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Posts for: March, 2017
When the multi-platinum recording artist, songwriter and TV personality Jason Derulo was recently asked about his ideal woman, his answer covered a remarkably broad spectrum. "There’s no specific thing," he said, "so I think it’s unfair to say what my ‘type’ is." But it turns out that there is one thing the So You Think You Can Dance judge considers essential: A beautiful smile.
"I’m not into messy teeth," Derulo said. "If the grill has spaces and different colors, it’s not my vibe."
As it turns out, he may be on to something: A number of surveys have indicated that a bright, healthy smile is often the first thing people notice when meeting someone new. Yet many are reluctant to open up that big grin because they aren’t satisfied with the way their teeth look. If you’re one of them, consider this: Modern cosmetic dentistry offers a variety of ways to improve your smile — and it may be easier and more affordable than you think.
For example, if your smile isn’t as bright as you would like it to be, teeth whitening is an effective and economical way to lighten it up. If you opt for in-office treatments, you can expect a lightening effect of up to 10 shades in a single one-hour treatment! Or, you can achieve the same effect in a week or two with a take-home kit we can custom-make for you. Either way, you’ll be safe and comfortable being treated under the supervision of a dental professional — and the results can be expected to last for up to two years, or perhaps more.
If your teeth have minor spacing irregularities, small chips or cracks, it may be possible to repair them in a single office visit via cosmetic bonding. In this process, a liquid composite resin is applied to the teeth and cured (hardened) with a special light. This high-tech material, which comes in colors to match your teeth, can be built up in layers and shaped with dental instruments to create a pleasing, natural effect.
If your smile needs more than just a touch-up, dental veneers may be the answer. These wafer-thin coverings, placed right on top of your natural teeth, can be made in a variety of shapes and colors — from a natural pearly luster to a brilliant "Hollywood white." Custom-made veneers typically involve the removal of a few millimeters of tooth enamel, making them a permanent — and irreversible — treatment. However, by making teeth look more even, closing up spaces and providing dazzling whiteness, veneers just might give you the smile you’ve always wanted.
If you would like more information about cosmetic dental treatments, please call our office to arrange a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine article “Cosmetic Dentistry — A Time for Change.”
If left untreated, your damaged or missing teeth can take a long-term toll on your smile. However, repairing these issues could be as 
easy as asking your dentist about dental crowns and bridges. These restorations blend into your smile to improve its appearance and functionality. Learn more about crowns and bridges with Dr. Joseph Hendrick, Jr. in Shelby, NC.
Dental Crowns
This important dental restoration is a porcelain tooth-shaped cap which fits over a tooth to strengthen it. While dentists use dental crowns in various situations, they are most often used to stabilize a tooth that is cracked, has suffered damage or after a root canal. Crowns can also improve the appearance of a tooth, restore a worn tooth’s biting surface or hold a dental bridge in place.
Dental Bridges
A dental bridge is a dental restoration which replaces a missing tooth. The bridge itself consists of three prosthetic teeth in a row with a dental crown on either side. Made from porcelain, which has the same light-reflecting qualities as natural teeth, a bridge blends right into your smile seamlessly and subtly. A bridge can also be removable, held in place with metal clasps rather than dental crowns.
How do crowns and bridges work together?
Dental crowns hold a bridge in place. However, crowns and bridges can further work together to benefit your smile. Replacing a missing tooth with a bridge and restoring a broken or damaged tooth with a dental crown corrects your bite.
Crowns and Bridges in Shelby, NC
Improving your smile with crowns and bridges can benefit its functionality, aesthetics and even your self-esteem. If you think you could benefit from crowns and bridges, you should consult with Dr. Hendrick about potential cosmetic dentistry procedures.
For more information on crowns and bridges, please contact Dr. Hendrick in Shelby, NC. Call (704) 484-0077 to schedule your appointment with Dr. Hendrick today!
Drilling teeth is an essential part of repairing and restoring the damage caused by tooth decay. For generations dentists have relied on the dental drill with its rotating burr to remove decayed and damaged tooth material.
But while the dental drill is effective it also has its disadvantages. In the process of removing decayed material it inadvertently removes healthy structure near the target material. It often requires anesthesia to deaden the work area. And its noise and vibration are often unsettling to patients.
There is a growing alternative, though: air abrasion, a technology that's been around since the mid-20th Century. But recent advances in controlling the dust created by using abrasion, as well as new tooth-colored bonding materials to replace tooth structure, have sparked new interest among dentists and patients alike.
Also known as particle abrasion, this drill alternative uses a pressurized stream of fine particles to remove decayed material. Using a hand wand a dentist can precisely aim the stream of particles (usually aluminum oxide) to the specific areas of decay or softened material that need to be removed. As a result, it removes only a fraction of healthy tooth structure compared to traditional drilling. Air abrasion has also proven effective for removing staining without harming enamel.
Air abrasion also eliminates the sound and vibration associated with dental drills, and may not always require local anesthesia. On the other hand, it does have some limitations. For one, it's not as effective with larger cavities or working around older fillings. The tooth or teeth to be worked on must be carefully isolated from the rest of the mouth to keep the patient from swallowing the abrasive particles. And without a high-volume suction pump and good isolation protocols, the particles can produce something of a “sandstorm” in the treatment room.
But as air abrasion continues to advance, we may see improvements in these limitations. In a future time, the traditional dental drill may go the way of the horse and buggy.
If you would like more information on air abrasion as an alternative to drilling, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Air Abrasion Technology.”
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Shelby, NC 28150
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