Case Presentation: Cosmetic Veneer Transformation!

Check out this awesome veneer transformation! This patient came to us with anterior teeth that were cosmetically compromised but structurally sound. The patient's left lateral incisor had an aging composite filling, the two central incisors were chipped and all the teeth had uneven staining and decalcification. In cases like this, we like to use zirconia veneers to enhance aesthetics while altering the original tooth as little as possible. 

Teeth are prepared for veneers by removing a small amount of enamel to compensate for the new dimension of zirconia. Once the teeth are prepared, impressions are taken and sent to our lab. You will spend two weeks in temporary veneers while the technicians hone in the ideal dimensions and shade to match your other teeth. The result, as seen above, is a beautiful transformation that looks entirely natural. Modern veneers can make you look younger and create a more vibrant smile with minimal changes to your existing teeth. If you would like to know more about veneers, how we place them and why we use them, please give our office a call!

Dental Implants: Our Office Policies

Without a doubt, implants are the newest and biggest trend in the dental profession. Never before have dentists been able to replace teeth so easily without dentures or bridges. Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry is at the forefront of implant treatment, offering tried and true techniques and procedures. As such, we would like to take a moment to inform our patients of how our office handles implant treatments.

A dental implant essentially consists of three parts: the titanium screw that sits in your bone. the "abutment" that extends above the gum line and the crown that is cemented or screwed to the abutment. At out office, we typically have one of our specialists place the implant screw. They bring years of knowledge and expertise to the procedure, along with advanced technology like Cone Beam CT scanners. All of this allows them to get better results in more difficult areas. Our specialists use Swiss made Straumann implants, which utilize the highest quality components and materials available. We don't want to take any chances with a procedure as sensitive as implant therapy.

After the implant screw is placed, it generally takes three to four months for the bones and gums to heal. In the meantime, we can offer you a temporary denture called a "stay plate" or "flipper" to fill in the missing space. Once the implant is fully integrated, it generally takes two appointments three week apart for us to take an impression and for our lab to create the final crown. While the process is long, implants are the ideal treatment for replacing lost teeth. We avoid having to alter adjacent teeth (as with a bridge) and there is no need for a removable appliance (as with dentures). It truly functions like the tooth that was there before. 

Does our office ever place our own implants in-house? We do, but only in specific cases. Firstly, we do not accept new patients solely to place implants (you must be a patient of record). You must also be healthy, have adequate height/width of bone and only need a single implant. For these patients, we can place implants replacing posterior teeth (molars and premolars). Any case that violates these parameters deserves the expertise and attention of a dental specialist. 

At Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry, we are ready and excited to handle your implant treatment. The first step is an evaluation to check your teeth and discuss options. If you would like to schedule this exam or learn more about implant dentistry, please give our office a call! 

Dental School

For many students, dental school provides the most challenging, humbling and stressful academic experiences of their lives. At the same time, it can be extremely rewarding to watch yourself transition into a practicing clinician. Somewhere between the lectures, tests, patient encounters and graduation requirements lies a special mixture that gives you the right to go by the title "doctor." 

Like medical school, most dental schools are four year programs split between traditional classroom learning and clinical experience. Dentists-in-training take classes that cover the entire human body- not just the teeth. This lays a foundation for treating patients with all types of medical conditions, disabilities and special needs. Furthermore, the first two years of dental school always have a patient simulation component. Here, students work on mannequins in a lab to learn the basics of removing cavities, placing crowns and other dental procedures. One of the biggest challenges during this time is balancing studying, lab courses and your own personal time. 

However, the most daunting challenge in dental school (and any health education program) is transitioning to the clinical years. Treating actual patients comes with huge psychological, emotional and educational hurdles. No amount of training can prepare you for the reality of being responsible for another human being's health. As students treat patients, they are very closely monitored by school faculty. While this ensures patient safety, it can also make the appointments much longer than private practice. If you are planning on being seen by a dental student, be prepared to wait!

Beyond dental school, many students elect to attend a residency program. These can range from one year (general practice residency) to six years (DDS/MD oral surgery programs). Here, students learn more advanced techniques and get experience practicing on medically compromised patients. After residency, license renewal requires dentists to take frequent continuing education classes. These courses cover everything from clinical refreshers to cosmetics and even surgical techniques. The educational process never stops! If you would like to know more about what it takes to become a dentist, feel free to give our office a call.  

Dental Questions: Can I Overbrush My Teeth?

Does your toothbrush get used five times a day? Are you constantly following your lunch hour with a stop to clean your pearly whites? Contrary to popular belief, there is such thing as too much brushing. Read on to find out why you might want to change your habits!

The ADA recommends using a toothbrush twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste, along with daily flossing. Brushing once in the morning and once at night is generally sufficient to keep bacteria at bay and ward off cavities and gum problems. However, many patients feel more comfortable supplementing this with a quick brush after each meal. To understand why this is a problem, it is important to know how tooth decay works. Every time we eat or drink anything other than water, our mouths become acidic for a 30 minute period. If you brush your teeth right after eating, you are basically taking a surface softened by acid and rubbing it down with sand paper. Over time, this can wear away tooth structure and slowly lead to new cavities. For this same reason, many dentists recommend brushing your teeth in the morning before breakfast.

Naturally, using your tooth brush occasionally after meals to clear out sticky or stringy food is not a problem. If you want to add something to your daily routine to clean your teeth after meals, there are still a number of great options. You can always swish with fluoridated water for a quick and easy clean. To get food out of the grooves and pits of teeth, consider chewing a stick of xylitol gum. Finally, try modifying the order that you eat foods to self-clean your mouth. Hard, moist fruits and veggies like apples, celery, and carrots will naturally dislodge sticky carbs like cookies and crackers. If you would like more information on keeping your teeth in top shape, feel free to contact our office!

As an aside, you can also brush your teeth too hard! Habitually aggressive brushers usually present with distinct patterns of abrasion and gum recession. To best prevent this, use a light touch while brushing (lighter than you think!). Additionally, many electric toothbrushes now come with built in pressure sensors to take the guesswork out of brushing force.

Case Presentation: ZOOM Whitening

Take a look at the dramatic change we achieved in this patient using the ZOOM Whitening products. Can you believe this transformation only took a single office visit?

At a typical ZOOM appointment, we start by quickly polishing the teeth to remove any surface staining. Then, a special material is applied to the gums surrounding the teeth to protect them from the bleaching gel. The actual "bleach" is a special formulation of peroxide that is activated using the ZOOM light. The entire session takes about an hour and a half where you can relax, listen to Pandora music, watch cable TV or catch up on your favorite Netflix series! If you would like to know more about your bleaching options or to schedule a ZOOM appointment for yourself, please call or email our office.

Triclosan in Toothpaste

Antibacterial hand soaps recently made national news as the FDA banned a number of substances from their composition. On this list is triclosan, a controversial antibacterial that has been noted in a number of health concerns. While blanket banned in Europe, triclosan is still used in millions of American products available today, including toothpaste. In this article, we will discuss why triclosan is still used in oral health products, and if you should be concerned. 

Triclosan provides its antimicrobial action by preventing bacteria and fungi from making new cell membranes. Without new membranes, the bacteria cannot repair or reproduce themselves. While triclosan does not affect our own ability to make cell walls, the FDA banned it from consumer soaps due to concerns of breeding bacterial immunity and "lack of efficacy." In other words, overusing triclosan isn't making humanity healthier OR helping keep bacteria superbugs at bay. 

In toothpastes, triclosan is used to fight plaque and gingivitis by killing bacteria similarly to how it worked in hand soaps. The FDA continues to approve its use (in small doses) as research has proved its effectiveness in improving oral health. It is usually found in products like Colgate Total and other toothpastes with "antigingivitis" properties. 

Do you need to use a toothpaste with triclosan? Should you be worried if your brand contains triclosan? It's really a matter of preference. To be effective, toothpastes really only need a single active ingredient- fluoride. All other chemicals- antiplaques, desensitizers, baking soda, etc.- may help certain patients but are not universally beneficial as part of daily oral care. Some individuals may see a decline in plaque and inflammation by using a toothpaste with triclosan. However, the best way to eliminate plaque is by mechanical disruption- regular, daily flossing. 

In short, there is no reason to panic if you're using a toothpaste that contains triclosan. However, if the recent changes in FDA regulations have made you weary, feel free to switch brands. Many  all-natural offerings like Toms of Maine Cavity Protection Toothpaste are organic, antibacterial free and contain an therapeutic dose of fluoride. If you would like more help in picking out toothpaste, floss, or mouth rinses, please give our office a call! 

Replacing A Lost Crown

Imagine you are enjoying a nice meal when you suddenly notice a strange space open up in the front of your mouth. To your horror, a crown on one of your front teeth has fallen off! Every dental office sees two to three cases like this yearly- as with this patient today. Fortunately, we were able to replace the missing space with a cosmetic Emax lithium disilicate crown. The end result was fabulous- we saved the tooth and improved on the esthetics of the previous crown!

Dental crowns can come loose for a number of reasons. Most commonly, cavities start at the margin between the tooth and the crown and undermine the seal. Once this seal is broken, the crown quickly loses the adhesive and retentive properties that bond it on the tooth. Other common causes of crown loss include trauma, chewing sticky foods and post/core failure. 

If you ever lose a crown, do NOT try to re-cement it (even using temporary crown cement from the drug store). You run the risk of creating a bond so strong that the dentist cannot remove it without damaging the tooth or a bond so weak that it causes the crown to become a choking hazard. Rather, call our office as soon as possible and let us know what happened. Depending on how the crown fell off, what was underneath the crown and if there was any damage to the tooth we may be able to recement it with little modification.

Unfortunately, there is no way for us to determine if the crown or tooth is savable over the phone. Your best bet is to schedule an emergency appointment at your earliest convenience. The longer your tooth stays exposed without a crown, the more likely it is to become damaged through daily use. If you would like to know more about lost crowns and how to protect your teeth, please give our office a call!

Dental Questions: Why do dentists use loupes?

At your last dental appointment, chances are your dentist or hygienist was wearing a set of eyewear with two microscope lenses mounted to the front. These specialized glasses are called loupes and serve a number of uses in the dental setting. Take a look at how loupes make dentistry safer and easier for both the patient and doctor!

The most obvious benefit of using loupes comes from their ability to magnify the small spaces within the mouth. Many times your dentist or hygienist is try to visualize unthinkably small objects and surfaces, often times smaller than the tip of a pencil. This becomes extremely difficult when you factor in saliva, patient movement and poor lighting. Loupes give the practitioner the best chance of visualizing and treating your teeth. In addition to their magnification abilities, many loupes are also equipped with spotlights that direct focused light at the area of interest. This allows the user to utilize a strength of illumination that would be impossible from overhead lighting. 

Beyond better imaging, loupes help the dentist/hygienist to improve their posture and reduce fatigue. Dentistry is a physically taxing profession that often requires providers to strain their backs and shoulders to complete treatments. Loupes provide relief by allowing the user to assume a more upright seating position and discourage "leaning in" to see more detail. More comfortable daily work leads to a longer career and less chronic back, shoulder and neck pains later in life. Many loupe manufacturers design the angles of their lenses to guarantee a nearly vertical seated position- ideal for prolonged daily work. 

Loupes have helped improve the patient experience in dentistry by providing more thorough care at a quicker pace. If you would like to know more about emerging technologies that are improving the dental field, please give our office a call!

Refreshing Drinks and Tooth Decay

As summer draws to an end, we are caught at an in-between time of refreshing iced teas and back-to-school coffees. No matter what the season, it's easy to get stuck in a habit of sipping on something sweet and flavorful. Unfortunately, this is the exact pattern that leads to increased risk of tooth decay and cavities. 

While many think of dental decay as a childhood disease, it can most certainly affect teenagers and adults. The problem almost always extends from dietary choices. Every time we eat or drink anything other than water, our mouths become acidic for a 30 minute period. During this time, enamel is softened and more susceptible to bacterial attack. If you sip on sugary drinks all day, your mouth practically lives in this weakened state. This is why soft drinks are particularly detrimental to oral health. Commonly known as "Mountain Dew Mouth" these sweet and acidic beverages leave a telltale pattern of decay and staining in patients' mouths. 

If you're interested in cutting back on the dental damage done by your drink choices, there are a number of things you can do. First and foremost, try to avoid any drinks that contain sugar (sucrose, fructose, glucose, etc.). Even it it's naturally sweetened or organic, sugared beverages are never a good idea. Furthermore, you can cut back on the contact between your teeth and the beverage using a straw. This also works great for keeping heavily pigmented drinks away from freshly whitened teeth. Finally, rinsing with water after finishing your other beverage can help clear away any residual sugars before they cause damage. 

As you can see, small alterations to your diet can have a serious impact on your dental health. By keeping sugary foods and drinks to a minimum, you can spare yourself from extra dental work. If you would like to know more about how to adjust your diet for optimum dental health, please give our office a call!

Dental Questions: Should I be using mouthwash?

With the wide variety of mouthwashes and rinses available today, choosing a product for yourself can be quite the challenge. Between Listerine, Biotene, ACT rinse and others, there is certainly a multitude of options. However, which product should you be using? Should you be using any mouth rinses? Read on to find out how to choose the best product for your oral health. 

Many patients will start using a mouthwash as a response to bad breath. In reality, the best a mouthwash can do is mask bad breath with its flavoring. Even the strongest tasting and most astringent rinses can only help as a temporary measure. Your best bet in preventing bad breath is upping your home hygiene. Specifically, flossing and tongue brushing can have a noticeable and lasting impact on the way your breath smells.

Listerine is the most widely recognized and used mouth rinse on the market. Many patients seek the burning sensation under the idea that "if it hurts- it's working." In reality, Listerine and other alcohol based mouthwashes are designed to target periodontal disease. These rinses rely on alcohol to eliminate bacteria in the gums and pockets around the teeth. Patients with healthy gum tissue will likely not see any marked benefit from using these products. On the contrary, alcohol rinses tend to be slightly acidic which can contribute to enamel demineralization and the tooth decay process. 

For those that are interested in using a mouthwash, almost everyone can benefit from ACT Fluoride Rinse. While it lacks the burn of alcohol based mouthwashes, ACT rinse contains a therapeutic concentration of fluoride. Since Fluoride works by being in contact with dental enamel, using it in a rinse to bathe your teeth is an excellent application. For the best use, rinse with ACT after brushing, spit, and do not rinse with water. Allowing the product to have maximum contact with the teeth is key to its cavity fighting powers!

For patients with chronically dry mouths (a condition called xerostomia), products such as Biotene are an excellent choice. One of the main ingredients in Biotene is xylitol, a natural sugar substitute. In this application, xylitol helps stimulate salivation and protects against cavity causing bacteria. Because our natural saliva is protective against tooth decay, patients with dry mouths are at an extremely high risk for developing new cavities. Overall, Biotene can have a significant impact on the comfort and dental health of those patients with xerostomia. 

It is important to remember that patients with excellent oral health may not need to use a mouthwash. For many, brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing is sufficient to maintain tooth and gum health. If you would like more advice on rinses or any other part of oral hygiene, feel free to give our office a call!