Hollywood stars know the power of a beautiful smile – Cheryl Cole and Scarlett Johansson are considered two of the most attractive women in the world and both have stunning, show-stopping smiles. Celebrities seems to have perfect teeth, But just like the rest of us, not everybody is blessed with a perfect set of teeth. Their smile has had a little help from the cosmetic dentist.

Smiling is both a tranquil and positive way to say who you are to the world. Your smile is a major expression of emotions like happiness, love and pleasure. It is also a window of communication expressing confidence and vitality. A beautiful smile is a major feature conveying warmth, contentment, health and self worth. It can enhance your personal and your personal and professional relationships and inspire other in many ways. So how do you feel about your smile? Since smiles are unique, how does yours measure up? Is it holding you back at all?

Cosmetic Dentistry can help you to achieve whatever it is you see in the mirror of your mind’s eye. If you always thought that it would take hours upon hours in the dentist’s chair to get a Celebrity Smile, latest innovations in techniques and materials will lead you to think otherwise. Faster treatments that utilize least invasive procedures have become the norm, leading to cosmetic Smile Lift that is a painless and easy way to achieve the perfect, natural-looking smile without translating into compromised result. In effect, modern technologies are enabling the cosmetic dentist to deliver dramatic results in less than an hour.

In this day and age time there is nothing wrong with a sound concern for looking good. Modern cosmetic dentistry procedures offer solutions to enhance your smile no matter how bad your teeth are. Unlike plastic surgery, Cosmetic Dentistry doesn’t need to be a major operation. Imagine coming in for a single appointment or two and emerging with the smile you’ve always wanted…no pain, no strain and no time taken out of your busy life. The results are immediate and drastic. Experienced Cosmetic Dentists can provide you with countless options for improving your smile. Here are some of the common smile beautification procedures available;

Removing unsightly White Spots (treatment time – less than 30 minutes) White spots: We all see them, and often wonder what we can do about them, these unattractive specks are early signs of demineralization under the enamel, which may or may not lead to the development of caries. Your dentist may have once suggested bleaching or ceramic veneers. But in today’s dental world, we are conscious of providing minimally invasive treatments that maintain a conservative approach to patients. New procedure known as “Resin Infiltration concept” can be more effective in treating this condition. Whereas using the conventional therapies such as veneers take several visits and can be very expensive. Teeth whitening in such cases should be avoided as bleaching can actually make the white spots appear even whiter.

Get Perfectly Shaped Teeth (treatment time – less than 30 minutes) Tooth contouring or reshaping is another simple method dentists use to correct minor imperfections. Crooked, cracked, chipped teeth can easily be straightened by simply shaving off a few millimeters of the edges and angles of your teeth, making them appear more aligned or in some cases adding a few millimeters of tooth-colored laminate. This procedure is often used to change the length, shape, or position of someone’s teeth, and is virtually painless. Dental contouring is ideal for people who have healthy teeth, and just need minor adjustments or repairs to achieve a perfect smile.

Get astonishing white teeth (treatment time – 60 minutes) Our Society is permanently changing and so are fashion icons and trends. However, a perfect, bright smile will always benefit from positive appreciation. Moreover, it will always be in fashion. If you are looking to make over your smile, one of the easiest places to start is teeth whitening, as a bright beaming smile gives the illusion of perfection. Simply by bleaching your teeth and making an even whiter color in your smile, you are attracting all the attention to your smile rather than anything else and thereby creating the picture-perfect Look.

Professional tooth whitening is the most popular cosmetic dental procedure in the world today. Unlike home-use whitening systems that incorporate low-dose bleaching agents, in-office whitening (also known as power bleaching) takes place under carefully monitored conditions which allow for the safe, controlled, pain-free use of a relatively high concentration of bleaching agent – yielding results that are visible immediately.

Fix gappy  and chipped teeth (treatment time – less than an hour) To conceal imperfections like- spacing, gaps, chips and even dark stains, your cosmetic Dentist can perform a simple technique, called dental bonding, sculpting tooth-colored resin composite over the recesses and cracks of your teeth to give the appearance of a straighter, more balanced smile. There is a lot that can be achieved with this bonding concept, for instance your cosmetic dentist can lengthen the edges of the teeth to correct a short smile, fill in the gaps between teeth and create the appearance of straightness. Although direct composite veneers typically require minimal preparations, no mold-taking and no temporaries, the artistic skill and precision of the dentist you choose will determine the exact manner in which your direct composite veneers are created.

If you are hiding your smile, please come and see us for consultation and let us custom design your Smile Makeover program with products and techniques that will suit your smile best. Start your cosmetic dentistry full mouth rejuvenation as soon as possible.

]]> http://drkam.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/the-power-of-a-beautiful-smile/feed/ 0 drkam Cheryl Cole http://drkam.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/dental-veneers-change-into-your-smile-and-toughen-your-persona/ http://drkam.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/dental-veneers-change-into-your-smile-and-toughen-your-persona/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:32:52 +0000 drkam http://drkam.wordpress.com/?p=2587 ]]> By UrbanoSpiller948

American Academy of Periodontology News Releases

Oral Health and Older Adults

People are living longer and healthier lives. And, older adults also are more likely to keep their teeth for a lifetime than they were a decade ago. However, studies indicate that older people have the highest rates of periodontal disease and need to do more to maintain good oral health.

Whatever your age, it’s important to keep your mouth clean, healthy and feeling good. And it’s important to know the state of your periodontal health.

• At least half of non-institutionalized people over age 55 have periodontitis.
• Almost one out of four people age 65 and older have lost all of their teeth.
• Receding gum tissue affects the majority of older people.
• Periodontal disease and tooth decay are the leading causes of tooth loss in older adults.

What you may not realize is that oral health is not just important for maintaining a nice-looking smile and being able to eat corn on the cob. Good oral health is essential to quality of life. Consider a few of the reasons:

• Every tooth in your mouth plays an important role in speaking, chewing and in maintaining proper alignment of other teeth.
• A major cause of failure in joint replacements is infection, which can travel to the site of the replacement from the mouth in people with periodontal disease.
• People with dentures or loose and missing teeth often have restricted diets since biting into fresh fruits and vegetables is often not only difficult, but also painful. This likely means they don’t get proper nutrition.
• Most men and women age 65 and older report that a smile is very important to a person’s appearance. And, maybe most importantly, recent research has advanced the idea that periodontal disease is linked to a number of major health concerns such as heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and diabetes.

While your likelihood of developing periodontal disease increases with age, the good news is that research suggests that these higher rates may be related to risk factors other than age. So, periodontal disease is not an inevitable aspect of aging. Risk factors that may make older people more susceptible include general health status, diminished immune status, medications, depression, worsening memory, diminished salivary flow, functional impairments and change in financial status.

Medications and Oral Side Effects

Older adults are likely to take medications that can impact oral health and affect dental treatment. Hundreds of common medications – including antihistamines, diuretics, pain killers, high blood pressure medications and antidepressants – can cause side effects such as dry mouth, soft tissue changes, taste changes, and gingival overgrowth.

Be sure to tell your periodontist and other dental professionals about any medications that you are taking, including herbal remedies and over-the-counter medications.

Dry mouth leaves the mouth without enough saliva to wash away food and neutralize plaque, leaving you more susceptible to tooth decay and periodontal disease. In addition, dry mouth can cause sore throat, problems with speaking, difficulty swallowing and hoarseness. Your dentist or periodontist can recommend various methods to restore moisture, including sugarless gum, oral rinses or artificial saliva products.

Be sure to tell your periodontist and other dental professionals about any medications that you are taking, including herbal remedies and over-the-counter medications.

Special Concerns for Older Women

Women who are menopausal or post-menopausal may experience changes in their mouths.

Recent studies suggest that estrogen deficiency could place post-menopausal women at higher risk for severe periodontal disease and tooth loss.

In addition, hormonal changes in older women may result in discomfort in the mouth, including dry mouth, pain and burning sensations in the gum tissue and altered taste, especially salty, peppery or sour.

Bone loss is associated with both periodontal disease and osteoporosis.

In addition, menopausal gingivostomatitis affects a small percentage of women. Gums that look dry or shiny, bleed easily and range from abnormally pale to deep red mark this condition.

Most women find that estrogen supplements help to relieve these symptoms.

Bone loss is associated with both periodontal disease and osteoporosis. Osteoporosis could lead to tooth loss because the density of the bone that supports the teeth may be decreased. More research is being done to determine if and how a relationship between osteoporosis and periodontal disease exists. Women considering Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to help fight osteoporosis should note that this may help protect their teeth as well as other parts of the body.

Dental Implants

More and more older people are selecting dental implants over dentures as a replacement option for lost teeth. Whether you have lost one or all of your teeth, dental implants allow you to have teeth that look and feel just like your own.

Older adults have similar success rate with implants compared with younger people. As long as you’re in good health and your periodontist can restore healthy gums and adequate bone to support the implant, you’re never too old to receive a dental implant.

You're never too old to receive a dental implant.

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root placed into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge in place. While high-tech in nature, dental implants are actually more tooth-saving than traditional bridgework, since implants do not rely on neighboring teeth for support.

In addition, dental implants are intimately connected with the gum tissues and underlying bone in the mouth. Therefore, they prevent the bone loss and gum recession that often accompanies bridgework and dentures and preserve the integrity of facial features. When teeth are missing, the bone which previously supported these teeth begins to deteriorate. This can result in dramatic changes in your appearance, such as increased wrinkles around the mouth and lips that cave in and lose their natural shape.

Since periodontists are the dental experts who specialize in precisely these areas, they are ideal members of your dental implant team. Not only do periodontists have experience working with other dental professionals, they also have the special knowledge, training and facilities that you need to have teeth that look and feel just like your own.

Talk with your periodontist to find out if dental implants are an option for you.

Denture Care

Denture wearers need to avoid plaque buildup that can irritate the tissues under the dentures. Thoroughly clean dentures daily and remove dentures at night to avoid bacteria growth. If you wear dentures, you need to continue to see a dental professional regularly. Because mouths continually change, dentures need to be checked for proper fit to avoid irritation, increased bone loss and infections. A change in the fit of partial dentures could indicate periodontal disease.

Perfecting Your Smile

Cosmetic periodontal procedures are not just for people in their 20s and 30s. You can have the smile you desire at any age.

A study by the American Dental Association and Oral-B in 1998 found that nearly half of survey respondentsage 65and older selected a smile as the first thing they notice about people. Almost 80 percent in this age group also reported that a smile is very important to a person’s appearance.

Preventing Periodontal Disease

Even if you’ve managed to avoid periodontal disease until now, it is especially important to practice a meticulous oral care routine as you age. Receding gum tissue affects a large percentage of older people. This condition exposes the roots of teeth and makes them more vulnerable to decay and periodontal infection.

Once you’ve been treated for periodontal disease, periodontal maintenance procedures or supportive periodontal therapy enables you to gain control of the disease and increase your chances of keeping your natural teeth. In additional to a dental examination, a thorough periodontal evaluation is performed. Harmful bacterial plaque and calculus are then removed from above and below the gum line. If necessary, root planing may be used to smooth root surfaces that are infected. In addition, your periodontist or other dental professional will review your at-home oral hygiene routine and may suggest modifications tailored for your condition.

Chronic gum disease (periodontitis) can cause bone destruction and tooth loss; periodontitis is due to an inflammatory response to a variety of bacteria growing on the gums.

Nov 14, 2011

The size of our jaws decreases with age. This is shown in a unique study from the Faculty of Dentistry at  Malmö University that followed a cohort of dentists throughout their adult lives.

Bone loss due to age and denture.

The unique study started in 1949. Plaster molds were made of the jaws of dental students,  who were then in their twenties. Ten years later the procedure was repeated, and in 1989,  forty years after the first molds, a final round was performed. On that occasion the researchers  were in touch with 18 of the original 30 participants.

“We found that over these forty years there was less and less room for teeth in the jaw,” says  Lars Bondemark, professor of orthodontics, who analyzed the material together with his colleague  Maria Nilner, professor of clinical bite physiology at the College of Dentistry, Malmö University .

Aging teeth are usually crowded and yellow and we have numerous dental treatment options to consider

This crowdedness comes from shrinkage of the jaw, primarily the lower jaw, both in length and width.  While this is only a matter of a few millimeters, but it is enough to crowd the front teeth. “We can also eliminate wisdom teeth as the cause, because even people who have no wisdom teeth  have crowded front teeth.”

How much the jaw shrinks is individual, but for some patients the changes are sufficiently great  for them to perceive that something is happening to their bite.

“In that case it’s good to know that this is normal,” says Lars Bondemark, who maintains that  dentists need to take into consideration the continuous shrinking of the jaws when they plan to  perform major bite constructions on their patients.

“We’re working against nature, and it’s hard to construct something that is completely stable.”

Why the jaws change throughout life is not known, but the magnitude of the change is probably determined  by both hereditary and anatomical factors, including what the patient’s bite looks like.

Oleh Rabi ‘Atul ‘Adawiyah Ismail

BERBAHAYA...‘doktor’ gigi warga China tidak mengamalkan ciri-ciri keselamatan ketika menjalankan proses rawatan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Kerana yuran perkhidmatan yang murah, segelintir pengguna masih sanggup menggadaikan nyawa dengan mendapatkan rawatan pergigian daripada ‘doktor gigi’ tidak bertauliah di kaki lima Jalan Pasar Pudu, di sini.

Doktor gigi yang dipercayai berasal dari China itu memulakan perkhidmatan pergigiannya di kaki lima kawasan itu setiap hari bermula jam 9 pagi hingga 3 petang.

Mereka menawarkan perkhidmatan memasang gigi palsu dengan harga lebih murah daripada klinik swasta iaitu RM50 hingga RM80 satu gigi dan tempoh pemasangannya mengambil masa 20 minit.

Biarpun tidak tahu berbahasa Melayu, doktor terbabit mengupah jurubahasa yang bertindak sebagai pengantara untuk memaklumkan semua harga perkhidmatan.

Tinjauan Metroplus ke Jalan Pasar Pudu, baru-baru ini, mendapati empat doktor gigi warga China membuka klinik kaki lima di kawasan itu.

Berbekalkan peralatan pergigian, air, kerusi, carta dan sampel gigi palsu, mereka membuka klinik di tengah laluan itu tanpa memikirkan aspek keselamatan dan kebersihan.

Namun, masih ada segelintir pengunjung menggunakan perkhidmatan itu, biarpun tiada ciri-ciri keselamatan diamalkan.

Malah, doktor kaki lima terbabit mendakwa peralatan yang digunakan bersih dan selamat kerana semuanya sudah dicuci dengan ubat yang boleh membunuh kuman tanpa mensterilkan peralatan terlebih dulu.

Menurutnya, yuran perkhidmatan bergantung kepada jenis gigi yang digunakan, namun ia tahan sehingga tiga tahun, malah pelanggan boleh mendapat diskaun.

Katanya, pelanggan tidak perlu risau kerana doktor yang merawat sangat terlatih, berkemahiran dan pasti berpuas hati dengan perkhidmatan diterima.

“Sudah lima tahun kami menawarkan perkhidmatan pergigian di kaki lima ini dan sambutan amat menggalakkan. Pengguna tidak perlu risau kerana semuanya pasti selamat, prosedur yang dijalankan sama di klinik swasta dan lebih penting yurannya murah,” katanya.

Sementara itu, seorang lelaki yang mendapatkan khidmat doktor kaki lima terbabit yang mahu dikenali sebagai Liow, 45, berkata dia takut untuk mencuba, tetapi selepas diyakini, dia mencubanya juga kerana perkhidmatan ditawarkan murah dan cepat.

“Saya tahu mengenai doktor kaki lima ini melalui rakan yang pernah mendapat rawatan di sini dan mereka mencadangkan tempat ini kepada saya. Biarpun tidak mengamalkan ciri keselamatan dan kebersihan, kami tutup mata saja, asalkan perkhidmatannya murah dan bersesuaian dengan kami yang berpendapatan rendah,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Naib Presiden Persatuan Pergigian Malaysia (MDA), Dr Haja Badrudeen Sirajudeen, mengingatkan pengguna supaya tidak menggadaikan nyawa dengan mendapatkan perkhidmatan doktor gigi tidak bertauliah kerana ia berisiko untuk berlakunya pemindahan virus penyakit seperti Aids dan hepatitis.

Katanya, dengan penggunaan alat yang tidak disterilkan dan kebersihan lain, tidak mustahil virus akan berpindah, terutama apabila berlaku pendarahan ketika melakukan rawatan.

“Kebanyakan doktor tidak bertauliah terbabit menggunakan kaedah rawatan berbeza mengikut panduan perubatan pergigian yang dibenarkan. Jika membuat rawatan tanam gigi, mereka akan gunakan gam atau simen yang memberi kesan kepada pengguna dan selepas beberapa tahun, ia akan bernanah dan berisiko untuk mendapat barah,” katanya ketika ditemui.

Menurut Dr Haja Badrudeen, mengikut Akta Pergigian 1971, pengamal perubatan pergigian yang berdaftar dengan persatuan dan mempunyai sijil tauliah yang sah saja boleh memberikan perkhidmatan.

Bagi doktor dari luar negara, mereka perlu mempunyai sijil tauliah yang diiktiraf kerajaan Malaysia.

Katanya, doktor luar negara hanya dibenarkan bertugas di hospital kerajaan dan ia belum dilaksanakan di sektor swasta.

“Biarpun yuran perkhidmatannya lebih murah, di klinik yang diiktiraf kerajaan mereka mendapat perkhidmatan yang lebih baik dan selesa,” katanya.

He could not afford treatment or medications

Willis died of a very treatable tooth infection due to lack of insurance, photo via social media

A 24-year-old father died this week due to a tooth infection for which he could not afford to be treated.

Kyle Willis, an aspiring paralegal with a 6-year-old daughter, began having tooth pain two weeks ago. The culprit was one of his wisdom teeth.

According to ABC News, Willis made it to the dentist who advised him to have the tooth extracted. Since he was unemployed and had no insurace, he decided to forego the procedure and hoped the pain would resolve itself in time.

Quite the opposite was true, however. Soon, his toothache turned to near agony and his face began to swell.

Willis went to the local ER and was seen. Again he was advised that the tooth had to come out.

“The [doctors] gave him antibiotic and pain medication,”said Willis’ aunt Patti Collins, wife of musician Bootsy Collins. “But he couldn’t afford to pay for the antibiotic, so he chose the pain meds, which was not what he needed.”

The infection from his tooth spread into his brain and Willis died on Tuesday.

University Hospital in Cincinnati, where Willis was admitted, did not comment, citing federal privacy laws.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case.

“People don’t realize that dental disease can cause serious illness,” said Dr. Irvin Silverstein, a dentist at the University of California at San Diego. “The problems are not just cosmetic. Many people die from dental disease.”

Access to affordable health and dental insurance is difficult to find for low-income or no-income families.

In April, the Kaiser Family Foundation reported that 33 percent of people surveyed skipped dental care or dental checkups because they couldn’t afford them. A 2003 report by the U.S. Surgeon General found that 108 million Americans had no dental insurance, nearly 2.5 times the number who had no health insurance.

“People want to believe there’s a safety net that catches all of these people, and there isn’t,” said Dr. Glenn Stream, president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He noted that it is often young men who are the most likely to lack health coverage.

There are several free dental clinics in operation around the country. Dentists volunteer to provide care to those without health insurance at these clinics. But even if Willis had access to a free dental clinic, Stream said he still may not have been able to get the care he needed for his infection since these free clinics are overwhelmed with patients. “The wait is often months, and this young man died within two weeks of his problem,” Stream said.

By Angela Epstein
August 10, 2011

Many people include a daily swill of mouthwash in their dental routine to freshen breath and fight plaque – but could we actually be damaging our teeth in the process?

Some of the ingredients in mouthwash may have a detrimental effect on teeth and gums if the product isn’t used properly, says Robin Seymour, professor of restorative dentistry at Newcastle University.

Many mouthwashes contain alcohol —some are up to 26 per cent proof, research has shown. It’s used as a carrier agent, to allow ingredients such as menthol, eucalyptol and thymol to function — these help to penetrate and break down plaque.

However alcohol itself can cause dryness in the mouth, breaking down the mucus-like coating that keeps the mouth moist. This can lead to bad breath and, says Professor Seymour, cause an uncomfortable stinging sensation in the mouth.

Alcohol-based mouthwash has also been linked to an increased risk in oral cancer. Scientists in a study published in the Dental Journal of Australia in 2009 reported that the ethanol (alcohol) in mouthwash allowed cancer-causing substances such as nicotine to permeate the lining of the mouth more easily. A toxic breakdown product of alcohol called acetaldehyde can also accumulate in the mouth.

Some ingredients in toothpaste, such as the foaming agent sodium lauryl sulphate, can interact with the fluoride in mouthwash, and deactivate it so that it loses its effect. For this reason, wait at least half an hour after brushing before sluicing with mouthwash.

Some mouthwashes can even cause staining. This is due to a chemical called chlorhexidine gluconate — an antiseptic designed to reduce bacteria and remove plaque, both of which can lead to bad breath.

However, when regularly exposed to the teeth it can cause brown patches on the enamel because of a chemical reaction.

‘Chlorohexidine can produce tooth staining within about ten days of usage because it reacts with food additives which may be left on the teeth, particularly tannins, found in Coca-Cola, tea, coffee and red wine,’ explains Professor Seymour.

So should we just avoid these products altogether? According to Professor Damien Walmsley, scientific adviser to the British Dental Association, it’s always worth asking the advice of a dentist.

London-based dentist Dr Ogo Eze agrees: ‘If, for example, someone has gingivitis — inflammation of the gums — then it is important to keep plaque levels down, as this can make the inflammation worse.

‘The dentist may suggest a two-week course of a high-fluoride mouthwash such as Corsodyl to help reduce the risk of further decay. There is also a condition called acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis, which is an acute infection of the gums.

‘A prescription mouthwash called Peridex contains oxygen which can counteract the micro organisms that cause this problem.’ Peridex also has a lower concentration of chlorhexidine than Corsodyl.

If you don’t have any dental problems, Professor Seymour suggests using an alcohol-free brand such as Oral B Anti-Plaque Alcohol-Free Mouth Rinse.

‘It doesn’t matter how minute the risk of oral cancer might be. It is such a significant disease that I don’t think there is any reason to take the risk of using a mouthwash that contains alcohol.’

To avoid staining, he suggests products such as Dentyl, which contain cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) rather than chlorhexidine — both chemicals act as an antiseptic, but CPC won’t stain.

‘Chlorhexidine is the “gold standard” antibacterial and is often advised by dentists for acute flare ups of gum disease to control the symptoms.

‘Chlorhexidine mouthwashes are not recommended for long-term use since they do have the side effect of staining. This can be removed by a dentist.’  

The British Dental Health Foundation recently reviewed all the evidence about the use of alcohol in mouthwashes and concluded that there is no evidence whatsoever of a link between mouth cancer and alcohol in mouthwashes.

A spokesperson for the Cosmetic, Toiletry & Perfumery Association, which represents manufacturers of mouthwash, adds: ‘All products available in the European Union are subject to stringent safety requirements and each product must undergo a safety assessment before it can be placed on the market.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1375886/How-mouthwash-bad-breath–AND-stain-teeth.html#ixzz1UaiFMihT

June 30, 2011

by ScienceDaily

Nurses who care for patients with dementia now have a tailored approach to dental hygiene for their charges, thanks to a pilot study by a team of nurses.
“Poor oral health can lead to pneumonia and cardiovascular disease as well as periodontal disease,” said Rita A. Jablonski, even though these illnesses are not usually associated with the mouth. According to Jablonski, assistant professor of nursing, Penn State, persons with dementia resist care when they feel threatened. In general, these patients cannot care for themselves and need help.

Jablonski and her team introduced an oral hygiene approach called Managing Oral Hygiene Using Threat Reduction (MOUTh) specifically for dementia patients. Many of their strategies focus on making the patient feel more comfortable before and while care is provided, the researchers report in the current issue of Special Care in Dentistry.

“We have come up with 15 strategies — techniques to help reduce threat perception,” said Jablonski. These strategies include approaching patients at eye level if they are seated, smiling while interacting, pantomiming, and guiding patients to perform their own care by placing a hand over the patient’s hand and leading.

People with dementia are often no longer able to distinguish low or non-threatening situations from highly threatening situations. This happens when the parts of the brain that control threat perception — particularly the fight, flight or freeze responses — begin to deteriorate. The amygdala is the part of the brain that houses the fear response. The hippocampus and cerebral cortex receive and send messages to the amygdala, telling it how to react.

“Think of the hippocampus, cerebral cortex and amygdala as being in the woods,” said Jablonski. “In a person with dementia, the path in the woods is blocked with tumbleweeds and the message from the cortex and hippocampus can’t get to the amygdala.” In turn, patients with dementia often react to something as intimate as a nurse brushing their teeth as a perceived threat.

In the past 30 years the number of nursing-home residents who still have their own teeth has risen significantly. Many of these people need assistance with their dental hygiene, as well as with other hygiene.

Jablonski and her team conducted a pilot study with seven people who had either moderate or severe cases of dementia. The researchers used the MOUTh technique on the subjects for two weeks, recording the state of the patients’ mouths and how the patients reacted throughout the study.

At the beginning of the study all seven subjects had poor oral health, as determined by the Oral Health Assessment Tool. Eight categories concerning oral health are scored between zero and two. The lower the score the healthier the mouth. The average score for the subjects at the start of the study was 7.29. By the end of the study the average score was 1.00.

“To my knowledge, we are the only nurses in the country who are looking at ways to improve the mouth care of persons with dementia, especially those who fight and bite during mouth care,” said Jablonski. “Our approach is unique because we frame resistive behavior as a reaction to a perceived threat.”

Other researchers on the project were Ann Kolanowski, Elouise Ross Eberly Professor; Mia Gabello and Alexandra Brock, graduate students, all in the school of nursing, Penn State; Barbara Therrien, associate professor in nursing, University of Michigan; and Ellen K. Mahoney, associate professor in nursing, Boston College.

The Brookdale Leadership in Aging Foundation supported this pilot study. Jablonski is the 2009-2011 Brookdale Leadership in Aging Fellow. The National Institutes of Health has awarded Jablonski a grant to continue this research.

When these return from the lab we have you take a look at them and suggest any changes. If you like what you see we start the work.

The Treatment: At this point we prepare the surfaces of your teeth to accommodate the new Veneers (an/or crowns if your case requires more). We then will place temporaries that match the shape of the “Wax Up”.

You will leave the office with the temporaries on. We then give you a week with the temporaries to determine if you like them. This is a good time to have all your family and friends see the temporaries to tell you what they think.

Your cosmetic options include bonding, porcelain veneers and whitening. You may choose the ultimate esthetic crown for front teeth is the all-porcelain empress and feldspathic bonded porcelains.

Undetectable, it blends in naturally with your own smile. In many cases, instant orthodontics!

After suggesting any changes we send the final work to the lab to be finished. The lab returns the work in 1 – 3 weeks. We then Bond the Veneers or Crowns to your teeth.

Enjoy: You leave the office with a new, beautiful, confident smile.

To Review:

1st: Free consult

2nd: Records, evaluation

3rd: Treatment (preparation and placement)

4th: Enjoy your smile Total treatment time is generally 3-4 weeks. Time varys on your specific needs.

The best way to see our capabilities first-hand is by viewing photo albums in our office — photos of patients whose smiles (and in some cases lives) have been transformed.

Also, you can view real cases in our Makeover photo gallery (although the limitations of the Internet do not allow high enough resolution to show the detail of the porcelain artwork).

Smile Makeovers are the art is simply add the finishing touches Gaps closed. Teeth magically straightened. Cracks and chips eliminated.

Old bonding and crowns replaced. Smile brightened. Through the artistry of ‘Smile Design’ we can create the smile you’ve been dreaming of to enhance your natural appearance.

You’ll be amazed at how these subtle changes can make a world of difference in how great you look and feel!

Just sharing some common cases :

My teeth were very crooked; very close together and my hand was always over my mouth .I just wasn’t comfortable smiling, especially with pictures. Now I’m just a totally different person. Thank you for my smile makeover! And it was so easy!

I’m in the public all the time, and now I’m talking to people and smiling naturally. Everybody tells me what an awesome smile I have .I think I FEEL younger. I’m more into taking care of myself and into exercise. It’s made me feel good inside. Now I smile all the time-actually I do!

Scientists believe they have worked out the dimensions of the most attractive female face.

A smile makeover will completely restore your smile so that you are left with beautiful teeth. Whether you have older dental restorations like metal fillings and crowns, stained teeth, or crooked or crowded teeth, a smile makeover will correct your smile.