Routine dental checkups and cleanings are arguably the most important dental treatment. By visiting your dentist at least once every six months, you have a significantly greater chance of preventing common dental issues, including tooth decay, gum disease, and more. Coupled with consistently good hygiene at home, regular preventive dental visits are the best way to preserve your beautiful, healthy, and natural smile for life. (more…)
What Does Your Tooth Filling Look Like?
Tooth fillings are more common than many people realize. That’s because cavities affect over 90% of adults in America, and fillings are often the best and most effective way for treating them. The reason you might not notice them, however, is because many of today’s tooth fillings are no longer made from shiny metal amalgam, but rather from more discreet tooth-colored composite resin. A filling made from resin looks just like your natural tooth structure, allowing it to blend in with your smile discreetly rather than standing out noticeably. (more…)
What Are Inlays and Onlays (i.e., Partial Crowns)?
When a tooth is cracked, fractured, or afflicted with an especially large cavity, a dental crown is often needed to protect the tooth and restore its ability to function properly. Sometimes, however, a dental crown may be more than your tooth’s damage calls for. Since placing a dental crown requires that your dentist modify the tooth to accommodate it, Dr. Kobak may recommend a dental inlay or onlay (also known as partial crowns), which require fewer alterations to your tooth. (more…)
What Tooth Bonding Can Do
Cosmetic tooth bonding is a conservative way to improve your smile without altering your healthy tooth structure. The material for bonding is known as composite resin, and is a mixture of biocompatible acrylic particles with a lifelike texture and appearance. The resin can be tinted to match your tooth’s unique color, bonded securely to the tooth’s surface, and then artfully sculpted to the tooth’s ideal size, shape, and contour. Tooth bonding can do wonders for your smile while minimizing the amount of cosmetic work needed. (more…)
Can a Smile Makeover Improve Your Life?
The term, “makeover,” can make comprehensive smile improvement seem like a purely cosmetic issue; a luxury, perhaps, but not a particular necessity. For the most part, smile makeovers consist mostly of cosmetic dental treatments, but the benefits of improving your confidence go far beyond your immediate appearance. The benefits of consistent, confident smiling have been studied and documented by numerous researchers, and being proud of your smile can have long-lasting effects on your personal and professional life. The goal of a smile makeover is to conservatively address the issues that stop you from smiling fully, so you can once again enjoy the benefits your smile has to offer. (more…)
How Good is Your Dental Hygiene?
You’re probably a veteran at brushing and flossing your teeth, having done it every day for most of your life. Like all acquired skills, though, an occasional refresher course can help sharpen your teeth brushing abilities. If you think your childhood lessons at the sink were enough, then consider the fact that over 90% of adults have cavities, and over 70% have gum disease. More importantly, both diseases are highly preventable with good hygiene and the proper use of a toothbrush and some floss. (more…)
Am I a Candidate for Porcelain Veneers?
Cosmetic smile improvement has advanced greatly over the years, with porcelain veneers largely leading the pack of lifelike cosmetic enhancements. The wafer-thin, custom-designed shells are made from highly realistic dental porcelain, and are hand-crafted to closely mimic the size, shape, and appearance of your tooth. Because they’re bonded to the front surfaces of your teeth, veneers can correct a wide range of concerns, from severe tooth stains to minor misalignment and more. To find out if you’re a candidate for veneers, your dentist will carefully examine your teeth to help determine if they’re the best option. (more…)
Do You Have Questions About Teeth Whitening?
Over time, our teeth can become dulled due to unsightly discoloration. We often have people ask if they can brighten their smiles with over-the-counter strips, or possibly toothpastes or mouthwashes. The truth is, these options simply don’t offer the same dramatic and long lasting stain removal that professional teeth whitening does. Do you have questions about professional teeth whitening? Are you interested in obtaining a brighter smile?
Got a Chronic Headache? Tell Your Dentist
If you have a toothache doesn’t go away, or grows worse, then you would probably tell your dentist about it the next time you visit. But not many people think to discuss their chronic headaches or migraines with their dentists. Sometimes, a headache that persist no matter how hard you try to relieve it can indicate an issue with your dental health or the way your bite functions. To find out, visit your dentist as soon as possible to discuss your chronic headache and determine if a dental issue is to blame. (more…)
3 Important Advantages of Digital X-Rays
Your dentist’s goal isn’t just to make your smile the best it can be; it’s also to protect your oral and overall health in the long run. To that end, digital radiography has become an important advantage in dental healthcare, allowing doctors to provide safe, fast, and highly accurate images for more precise diagnoses. Compared to traditional radiography, digital X-rays provide a wealth of advantages, three of which we explore further below. (more…)
