Despite the strength of our teeth, our smiles aren’t immune to damage. Everything from trauma to advanced tooth decay can compromise our tooth structure. In many cases, you may require a dental crown to return your tooth to full function and health. With ceramic crowns, we can place a metal-free restoration that looks completely natural.
What Is Gum Grafting?
Are your gums bleeding, red, or swollen? Do they feel tender to the touch? Are they receding? Periodontal, or gum, disease is on the rise. This may be due to the aging population, or perhaps, in today’s economy people are taking shortcuts regarding their dental care. Whatever the reason, periodontal disease has been linked to chronic diseases such as diabetes. It’s been indicated that our dental health affects the health of our whole body, so dental care should not be ignored. If you have red, bleeding, or sore gums you may be suffering from periodontal disease. Contact your Cerritos, CA oral surgeon, Dr. Shawn Hofkes, to discuss whether gum grafting is right for you.
Quiz: How Do Porcelain Veneers Rejuvenate Smiles?
At Cerritos Dental Surgery, we understand the importance of obtaining a beautiful smile. We want our patients to enjoy the improved confidence and qualify of life that accompanies improved dental health. To help address cosmetic smile issues, we offer innovative porcelain veneers. With porcelain veneers, you can experience complete smile rejuvenation with a single procedure.
FAQs: Do I Need Cosmetic Dentistry?
How do you feel about your smile? Do you look in the mirror and wish you could flash a smile that belongs on the red carpet? Many esthetic issues can plague a person’s smile, including teeth stains, misalignment, and damage from chips or decay. Fortunately, cosmetic dentistry can make completely transforming the appearance of your smile possible.
How Are Your Gums These Days?
With all the attention you pay to your teeth, you might expect to notice if something is wrong with your dental health. If your teeth don’t hurt, and they still retain their pearly-white, blemish-free appearance, then you could assume they were in excellent health. Unfortunately, that assumption may be wrong, especially if you miss the signs of gum disease. As the seal that protects your teeth roots from irritants and infections, your gums are vital to maintaining a healthy smile, and when they’re diseased, your teeth might not give you ample warning. (more…)
What Are The Steps For Dental Implants?
You are not happy with the way your teeth and your smile look. You may have a missing tooth or may have lost several teeth in an accident or from periodontal disease. What you know is that you do not look your absolute best. So, you begin to look for alternatives. One of those alternatives is dental implants. Your interest has been piqued and you are now interested in learning about the various stages of the dental implant stages. (more…)
An Overview Of Dental Implants
It may seem that everywhere you go lately, you hear about dental implants. Friends and family likely had successful dental implant surgery. You may have even heard them mentioned the last time you had your dental procedure with Dr. Shawn Hofkes. You, however, may want a general overview of the procedure, and find out if it is a good fit for you. The questions and answers below should be helpful.
Q: What Is A Dental Implant?
A: Dental implants are prosthetic replacements for missing teeth. Specifically, there are three parts of an implant. The first part is the device implanted directly into the jawbone called the “implant post.” Second, the “abutment” is what connects the implant post to the artificial teeth. The third component is the crown or dental bridge, which is what you actually see above the gum line. (more…)
Why Some Teeth Must Be Extracted
It is the goal of a good dentist, such as Dr. Shawn Hofkes of Cerritos Dental Surgery, to try and save each and every tooth. Although adult permanent teeth were designed to last a lifetime, sometimes, saving a tooth is not possible or even desirable, and it may need to be extracted.
The Need for Tooth Extraction
There are a variety of reasons why a tooth may need to be removed:
- Your mouth may be too crowded. If you are about to begin an orthodontic procedure, it may be necessary to remove a tooth or teeth to properly align your teeth.
- Your tooth may be infected. Often, the pulp of a tooth has been damaged, where the nerves and the blood vessels are housed. If this is the case, and antibiotics have failed or the damage has progressed too far, then the only option may be extraction.
Keeping Your New Smile Bright
You have just made a very good decision and decided to have your teeth whitened. You love your new look, and your smile has not been this dazzling in years. Wherever you go, people are commenting not only on your smile, but also that you seem to look younger and more vibrant.
So how do you maintain your teeth’s sparkling new appearance?
Avoid staining beverages, if possible
One of the main causes of teeth yellowing is coffee, tea, cola soft drinks, and red wine. Changing your drinking habits to include more water and fewer harmful beverages will go a long way towards maintaining your bright smile.
If you do not want to forgo your latte, or chia tea, or glass of red wine, consider using a straw. This will help considerably minimize your teeth’s exposure to the stain-inducing beverages.
Also, follow your staining beverage with a glass of water, which will immediately reduce the staining impact. (more…)
How and Why to Look for Oral Cancer
In the public eye, cancer is most commonly associated with the breasts, lungs, skin, prostate, and other body organs. However, oral cancer is one of the most prevalent and dangerous, affecting approximately 40,000 new patients in the United Sates every year and claiming the lives of over 8,000 in the same time period. An oral cancer examination is a routine part of your regular dental exam and cleaning. If you neglect a visit, then oral cancer can go on unnoticed and become more difficult to treat by the time it’s detected. Dedicated Cerritos oral surgeon, Dr. Shawn Hofkes, encourages everyone to periodically perform oral cancer self-examinations to reduce the risk of late detection. (more…)
