Do you have a special occasion coming up? Is there a class reunion in your future? A wedding? Are you taking a family photo and want to look your best? Have you been looking in the mirror and feeling dissatisfied with what you see? Does your smile seem lackluster? Present your best self by beginning with an attractive smile.
Over time, your smile is aging. You may not realize it, but your teeth discolor over time. Drinking coffee, tea, or red wine can affect the brightness of your teeth. Smoking can leave telltale stains. Your dentist can work with you to provide the best, most modern ways of whitening your teeth and reversing discoloration, whether through an at-home or an in-office procedure.
Even our normal everyday use of our teeth can wear away the tooth enamel and leave teeth chipped and unattractive. If whitening doesn’t achieve all of your smile goals, you may consider composite bonding, porcelain veneers, or dental crowns. These options can cover the gaps left by missing or misaligned teeth and can completely hide chipped teeth, restoring the smile you used to love.
Do you wear dentures? Older dentures can discolor faster than our natural teeth. If your dentures are more than six years old, you should talk to your dentist about revitalizing them, or about getting a new pair. Changes in your gums and jaw can cause dentures to fit poorly over time. Coupled with the expected discoloration, it can necessitate a new pair of dentures every 6-10 years.
Your dentist can help you determine the right course to rejuvenate your smile, and by extension, to rejuvenate YOU. You will look younger, you will feel better, and people will respond to you more positively. Many of the people you already know may not be able to pinpoint what you’ve done to change your appearance, but they do know that you look your best, and they will respond as such. It’s never too late to make immediate improvements to your smile that can enhance your life for years to come. Talk to your Morehead City cosmetic dentist today!
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Dental implants are an excellent treatment option for people with missing teeth. While bridges and dentures can fill also the gaps left by severe tooth decay or gum disease, dental implants have many advantages over these other techniques. Dental implants, generally made of titanium, act as a replacement root for the missing tooth and are fused to the jawbone. Dental implants become a foundation for replacement teeth designed by a dentist and are the closest thing a dentist can provide to mimicking the root of a natural tooth.
Dental implants have many benefits, among them:
They’re more convenient. Dental bridges require that you clean carefully under and around the bridged tooth. Dentures must be removed and cleaned, and they are held in place by messy adhesives. Dental implants are cleaned and maintained exactly as your natural teeth would be. You never have to worry about slippage or cleaning between the replacement bridge tooth and your gum. The tooth is attached to the gum through the dental implant, which is fused with your jawbone.
They’re more attractive. Dental implants are specially designed to look and feel like your own natural teeth. No one but you and your dentist will know! Because you are looking better, your self-esteem will be higher and you’ll feel better and more confident about your smile.
They’re more secure. Ill-fitting dentures or dental bridges can slip in the mouth, leading to discomfort, slurred speech and difficulties eating. Because the dental implants are permanently fused with the jawbone, they cannot slip. This allows you to eat, speak, and drink with security.
They’re better for your long-term oral health. Dental bridges require that you reduce the surface area and size of your existing teeth in order to support the bridge. Dental implants don’t require that other teeth be reduced, allowing more of your natural teeth to be left intact, improving your overall oral health.
They’re durable. With proper care, your implants can last a lifetime.
Talk to Morehead City family dentist Dr. Winchester today to learn more about dental implants and to see if they’re the right choice for you.
When looking to avoid more invasive dental treatments, prevention is the name of the game. If you want to avoid dental procedures like root canal therapy, there are a few tips you can follow to improve your chances of avoiding a root canal procedure:
Develop good oral hygiene habits. Brush and floss at least twice a day to rid your teeth and mouth of food particles and bacteria that can cause the tooth decay that leads to infection.
For yourself and children over the age of two, keep your tooth enamel strong by using a toothpaste that contains fluoride.
Eat healthy to ensure your teeth and body receive the proper nutrients to maintain good health. Eating crunchy vegetables and hard fruits will also aide in keeping the surface of your teeth clean.
Refrain from smoking, which can cause a host of health problems that weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to the bacteria and disease that could harm your teeth and gums.
Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated and to help clear your mouth of harmful acids, sugar and bacteria.
All of these recommendations will help to achieve the goal of preventing the cavities that lead to damage of the tooth’s pulp and root, and can require root canal treatment. Regular examinations by your dentist will also help to identify and treat potential cavities while they are small and have not yet reached the inner core of the tooth. Consult with Morehead City dentist Dr. Winchester about these and the other steps you can take to reduce your risk of a root canal procedure.
Virtually anything you consume that is colorful has the potential to stain your teeth. Drink a blue sports drink, and see what color it turns your teeth and tongue. Acidic foods also weaken your tooth enamel and make them more susceptible to discoloration. Topical stains from pigment rich foods and beverages are difficult to remove, but many can be eliminated with professional teeth whitening treatments.
Your dental professional can offer several options for teeth whitening, from take-home trays to in-office laser whitening, to produce a dazzling new smile. These whitening treatments can eliminate stains from coffee, tea, wine and colas as well as foods like berries and tomatoes. Yellowing may also occur from smoking or chewing tobacco. Some medications may also cause tough stains that can be lightened with professional whitening treatments.
Once you have undergone professional teeth whitening, there are a few tips to follow to help keep them bright and white. Drinking colored beverages with a straw will allow the liquid to bypass your teeth. You should also refrain from holding foods and beverages in your mouth longer than necessary. Swishing red wine around your mouth may taste good, but will also encourage staining. Brush your teeth or at least rinse your mouth with water as soon as possible after consuming staining foods or beverages. Stopping smoking or chewing tobacco will eliminate the continued yellowing these habits cause.
Following these recommendations along with regular visits to your Morehead City dentists for thorough cleaning will help extend the life of your whitening treatment and keep you smile white and bright.
