Dental Questions: Can I eat with my Invisalign trays on?

One of the most unexpected (but often appreciated) side effects of Invisalign treatment is weight loss. Because the trays have to be worn 22+ hours a day and can only be used on clean teeth, many patients forgo snacks and extra sugary drinks in the name of convenience. But, if you really need that afternoon pastry pick-me-up, do you actually have to take your trays out, then eat, then brush before putting them back in? The answer is yes, absolutely!

Anytime we eat or drink anything other than water, the pH balance in the mouth turns acidic. Usually, this is slowly buffered back to normal by the compounds in our saliva. However, Invisalign trays can trap food and liquids around the teeth and keep the protective saliva out. This effectively allows the teeth to soak in acid, leading to decay and decalcification spots. You don't want to finish your Invisalign treatment only to find out you need fillings! Furthermore, extreme temperatures and unexpected forces can deform the thin plastic trays. Clear aligners are designed with extreme precision, and even the smallest changes can negate their orthodontic abilities. 

Invisalign is a great treatment option for many patients, but it is not without it's limitations. If you cannot leave the trays in for nearly 24 hours every day, you may need to consider other options. To learn more about Invisalign trays, braces or other cosmetic dental procedures, please give our office a call!

Dental Questions: Why does it take two weeks to make a crown?

In today's world of on demand service, it may seem strange that a dental crown takes two weeks to make. Your confusion is probably compounded by news of "same day" crowns available at some dental offices. The reality is that many crowns are created (at least partially) by hand and take time, expertise and effort. Read on to learn how dental labs recreate and help replace lost teeth. 

After your first crown appointment, there is typically a two week wait until the new restoration is ready to be cemented to your tooth. In this time, a lab has to receive the impression, create a stone model and make a wax replica of your tooth. While many offices are using computer aided design and digital scanners to simplify this process, most of it is still done by hand to some degree. Converting the wax replica to metal, zirconia, porcelain, or other ceramics involves delicate processing and layering to maintain the initial structure. Finally, most crowns are colored and glazed (textured) by hand to expertly match them to the adjacent teeth. Currently, there is no computer or machine that can visually blend a tooth color to the rest of the mouth like a skilled lab technician. 

Some dental offices currently offer "same day" or "one visit" dental crowns. Here, a digital impression is taken after your tooth is prepared and the crown is milled out of a ceramic block while you wait. You will leave the office that same day with your permanent crown cemented. While this technology is fantastic in some applications and has a very promising future, our office feels that it needs a little more refining before we offer it to our patients. Studies show that the margins (where the tooth and crown meet) can be less precise with these digitally milled crowns. Additionally, many machines require additional tooth structure to be removed in order to create a shape that is compliant with the milling process. Overall, there is nothing wrong with this style of dental crown, but we feel the benefits of using a lab created restoration outweigh the drawbacks of a waiting period. 

Dental crown placement is one of the most common procedures carried out at dental offices nation wide. At our office, we specialize in creating crowns that are beautiful, functional and feel natural in your mouth. If you would like to know more about crowns, veneers, fillings or other dental procedures, please give our office a call!

Dental Questions: Does Invisalign work for everyone?

Invisalign (generically known as "clear aligners") is a relatively new orthodontic option for patients who desire straighter teeth. They offer a number of benefits over traditional bracket-and-wire braces, including less visible hardware, easier cleaning and less trauma to the lips and cheeks. However, Invisalign is not necessarily a great choice for everyone. While most patient have needs that can be addressed through clear aligners, it is important to note the limitations of this treatment option. 

For starters, Invisalign needs to be worn at least 20+ hours a day (ideally 22+ hours). If you are unable to adhere to this requirement, your treatment will take much longer. This is one of the primary reasons Invisalign is not recommended for young and poorly compliant kids. It is better to wait until the patient is ready to commit to treatment rather than stay in trays for additional months or years. 

While Invisalign is easier to clean than normal braces, it can pose a higher tooth decay risk for individuals who choose to eat or drink with their trays in (water being the exception). The clear plastic creates a cover that can hold in sugars and carbohydrates while blocking out the remineralizing/protective saliva. Oral hygiene is of utmost importance when considering any appliance, and Invisalign is no exception. 

Finally, there is a small subset of orthodontic conditions that Invisalign either cannot treat or treats very slowly. Severe deviations from normal dentition and drastic tooth movements may be better managed with traditional braces. Here, the wires and brackets can act as anchors on which to push, pull or slide teeth. In certain cases, a combination of Invisalign and other appliances may be needed to achieve an ideal smile. There is only so much a removable device can do in straightening teeth. 

At Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry, we offer Invisalign aligners as a treatment option to our established patients. However, we evaluate each patient individually and decide if their needs are better managed by one of the orthodontists in our specialist network. If you would like to know more about Invisalign, braces or cosmetic dentistry, please give our office a call!

Complete Smile Makeover!

What makes a perfect smile "pop?"

Today's patient came to our office wanting a smile that exuded natural beauty. Their existing teeth had a general "flat" appearance with uneven wear on the edges. Younger/cosmetically desirable teeth tend to have more variance in shape between adjacent teeth and more symmetry across the midline. Each tooth has unique anatomic features, and a great smile captures these subtle differences!

To create this transformation, Dr. Kari Ann Hong prepared the patient's anterior teeth (from canine to canine) for dental crowns. Impressions were taken and sent to Opus One Dental Lab where six crowns were fashioned from Emax lithium disilicate material. Emax allows us to make hyper-realistic crowns that capture the translucency and shading of natural enamel while remaining resistant to fracture. The result is absolutely stunning! If you would like to know more about dental crowns, smile esthetics or cosmetic dentistry, please give our office a call!

Perfecting Incisors using Emax Crowns

One of the most common dental anomalies is underdeveloped lateral incisors. Often referred to as peg laterals, this condition typically presents as two lateral incisors that look smaller and mismatched when compared to the central incisors. For today's patient, Dr. Kari Ann Hong chose to correct the cosmetics of this smile using two beautiful Emax lithium disilicate crowns.

Since the incisors were already undersized, only a minimal amount of tooth structure had to be removed in fitting the crown. By working with Opus One Dental Lab a near perfect match was made to the natural central incisors. Notice the delicate translucency near the edges of the teeth and harmonious shape. We even captured the pronounced developmental grooves (called mamelons) on the central incisors. The result is a beautiful smile that looks more natural than the "before" shot!

If you would like to know more about the cosmetic services we offer at Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry and what we can do for your smile, please give our office a call!

Case Presentation: Invisalign Orthodontics

Invisalign has made straight teeth a reality for a new generation of adult patients. While traditional braces may not be an option due to esthetic concerns or professional requirements, clear aligners can provide similar results with no visible hardware. In today's patient, Invisalign trays were used to correct minor crowding and spacing issues in the anterior teeth. Notice how the maxillary and mandibular incisors now follow even paths with minimal overlap.

At Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry, we provide Invisalign treatment for long time patients of record with mild orthodontic needs. Severe crowding, cross-bites and complicated spacing issues deserve the attention of an orthodontist. Additionally, it is important to note that Invisalign cannot achieve all the results of traditional braces. Some tooth movements are simply impossible without traditional wires and brackets. To get the whole picture, please visit our office for an exam and consultation!

Case Presentation: Midline Correction Update!

Here's a final update to our patient who received four Emax crowns to correct their crooked anterior midline. As you can see, the new crowns create a natural and straight smile with extremely esthetic results. In addition to centering and paralleling the patient's midline, the new restorations give the teeth a more rounded and youthful profile. Additionally, we were able to match the shapes of the two lateral incisors, creating a more harmonious appearance all together. 

A case like this highlights the importance of symmetry in cosmetic dentistry. In comparison to the before pictures, our patient's new smile is centered, with the left and right side incisors appearing as mirror images of each other. The result is a smile that exudes "natural beauty." If you would like to know more about the ways we use cosmetic dentistry to improve our patients' smiles, please give our office a call!

link to the original article

Case Presentation: Temporary Veneer Update!

Time for a quick update! We previously reported on this patient's progress when they were still in temporary veneers. Now that the final products have been delivered, the dramatic transformation is complete. All four maxillary incisors were refinished with Emax lithium disilicate veneers that perfectly match the cosmetics of natural enamel. By treating all four teeth, we were able to create excellent symmetry and color matching. You could never tell any dental work was done! 

Veneers offer great cosmetic changes with minimal modification to the natural teeth. Since veneers only bond to one tooth surface, we only need to remove enough enamel to accommodate the new material. If you would like to know more about veneers, what they can treat and why we use them, please call our office! 

Click here to see the previous posting!

Cosmetic Reconstruction With Emax Crowns and Veneers

Today's case is a great example of the importance of color and translucency when designing a crown or veneer in the anterior region. This patient came to our office dissatisfied with their current dental restorations and overall smile esthetics. The crowned teeth appeared unnaturally opaque and presented with a sharp change in color where the teeth met the gum tissue. These crowns were created using porcelain fused to metal (PFM), a classic technique for fabricating tooth colored crowns. While they make very functional restorations, PFMs take away from the natural translucency of teeth due to their solid metal underpinnings. This patient's condition was exacerbated by gingival recession, which revealed contrasting natural tooth structure underneath the crown.

To create a completely natural smile, we utilized Emax lithium disilicate crowns and veneers across the maxillary and mandibular teeth. These crowns are made of a single type of translucent material, and thus transmit light like natural enamel. Similarly, the single piece construction makes these crown very strong, allowing us to replace the PFMs in the posterior region as well. By working closely with our dental lab, we created a set of crowns and veneers that are uniform in shape, color and shade. The final product is a natural and youthful smile designed to stand the test of time! If you would like to know more about crowns, veneers or any other esthetic service offered by our office, please give us a call. 

Post Remodel Office Tour

If you haven't seen our new look, check out this quick video tour put together by Dr. Kari Ann Hong! You will notice new flooring, paint and artwork throughout the office and exam rooms. Additionally, take a peek at our brand new waiting room and private consultation room. Overall, the renovated space creates a very upscale and welcoming ambiance. If you would like to see the office for yourself, just stop by and see us!