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Types of Dental Veneers

Types of Dental Veneers

If stains, gaps, or chips in your teeth have limited your smile potential, dental veneers can revive your vibrant appearance. Porcelain veneers will hide imperfections and create a flawless smile. Designed to mimic the translucency of tooth enamel, porcelain veneers produce beautiful, natural-looking results.

Custom Porcelain Veneers
Handcrafted to change the size, shape, or color of your teeth, traditional dental veneers are customized to fit your mouth. Your dentist will actually sit down with you to review your options and discuss style that you like. Using this information and impressions of your teeth, the doctor will design an individualized plan for your smile transformation. With traditional veneers, patients can attain the gorgeous smiles they desire in two to three visits.

Minimal-Prep Veneers
For a smile makeover with little or no enamel removal, consider minimal-prep veneers like Lumineers from Cerinate. Made from ultra thin layers of porcelain, these restorations can effectively renew your smile. Minimal-prep veneers can close space between teeth as well as create a more uniform appearance. Placement of minimal-prep veneers usually takes just one appointment.

Snap-On Smile
While updating their smiles, many people are selecting Snap-On Smile until their transformation is complete. Made of acrylic material, the Snap-On Smile fits over your teeth and generates a temporary fix until your restorations are complete. People often choose Snap-On Smile for weddings, graduations, or to try out possible changes before making permanent decisions.

Can Dental Veneers Straighten My Smile?

Can Dental Veneers Straighten My Smile?

Do you have gapped or crooked teeth? Have you wondered if braces are the right choice to correct your alignment issues? Slight imperfections that haven’t bothered you as you grew up might now seem like glaring issues to you. If the thought of wearing braces or some other kind of orthodontia for years is something you’re dreading, you should talk to your dentist; dental veneers may be exactly what you need to correct your smile concerns.

Dental veneers are very thin wafers of porcelain, composite resin or some other tooth-colored material that are permanently bonded to the surface of your natural tooth. Dental veneers are incapable of correcting alignment (or “bite”) issues, but they can create an illusion of perfectly straight, white teeth. Veneers don’t require any of the metal hardware you might imagine with braces, and they take only one or two office visits to complete. Veneers are very durable and long-lasting, and with proper care can last up to twenty years before they need replacing.

If you have good general health, you are a candidate for dental veneers. Because veneers rely on the strength of the natural tooth to bond, a tooth that is decayed or infected cannot have a veneer. Dental problems such as fillings or other issues must be corrected before a veneer can be placed. Patients who possess healthy mouths with teeth that are simply crooked, gapped, discolored or chipped should look to dental veneers to correct their problems.

If you are unhappy with your smile, talk to cosmetic dentist Dr. Hergott in Vancouver today. Dental veneers could be the perfect solution for you. There’s no reason to wait for the results of braces when dental veneers can give you the smile you want now.

We treat patients from Meriden and the surrounding area

Learn about All Your Teeth Whitening Options

A beautifully white smile is often perceived as a sign of youth and vitality, but over time it can gradually fade. Eating certain foods or drinking dark-colored beverages, taking particular medications and simply aging can all take its toll on your teeth. It’s hardly surprising that tooth whitening has become one of the most popular cosmetic dental procedures in recent years. Professional teeth whitening is safe and effective and can quickly rejuvenate your smile. If you’re thinking about whitening your teeth, there are several options to choose from which include:

In-Office Whitening
In-office teeth whitening is hugely popular, as you can literally book a lunch time appointment and leave with a dazzling white smile. Surface stains can quickly be eliminated, and teeth can be brightened by up to eight shades in just an hour. This option is the most expensive, and you don’t have much control over the final results. Your dentist in Meriden will activate the bleaching gel with a special light so the final result should be a stunning white smile.

Custom-Made Take-Home Teeth Whitening Kits
Not everyone wants to whiten their teeth so quickly, and custom-made whitening trays enable you to safely bleach teeth in a more controlled manner. Your Meriden cosmetic dentist will take impressions of your teeth that are used to fabricate custom-made whitening trays. You’ll be shown how to use these trays, and should wear them for as long as directed. Most people will begin to notice real results within a few days, but they generally need to be used for two or three weeks to achieve optimum effects.

Over-The-Counter Teeth Whitening Kits
Over-the-counter whitening kits come in the form of trays and whitening strips and can cost between $20 and $50 so it’s tempting to think they will save you money. However the bleaching gels contained in these kits are not as strong as those available to your dentist. In addition, there’s the possibility these kits could irritate your gums as ill-fitting whitening trays can allow the gel to leak out.

Schedule your appointment at our Meriden dental office

Dealing with Common Dental Problems

Dealing with Common Dental Problems

If you have a dental emergency, for example a knocked out tooth or jaw injury, contact your dentist in Meriden right away for care. Quite often dental problems will develop out of office hours, so it’s a good idea to know how to treat them until you can visit your dentist. The following tips will help you take care of yourself or someone close:

  • Bitten Cheeks, Lips or Gums. Gently rinse the affected area using cool water. Use light but firm pressure to apply a clean piece of gauze or washcloth to stop bleeding. An ice pack can help reduce swelling.
  • Bleeding Gums. Bleeding gums are frequently caused by gum disease or through brushing your teeth too hard. Rinse your mouth with warm water and be sure to thoroughly brush and floss your teeth as this will help reduce infection and inflammation. Book an appointment with your family dentist in Meriden for proper diagnosis and treatment.
  • Canker Sores. It can help to wash the area with warm salt water. Avoid spicy or very hot foods until the canker sore begins to heal. If it fails to heal after two weeks, contact your dentist for advice.
  • Cracked or Broken Tooth. Carefully rinse your mouth with warm salt water. Book an appointment with your dentist to have the tooth mended, and bring any broken pieces of tooth with you to the dental office.
  • Loose Baby Tooth. Don’t attempt to pull out the tooth yourself, but instead encourage the child to gently wiggle it from side to side until it eventually comes out on its own.
  • Teething Problems. Use a chilled teething ring or a cold washcloth to help soothe your baby’s gums. Gently rubbing the gums can also relieve some of the pressure.

If you live in the Meriden area contact us today

Causes of Post-Root Canal Therapy Pain

Causes of Post-Root Canal Therapy Pain

The goal of root canal therapy is to relieve pain, not cause it. The pain you experience before a root canal is the result of damage to the tissues in the tooth. Root canal therapy removes that damaged tissue, therefore relieving the discomfort you feel. If you are still experiencing tooth pain after undergoing a root canal procedure, it could be an indication of a problem with the treatment.

While mild discomfort is to be expected during the root canal healing process, if the pain continues or becomes more severe, it is likely an indication of a problem. There are several reasons for tooth pain after root canal treatment:

  • The tooth has an extra canal that was not cleaned and filled, meaning there is an extra physical root.
  • The tooth has a small, tight accessory canal that is difficult to locate on x-rays or hard to access with the necessary tools.
  • The tooth is fractured due to the damage and weakened state caused by the original decay and the access cavity that is created to begin the root canal treatment.
  • The root canal has become reinfected.
  • The small files used by your dentist to clean out the pulp of the tooth sometimes break, resulting in a failed root canal treatment.

In the days immediately following root canal therapy, it is normal to experience some tenderness of the tooth or surrounding gum. This discomfort should be easily managed with over-the-counter painkillers and should subside in a few days. If the pain does not ease in a few days or becomes more severe, contact your dental professional immediately to access your symptoms and determine if you are having root canal complications.

We look forward to seeing you in our Meriden dental office

Why Choose a Dental Implant

Why Choose a Dental Implant

Tooth loss is a common occurrence – millions of people suffer tooth loss – primarily as a result of gum disease, tooth decay or facial trauma. For years, the only treatment options available to those missing a tooth were partial dentures or bridges. Today, dental implants are available as an alternative. If you have lost a tooth, you may wonder why you should choose a dental implant over a bridge or partial denture.

Following are some of the advantages of dental implants:

  • Dental implants prevent bone loss. Without the tooth root, the bone of the jaw begins to shrink, or resorb, causing problems with remaining teeth and changing the shape of the face. Dental implants serve as replacement roots for the tooth, and continue to stimulate and preserve the bone. When an implant is used, the jawbone fuses to the metal implant in a process known as osseointegration, reducing bone shrinkage significantly.
  • Dental implants look better. They feel, look and function like your own natural teeth. Because they fuse directly with your bone, they become permanent, and with proper care, never need to be replaced.
  • Dental implants fit better. They are more comfortable and are easier to clean. Because they are so secure, you will speak more clearly and eat with greater confidence and comfort.
  • Dental implants will improve your oral health. Implants don’t affect the surrounding teeth the way a bridge does. Your natural teeth remain intact, allowing for easier greater health and cleaning around each tooth.
  • Dental implants are convenient. They never have to be removed to clean under them, nor do they need adhesives or wire to stay in place.
  • Dental implant surgery has a very high success rate. They are durable and can last a lifetime if you care for them properly.

If you are healthy enough to undergo an extraction of your tooth, you can generally be considered for dental implant surgery. You must have enough healthy bone and soft tissue to hold the implant. Talk to your dentist today if you have questions regarding dental implants and whether they are a right choice for you.

We treat patients from Meriden and the surrounding area