Teeth Whitening: Coconut Oil Pulling Vs. the Dentist’s Office

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For those looking to improve their oral health and achieve a brighter smile, coconut oil pulling is increasing touted as an all-in-one solution. It’s said to have the ability to protect against cavities, clean the mouth of bacteria and even whiten the teeth. However, there’s not much evidence for these claims and there’s zero scientific evidence to support the belief that coconut oil pulling does anything to whiten teeth. Take a look at how coconut oil pulling compares to teeth whitening and other common dental procedures.

Teeth Whitening

Even with professional teeth whitening, it may take several weeks and several applications before you finally start to get the results you want. However, there is only anecdotal evidence to go on in assess the efficacy of coconut oil pulling in whitening teeth.

Going the route of coconut oil pulling, you’ll need to swish a tablespoon of coconut oil around in your mouth for 20 to 30 minutes daily. It may be weeks before you get any results, months maybe, or even never. Going the professional routes, you may see results as soon as your first appointment ends – depending on the condition of your teeth.

If you want to ensure your teeth are whitened, go see a dentist. Otherwise, you could burn months or weeks with oil pulling before finally realizing you should have just gone to the dentist’s office.

Preventive Dental Care

For preventive care, coconut oil pulling has much more evidence to support it than it does when compared to teeth whitening treatment. Coconut oil has been proven effective in absorbing bacteria and helping clean a person’s mouth. While effective, coconut oil pulling shouldn’t be see as a complement to brushing and flossing rather than a replacement for them. And while coconut oil pulling can help fight plaque, there’s not beating a standard dental cleaning when it comes to removing hardened plaque, tartar, from the surfaces of teeth.

More on Teeth Whitening in Van Nuys, CA

Take a minute to schedule a consultation with a local dentist to learn more about your options for teeth whitening in Van Nuys, CA as well as many other common dental procedures.

Teeth Whitening: Why You’ll Get the Best Results at the Dentist’s Office

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Convenience just might be the primary selling point for take-home teeth whitening kits. That’s because is almost every other way, professional teeth whitening done in a dentist’s office is superior in almost every other way. Find out why you’ll get much better results from teeth whitening in the dentist’s chair instead of in front of your bathroom mirror.

Why Choose Professional Teeth Whitening?

If you’ve already been researching your options for teeth whitening, you’ve probably already found out that professional cleaning is less affordable than take-home whitening kits or homeopathic solutions such as coconut oil pulling. But you get what you pay for. And if you pay for whitening at your dentist’s office, you’ll likely see significant results long before you would with other solutions.

Here are some of the top reasons its best to have your teeth whitened in a dentist’s office:

·         Access to stronger whitening solutions

·         Your dentist can spot and treat problems that would be worsened if you skipped treatment and jumps straight to whitening.

·         Crowns and other replacement teeth won’t change color. By whitening at the dentist’s office, you can coordinate whitening with any restoration work you may need.

Are there Perks to Teeth Whitening Kits?

Marketing may account for a large part of the popularity of take-home whitening kits, but there are still some true advantages to whitening at home:

You can whiten your teeth on your schedule. No need to get an appointment with a dentist.

Whitening with a kit is more affordable. You can give whitening a try. And if you aren’t satisfied with the results, you can get your teeth professionally whitened.

Considerations

Whether you whiten your teeth at home or in a dentist’s chair, there are few things you’ll want to consider before. Teeth whitening can make sensitive teeth even more sensitive. Also, treatment isn’t permanent – even at a dentist’s office. You’ll need to whiten your teeth periodically to maintain your results, or look at alternative solutions for permanently enhancing your smile.  

More on Teeth Whitening in Van Nuys, CA

Reserve an appointment with a cosmetic dentist to learn more about teeth whitening in Van Nuys, CA and other cosmetic dental procedures.

Dental Implant Failure: Tips for Keeping Your Dental Restorations in Good Shape

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From smoking and grinding teeth to gum disease and chronic health issues, your dental implants are replacement teeth face many of the same threats as your natural teeth. And just as there are plenty of things that can be done to maximize the life of natural teeth, there are plenty of things you can do to maximize the life span of your dental implants and replacement teeth to avoid dental implant failure. Take a look at these tips for keeping your dental implants and replacement teeth in good shape long-term.

Why Do Implants Fail?

It’s rare, but it does happen. Dental implants can fail, even in cases in which the patient does everything right – though this type of case is even rarer.

So, why do they fail? Here’s a look at some of the more common reasons dental implants fail:

Bruxism – this is clenching or grinding the teeth at night. It can put added pressure on your implants, but a mouthguard could help diminish its impact

Peri-implantitis – like gum disease, peri-implantitis can eat away at the gums and other structures supporting the implants

Bone disease – a disease that attacks the bone could undermine the support of your implants

Certain prescription medicines – some medications may weaken the jawbone supporting them implants or make it harder to control gum disease

What Can You Do at Home?

If your implants wobble or the area around them hurts, and your implants have long healed, you need to check with your dentist ASAP.

In the meantime, the following can help rein in gum disease and protect your implants from further damage:

Floss, brush and rinse your mouth more regularly

Avoid smoking

Consider getting a mouth guard is you have bruxism

Consume more calcium

Checking in what your dentist ASAP is the best thing you can do to save your implants. You dentist can deep cleaning procedures to remove the decay, along with bone grafting, if necessary, to fortify the area of your jawbones weakened by peri-implantitis, bone disease or other conditions threatening the foundation of your implants.

More on Dental Implants in Van Nuys, CA
Take a minute to schedule a consultation with a local dentist to learn more about what you and your dentist can do to maintain your dental implants in Van Nuys, CA.

Ways a Cosmetic Dentist Can Elevate Your Smile

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If you want to perfect your smile, regular brushing and flossing are absolutely necessary. While brushing and flossing can go a long way in maintaining or improving your oral health, you’ll likely need some professional assistance if you want more than teeth that are only healthy. If you want teeth that are healthy and aesthetically pleasing as well, you’ll need the assistance of a cosmetic dentist. Take a look at some of the many ways a cosmetic dentist can enhance the appearance of your smile.

Straighten Your Smile

Whether you want to actually straighten your teeth, and do so discretely, or you just want to make them look straighter, you’ll have the below options and more:

Invisalign® – these clear, plastic trays are nearly invisible when worn on the teeth. Over the course of months, the aligner trays move teeth into their optimal position.

Veneers – these thin bits of porcelain can be bonded to the visible surfaces of teeth to make slightly crooked teeth look straight.

Brighten Your Smile

Brushing can only get you so far in whitening your teeth, but these options can get you much closer to perfection:

Veneers – made of tooth-colored porcelain, veneers can be bonded to the front side of teeth to make them appear white or to make a discolored tooth blend with the rest.

Teeth whitening – with access to more powerful whitening solutions than found in take-home kits, teeth whitening brighten your smile much faster.

Snap-on smile – wear these prosthetic teeth on top of your natural teeth and your smile will look perfect, yet natural.


Fill Your Smile

The following procedures can fill in voids in your smile left by chips, gaps, and broken teeth:

Veneers – they can be used to hide chips and disguise gaps between teeth, making them appear closer together.

Crowns – tooth-colored crowns, or “caps,” are bonded atop broken teeth for a natural-looking solution.

Bridges – dental bridges can fill large gaps with natural-looking, prosthetic teeth.

Talk with a Cosmetic Dentist in Van Nuys, CA

Take time to schedule an appointment with a local cosmetic dentist in Van Nuys, CA to learn much more about your options for improving the aesthetics of your smile. 

How a Cosmetic Dentist Can Treat Your ‘Gummy Smile’

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When the balance of teeth in gum in a person’s smile tilts heavily towards the gummy side, it not uncommon for them to learn to smile without parting their lips. A gummy smile can be a constant source of insecurity. Instead of learning to live with it, a dentist can help you move on without it. Take a look at one of the ways a cosmetic dentist can treat your gummy smile so that your teeth don’t have to share the spotlight with your gums when you smile.

Aesthetic Crown Lengthening

The overgrowth of gum tissues can cause the gums to cover more of the teeth’s surface than normal. This overgrowth is often caused by gum disease, but a number of other conditions can be the cause of excess gum tissue – such as chronic health issues, systemic health issues, certain prescription medications and more.

However, not all gummy smiles are caused by gum overgrowth. In other cases, some or all of the teeth are abnormally short. In other cases, the lips are positioned higher or lower than normal.

An aesthetic crown lengthening procedure repositions and recontours gum tissues and even small amounts of bone to adjust the height of the gums.

Here’s an overview of how the aesthetic crown lengthening procedure:

  • You’ll be given a shot of a local anesthetic, which will numb the area of your mouth that will be treated.
  • Your dentist will access the bone supporting the teeth being treated, as well as the roots of the teeth.
  • The bone or the roots of the teeth may be recontoured, or some of the bone may be removed.
  • The gums will be recontoured and stitched back into place.
  • You take your first look into the mirror at your new, improved smile.

Talk with a Cosmetic Dentist in Van Nuys, CA Take a moment to schedule a consultation with a cosmetic dentist in Van Nuys, CA to learn more about your options for treating a gummy smile and well other cosmetic dental procedures that can elevate your smile.

How to Get Straight Teeth Without Braces or Invisalign

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For some people, it’s a fear of attracting attention with braces. Other people put up with crooked teeth because they don’t feel ready to commit to an orthodontic treatment plan that could span a year or two. For others, still, it’s a mix of both. For those who simply aren’t ready to straighten their teeth with braces, for one reason or another, there’s a cosmetic solution that serves as a powerful alternative: porcelain veneers. Take a look at how porcelain veneers can enhance your smile in just a visit or two to the dentist’s office.

How Veneers Correct Misaligned Teeth

For mild to moderate cases of tooth misalignment, veneers can be used to make crooked teeth look perfectly straight. More severe cases can be improved, but will likely still look misaligned to a degree.

Veneers make teeth appear straighter by adding surface area to the teeth. They’re made of thin sheets of tooth-colored material, typically porcelain, and are bonded to the visible surfaces of teeth. They’re customized to fit each tooth they’ll be applied to and are shaded to blend in with teeth that won’t be covered by veneers.

Other Uses for Veneers

Alignment issues aren’t the only problems veneers can hide. Here’s a look at some of the other issues veneers can cover:

  • Discoloration – stained teeth can be hidden by natural-looking veneers
  • Chips and cracks – minor to moderate chips and cracks can be hidden behind veneers. Moderate to severe chips and cracks are more likely to need restorative treatment in addition to cosmetic dentistry.
  • Gaps – veneers can help teeth appear closer than they actually are, helping hide gaps between teeth.

It’s important to keep in mind that veneers are only a cosmetic solution. Restorative care may be needed before you’re ready to move onto cosmetic care.

Cosmetic Dentist in Van Nuys, CA

Take a moment to reserve an appointment with a local cosmetic dentist in Phoenix, AZ to learn more about your options for getting porcelain veneers, braces, invisible aligners and more.

Get a Boost of Confidence with a Snap-on Smile

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For many people, their healthy teeth don’t look like what most people expect healthy teeth to look like. Discoloration, missing teeth, alignment issues and other problems can plaque otherwise healthy teeth. But what if you could solve cosmetic dental issues in a snap, literally? With Snap-On Smile, you can do just that. Take a look at how Snap-On Smile works and find out what issues it can address.

How It Works

Similar to how porcelain veneers, thin sheets of porcelain, are used to cover up imperfections with induvial teeth, Snap-On Smiles cover up entire rows of teeth with thin, tooth-colored resin.

The prosthetic teeth are thin and are made up of a resin blend. They can be used to cover up an entire top row of teeth, a bottom row or all of your teeth. Simply snap-on a row or set to instantly elevate your smile.

When you’re ready to get your Snap-On Smile, you’ll select the hue of your new teeth from palette of natural tooth colors. Your dentist will make impressions of your teeth and will send off your impressions to have your Snap-On Smile fabricated.

The Issues It Addresses

Like veneers, Snap-On Smiles can hide a range of imperfections on teeth, including:

·         Discoloration – yellowed teeth or teeth stained by coffee and the like can be hidden by Snap-On Smiles, making your smile look perfectly white

·         Gaps and missing teeth – they can hide gaps and cover up missing teeth

·         Chips and Cracked teeth – like discoloration, chips and cracks can be hidden away under your new smile

·         Alignment issues – they can be used to cover up mild to moderate alignment issues, such as crossbites, underbites, overbites and more

Consideration

Consider porcelain veneers if you’re looking for a more permanent solution, especially if you just want to cover up imperfections of just a few teeth.

Talk to a Cosmetic Dentist in Van Nuys, CA

Take a moment to schedule an appointment with a cosmetic dentist in Van Nuys, CA to learn more about Snap-On Smile and other cosmetic dental procedures. 

Top Things to Know About Invisalign

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For those who put off orthodontic treatment due to a fear of having to wear braces, Invisalign® invisible aligners are a game-changer. Because they’re clear, they’re discreet – you can wear them without people noticing them. But as flexible as the Invisalign system is, there are some unbending guidelines you’ll need to stick to in order for your treatment to be a success. Take a look at some of the top things you need to know about Invisalign.

You’ll Have to Stay the Course

You can take out your invisible aligner trays whenever you want to, which can pose a tremendous amount of temptation to leave them out longer than you should. You’ll at least need to wear your aligner trays for 20 hours out of each day, though 22 hours is often recommended.

You’ll Have to Get Used to Them

It’ll take you a few weeks to get used to wearing them. There will be slight discomfort during the early days and you’ll have to adjust your speech to speak clearly while wearing your aligner trays. However, you’ll undoubtedly get used to speaking with your aligner trays in and the initial discomfort will fade.

You’ll Have to Keep Up with Your Oral Hygiene

After every meal and each staining beverage, you’ll need to brush and rinse your mouth before replacing your aligner trays. Failing to clean leftover food and drink from your teeth can dirty your aligner trays and encourage the growth of bacteria inside them, leading to or worsening gum disease.

You’ll Have to Steer Around Certain Foods and Drink

Hot food and drink can warp your aligner trays, so you’ll need to take the trays out before consuming hot items. They’re also prone to staining, so you’ll need to pull them out before eating or drinking something that could stain them.

You’ll Be Happy with the Results

Invisalign works fast and efficiently, even faster and more than braces in for some people. Though it takes some getting used to, there’s a strong chance you’ll know and believe that it was all worth it when your treatment is done.

More on Invisalign in Van Nuys, CA

Reserve an appointment with a local dentist to learn more about what to expect from getting Invisalign in Van Nuys, CA.

Can Invisalign Straighten One Tooth or Just a Few Teeth?

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All too often, people settle with living with a single crooked tooth, or just a few teeth, that don’t align with the rest. Why go commit to wearing braces for at least a year just to fix one or two teeth?

Even if it’s just one tooth that’s misaligned, straightening that tooth will help ensure that all your teeth wear easily and that you don’t wear down that specific tooth prematurely. Yet, you don’t have to commit to braces to straighten one or two teeth. With Invisalign® clear aligner trays, you can straighten as many, or as few, teeth as needed – and you can do so discreetly. Take a look at how Invisalign can help align your smile perfectly, even if only a single tooth is misaligned.

How Invisalign Straightens Teeth

Like conventional braces, Invisalign applies a gentle, yet constant, amount of pressure on the teeth to move them into their optimal placement. The clear aligner trays you’ll receive are customized to fit your teeth snuggly, adhering to the contours of perfectly aligned teeth while pushing on those that are out of alignment. This is why Invisalign works well on any number of teeth.

Other Considerations for Invisalign

The use cases for Invisalign extend to a wide range of teeth alignment issues, including the following:

·         Overbite – teeth in the top row, or “arch,” jut out further than those on the bottom arch

·         Underbite – the inverse of an overbite, an underbite characterizes bottom teeth that jut forward, past teeth on the top arch.

·         Crossbite – teeth at the sides of a smile lean more towards a cheek or the tongue that opposing teeth.

·         Gaps – describes excessive spacing between teeth

·         Gape – there is a gap between opposing teeth when the form a bite

·         Crowding – teeth are jammed together due to a lack of space. Individual teeth may rotate, jut our or tilted back due to the lack of space.

More on Invisalign in Van Nuys, CA

Take time to reserve an appointment with a dentist in Southern California to learn more about your orthodontic options and to find out more about getting Invisalign in Van Nuys, CA.

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