Category Archives for "Dental Education Library"

Dentists in Scarborough

Dentistry on Sheppard – Finding the Right Fit for Your Family

Sheppard Ave East is one of Ontario’s most important arterial routes, providing access to areas like Pickering and Scarborough City Centre. More than just an alternative to the 401 Express that it runs parallel to, Sheppard Ave provides access to some of the highest quality dentists in the region.

From Havenview Dental Centre to other local providers, patients have choices when looking for a dental care centre in Scarborough.

Finding the right dentistry on Sheppard Ave is more than just a matter of location and convenience. The best clinic for your needs will be the one that provides all of the services that you need with skilled and compassionate care.

How to Tell if You’ve Found the Best Dentistry on Sheppard Ave

Havenview Dental Centre provides world-class dentistry on Sheppard Ave, and we can offer comprehensive services with the right care for you.

There are many techniques you can apply to find the best dentist in Scarborough town centre:

  • Ask for recommendations. If you’re in the area then chances are that a friend or family member has had experience with a dentist in Scarborough town centre. First-hand testimonials can go a long way to give you confidence in your choice.
  • Check online. Beyond online reviews, you can research your intended provider of dentistry on Sheppard Ave to see if they offer the services that you need. Not every clinic can offer a full range of cosmetic, orthodontic, restorative, and general dentistry.
  • Call the clinic and talk to them, or, better yet, book an appointment. If you want the best dentistry on Sheppard Ave, you’ll need to get to know the dentist. We provide consultations six days a week at Havenview Dental Centre and it’s easy to book an appointment with our online form.
  • Consider the office hours. Your dentist should be available at a time that works for you. Havenview Dental Care Centre in Scarborough is open Monday to Saturday.
  • Cost and Payments. If you have dental insurance, will it cover the dentist close to you? Are payment plans available? Are credit cards accepted? These are important questions to ask when evaluating a dentist in Scarborough town centre.

Of course, communication and the quality of work provided are key and these are things that you can only evaluate once you visit a dentist in Scarborough town centre.

We are happy to provide services for you and your family and are sure we can fit your needs, address your concerns, and provide the best care.

Services Offered by the Best Dental Care Centre in Scarborough

Havenview Dental Care Centre in Scarborough is the best option for all of your dental needs. Both Dr. Lee and Dr. Eng have more than two decades of experience in sleep apnea treatment, orthodontics, endodontics, implants, cosmetic dentistry, and general dentistry.

At Havenview Dental Care Centre in Scarborough, we provide treatments ranging from fillings to crowns and implants, veneers to teeth whitening, and root canals to realignment with Invisalign. Whether you want to improve your smile with porcelain veneers or restore damaged or missing teeth, we bring expertise and compassionate care to offer the best solutions.

Choose Havenview Dental Care Centre in Scarborough for the most advanced dentistry on Sheppard Ave that will leave you with a beautifully healthy smile.

Your Local Dentist near to Scarborough Town Centre

Just minutes from the city centre, the 401 express, and conveniently located on Sheppard Ave East, Havenview Dental Centre is your local dentist near to Scarborough Town Centre.

For the best dentistry on Sheppard Ave with a passionate team dedicated to providing the best long-term outcomes, book your appointment with Dr. Samson Lee or Dr. Anthony J. Eng today.

How to Prevent Tooth Grinding While You Sleep

Dental Clinic in Scarborough

Grinding your teeth while you sleep is no joke, and people who suffer from this condition report know well how much discomfort it can cause. Chipped, cracked, and worn-down teeth, tight and tired jaw muscles, sleep disruption, injury to the tissues inside your cheeks, and even jaw dislocation—the list is long. At our dental clinic in Scarborough, we take the symptoms of bruxism seriously. We help you look for the causes of your tooth grinding and recommend steps you can take to help prevent developing this condition.

Reducing Risk Factors

Prevention is always better than cure, so instead of waiting until you develop bruxism, it’s worthwhile trying to manage or your risk for the condition. Factors that can increase your chances of tooth grinding include:

  • Stress levels: Any form of chronic stress, anxiety, pressure, anger, or frustration can lead to tooth grinding because of the tension in your body when you drift into sleep.
  • Age group: Although bruxism can affect anyone, it’s most common in adults aged 25 to 44, with a higher number of female sufferers. Young children often experience tooth grinding that goes away as they get closer to adulthood.
  • Personality: People with a highly competitive, hyperactive, or aggressive personality often experience symptoms of bruxism triggered by pressure.
  • Genetic factors: Bruxism is common among members of the same family.
  • Chemical substance usage: Some antidepressant medications and substances such as coffee, tobacco, alcohol, and recreational drugs can increase your risk for tooth grinding.
  • Medical conditions: Certain mental and physical disorders can heighten your risk for bruxism, such as Parkinson’s disease, dementia, epilepsy, and sleep-related conditions like apnea and night terrors.

By managing these factors, you can reduce your risk of developing bruxism and avoid the issues accompanying night-time tooth grinding before they occur.

Managing Your Condition

If you’re already waking up to the effects of bruxism in the mornings, it’s time to take a more active approach to managing your condition. The experienced team at our dental clinic in Scarborough will be able to determine whether you need treatment or not. Many children outgrow bruxism without having treatment, while adult patients often don’t have it seriously enough to need therapy. If your condition is severe, however, there are dental measures we can take to provide relief from the discomfort and prevent further damage to your teeth and jaw.

Custom Night Guards

Splints and mouth guards are designed to separate your upper and lower teeth, which prevents damage from occurring as a result of grinding them together. These are specially crafted from hard acrylic or soft materials to fit your mouth perfectly. A  well-fitted, custom night guard is comfortable and doesn’t move during the night. This helps you to sleep soundly and avoid taking the guard out, which delivers the maximum benefit.

Dental Correction

In severe cases of bruxism where the teeth are excessively worn down, causing sensitivity and difficulty chewing, our dental clinic in Scarborough might recommend having the surfaces of your teeth reshaped. Alternatively, we may suggest fitting crowns to repair the damage  and protect the natural teeth in the future.

Behavioural Measures

Reduce your tooth grinding and the symptoms of bruxism by learning strategies to promote relaxation and help you manage your stress or anxiety. Meditation or counselling can help you implement these measures.

Our dentists can teach you to practice the correct mouth and jaw position, which could help you change the behaviour that causes tooth grinding. Biofeedback is useful for learning to control the muscle activity in your jaw.

Use Medications

Medication should be a last resort for patients suffering from symptoms of bruxism, but some of the options available include:

  • Muscle relaxants taken before bedtime
  • BOTOX injections
  • Anti-anxiety medications to help with stress or emotional problems

Treatment for Other Disorders

If your bruxism is an adverse reaction to a drug you’re taking for another condition, changing medications could help. Getting a diagnosis and treatment for sleep-related conditions such as sleep apnea might reduce your incidence of tooth grinding. If any other medical conditions affect your rest, treating these successfully might positively impact your bruxism.

Restful sleep is vital for overall good health, and if your tooth grinding is causing interference for you or a loved one, it’s essential to get the correct treatment. Call 416-291-3117 or click here to schedule an appointment with our dental clinic in Scarboroughtoday to discuss a custom nightguard  or other options for preventing and treating bruxism.

Important Dentistry Milestones in Your Child’s Life

Child at the dentistry

Every parent wants to keep their children’s oral health in peak condition, and that means getting quality dental care from the outset. Just like other types of healthcare, there are some important dentistry dates you should observe to achieve this, starting with your little one’s very first appointment with our family dentist in Scarborough.

First Dental Visit

Your child’s first to the dentist is a momentous occasion. It’s essential to find an office that offers pediatric dentistry as a service option, because there are a number of issues affecting kids’ dental care that don’t apply to adults. One of these is the arrival of primary or “baby” teeth, which usually begins between 4 and 6 months of age. This is the best time to bring your baby in for an examination, discuss your family history with the dentist, and to ensure the child has a strong foundation for a healthy mouth later in life.

As the little one’s baby teeth develop, make sure you have the benefits of regular dental check-ups by scheduling a visit every 6 months. Many people don’t realize the importance of keeping the primary teeth in their correct position until they fall out naturally. This is vital for the sound development of permanent teeth, however, because the primaries support the structure of a child’s mouth and help with speech development.

Getting Baby Teeth

Between the ages of 6 and 12 months, most children first get their upper and lower front teeth or central incisors. These are followed by lateral incisors between 10 and 16 months, and the first molars between 13 and 19 months. By 2 years old they should have enough primary teeth for them to be touching each other, and all 20 expected baby teeth should arrive by age 3. Remember, though, that all children are different, and that this can cause these timelines to vary. In addition, girls often develop faster than boys do, and they might both get and lose their baby teeth earlier as a result.

Learning Oral Hygiene

Proper tooth brushing and flossing are critical for lifelong good oral health, and the earlier your child begins learning to do this regularly the better. By the age of 1 year, most children should have undergone at least one visit to our family dentist in Scarborough. You can begin teaching a child at this age to accept a soft bristle toothbrush and to spit out the toothpaste after cleaning. If it’s too soon for toothpaste, brushing even with a little water is a good way to start building sound oral care habits.

Once all the baby teeth have erupted, learning to floss is a useful addition to the daily brushing routine. Encourage your little ones to floss after each meal, even if it isn’t being done as effectively (or regularly) as you’d like. By establishing robust dental hygiene routines early, you can help to prevent dental problems from arising in the future.

Receiving Permanent Teeth

On average, children start losing their baby teeth between 6 and 7 years old, followed by the eruption of the first permanent molars. These are new teeth in that they don’t replace any baby teeth, and that means they are occasionally mistaken for primary teeth. Once these start to erupt, it’s imperative that your child has learned to exercise good dental hygiene, because the molars play an important role in determining the shape of the face and the position—and health—of the other permanent teeth. By age 13, most children have 28 permanent teeth and are only lacking their third molars or wisdom teeth.

Orthodontic Check

At our family dentist in Scarborough, we recommend every child gets an orthodontic check by the age of 7 years. The reason for this is to see whether the child has any potential problems that could cause permanent teeth to erupt in unsuitable positions. At this stage in the natural growth processes. it’s possible to correct issues such as a crossbite or to use an appliance to expand the palate if the child is at risk of tooth overcrowding. If serious conditions like these are left untreated, the child might need oral surgery later to correct them.

Wisdom Teeth

The third molars or wisdom teeth usually come in between 17 and 25 years, and often erupt without any problems. We often discover, however, that a patient’s mouth is too crowded for the third molars to develop in the correct position behind the second molars. When this happens, the molars become impacted inside the gum tissue, where they are difficult to reach and clean. This makes them vulnerable to tooth decay and can cause gum disease, bad breath, pain, and swelling. Frequently, wisdom teeth are removed surgically even if they don’t present problems, to avoid issues later in life.

To schedule appointments for every stage of your child’s dental development with an experienced, compassionate family dentist in Scarborough, please call 416-291-3117 or click here to contact us today.

Types of Cosmetic Dentistry and How They Benefit You

General dentistry is focused on maintaining your oral health through prevention and treatment of diseases. Cosmetic dentistry, however, deals with the overall appearance of your teeth and mouth, and how they contribute to the way you look and feel. It’s important to know what the difference is between the two, because it will help you determine what services you need and what to consider when you’re looking for the best cosmetic dentist in Scarborough.

Types of Cosmetic Dentistry

Enhancing your smile can have amazing results on your life, by boosting your confidence and self-esteem. Smile more with the latest advances in cosmetic dentistry, which is a service that ranges from basic color correction to the restoration of missing teeth. The most popular types of cosmetic dentistry include:

1. Teeth whitening
2. Dental veneers
3. Dental bonding and
4. White fillings

The best solution for each patient depends on how severe their cosmetic dental problem is, their age, state of health, and budget or dental insurance. Whatever your situation, our experienced practitioners at the best dentist in Scarborough will be able to develop a customized plan for you. This plan will often make use of several different types of cosmetic dentistry to provide you with the best option.

Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry

There are many reasons why having an attractive smile makes you both look and feel better about yourself. While a minor chip in a tooth may not be a critical health issue, dental bonding will improve the way you present yourself overall. Don’t think of cosmetic dentistry only in relation to appearance, either, because there are also many great functional benefits to this type of treatment.

Enhanced appearance

There’s a common saying that you only get one chance to make a good first impression, and it’s true. Life might not all be about your appearance, but enhancing your appearance definitely has advantages. Improving your exterior makes you feel better about yourself, which impacts the way you interact with other people as well as your own feelings of self-esteem. If stained and discoloured teeth prevent you from smiling, then it stands to reason that porcelain veneers and teeth whitening will resolve the problem. Don’t underestimate the importance of showing your full smile when you meet someone, whether it’s during a job interview or while you’re on a first date.

More self-confidence

The benefits of gaining self-confidence aren’t always obvious. Your self-esteem impacts every facet of your life, from personal relationships to your professional career. The benefits of cosmetic dentistry treatments such as teeth whitening and dental bonding include improving the appearance of chipped or cracked teeth, which in turn increases your self-confidence.

Enriched diet and lifestyle

Missing, painful or sensitive teeth makes it challenging to speak and chew, particularly when it comes to certain types of food. If you have a malocclusion or uneven bite, it not only affects your appearance but can also have an effect on your digestion. Problems that seem minor can therefore have a major impact on your diet and nutrition. Cosmetic dentistry procedures such as crowns and bridges help to strengthen your bite and improve your ability to chew. This not only benefits your physical health but your mental health too.

Better dental (and overall) health

Cosmetic dentistry benefits your overall health almost as much as your dental health. Procedures like dental implants can prevent future damage to your bone and gums, while inlays and onlays help to protect your tooth enamel from deterioration. Regular checkups and cleaning prevents the build-up of plaque and tartare, and help to identify problems requiring treatments like root canal therapy before they become critical.

Upgraded financial outlook

Dental care is expensive, and anything you can do to protect your teeth, bones and gum tissue helps save you money in the long term. These various types of cosmetic dentistry can optimize your oral health and your smile, which gives your confidence a boost. In addition, the right treatments can also positively impact your career and improve your financial outlook, while helping you to avoid future costly procedures.

Consult with the best cosmetic dentist in Scarborough to find out how we can support your oral health efforts. Please call 416-291-3117 or click here to schedule an appointment today.

6 Reasons to Consider Getting Dental Crowns

A crown or dental cap is a type of dental restoration that completely encompasses a tooth or dental implant. These can be manufactured from various materials, including metals such as gold or another alloy, porcelain, resin, or ceramic. At Havenview Dental Centre we commonly recommend high-quality, porcelain dental crowns for Scarborough patients, for several very important reasons.

Reason #1: To protect an endangered tooth

We only grow one set of permanent teeth in a lifetime, and once a tooth is damaged it could be compromised forever. If you have any teeth that are weakened from decay, cracked, chipped, or at any other risk of breaking or getting worse, a crown can stop the problem from progressing further. The patient’s age doesn’t matter when it comes to fitting dental crowns, which makes it a viable option for teens, adults, and seniors alike.

Reason #2: To restore an already-damaged tooth

A tooth that is already broken can be restored, if you get dental treatment early enough. In cases where a tooth is cracked right through, provided all parts are still secured in the gum a dental crown might be able to save it by holding the sections of tooth together. Nobody will ever know your tooth was in danger of being lost completely and that it’s a simple restoration that looks so good. Dental crowns for front teeth are especially popular, because their visibility plays a big role in your life.

Reason #3: To cover and support the remains of a tooth

If you’ve lost part of a tooth, whether through the development of a large cavity, a mouth injury, or simply crunching on your favourite hard foods, your best option is to get the remaining piece built up with dental material and then covered with a shiny, new crown. Our dentists can insert a large section of filling material that functions like a natural tooth, but it won’t be as good as new. By covering it with a dental crown, however, you not only make it look as good as it should, but you provide it with the support necessary for lasting strength.

Reason #4: To provide support for a dental bridge

A dental bridge is a common way to restore two or more missing teeth, but it needs to be supported by teeth at either end. If the teeth on each side of the gap are weak, loose, or damaged, they might not be strong enough to support a dental bridge. Our dentists in Scarborough might recommend dental crowns for covering one or both of the supporting teeth, which will not only strengthen the tooth but protect it from becoming worn by the bridge.

Reason #5: To cover unsightly or discoloured teeth

One of the most common and highly noticeable defects in any smile is a single ugly or stained tooth. Nobody wants to extract an ugly tooth while it’s healthy, though, so the ideal solution is to cover it with a dental crown. In cases of misshapen teeth, our dentists will remove some of the tooth material during preparation. After that, a dental crown is mounted on top of it using dental cement, to make it match the appearance of your other teeth.

Reason #6: To cover a dental implant

Dental implants are a popular way to restore lost teeth. The implant is a metal post or abutment that’s inserted into your jawbone in the same location as the missing tooth. Once the gum tissue has healed over around the post, a dental crown is cemented onto the post to resemble the tooth that originally stood there. Although the crown isn’t actually part of the implant, it’s an important part of the treatment because without it, the patient will still be without a tooth!

The most common porcelain dental crown procedure involves the dentist taking an impression of the tooth, then having the tooth fabricated outside of the mouth. The crown is then fitted during a second appointment.

For more information on dental crowns, Scarborough patients are invited to consult with our experienced, compassionate dental team to find out if a crown is the right option for you. Please call 416-291-3117 or click here to schedule an appointment today.

Why (and How Often) You Need Deep Teeth Cleaning in Scarborough

When your dentist recommends deep teeth cleaning, it’s because he or she can see signs that your daily oral hygiene regimen isn’t enough to prevent the buildup of tartar. One of the most important types of dental cleaning included in hygiene therapy, deep cleaning is vital for maintaining a healthy smile for life. Let’s take a look at when—and why—deep teeth cleaning is appropriate for Scarborough patients, and how often this is likely to be needed during an average adult’s lifetime.

Reasons for Needing Deep Teeth Cleaning in Scarborough

We all have a certain amount of bacteria in the mouth, which combines with other substances to form plaque on the teeth. Regular daily oral hygiene takes care of much of the plaque, but any that doesn’t get brushed and flossed away can harden and develop into tartar. Unless this is removed professionally, it stays on the teeth and can cause gingivitis or gum inflammation. Regular deep cleaning can prevent this from happening, rather than having you wait for it to begin.

What Happens Without Deep Teeth Cleaning

When gingivitis is left untreated, it can advance into a more serious form of gum disease called periodontitis. The gum tissue pulls away from the teeth, creating spaces or pockets in which oral bacteria can easily hide. Over time, this causes infection of the gum tissue that connects to your teeth, and it could recede enough to expose and damage the jawbone holding the teeth in place. This can result in potential tooth loss or even infection in the jawbone.

You might see additional signs that show deep teeth cleaning is necessary, including:

1. Redness, swelling or bleeding of the gums
2. Continuous bad breath
3. Signs that your teeth are getting “longer”
4. Tender, sensitive teeth and gums
5. Pain when you bite or chew
6. Loose teeth

Deep teeth cleaning in Scarborough at Havenview Dental, is the first step towards halting gum disease in its tracks and preventing you from losing teeth. Since inflammation anywhere in your body can affect your heart and overall health, this measure will also help to stop you from developing other long-term consequences.

What Deep Dental Cleaning Involves

Deep cleaning is also called scaling and root planing (SRP), and while it’s a similar process to the regular teeth cleaning your hygienist does, it focuses on the parts of the tooth below the gum line and the external surface of the roots. The dentist uses a hand-held scaler to scrape the thickest plaque from your teeth, right down to the bottom of the pockets. This is followed by using an ultrasonic vibrating tool and water spray to remove the tartar.

The root planing part of the process involves cleaning and smoothing the surfaces so the gum tissue can reattach to the teeth. Here’s a video from the American Dental Association illustrating the procedure, which is pain-free and takes our Scarborough dental office about an hour to perform. The treatment ends with a thorough tooth polishing and a concentrated fluoride treatment to keep your teeth healthy and sparkling for the next few months.

How Often You Should Have Your Teeth Deep-Cleaned in Scarborough

Everyone is different, and so is the amount of attention each person pays to dental hygiene. We typically recommend that in addition to regular dental checkups, patients with healthy mouths have a deep dental cleaning every 2 to 3 years to prevent the accumulation of plaque that can lead to problems later in life.

Maintaining a healthy dental hygiene program is important for good oral (and overall) health. Our qualified dentists and hygienists work closely with patients to ensure you not only keep your teeth clean, but that your gums stay healthy too!

To book your deep teeth cleaning in Scarborough, please call 416-291-3117 or click here to schedule an appointment.

5 Benefits of a Dental Bridge Procedure to Replace Missing Teeth

A beautiful, healthy smile plays a huge role in your self-esteem and confidence, as well as your ability to speak and chew effectively. While porcelain veneers can help cover damaged teeth, when you experience tooth loss, whatever the reason for it, it’s important to replace the missing teeth. You should attempt to do so as soon as possible to preserve the shape of your face and mouth and avoid long-term complications. Choosing a dental bridge offers several advantages, and the best dentist in Scarborough will be able to tell you everything you need to know about this option. Here are some of the benefits of having a dental bridge procedure.

Benefit #1: Smile Restoration

You don’t have to be a movie star to benefit from a good smile. Research by Kelton Global shows 73% of North Americans confirm that they are more likely to trust someone with a nice smile over a person who wears designer clothing, drives a fancy car, or holds an important job. In addition, it can actually increase your lifespan, as proved in a 2010 research project by Wayne State University.

The project examined the baseball card photos of Major League players in 1952 and found that the way the players smiled was directly related to the length of their lives. Players who didn’t smile in their photographs lived for only 72.9 years on average, while players who were photographed with beaming smiles lived longer, up to 79.9 years on average.

Benefit #2: Improved Eating

After you lose one or more teeth, you might find it difficult and even painful to bite into and chew your favourite foods. As soon as you have a gap in your mouth, the teeth on either side start shifting towards the open space. This causes them to loosen, which makes eating with that part of your mouth both difficult and painful. You can also accumulate food particles in the empty socket, which can result in bacterial gum infections.

Weigh up a dental bridge cost estimate against the price of future dental treatments for gum disease and the cost making extensive changes to your diet and lifestyle, and you’ll see why this is such an important benefit.

Benefit #3: Better Speech

If you lose any of your front teeth, or several teeth in a row anywhere in your mouth, you might find yourself speaking with a lisp or discover it’s harder to pronounce certain words. To resolve this problem, you’ll need to replace the missing teeth. A dental bridge procedure gives you a permanent, custom-made solution that stays in place by being connected to the teeth on either side, or to dental implants in your jawbone. If your life or career requires you to speak to lots of people, it’s super-important to know that your speech is faultless and your teeth won’t shift when they come into contact with your tongue during speaking.

Benefit #4: Maintain Facial Structure

As soon as you lose one or more teeth, the jawbone where they were begins to deteriorate. Your facial muscles don’t only have to cope with the empty space left by the missing tooth/teeth, they also have to cope with the space left by diminishing bone as the jawbone reduces in strength and density.

Missing teeth can also affect the alignment of your bite, resulting in an over- or underbite you never had before. This can cause your muscles to sag, making your lips and cheeks look sunken and making you look older than you are.

A dental bridge procedure will help you to maintain your facial structure by filling the space left by your missing teeth, supporting and stabilizing your bite and preserving your muscle tone.

Benefit #5: Protect Existing Teeth

We mentioned earlier how the surrounding teeth start to shift as soon as there’s a gap between them. This leads to crooked or loose teeth and additional tooth loss. In addition, missing teeth can lead to an unbalanced bite, which results in extra pressure being put on the remaining teeth. When this happens, you can experience jaw pain and gum inflammation that could result in an infection. A dental bridge procedure can help you avert all these problems and enable you to have the smile you want (and need) for a successful life and career.

Consult with the best dentist in Scarborough to find out how a dental bridge procedure can benefit you. Please call 416-291-3117 or click here to schedule an appointment today.

How Porcelain Dental Veneers Can Rebuild Your Smile

Few things are more important to your confidence than a healthy smile. If you have chipped, stained or crooked teeth, or gaps between them, smiling warmly can be difficult. Many people are self-conscious and having a damaged smile can result in avoiding showing their teeth during interactions with others. In both the business and social worlds, this could be detrimental to building good relationships, too.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways we can resolve their problems, and porcelain dental veneers is one of the most popular methods.

What Porcelain Veneers Are 

​Porcelain veneers are exceptionally thin porcelain shells made to cover theoutside area of your teeth. These shells are cemented onto the front of the teeth, to change their appearance in terms of color, shape, size, or length. Veneers are strong and look completely natural, and the material used is chosen carefully to match your other teeth.

When you opt for veneers, your dentist will remove the tiniest amount of surface enamel from each tooth to make space for the covering. Your veneers are manufactured according to an impression of your teeth, and when they are ready you’ll come in for another visit. The dentist will position the covers over each tooth and bond it with dental cement.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Apart from giving you the best teeth in your family, the material used to make these veneers is very strong and long-lasting. As long as you take care of your teeth, your veneers could last up to 15 years, depending on how they are fitted. They are also resistant to staining, so you will need less time and cost for keeping your teeth white in the future.

Fitting veneers is painless and it can often be done without anesthesia or dental sedation. You can choose from a wide range of shades, so it’s entirely within your power to decide how white your teeth are. The procedure is not reversible, though, so once the veneers are cemented you can’t change the colour.

Veneers might be tough, but it  is possible to damage them by biting into ice ,  fingernails, or opening things with your teeth, so you’ll have to refrain from doing things like that. You might experience a few rough spots on your teeth from extra dental cement sticking to them during the fitting, but after a few days of normal eating and tooth brushing these usually disappear.

Taking Care of Porcelain Veneers

You can take care of your porcelain veneers exactly the same way as you care for your own natural teeth. You can stick to your normal daily oral hygiene routine, but it’s best to switch to a nonabrasive toothpaste to avoid scratching the veneers. Brush and floss twice daily, and in between if possible, and use an antiseptic mouth rinse at least once a day.

Your dental hygienist  will also need to use nonabrasive toothpastes from here on, and if you clench or grind your teeth during sleep you might need a nightguard to protect them.

Even people who are exceptionally self-conscious about the state of their teeth can benefit from the difference fitting porcelain veneers will make to their appearance.

For more information on porcelain dental veneers , please schedule an appointment with us by calling (416) 291-3117.

How Can I Close the Gap Between My Teeth?

First impressions count, as anyone will tell you who has had a job interview that went wrong from the first minute. They shouldn’t, but they do, and your mother was right when she said you should
put your best foot forward with a warm, friendly smile .If you’re holding back because you feel self-conscious about a gap between your teeth, however, that will come through to the person you’re meeting and seem like a lack of confidence.

The good news is that closing a tooth gap between your front teeth is possible, and while there are several ways to do it, the best method ultimately depends on the cause of your particular gap.

Identifying the Cause​​​​

A gap between two teeth is a condition called diastema, and it can happen to anyone at any age. The gap’s favourite spot to develop is right in the front of the mouth between the two central teeth. If this happens to a child, chances are good the gap will disappear with the arrival of permanent teeth, but if it happens to an adult that’s unlikely.The most common causes of a diastema include:

  • Having small teeth. People who have small natural teeth might find their teeth aren’t accurately sized for their jawbone area. This causes them to erupt further apart than they should, which means they aren’t stable and supported in their positions. If there’s space to move, your tooth will find it, and once it moves, it creates a gap on one side or the other.
  • Extra gum tissue between your two front teeth. You’ve seen this before, when someone has a space between their teeth and the gum tissue seems to push its way into the gap. Although the gum overgrowth is caused by having an available space into which to grow, the growth puts additional pressure on the teeth to separate even further.
  • Thumb sucking. Yes, most people outgrow this in early childhood, but anyone whose habit goes on past the arrival of permanent teeth might cause damage with the pressure of the thumb behind the top front teeth. This can cause them to loosen, shift or protrude, resulting in a gap.
  • Gum disease. Anyone with untreated gum disease is at risk for tooth loss, and once you lose one the others start to move to fill the empty space, resulting in gaps between your teeth. It’s vitally important to always replace a missing tooth with a bridge, crown, or dental implant. While you’re waiting to have this done, you can get a partial denture to keep your other teeth secure.
  • Incorrect swallowing. This has the same effect as thumb sucking, which is pressure on the back of the front teeth. The tongue can push the teeth forward to the point that a gap starts to form.

Depending on the cause of your gap-toothed smile, you might be able to choose whether to repair it or not. Many people have lived very active and successful lives without closing a tooth gap, so it’s entirely your decision.

Ways to Close the Gap​

Our dental clinic in Scarborough has a number of options for resolving these gaps. Removable retainers are great if your problem isn’t too severe, but they take a bit longer than some of the other methods. In addition, you might find you have to wear a retainer on and off for many years to prevent the teeth moving again.

Orthodontic treatment is a common method, because whether you are eligible to use Invisalign or need traditional metal braces, both of these will apply pressure to your teeth and move them closer to each other. Your choice of options depends on how severe the condition is.

Dental bonding can help if your tooth gap is small, or if it’s the result of a chipped or cracked tooth. Your dentist will use tooth-coloured composite material to fill the gap, which looks exactly like the rest of your natural teeth. Porcelain veneers help to cover damaged teeth, and can be extended to cover dental bonding material if the dentist has to rebuild a broken tooth.

If you’re closing a tooth gap that’s fairly large or you have an actual missing tooth, a dental bridge attached to the teeth on either side supports an artificial tooth in its place. You can also choose to replace a missing tooth with a dental implant, which is an artificial tooth mounted on a metal post that’s inserted into your gum.

Patients who have gum diseases will need to have treatment for the infection before addressing the gap. This could include scaling and root planning of the teeth and/or a surgical procedure to remove tartar from the gums.

For more information on how closing a tooth gap will change your life, please contact us to schedule a consultation.

Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures: The 4 Best Ways to Enhance Your Smile

Cosmetic dentistry has been around since dentists first began improving patients’ appearance through dental work, but in the 21st century it has become a specialty. Practitioners can now get extra training in various cosmetic dentistry procedures to help you get—and maintain—the smile you want.

Analyzing Your Smile​

The process of enhancing your smile begins with a thorough analysis, to discover where improvements can take place. To do this, the dentist evaluates:

  • the shape, size and colour of your teeth,
  • your gum line and condition,
  • tooth alignment and spacing,
  • your bite closure and the position of the upper and lower jaws
  • the shape and condition of your face, lips and skin.

From this examination, we can figure out how cosmetic enhancements will affect your overall appearance, because changing one aspect can alter your entire look.

Cosmetic Procedures to Choose From

In addition to simple improvements you can make such as regular cleaning, polishing, home and professional whitening, there are a host of other cosmetic dentistry procedures you can consider.

#1: Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is a common procedure for anyone with a chipped or discoloured front tooth. Your dentist applies a composite material to the tooth, which bonds as it hardens. It fills any small surface cavities, chips and cracks, and covers stains or areas where the tooth root is visible. The bonding material is carefully matched against the colour of your tooth, and once it’s trimmed and polished, it’s practically invisible. It’s an affordable and quick cosmetic dentistry procedure and the results can last for several years.

Click here to learn more about the dental bonding procedure.

#2: Cosmetic Crowns

Dental crowns are porcelain tooth covers custom-made to fit and blend in with the colour and shape of your natural teeth. We fit these to repair damage from decay or trauma or to improve the appearance of teeth that were odd-shaped or wrongly sized from the outset. A crown will support and protect the tooth beneath it, while restoring the appearance of the tooth invisibly and effectively. The process is quick and pain-free, and we do it right in our Scarborough dental office.

Click here  to learn more about dental crowns.

#3: Porcelain Veneers

A typical dental veneer is an ultra-thin layer of porcelain-based material applied to your teeth to replace the tooth enamel. If your teeth are mostly in the right position in your jaw and in a healthy condition, adding veneers can enhance your smile, hide stains, and fix minor spacing problems like tooth gaps. Veneers can also be made from composite resin, for a faster and more inexpensive restoration that lasts from 5 to 7 years on average.

Click here to learn more about the dental veneers.

#4: Dental Implants

The ultimate in cosmetic dentistry procedures is tooth restoration through dental implants. These are artificial teeth mounted on posts and inserted surgically into your jawbone. They behave exactly like natural teeth, which means you can brush and floss them, eat any food you like, and never need to take them out. Implants are also the most natural-looking artificial teeth you can get. Getting them installed takes longer, but once you have them, you’re set for life unless you have an injury to your mouth area.

Click here  to learn more about the dental veneers.

Cosmetic dentistry procedures don’t need to be frightening, and all the options mentioned here will result in better outcomes than if you do nothing.

Schedule an appointment today with our dentists in Scarborough to find out how we can enhance your smile and confidence.

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