Whiten Your Teeth and Brighten Your Smile

A major chunk of your hard earned bucks goes into looking your best so why shouldn't a part of that be invested in brightening your smile. Smiles definitely have an influence on our quality of life. People who smile brightly showing their teeth are generally presumed to be happier and friendlier than those who don't show their teeth. Why would you want to hide your teeth if you are confident about them?

It would amount to living in ignorance if you allow that colored set of teeth to knock out the color in your life. Teeth whitening has gained so much popularity lately. It has gone from the dentist or professional affair, to what you can pick up in every pharmacy or grocery store. You can easily help yourself to it. What are you waiting for then?

However, before you jump into it, before you make your first purchase, there seems to be a couple of things you should take into consideration.

The FDA does not consider teeth whitening products as a drug; therefore, they do not regulate the ingredients or application of these products. As a consumer, you are left to trust the companies that essentially are out to make money, to regulate the components in their product. However, the American Dental Association has set up guidelines for teeth whitening products and services. The presence of the ADA seal of acceptance on any teeth whitening product or technique shows that the product has satisfied the ADA criteria and is therefore safe and effective to use. It's a tedious task to get this approval, its presence on a product shows the company's dedication to offering their customers a product conducive to healthy oral care.

There are two broad categories of teeth whiteners that I know of, the teeth whitening strips and the gels. Their mode of operation is similar. The products stay in contact with your teeth long enough for them to exert a bleaching effect on the teeth. The whitening strips, Crest Whitestrips for example, are small plastic strips that you wrap around the upper and bottom sections of your teeth. The part of the strip that is in contact with your teeth contains the bleaching solution. You will need to wear these strips for a particular period daily for some weeks to get results. The teeth whitening gels work in almost the same pattern. You will need to coat your teeth with the gel liquid overnight for some weeks to get result. The gel is a bit cheaper compared to the strips that is, if you don't mind waking up with a chalky taste in your mouth.

Finally, remember that teeth whitening can only be done once every few months. To avoid further yellowing of the teeth, limit your intake of coffee, tea, colas, and red wine, which are known to stain enamel. Also note that teeth whitening does not work on caps, crowns and veneers, it won't make your teeth stark white, but it will give your smile a natural and brighter look.

The brighter your smile is, the better your confidence and quality of life. Don't let those 'colored' teeth knock out the confidence in you, whiten your teeth and live a brighter life.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Teeth Whitening

Dental Implants in New York

With many well-known specialists living and working in the area, seeking dental implants in New York can be a relatively painless process.

The process of inserting a dental implant not only will eliminate the problem of tooth loss or decay, but it can also restore that beautiful smile you longed for, giving you back the confidence you might missed.

For those who are seeking dental implants in New York, it is important to understand the procedure, including the benefits and risks, before proceeding.

Fortunately, dental implants are among the safest, and most tooth-friendly procedures while also the most effective. Since they do not rely on support from adjacent teeth, long-term tooth or gum decay is not typically a risk, as it often is in the case of a cap or bridge placement. In addition, the results often produce sturdier, more realistic replacement teeth that are virtually identical to the real thing.

But, as with any surgery, the procedure is not without a certain level of risk. Dental practitioners will only perform dental implant surgery on patients who are already in good general health, without any presence of gum disease or other oral conditions that might cause complications. For this reason it is important for any patient seeking dental implants in New York to seeking out reliable consultation before electing to receive surgery.

Besides the obvious aesthetic concerns, missing or decaying teeth can affect the ability to speak, the ability to chew as well as one?s general dental health. One missing tooth often leads to many more or some form of advanced decay or disease. For this reason, dental implants in New York have become a reliable, attractive solution for many area residents.

Dental Implants Info provides comprehensive information on the procedure and cost of standard and mini dental implants, and focuses on the Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York regions. Dental Implants Info is the sister site of Rhinoplasty Web.

Complete Smile Makeover Ask the Dental Doc

HELP MY SMILE!

Dear Dr. John,
I am unhappy with the way my teeth look! They?re stained, crooked, short, and they have gaps between them. What are my options? Catherine-Belmont

Patients unhappy with the appearance of their smile have several options. These options include, teeth whitening, bonding, porcelain veneers and all ceramic crowns and bridges.

The least expensive and most popular cosmetic procedure is teeth whitening. Teeth whitening can be very effective in brightening stained teeth. There are essentially two techniques for whitening teeth. The first technique requires two office appointments [home whitening. Impressions of your teeth are taken during your first appointment; these are used to fabricate custom trays that will hold the whitening gel in contact with your teeth. On your second appointment you return to pick up your custom trays and the whitening gel. Once dispensed, the patient applies the whitening gel at home as prescribed by the dentist.

The second technique is performed in little over an hour in the office with BriteSmiles? patented teeth whitening procedure [in office whitening. This procedure utilizes a light activated gel, which erases years of staining in just over an hour?s time. With the BriteSmile procedure it is not unusual to see patients whiten their teeth by as much as ten shades, the results can be amazing! Although teeth whitening will brighten your smile, the procedure does not address cosmetic issues such as gaps, crooked teeth, and tooth length.

Direct bonding is the placement of tooth colored material directly on the front surfaces of the teeth to cover stains and modify the shapes and spaces of mal-positioned teeth. Bonding is a relatively inexpensive procedure that usually requires one visit. The shortcoming of bonding is it stains easily and is not very durable.

Provided you are a good candidate, the best way to improve a smile is with the placement of porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers are thin shells of porcelain that are bonded to the front surfaces of teeth. Veneers can permanently eliminate stains on the front surfaces of teeth and can be used to change the positions of misaligned teeth to create that perfect smile. Although porcelain veneers require the removal of some tooth structure, it is considerably less than what is required for the placement of ceramic crowns. The advantages of veneers include strength, durability and long lasting esthetics.

Just a note of caution here, not all dentists have the same training in relation to cosmetic dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry is not a legally recognized specialty, which makes you somewhat vulnerable as a consumer. Any licensed dentist may advertise as a cosmetic dentist. It is incumbent upon you to make sure the dentist you select has extensive training in COSMETIC dentistry.

Better smiles for all.
John J. Russo D.D.S.

Dr John Russo, ?Ask the dental doc.? cannot diagnose or treat patients through the newspaper. Without all available information about a patient it is impossible to make a diagnosis. Answers are given in general terms only. Only you and your dentist can make an appropriate treatment decision. It is the individual's responsibility to use due diligence to determine proper treatment. ? J. Russo

Dr. John J. Russo is a graduate of the University of The Pacific School Of Dentistry. A graduate of the Pacific Aesthetic Continuum. He is the director of The Cosmetic dental Center and Russo Dental Care, and author of the weekly column As the dental doc.