Smile Makeover

Smiling with confidence makes you feel great. A beautiful smile is also an important social and professional asset. Yet there are many people who avoid showing their teeth in public or in photographs because they don't like what they see. If that describes you, then why not start the process of getting the smile of your dreams?

A smile makeover goes beyond simply responding to dental problems as they arise. It's a comprehensive smile-rejuvenation plan that's uniquely suited to your own facial features and aesthetic preferences. The results can be quite dramatic — both in terms of how you will look and how you will feel. These are the major steps involved:

Take a look. The makeover process is all about giving you the smile of your dreams. So take a good look at your smile and note what you like and don't like about it. Some questions you can ask yourself are:

• Are your teeth as white as you'd like them to be?
• Are any teeth chipped, cracked or worn?
• Does your smile have a gummy appearance?
• Do your teeth seem too large or small?
• Do you like the alignment and spacing of your teeth
• Are you self-conscious about crookedness or gaps?

Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder… and that's you! Some people want their smile to look “perfect” — and to them, that means completely straight, uniformly white teeth. Others like a slightly more natural look, and are not displeased by slight gaps or shade variations. There are lots of decisions to make, but don't worry — dentists are skilled at helping you sort it all out!

Share your thoughts. Communication is an extremely important part of the smile makeover process. At the first makeover consultation, it helps if you describe what you would like to change in as much detail as possible. Bring along pictures of smiles you like, or of how your own smile used to look. Dr. Clark will have some thoughts to share with you as well because he is trained to look at smiles in terms of facial balance. In other words, he will look not only at how the elements of a smile (teeth, lips, and gums) relate to each other but also how they blend in with the face as a whole.

Make a plan. An important part of planning a smile makeover is a comprehensive dental exam. Cosmetic dentistry offers an amazing array of lifelike tooth restorations and treatments; but first, any conditions in your mouth that may jeopardize a good result must be taken care of. If your teeth are discolored, for example, the reason must be determined. You may have an underlying dental disease that needs to be treated before whitening your teeth; otherwise, the whitening may not last. Likewise, if you often drink red wine or other beverages that stain, you might do better with porcelain veneers than bleaching treatments.

Try it out. A smile makeover is an investment that is meant to last. That's why many of the procedures performed are irreversible. So if you are contemplating some changes, it's a great idea to try them out before you fully commit to them. There are many ways to preview the results: computer imaging, 3-D models, and even placing temporary restorations on your teeth so you can see what the final results will look and feel like in your own mouth. This also allows a fine-tuning of the makeover plan.

A “trial smile” is a great way to eliminate unknowns in the makeover process. But when it's all done, there's still one thing you may not be prepared for: how great it feels to flash your new smile to the world!

Call us today to set up your smile makeover consultation!

Children's Brushing Chart

          February is National Children's Dental Health Month

This is a fun brushing chart you can print out and use with your family throughout the month of February. Set up a fun reward at the end of the month for all of their diligence and hard work.

Printable Sources: https://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/national-childrens-dental-health-month

Timing is Everything!

 

If You Indulge, Do It During Mealtime

Don’t worry, we don’t expect you or your child to never eat sweets or starches. There is a better time to eat them than at snack time, however, and that is during meals! That’s because it’s not just important what you eat, but when you eat. At mealtime, there is an increased amount of saliva in the mouth that can help wash away those starches or sugary treats, counteract acid-producing bacteria and remineralize teeth.

Watch Out For Added Sugars

Almost all foods have some type of sugar in them. Naturally occurring sugars–like those found in milk and vegetables–are less worrisome, since these choices are healthy overall. What you want to keep an eye out for when choosing snacks are added sugars.

According to the American Dental Association, added sugar consumption should be limited to less than 10 percent of total energy intake, ideally less than five percent. To put things in perspective, one can of soda is equivalent to three times the daily recommended sugar intake of a child!

Choose Beverages Wisely

On that note, we’d like to advise parents to choose their children’s beverages wisely. Soda and juice may be your child’s preferred drinks, but milk and water are much healthier choices. Good sources of calcium, like milk, aid in building strong teeth and bones and water helps to wash away food particles that may be clinging to teeth, thus protecting against decay.

Source: https://hanoverdentistry.com/2016/08/23/snacking-tips-to-keep-your-childs-smile-health/#:~:text=Stay%20away%20from%20starchy%2C%20sticky,%2C%20nuts%2C%20yogurt%20and%20cheese.

Photo Source: https://www.drjennifercohen.com/calm-happy-mealtime-solution/

Great Snacking Options

 

GOOD NUTRITION IS ESSENTIAL for a child’s healthy growth and development. It’s also important for their dental health! A good diet can help your child build strong, healthy teeth, while poor eating habits puts your child at a higher risk of tooth decay.

You may understand how important nutritious meals are, but one thing some parents struggle with is snack time. Here are our best tips on how to make sure your child’s snack time is tooth-friendly!

Not All Snacks Are Created Equal

Stay away from starchy, sticky or sugary foods during snack time, like dried fruit, crackers, chips and cookies. These types of snacks can stick to the teeth for long periods of time, potentially causing cavities. For snack time it’s best to opt for fruits, vegetables, nuts, yogurt and cheese.

Source: https://hanoverdentistry.com/2016/08/23/snacking-tips-to-keep-your-childs-smile-health/#:~:text=Stay%20away%20from%20starchy%2C%20sticky,%2C%20nuts%2C%20yogurt%20and%20cheese.

Tooth Snack Guide

 

School is almost back in session. Whether that means online or in person, new schedules will need to be put in place. Preparing snacks ahead of time will save you a lot of questions and time. Put all snacks in one place in the refrigerator or have a designated basket in the cupboard so your kids know where to look when it is snack time. 

Healthy snacks will keep your child's blood sugar levels even and give them the best advantage to staying up on their assignments. 

We look forward to seeing you at your semi-annual cleaning appointment!

Source: https://fidkids.com/tooth-friendly-snack-guide/

Why Give Thanks?