A Cosmetic Dentist Can Fix Your Gapped Teeth

If you suffer from diastema, also known as gapped teeth, a cosmetic dentist can help. Diastema occurs when certain teeth have grown in but do not match up, or the jaw has extra space that the teeth cannot fill. Usually, gapped teeth are genetic, but it can often be caused by a missing tooth, tongue thrusting, or periodontal disease. If you have diastema due to periodontal disease, you should have the infection treated before pursuing cosmetic improvements. If you have naturally gapped teeth, but do not want a straightening treatment, we can provide you with a few cosmetic dentistry options that can improve your teeth, which will help you feel more comfortable with your smile.

• Dental Bonding: If gaps are not severe, tooth bonding, or dental bonding, is usually the first cosmetic dentist treatment we suggest. During this procedure, dental resin in a pliable form will be applied to the sides of your teeth to create a shapely appearance that will fill in gaps. The bonding is tooth-colored to blends in with your teeth, providing a natural appearance. Dental bonding looks best when used on smaller gaps. Once the bonding is applied, the cosmetic dentist will harden the substance and buff it into a realistic-looking state.
• Dental Veneers: For larger gaps between teeth or for several gaps that need to be corrected, dental veneers are our second most commonly used option. Veneers are custom-created, thin shells of porcelain cemented to the fronts of your teeth. Those placed by the cosmetic dentist will fill in gaps and give you a fuller-looking smile. Veneers are tooth-colored and finished with a material that provides a similar sheen to that of your natural enamel.
• Dental Crowns: If you have a gap every few teeth, another viable option would be our dental crowns. These natural-colored crowns will encase your entire tooth, giving it a fuller shape that will properly occupy any gap space. If you have gaps due to missing teeth, we can apply a tooth-colored crown to a replacement option like a dental bridge or implant. These structures will attach to surrounding teeth or directly to your jaw bone to provide a permanent replacement for missing teeth. We will cover your bridge or implant with a crown to give it a proper, natural-looking dental prosthetic.

We can discuss our dental replacement options more fully when you come in for an appointment. Whichever replacement you choose will be dependent on the soundness of your dental structure and what durability and use you desire from your replacement.

Our cosmetic dentist corrective treatments will fill in your gaps as naturally as possible. These are minimally invasive procedures that do not require much chair time unless you desire a replacement option. Dental replacements take more time but provide permanent results. With most of these treatments, very little anesthetics are necessary, but we will offer them to make you as comfortable as possible. Our materials are long-lasting, stain-resilient, and durable against wear and damage.

Our General Dentistry Office Sheds Light on Common Health Myths

As a general dentistry office, we treat patients who are dealing with a wide variety of oral health challenges. We begin by determining what the issue is, treating it, and then discussing ways to prevent the problem from repeating itself. These conversations can be enlightening, and one thing we regularly hear are questions based on dental myths. For example, there is a myth that diet soda is okay for the teeth because it is sugar-free. Patients who are heavy soda drinkers can sometimes be surprised that they have cavities and that their soda habit could have contributed to the problem. Getting accurate information is important to maintain a healthy smile, both now and in the future. For this reason, we have compiled a list of the myths we hear on a regular basis and our response to them. 

Myth – Raw diets are good for your teeth.

The truth is that any extreme diet has some drawbacks. The biggest challenge with the raw diet is that much of the food is highly acidic. When acid comes in contact with your teeth, it can begin the process of erosion. You only have a limited amount of enamel on your teeth, so when it starts to erode, your teeth could become sensitive. If you are on the raw diet, be sure to rinse your mouth after eating and drinking, and brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste that can help strengthen them. We invite you to visit our general dentistry office any time you are trying a new diet and want to know if it is good for your teeth.

Myth – Adults do not get cavities on a regular basis.

Everyone is susceptible to getting cavities. It does not matter how old you are. If you have teeth, they can experience decay. We encourage all of our patients to have their teeth cleaned at our general dentistry office twice a year, so we can reduce the risk of cavities forming in the first place.

Myth – Flossing is optional.

Flossing is one of the most important things you can do for your oral health, and it is the best thing you can do to prevent gum disease. Every time you eat, food particles can become trapped in between your teeth, and plaque can also build up in these spaces. Flossing allows you to remove food and plaque, preventing it from leading to cavities or from becoming trapped underneath your gum tissue. Leaving it there can lead to inflamed and irritated gums in addition to infections. If you do not like to floss, purchase a flossing tool, since these are easy to hold and make it faster to get the job done. 

Myth – Only older people get oral cancer.

This is certainly not the case. While men over the age of fifty are at the greatest risk for developing cancer, anyone can get it. The HPV virus has been known to cause oral cancer, and if you have been diagnosed with it, smoke, drink a lot, or use chewing tobacco, you are at an increased risk. We recommend being screened on an annual basis. 

To learn more about oral health or to ask questions, call and schedule an examination.