Family Dentist Minneapolis, Hopkins, Eden Prairie

Tips to keep your teeth lasting white

Have you recently completed a teeth whitening treatment either from at-home bleaching products on the market or from our in-office bleaching? It’s important to stay away from products that stain your teeth immediately after whitening but also if you would like to keep them lasting white. Here are some tips to incorporate into your daily routine to maintain a bright smile.

1. Avoid consuming concentrated, colored or acidic foods and liquids. A general rule to keep in mind- if it stains a white t-shirt, it will mostly likely stain your teeth as well.

Top foods and beverages to avoid:

• Coffe
• Tea
• Red wine
• Soda
• Cranberry juice
• Popsicles or slush drinks
• Soda
• Soy sauce
• Tomato sauce
• Beets
• Curry
• Blueberries

2. Consider using a straw with beverages to bypass contact with teeth or drinking water instead or swishing with water.

3. Brush or rinse immediately after consuming stain-causing beverages or foods.

4. Continue to follow good oral hygiene practices. Brush your teeth at least twice daily and floss at least once daily to remove plaque.

5. Use a whitening toothpaste at least once or twice a week to remove surface stains.

6. Avoid smoking

7. Consider doing touch-up treatments. Depending on the type of whitening method used, you may need a touch-up every 6 months or after a year or two. If you smoke or consume more staining products, you may need to touch more often.

Smile makover with porcelain veneers

Porcelain veneers are custom designed individual shells, made from a thin layer of porcelain and bonded to the surface of teeth. Veneers are an important tool used in cosmetic dentistry to improve the aesthetics of a patients smile and/or give extra strength and protection to damaged tooth enamel. They are also used as an alternative to other dental procedures such as crowns or teeth whitening. Veneers are typically placed on the front visible teeth and improve the appearance of your teeth by changing the tooth size, color and shape. Multiple veneers can be used to create a “Hollywood” type of smile that many people want. Although veneers can be made from different materials, porcelain is commonly used because it naturally resembles tooth enamel and is long lasting. Unlike crowns, only a small amount of enamel may need to be shaved off to bond the veneers and some patients require no shaving at all. If you would like some kind of improvement in your smile, contact Twin Cities Dental Center  to schedule an appointment and find out whether porcelain veneers are appropriate you.

Porcelain veneers are commonly used to correct problems such as:

• spaces between teeth
• crooked teeth (too minor for braces)
• broken or chipped teeth
• worn down teeth
• permanently stained or discolored teeth
• “gummy smiles”

Risk factors of having missing teeth

Have you ever thought that a missing tooth may not be such a big deal as long as it’s not visible and nothing bad is happening? You may reason the cost, pain or time may not be worth replacing it. But what many people don’t know is that having one or more missing teeth can cause major problems to your oral and medical health in the long term.

Each tooth is essential to the proper alignment of the bite. All present teeth support one another from shifting as well as the gums and the jawbone. When a tooth is lost and is not replaced with a dental implant or bridge, it causes the teeth next to it to shift and tilt into the empty space. As a result, all other teeth will begin to shift into available spaces. The teeth above or below a gap can also start growing downward (or upward) since they have nothing to chew against and can loosen and eventually fall out. With missing teeth, all remaining teeth will be more susceptible to decay and gum disease. A domino effect occurs that can lead to TMJ with pain and headaches being a common side effect.

Present teeth help support the jawbone by applying pressure when food is being chewed. This provides a stimulus to the bone cells and keeps the bone cells from dissolving. When a tooth root is absent, the bone cells begin to die off. If several or all teeth are missing, the entire jawbone deteriorates and dramatically affects the appearance of the face. This really makes someone look much older than they really are. If you decide get a dental implant at a later time, a bone graft may need to be done to hold the implant since some of the bone may have already dissolved.

The problems from having missing teeth occur very slowly making it difficult to notice whether any change or damage is occurring. Bone loss from one missing tooth can  be seen through an X-Ray. Make an appointment as soon as you can to avoid future problems and treat any missing teeth.

Can anyone get dental implants?

Dental implants are a great solution for people who have missing teeth. When done correctly, they look and function just like natural teeth. But having missing teeth doesn’t automatically qualify someone for dental implants. There are a certain factors that make dental implants successful and long lasting. To receive dental implants, a person needs to be in fairly good health. That means that your kidney, lungs, and liver are all adequate to undergo oral surgery. Also that you are not on a high dosage of medication. If diabetes or high blood pressure is a problem, it can be controlled with a patients physician. Additionally, healthy gums and enough bone in the jaw to support the implant are important. A bone graft can be done prior to dental implants if that is a problem.

Adults, seniors, or late teens can all be good candidates for dental implants. Although, young children and early teens are not advised to get implants since they are still in a developing stage. Women who are pregnant should wait to get implants as well because the bodies chemistry is changing during pregnancy.

It is vital to make a consultation appointment with a qualified dentist. Your oral health needs to be fully examined along with a review of your medical history so any issues can be addressed.

Dental Implants For Missing Teeth

A dental implant is an artificial root embedded in the jawbone creating a post that sits right above the gum line. This allows for a dental crown or bridge to be placed on top and fill any missing space. The implant is made of titanium metal and functions just like a natural tooth root. This procedure works beautifully as the body accepts this material as its own and not as a foreign object.

Dental implants are a great option for people who have missing teeth or are about to lose teeth due to decay or severe periodontal disease. Not only do they help patients eat and speak easier and more comfortably, they are also considered as a form of cosmetic dentistry, improving the overall appearance of a smile. Not to mention they are highly durable and can last a lifetime. At the Twin Cities Dental Center, Dr. Joseph Gendler has performed countless of successful dental implant procedures, he can answer many of your questions or concerns.

Here is what dental implants can do for you:

Replace one or more missing teeth

Support a bridge and eliminate the need for a removable partial

Prevent the loss of bone in the area of the missing tooth

Eliminate the need to shave adjacent teeth in bridge work

Give you natural smile

Improve eating or speaking

Give you confidence

Can sedation dentistry benefit you?

If you experience any of the following, sedation dentistry can help.

• Fear of dental treatment
• Have a history of traumatic dental experiences
• Have a difficulty getting numb
• Have a very sensitive gag reflex or difficulty opening your mouth
• Have extremely sensitive teeth
• Have limited time to get your dental care completed
• Have complex dental problems or a need for surgery
• Embarrassed about your teeth
• In denial of dental problem until the pain is unbearable
• Have not received dental care in many years or decades
• Constantly renew pain killer prescription for dental problems
• Often make and cancel dental appointments
• Make many long phone calls to the dentist office
• Need to have numerous dental procedures done in one appointment

Anxiety Relief With Sedation Dentistry

What is sedation dentistry? Sedation dentistry also known as sleep dentistry, involves the use of sedative medication to provide a relaxing state for people who experience anxiety going to the dentist. Although the medication can be administered orally, the Twin Cities Dental Center uses IV sedation that works quickly to provide relief to patients in distress. The process starts with an IV placed prior to any dental procedure. The medication slowly enters the bloodstream putting the patient to sleep. During the entire appointment time, the patient is closely monitored to ensure a constant and safe level of sedation. Once dental work is completed, the patient will quickly recover from sedation and have no memory of any dental procedures.

See videos of patients who experienced sedation dentistry at Twin Cities Dental Center.

General and Cosmetic Dentistry

6 Month Braces

Have any of you heard of getting braces and taking them off in an average time of 6 months? Sounds too good to be true but it actually is possible. The 6 Month Braces technology makes this happen. The techniques used were put together in the 1980′s by Dr. RJ. Depaul but it’s not until today that we have the technology to make it a reality.

This type of braces is different from traditional metal braces in a number of ways. The first being that the treatment time is obviously much shorter compared to 2-3 years. While the traditional braces align all teeth and fix major bite problems, the primary goal of 6 month braces is to work on the cosmetics of a smile. It will correct spacing or gaps, crooked and overcrowded teeth by moving them to their proper position. This is nice to have as an option since some of us may only want to fix the cosmetics our teeth without having to get numerous crowns or veneers. But with such a swift time to get results, we may worry how this may be done without causing pain or damage to the gums, roots and teeth.

The braces technology works by using high-tech Nickel-Titanium arch wires which gently puts pressure on the teeth and guides them into place. These wires have whats called a “shape memory” so no matter how much the wire is twisted, bent, or deformed by the current position of the teeth it will return to its original shape, creating an even smile. Additionally, these braces cost less then regular braces since the treatment time is shorter. They are also less noticeable on your teeth because the brackets are clear and the wires are tooth colored. Regular monthly visits to make adjustments to the braces are still required during treatment time. This may be an excellent option of braces for adults who don’t want to wear a mouth full of metal braces, who want fast results, and who want to improve the aesthetics of their smile.

Ask your dentist if they offer the 6 month braces solution or make an appointment at the Twin Cities Dental Center where Dr. Joseph Gender can fully inspect your teeth and tell you whether you are the right candidate for them. This can be the first big step that will give you beautiful results in your cosmetic dentistry experience.

Neglecting Oral Health Due To Bad Economy?

Everyone knows that our economy is in some trouble right now. People are losing jobs, along with their health benefits. If companies do offer health benefits, many do not choose to receive them because they simply cannot afford it. This unfortunate circumstance impacts many of us to neglect our health unless there’s a serious emergency. The same goes with many of us who put off or skip our dental visits entirely. However, doing this may not be such a wise decision after all. It’s important to understand that we can actually end up paying much more in dental fees and/or causing harm to our health in the long run if we don’t have regular dental visits.

Many are familiar with the statement that our oral health is the gate way to our overall health. Routine visits to the dentist can help prevent avoidable dental health problems, such as tooth decay and cardiovascular disease, the American Dental Association reports. Not going to the dentist over a long period of time, may result in severely decayed or missing teeth requiring restorative and cosmetic dentistry treatments. This may involve getting crowns and bridges, or dental implants.

There are other reasons why you may not want to put off going to the dentist. About 75 percent of us have gum disease. Most people don’t even know it! If treated early gum disease can be reversed, but if not treated it can cause serious health problems.

Dental exams are extremely important for people with certain risk factors. Since oral cancer screenings are part of every dental exam, it is potentially life saving for these individuals. Twin Cities Dental Center in Hopkins has an affordable 1 dollar exam for new patients going on right now. So before we think about putting off our next visit to dentist office, lets consider those precautions.