Benefits of Lumineers

First of all, there are many benefits to consider with no prep veneers. They include the lack of drilling required, the long life-span of 15 to 20 years, and the fact that they are reversible. Additionally, no prep veneers require no reduction of the existing tooth or shaving of the tooth at all in order to fit properly. That makes them an excellent choice for the traditional dentist “wimp” who doesn’t like things that make whirring noises anywhere near his or her teeth.

Are No Prep Veneers Right for You?

This is the real question of the day and one you may have to seriously discuss with your dentist to be sure. For the most part, the no prep part of no prep veneers assumes a few facts are in play. First of all, you can’t simply cover up damaged teeth with a shiny new veneer. It would be like trying to slap a coat of paint over a crack in the wall and pretend it isn’t there. The only difference is that dental problems tend to get worse when left unattended over time and that can have seriously negative health consequences.

That means that no prep veneers are better suited for people who have only cosmetic needs to fix with veneers and not for people who are looking to repair actual dental health issues. Those people will be better suited for either minimal prep veneers or traditional prep veneers instead. The goal is to treat your whole smile for better overall dental health that will last many years, if not a lifetime; and not to simply assist in making your smile temporarily prettier.

Picking the right veneers is an important part of the process. Consult with your dentist to see what options are available for no prep veneers. Cincinnati dentists on the cutting edge of new technology will be happy to answer all your questions about veneers and what they can mean for your smile.

Ideal Alignment of Teeth

Your teeth are meant to fit in your mouth a certain way. In proper alignment, the upper teeth should rest naturally over the lower teeth. The molars should fit together with the point of each fitting into the grooves of the other. This orientation protects your cheeks, lips and tongue from damage that the teeth might otherwise cause.

What Is a Malocclusion?

Malocclusion describes any alignment of the teeth that does not fit this ideal pattern. Many people have minor malocclusions that do not merit any dental correction. Some people, however, suffer from more serious bite distortions. Excessive overbites are common occurrences of malocclusion but these dental problems can manifest in different ways with different severities.

Causes of Malocclusion

Many malocclusions that dentists see are hereditary. People often have the same arrangement of teeth that one of their parents has. There are a number of other causes for malocclusion as well. Some of these causes are avoidable.

• Birth defects, such as cleft lip
• Injuries to the mouth
• The growth of extra teeth or the impaction of wisdom teeth
• Tumors growing in the jaw
• Poorly designed dental appliances, such as retainers and braces
• Prolonged childhood habits that involve thumb sucking or reliance on a bottle for feeding

Types of Malocclusion

The most common type of malocclusion is the slight overbite. This is categorized as a class 1 malocclusion. The upper teeth overlap the lower teeth. The bite is not affected but there is a cosmetic difference in appearance when compared to a normal bite pattern.

A class 2 malocclusion is a true overbite, also known as retrognathism. The upper teeth severely overlap the lower. This may cause discomfort and is noticeable when the person smiles. The chin often has a retruded appearance in this bite classification.

Class 3 malocclusions are less well known. Prognathism is the medical term for underbite. In this type of malocclusion, the lower jaw protrudes farther outward than the upper.

How Do You Know That You Have a Malocclusion?

Sometimes, knowing that you have a malocclusion is easy because it is so obvious. However, class 1 malocclusions may not be immediately apparent until a dentist tells you. You may suspect this condition just from looking in the mirror. You may also suspect that there is some kind of alignment problem with your teeth if you have otherwise unexplained difficulty chewing, have a speech defect or tend to breathe through the mouth rather than the nose.

Why Should I Get a Malocclusion Fixed?

Some patients may prefer to avoid treatment if the malocclusion is slight or they are not worried about how it affects their appearance. However, there are other reasons to get a malocclusion fixed. Improperly aligned teeth can contribute to the likelihood of gum disease and other causes of tooth decay because they become harder to keep clean. Teeth are also more likely to suffer strain and break eventually when they are not arranged correctly in your jaw.

How Do Dentists Treat Malocclusion?

The process of fixing a malocclusion will probably begin with a series of exams, even if the problem is apparent to a dentist. It is important to determine exactly where each tooth is sitting when the mouth is closed in order to correct the problem. A general dentist may refer you to an orthodontist if the problem is beyond something that he or she can repair.

Braces are the most common solutions for malocclusions. People tend to think of these dental appliances as typical of teenagers. More and more adults, though, are getting them in order to correct malocclusions. Afterward, it is often necessary to wear retainers for a long period of time, in order to help the teeth maintain the new placement achieved by the braces.

There are several options for braces not too. You may have heard of Invisalign- which is a series of semi-clear trays worn in sequence until the teeth become straight. Additionally there a new product called Six Month Smiles that can achieve rapid movement of the teeth. Six Month Smiles® utilizes specialized clear braces to gently straighten and align teeth in an average time of just six months.

Sometimes, in severe cases, dentists may remove teeth or surgically adjust them somehow in order to bring about a new alignment. Proper general dental care is always important before and after any treatment for malocclusions. There are less visible versions of both braces and retainers available for adults and children.

If you think that you need help fixing a malocclusion, you should contact your dentist. He or she may refer you to an orthodontist, which is a dental specialist that focuses on making dental adjustments and appliances rather than on cleaning and maintenance. Chicago Smile Spa is one practice that focuses on adult braces. You can contact them: Chicago Smile Spa 2704 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL (773) 348-2704. Dr Gerilyn Alfe serves her patients with dental issues such as malocclusion. This office also handles a variety of other dental tasks.

For additional information, please see:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001058.htm
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/tc/malocclusion-and-orthodontics-treatment-overview

No Prep Veneers versus Traditional Veneers

Veneers are made of porcelain laminate shells that adhere onto your teeth and cover a multitude of imperfections. If you want a more aligned smile but don’t want to wait for months for the changes that Invisalign or regular orthodontic braces bring, no prep veneers can be applied in as little as one or two dental visits. And to truly increase your smile options, there are traditional veneers as well as no prep veneers. Both options look natural, are stain resistant and reflect light just like your natural tooth enamel. Plus, you can choose the degree of whiteness to create a smile that best fits your mouth!

With traditional porcelain veneers, you will likely have to deal with the removal of a fine layer of tooth enamel. This would necessitate anesthetic deadening agent and drilling on your teeth before the laminate could be bonded. In addition, this option is not reversible and your teeth may become more sensitive to hot and cold food and drink.

No prep veneers are a more attractive option for creating a symmetrically white smile if your dentist agrees you are a good candidate. With no prep veneers, tooth enamel is not removed so this option is reversible and removable with no harm done to your existing tooth structure. Plus, this type of veneer usually can be used with existing bridgework and crowns and you may not need to have any anesthetic or drilling done at all!

Treatment Considerations for No Prep Veneers

Your dentist must thoroughly examine your teeth to determine whether they will provide a firm, healthy foundation for no prep veneers. If you are concerned about the procedure cost and your only issue is a small crack or chip in a tooth, dental bonding may be more suitable. While not as stain resistant as porcelain veneer options, dental bonding is a quicker, cheaper treatment.

However, if you have several dental issues such as worn down teeth, spaces, cracked or chipped teeth or even abnormally small teeth, no prep veneers may be an excellent option – as long as your dentist agrees. Keep in mind though that cosmetic dental procedures are not usually covered by insurance but there are payment plans likely available – a good investment in yourself!

Call a Cincinnati Cosmetic Dentist with the Dental Health Center today to schedule a consultation and see if you are a good candidate for no prep veneers. This is the first step in your new smile journey.

Invisalign Express 5 Cost

Over the next couple of months, Invisalign Express 5 will be available for $1,500, a much less costly way to correct slight alignment issues and create a perfect smile. This system works the same way as the traditional Invisalign system, yet is designed for patients who require five or fewer stages of aligners to get ideal results. Instead of paying for the full Invisalign treatment (which can be three to four times as much), patients can quickly get their teeth aligned at a price that is more affordable.

Who Is Invisalign Express 5 For?

Invisalign Express 5 is for patients who need only minor orthodontic correction. The system is cheaper because it requires the patient to undergo less treatment. Often patients who benefit from Invisalign Express 5 are those who have had braces in the past and have experienced some minor shifting. This is known as “braces relapse” and is a common occurrence for many adults who previously had orthodontic care.

To determine if you are eligible for Invisalign Express 5 in Cincinnati contact Dr. Tom Hedge of the Dental Health Center. Dr. Hedge is a preferred Invisalign provider and can help you get the smile of your dreams at a price that you can afford.

NYC Ban on Large Drinks Applauded by the ADA

In a somewhat controversial move the New York City Board of Health enacted a ban of large-sized sugary drinks. The American Dental Association’s (ADAs) President William Calnon made a statement thanking Mayor Bloomberg from bringing attention to the issue that “Frequent and excessive consumption of soda and other sugary beverages raises the risk of adverse health conditions such as obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.” While Calnon admits that a ban of the sale of large sodas and other sugary drink at restaurants, street carts and movie theaters may not be the most publicly favored method, he applauds that the attention on this matter is a step in the right direction.

The banned products include sweetened rinks in containers larger than 16 ounces and may consist of:

• Energy drinks
• Presweetened iced teas
• Non-diet soda

Drinks not affected:

• Fruit juices
• Dairy based drinks (ex. Milkshakes)
• Alcoholic beverages
• No-calorie diet sodas

Dentists and other health professionals have long stressed the importance of a healthy diet, particularly one that was void of health-damaging products such as soft drinks. A study from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that people aged 20 to 44 had the highest rate of untreated cavities, at 25 percent. It is estimated that pain from untreated dental disease results in millions of missed school and work hours.

The ADA has long awaited an opportunity to educate the public on the effects of nutrition on oral health. New York City’s ban on large soft drinks has opened the doors for the ADA to gain widespread exposure so that they may warn the public on the harms of tooth decay and cavities.

If you have damage to teeth such as weakened tooth enamel or cavities the cause may be from sugary food and drinks. To remedy these maladies your dentist may be able to help fill your cavity with a tooth-colored filling or improve the appearance and condition of your damaged tooth with various restorative or cosmetic treatments.

FindAHoustonDentist.com was recently launched to address the needs of the ever-growing family and cosmetic dentistry market in what is the largest city in Texas. Designed by RPM (www.myrpmstudios.com), the sites design was aimed at helping Houston and surrounding area patients find a dentist near them. The website profiled a large number of Houston-area dentists based on their qualifications, good medical standing, and ratings from other dental professionals to present users with a choice based on pre-qualified dental professionals.

The website is free to use and helps patients easily and quickly find a dentist in their respective areas. In the event a dentist is not local to a particular Houston area, the website will suggest dentists that are near the users preferred city. Amongst the most highly acclaimed dentists on the website are Drs. Tom Hedge and Kathy Frazar. Both of the dentists specialize in family and cosmetic dentistry and have been featured on local media shows such as CBS, ABC, FOX, USA Weekend and acclaimed dental resource DentaLife. Both dentists are also heavily involved in what is becoming one of the fastest growing cosmetic dentistry associations, the Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics (ACE).

To find a dentist in the Houston area visit http://findahoustondentist.com/ and use the Find A Dentist feature to find your local city or request an appointment directly from the homepage. The website also provides information in a section called Dental Health Info on general and cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, Invisalign, gum disease, sedation dentistry, sleep apnea, TMJ and veneers.

About 4 months ago I went to Dr. Thomas Hedge at The Dental Health Center in Ohio to get porcelain veneers on all of my upper and lower teeth.  It was an exceptional experience.

My motivation for getting the veneers was not cosmetic.  I knew I had problems with my bite and went to see Dr. Hedge to discuss what improvements could be made.  Through a very thorough (and personable) consultation he explained the procedure, the options and what I could expect.

My second step was to do extensive research of this procedure.  Interestingly, although there are many, many articles available on porcelain veneers, and even more dentists advertising the procedure none of them seemed to talk about quite the same procedure that Dr. Hedge described to me.

Briefly and in layman’s terms this is Dr. Hedge’s evaluation procedure:

• Initial consultation to understand my objectives.  He also showed before and after pictures of some of his previous patients.
• An extensive session to map my bite electronically on a computer.  He and his team placed electrodes on the muscles in my jaw and head to monitor muscle contractions and record any unusual sounds in my joints, then attached a device to my jaw that could record all the movements of the jaw in three dimensions when I opened and closed my mouth.
• After recording all this information about my bite, they mapped this graphically against an ideal bite to show me exactly what was wrong.
• Knowing exactly what the problem was, Dr. Hedge explained what would be required to fix my bite and make it normal.

As a business strategy and technology consultant by profession I was very appreciative of the approach they took to quantitatively measure the problem and define a solution to that problem.  So I decided to go ahead with the procedure.  I will refrain from giving the details of the procedure since I am not a dentist and would likely misstate many things.  However, I will share the results of my procedure after living with my veneers for about 4 months:

• I have no pain, soreness or sensitivity in my mouth at all.  And this is after having every single tooth in my mouth replaced with a veneer.
• My new teeth feel as natural as to me as the real ones did.
• I have stopped grinding my teeth at night and now wake in the morning without headaches.
• When I sleep I now breathe through my nose instead of my mouth.
• I do not wake up congested in the morning as I did before the procedure.
• When I eat it is now natural for me to chew with my mouth closed, whereas previously I had to think about closing my mouth whenever I chewed.
• I no longer have symptoms of TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder)
• My smile and all my teeth look fabulous.  This is not a surprise given that each tooth was custom designed and hand made.
• I have received many comments about how great my teeth look.  But because the veneers look so natural the comments are always about how white they are.  Nobody thinks “veneer” or “false teeth”.

Make no mistake, this is not an inexpensive procedure and it is unfortunate that insurance companies still classify this a cosmetic dentistry even when it is done for sound medical reasons.  However, from my research it does seem to be a classic case of getting what you pay for.  It was expensive, but according to Dr. Hedge these veneers should last for the rest of my life.  For me it was a worthwhile investment.  If you are considering veneers or think you might have a problem with your teeth or bite I highly recommend Dr. Hedge and Dental Health Center.

- Peter Buck, Ohio

Women's Hormonal Changes Linked to Gum Disease

A recent review of women’s health studies has shown a link between women’s health issues and gum disease. Hormonal changes that women naturally go through such as puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause have been shown to fluctuate women’s hormones so much so that they can change conditions in the mouth and allow bacteria to grow, enter the bloodstream, and intensify certain health issues such as bone loss, fetal death and pre-term birth.

The data from the study reviewed 61 journal articles with nearly 100 studies that helped the scientists determine that women’s hormonal changes do in fact have a relationship to gum disease and the other health issues named above. The message the researchers wanted to get across to women is that they need to be even more vigilant about maintaining good oral health to prevent or lessen the impact of these health-related issues.

Of particular interest in this research are women’s hormones during pregnancy. There is existing research that states that hormones can cause gum problems during pregnancy and women who are attempting to get pregnant or are pregnant need to be extra cautious about the state of their dental health. There was a time when women were discouraged from visiting the dentist while pregnant but this study shows evidence that a dental cleaning and examination before or during pregnancy is now recommended.

Gum disease is caused by the accumulation of bacterial plaque on the teeth and under the gums. Left untreated for extended periods of time, it can cause inflammation which can release harmful and toxic byproducts into the bloodstream. These toxins can result in tooth loss, bad breath, bloody gums, bone erosion in addition to the multitude of health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, and pregnancy problems.

Our dentist office in Cincinnati provides patients with results they will enjoy for years to come. Using veneers and LUMINEERS®, our patients are able to finally get the smiles they have always wished for.

The Cost of Veneers

The cost of getting veneers will vary depending on the individual. The patient’s individual needs play a large role in determining the final cost of the treatment required to get the results he or she desires.

Are Veneers Worth the Investment?

Veneers are not a treatment used to improve a patient’s dental health – they are solely a cosmetic treatment used to enhance the patient’s appearance. Because veneers are not a “must,” some patients wonder whether they are worth the investment.

• We believe that veneers are certainly worth the cost. Patients who improve their smiles with veneers tend to see improvements in other areas of their lives. They are more confident in social situations, business settings, and their day-to-day lives.

• People who love the way their smiles look tend to smile more. We believe everyone deserves a smile worthy of showing off, which is why we provide treatments such as veneers.

Getting Veneers at the Dental Health Center

We offer three main types of veneers: porcelain veneers, no-prep veneers, and LUMINEERS.

• Our porcelain veneers are custom-created by one of the best dental technicians in the U.S. They are applied to the fronts of the teeth after light preparation and provide beautiful results.

• No-prep veneers do not require any preparation of the tooth before application, meaning the tooth’s surface does not have to be removed before the veneers are attached.

• LUMINEERS are a very popular brand of high-quality veneers. Patients choose them because they provide beautiful results and do not require tooth preparation. LUMINEERS also cost less than traditional porcelain veneers.

The condition of your smile largely impacts the appearance of your entire face. If there are aspects of your smile that you are unhappy with, it is time to explore your options for improving your smile with cosmetic dentistry.

For many people, veneers are the best option for covering smile imperfections and obtaining a smile they are happy to show. Schedule your free veneers consultation at the Dental Health Center to learn about how veneers can drastically improve your smile.

If you are ready to straighten your teeth once and for all, Cincinnati cosmetic dentist, Dr. Hedge, offers Invisalign® adult braces.

Also, if you are ready to take the plunge and straighten your teeth, Dr. Hedge is here to answer any and all of your questions. During your complimentary consultation, he welcomes your questions regarding Invisalign or any other cosmetic and general dentistry service he offers.

He is on your side when it comes to receiving exceptional dental care. Dr. Hedge loves creating beautiful, strong smiles, and he is ready to create yours, too!

Still deciding to get Invisalign or not?

Do you feel that you are swaying back and forth in your decision to get Invisalign? If it’s because you don’t have all of the facts, Dr. Hedge will definitely help you! He wants you to make an educated, well-informed decision regarding your dental care.

• Dr. Hedge will help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of clear braces.
• Dr. Hedge will give you information and details regarding the differences and similarities between Invisalign and traditional braces.
• Dr. Hedge will speak with you regarding your smile goals, and how you think and feel regarding traditional braces versus Invisalign clear braces.
• You and Dr. Hedge can decide together whether or not you can fully benefit from Invisalign, or if orthodontic braces would be best for your situation.

As you can see, Dr. Hedge is committed to giving you ultimate, top-notch dental treatment, and that includes disclosing the details you need to make an informed decision about straightening your teeth, and getting the smile of your dreams.

Did your teeth shift after getting traditional braces?

Several of our patients have already straightened their teeth with traditional braces in the past. However, many years later they realize that their teeth gradually shifted into a crooked position. Granted, their teeth are not as crooked as they once were before traditional braces, but their teeth shifted just enough to be bothersome when they smile.

• Fortunately for these patients, Invisalign adult braces can be the absolute perfect teeth straightening solution.
• In fact, the makers of Invisalign, Align Technology, devised another product called Invisalign® Express for patients who require only minimal teeth repositioning, such as the example aforementioned.

Therefore, those who received traditional braces in the past can choose among Invisalign and Invisalign Express to straighten their teeth.

Is Invisalign right for you?

So if you’re ready to straighten your teeth with Invisalign adult braces, Dr. Tom Hedge has your solution! Here at our Cincinnati dentist office, we are confident that you will absolutely love your new smile filled with straight teeth. All you have to do is get started with a complimentary consultation to learn if Invisalign is right for you.