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Are you afraid to smile? Would you rather take the picture instead of be in it, because you are too self-conscious of the color, shape, or positioning of your teeth? Are you afraid to yawn for fear of revealing all of those silver fillings? Many of my patients think that their teeth are too dark, too crooked, overcrowded, chipped, or just misshapen. They want that "Hollywood" smile, and they often bring a magazine to my office, point to the cover and say, "I want a smile just like that!"

There are a wide range of cosmetic dental enhancements available that can help you achieve the look you want. Though these enhancements are only "skin deep", they can bring you pleasure, and perhaps give your self-confidence a little boost.

Below is a general introduction to some of the latest cosmetic techniques.

Bleaching and Whitening

Extrinsic stains, or stains on outer surfaces of the teeth, can usually be removed during a thorough professional dental cleaning. However, intrinsic stains, which are stains within the tooth itself, must be removed through bleaching. This can be accomplished either at home when overseen by your dentist, or in the dental office with a carbamide-peroxide or hydrogen-peroxide solution. It is usually two to three years before it is necessary to repeat the bleaching process. I caution you to avoid any whitening procedure without supervision by your dentist for several reasons that include:

Not everyone is a candidate for bleaching, so you should be evaluated first by a dentist. One reason to check with your dentist is to ensure that you will not be sensitive to the procedure. It may be necessary to replace some older fillings with new fillings prior to the process, to avoid sensitivity. Also, because porcelain and tooth-colored fillings tend not to bleach, you may want to replace them after bleaching in order to improve aesthetics.

Not all over-the-counter bleaching solutions are pH-balanced. Some may cause irritation of the gums.

Bleaching can sometimes lead to sensitive teeth, which your dentist can help by changing the concentration of the solutions or administering fluoride.

It is important to have a custom-fitted mouth guard so that the bleaching gel remains on your teeth, rather than on your gums. The combination in-office/take-home whitening procedure In this procedure, models are taken of your mouth, and a custom-fitted bleaching tray is made for you. I instruct my patients to wear the tray for a period of two weeksfor four hours each day, or they may wear it overnight. Results vary depending upon the original color and shade of your teeth (i.e., some teeth are naturally yellow, reddish-brown, or gray.)

In-office whitening

As a matter of convenience, many of my patients choose in-office whitening. A special external light source (laser, halogen or gas plasma) is used to activate the bleaching gel solution. The process is safe, easy, and fast. Results are accomplished in just one appointment. Sometimes it may be necessary to use a combination of in-office and at-home bleaching in order to achieve the patient’s desired results.

Whitening toothpastes

Although whitening toothpastes may remove stains, I only recommend them for maintenance after the bleaching process has been completed.

Bonding

Bonding is actually a process by which we affix a tooth-colored material (hard plastic) to your teeth, creating a bond. We can use bonding to change tooth color, shape and size, or to repair fractured teeth. We can also use bonding to give the appearance of straight teeth. However, we caution our patients to avoid hard foods, as this may cause the bonded restoration to chip or fracture. A bonded restoration can be polished to look the same as your natural teeth and may also stain in a similar manner as your own teeth. Stains are removed during the patient’s regular cleaning appointments by polishing these restorations.

Porcelain veneers

If my patients want something that is more stain-resistant and less likely to chip than bonding, I recommend porcelain veneers. Like bonding, porcelain veneers are also used to change tooth color, shape, and size. We can also use porcelain veneers to give teeth a straighter appearance and to close spaces. Porcelain veneers are thin porcelain shells that are fabricated in a dental laboratory. I often liken porcelain veneers to fake fingernails. We bond the porcelain veneers to the teeth using a special cement. Porcelain veneers are more expensive than bonding, since there is a laboratory process involved. I prefer porcelain veneers to bonding when there are several teeth involved because I can achieve a more consistent cosmetic result.

Tooth-colored fillings

Due to recent technological advances and improved materials, there are now alternatives to silver fillings. I have never had a patient thank me for a silver filling because they like the way it looks. I get more gratification and many more thanks from patients when I use tooth-colored fillings. When teeth require smaller restorations or fills, we can fill these holes in the office with a tooth-colored material (hard plastic) that is bonded to the tooth. If the filling is large, I prefer to use a tooth-colored inlay or onlay, which is custom-made in the laboratory to fit the tooth and is permanently cemented in place. If there is a considerable amount of tooth structure missing, we must crown the tooth.

Porcelain crowns (caps)

In my practice, I use both all-porcelain crowns and porcelain-fused-to-gold crowns (a gold crown that is covered by porcelain). I use porcelain to match the shade of a natural tooth. Since more light is reflected in the front of the mouth, I feel that all-porcelain crowns look more natural when restoring front teeth. Crowns are custom-made in a laboratory and are cemented in place.

Orthodontics

I work with orthodontists in our practice to straighten teeth, reduce crowding, and close spaces in order to achieve the best possible smiles. Although it often requires a much longer time frame, I often prefer orthodontics over porcelain veneers or bonding. Orthodontics may take at least two to three years to achieve the desired results. Sometimes it is necessary to use both orthodontics and bonding or veneers to achieve the best results.

Periodontics

Sometimes it is necessary to work with a periodontist (gum specialist) to alter gum tissue to enhance a patient’s smile. You may have seen at one time or another a person who will show a lot of gum when they smile.. If a person is uncomfortable with the amount of gum that shows, a periodontist can help to reduce this.

Conclusion

If you have a hankering for a smile overhaul, rest easy. There are many options available to you, and the best way to begin is to speak with your dentist. He or she can point you in the direction of a specialist who can address your concerns. And remember, everyone is entitled to a beautiful smile.

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Wearing dental braces can be one of the most difficult things one ever does in life. Yet, it doesn’t need to be that way. I write this from my heart to anyone who has braces and needs to know how to master them, instead of them mastering you. Dental braces don’t need to be a hardship, they can actually be fun, if you master a few areas from the first day you get them on…

I’m sure this letter is coming to a variety of age groups, which is my hope and prayer. You see, I’m 41 years old and I felt kind of weird getting full braces. Everyone in the waiting room was 7-25 years old, but my dentist said get them, or don’t expect my teeth to straighten. If your a child, I hope you love this article, If your an adult, I hope to encourage you to the utmost as well.

Let’s get to it. How do you master dental braces, instead of them mastering you. A little disclaimer: What has worked for me might not worked for you, so please, follow your dentist or doctor’s directions first and foremost, but I’m going to be blunt and to the point in order to help most of you out right now.

The best piece of advice that I got from the start. Relax. Relax and try not to think about them being in your mouth. In fact, the dental assistant told me: Don’t think about it. Just be yourself and be normal. That was priceless. Why?

The first day I got braces I wanted to take them back and tell the doctor to rip them off my face. I even thought about the $4,600 I had to pay (my insurance didn’t cover because I’m over 25) and thought about how I didn’t care even if I had to pay it, just stop this bottom bracket from tearing into my cheeks!

All-right. So I’m not trying to scare you, but wearing braces can be difficult if you don’t master them before they master you!

First and foremost you have to have fun, laugh, and be yourself just like you did before you got your braces. I know, I know, the directions say "don’t eat any sugar, no sweets, no caramel, etc, etc, etc., again, follow the directions of your dentist, but I say, use moderation instead, and enjoy your food!

Your teeth are going to hurt for a while. There are some things that are normal that you won’t feel are normal. I already called my dentist and all of the following are normal, believe it or not: teeth moving, you being able to touch your teeth and see them move, pain, tightness, and much more.

My dentist told me that I would feel normal in about one to two weeks. No way. It took me about a month and a half. After a month, I was beginning to feel like the old "me" and beginning to enjoy my food. Now, about the food. Please, don’t make the mistake I made, don’t try to eat with ALL your teeth right away.

I thought, ok, I better just be normal, so let’s go ahead and chomp away! Ugh! I got so much food stuck in my front teeth you could have filled up two gum wrappers with it! Don’t chomp away. Don’t eat like your teeth haven’t been affected. Granted, each person is different, but if I could please give you this advice. If you used to brush hard, brush medium, if you are a soft brusher, good for you. If you were a hard brusher like me, you are going to have to back off a little bit!

Let me explain. I went through a lot of undo pain the first few weeks just cranking away on my bottom teeth. Before I got the braces I would just scrub and scrub. However, the bottom tooth is the one that is crooked, so I was really scrubbing the daylights out of a tooth that’s MOVING. Not a good thing.

Realize, your teeth are moving now, you wouldn’t clean a moving car with a 500lb jet sprayer, so don’t do that with your teeth either. You’ve got to be a little more sensitive to yourself.

Again, the first two weeks for me, I wanted to take the braces back to the dentist. Now, I hardly know there there. Another thing is prayer. Seriously, pray and ask God for help at this time. I’m a Christian, and so one day I just prayed this simple prayer and I encourage you to pray it too: "Lord, please teach me how to eat again, with these braces on."

He heard my prayer and I began to eat more with my back teeth. But first, there was a peace! God gave me the peace to move forward and I felt moved by him to stop brushing so hard, and to also eat more with my back teeth. Not to ignore my front teeth, and to chew with them too, but just to change them from the main chewers, to the backup chewers, if that makes sense.

The first three weeks for me can be summed up in one word: uncomfortable. Well, I can help you get through that too. I wanted to sit down at night and slurp on my nightly "Welch’s grape juice bars." Uh-Oh. No way. They were history. They are history for now. Until I get the braces off. It was just too cold on my teeth and they all tightened up like they were preparing for war or something.

I’m a juice bar nut, but I almost like ice cream as much as juice bars. Come to find out, Ice Cream has less fat than some of those juice bars! Anyways, I needed some food I could enjoy. Before I tell you my favorite food wearing braces, let me encourage you by letting you in on some of my 2nd place finishers. I love to eat cream corn, ribs that are all the way cooked, because you can take them off the bone with your fingers…

A new love! Tapioca pudding! It’s actually an old love, but through the first few weeks it got me through! Also, health wise: Fig Newtons! Awesome soft food, healthy, and eating them is fun with your braces. Again though, you must focus on eating with your back teeth, not the front. Also, put a little food on your tongue and let it sit there for a minute, then move it to the back, because you don’t want it cramming into your front wires!

Hmm…let’s see. Other foods you may like: peas, cream corn-man this is satisfying with braces. Also, Chili! Yes, Chili! Do you have a Farmer Boys near your house? Best thing you can do for your little one after they get braces is just take them to Farmer Boys for a nice hot bowl of Chili! Farmer Boys makes them with meat in it, and not so many beans, and the meat is thin, so you will be nourished and you’ll feel normal again right away! Chili my friends! Chili!

Hmm..what else? Also, soft fruits are great. Watermelon, cucumbers, and orange slices are awesome with braces.

But remember above all else. You need to cut up everything! You can’t just sit down and eat a cheeseburger! You need to cut up all your sandwiches into fourths or eighths, make everything bite-sized. You can’t eat huge anymore.

Watch out for nuts! They seem to be the hardest thing to eat with braces. You can eat them once in a while, but let me teach you how. Anyone like chocolate nut clusters? Me too! However, you can NEVER, ever eat these with your front teeth! You just can’t! Eat them with your BACK teeth only. Believe me, you’ll thank me later. I tried to eat one the first three days and almost popped everything off in my mouth. Also, if you eat candy, eat just one! Believe me, one is going to feel like four with your braces on.

Secondly, eat slowly, enjoy, and chew up your food. Never before has chewing become so important! Chew! Chew! Chew! Enjoy! You’ll be glad you did.

Also, lastly, you’ve got to relax and watch out for wax! The doctor kept telling me to put wax, wax, wax. I have a scientific mind and it told me that I am just postponing the inevitable. Those braces by the cheek are going to have to tear in and make an indention or bruise eventually. So, after using wax for just a day or two, I gave it up.

Then, of course, there was the usual pain, but after a day for me, it started going away. Yes, yes, the braces made an indention in my cheek and if I swirl my tongue around under my cheek I can feel the scarred tissue or whatever that is, but hey, my cheek has toughened up, and I don’t need wax anymore. I’ve talked to people who waxed for months!

Ok, I promised to tell you my favorite food. It’s vanilla, sherbet, or strawberry ice cream. I eat just a scoop or two at night three or four times a week because it is so soothing to my mouth. At first my mouth started tightening up a bit, but after I did it for a day or two, the tightening has lessened and is hardly noticeable. Plus I feel so good after having the ice cream because it is so soothing to my mouth!

Now, again, follow your dentist, but at my first braces checkup, I am way ahead of schedule. I believe I’m going to get my braces off in 8 months or less! And that’s eating ice cream too!

My crooked truth has almost fully straightened and it’s been less than three months! Also, I am wearing Damon Braces, and they are very comfortable and they are a brand new technology that works with the natural movement of your teeth, and they don’t require tightening near as much as standard braces! If you’re a parent shopping for braces don’t forget that name!

Lastly, if I can do it at 41 years young, you can too. Don’t let braces master you. You must master them. And a final word on flossing too. You are NOT going to be able to floss everyday. It’s too difficult and you’ll get frustrated. Floss regularly, but most important, brush regularly, and use lots of mouthwash. It’ll sooth your mouth! Mouthwash with Peroxide! Colgate makes a great one.

Also, my dentist recommends Colgate Total for the best results while wearing braces. Let me tell you why I agree with him. I’m a public school teacher of 20 years, and I once had a sixth grade student who did an in-depth science experiment comparing Colgate Total, Crest, Agua-Fresh, and more. Long story short, the Colgate Total came out on top in every area: less cavities, less tooth decay, and most of all more whitened teeth than any other brand.

That student was one of my smartest ever and her research was intensive. I was actually a Vice-Principal at the time and a science fair judge. That said, please, enjoy your new braces, and remember, be the master of them, before they master you!

Don Alexander is a writer and published poet and has two online missions: Sharing his writing and also helping "all to succeed" in online business. Don feels that online home business is the financial answer for the average American today.
http://www.leading-online-business.com
"Helping ALL to Succeed"

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People don’t often think to consult their dentist for treatment of migraines and other chronic headaches, neck aches and facial pain, but they should.

These debilitating symptoms often are the result of temporomandibular joint disorder- commonly referred to as TMJ- a jaw alignment and bite disorder that can be treated through neuromuscular dentistry.

The TMJ is the ball-and-socket joint on each side of the head where the lower jawbone joins the temporal bone of the skull, according to mayoclinic.com/health/tmj-disorders/DS00355 The lower jaw has rounded ends that glide in and out of the joint socket when talking, chewing or yawning.

Between five percent and 15 percent of people in the United States experience pain associated with TMJ disorders, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institutes of Health . Women are more likely than men to develop TMJ disorders.

In most cases, pain and discomfort associated with TMJ disorders can be treated through self-managed care or non-surgical treatments, said Dr. Mindy Munowitz, a dentist who specializes in neuromuscular and cosmetic dentistry in Cincinnati, Ohio. However, more severe cases may require further dental or surgical treatment.

While traditional dentistry evaluates primarily the teeth, bones and gums, neuromuscular dentistry works with the hard tissues and the soft tissues, muscles and nerves, according to leadingdentists.com/what_is_neuromuscular/what_is_neuromuscular_dent.html the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies Web site.

Typically, the treatment follows three steps. The first is to relieve the pain of muscle spasms and the overall discomfort of TMJ symptoms.

“Patients suffering from TMJ are looking for relief of the symptoms,” Munowitz said. “We are successful in doing this through non-surgical neuromuscular dentistry methods.”

The best way to do this is by using technology called Ultra Low Frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation, or ULF-TENS. Simply put, this stimulation emits pulses to gently massage the jaw muscles and relax them. ULF-TENS relieves the pain by stimulating the body’s production of endorphins, the body’s natural anesthetic.

The next step is to stabilize the patient’s bite. This is accomplished using an orthotic, which is worn over the teeth.

“The orthotic allows me to make easy adjustments to the plastic without adjusting the teeth until the bite is stabilized,” Munowitz said.

Dr. Munowitz creates beautiful, healthy smiles through the practice of cosmetic, restorative and neuromuscular dentistry. Through the most state-of-the art dental techniques, Dr. Munowitz brings Greater Cincinnati smiles back to life through the expert application of veneers, bonding, Zoom!® whitening, dentures, dental implants, orthodontics, and TMJ relief. Her office is located at 9393 Cincinnati-Columbus Road (Route 42), West Chester, Ohio, 45069 Learn More If you would like to learn more about neuromuscular dentistry treatment or cosmetic dentistry, please call Dr. Munowitz’s office: (513) 755-8000 or email: info@smilesohio.com

© 2007 Sinai Marketing and Dr. Mindy Munowitz, DDS, LLC. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Sinai Marketing is credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this article is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links. -end-

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I wonder if you have ever wanted a flashing white tooth, which capture attentions whenever you smile? If yes, you’re not alone. About ten million Americans will spend 1.7 billion dollars on tooth whitening products and services this year.

Dentists in different areas render tooth whitening products and services. Such as tooth whitening Chicago, tooth whitening Boston, tooth whitening Denver tooth whitening San Francisco, tooth whitening Beverly hills, tooth whitening Houston and so on.

Dental tooth whitening is the commonest cosmetic service rendered by dentists. There are also a growing number of over-the-counter tooth whitening products to choose from. But these cosmetic procedures are not recommended for everyone.

Tooth whitening is best for people who have healthy teeth (no fillings) and gums.Tooth whitening is not permanent. Those that take foods and beverages that easily stain their teeth most often receive tooth whitening treatment than those that that avoid such foods and beverages.

The extent of whiteness varies from individual to individual depending on the condition of the teeth, nature of the stain and the type of bleaching system used. How long the whitening process lasted also determines the extent of whiteness.

Most studies have shown that tooth whitening is safe and effective. Tooth whitening gels containing 10 percent carbon amide peroxide (equivalent to 3.6 percent hydrogen peroxide) has not been shown to cause any damage to the enamel of the tooth.

Tooth whitening cost depends on the type of tooth whitening product or service you want. There are professional tooth whitening system that cost up to $1000, for example laser tooth whitening. Other tooth whitening system with cheaper tooth whitening cost are opalescence tooth whitening, crest tooth whitening strip and the use of tooth whitening pen.

Charles of http://toothwhitening.fateback.com writes to inform and educate people on life related issues.

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Bad breath is a very common problem that is shared by millions of people across the country and there are many different causes. It is usually caused by the breakdown of proteins by bacteria somewhere in the mouth. Bad breath (also known as Halitosis) is a major problem which often goes unnoticed by the person who has it, and the problem can get worse because the people around you usually are too polite to tell you that you have that problem.

The Many Causes Of Bad Breath

There are just as many causes of bad breath as there are sources of bacteria in the mouth. Although the causes of breath odor are not entirely understood, most unpleasant odors are known to arise from proteins trapped in the mouth which are processed by oral bacteria.

Pay Attention To Your Oral Hygiene

In some people, bad breath is associated with gum disease, especially if rubbing the areas between the teeth and gums yields a foul odour. In people with healthy teeth and gums, the odour usually comes from the far back region of the tongue, and grows stronger when the patient starts talking. Cleaning of the spaces between the teeth is of great importance and you should always floss or otherwise clean between your teeth, as recommended by your dentist. Have your teeth cleaned periodically by a dental professional. Oral hygiene helps to prevent the build-up of the bacteria that forms on your teeth, tongue and gums that causes bad breath.

Mouthwash Can Help, but…

Mouthwashes and tongue brushing may help temporarily, and breath fresheners and mints can have a short-lived masking effect, but mouthwashes are generally cosmetic and do not have a long-lasting effect on bad breath. Mouthwashes and sprays use alcohol to scour the mouth and prevent the odiferous molecules from sticking to the oral tissues. This isn’t a bad idea, but it’s only a temporary fix. Mouthwashes alone will not solve the problem.

Light At The End Of The Tunnel

However, in recent years it has become increasingly evident that bad breath is usually treatable once a proper diagnosis is made. Often identifying the cause of bad breath is the first step toward treating this preventable condition. The only way to find a good, effective treatment for bad breath is to find the specific cause. True bad breath is caused by something more than mouth bacteria. You should always consult your doctor and dentist to discover the true cause of your bad breath.

To discover more concerning the causes and cures for bad breath check out our blog at http://www.yourbadbreathcure.com

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