Waterford Family Dental Care

What Inquiring Minds Want to Know About Porcelain Veneers

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What Inquiring Minds Want to Know About Porcelain Veneers

Have you been considering restoring your smile with porcelain veneers? But, you’re hesitant to proceed with treatment because you don’t understand the process. You have so many questions. Will it work for me? How do they stay on my teeth? It’s okay, I’ve got the answers.

What Are Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers are thin, tooth-colored shells that cover the front surface of your teeth. Veneers allow you to change the shape, color, and size of your teeth. Veneers are stain-resistant and aesthetically pleasing.

Tooth Conditions That Can Benefit From Veneers:

  • Discolored teeth that can’t be whitened
  • Worn, chipped, or broken teeth
  • Uneven, slightly misaligned, or irregularly shaped teeth
  • Teeth with gaps between them

What to Expect When You Get Veneers

Consultation — At your consultation, your teeth will be examined. We will review your x-rays and possibly make impressions of your teeth. You’ll explain to the dentist the results you want to achieve.The dentist takes all of this information to make sure that veneers are appropriate for your needs.You’ll be educated about the procedure and the dentist will plan your treatment.

Preparation — We will remove a small amount of tooth enamel. This is necessary to prepare your tooth for placement of the veneer. Then, impressions are sent to the laboratory along with your tooth shade to make your veneer. Generally, it takes two to four weeks to receive your veneers back from the lab.

Bonding — We will examine and adjust the veneer to get a proper fit and color. To prepare your tooth for bonding of the veneer, your tooth will be cleaned, polished, and etched. Etching roughens the tooth surface to prepare for cementation. Cement is applied to the veneer and placed on your tooth. A special light helps the cement harden. Then adjustments are made.

You may need to return for follow-up in a couple weeks to check your gums and the position of the veneer. Porcelain veneers usually last seven to 15 years with proper care. Follow good oral hygiene practices. Brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once daily.

For your smile,

Dr. Shlom

Your Best Bet for Tooth Replacement

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Your Best Bet for Tooth Replacement

If you’re missing teeth, you’re probably not enjoying life to its fullest. You may cover your mouth when you laugh, keep your mouth closed when you smile, and even avoid social situations. After all, it’s easier to stay inside than to be out and about where you have to worry about keeping others from seeing your gapped-tooth grin. Fortunately, Waterford Family Dental Care has a solution that will restore your smile and your confidence: dental implants.

Dental Implants 101

Implants are small metal posts that mimic the function of a natural tooth root. They are surgically placed beneath the gums where they eventually become fused with the jaw bone, providing unparalleled stability for the prosthetic tooth that is attached once the mouth has healed. Because implants are individually placed, they are effective for patients missing as few as one tooth or as many as a mouthful. In addition to providing stability, implants offer the following benefits:

  • The ability to eat what you want. With other prosthetic options, fresh fruits and vegetables, tough meats, and anything excessively chewy are off limits, but because implants are individually placed and as stable as natural teeth, they can handle your favorite foods.
  • They’re easy to care for. Simply brush and floss as you do every night and visit your dentist as recommended; no overnight soaking required.
  • Improved comfort. Since implants are permanent, they won’t slip or slide around your mouth and irritate your gums.
  • A new and improved self-image! No more concerns about your laugh, your smile, or speaking in front of other people!

Are You a Candidate?

The ideal implant candidate will have good overall health, ample jaw bone mass, and healthy gums. Another important requirement is the willingness to take care of your teeth. The only way to determine your candidacy for dental implants is to be evaluated by a dentist. If you live in or near Waterford, Michigan, we’d love to see your smile!

Why You Should Smile EVERY DAY!

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Why You Should Smile EVERY DAY!

Your smile is your best accessory! Sure, there are days when you don’t feel like smiling, but even a fake smile can make you feel and look better. Best of all, it can make those around you feel like a million bucks. When you’re feeling frowny, just remember the following reasons why you should smile every day:

 

Smiling Is Contagious

Louis Armstrong said it best: “When you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you.” Want a challange? Try to NOT smile at someone who smiles at you. Smiling makes others feel happy and valued. Another perk? A genuine smile can disarm even the most hostile person. In almost any situation, a smile will make others around you do the same.

 

Smiling Makes You Feel Good

Here’s another challenge: Simultaneously try to smile and feel miserable. It’s simply not going to happen! Not that smiling is the cure to everything, but even a fake smile will get those neurotransmitters going and make you feel good. Smiling stimulates the production of serotonin and other endorphins that ward off depression. The next time you’re feeling blue, try smiling!

 

Smiling Is Good For Your Body

In a 2012 study at the University of Kansas, researchers found that smiling influences the body’s ability to recover from stress. Under stress-inducing stimuli, the heart rates of those who smiled recovered faster than those who didn’t. Smiling also retrains your brain. Each time you smile, your brain tracks the activity; as the activity becomes habitual, your brain “rewires” itself to form more positive thought patterns than negative.

 

Smiling Makes You Successful

Okay…there is no guarantee that it will make you successful, but it will create the perception that you are successful – and that’s half the battle. People who smile are often more productive and more creative; both traits lead to enhance problem-solving abilities. Those who can deal with conflict and resolve it with a smile are more likely to be recognized as successful by others.

 

Smiling Makes You Look Good

For some, this may be the single most important reason to smile. When you smile, the corners of your mouth lift, your cheeks lift, your jaw (or jowls, in some cases) lift – all of which make you look vibrant and youthful. If your smile is genuine, then the corners of your eyes lift, as well. Smiling simply makes you look kind, pleasant, and approachable.

 

What’s keeping you from smiling? If you don’t have the smile you desire, Waterford Family Dental Care can help. From Invisalign to implants, we can give you a smile that you’re happy to share with the world. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Are You Sure It’s Just a Snore?

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Are You Sure It’s Just a Snore?

Every night it’s the same: Your partner falls asleep immediately and begins to snore away. Despite your constant jabs and jostles, they persist, leaving you feeling exhausted. You’ve tried white noise machines and earplugs, but nothing can mask the sound of your loved one sawing logs. While it may be hard to think logically when you’re so sleep deprived, you should actually be concerned. Are you sure it’s just a snore or is there more to it than that? Sometimes, snoring is actually a symptom of a potentially dangerous condition. If you’re worried, you should be.

The Symptoms

While snoring is the most common symptom associated with obstructive sleep apnea (or OSA), there are other tell-tale signs as well. These include:

  • Waking up gasping for air
  • Waking up with a sore throat or dry mouth
  • Morning headaches
  • Excessive daytime lethargy
  • Moodiness

The Dangers

Sleep apnea occurs when the airway becomes blocked during sleep. During these moments, breathing temporarily stops, depleting the body of oxygen. This often happens for several seconds at a time, multiple times each night. Over time, these apneic events take their toll on the body, increasing the risk of:

  • Hypertension and stroke
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Accidents at work or on the road
  • Depression and anxiety

The Solutions

At Waterford Family Dental Care, we take OSA seriously. I have extensive knowledge and experience with providing solutions that will allow your loved one (and you) to get a restful night’s sleep.

While some patients have success with a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine, others find it cumbersome. Side sleepers, stomach sleepers, and those who toss and turn have better luck with a customized dental appliance. This small, portable, and lightweight device repositions your jaw and opens your airway — without tethering you to a machine.

If you or your partner have experienced any symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, don’t sit back and hope it will go away. Let me be part of your sleep solution. Contact my office today to schedule an appointment.

What To Do If …

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What To Do If …

No matter how careful we may be, dental emergencies happen. And they don’t just occur during contact sports or other physical activities, either. All it takes is one trip over your dog’s leash and BOOM! There goes that front tooth. Since we can’t avoid dental emergencies altogether, the team at Waterford Family Dental Care wants you to be prepared. Here are three of the most common dental emergencies and what to do if when they happen.

  1. Your tooth gets knocked out: In this case, it’s important to contact my office ASAP. In the meantime, gently rinse the tooth in cold water (do NOT scrub) and place the tooth back in the socket, if possible. If it’s not, don’t force the tooth; instead, place it in a cup of milk or in your own saliva. The faster you act, the more likely you are to save the tooth.
  2. Your tooth gets chipped or cracked: If you can find any tooth fragments, rinse them with cool water and place them in a cup of milk or saliva. If any nerves or dentin is exposed, you may experience severe pain and will be prone to infection, so it is urgent that you contact me if this happens.
  3. Your crown, filling, or veneer gets damaged: While these aren’t emergencies in the traditional sense, it is still important that you deal with them before further damage can occur. While you wait for an emergency appointment, try reattaching the crown or covering the space where the restoration used to be with dental wax. If you’re experiencing pain, use an over-the-counter numbing agent (such as Orajel) to help you feel more comfortable.

We hope you never have to experience a dental emergency, but if you do, having a plan in place will increase the chances of maintaining your gorgeous smile. Whether for a dental emergency or a semi-annual exam, let Waterford Family Dental Care handle all of your family’s dentistry needs. Contact our office today to schedule an appointment. We serve patients in Waterford, Michigan, and the surrounding communities.

Waterford Family Dental Care
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