Thinking about getting porcelain veneers?? Choose carefully.....



A new smile with porcelain veneers done
by Dr Todd Snyder (top photo),
replacing the poor quality veneers
that were done by a different dentist (bottom photo).



Everyone wants to look good and have an amazing smile, but if you are thinking about altering your smile with porcelain veneers there are some things you need to know, and the process is not reversible. First is that a veneer is a custom made piece of art hand crafted as a one of kind piece of glass. Every dentist does them differently, and every office uses a different ceramist to fabricate the veneer. Custom craftsmanship has lots of variables. Take extra time to talk about a doctor's previous cases when interviewing an office. Ask to see plenty of photographs demonstrating the quality of the work, make sure it is their work and not just stock photographs of someone else's work. Find out about how the veneer process works in each dental office you interview as it is not the same in all offices. Ask about how the teeth and gums will be handled during the procedure as well as any temporary restorations while waiting for the final veneers to be completed. Veneers can be done in many ways and on one tooth or many teeth. Veneers when done well can look every bit as natural as the tooth next to it. More importantly veneers need to look believable and unperceivable as shown here by Dr Todd Snyder's work at Aesthetic Dental Designs®, in Laguna Niguel, California where he has replaced six existing veneers with new ones. In replacing the bulky white veneers shown in the bottom photo, notice how the lip position was able to be enhanced as well as creating healthier gum tissues, and a more symmetric smile. To replace existing work that has damaged tooth structure and gum tissue can be a lot more costly and challenging, so take the time to interview and ask many questions. At Aesthetic Dental Designs® we always offer complementary consultations.

Keep your wisdom……teeth!

Wisdom teeth often have to be removed due to not growing into the mouth properly, having decay or gum disease. Aesthetic Dental Designs and Todd Snyder, DDS want you to know about a recent study in the Journal of Biological Chemistry reveals that wisdom teeth actually hold valuable tissues inside them that are capable of creating therapeutic stem cells. “In the event that a person needs them, such stem cells could be used to regrow needed tissues and organs or to treat debilitating diseases.” Wisdom teeth are often removed in developed nations, so they are easy to utilize as a source of induced-pluripotent stem cells (iPS).

“In 2006, researchers first discovered that certain genes in adult cells could be reprogrammed to once again express themselves as fresh stem cells. These cells have great therapeutic potential because they can be instructed to develop into virtually any needed adult stem cells, which can be used to promote healing. But obtaining iPS is difficult because they must be extracted from viable sources, most of which are not easily accessible. Bone marrow contains the necessary cells, but extracting from it is a laborious process. And skin cells, which are the easiest to obtain, do not possess a very strong programming capability.”

“Researchers from Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science discovered that wisdom teeth contain considerably viable "starter" cells. And since most people in developed nations get their wisdom teeth removed anyway, the process of obtaining them is simpler than it is from practically any other source. They also found in some cases, the cells proliferated 100 times more efficiently than those derived from skin, and they were capable of forming a variety of different adult cell lines. Wisdom teeth can also be frozen for several years after being extracted, allowing their valuable pulp to be stored for potential future use. This breakthrough research advances the cause of non-controversial iPS treatments, which show incredible promise in helping the body to heal itself.”
Info provided by http://www.naturalnews.com/

What is your dentist possibly missing?

A new form of dental technology can make finding cavities easier than ever.  FDA clearance on the new SoproLIFE was just granted in January, 2010.  Does your dentist have one?

   

The new SoproLife imaging fluorescence device, is an extremely useful tool in detecting dental caries early and effectively. The SoproLife uses blue LEDs to emit light and excite dentine, sending a fluorescent light signal that helps detect early tooth decay often too small to be detected by traditional X-rays or explorers.
The device allows for more accurate identification and diagnosis, as well as a procedure that is less invasive and aggressive than traditional methods. With the ability to detect cavities early on, dentists can give their patients the treatment they need earlier to prevent further damage and improve their smile.

Dental caries, better known as dental cavities, often do not have any symptoms until the decay has eaten through the enamel, causing pain and sensitivity. Cavities caught too late can cause serious damage and, in some cases, can lead to tooth loss.  Identifying cavities early with SoproLife dental technology allows dentists to treat cavities before they become worse.

The SoproLife is changing the way cavities are diagnosed and treated.  Conventional methods of cavity detection include visual observation, probing with an explorer, and radiographs. These methods can miss early carious lesions and require a more aggressive excavation once the cavity has been identified.

Orange County cosmetic dentist Dr. Todd Snyder at Aesthetic Dental Designs now uses the SoproLIFE.
You can reach us at (949) 643-6733 or on the web at http://www.aestheticdentaldesigns.com/.