Start the New Year off right with Cosmetic Dentistry

Why Cosmetic Dentistry? Why not is what you should be asking yourself. Traditional dentistry focuses mainly on preventing and treating oral issues as well as hygiene. Cosmetic Dentistry is focused on the appearance of your smile. Your teeth may currently be free of plaque and other harmful additions to your teeth – but how do they look when you smile? Cosmetic Dentistry options can help with this.

There have been many advances in cosmetic dental options offering natural looking and durable dental options. This can range from choosing a filling color made from porcelain or composite materials so that they match the color of your teeth as much as possible to teeth replacements. A smile makeover is not comfortable, convenient and affordable.

Not many dentists are specially trained in the Salt Lake, Layton and Ogden area to provide these options. Affleck Dental, located in the Ogden/Layton area, can. Teeth whitening is one of the more popular methods and with the new Zoom Whitening options, Affleck Dental is able to accommodate all types of patients.

Other treatments for cosmetic dentistry are inlays and onlays and composite bonding to correct the appearance of your mouth and teeth. Along with veneers, these options are intended to simply correct and repair chips and cracks in the tooth. Dental implants can take it the next step further by adding artificial tooth implants all the way from the root. This option can enhance your smile and bring back your youthful look.

These are only a few of your options at Affleck Dental. Dr. Michael Affleck is one of the few local prosthodontists who can perform these procedures and ensure your excellent results. Start the new year off right with a free cosmetic dentistry consultation!

Your Teeth Whitening Options - Affordable and Easy

When you look in the mirror, what is one of the first things you might notice? Your smile of course. A smile looks good on everybody, but it helps for those teethy smiles to have a nice clean looking smile. Unfortunately there are many reasons why our teeth don’t stay a pearly shade of white. Smoking, food and drinking are only a few items that stain teeth. Nevertheless, this can be resolved with a healthy diet, no smoking, and minimizing staining foods and drinks. Teeth whitening is another option and is more readily available and affordable than most people think.

At home teeth whitening strips offer a simple solution with a straightforward procedure — applying teeth whitening strips directly to the teeth. One down fall is that these strips may not cover all the gaps and grooves in the teeth and could potentially leave dark gaps.

Bleaching gels with a tray that fits your mouth are a more effective option for at home tooth whitening. This option is affordable and easy to use. On the other hand, this process may only produce a small change and may leave the teeth rather sensitive.

Baking powder is a great and inexpensive form or teeth whitening that is passed down from our parents and their parents. Simply place a small amount of baking powder in a cup, add some water and stir it around. Put the mixture on your tooth brush and brush your teeth for about one to two minutes. In that time, the baking soda will begin to foam and the active ingredients will begin to work away the discoloration of your teeth.

Naturally, it is understandable if teeth whitening is one of the last things on your to do list until it is too late. That is why Affleck Dental provides a quick, non-invasive, affordable option for teeth whitening, Zoom Whitening. In just a short time you can walk out of Affleck Dental looking your best whether you plan to walk down the red carpet or just want to look particularly attractive for that special someone.

Dentists Around the World

Have you ever wondered what dental care was like in other countries? In the United States, it appears the options are endless with specialists of all kinds to take care of our every need. For this we are lucky as some nations do not have the same freedoms and allowance. With that in mind, we would like to share with you how dentistry is managed in other countries around the world.

Australia: In order to practice dentistry in Australia, a person must first obtain registration and licensing from the nationalized Dental Board of Australia. Only 1% of all yearly applicants pass the dental school admissions into Australia’s undergraduate dental programs.

Canada: In early colonial history, dentistry was rare. In major situations, a barber or blacksmith would pull a tooth. The first recorded dentist wasn’t until 1814. And, dental care is not covered by the Canadian health care system.

Europe: Dentistry is a public service/subsidy provided to most (if not all) citizens to ensure that have access to the dental service they require, regardless of their ability to pay.

Hong Kong: Before the dental school was established locally, most of the practicing dentist received their degree from the Philippines.

Iran: Many dentists are required to either complete two years of military service or governmental service in order to collect enough scores to begin a private practice after graduation.

Sweden: Dental care if provided for free to everyone up to 20 years of age.

Taiwan: Dental school admissions are extremely competitive with only those students who are in the top 3% of their academics are admitted.

At Affleck Dental, we can assure you that only the top trained technicians and dentists are at your service. The history of the world continues to evolve and we are the clinic that will provide you the best smile possible with the best service.

You have options with Affleck Dental!!

Tooth replacement options are comparable to the growth of computers. What may seem ages ago, computers filled an entire room. Thankful for us, tooth replacement options back then didn’t take up your entire mouth. However, they weren’t as seamless, comfortable and flexible in choices as they are now. Some of these choices include dental implants, permanent fixed bridges and bonded bridges. Each option is specifically designed for the individual needs of the person and to increase overall health.

Dental implants tend to be the primary choice for replacing a missing tooth. The implants are made of pure titanium that is completely safe. A screw is first implanted into the jaw bone where the missing tooth is. This screw is specially designed to promote bone adherence. Once it has healed, a cap or crown is attached that has the appearance of a real tooth. This option has a 95% success rate and will last a long time.

Fixed bridges have been around for over 50 years. Even though it may seem like an archaic option with how far medical treatments have come, it remains to be a predictable procedure for patients who have little bone or have loose adjacent teeth. This procedure involves the drilling of the enamel of adjacent teeth, taking an impression and making a permanent bridge across the area where the tooth is missing. Treatment is completed quicker and there are no surgical procedures involved.

There are a few choices for temporary restorations that may also cost less. Affleck Dental recommends visiting a specialist in tooth replacement to determine your options and what will best meet your needs, lifestyle and your budget. Affleck Dental understands the importance of feeling good about yourself and one place to begin is your beautiful smile. 

What to do in case of a tooth emergency?

Dental care often seems to wait till the last minute – yet if not taken care of immediately, may result in a health risk or even permanent damage. With that in mind, Affleck Dental would like to offer you some tips on how to treat common dental problems and what you can do while waiting to get dental help.

1)      Toothaches – Rinse your mouth out with warm water. Use dental floss to remove lodged food stuck between teeth. If you mouth is swollen – apply a cold compress to help relieve the swelling.

2)      Chipped or Broken Teeth – Save the pieces, if possible. Rinse your mouth out with warm water and if bleeding, press a piece of gauze against the area for about 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops. Apply a cold compress for any swelling and see your dentist as soon as possible.

3)      Knocked out tooth – Hold the tooth by the crown and rinse the tooth with warm water if it dirty. Do not scrub or remove any tissue fragments. If possible, place the tooth back in place. If that is not possible, store the tooth in a small contain or milk or water with a pinch of salt and see you dentist within in hour of the mishap.

4)      Lost filling – Stick a piece of sugarless gum into the cavity as a temporary measure and see your dentist as soon as possible.

5)      Lost crown – This can be tricky… there are several temporary measurements you can take until you are able to get into the dentist. But, the first step should be to make an appointment as soon as possible and don’t forget to bring the crown with you. If you are feeling comfortable and it may be a while before seeing the dentist, you can try to slip the crown back over the tooth. Use over the counter dental cement or denture adhesive to help hold the crown down. Even toothpaste will work. Do not use super glue though!!!

Naturally, these are just the more common problems that happen in dental emergencies. Regardless the problem, be sure to contact your dentist or a specialist as soon as possible to resolve the issue and keep you from being in permanent pain or danger.

 

 

Healthy Halloween Treats

Halloween is only a few weeks away. What do you plan on handing out to the kids that come to your front door in hopes that their costume will be frightening enough to scare you into giving them candy, or they look so pretty and dainty that you could never pass up giving them something sweet? Candy is the easiest option these days in our quick-paced world. But the same time, thought and energy it takes to drive to the store, choose the oodles of candy and then wait in line to purchase the sugary snacks can also be used to get healthy options to give out on All Hollow’s Eve. 

Non-food Options

What a better way to encourage a healthy Halloween then to give out treats that aren’t edible. Some of these options include: Halloween stickers; Halloween-themed pencils and other handy items; balloons for the kids to blow up later; bouncy balls, crayons, and toothbrushes. Many of these items can be found at a party store, large super stores or even a dollar store.

Food Options

Perhaps you want to stick with tradition and give the kids trick-or-treating an option they can put their teeth into. Some of these options include: all natural fruit leather; string cheese; granola bars; little boxes of raisins; single serve bags of mini pretzels homemade popcorn in baggies; and of course apples.

 

The possibilities have few limits. You can choose between something fun the child will enjoy for several days like bubbles or a temporary tattoo.  It all simple depends on how creative you want be yourself.

When Should You Call a Dentist

More often than not, people wait till it’s too late to call and make an appointment to see the dentist, yet if they have a cold, they do not hesitate to see their doctor. Proper dental care is just as important as your overall health. With that in mind, we’d like to take a few minutes and break down what falls under dental care versus dental emergency. Just as pneumonia symptoms should be taken seriously, so should some dental issues.

It is highly recommended by most dentists, including AffleckDental, to visit a dentist every 6 months for a cleaning and overall exam. This is similar to preventive checkups you regularly schedule with a physician and should be given similar priority. There are of course other reasons to make an appointment with your dentist:

1)      If your gums bleed when you touch them or while brushing your teeth;
2)      If your teeth are loose or don’t seem to fit together anymore;
3)      If your gums are red, swollen or tender;
4)      If your gums pull or shrink away from the teeth;
5)      Bad breath that does not go away;
6)      Sores that last more than 2 weeks;
7)      Or for a general toothache.

These are all symptoms that when diagnosed soon enough can most likely be treated. There are also times when a person should seek emergency services, such as when a filling or crown is lost or if there as been an injury to the face, jaws or teeth. Irreparable damage can occur if any nerves are exposed for a long period of time. If you have any questions about whether or not you should make an appointment to see a dentist, give us a call and the staff at Affleck Dental will be more than happy to help you out.