Beautify Your Smile With Gum Contouring: Q&A

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Do you like the way your smile looks for the most part but you wish less of your gum tissue showed while you smiled? Perhaps your teeth look to be the same length but by taking a look at your entire smile, they just don’t seem balanced. Or, maybe your teeth look quite short, so your smile does not seem to complement your facial features. Whatever the problem, gum contouring may address your esthetic concerns, so you can achieve a stunning smile you feel happy to show off to those around you. Wondering what to expect from contouring? Learn more with the following Q&A session:

Gum Contouring: Q&A

Question: Are my teeth just too short?

Answer: In some cases, your teeth look “squatty” or too small for your face because of excessive gum tissue. By removing some of the tissue, we will reveal a greater amount of each tooth. Though your teeth remain the same size, they will simply appear longer for a smile that harmonizes more beautifully with your appearance.

Question: Are my teeth uneven?

Answer: For teeth that are even across your tooth line but that look unbalanced, you may suffer from an uneven gumline. Rather than removing a uniform amount of gum tissue over each tooth, we will remove strategic portions to sculpt a gumline that reveals an even amount of each tooth. The result will include improved consistency and symmetry.

Question: What is gum contouring, exactly?

Answer: Contouring is a surgical procedure. After speaking with you about your concerns and evaluating your smile, we will create a customized plan to remove small amounts of gum tissue. We will thoroughly numb your gum tissue and then carefully create incisions to re-sculpt your gumline. You will need to follow specific instructions for recovery, such as eating soft foods and treating your gumline delicately. The finished result will include a beautiful, improved smile.

ABOUT YOUR RIVERSIDE DENTISTS:

With offices throughout Riverside Country, including Corona, Temecula, and Moreno Valley, Riverside Dental Group is happy to provide advanced general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry services to patients of all ages. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call our office today at (951) 689-5031.

Quiz: How Do I Brighten My Teeth?

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How do you feel about your smile? Do you feel self-conscious due to unsightly teeth stains? Over time, bacteria, smoking, certain foods and drinks, and other factors can lead to embarrassing discoloration. In order to combat your teeth stains, you may need treatment. How do you brighten your teeth? With professional teeth whitening and good oral care habits, you can enjoy am improved smile.

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What’s Your Tooth Loss Pattern? Find Your Prosthetic

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Choosing dental prosthetics for tooth loss can cause patients to feel overwhelmed. We offer a variety of prosthetics, each with a different set of benefits. Beyond that, only certain teeth replacement solutions work for certain patterns of tooth loss. Rather than attempting to wade through the details, while connecting the dots all on your own, we have organized prosthetics according to particular tooth loss configurations. By identifying the pattern that matches your smile, you can quickly consider your options, which will guide you toward achieving the complete smile you desire. Learn more:

If You Are Missing…

One Tooth Or Multiple Teeth Side-By-Side

Missing one tooth? Missing two or three teeth in a row? If so, you may wish to consider a dental bridge. This prosthetic is composed of a series of lifelike artificial teeth. A dental crown on either end will rest permanently over the anchor teeth sitting on either side of your smile opening. Replacing your missing teeth are pontics attached between the crowns to “bridge the gap” in your smile.

One Tooth or Several Teeth, Not Necessarily Side-By-Side

If your tooth loss pattern includes one or multiple teeth in nearly any pattern (neighboring or spread apart), partial dentures offer a versatile solution. They include a minimal amount of high-grade pink acrylic to represent palate and gum tissue, metal clasps that fit over your teeth for stability, and beautiful white replacement teeth. The partial is removable and includes openings for your natural teeth, resulting in a complete smile.

All Of Your Teeth

Patients suffering from complete tooth loss will find a wonderful solution with complete dentures. A denture is a removable, single device composed of pink “gums” and white replacement teeth. They are lightweight and attractive, worn over your top or bottom dental ridge. Dentures rely on the natural suction of your gums and achieve additional support with adhesives. You can quickly restore a full arch of teeth with a denture.

Any Configuration Of Missing Teeth

You may replace one tooth, teeth side by side, teeth scattered across an arch, or all of your teeth with dental implants. They replace your roots and are topped with a dental crown. They may also support partial or complete dentures, offering additional support.

ABOUT YOUR CORONA DENTIST:

With offices throughout Riverside Country, including Corona, Temecula, and Moreno Valley, Riverside Dental Group is happy to provide advanced general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry services to patients of all ages. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call our office today at (951) 689-5031.

A Brand New Smile with Porcelain Veneers

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There may be ways in which you wish you could improve your smile, but you aren’t exactly sure how. Or, you may have so many cosmetic concerns that you believe the smile you want is just out of reach. For many patients who once shared similar concerns, porcelain veneers have been able to provide the smiles they want with a surprisingly minimal amount of preparation. If you want a brand new smile, then porcelain veneers may also be the answer you are looking for.

What Needs Renewing?

Although dental health issues like tooth decay and gum disease affect the majority of people, such conditions can usually be prevented with excellent dental hygiene. With cosmetic dental issues, however, that may not always be the case. Despite the care you put into your smile, things like teeth stains, chips, cracks, and more can still have a drastic influence on its appearance. Common concerns that porcelain veneers can help with often include;

  • Stains that are too intense for teeth-whitening treatment
  • Slightly cracked teeth (unless a dental crown is required, or the tooth’s interior is exposed)
  • Too much space between teeth
  • Unequally-sized teeth
  • And more

How Porcelain Veneers Can Help

A dental veneer is a small, wafer-thin shell of porcelain shaped like the front surface of your tooth. Though thin enough to fit onto the front of your teeth with minimal preparation, veneers are still durable enough to withstand your bite. They are also impressively lifelike, as the porcelain is semi-translucent and reflects light just the like enamel around your teeth. After carefully sculpting the enamel from the front of your teeth, we will take careful measurements that a skilled technician will use to craft your veneers. Once they are in place, you can care for your new smile by brushing and flossing at least twice a day, preferably with a non-abrasive toothpaste. You should also attend a dental appointment as often as recommended for routine care and maintenance.

ABOUT YOUR RIVERSIDE DENTISTS:

With offices throughout Riverside Country, including Corona, Temecula, and Moreno Valley, Riverside Dental Group is happy to provide advanced general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry services to patients of all ages. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call our office today at (951) 689-5031.

Quiz: How Do I Prevent Cavities?

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Tooth decay affects nearly all of us at some point in our lives. In fact, only around 2% of the population is immune to dental caries. For the rest of us, regular dental care is necessary to protect our teeth from decay. Wondering what you can do to prevent cavities? Fortunately, avoiding tooth decay is as easy as caring for your teeth.

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Contour Your Way to A Beautiful Smile: Q&A

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Do you ever wish you could somehow soften your super-pointed teeth that look something like vampire fangs? Have you grown tired of the asymmetrical appearance of your smile but assume you will just need to accept that your teeth are different lengths? One of the best things about cosmetic dentistry is that our treatments address nearly anything you can think of to improve about your smile. If gently buffing away a bit of tooth tissue will help you feel wonderful about the way your teeth look, we invite you to speak with us about how tooth contouring can benefit your smile. In the meantime, learn more with the following questions and answers:

Tooth Contouring Q&A

Question: What is contouring?

Answer: It is the gentle removal of a minimal portion of your enamel (the outermost layer of your tooth). We will use a polishing instrument to gently buff away areas of enamel that cause you to feel unhappy with the appearance of your tooth or smile.

Question: How does it work?

Answer: You will not need any anesthetic because it is quick and comfortable. We will speak with you about the areas you dislike. We will then gently reshape your teeth by reducing tissue by a minuscule amount. Treatment usually only requires one visit.

Question: What types of problems can I improve with contouring?

Answer: Tooth contouring reduces tissue, rather than building it back up like dental bonding. You can expect to achieve improved symmetry and uniformity. Contouring allows us to shorten a too-long tooth, to soften points, to smooth jagged borders, improve texture, and sometimes to create a slightly more aligned looking smile.

Question: How can you improve alignment?

Answer: If you have teeth that gently overlap one another, contouring may help. However, for severe overlapping, you may require braces. We may use tooth contouring to gently remove some tissue from the tooth that sits in front of the other – this may allow your teeth to look like they are resting next to one another, rather than like one is on top of the other.

ABOUT YOUR RIVERSIDE DENTISTS:

With offices throughout Riverside Country, including Corona, Temecula, and Moreno Valley, Riverside Dental Group is happy to provide advanced general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry services to patients of all ages. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call our office today at (951) 689-5031.

 

Your Questions About Root Canal Treatment

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It’s fair to say that patients are typically never excited to find out they have an infected tooth. In addition to dealing with the discomfort that accompanies an infection, you will find that the suggestion to clear infection usually includes a root canal. While you may not feel positive about the diagnosis initially, we hope you will come around as you learn more about the benefits of root canal treatment. We know you probably have a lot of questions, which is why we have gathered the following answers to inquiries we hear quite often. Keep in mind, your comfort is our greatest priority, so you can expect a gentle, empathetic approach.

Root Canal Treatment Questions

Question: Should I be nervous?

Answer: No. Root canal treatment is designed to end your discomfort by removing the source of your pain: The infection. Before your treatment begins, we will thoroughly numb the affected tooth and the tissues surrounding it so you feel relaxed during the procedure.

Question: What if I am extremely nervous?

Answer: Whether you feel jittery or simply don’t think you can go through with the procedure, we can address your anxiety and want you to know your feelings are completely normal. We offer sedation dentistry solutions if you need something to guide you into deep relaxation and tranquility. Please speak with us about your options, so we can treat your tooth as soon as possible.

Question: What will happen to my tooth afterwards?

Answer: Your infection will clear and you will regain comfort. Though we will remove infected dental pulp, your tooth will be able to continue living and remaining healthy without it. We will most likely place a beautiful, color-matched dental crown on top of your tooth, so you can enjoy a smile that continues to function comfortably, while looking beautiful.

ABOUT YOUR RIVERSIDE DENTISTS:

With offices throughout Riverside Country, including Corona, Temecula, and Moreno https://www.riversidedentalgroup.com/bonding-contouring Valley, Riverside Dental Group is happy to provide advanced general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry services to patients of all ages. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call our office today at (951) 689-5031.

Shape and Camouflage Teeth With Dental Bonding

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Take a look at your smile in the mirror and ask yourself what has been bothering you about its appearance. If your main concern includes areas that seem like they require additional tooth tissue – such as a tooth with a minor chip – we may suggest dental bonding to shape and camouflage your esthetic concerns. Not sure what to expect from dental bonding or if it’s the right cosmetic treatment for you? Learn more with the following information and schedule an appointment if you think it may help you achieve your smile goals:

Why You May Need Bonding

Dental bonding builds up areas where the addition of tooth tissue may improve the appearance of your tooth and smile. For instance, if you have a chipped tooth, repairing that chip with additional tissue will make your tooth look whole and beautifully shaped again. By applying a material to cover problems or to create the illusion of improved or added structure, you may accomplish the following:

  • A camouflaged crack or improved chip
  • Filled spaces between teeth, so neighboring teeth look like they touch one another without the use of orthodontics
  • The appearance of a longer tooth or teeth if one or several of your teeth appear shorter than the rest – this improves the symmetrical value of your smile
  • Coverage of severe stains

How Dental Bonding Works

We begin by speaking with you about your concerns with your smile. We will then target the esthetically damaged areas by applying composite – a synthetic acrylic-resin material. Rest assured, we will color-match the resin to your surrounding tooth for a seamless, beautiful finish. After applying layers of resin, we will either camouflage the targeted area or mold the material into the desired shaped. With the use of a special curing light, we will dry and harden the material. After a tooth polishing to create final adjustments and a beautiful luster, the bonding will be complete.

ABOUT YOUR RIVERSIDE DENTISTS:

With offices throughout Riverside Country, including Corona, Temecula, and Moreno Valley, Riverside Dental Group is happy to provide advanced general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry services to patients of all ages. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call our office today at (951) 689-5031.

 

 

 

Porcelain Veneers: A Quiz

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If you have asked us about potential solutions for dramatically improving your smile, the surprising advantages of porcelain veneers may have caught your attention. We often suggest this cosmetic treatment to offer patients a smile makeover. Veneers are particularly helpful in cases that require us to address an extensive variety of esthetic concerns. Fortunately, veneers are tiny powerhouses, offering a long list of improvements without requiring much extra work. Within as few as two visits, we may prep your teeth, plan, and place your veneers for the beautiful, stunning smile you desire. Wondering how much you know about them? Test your knowledge with the following quiz:

Porcelain Veneers: True or False Quiz

  1. True or False: Veneers cover your entire tooth just like dental crowns.
  2. True or False: Veneers only improve whiteness and tooth shape.
  3. True or False: We will place your veneers by bonding them to your teeth.
  4. True or False: Veneers are very fragile so you will have to be extremely careful with them.

Answer Key

  1. False. Unlike crowns, veneers are super-thin casings that we place over the visible portion of your teeth only. They create a façade without resulting in total coverage.
  2. False. Porcelain veneers offer many benefits, including improved tooth shape, improved tooth size and length, coverage of cosmetic damage like cracks, chips, textural damage, and stains, they result in a whiter smile, and they even fill spaces between your teeth.
  3. True. During your second appointment, we will first temporarily apply the veneers to ensure a wonderful fit. After making any necessary adjustments, we will permanently bond them for long-term wear.
  4. False. Porcelain veneers are anything but fragile. Second to your natural teeth, which are known for their incredible strength, veneers are prized for their durability. You will not need to change your daily hygiene habits, either, as long as you brush twice a day with non-abrasive products and floss once daily.

ABOUT YOUR RIVERSIDE DENTISTS:

With offices throughout Riverside Country, including Corona, Temecula, and Moreno Valley, Riverside Dental Group is happy to provide advanced general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry services to patients of all ages. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call our office today at (951) 689-5031.