Five Common Dental Procedures Explained

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Dental treatment is a medical procedure that may involve artificially modifying dentition. Many of us are overwhelmed by this terminology and don’t really understand what it means. Common dental procedures like fillings and repairs, braces, crowns and caps, root canals, and veneers will be explained one by one below for us to understand what these procedures are.

Filings and Repairs

Fillings are used to repair a hole in a tooth caused by decay and cavity. It can also be caused by tooth trauma that is caused by cracked or broken teeth, teeth that are worn out from unusual use such as nail biting, tooth grinding and using the teeth to open up things. Different materials can be used to repair teeth. The most common is composite fillings made from a tooth-colored resin which looks and feels like natural teeth. Another common type of filling is an amalgam which is made from a mixture of metals including mercury, silver, tin, copper and zinc.

Braces

Braces are devices used to straighten or moving the teeth to improve the appearance and how they work. They also used to correct the alignment of the teeth and bite-related problems, including underbite and overbite. They do straighten the teeth by exerting steady pressure on the teeth.

Braces can also be removable, so it can be taken out and be cleaned. They can be made of metal, ceramic or even plastic. There are also invisible braces which are made of clear plastic.

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Crowns and Caps

Crowns are dental restoration that protects damaged, broken or cracked teeth. Dental crowns, also known as caps, sit over the entire part of the tooth that lies above the gum line. They are made from porcelain, metal or combination of the two. They are used to cover cracked, severely damaged and stained or chipped teeth to hold dental bridges in place.

For the crown to be fit on the tooth, the old tooth will need to be drilled down so it is like a small peg the crown will be fixed onto.

Root Canals

Root canal treatment, also called endodontics tackles infection at the center of a tooth, or the root canal system. It treats diseases or absessed teeth. Once the tooth is injured, decayed or cracked, it is necessary to open the tooth and clean out the infected tissue in the center. This space is to be filled and the tooth is sealed with a filling or crown to stop it from becoming infected again. Root canal treatment requires two or three visits to your dentist.

Veneers

Veneers are strong, thin pieces of resin material or ceramic that are bonded to the teeth. They are used to repair, chipped, decayed or stained teeth. Veneers help in closing gaps between teeth.

To fit a veneer, the front of tooth is drilled away a little. An impression is taken and a thin layer or porcelain is fitted over the front of the tooth. Generally, veneers are only available on private, unless you can show a clinical need for them.



Your thoughts?

4 Cool facts you didn’t know about Dental Implants

Dental procedures are nightmares for some but today we will take revenge.  We will make some fun with dental procedures, especially dental implants!

Before we start, let’s define first dental implant.

Dental implant is a surgical component that interfaces with the bone of the jaw or skull to support a dental prosthesis such as a crown, bridge, or to act as an orthodontic anchor. Some kind of technical stuff right? Let’s make things simple. Dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is placed into the jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Are we on the same page now? Good! Dental procedures are performed by licensed dental professionals like those dentists at Estetico Manila here in Makati City.

Dental implant is a good option or let’s say the ideal solution for people who have lost a tooth, may it be due to periodontal disease, injury or other reasons. Its function just like the natural tooth, there is no difficulty with eating or cleaning the teeth. So it feels like you have found a perfect replacement for your lost tooth. 

Now, it’s time to have some fun! I bet you didn’t know these things about dental implants!

1. The material used in dental implants are the same materials which rockets are made of TITANIUM

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No wonder why dental implants are really strong. They are manufactured from Titanium. It is a metal that is known compatible with body tissues and able to bond with adjacent bone during healing.  

Remember this line?

"You shoot me down but I won’t fall I am a titanium"

That is the theme song of dental implants, I guess.

2. Implants have legacy – it is older than you!

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Implants have been traced back as early as 600 AD, to Mayan civilization wherein they used tooth-like shells as implants. Archeologists recovered ancient skulls in which teeth were replaced by materials ranging from carved stones (jade to fragments) like what was mentioned earlier, seashells. 

What makes this interesting is that despite the ancient method and materials, some of these actually fused to the jawbone.  How did they do that? Cool!

3. Cavity Resistant

Dental implants don’t decay like natural teeth. These are cavity resistant because these are from artificial and it cannot grow cavities. It cannot grow cavities. But this does not mean we are free to not to do brushing! 

We still need to have regular gum care and cleaning around the implants for them to last longer.  Remember how the procedure costs you, do you want to pay again in the next year? I bet you don’t! So keep them clean!

4. Prevent Jaw bone loss

Implants preserve and stimulate the growth of jaw bone, unlike ill-fitting dentures.  This is due to the fact that dental implants are fused to the bone. With these, they are stabilizing it and prevent further bone loss. 

Resorption is a normal and inevitable process wherein the bone is lost. Only dental implants can stop this process and preserve the bone.

Did you have some fun? Why not share this with your friends and have a good time together?

10 Craziest things that you might not know about your teeth!

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It was the night before my regular Makati dentist visit and I was so excited that I browsed the internet for some facts or any interesting things regarding our cute little teeth. In my amazement I saw couple of websites that states the craziest things I didn’t knew before about our white buddy. I compiled the craziest things I found and I want to share them to you!

1. The hardest part of our body is neither our bones nor our skull. What it is then? It is the tooth enamel! Tooth enamel is the hard outer surface layer of our teeth. It serves as a protection against tooth decay. Though it is the strongest, dentist doesn’t recommend it for bottle openings!

2. In 1994, an inmate in West Virginia braided dental floss to from a rope. He used it to scale the wall and escaped. Dental floss is for teeth cleaning and not for prison escaping! Though he is wise to use floss.

3. Gary’s mouth, Oh sorry I refer to the snail pet of SpongeBob, is no larger than a pin’s head! Though it is small it has over 25,000 teeth. Now I understand why SpongeBob was afraid of Gary every time the latter gets angry (he has 25,000 teeth to bite you!)

4. In Medieval Germany, kissing a donkey was the only way to cure toothache! Really crazy isn’t it? You need to kiss Blue Blink to get rid of the hard feeling of toothache.

5. Like your thumb print, everyone has a unique set of teeth. Yours are so unique.

6. On the average, an individual spends about 50 seconds of tooth brushing a day but dental professionals recommend at least of 2 to 3 minutes of brushing. I guess I belong to that 50-sec Club! Need to brush at least two minutes a day!

7. I always put a cap on my toothbrush, but according to studies, this practice is actually more detrimental-bacteria favor. The moist environment makes the reproduction of bacteria much faster. Be sure to clean your toothbrush cap at all times.

8. In early American times, the blacksmiths served as the dentist. Can you imagine them hammering your dental implants? No way!

9. Ladies do smile more than gents. In a study conducted in the US, the average woman smiles at around 62 times a day. While a man does it only for 8 times! Hmmm…can I say that women brush teeth more often than men? Haha, honestly I think so! There are lot of benefits when you smile anyway.

10. Approximately 5 million of missing teeth were reported per year regarding sports-related injuries. Is this the very reason why sports professional are always on “game face”?? They can’t smile because of a loss tooth? I hope not. So be sure to have mouth guard every plays!

Definitely there are still a lot of craziest things about our teeth in the internet. But for me, these are the mind blowing facts that really knocked me down on my sit. I hope you like it. Anyways have a good day, I need to visit my Estetico Manila Whitening Dentist in Makati and throw these facts on him! Smile!

I also want to share this: 10 Funny Facts about our Teeth.

Teeth Whitening Facts: Foods that Stains Your Teeth and a Simple Solution

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Many of us want to achieve a celebrity’s sparkling whiter teeth. I am really one of them and because of my desire to have whiter mouth gems; I undergo teeth whitening in Makati.

Minutes passed by and the process is a success. I’m really happy about the results. I thought that the treatment is already done, and to my surprise, my dentist in Makati requested me to stay for couple of minutes as he has something to teach me about teeth whitening.

The mini lecture kicks and my dentist start elaborating foods that stains teeth which may lead to discoloring. Below I list the foods that may stain our little gems.

Tea

Tea is a healthy drink but may not be the best choice for keeping your teeth white. He said that brew can cause more stains than coffee. Herbal and white teas can wear away the outer covering of the teeth called enamel and cause stains too.

Sauces

They may be tasty but deeply colored sauces also cause stains. Switch to light colored or creamy sauces and brush and rinse after eating

Sports Drinks

Acidic foods and drinks can also affect the teeth. Sports or energy drink can erode enamel, setting the stage for stains. Drinking water during workouts or activities is a better choice.

Wine

If a food and drink can stain a tablecloth, it can stain teeth too. It’s no surprise that red wine will discolor teeth. But white wine, which has even more acid, also can.

Berries

Blueberries, blackberries, cherries and other vibrant fruits can stain teeth as well as can juices and pies made from them. These have acid that can hurt your enamel, so brush and floss after eating them.

Carbonated Drinks

These drinks can lead to serious stains. Plus, the chemicals that add flavor can also eat way your enamel.

Candy and Sweets

If you notice, your favorite sweet makes your tongue change colors; it can also stain your teeth. The good news is that unless you eat those goodies often, they probably won’t do much harm.

Upon hearing these things, I am really overwhelmed and I asked my dentist if I should I avoid taking in all of these? Fortunately he said not really. Here are the tips he said to lessen the effect of stain when eating these foods.

Lessen Stains: Cut Back

We do not want to cut all teeth-staining food and drinks. Many of them are rich in anti-oxidants, so keep eating them, but ease up a bit for other sources like cauliflower, apples, grape and melon.

Use a Straw

Sip stain-causing drinks like sodas, juices and teas through a straw. This should keep the liquid away from your teeth.

Swallow Swiftly

Don’t let stain-causing foods and drinks linger in your mouth. Swallow them. When it comes to food, chew it well and don’t gulp to make sure you don’t choke.

Rinse, Brush, After Eating

Swish your mouth with water right after you eat or drink something that can stain. Wait an hour before you brush after eating something with acid because any sooner could hurt the enamel on your teeth. If you can get to your toothbrush, chew a piece of sugarless gum as soon as you’ve eaten

Dentist said that I simply wash my mouth after eating or drinking these foods if I can’t resist eating them. He also said that teeth whitening don’t stop at the clinic. It is a continuous process, watching our food and liquid intake as well as maintaining good dental hygiene.

Liked this post? Feel free to browse: Who is really qualified to do teeth whitening?

What does your Teeth Whitening Toothpaste should have?

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Everybody loves to smile, to laugh out loud, and to throw those huge HAHAHA. These activities definitely release us from negative thoughts, ideas, stress and problems. That’s why we love doing them.  But there are some who are insecure to do this simply because of not so white teeth they have. I can say that anyone who didn’t smile nor laugh missed a half of life’s true happiness. So for those people who are insecure about their not so white teeth, I have for you a series of posts that definitely help you achieve whiter teeth in no time. Are you ready? Let’s get started!

First let’s take a look on our TOOTHPASTE! What does our whitening toothpaste should have? Here I list some that you should look for, next time buying your paste.

Dental Association Approval

This is very important. This seal will definitely tell you that this toothpaste is safe to use. It is manufactured on best practice and no harmful side effect.  Approved toothpaste uses abrasive particles to polish teeth. It also has chemicals that bind to stains and remove them. This is the first thing to look in your toothpaste. Don’t ignore it.

Sodium Monofluorophosphate

Or simply FLOURIDE, it is already proven to help fight cavities and tooth decay as well as lessen tooth sensitivity (for those who have). Whitening toothpaste contains fluoride as an immediate following treatment to prevent or reduce temporary tooth sensitivity that others experience as a side-effect to teeth whitening process.

Yes, you may say that fluoride doesn’t whiten teeth but I say no one wants whiter teeth that has cavity and tooth decay. Everybody wants this as a package deal – meaning white teeth, no cavities and tooth decays. So you better watch for fluoride too.

Peroxide

It is an active ingredient that found in most teeth whitening products. What it does is to break down, allowing oxygen to flow into the enamel of the tooth, bleaching them. This will not damage the enamel of your teeth or any part of it when used properly and in safe concentrations.

Products contain different levels of peroxide. Those with higher concentrations may produce faster, more whitening of teeth; however they also increase the risk of you having teeth sensitivity. The vice versa happens to those with lower concentrations.

Blue Covarine

What this blue thing does is to bind your teeth and create an optical illusion that makes your teeth appear whiter. Though this is just an illusion it still helps your teeth to appear white most of the time. Why hesitate to try?

Now you have at least some ideas what to look for in your whitening toothpaste next time you buy. A person who has white teeth surely boosts self-confidence and positivity. I hope this helps. Also you may ask your teeth whitening dentist about dental products that has these ingredients. What’s best to use and what’s not.

Until next time folks! Keep smiling and show your sparkling whiter teeth!