Dental Blog

More than 11 million plastic surgery procedures trim, shape and mold the American public each year. Along with tummy tucks and face lifts, smile enhancement treatments bring a clear finish to many cosmetic cases. And the details that create a brilliant smile shouldn’t be overlooked, including the display of the gums. The gums, also known as gingiva, play a crucial role in the appearance of your smile while providing critical support.

Smiles send powerful messages to everyone around us. Volumes of research confirm the influential role of smiles on our relationships and our self-esteem. Romances may start with a simple smile across a crowded room, and children reinforce their self-worth through mom’s flashes of approval. Salespeople who happily display their teeth and gums sell more than those who don’t. In fact, one study recently quantified the monetary value of a smile! Regardless of the measure, a genuine, attractive smile feeds success in every part of your life.

You're enjoying a delicious handful of sugar-coated peanuts...actually, a second handful that you almost passed up. You bite down and hear a loud crunch, which just didn't seem right. Your tongue makes a pulse-spiking discovery: A significant chunk of your upper left molar fractured, and the piece has already disappeared into the abyss.

You've probably flipped open an issue of People magazine and seen a perfect, brilliant smile staring back at you. That smile likely looked different not very long ago. With today's gorgeous dental materials, veneers can transform facial appearance dramatically in just a couple of visits. Sometimes acting like "instant orthodontics," a set of veneers can correct chips, stains, and even deeply discolored teeth. But they can also alter the length and size of teeth, or help teeth that seem rotated suddenly appear straight. While it sounds dramatic, the journey from one smile to another is actually within reach of many patients.

Flashy metal grins fill the pages of most high school yearbooks, a rite of passage for many teenagers. Not long ago, misaligned teeth left you with two options: live with them or wire up. But today you'll find new stealth ways to straighten out your smile And that means a confident new look lies within reach of everyone, regardless of age.

Imagine this classic American scene: a well-kept house with a white picket fence. The fence sits perfectly straight and brilliantly painted, not a board out of place. That fence greets everyone who pulls up, making a first impression that's not always consciously noted.

We are thankful for you, our valued customer, all year long, of course. But in this season of gratitude and giving, we want to be sure we share with you our feelings of appreciation. Like any healthy relationship, we want to say it, not just think it. We hope we can continue to make you as happy as you make us and maintain our connection for many visits to come.

As the days of another year accelerate forward, we're all aware that time isn't slowing down. The demands of modern life push and pull on us from every angle. Deadlines at work and headlines at home, with a little personal time squeezed in along the way, write the story of our lives. The never-ending list of responsibilities and activities jostle for attention from a limited number of hours in the day.

If you're anxious before dental treatment, you're keeping very good company.

In fact, studies show that 3 out of 4 people feel anxiety prior to a visit to the dentist. But it may be more than that for you. Up to 15% of the population is terrified of dental care, and avoid treatment completely. Some people will endure significant amounts of pain and suffering rather than step into a dental office. Logic says that ultimately that leads to more anguish, but fear often sidesteps logic. That's why it's critical to find a dental home that provides clear strategies to help you receive the care you need.

Sometimes we know what we need to do...but it’s just plain hard. The roadblocks to positive action could be shortages of time, money, or motivation. Or it may be anxiety or fear creating a tight leash that holds us back when nothing else really stands in the way. While fear is a protective mechanism, it's also an anchor at times that keeps us from doing what we need to do. Dental fear often stems from legitimate causes, but those cases don't have to define your future dental experiences. At our practice, we understand most patients step through the doors with a little anxiety, some with a lot. And finding ways to ease away those feelings is a top priority to everyone on the team.