Invisalign®: Orthodontic Treatment that Spares Corona Del Mar’s Teenagers and Adults from “Brace Face” Embarrassment

This article provides an overview of the Invisalign® orthodontic system for the treatment of skew, crooked, overcrowded and poorly occluding teeth. 

I come from an era when skew, crooked, over-crowded or mal-occluded (poorly fitting) teeth were dealt with by traditional orthodontic braces. You would go to a qualified Corona Del Mar dentist totally ignorant of, or even mildly excited (as I was) for the orthodontic treatment you were about to receive. What this turned out to be was 18 torturous months of being called “brace face” by your brother and a painful abstinence from sticky sweets and buttered popcorn.

Traditional Orthodontic Braces: A Pain in the Face

You don’t need to have worn traditional braces to be able to sympathize with those who did. It’s painful, it’s uncomfortable and it’s really unattractive. As a teenager, wearing braces will get you a lot of attention from the opposite sex, but for all the wrong reasons. The only mercy is that many Corona Del Mar residents have their orthodontic problems taken care of at an age when they either don’t care about what the opposite sex thinks, or they have many years’ worth of maturing left during which their egos can recover. Adults requiring orthodontic treatment were not so lucky.

Thankfully, ultimate respite comes in the form of a revolutionary technology that is helping many Corona Del Mar teenagers and adults alike receive fantastic treatment for a suite of orthodontic maladies and abnormalities. It’s aptly called Invisalign®!>

Revolutionary Invisalign® Orthodontic Treatment>

Invisalign® is the 21st Century orthodontic treatment for teeth that are skew, crooked, over-crowded or have large gaps between them or for jaws (bites) that are badly aligned. In other words, the Invisalign® system can be used to treat most of the common orthodontic problems affecting Corona Del Mar residents, provided the patient’s jawbone has fully matured and all of their adult teeth have emerged.

How Does Invisalign® Work?

The Invisalign® system consists of a series of clear, and so virtually invisible, aligners (see image below) that are custom made for you by your Corona Del Mar dentist to fit over your teeth. Using some pretty sophisticated computer software, your dentist will fabricate you a series of translucent aligners that are designed to slowly and gradually force your teeth into better positions. You’ll notice this when you put your first Invisalign® aligner into your mouth: while it fits over your teeth, it doesn’t quite fit right. The pressure you feel on your teeth is the aligner moving them into their rightful positions.

What is the Treatment Time for Invisalign®?

You’ll wear one aligner for 23 hours every day and for a period of two weeks before changing to the next aligner in the series. You only ever take your Invisalign® aligners out for eating and cleaning and if this takes you longer than one hour per day, you’re spending too much time eating. After six weeks of treatment, your Corona Del Mar dentist will take a look at your progress and advise you accordingly.

While the total treatment time Invisalign® requires for satisfactory and permanent results is approximately the same as it is for traditional orthodontic braces, you:

• Will only require a dental check-up every six weeks, as opposed to every two weeks. This saves you money.
• Won’t experience the social embarrassment caused by having a mouth full of metal brackets and wires. This saves you face.
• Can enjoy a far more comfortable orthodontic transformation with none of the pain and ulceration caused by jagged metal bits and brackets. This saves your close relationships.
• Will be less of a walking human lighting conductor, which is great news for residents of the Midwest. This could save your life.

A Final Note on Invisalign®

So, if your teeth could benefit from orthodontic treatment – which is as important for cosmetics as it is for the longevity of your teeth and their optimal functioning – you might want to speak to your dentist about the fabulous breakthrough known as Invisalign® in Corona Del Mar!

Newport Beach Dental Implants: The Truth Behind an Unfairly Painful Reputation

This article abolishes the myth that dental implant procedures are extremely painful by discussing the amazing technology and techniques used by dentists to keep patients comfortable and anxiety and pain-free.

Dental implants are a fantastic and sophisticated treatment for missing teeth. They offer treatment outcomes that are typically unrivalled by other teeth replacement solutions that include tooth-supported bridges, removable dentures and partials. It’s for their many benefits and advantages that professional dentists in Newport Beach recommend them to patients who have lost one or more or even ALL of their original adult dentition in an accident or to tooth decay and gum disease.

The problem is, there seems to be a rather unfair reputation attached to dental implants and that is that they’re really painful to have placed! Nothing could be further from the truth according to the qualified and experienced professionals that work with them on a daily basis, so let’s get to the bottom of this myth concerning dental implants.

Modern Dental Implant Procedures: Minimally Invasive

First and foremost, let’s start by discussing the very nature of modern dental implant protocols. With continued advancements and the increasing sophistication of the diagnostic equipment and treatment planning software used by Newport Beach dental implant surgeons, modern surgical procedures have become less and less invasive in nature.

What this means is that your dentist will know exactly what your case looks like from all conceivable angles before he or she has even begun surgery. With only a few quick and highly accurate incisions needed, Newport Beach patients can enjoy a much speedier and pain-free recovery than ever before.

The Use of Anesthesia and Sedation “Sleep” Dentistry

While dental implant procedures have become highly planned and are minimally invasive, the use of local anesthesia is obviously necessary during the procedure so that patients are kept completely comfortable and pain-free. For more complex procedures involving multiple teeth replacement, many Newport Beach dental implant dentists will recommend sedation to their patients. This is totally safe and doesn’t have any nasty “hangover” effects. Rather, you will feel relaxed, calm and a little dazed throughout your procedure and “wake up” when it’s all over!

With the combined used of local anesthesia and sedation dentistry, Newport Beach residents don’t have to worry for a second about their dental implant procedure being painful, stressful or uncomfortable in the least. Your dentist will explain to you well in advance exactly what you can expect on the day of your treatment, so if you have any fears or concerns you must feel free to discuss them.

Post-Operative Pain Management

As with any surgery, there will be some slight discomfort in the first few days of recovery. Managing any pain is rendered incredibly easy with the use of over-the-counter pain medications, which your dental implant surgeon will send you home with. Most Newport Beach residents, however, don’t complain of any post-operative pain other than some sensitivity when eating. This soon disappears over the course of the week and you’ll be back at work and smiling almost immediately!

A Final Note on Dental Implants and Pain

And so you can see from all the above-mentioned factors that there really is no need to be fearful of dental implants. In fact, in the long run, they won’t only save patients money on constant maintenance, repair and products, but they also avoid much of the pain and discomfort associated with removable dentures and other inferior teeth replacement technologies. This makes dental implants the clear choice for teeth replacement in Newport Beach!

Cosmetic Dentistry: Everything Newport Beach Residents Need to Know About Porcelain Veneers, PART 2

This two-part article series provides a comprehensive overview of dental veneers as a wonderful cosmetic treatment for an imperfect tooth or imperfect teeth.

Welcome to the second half of this two-part article series on everything Newport Beach residents could possibly need to know about getting porcelain veneers. In Part 1, we explained what porcelain or dental veneers are, the various cosmetic imperfections and problems they could be used to fix and the procedure involved in getting them done by a cosmetic dentist in Newport Beach. Now, let’s address some of your frequently asked questions about this fantastic cosmetic solution to chipped, cracked, fractured, gappy, stained, discolored, worn, skew or overlapping teeth!

FAQ: Will I Get To Choose The Shade Of My New Teeth?

Cosmetic Dentist Answer: Getting a smile makeover with porcelain veneers in Newport Beach is great in that you can lighten the shade of all your teeth, giving you a whiter, more beautiful smile. However, any Newport Beach dentist will warn you that if you have existing restorations, such as crowns or bridges, it is advisable that you match the color of your porcelain veneers to these restorations, or else you risk your smile looking a little unnatural and like patchwork.

Additionally, if you’re only having a veneer placed upon one or two teeth, now might be the perfect time to get a teeth whitening treatment! This is so that the color of your custom-designed veneers will be matched to your new, whiter teeth rather than your previous dulled dental enamel.

Choosing a shade for your veneers might seem like a daunting task considering the very subtle difference between your various color choices, but this is precisely what your dentist is here to help you with. Listen to his or her advice, because he or she will have the trained and skillful eye necessary to choose a good color for your beautiful new teeth.

FAQ: Will I Be Able To Eat Normally With My New Veneers?

Cosmetic Dentist Answer: Porcelain veneers may appear to be made from very fragile materials, but once they are bonded to the surface of your teeth, they are exceptionally durable and enable you to eat most, if not all of your favorite foods. You will be able to eat normally and perfectly comfortably with your new veneers and after a short time, you’ll even forget they are there.

As with any dental restoration, however, the lifespan can be affected by how you treat them, so if you set about chewing on ice, gnawing on bones and crunching hard candies and popcorn, you could damage your veneers. Having said that, any of these activities would also damage your dental enamel, so rather stop them or else your Newport Beach dentist will be repairing more than just your smile aesthetics!

FAQ: Am I A Candidate For Porcelain Veneers?

Cosmetic Dentist Answer: Newport Beach residents, young and old, may be considered candidates for porcelain veneers. The procedure isn’t invasive at all, it doesn’t require sedation (unless you’re a nervous patient and the dentist recommends it) and it can be done in a short dental appointment. The only things that may come between you and getting your teeth improved with dental veneers are:

1. The damage or decay present is too advanced for porcelain veneers to offer a viable treatment solution. Your dentist may, instead, recommend a crown or even a dental implant if the tooth cannot be saved.

2. You have bad gum problems (such as gum disease) and/or tooth decay. In this case, any professional dentist in Newport Beach will opt to provide you with treatment for the infection before going in for cosmetic improvement alone.

Remember, healthy teeth are beautiful teeth, but if your teeth need a little help, porcelain veneers can constitute the perfect answer!

Cosmetic Dentistry: Everything Newport Beach Residents Need to Know About Porcelain Veneers, PART 1

This two-part article series provides a comprehensive overview of dental veneers as a wonderful cosmetic treatment for an imperfect tooth or imperfect teeth.

Your smile is a very personal and intimate reflection of who you are: it’s the ultimate tool of unspoken communication. Unfortunately, not everyone in Newport Beach has a smile they are proud of and the effect this has upon their social confidence and self-esteem can be truly debilitating. Thankfully, there is a cosmetic treatment available for people such as these and recent technological developments have made smile reparation and perfection quicker and easier than ever. We’re talking about porcelain veneers: the cosmetic dental technology that’s perfect for smile makeovers!

In this two-part article series, we shall take a look at all the frequently asked questions there are about porcelain veneers in Newport Beach, so that the residents there, know exactly what to look forward to when signing up for this cosmetic procedure.

FAQ: What Are Porcelain Veneers?

Cosmetic Dentist Answer: Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin shells or coverings made from high grade, durable ceramic material (take a look at the picture, above). They are custom fabricated in a dental laboratory using molds of your teeth in order to fit over the front surface of every tooth requiring restoration. In other words, the veneer made for your top incisor will be quite different in shape, function and form to the veneer made for your bottom incisor.

FAQ: What Conditions Can Dental Veneers Treat?

Cosmetic Dentist Answer: Porcelain veneers essentially camouflage deep stains and discoloration by covering them up; they also “flesh out” the portions of your dental enamel that have been lost through some kind of physical trauma, natural wear or decay. In short, if you have any of the following conditions, you may be a great candidate for dental veneers and you should speak to a qualified Newport Beach cosmetic dentist:

•    A chipped, cracked or fractured tooth

•    Uneven, jagged teeth

•    Small or short crowns that make your teeth look small

•    Large gaps between the teeth

•    Skew, mildly overlapping teeth

•    Deeply stained or discolored teeth

•    Teeth that have become worn down through grinding

Essentially, any kind of cosmetic imperfection related to your teeth can be addressed by a skilled cosmetic dentist in Newport Beach using porcelain veneers!

FAQ: What’s The Procedure Involved For The Placement Of Porcelain Veneers?

Cosmetic Dentist Answer: The modern procedures used to place porcelain veneers have advanced in leaps and bounds. They no longer require cosmetic dentists to “shave off” or file down a slim layer of the front of your teeth in order to accommodate the veneer, because the veneer can now be made by machine to be ultra-thin.

Your procedure will begin with a consultation with your cosmetic dentist, during which he or she will assess your oral health and ensure that the cause of your problem or dental imperfection isn’t related to tooth decay or gum problems. If it is, it will be address first before Newport Beach cosmetic Denristry treatment is provided. The dentist will then take a mold of your teeth and this will be used to custom fabricate your porcelain veneers. You will be asked to return for another appointment, during which your veneers will be placed on your tooth/teeth.

At your second appointment at your Newport Beach cosmetic dentist’s office, your new veneers will be ready and waiting for you. The front surface of your teeth may be lightly abraded so as to provide greater traction for the porcelain veneer. A dental cement will be brushed onto your teeth and the veneer carefully put over your tooth. A special light will be utilized to harden the bonding agent, thereby cementing the veneer in place.

Once you have been thoroughly checked for bite fit and comfort, you’ll be able to admire your beautiful new smile in the mirror!

Stay Tuned for Part 2

To find out more about dental veneers and how they can drastically improve upon the quality of your smile, stay tuned for the second half of this two-part article series.