of a patient’s face — and making the dentures fit even less well.

After a post-surgical healing process that lasts several months, your new implants are ready for the implant-supported dentures to be mounted upon them; they’ll never slip, make noise, or fall out unless you or your dental professional removes them intentionally for cleaning. They are exceptionally durable, and easy to care for — they are very resistant to decay, and a minimal maintenance schedule will keep them in top shape for years.

For more information or to schedule a consultation with the experts in dental implants Tequesta trusts more than any other, call us today! We look forward to hearing from you!

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A Movie Star Smile Gets Noticed

March 21, 2014 By

DENTISTTEQUESTAMovie stars invest a lot of time and money in their smiles. In Hollywood, image and appearance are everything.  A great smile and brilliant white teeth get noticed.

According to a variety of public surveys and polls, the celebrities with the best smile include:

Jessica Alba

Brad Pitt

Julie Roberts

Tom Cruise

Bridget Moynahan

While most of us do not earn the multi-million dollar salaries and walk down the red carpet at the Emmys like these celebrities do, there are still safe, effective and affordable alternatives to have a white, bright and beautiful smile that helps you look your best and gets noticed.  Here are a couple of options to consider:

Teeth Whitening

Teeth can become stained by such things as tobacco use and drinking dark-colored beverages like coffee, cola and red wine. As we age, teeth naturally can become discolored and less brilliant as the enamel gets thinner.

Teeth whitening lighten teeth and helps remove stains and discolorations. It has become a very popular cosmetic dentistry procedure to improve the appearance of teeth. Whitening is not a one-time action. It needs to be monitored and maintained to keep the desired color.

Before attempting any type of teeth whitening, a thorough check-up should be conducted by your dentist to make sure your teeth and gums are properly prepared for the whitening process. Once ready, your dentist will apply a whitening agent and develop a program to maintain the whitening to its fullest.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are a wafer-thin and rigid “skin” of porcelain bonded to the front of teeth. They are commonly used to improve the appearance of chipped, worn, misaligned, stained and discolored teeth as well as teeth that are oddly spaced.

As with teeth whitening, it’s important to have your teeth and gums checked and prepared by your dentist before applying porcelain veneers. When ready, one tooth or many teeth can simultaneously undergo the veneering process.

Porcelain veneers offer a natural look and generally last between 5 to 10 years. The exact life of dental veneers depends a lot on your oral hygiene. Porcelain veneers still require a daily regime of brushing, rinsing with mouth wash and flossing along with regularly scheduled dental check-ups.

Discuss Options with Your Dentist

Your oral hygiene as well as your overall health and appearance should be important to your dentist. You should feel relaxed and comfortable telling your dentist how you want your teeth to appear. If you want your smile to look like one of the movie stars listed above, tell your dentist so he or she can discuss alternatives that are in the best interest of your health, your appearance and fit within your budget while giving you the results you desire.

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Mouth Rinses – A Compliment, Not a Substitute for Daily Oral Hygiene

March 7, 2014 By

DENTISTJupiterMouth wash and mouth rinses can play a key role in optimizing your daily oral hygiene to maintain healthy teeth and gums. However, mouth rinses and mouth washes are not a substitute for brushing and flossing.  They serve to compliment the actions and the benefits of brushing and flossing.  When used properly and as recommended by your family dentist or hygienist, mouth rinses can reduce breath odors, aid in preventing tooth decay and help reduce plaque.

The following lists different types of mouth rinses available today:

Mouth Rinses with Fluoride

Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by strengthening teeth enamel – the white, hard substance that covers teeth. For the majority of people, fluoride mouth rinses are not an essential part of their daily oral hygiene. The fluoride found in toothpastes used in daily brushing regimens provides an adequate amount, but there are occasions when fluoride mouth rinses are important.

People with abnormal mouth dryness might use fluoride containing mouth rinses. Severe dryness in the mouth can cause excessive amounts of bacteria to grow which can lead to tooth decay. Supplementing brushing and flossing with a fluoride mouth rinse can help fight this problem.

Mouth Rinses to Freshen Breath

There are a variety of mouth rinses available that will make your breath smell good, but don’t provide any long-term oral health benefits. These cosmetic type mouth rinses serve only to fight halitosis (bad breath), not to reduce bacteria that cause plaque and gingivitis.

Anti-Plaque and Anti-Gingivitis Mouth Rinses

Anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis mouth rinses are a good way to enhance the effectiveness of daily brushing and flossing.  These types of mouth rinses kill harmful bacteria.

American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Approval

As with all oral hygiene products, always look for the ADA seal of approval on the packaging of mouth rinses. The ADA seal provides assurances that the product has been independently tested and verified.

Prescription Mouth Rinses

While most mouth rinses are available over-the-counter, your dentist can prescribe stronger mouth rinses for those who need help with advanced forms of plaque and gingivitis.

Talk to Your Dentist and Hygienist

Discuss mouth rinses and overall hygiene with your general dentist and hygienist to see what products are right for you and your unique needs.

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Teeth Whitening at Your Dentist

February 28, 2014 By

DENTIST202If you have been considering teeth whitening to add a sparkle to your smile, the market has a large variety of options to choose from. Understanding how the teeth whitening procedure works is important. This article sites a few examples of how your dentist performs this procedure.

The idea behind teeth whitening is to lighten your teeth’s color.  Absolutely no parts of your teeth need to be removed for teeth whitening. The idea of teeth whitening is not to change your teeth’s color, but to lighten and brighten your teeth’s natural color.

A special tray formed over your teeth is placed into the mouth by your dentist.  A whitening chemical, usually hydrogen peroxide or carbonate peroxide is inside the tray. The chemical is activated by heat or a combination of heat and light.

In some cases your teeth will only need one treatment and other times the procedure will need to be repeated, until the dentist reached your optimal color. Visual Results are normally achieved after two to three visits to your dentist. During the initial appointment your dentist will make an individualized mouth impression for the tray being used in the procedure.

Professional teeth whitening effects usually last at least three years or more.  Your teeth may feel a bit more sensitive the first few days after your procedure, but the sensitivity does not last any longer than one week.

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Getting a Kissable Mouth for Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2014 By

DENTIST201Valentine’s Day is just around the corner already and, if you’re in a relationship, that likely means dinner dates, chocolates and romance. Flowers are sure to smell good and go over well with your date, but can the same be said about your breath?

Whether you’re planning to kiss your date or your dog this Valentine’s Day, be sure your breath matches your affection by following a few tips that will keep you smelling like roses.

•    Breath-check yourself: A quick exhale into the palm of your hand followed by a sniff is an easy way to gauge your breath. If it needs some help and your toothbrush isn’t handy, your dentist recommends try chewing sugar free gum, popping a mint or even drinking a glass of water. All of these can help neutralize bad breath.
•    Maintenance trumps masking: While gum and mints help in a pinch, the best cure for bad breath is dedicated brushing and flossing. This helps keep odor causing bacteria from building up to the point that gum and mints can’t overcome it. So get those bristles moving at least twice daily for at least 2-minutes. Brushing your tongue is also a great way to fight that odor causing bacteria.
•    Don’t forget your dentist: Be sure to see your dentist and hygienist twice a year to stay on top of your oral health. Not only will it help your breath, it will keep your smile bright and healthy.

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Are Dentures Right For You?

January 24, 2014 By

images (4)Partial and complete dentures are used to replace few or several missing teeth. When many of your teeth are affected by advanced periodontal disease, decay or other problems, extracting them may be the only option. When diseased teeth are removed, infection is eliminated and the gums and supporting bone will be restored to a healthy state.

Partial Dentures

A removable partial denture is used when one or more teeth remain in the upper or lower jaw. This type of denture consists of replacement teeth, which are attached to a gum-colored plastic base that is connected by metal framework that holds the denture in place.  A partial denture maintains tooth alignment by preventing the remaining teeth from shifting.

Complete Dentures

Complete dentures are used to replace all of the teeth. These dentures are made in about 8 to 12 weeks after the teeth have been removed and the gums have begun to heal. Complete dentures are made of a plastic gum-colored base which supports a full set of artificial teeth made of porcelain or plastic. Complete dentures are held in place by forming a seal with the gums.

How Dentures are Maderemovable-partial-dentures.95123609

The process of making dentures begins with your dentist taking impressions of your mouth. Your dentist will then send the impressions to an off-site dental lab that will use them to make precise models of your mouth. The lab will then build the dentures based on these models.

An immediate denture can be made so you have something to wear immediately after your teeth are removed. This type of denture is made before the teeth are extracted and is put into place the same day your teeth are removed. This type of denture does not fit the bone and gum tissue as well as a conventional denture so it needs to be adjusted during the healing stage.

Adjusting to Dentures

It can take some time to get used to wearing dentures, as there is an adjustment period wherein you will learn how to eat, speak and care for your new partials or complete dentures. When you first get your new dentures, they may feel large in your mouth and you may even experience a slight gag reaction. However, after several days, these feelings should subside as you slowly make the adjustment to wearing dentures.

To get used to eating with your new dentures, start with soft foods cut into small pieces. As you become more accustomed to your dentures, you can add other foods until you return to a normal diet.

You may find it challenging to pronounce some words correctly after getting new dentures. If so, practice saying those words out loud. With a bit of practice and some time, you will be able to speak clearly with your new dentures.

Caring for Your Dentures

You need to care for your complete or partial dentures as carefully as you would your own natural teeth. You should take your dentures out every night and soak them in a special denture cleanser soaking solution or water. In the morning, before putting your dentures in, gently brush all surfaces of the dentures with a soft-bristled toothbrush and rinse. It’s also important that your brush your gums, tongue and palate with a soft-bristled brush each morning before putting your dentures in.

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Veneers at Your Jupiter Dentist Office

January 10, 2014 By

veneersTeeth that are badly stained, shaped or crooked may be improved by a veneers placed on the surface of the affected teeth.

Veneers are thin pieces of porcelain or plastic cemented over the front of your teeth to change their color or shape. Veneers are used on teeth with uneven surfaces or are chipped, discolored, oddly shaped, unevenly spaced or crooked. Little or no anesthesia is needed. Veneers have a longer life expectancy and color stability than bonding, and highly resist permanent staining from coffee, tea, or even cigarette smoking.

Veneers are usually made by a dental lab technician working from a model provided by your dentist. Veneers are usually irreversible because it`s necessary to remove a small amount of enamel from your teeth to accommodate the shell.

Porcelain veneers can mask undesirable defects, such as teeth stained by tetracycline, by an injury, or as a result of a root-canal procedure, and are ideal for masking discolored fillings in front teeth. Patients with gaps between their front teeth or teeth that are chipped or worn may consider porcelain veneers.

Typically, veneers entail at least three appointments: diagnosis and treatment planning, preparation, and bonding.

During the tooth preparation visit, the teeth are lightly buffed to allow for the small added thickness of the veneer. Usually, about a half a millimeter of the tooth is removed, which may require a local anesthetic. During the same visit, a mold is taken of the teeth, and sent to the laboratory for the fabrication of the veneers.

During the final “bonding” visit, the veneers are placed on the tooth surface with water or glycerin on the teeth to check their fit and get a sense of the shade or color. While the veneers are resting on your teeth, they can be adjusted with various shades of cement to match the color of your teeth. To apply the veneer, the tooth is cleansed with specific chemicals to achieve a bond. Once a special cement is sandwiched between the veneer and tooth, a visible light beam, or laser, causes a catalyst to be released, hardening the cement.

During a two-week period of adjustment that follows, you may notice the change of size and shape in your teeth. It is important to brush and floss daily. After one or two weeks, you`ll return for a follow-up appointment with your dentist. Porcelain veneers are reasonable facsimiles of natural teeth, not perfect replacements. It`s not uncommon to see slight variations in the color of porcelain veneers upon close inspection, as this occurs even in natural teeth.

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Flossing Tips From The Family Dentist Jupiter Trusts

December 20, 2013 By

VILLALOBOS1202Every dentist will tell you there’s little more important to a regular dental health regime than proper flossing. But not everyone approaches flossing the right away, according to many dental health professionals. Even when they’re fresh from the dentist, Jupiter patients might not be doing it quite right; there are a few important things to remember when you’re taking care of your teeth and gums.

First, you need to choose between nylon (multifilament) floss and the PTFE (monofilament) variety. Nylon floss is the kind most people are familiar with, and it comes either waxed or unwaxed, flavored or unflavored. It works exceptionally well for nearly all patients; for those with particularly tight spaces between their teeth, however, PTFE floss is more durable and is less likely to fall apart when being used in a tight spot.

The idea behind flossing is to remove food particles and plaque from between the teeth and along the gumline. This means you have to do more than just get the floss between each tooth. Hold the floss tightly and work it between your teeth, then moving it up and down gently, putting pressure on both sides in succession. Don’t press too hard into the gums, but be sure to go beneath the gumline, as this is where a lot of plaque is left behind.

Finally, as you move from one space between teeth to the next, shift your position on the floss so as to be using a clean stretch of line for each new space. This keeps the floss fresh, so that it’s doing the best job possible for every tooth.

For more information about general dentistry Jupiter residents need to know, or to schedule an appointment at our clinic, please give us a call today!

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Ask The Dentist Tequesta Trusts: Can I Improve My Smile?

December 6, 2013 By

Dentist TequestaHow much better would you feel if you had a beautiful, healthy-looking smile to show off every time you laughed? How much would your self-esteem benefit if you could send that message of broad, all-encompassing confidence that’s exemplified in a great looking set of teeth?

Answering that question is the job of your cosmetic dentist, and when it comes to cosmetic dentistry Tequesta has come to rely upon us to increase their confidence by building the perfect smile — no matter where your smile is starting out. Whether it’s a matter of having teeth that are crooked or poorly spaced, teeth that are discolored or simply not their whitest, teeth that are chipped, cracked or otherwise damaged, or teeth that are simply missing — your cosmetic dentist has a variety of procedures and solutions that can give you the smile you’d love to show to the world.

A great smile isn’t just a matter of appearances; in addition to projecting an image of confidence, having teeth that are aligned correctly can improve your health as well. Even in patients with otherwise healthy teeth, a poorly aligned bite — known as malocculsion — can lead to digestive problems that stem from not having chewed the food they’re eating well enough, and even nutritional deficiencies that result from being disinclined to eat natural whole foods that require a lot of chewing.

So whether you want the confidence boost that comes from a great smile or the health benefits that come along with having a well-put-together bite, cosmetic dentistry has a way to help. If you’d like to learn more about cosmetic dentistry, or to schedule an appointment with the best cosmetic dentist Tequesta has to offer, please give us a call today!

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Sedation Dentistry Tequesta Can Find Comfort In

November 15, 2013 By

ALVILLALOBOS1102Not everyone has good memories of their time in the dentist’s chair; in fact, some people have such anxiety associated with the dentist — whether from bad experiences in the past, or despite good ones — they put off necessary treatment simply because they don’t want to experience that high level of discomfort they just know will accompany the visit.

When it comes to anxiety at the dentist Tequesta patients have the option to look into what’s known as “sedation dentistry” — a comfortable, anxiety-free way to visit the dentist and take care of not only existing dental problems but prevent new ones from cropping up. There are several options with sedation dentistry, ranging from simple nitrous oxide (laughing gas), which we’ve found can help drop levels of anxiety significantly, to what’s called “conscious” oral sedation, which is essentially a relaxing medication to help you ease through the dental procedures, to a full specialist-administered IV sedation.

The beauty of sedation dentistry is that it allows people who suffer from fear and anxiety related to a dental visit to enjoy the same benefits everyone else gets from their time in the chair — healthy teeth and an improved smile, whether from restorative dentistry or preventative care. It also helps anyone who suffers from panic attacks, PTSD, or who has a common fear of needles and shots — or anyone for whom a severe gag reflex has made dental work difficult or impossible in the past.

When you’re ready to find out how sedation dentistry practices can help you address dental procedures you’ve put off for too long out of fear or anxiety — and to learn why we’ve become the provider of general dentistry Tequesta recommends most — please call us today to schedule an initial appointment.

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