Friday, May 29, 2020

The Difference Between a General Dentist and a Cosmetic Dentist



A brilliant smile is the easiest way to improve your looks. It boosts your confidence and opens a window of opportunities. Therefore, your teeth require all the dental care within reach. General dentistry and cosmetic services are both on the market, offering special services to fill particular needs. It is easy to find an experienced dentist in Longmont for both cosmetic and general dentistry practices. 

However, it is hard to decide which expert is a more suitable solution for your dental trouble. It is crucial to understand the difference between each dentist's function while searching for the best attention. Therefore, in the following article, we review cosmetic and general dentistry roles to ease your decision.

Basic Initial Training and Education


Both general dentists and cosmetic professionals start by attaining a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or DMD (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry) degree. Therefore, these specialists are qualified to perform general procedures such as tooth repair and hygiene appointments. They can provide necessary dental care for issues that might arise under check-ups. 

However, aesthetics specialty requires additional training under cosmetic dentistry programs. Therefore, general dentists can pursue this specialty by continuing their education for a few years more to develop the skills necessary to improve the appearance of teeth.  

General Dentistry Services


A general dentist addresses dental issues related to oral hygiene and teeth-sourced discomfort. Their primary practice is preventive care, helping you to have a healthy mouth and the best oral hygiene routine. However, they are also ready to diagnose oral diseases and start personalized treatment plans. When needed, they can perform tooth extractions, root canals, and repair cavities. They can also deliver a few cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening. A general dentist at a dental clinic in Longmont is the source of your teeth’s maintenance and a healthy smile.

Specialized Cosmetic Dentistry


A cosmetic dentist focuses on delivering a beautiful smile to their pool of patients. Therefore, performing restorative or corrective dental surgery is a daily task for your cosmetic dentist in Longmont. These dental services include dental implants, inlays and onlays, teeth whitening, teeth alignment, dentures, tooth-coloured fillings, porcelain veneers, and more. These aesthetics-related procedures treat both minor imperfections and complete smile makeover scenarios. 

Therefore, both professionals offer particular services that guarantee your oral health and teeth's appearance. The general dentist is here to deliver you a strong and healthy set of teeth and gums. The cosmetic dentist’s goal is to assure a flawless smile. However, there can be scenarios where these specialists require teamwork. For instance, an advanced tooth-decaying situation will require tooth extraction performed by a general dentist to avoid further spreading. Later on, this patient will need a cosmetic professional to address the missing tooth to preserve the patient’s smile and confidence. From porcelain veneers to dental implants, it is up to the cosmetic dentist to solve this problem.

As for the cost-related scenario, you might think cosmetic dentists are quite more expensive. However, these specialists usually charge similar fees for their work. Procedure prices vary with each professional since materials used for the interventions they perform vary. However, some doctors add a small percentage because of their added training and broadened responsibilities in your search for a stunning smile.

A beautiful smile and optimal oral health derives from the interaction of both general and cosmetic dentists. It requires commitment from the patient to keep teeth free from tooth decay and any other dental issues. Regular check-ups with both professionals, a proper brushing technique, and a healthy lifestyle will guarantee your dream smile. 

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

False Teeth: What You Should Know


Dentures will be an incredible solution if you have lost one or several missing teeth. They help you regain a beautiful smile and boost your self-confidence. However, people know too little about dentures in Longmont. They only know that they act as a replacement for lost teeth. Having a complete understanding of false teeth will help you learn if this is a perfect solution for you.

Things You Should Know about Dentures Near You

Dentures or popularly known as false teeth, are being used as a tooth-replacement solution for more than a century. Up to this date, they are still one of the most viable and cost-effective dental options. Some advances in the field of dentistry have revolutionized the dentures that we know today, making them better looking and more comfortable. They can now withstand the pressure of the wearer’s chewing force. To learn more about dentures, your dental office in Longmont has enumerated some of the fascinating facts about false teeth.

Different Types of Dentures

Patients can choose from different types of dentures. The dentist in Longmont will recommend the right one depending on your needs and budget. Partial dentures will be the right choice if some of your original teeth are still intact. This type of denture comes with a clip that is attached to your healthy teeth. Sometimes, this may be visible when you are talking, but the dentist can use a material that mimics the colour of your natural teeth to make it look inconspicuous. Another option would be full dentures, which is ideal for patients who lost all their teeth, perhaps because of injury, periodontitis, or another medical condition. Removable dentures offer a more natural way for us to clean the false teeth since you can remove this appliance. They may last roughly five years before they will need to be replaced. Flexible dentures are an excellent alternative to conventional dentures. Dentists use durable yet flexible materials when making dentures.

Getting Used to Your New Dentures

It may take a while before you get used to your new dentures. At first, they will surely feel strange, and your cheeks, gums, tongue and facial muscles will need some time to adjust. It is also not uncommon that you will require follow-up appointments concerning your new dentures in Longmont to ensure the proper fit and make any necessary adjustments to prevent the development of sore spots and ulcers. Usually, it will take a couple of weeks before everything returns to normal.

How to Take Care of Them

The dentures near you, just like your natural teeth, can also develop stains and be a breeding ground of bacteria. They may lead to bad breath and can detrimentally affect the health of your remaining teeth. When cleaning them, you can use a toothbrush that has soft bristles. Use clear paste at least twice a day to ensure that all food particles are eliminated. You should also make it a habit to soak your dentures in denture cleanser at night. For those who do not have a dental cleaning solution, you can concoct your solution by mixing water and vinegar. Also, during your regular dental check-up, the dentist must use steam instruments to remove the stains and plaque.

The procedure when fitting the dentures will usually require multiple trips to the dental office in Longmont. The dentist will have to take impressions and measurements of your mouth to ensure that the dentures will be a perfect fit. There are times that the dentist will use a temporary denture while you are waiting for your permanent dentures, and if there are some adjustments that the dentist has to make.

Monday, March 30, 2020

Why Oral Cancer Screening is Important


Oral cancer screening in Longmont is extremely important as oral cancer is a type of cancer that is lesser-known and in the early stages, it can be very difficult to diagnose. During the very early stages, there is no pain or other symptoms present, which causes this type of cancer to only be caught after it has developed to a much more severe stage. 

Why Oral Cancer Screening is Needed

It’s very important that oral cancer screening at a dental clinic near you is included during your biannual dental checkups.

The best chance of early detection: Oral cancer starts as an abnormal tissue that has formed in your mouth, which dental professionals can detect much sooner than you will be able to. Once you have experienced symptoms, there’s a chance that the cancer has spread or has started to progress.

You may not be able to see the affected area: Oral cancer affects any area of the mouth, including your tongue, gums, the roof of the mouth, lips, cheeks, and the upper area of your throat. You most likely aren’t able to inspect all the parts of your mouth to check for any abnormalities.

Proper oral cancer screenings are both visual and tactile: A dentist in Longmont will start with a visual exam before starting the physical exam. The visual exam consists of your dentist looking for swelling, asymmetries, patches of color, bumps, and other abnormalities in your mouth. Next, they will feel the areas of your jaw, cheeks, and neck to look for anything unusual. Our dentists have the training and knowledge to identify anything that doesn't feel right.

Diagnostic tools are used to investigate anything abnormal: To detect oral cancer in an early stage, our dentists will use mouth rinses, specialized lights, and ultrasound-guiding imaging that will help provide a better understanding of anything abnormal. Your dentist may have you rinse your mouth with a special dye before your dental exam, and this dye will be absorbed by any abnormal cells, resulting in a different color. A screening light could also be used, which will cause any abnormal tissue to appear white while the healthy tissue appears dark.

Screening is fast and painless: An oral cancer screening is included at your biannual dental checkup.

Oral cancer screening near you is done as a precaution and if your dentist finds anything abnormal they may ask you to return for additional screenings. Your dentist may also refer you for additional testing to get to the bottom of a particular symptom.

Oral cancer signs:

  • Sores that bleed easily
  • Sores that refuse to heal
  • White or red patches
  • Pain, tenderness, or numbness in your lips or mouth
  • Trouble chewing, speaking, swallowing, or moving your jaw and tongue
  • Color of your oral tissue has changed
  • Your mouth has a rough spot, lump, or a small area that has eroded
  • A change in how your teeth fit together

Your dentist may recommend that you come back for a follow-up appointment to see if the abnormal area discovered is still present and to see if it has grown or changed.

If your dentist hasn’t performed an oral cancer screening at your biannual dental checkup, inquire. If you haven’t visited the dentist for a long time or are unsure if your dentist performed an oral cancer screening at your last appointment, contact your dentist in Longmont. An oral cancer screening is a brief and painless procedure, that should never be overlooked. It can save your life in just a matter of minutes.


Thursday, February 27, 2020

Benefits of Root Canal Therapy

The procedure for root canal therapy starts with desensitizing the area being treated. Once the area is fully sedated, the dentist in Longmont will create a small hole in your tooth, clean it, and then disinfect it. After disinfecting it the dentist will fill the drilled hole and seal it.

Benefits of Root Canal Therapy

Usually, when someone hears“root canal”they have an imagine of the procedure being very painful and scary, but it should be immediately treated as soon as possible. Tooth decay, pain in the tooth, fresh dental procedures, large fillings, and cracked or chipped teeth are some of the several reasons that can lead to the need for a root canal near you. Moreover, if you have an infection in the pulp of your tooth, your dentist will recommend a root canal procedure. If the infection is left untreated, it can also cause tooth decay. Following are some of the benefits of root canal therapy in Longmont:

Lessen Signs of Contamination:

Patients who have a diseased, decayed, inflamed or infected pulp, may notice symptoms. This include sensitivity to temperature, toothaches, difficulty opening their mouth, foul taste or smell in their mouth, and swelling around the teeth. A timely root canal therapy near you can reduce these signs of severe infections and provide you with a healthy smile.

Better Looking Smile:

Infections and tooth decay can affect your smile in such a way that you might lose your confidence to eat and smile in public. Cracking, chipping and discolouration can make things awkward for you, thus root canal therapy is an option in which the dental clinic in Longmont will restore your teeth preventing them from tooth loss by filling the pulp and covering it with a tooth-coloured crown for an improved smile.

Prevents Your Tooth from falling-off:

Root canal therapy also aims to save your teeth from tooth decay leading to tooth loss. If you are having severe pain in any of your teeth, do not worry and immediately visit Longmont Dental clinic, our professionals will help you to restore your damaged tooth and you will once again have a healthy mouth.

If a dentist in Longmont has determined that your tooth requires a root canal, the root canal therapy will take place at our dental office near you. The procedure starts by numbing the area around the affected tooth so that you don’t feel pain.

Once the area is fully numb, the dentist will drill a hole in your decayed tooth, clean it if it is filled with damaged and wasteful material, and then finally disinfect your tooth.

The professional approach of Longmont Dental will make sure that you receive a homely experience, high quality and pain-free root canal therapy near you.

Improves Your Jawbone:

Another advantage of the root canal therapy is that it preserves your tooth and prevents jawbone degeneration in your mouth. A missing tooth can cause a collapse in your jawbone if it neglected over time. One of the many jobs of a teeth is to provide stimulation, and so without them, your jaw bone no longer receives the stimulation it requires to stay strong.

Improves Oral Health:

Severe tooth decay and infection in a tooth or in your gums can lead to many other oral health issues affecting your well-being. A root canal makes sure to do its best to preserve your tooth and make it healthier once again. The dentist near you will clean the infected pulp in your tooth, fill it and fix a natural looking crown over it to ensure it is sealed and restored. Contact your dental clinic in Longmont to learn more!

Thursday, January 30, 2020

What Happens During a Teeth Cleaning?

Teeth cleanings are one of the most common and simple dental procedures there are. However, being simple doesn't mean that they are not important. Quite the contrary. The general recommendation is that everyone should have a teeth cleaning twice a year to prevent tooth decay. You may think you don't need one because you strictly follow your dentist's recommendations, brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily. However, there can still be some buildup of plaque and tartar that only a dentist or a dental hygienist can remove. So, if you haven't had a teeth cleaning in the last 6 months, don't think twice before scheduling an appointment at a dental clinic in Longmont. In this article, you will learn what to expect during this procedure.

What Happens During a Teeth Cleaning?

First look

The first thing your dentist or oral hygienist will do is examine your teeth. They will use a very small mirror that lets them see the parts of your teeth that can't be seen from the front. This is done to look for any problematic areas, such as areas with gingivitis and to identify the areas with the most tartar buildup. Doing this allows them to see if it is fine to go on with the procedure or if any other steps should be taken before.

X-rays

In some cases, dentists as part of a regular check-up, take X-rays of the patient's teeth and mouth. The purpose of these X-rays is to identify any problems that are not visible at plain sight, and that could cause some trouble in the future, like bone loss, impacted wisdom teeth, gum disease, etc.

Plaque and tartar

Once a dentist near you confirms that there are no other problems, they will start the actual teeth cleaning. During this process, they will use a small mirror as a guide, and a scaler. This instrument is used to remove the plaque and tartar between your teeth and around your gum line. Removing it is important because plaque and tartar are the cause of cavities and gum disease, so you should consider having a teeth cleaning near you as a preventive measure.

This part is the most uncomfortable for some people since you will hear scraping sounds caused by the scaler. Also, if you have gingivitis, your gums will probably bleed a bit. However, the level of discomfort you may experience will be very low.

Time to polish

After your dentist is done removing all the plaque and tartar, your teeth will be polished with an electric toothbrush and a gritty toothpaste that will remove any stains.

Floss like a pro

As part of your dental cleaning in Longmont, your dentist will floss your teeth to remove any remaining plaque. During this process, you will also get some tips regarding your flossing technique and what areas you should pay the most attention to.

Final step: fluoride

The last part of a dental cleaning is getting a fluoride treatment. Your dentist will insert a mouthpiece filled with fluoride into your mouth that will help prevent any cavities in the future.