Dr. Kevin Sands Beverly Hills Cosmetic Dentistry Blog

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Dental Hygiene and Veneers

There are some people who believe that simply having a cosmetic dental procedure done will solve all of their dental problems. And that might be true – for a while anyway. However, just as with your natural teeth, you need to take care of the new you in order for these procedures to last for a long time. If the reason someone has missing teeth is due to decay or poor dental hygiene, simply replacing the missing teeth with something like dental crowns isn’t going to be enough. Getting into the habit of brushing and flossing, eating right, and scheduling regular appointments with your dentist is important.

Take porcelain veneers: they are bonded to your existing teeth to mask imperfections that many people have after a number of years, or even ones they were born with. General wear and tear on teeth varies from person to person, and depends on factors such as drinking staining beverages, smoking, or even a habit of chewing ice. Cracks and chips appear, and staining can become severe. Veneers take care of this by covering these problems. But just because the procedure is over doesn’t mean that you can simply go back to those habits that caused the staining or chipping that brought you in without consequences.

Because of their nature, veneers are highly resistant to staining, and that’s good. However, you need to brush and floss regularly to minimize any staining that might appear after placement of your veneers. You also need to be sure to see your dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings. By doing these things, your veneers will last a long time.

If you have any questions about porcelain veneers or ways to keep them working for you for years, please contact Dr. Sands.

posted by Patti at 3:42 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Smile Makeover and Porcelain Veneers

Those patients who are candidates for smile makeovers are those who need more than one procedure to help with their dental issues. Various treatments include dental implants, crowns, or veneers. While it is possible to have one procedure done to give you a complete smile makeover, a combination of procedures may be the key to regaining confidence in your smile. Almost all problems can be taken care of with a smile makeover, including:

Stained, crooked, chipped, cracked or broken teeth
Worn or disfigured teeth
Missing teeth
Poorly spaced or aligned teeth
Recessions in the gum line

In one fell-swoop, your dental problems can be taken care of. And one of the most common procedures performed in a smile makeover is porcelain veneers. This is because veneers are placed on the front of the existing teeth to mask imperfections, such as staining, chips or cracks, in otherwise healthy teeth. Combining placement of porcelain veneers with crowns to replace a missing molar will do wonders not only for the look of your smile, but also its health.

If you would like to know more about how a smile makeover or porcelain veneers can create an improved look, please contact us for an initial consultation.

posted by Patti at 3:40 PM 0 comments

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Crowns or Veneers?

When determining if you should get crowns or veneers, the question really depends on the state your teeth are in and what you want done with them. Both crowns and veneers will improve the way your teeth look and are done in a fashion that will hide the fact you’ve had work done on them, and both are made from porcelain to match the color of your teeth. However, the similarities end there.

Veneers
Teeth with irregularities, such as chips, oddly shaped, or crooked are improved using porcelain veneers. They’re often placed in lieu of braces or other orthodontic work. They can close gaps, change the color of your teeth (especially useful if your teeth are stained), and otherwise straighten your teeth. Porcelain veneers are used only on your front teeth and are a thin cover made to fit your specific problems.

Crowns
While veneers are placed only on the front of the teeth, crowns replace the entire tooth. Crowns are good for teeth that are damaged or decayed, but still have a good root. Many things in life can lead to tooth damage and decay, such as grinding that wears down the enamel, chips and cracks in the enamel, or missing fillings. While brushing, flossing, and regular visits to your dentist can keep the damage or decay to a minimum, crowns will completely replace the natural tooth. Like veneers, crowns match the color of your teeth, and will be difficult for anyone to spot as a replacement.

If you are interested in porcelain crowns or veneers, please contact us to set up an initial consultation.

posted by Patti at 3:37 PM 1 comments

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Problems Porcelain Veneers can Fix

Many people may be self-conscious about the state of their teeth, even if their teeth are generally healthy. Over time teeth can chip or stain, and lots of people that were never able to have braces might have gaps that they want to see eliminated. Something that can alleviate all these problems is porcelain veneers.

Made of a thin shell of porcelain ceramic that is bonded to the front of the teeth, veneers are commonly used to fix those minor imperfections many people have. They can:

Close gaps between teeth
Cover permanently stained teeth with a color you are satisfied with
Cover fillings that have darkened over the years
Fix defects, such as chips or cracks in your teeth

While porcelain veneers can mask many of the cosmetic issues you have with your teeth, once they are placed it is up to you to take care of them. With proper dental hygiene, your veneers can last for years.

If you would like to learn more about how porcelain veneers can fix your specific problem, please contact us for an initial consultation. Dr. Sands is happy to answer any of your questions.

posted by Patti at 3:33 PM 0 comments