Am I a Good Candidate for Dental Bonding to Close a Gap in My Teeth?

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Others may proclaim the gap between your teeth is cute, but if you are the person with the gap between your teeth, you may be self-conscious about the problem. Gaps between front teeth can be caused simply by genetics, but they can also be related to spacing issues that were not corrected when you were a child. While braces can be an option for closing a gap, many patients prefer the quick solution of having their teeth bonded instead. Are you a good candidate to have a gap bonded? Take a look at a few things to consider.

Dental bonding works best for gaps between certain teeth.

Dental bonding tends to work best on teeth on the upper jawline because these teeth are larger with more surface area to work with. However, bonding may be a possibility on lower teeth; it just depends on the location of the teeth, their size and shape, and the size of the gap.

Bonding is best for gaps that are not too wide set.

Bonding procedures work best for gaps that are not excessively wide set. While the procedure can be effective to close a wide gap, the end aesthetic result can be teeth that look much larger than what would be natural. Therefore, if you have an especially large gap, the dentist may recommend alternate treatments to correct the issue somewhat first, such as Invisalign or invisible braces.

Your teeth should be in generally good condition.

Bonding the teeth involves using a composite resin material that adheres to your natural teeth. Therefore, your natural teeth do need to be generally healthy for the procedure to be logical. If you have small points of decay, the dentist will take the time to fix these areas before they will bond your teeth.

Find Out More About Dental Bonding Procedures in Medina, OH

Dental bonding can usually be completed in one visit to your dentist, and you can step away with a smile that you feel more confident about sharing. If you want to know more about cosmetic dental procedures, reach out to us at the Evanko Dental Group of Medina.

What Can be Done About a Chipped Tooth?

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A chipped tooth can be fixed easily today. In Medina, OH, there are a number of options that are available, such as dental bonding and porcelain veneers. Dental bonding is not expensive and fast, while porcelain veneers are more durable, long-lasting, and offer additional benefits. All of the options covered in this article are common and so your dentist’s office will likely use these practices.

How to Tell if You Have a Chipped Tooth

Sometimes it can be hard to tell if you actually have a chipped tooth. Unless the chip is large and it’s one of your front teeth, you may not even realize that you have a chipped tooth. One telltale sign is persistent raw pain in the tooth that doesn’t go away after a day or two. Check in the mirror to see if you notice any irregularities or missing parts of the tooth. Be sure to see your dentist in Medina, OH if you see anything that even faintly resembles a chip. A chipped tooth doesn’t have to be repaired as an emergency, but you don’t want to wait very long, because the tooth will be vulnerable to bacteria.

Solutions For a Chipped Tooth

One of the first options your Medina dentist may offer is repairing the chipped tooth with dental bonding. Dental bonding involves applying a resin material to the crack or chipped area of the tooth and shining a special laser light over the area to harden and seal the coating. Dental bonding is inexpensive and fast, making it the preferred route for repairing a chipped tooth. The procedure takes about an hour to complete if it’s for one chipped tooth. Dental bonding doesn’t even require anesthesia because it’s non-invasive and pain-free.

If the chip is large and visible when you smile, you might also consider a porcelain veneer. Porcelain veneers are thin layers of composite resin and porcelain that are bonded to the front of teeth. Porcelain veneers have the advantage of being stronger than dental bonding. Porcelain veneers are custom made to fit the patient’s damaged tooth and last for years. The whole procedure usually takes two trips to the dentist.

A chipped tooth doesn’t have to be a problem. Today’s dental treatments offer a lot of different options for chipped teeth. Contact your dentist in Medina for advice about treating your chipped tooth.

How Cigarettes Affect Your Oral Health

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Your dentist in Medina does everything possible to ensure your good oral health. However, sometimes bad habits can make it more challenging to maintain that good health. For instance, smoking cigarettes is not only bad for you overall; it actually negatively impacts your oral health. Here’s how.

Smoking Causes Gum Disease

Did you know that cigarette smoking is a leading cause of gum disease? Most people equate gum disease and tooth decay with sugar, but smoking can lead to the same outcome. Gum disease is an infection of the gums and can be caused by the ingredients in cigarettes. In fact, smokers are two times more at risk for gum disease than non-smokers. The more and longer you smoke, the higher that risk becomes. Even worse, continuing to smoke makes it more likely that common treatments for gum disease won’t work for you.

Smoking Causes Yellow Teeth

Have you ever looked at the teeth of someone who has been smoking for a long time? You’ll notice that smokers’ teeth are discolored. That’s due to some of the ingredients in cigarettes, such as tar and nicotine. Those ingredients stain teeth and cause them to look yellow and in poor health. Teeth whitening may remove the discoloration temporarily but it will soon return with more smoking.

Smoking Impedes the Healing Process

Smoking lowers your immune system and impedes the healing process. Anytime you have a mouth sore, tooth extraction, oral surgery, or another treatment that requires a time of healing, it will take much longer due to smoking. And a longer healing time means a higher risk of infection.

Smoking Causes Bad Breath

Everyone appreciates fresh breath. It’s a sign of good oral health. But if you smoke, your breath will never smell fresh. In fact, smoking causes bad breath, which will likely keep other people from wanting to be too near to you.

Smoking Increases Risk of Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is a terrible disease that can lead to all kinds of negative outcomes. When you smoke, you expose the tender tissues inside your mouth to deadly carcinogens that can lead to oral cancer.

If you currently smoke, talk to your Medina dentist about ways to quit the habit. The sooner you stop, the sooner you can start enjoying optimal oral health.