A good smile becomes great

Just wanted to post a few photos of a smile change I completed last week. Even people with good smiles want their smiles improved. I think this made a huge difference.

Full Face Before

Smile Before

Full Face After

Smile After

Side by Side Comparison

Brandy wasn't happy with how her smile looked. She didn't like several of the restorations that she had done, wasn't happy with some of the spaces, and didn't think her smile was bright enough. Her smile was dramatically improved through porcelain crowns and veneers in less than three weeks. She says she has never been happier to smile!

Adult Orthodontics?

Interestingly enough, one of the fastest advancements in dentistry is in orthodontics. Yes, braces. And believe it or not, for adults! As we get older, teeth tend to drift causing crowding and spacing. Almost every adult over the age of 50 has crowding on their lower front teeth. Not only is this a cosmetic concern, but it also creates areas where food and plaque can accumulate, leading to an increase in cavities, periodontal disease, and even premature tooth loss. So, what are your options... and I know you don't want that "train track" "brace face" look. Keep in mind, these advancements were designed with adults in mind.

As with everything in dentistry, it depends on your current condition. Often times if a patient of mine has just a small amount of crowding or spacing, I do what's called Smart Moves. These are thin, clear trays, which are very similar to bleach guards, except they are very rigid. These trays are strong enough to move teeth gently into their proper position. Another plus is that these are fairly inexpensive, but again, they are just for extremely minor movement.

For patients with more advanced crowding or spacing, we have a couple options. Invisalign is a great way to straighten teeth. Like the Smart Moves, patients wear these clear trays throughout the day and night (except when eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing). These trays are replaced every two weeks with a new tray which progressively make your teeth straighter and straighter. Most cases can be treated in approximately 12-18 months. On the negative side, I find that patients get a little tired of dealing with trays once they hit the 12 month point and often times it takes extra time to fine tune the results. Also, these tend to be more expensive due to the high material cost and treatment time.

What I have become so excited about is something "new". I say "new" because it is a new technique using somewhat traditional materials. It is called Powerprox and not many people know about it yet, but they will. I can fix most smiles in SIX MONTHS!!! This is obviously a huge benefit. By starting today, I could have someone finished by Thanksgiving. By using clear brackets and clear wires and a newly developed technique, smiles are straightened quickly, comfortably, and in record time. Plus, in my opinion, you end up with a better result than with Invisalign because it is much easier to put the finishing touches on cases with Powerprox than with Invisalign. And, Powerprox is less expensive than Invisalign due to the shorter treatment time.

I offer complimentary consultaitons to anyone interested in possibly straightening their teeth. If you know of anyone who might be interested, pass my information along to them. You'd be surprised how many adults are getting the smiles they've always wanted!

Could this be.... cancer?

Most of the time, I love my job. I actually don't think of it as a job I like it that much. But, there are times when I wish I could just crawl in a hole and leave the dirty work to someone else. No time is that more true than when I find a suspecious lesion in someone's mouth that could be the dreaded C word.

See, my family has a long history with cancer. I lost my father to it at the young age of 48, as well as both of my grandfathers. I hate cancer... almost as much as telling someone they might have it.

With oral cancer, there are a couple of things that should be known, primarily what factors contribute to it, where is it generall found, and how is it detected. Oral cancer is especially deadly due to the fact that it is often found after it has metasticized to other organs, including the lungs, brain, and lymph nodes.

So, what causes it? I can't answer that for you, but there are several habits that increase your odds of getting it. First is tobacco use. Smoking cigarrettes and chewing tobacco are known to significantly increase your odds. The nicotine content and long contact time are a deadly combination. Quit smoking (or never start) and your odds of never getting it go way up. Also, alcohol abuse and HPV (yes, the STD) can cause oral cancer.

In terms of where it is found, the most common area is the side of the tongue towards the back. But, that is certainly not the only area. Other common places include the soft palate, insides of the cheeks and lips. These areas should always be checked by your dentist and general physician.

Several newer tests to find oral cancer are the Velscope and ViziLite, which use a special light to detect tissue changes. These tests certainly do have their place, but should not be the sole means of detecting oral cancer. I always perform and visual check first and then sometimes I will follow that with one of the two "light tests". These tests only show that something is different, but does not tell me if it is a bacterial lesion, fungal infection, traumatic lesion, or cancer. If I still see something that concerns me, I will send my patients to an oral surgeon for a biopsy. A biopsy is a small tissue sample which is then run under a microscope to view the cells. This is the only way to truly tell if there is cancer or not.

As I said, I really do love my job. But if I never saw another patient who I thought had oral cancer again I'd be pretty damn happy.