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Drs. Huddleston and Flennaugh are poised to provide all-inclusive
general dentistry services, customized to your individual needs and
desires. Our accomplished staff of experts are looking forward to
consulting with you to determine the best course of action to improve
you and your family’s teeth and smiles.
For more information on how to achieve a lifetime of excellent
dental health with a preventive approach, please contact us during
regular business hours so we can set an appointment with you.
In the meantime, we have prepared the following articles that may address some of your questions.
What Is Cosmetic Dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry is simply the esthetic renewal of teeth that
meets the necessary requirements for beauty, strength, function, and
longevity. A patient and his dentist may take a very conservative
approach by replacing a few unsightly fillings with tooth colored
porcelain restorations and whitening of the front teeth. Conversely, a
choice may be made to pursue the “extreme makeover” approach by
completely changing one’s smile with full porcelain veneers, crowns,
and onlays. The degree to which a patient changes her smile is a very
personal decision, and is one with which she must feel very comfortable
before making any alterations. Sometimes a “trial run” is appropriate
and helpful at which time the dentist performs a “mock-up” or “dress
rehearsal” of what is possible. That said, patients are most often
thrilled with the results and can’t wait to get started on their new
smile! Please contact us to set up a friendly consultation to explore
the exciting possibilities of this personal transformation.
No More Silver Mouth? Is it possible?
Are you tired of your teeth looking like a collection of metal? The
majority of metal in peoples’ mouths are amalgam, a combination of
mercury, silver, copper, and tin. This material has been used for over
150 years and has successfully served as a substitute for tooth
structure that was once cracked or decayed. However, over time teeth
with amalgam fillings fail because of fracture, corrosion, and decay
that forms around the old fillings. A wonderful replacement of this
material is porcelain. In our office, porcelain can be custom fitted
and bonded to your tooth in just over an hour, adding strength and
beauty to a tooth for years to come. For those very small fillings that
need replacement, composite resins are chemically bonded so that very
little of your tooth needs to be ground away. Dentistry has really come
a long way over the last 150 years, so you don’t have to be limited to
unbonded and unsightly metals. Please ask us about your options!
Can I have Porcelain Veneers?
The beauty of porcelain in dentistry is truly amazing, especially
when a person has a yearning to change their smile. Some people have
been embarrassed to show their teeth, and don’t feel free to express
themselves through laughter and everyday conversation. Well, enough of
that! The placement of ultra-thin, custom-made porcelain facings on
your front teeth can get you happy and revitalized. The process usually
takes two appointments, with an initial consultation involving
measurements, pictures, and a discussion over what it is you want to
achieve with your smile. Your teeth will be lightly abraded during the
operative appointment, and the veneers bonded into place during the
second visit. Please talk to us about this incredible, life enhancing
“makeover”.
BriteSmile™...Whitening in one short appointment?
We are always looking for ways to enhance the beauty of your smile.
One way with which we have had great success is through one-visit
whitening, ala BriteSmileTM.
Studies have shown that the brighter your teeth, the younger and
healthier you look. So we’re truly delighted to introduce a new tooth
whitening procedure that is one of the most safest and effective yet
invented. This innovative, in-office procedure allows us to whiten your
teeth up to fifteen shades in a little over one hour. The BriteSmile™
technology was developed under the supervision of a former NASA
scientist and pioneer in the development of the excimer laser used in
laser vision correction. A gas plasma light source is combined with a
new wavelength-specific whitening solution that enhanced the brightness
of enamel to optimal natural whiteness. Incredible results can be
achieved in just over one hour without causing structural changes in
the enamel.
The BriteSmileTM system uses a special gel that contains only 15%
hydrogen peroxide, as opposed to traditional whitening methods that
contained up to 30% peroxide. This dramatically diminishes sensitivity
during the procedure and after. Please call us for more information
about how to make your smile a “Britesmile”!
Restoring Your Teeth...What's involved?
Enamel is the hardest substance in the body. Yet, there are many
ways for enamel to fail and put a tooth in jeopardy. Dentistry has
addressed these failures in a number of ways. Here are some of the most
common treatments.
Endodontic (root canal) therapy takes care of problems associated
with nerve damage or infections coming from the nerve in a tooth. Every
tooth has at least one nerve and blood vessels (called the “pulp”)
residing deep within an inner pulp chamber. When this inner chamber is
violated by decay, trauma, fractures, or other insults, the pulp can
become irreversibly inflamed or die. This can cause severe pain and
infection. Fortunately, a tooth can be saved by taking out the pulp
and, after meticulous disinfecting, placing an internal sealer called
“gutta percha”. Followed by a permanent restoration like a crown, the
tooth can remain useful for many years to come.
Porcelain, gold, composite resins, and amalgam are all materials
commonly used to fill areas where fractures or decay have occurred.
There are many pros and cons to all of these materials, so please
discuss these with us before your treatment. Advances in bonding
technology over the last ten years have made teeth stronger and more
esthetic than older, traditional methods of restoration. Oftentimes
these materials allow for more conservative treatment approaches during
the procedure, which is certainly a benefit.
And speaking of conservative, have you ever heard of implants? In
the past when a patient was missing one or several teeth, a bridge (a
series of connected crowns) was needed to fill the space created by the
missing tooth or teeth. This still works well today, and is sometimes
the only option. However in many cases a titanium implant can be placed
directly into the jawbone and a crown or bridge built on top of it.
This helps perfectly good teeth avoid being stripped of healthy enamel.
What a great concept!
If you have any questions regarding the restoration of teeth, please ask us all about it.
Fluoride: It Benefits Us All!
Fluoride was introduced into most public water systems over 30
years ago in response to an epidemic of tooth decay in the United
States. Essentially, scientists realized the reinforcing properties of
fluoride and how it acted on enamel to strengthen the tooth and make it
more “decay resistant”.
Since its inception, fluoride has dramatically helped to decrease
the rate and incidence of caries (ie. Decay) in both children and
adults. When applied in doses recommended by the American Dental
Association, fluoride posses no threat to a person’s general health. In
fact, no other public health policy measure has had a safer track
record. However, like anything else, over consumption can lead to
unwanted problems. Adverse effects from fluoride occur most often in
children when toothpaste is swallowed instead of expectorated. This can
cause fluorosis, or a white mottling in the enamel of teeth. Every
parent and caregiver must pay close attention to the dose of toothpaste
put on a child’s toothbrush (it should be the size of a pea), and
instruct children not to swallow after brushing.
Fluoridated public water sources are carefully monitored to ensure
that acceptable and effective concentrations of fluoride are delivered
to the public. But for all you bottled water drinkers out there, you
may want to verify fluoride concentrations with the manufacturer. If
appropriate fluoride concentrations are not present in the bottled
water you are drinking, you may want to ask us about fluoride
supplementation.
As actor Adam Sandler says in the movie, The Waterboy, “That’s some powerful H2O.”
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