Cosmetic Dentistry Guide

--> A gorgeous smile transcends barriers and leaves you and everyone around you feel great. Here at Lane Ends Dental Practice, we want to help you achieve the healthy, happy look you’ve been dreaming of. We provide high-quality comprehensive, restorative, and cosmetic services that can completely transform your teeth for the better, no matter what kind of damage you’re dealing with. Our team doesn’t just want to change your smile for the better – we want to change your life for the better!    https://tinyurl.com/yy82xp4h

We are all very aware that the health of our mouth affects the health of our entire body. The correlation between poor oral health and blood pressure problems, heart disease and even some cancers is well documented. There is one health subject that is very near to heart, as it is one that affects the most individuals on a daily basis. That subject is Diabetes. There are 3 well documented types of Diabetes, as well as several newly understood variations of each disease. All have similar and equally important affects on your oral health. The 3 main types of diabetes are: Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes Gestational Diabetes Although each form of the disease has different treatment needs and underlying causes, if untreated they all result in high blood sugars and put you at greater risk for oral issues. High blood sugars can lead to gum disease, and gum disease can cause high blood sugars, which can lead to gum disease, which can cause….see how this works? If you ...

Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is the name for a range of oral health problems ranging from inflammation of the gums ( gingivitis ) to the more serious periodontitis (where gums pull away from the teeth and serious infection can result). Many people may have the early signs of gum disease and not even realize it! Symptoms like persistent bad breath, swollen gums, gums that bleed when flossing, sensitive teeth or painful spots on the gums when chewing can all be early signs of gum disease. It is well established that gum disease can be devastating to the mouth and is the leading cause of adult tooth loss and other oral problems. What is less well-known is that gum disease can also have negative impact on other parts of the body. The mouth is not an isolated ecosystem, but an integral part of the immune system. The mouth is intimately connected to many other parts of the body and a bacterial imbalance or gum disease in the mouth can create immune problems and in...

There are currently many topics about e-smoking that get discussed time and time again. For instance, you can find out various benefits of switching to e-cigs by simply doing a quick Google search: no second-hand smoke, no tar, and no odour –just rich flavoured e-juice and pure vapour. And you may have also heard how e-cigs are the perfect travel partner, giving you the freedom to smoke almost anywhere you want, and at a lower cost than traditional smoking. We keep reading that e-cigarettes do not produce smoke, they produce vapour.  The vapour that we inhale when smoking an e-cig does not contain any of the harmful chemicals contained in a traditional cigarette. E-cigs use a liquid mix of nicotine, distilled water, flavouring ingredients, and a few other chemicals that turn into vapour when inhaled.  These liquid ingredients will not cause any teeth discolouration, plaque build-up, or bad breath. One harmful effect is that nicotine inhalation inhibits your...

Contrary to what you have been told, bleeding gums are not normal and shouldn't be ignored. Would you be concerned if your hands bleed every time you wash them?  Your gums are no different. Bleeding that occurs when you floss, brush, or eat is usually caused by a bacterial infection and characterizes one of the first symptoms of gum disease. Several links have been found between periodontal infection and other diseases of the human body .  Heart Disease, Diabetes, Respiratory Disease, Osteoporosis, Artificial Joints, and Pregnancy complications seem to be connected to your oral health. The current theory is that bacteria present in infected gums breaks loose, travels through your bloodstream, and attaches itself to your heart or other body parts.  A recent study found that 85% of heart-attack patients have periodontal disease, making this connection higher than the relationship between high cholesterol and heart attacks. What Should You Do? Keep your mouth ...

Beautiful bright healthy teeth have long been associated with signs of youth. Many characteristics of our teeth and smiles can reveal the signs of aging. The colour, shape, and length of our teeth change over the years due to normal wear and tear. “Gravity”, and natural facial changes make our lower faces shrink and sink in, resulting in less of our upper teeth showing as we speak and smile. Loss of collagen and diminished muscle tone allow wrinkles to form around our mouth and lips. During the last generations, lost teeth were considered an inevitable consequence of aging. Now we know how to better care for our smiles as they age. With modern advances, you can have a comfortable, healthy smile for life! Must-Do, Ages 60+ For the most part, losing your teeth during your golden years has little to do with getting old and almost everything to do with gum disease or decays. It’s common as we age because our immune systems can’t fight off inflammation as easily. Regular ...

It has been estimated that over 20 percent of the population avoid going to the dentist out of fear. Some sources suggest that those who avoid the dentist may also suffer from poor health in general, which is no surprise given the links between poor oral health and heart disease, strokes, and diabetes, just to name a few. That’s why many dentists feel so strongly about prevention. It’s much easier to maintain a healthy body or fight against the early symptoms of disease than to treat it once it’s started. Tooth decay is reversible, but a cavity must be treated. Pre-diabetes is reversible, but diabetes, once you have it, must be managed for the rest of one’s life. When it comes to dental health and care, it’s always best to see the same dentist regularly. You’ll establish a relationship, and that dentist will get to know all your individual requirements, from concerns to allergies. In addition you’ll have a history together. “Your regular dentist will be familiar with wha...

Technological developments, such as digital imaging systems, have considerably improved the level of detailed information available to dentists. Dental X-rays are important in the diagnostic assessment of patients. Radiographic images help in the diagnosis, treatment planning and follow up of patients with conditions affecting the head, face, teeth and jaw. While some dentists have long relied on 2-D imaging for diagnosis and treatment planning, this technology typically requires multiple exposures, and with them, multiple doses of radiation. Computed tomography (CT) imaging, also referred to as a computed axial tomography (CAT) scan, involves the use of rotating x-ray equipment, combined with a digital computer, to obtain images of Jaws/teeth. Using CT imaging, cross sectional images of body organs and tissues can be produced. Though there are many other imaging techniques, CT imaging has the unique ability to offer clear images of different types of tissue. CT imaging can ...

Tooth bonding or cosmetic dental bonding refers to the use of special composite resins in order to rebuild part of a tooth’s missing structure.  The dental resins used for tooth bonding are quite durable. In addition, these composite dental resins are colour matched to your teeth so that they are virtually undetectable. Therefore It requires great expertise and an artistic eye to achieve optimal aesthetics. Tooth bonding is best suited to deal with minor chips and cracks on teeth that are cosmetic in nature and do not compromise the overall structure of a tooth. Cases of minor tooth discolouration or tooth stains can also be fixed through tooth bonding. For tooth damage along the biting surfaces of the teeth, composite bonding resins can be used to form inlays and onlays. The tooth bonding process is relatively simple and involves no pain or discomfort. A dental resin is selected that most closely resembles the natural colour of the tooth to be treated. The to...

We brush our teeth regularly, rinse with a strong mouthwash, and even floss now and then. And, when these efforts fail, we get our cavities filled with "Amalgam". Most people would be shocked to discover that those amalgam or "silver" fillings are actually composed of over 50% mercury - the most toxic non-radioactive metal known to man. Over a million mercury fillings are still made world-wide every year and people have had this highly toxic metal packed into one or more cavities. These silver fillings in your mouth are actually an amalgamation of at least four different metals, Mercury, Silver, Copper and Tin and others. These metals combine to form a random mixture of alloys. Each alloy is separate and unique and therefore has a different electrical potential than the others. This amalgam is continuously bathed in electrolytes (saliva, tissue fluids etc.) The dissimilar metals in electrolytes can therefore act like a battery in your mouth and can ...

If you are feeling under the weather, just stick out your tongue - the state it's in can present an accurate picture of your health. Inside of your mouth you have a reliable diagnostic tool for monitoring your overall state of health on a day to day basis. The colour, texture and moisture of your tongue can provide tell-tale signs of what's going on inside your body. If you've ever gone to an acupuncturist or herbalist, you've probably been asked to stick out your tongue. This can seem like a very strange request, and you’re usually left to wonder what they can see there. Your tongue is richly supplied with blood vessels and thanks to a constant flow of saliva, it is constantly being cleaned which discourages harmful bacteria forming in the mouth area. However, if a person is unwell, a problem can often be detected by simply looking at the tongue. A body with healthy organs and a clear digestive tract will show up pretty pink. A body with clogged orga...

                       Mouth Cancer, may involve the lips, gums, tongue, teeth, cheeks, roof or floor of the mouth or back of the throat. It usually starts out as a small white spot that looks like an irritation, or an ulcer that may be red or white. The most common site is on the side of the tongue, and it most often is symptom free with no irritation or pain. The majority of patients visiting their dentist would like to be checked for mouth cancer (the results of survey in 2011 revealed 88 per cent of patients would like to be checked for the disease).However despite the public’s desire to be checked for cancer, only 14 per cent indicated their dentist had explained the risks and symptoms of mouth cancer to them. The British Dental Foundation estimates that around 90 per cent of dentists regularly check for mouth cancer, but only a small percentage discusses the issue directly with their patients. Mou...

The colour of your teeth comes from the inside of the tooth, and may become darker over time. Moreover as we grow older, the outer layer of our tooth enamel can wear down, to expose a darker or yellow shade beneath.  Other factors such as excessive fluoridation during tooth development, smoking, or drinking tea, coffee and red wine can also contribute to tooth discolouration, leaving them yellow and dull.  Even certain medications taken as a child such as tetracycline, can cause teeth to become stained. If you have yellowed , greying or discoloured teeth , don’t despair, there are many options for solving this problem.      Teeth whitening or Tooth bleaching Tooth whitening (also known as teeth bleaching) is a simple, non-invasive dental treatment that is used to change the colour of your natural tooth enamel, making it the ideal way to enhance your smile. These treatments usually work best on teeth that have discoloured over time with ex...

Everything starts from a good and thorough diagnostic review of your oral health. There’s no other way to tell how well your oral health is than to have a thorough dental examination done by an experienced dentist who knows what they’re looking for and who can provide you with your ideal treatment options. Early intervention and treatment is the key to your overall health and well-being, including your dental health. Most people don’t realize that, many times, pain may not be an indicator of dental disease until it becomes serious and, often times, too late. Decay can begin between the teeth and progress towards the nerve without pain. Left untreated it will enter the nerve and cause the dreaded toothache. Treatment would ultimately be either extraction or root canal and crown, which is certainly more expensive and time consuming than a small filling. Did you know that gum disease could eat away bone at a rapid rate with no discomfort at all? The all-important comprehe...

Let’s face it. Most of us take our teeth for granted. Sure, we brush and floss (well, some of the time). And we know, of course, that teeth are essential for chewing our food and for maintaining a beautiful smile. But when we get a cavity – or even when we are diagnosed with gum disease that might culminate in tooth loss – we rarely think of these problems as posing permanent risks to our general health and vitality. We simply don’t place the same importance on our dental health as we do on, say, the health of our vital organs. After all, the mouth is the domain of the dentist; the body, the domain of the doctor. But that perspective is changing. Recent research provides convincing evidence that oral health and overall health are inextricably linked –what’s good for our mouth is also good for the rest of the body that we work so hard to keep fit and healthy. Dentists increasingly screen for systemic diseases, which involve many organs or the whole body, through tongue ...

In spite of the fact that mercury is one of the most toxic substances on earth, over 75% of dentists in UK are still using mercury amalgam restorations in teeth. Amalgam fillings are made of four different metals: silver, copper, tin and mercury that binds them all together. They have been used for more than 150 years and it is in the past 15 to 20 years that the problems with mercury amalgams have come to light. Symptoms associated with mercury toxicity include fatigue, migraine, tremors, inability to concentrate, memory loss, mood swings, anxiety, immune suppression and autoimmune disorders, significant skin problems, seizures, and other neurological problems. Dentists have been educated to believe that once mercury has been combined into the filling material, it remains "locked in" and can't leak out; nevertheless the fact is that there is absolutely no scientific research in existence to support this hypothesis. To the contrary, all clinical evidence indi...

Fear is an immediate response to a perceived threat. The overwhelming fear of dental appointments can be a common cause of our anxiety.  Many patients picture a drill-wielding man in a white coat just waiting to cause pain and remove teeth.  The reality, however, is very different.  The comfort, relaxation and happiness of the patient are embedded deep at the heart of any good dental practice.  The entire dental team have understanding and empathy to each and every patient, they will do whatever they can to reduce anxiety, allay fears and provide painless, quick treatments. Recent technological advancements have meant that dentists are able to replace noisy drills with painless laser beams.  There are also a wide variety of gentle and pain free anaesthetics available to eliminate anxiety during treatments. Beneath that anxiety there’s often a fear factor. Fear of pain is a big one. Fear of needles. Fear of confined spaces. Fear of losing control. F...

Don’t like what you see when you smile? Change it! There's no reason to put up with imperfections that detract from your smile. While it's common to be told not to judge a book by its cover, unfortunately, it's human nature to make impulsive judgements. Your smile is one of the first things people will notice, If you have not so perfect teeth and are constantly worried about your smile, then dental veneers are the ultimate answer to all your worries.  These are useful tools that can easily restore your imperfect teeth and give you the beautiful smile that you have always dreamed of. Tooth Veneers can mask stained, oddly shaped, or crooked teeth and create a smile that would make Oprah sit up and take notice! Porcelain dental veneers are also called dental veneers, porcelain veneers, porcelain laminates or just veneers. They are made from a very thin layer of porcelain (a glass or ceramic type of material) about the thickness of your finger nail or a con...