SmileCentre Blog

Porcelain veneers are placed over the front of cosmetically unappealing teeth. This may include teeth that are chipped or cracked, crooked or misshaped, gapped or unevenly spaced, or even severely stained underneath the enamel. Shaped, sized, and shaded to look and feel like natural teeth, dental veneers offer an effective option for addressing even the most pronounced cosmetic imperfections.

Why Consider Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain is an extremely durable substance. It is also translucent, moldable, and entirely safe. What’s more, porcelain reflects light in the same manner as tooth enamel, allowing veneers to…

May is National Dental Care Month, a time to rethink your at-home routine and re-commit to professional dental care. If it has been longer than six months since your last dental visit, get in touch today to schedule an appointment and let us help you maintain peak oral health and beauty.

Daily Care

Daily care is the foundation of a strong, healthy, and attractive smile. Be sure to:

• Brush. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste to brush after every meal
• Floss. Floss in between every tooth, from root to crown, at least once daily

Flossing is best done…

Missing teeth may seem like an aesthetic problem alone. Indeed, depending on their location, missing teeth can have a negative impact on the overall appearance of the smile. This is, however, not the most pressing concern when one or more teeth are missing.

Even a single missing tooth can allow adjacent teeth to shift out of position or slide out of place. Missing teeth can change the strength and tension of the bite, hasten additional tooth loss, increase risks for tooth decay, gum disease, and infection, alter speech, and impact eating abilities. Over time, missing teeth can also allow for structural changes to the jaw, resulting in modifications to the shape, size, and density of the jawbone and permanently altering the structure of the face.

Fortunately, by replacing missing teeth, all of these issues can be avoided.

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Orthodontics is used to correct malocclusion, the medical term for bite irregularities. When necessary, orthodontic services such as braces and Invisalign® work to align the bite, helping to prevent facial malformation, bite dysfunction, and other issues that can follow an uneven, crowded, or otherwise imperfect smile. In some cases, orthodontic treatment is the only option to restore comfort and alignment.

Affixed braces, including traditional wire-and-bracket braces, lingual braces, and ceramic braces, can become damaged by certain foods. As such, affixed orthodontics will come with dietary…

It is estimated that 50 to 70 million adults in the United States suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, the most common form of this sleeping disorder. Marked by periods of breath cessation and often accompanied by loud snoring, obstructive sleep apnea comes with several symptoms, including:

• Waking at night to chokes or gasps
• Frequent morning headaches
• Persistent dry mouth
• Excessive daytime fatigue

Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea may also include mood swings, cognitive difficulties, and an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome – a cluster of medical conditions that heighten risks for…

If you are looking for a great New Year’s Resolution, consider a commitment to optimizing your oral health routine. Maybe you brush twice a day. Maybe you floss. Maybe you visit our office for routine cleanings, but there is always room for improvement. Here are some easy ways to begin improving your oral health that can have a profound impact on the look, feel, and strength of your smile.

Brush More Frequently

Brushing twice a day is acceptable, but not optimal. Consider instead brushing your teeth after every meal and snack. It is typically a good idea to allow 30 minutes to pass between consuming food or drink and brushing your teeth. This gives enamel that may have been softened time to harden back up before the teeth are brushed.…

Dental implants are the most reliable and longest-lasting option for replacing missing teeth. In fact, with proper care, dental implants can last for a lifetime, providing full restoration of bite strength and tension while preventing structural changes to the jaw.

Once inserted into the jaw, dental implants undergo a process called osseointegration during which they are accepted as new tooth roots. This unique method of securing dental implants allows for some of their most impressive benefits, four of the biggest being:

• Preservation of Facial Shape. Because they replace missing tooth roots,…

Bruxism, more commonly known as jaw clenching or teeth grinding, is a fairly common condition. Particularly when under stress, clenching the jaw or grinding the teeth is a natural reaction for many people and, by and large, it’s not terribly concerning. However, when the issue becomes persistent or begins to occur while you are sleeping, it is important to discuss your options with one of our experienced and caring dentists.

Problems Associated with Bruxism

While occasional teeth clenching is often of little concern, when the behavior becomes common, serious oral health issues can follow. Bruxism can result in tooth fracture, chips, and cracks, all of which can…

Who’s the Switch Witch? She’s a good witch who visits your home on Halloween night to swap all your children’s candy treats with a toy, book, or similar gift. Why consider this newer tradition? To help protect your children’s teeth from the tooth sensitivity and decay that can be caused by too much sugar.

First conceived by a mother of two looking for ways to protect her children’s teeth, the Switch Witch has since become a beloved tradition across the country that has been endorsed by countless parents and dentists alike.

What are the Worst Halloween Offenders?

Halloween is a time filled with sugary treats. Complete abstention isn’t necessary, but there are a few candies and treats that…

Tooth staining is one of the most common cosmetic dental concerns. Fortunately, it is also one of the easiest to address. However, the type of tooth stains you are dealing with will play a role in the best treatment option.

Extrinsic Staining

Extrinsic tooth stains are those that occur on the outside of a tooth’s enamel. Common causes of these types of stains include foods and beverages, oral hygiene habits, and lifestyle choices such as tobacco use. Because they are topical, extrinsic tooth stains often respond very well to a combination of enhanced oral hygiene and professional tooth whitening.

At The Smile Centre, we are pleased to offer in-office…