Archive for December, 2008

Teeth Whitening by the Dallas Cosmetic Dentist

A very common question that as a Dallas teeth whitening dentist am asked is about the effectiveness of the different types of teeth whitening. The most effective type of teeth whitening is in-office combined with the take home tray system. This allows for rapid color change under the office control. The one hour procedure is equal to 56 hours of home teeth whitening. The trays give Dallas teeth whitening patients the option to further bleach in more difficult cases. Additionally, you have the capability with the trays of touching up at home to maintain the color; this usually takes 2-3 nights every 3-12 months.

The next best option is home teeth whitening with custom trays. You cannot get quite as much color change on average and it is dependent on patient compliance. Generally, you will need to bleach 1-2 weeks at night per arch. Since you already have the trays, you can do touch ups to maintain the color; again, usually 2-3 nights every 3-12 months.

The least effective method is over the counter teeth whitening as the chemical concentrations are lower and less controlled.

Dallas tooth whitening dentist is most effective in younger patients who want to remove the yellow-orange color from their teeth; they do not have any grayness or color variations. Patients with multiple colors or a grayish color will not get great results. An example is tetracycline staining which causes horizontal bands in the teeth or fluorosis (mineralization). These bands or contrasts will not disappear with teeth whitening, but can lighten slightly. The longevity of Dallas dentistry teeth whitening depends on the composition of your teeth. People who have porous teeth that tend to absorb pigmentation of food or drink will need to touch up more frequently. On the other hand, those with teeth that do not stain as easily will not have to touch up as frequently. In addition, always remember that crowns and fillings will not lighten with teeth whitening, the position of these restorations must be considered before teeth whitening.

Sensitivity also varies from person to person, depending on a lot of factors. For this reason, the solutions distributed in our Dallas tooth whitening dentistry office come in varying concentrations. The teeth whitening dentist in Dallas, also offer a desensitizing agent to reduce this effect. In general, the sensitivity is manageable and transient, only lasting 24 hours.
Teeth whitening is a very simple and economical way of making cosmetic enhancements to your smile, but it does have limitations. I want all my Dallas teeth whitening patients to be aware of these so that you can have realistic expectations with your individual situation. My dental staff and I will always be glad to advise you of your situation as we want you to be happy with your results.

For patients who have severely sensitive teeth, multiple colors, damage from clenching and grinding, arrangement issues or an improper bite, you may consider bonded ceramic restorations. Porcelain does not stain from coffee, tea, wine or cigarettes. They can correct all color issues so the patient can choose whatever color they wish, straighten teeth and strengthen damaged teeth.

Please call our Dallas cosmetic dentistry office today to discuss what your options may be, my staff and I are always ready and willing to help!

Visit: www.SmilesBySowell.com or www.ADCPLANO.com

Dallas lumineers dentist, Dr. Sowell attended an Advanced workshop on Lumineers last year. Lumineers for those of you who have not heard is being heavily marketed as a veneer system for people who want to make improvements to their appearance of their smile without reshaping their teeth. For Dallas residents, lumineers dental treatment seems to be an excellent choice, as they do not need to have a shot or wear temporaries while the veneers are being fabricated. It is totally reversible treatment.

These advantages are very appealing. At the Dallas dental practice, it has been seen that Lumineers are stronger than other veneer systems, therefore they can be made as thin as .2mm thick and the bond to enamel is the strongest long-term bond possible. They have an excellent 20-year track record. The only disadvantage is the teeth are .4 mm wider than normal at the gum line and at least .2mm fuller on the lip side. For Dallas patients who want improvement to the smile, but do not want their teeth reshaped, the Dallas porcelain veneers dentist explains how Lumineers are an excellent choice as long as the patient understands there are some compromises and limitations since the resulting teeth are slightly wider and fuller than ideal.

The Dallas dentistry practice has found many of our patients are now using the Crest Pro Health toothpaste. This toothpaste contains the ingredient stannous fluoride, which is different than the neutral fluoride found in most other toothpastes. Unfortunately, stannous fluoride has been found to etch porcelain restorations. Most of our Dallas patients have porcelain crowns, veneers or bonding. The Dallas dental team strongly discourages the use of this product to help preserve the beautiful luster and shine of your porcelain restorations. Also, please know that the Dallas porcelain veneers dentist uses a separate polishing paste for your porcelain restorations. The standard polishing materials are too abrasive to these restorations. The Dallas lumineer dentist, along with the entire dental staff takes pride in your porcelain veneer investment and wants you to enjoy your smile for a long time.

Want to find out how to Revitalize and Desensitize your smile in only 10 minutes a day?

Sounds like you need to find out about our new Revitalizing trays!! So what are they and how do they work? Well, most of us at some time or another have experienced decay at gum line or some sensitivity while brushing our teeth especially along the gum line or when drinking something cold. In more severe cases just having the air hit our teeth can send us through the roof. As a dentist in Dallas I see this in my younger patients at the this is mainly because they are too busy and too tired to clean consistantly well along the gum line.

These hard to reach areas are prone to cavity causing bacteria especially on teeth that have crowns. For my more mature patients (over 40) these same areas are prone to bacteria and sensitivity at the gum line due to gum recession allowing root exposure. Roots are 7 times softer and more prone to decay than enamel. You combine this with clenching and grinding your teeth and you have a real problem. Finally, I’m seeing more patients (over 50) who are on medications which decrease salivary flow or have dry mouth. Unfortunately this group is most prone to decay at the gum line and under old crowns because the antibodies in their saliva have been dramatically decreased.

The solution for these patients is a mixture of a special flouride and calcium hydroxide mixed in a tray (like a bleaching tray or invisalign tray) to be put into the patients mouth for 10 minutes each night before they go to bed. We call this a Revitalizing Tray! It revitalizes your smile by desensitizing, remineralizing and sterilizing the root surface of each tooth and around crown margins where the crown meets the tooth.

If you have root sensitivity or want your crowns to last longer and have fewer cavities on the root by your gum line then ask the Dallas dentist Dr Sowell about revitalizing trays when you come in for your preventitive care appointment with Melissa.

Hygiene Hello

I thought it would be fun to test your knowledge about oral health. Good Luck!!

True or False:

1. Fifty percent of Americans do not receive regular oral health care.
2. Periodontal disease is the primary cause of tooth loss in adults 35 and over.
3. Every year 8000 people die from oral cancer.
4. More people use red tooth brushes than blue ones.
5. You should change your tooth brush every 6 months.
6. Smokers are two times more likely than nonsmokers to lose their teeth.
7. People who drink more than 5 sugary sodas daily have 62% more dental decay, fillings and tooth loss.
8. 50% of systemic diseases have oral manifestations.
9. More than 300 types of bacteria make up dental plaque.
10. 80% of people are not happy with their smile.
11. The average woman smiles about 62 times a day. The average man smiles about 50 times a day.
12. Kids laugh about 400 times a day. Adults laugh only 15 times a day.

Answers:

1. True 2. True 3. True. 4.False- Blue are more common than red 5. False- Every 3 months 6. False-3 times 7.False- Only 3 8.False 90% 9. True 10. True 11.False-Men only smile about 8 times a day 12. True

Let’s let the last question be a lesson for all of us. Remember, it takes more muscles to frown than to smile!

For more information on Plano dental care , call Dr. Sowell, DDS MAGD today.