Jan 21, 2017 | Blackstone Dental Central Falls RI Dentist, Uncategorized
Crowns are used for restoring cracked, chipped, or worn-down teeth. A crown, also called a cap, covers a damaged tooth with an artificial material. It may save your existing tooth, instead of completely replacing the tooth. Your dentist will be able to tell you if a crown is right for you, but here are some answers to common questions to help you decide.
Why would I need a crown?
Crowns are most often used in the following situations:
• If a significant amount of decayed matter has been drilled out and filled, and the remaining enamel isn’t strong enough to support chewing or biting.
• If support is needed for a bridge.
• If a tooth is about to break.
• If a tooth is misshapen or badly discolored, crowns can improve appearance.
What does getting a crown involve?
Your dentist will numb the area, and trim off about 25% of the tooth. An impression will be made for use in creating a temporary crown in the dentist’s office and a permanent crown at a lab. A temporary crown is often used while the permanent one is being developed. Temporary crowns aren’t meant to last as long, so a permanent one needs to be placed that will be stronger and last longer. Once received, your dentist will place the crown to ensure proper fit. Then the crown will be cemented into your mouth.
What are crowns made of?
Temporary crowns are made in the dentist’s office with stainless steel or acrylics. Permanent crowns are made in a lab using resins, porcelain, metals, or combinations of these materials. Your dentist can make recommendation of the type of crown that would work best for you.
How long will crowns last?
Crowns typically last at least seven years, but in many cases they last much longer. Some last as much as forty years. To increase the life of your crown, you should practice good oral hygiene. Also, avoid chewing excessively hard foods because they can damage your crown.
Jan 28, 2017 | Blackstone Dental Central Falls RI Dentist, Uncategorized
If you notice that the tissue surrounding your teeth is wearing away and exposing more of your tooth than before, it’s likely your gums are receding and shouldn’t be ignored. Often this gradual change in your gum line leads to gum disease, in which the gaps between your teeth and gums attract bacteria. If untreated, damage can result in the tissue and bone structure of your teeth, and tooth loss may occur.
Signs
The first indication that your gums may be receding is often tooth sensitivity. Also, you may observe that a tooth appears longer than before. Sometimes you can feel a notch on your tooth slightly below the gum line.
Causes
• Periodontal disease
• Aggressive tooth brushing
• Tobacco use
• Tooth grinding or clenching
• Crooked teeth or misaligned bite
• Poor dental hygiene
• Oral piercings
• Hormonal fluctuations such as puberty, pregnancy, and menopause
• Genetics
Treatment
Do not ignore gum recession. See your dentist if you suspect your gums are receding, so you can get treatment before further damage occurs. Mild gum recession can be helped with deep dental cleaning by your dentist, and sometimes antibiotics are prescribed to wipe out bacteria. For more serious gum recession, surgery may be necessary to repair the damage.
Prevention
Brush and floss your teeth regularly, and see your dentist at least twice a year. Use a soft toothbrush and brush properly to avoid damaging your gums. Limit tobacco use and maintain a nutritious diet. Finally, pay attention to your mouth and consult your dentist if you notice any warning signs of gum recession.
May 21, 2017 | Blog, Blackstone Dental Central Falls RI Dentist
Nothing will age your looks faster than an unsightly smile. Chipped, cracked, crooked, missing, stained or worn teeth make you look and feel older than your years. Thanks to advances in cosmetic dentistry, there are a variety of options to restore your aged smile to its youthful vibrancy.
Professional teeth whitening can improve teeth marred by stains and discoloration. Your darkened teeth can lighten up to ten shades in as little as one visit. Bright white teeth will immediately take years off your looks.
Gaps, chips, and uneven teeth can be corrected with porcelain veneers. Veneers can also be used to alter the shape of teeth to create the look of longer, younger looking teeth. Certain types of intrinsic stains can also be covered with porcelain or composite veneers.
As you age, shifting occurs that causes your lips to appear thin and your mouth to look hollow. Traditional or invisible braces can straighten your teeth, therefore making your face appear fuller and less aged. Hollowness in your face created by missing teeth can be filled out with dental implants.
Veneers or bonding can be used to bolster your back teeth and support your cheekbones. This treatment acts as an instant facelift and keeps your face from losing volume as you age. Receding gums that age your smile are often linked to smoking, heredity, or your age; they may be reconstructed with gum grafting and other techniques.
Most of these cosmetic dental procedures and treatments can be completed in just one or two visits, leaving you looking and feeling instantly younger. Consult with a qualified cosmetic dentist to learn more about how cosmetic dentistry can restore your youthful smile!
May 28, 2017 | Blog, Blackstone Dental Central Falls RI Dentist
If you’ve been looking into dental veneers to achieve your smile goals, you may be aware that there are several different veneer types available to you. Each type will sit on top of your natural tooth in thin, wafer-like shells, correcting issues such as gaps, misalignment, discoloration or teeth worn with age.
The two most common materials for dental veneers are porcelain or composite resin. Porcelain veneers are created in a dental laboratory by a skilled technician. They are known as “indirect veneers.” Those veneers are then bonded to the surface of your natural teeth. Other veneers are created utilizing the composite resin directly onto your teeth while you’re in the dental chair. These veneer types are known as “direct veneers.” They require a level of artistry from the cosmetic dentist that is not as necessary as with indirect veneers.
Porcelain veneers can best correct extensive damage, discoloration, extremely worn teeth or very gapped or uneven teeth. Composite resin veneers are the best choice for small tooth issues like small cracks, chips or minor discoloration.
Porcelain veneers often require the permanent removal of some of the enamel of the tooth, a process known as enameloplasty. This is necessary in order to accommodate the bulk of the porcelain veneer on top of the tooth. If too little enamel is removed, a veneer can look puffy or artificial.
Some porcelain veneers are available that are so thin that they require only the smallest amount of enamel be ground away. These are called “no prep” veneers, and they are rising in popularity due to their ability to preserve more of the tooth’s enamel.
Talk to your cosmetic dentist to find out more about dental veneers and what type is the best one for you and your smile goals.
Jun 7, 2017 | Blog, Blackstone Dental Central Falls RI Dentist
It can be a depressing chore to go through life hiding your smile because you’re embarrassed. If you are unhappy with your teeth or gums, then you’re a candidate for a smile makeover. It’s not just for celebrities; everyday people are turning to cosmetic dentists to transform their smiles and therefore change their lives for the better.
You’ll never know what a smile makeover might mean for you unless you schedule a consultation with a qualified cosmetic dentist to find out. Various combinations of treatments are available depending on the types and extent of dental issues you have.
Here are some common procedures that smile makeovers may include:
- Crooked teeth can be corrected with Invisalign clear braces, allowing the transformation to straight teeth to be less noticeable and less painful than traditional metal braces.
- Chips, cracks or gaps can be easily repaired with bonding, which uses tooth-colored composite resin to fix imperfections in a single office visit.
- Many flaws like discolorations, gaps, cracks and more can be hidden by dental veneers, thin shells that are securely adhered to the fronts of teeth to cover problems and create a beautiful smile.
- Missing teeth may be replaced with dental implants, a modern solution that gives a natural looking and feeling new tooth using a titanium tooth root topped by a dental crown.
- Teeth stains and discolorations can be practically erased through professional teeth whitening techniques.
- Damaged teeth can be strengthened and enhanced by placing a dental crown over them.
- Unsightly gums can be recontoured either by standard oral surgery or using a special laser to alter their appearance and health.
These are just some of the popular treatments that smile makeovers may include. Your particular makeover might require only a single procedure, or you might benefit from a combination of several treatments to give you ideal results. This means that a smile makeover can be done in just a day or require months, but the end result of a whole new smile and renewed confidence will be worth it.
Jun 14, 2017 | Blog, Blackstone Dental Central Falls RI Dentist
Congratulations on your upcoming cosmetic dentistry treatment! You’re on the road toward obtaining the smile of your dreams. Before your appointment, however, it’s important to make any necessary arrangements that will allow you to get home safely and recover quickly and completely, without complications.
If your cosmetic dentistry procedure requires sedation of any kind other than laughing gas, you may not drive yourself home after your appointment. Sedation dentistry, even that which is administered by an IV, is conscious, but it leaves the patient feeling dreamy and sometimes woozy or dizzy, and although you may walk and talk and respond to instructions, you are not alert enough to drive. Driving after sedation dentistry can lead to a terrible accident in which you or someone else may be hurt. Avoid this serious issue by arranging a ride home with a trusted family member, friend or coworker.
It’s important to wear comfortable clothing to your appointment, especially if you’re going to go right home to rest. Teeth whitening or dental veneers are simple cosmetic procedures that require little, if any dental sedation; however, dental implants, crowns and bridges or gum treatments will require sedation and therefore calls for rest at home afterward. Wearing soft clothing can allow you to slip right into bed or to recline comfortably on the sofa to begin your recovery.
Many procedures will leave you with a need to consume soft foods and tepid liquids. Have plenty of yogurt, applesauce or soft cheeses on hand. Milkshakes can be an excellent source of calories and energy following cosmetic dentistry.
Be sure to have plenty of anti-inflammatory pain medication on hand, such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium. This can ease common post-procedure discomfort.
Ask your cosmetic dentist for more tips on how to prepare for your particular treatment. Just a little work ahead of time can make your recovery so much more comfortable.
