3 More Reasons to Choose Invisalign Instead of Braces

Happy holidays Plano! Welcome back to the ongoing dental health blog of the Plano Smile Studio. The year sure has flown by; it seems just like yesterday parents were getting ready to send their children back to school. 2015 has been a great year in which we’ve reshaped the smiles of numerous patients in the Dallas-area with Invisalign and Invisalign Teen.

In our last blog post, we listed several reasons to choose Invisalign or Invisalign Teen over traditional metal braces. In today’s post we want to give you a few more reasons to consider Invisalign or Invisalign Teen if you are suffering from crooked teeth. But first let’s review the top three reasons to consider Invisalign for your orthodontic treatment.

First, treatment with Invisalign and Invisalign Teen is a more comfortable experience than treatment with traditional metal braces. Invisalign uses comfortable, transparent aligners in place of rigid metal brackets and wires. Invisalign is also free of the painful adjustments that occur during treatment with traditional metal braces.

Second, Invisalign won’t make you look immature or foolish in the workplace or school. Most wearers of traditional braces complain about the appearance of wearing metal braces and wires. Teenagers complain about being made fun at school. Adults dislike looking immature in the workplace.

Third, Invisalign is a faster option for orthodontic treatment than traditional metal braces. Traditional braces often require two or more years of use. Invisalign cuts that treatment time in half! Most patients only have to wear their aligners for about a year.
Ready for a few more reasons to consider Invisalign or Invisalign Teen? Then read on!

Reason #4: Invisalign Gives You a Preview of Your Smile

At the Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX, every step of your Invisalign treatment is planned out before you even begin treatment. We use 3D modeling software to make a model of your teeth. We can plan the treatment for each individual tooth in your smile.

We can even adjust your planned treatment to fit your desires. You can preview what your new smile will look like before you undergo treatment! That means there’s no surprises or uncertainty before you begin treatment with Invisalign or Invisalign Teen.

Each Invisalign or Invisalign aligner is customized to fit your teeth and slowly adjust them into correct position. You wear each aligner for around two weeks, then move onto a new aligner. The process is completed planned-out and customized for your unique smile.

Reason #5: Invisalign Allows Greater Freedom

Traditional metal braces can severely restrict your lifestyle. Consider your meals for example. There are many foods you have to avoid eating while you’re wearing traditional metal braces. Imagine a cookout where you’re grilling meat. Take one wrong bite of steak and you can knock a bracket right off your tooth!

But traditional metal braces can preventing you from eating more than just steak. Many foods, like candy, can become stuck in the wires and brackets. That experience can be painful and encourages tooth decay. Imagine going for two whole years without eating steak or candy!
Invisalign and Invisalign Teen uses removable aligners. You wear each aligner for around 22 hours a day, but take them off before engaging in certain activities like eating. That means there’s no restrictions on your diet!

Invisalign ensures you can experience a higher quality of life filled with steak, candy, and all of your favorite foods. The freedom offered by Invisalign and Invisalign Teen also encourage a higher rate of patient compliance. Although you may have the self-discipline needed to limit your diet during orthodontic treatment, can you say the same thing for a teenager?

Reason #6: Invisalign Won’t Stain Your Teeth

The brackets of traditional brackets are bonded in place. When they are removed, they can often leave behind unsightly yellow stains. Traditional braces can also encourage tooth decay due to food and bacteria being trapped in place by the metal brackets and wires. All of these downsides are exasperated by the difficulty patients having brushing their teeth while wearing traditional braces.

Invisalign and Invisalign Teen use removable aligners, so you just take them off before you brush your teeth. That freedom allows you to continue brushing and flossing your teeth like normal. With Invisalign and Invisalign Teen from Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX, you never have to worry about your teeth decaying during your orthodontic treatment.

Make An Appointment

Are you ready to change your smile with Invisalign or Invisalign Teen? Then schedule a consultation at Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX. You can reach our comfortable and modern office by calling at ​972-398-2550.

Don’t Let Fad Diets Ruin Your Smile

Good day, Plano! Welcome to this installment of Plano Smile Studio’s ongoing dental blog. This is where we take the time to share some of our knowledge and expertise with you, so that you have the information to make confident healthy choices concerning your oral health. Too often, people are misinformed and led astray by the abundance of information and ideas promising quick fixes to serious problems. So here in our office in Plano, TX, we want to help you sift through all the misinformation, so that when you make a decision about your health care, or that of your family, it will be a wise one.

Weight loss can be a troubling and problematic issue to confront. With obesity on the rise, not only in this country, but in the whole world, it makes sense that people would be concerned with how much they weigh and how much extra body fat they are carrying. Obesity can certainly be a hazardous health risk, but so can dieting, if done in correctly.

Be wary of any diet that requires you to restrict your food options too much, or outright bans whole food groups. These diets often promise quick and noticeable results, and they often deliver, but at the expense of some other part of your body. Your teeth, for example. Drastic changes to your diet can change your body chemistry, which can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

The Problems with the Juice Cleanse

The Juice Cleanse is the perfect example of a fad diet that delivers short term weight loss at the expense of the your oral health. This diet is popular among Hollywood actors, but it has now caught on with ordinary citizens. Movie stars, however, use this diet for short term weight loss when they have a role that requires it, but they do not need to keep the weight off. After the movie is done shooting, they can just go back to to their normal eating routine. Most regular folks don’t have this option, though, and when they try to use the Juice Cleanse to lose weight, they just put the weight back on when they start eating real food again.

As you may have guessed, the Juice Cleanse is a diet based around drinking fruit and vegetable juices, rather than eating any actual meals. The most this diet will let you have is a smoothie every now and then, and in the strictest versions you are not even allowed to drink juice with pulp in it.

The idea behind this diet is that you will not gain weight because you are not eating anything, but you are still getting the nutrients you need from the juice. This idea ignores all the health benefits of actually eating your food. The Juice Cleanse removes one the most vitally important parts of healthy oral hygiene, chewing your food.

Chewing foods, especially those filled with healthy fiber and lean protein, is one of the ways your body protects your teeth from attackers. The process of chewing produces saliva, and saliva is your mouth’s protector against tooth decay and gum disease. Not to mention, your body actually needs more than the vitamins it gets from fruit juice. Dietary fiber is part of a healthy diet, and with the Juice Cleanse, you get none.
Come to Our Office in Plano

Before you make any serious changes to your diet, for weight loss or any other reason, come to Plano Smile Studio for an examination and consultation. We will help you find the right weight loss solution that won’t ruin your smile.
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Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Cosmetic Dentistry for Father’s Day

Mother’s Day has come and gone, with spring following closely behind. Summer will be here soon, and along with the hot weather and long days comes Father’s Day. Have you given any thought to a gift yet? Finding the ideal gift for your father can be a very daunting task. Let’s face it, dads are hard to shop for. What could you possibly get him that will make this Father’s Day unforgettable?

How about some cosmetic dentistry from Plano Smile Studio?

A new smile for dad this Father’s Day will be something that he uses every day, and will make every day a brighter one. A new tie will just go in the closet. A new lawn mower will go in the shed. But he won’t hide away his wonderful new smile. So, bring your dad into our office in Plano, TX, and we will see what cosmetic dentistry option is best for him.

Teeth Whitening

The most common form of cosmetic dentistry is teeth whitening. Even if your dad has taken great care of his teeth over the years, simple aging will darken his smile a few shades. Add any bad habits, like smoking or drinking too much coffee, to the mix, and odds are he could use some teeth whitening.

When you bring your dad into Plano Smile Studio, we will first examine his teeth and gums to make sure they are healthy enough for our whitening procedure. If he has any tooth decay or gum disease, that will have to be treated first. Once your father’s oral health is decided to be strong enough, we will make an impression of his teeth, which we will use to build custom whitening trays. These will make sure that the whitening gel is spread evenly over your father’s teeth, for safe and effective dental bleaching.

Porcelain Veneers

If your dad’s teeth are severely stained, or chipped and unevenly spaced, then porcelain veneers could solve his problem. This cosmetic solution uses thin tooth shaped shells to cover the front of your teeth. They look and feel natural, and they will create a beautiful, and bright smile for your father.

Porcelain veneers can cover a variety of cosmetic issues, including severely discolored teeth, broken and chipped teeth, unevenly spaced teeth, and even crooked teeth. They are are especially useful if you someone has multiple cosmetic issues. Instead of undergoing several procedures, porcelain veneers can solve your dad’s cosmetic dental issues with one solution.

Adult Orthodontics

Don’t let crooked teeth keep your dad from smiling. Plano Smile Studio can align his teeth without using the metal and wire brackets that are commonly associated with orthodontics. Many adults are turned off by the notion of teeth alignment because the idea of having shing metal braces seems worse than the crooked teeth. After all, how can an adult expect to be taken seriously when his teeth look like they are still in middle school.

Bring your father to our office in Plano, and we can fix his smile with Invisalign Invisible Braces. This cosmetic solution will gradually move your father’s teeth into alignment without the uncomfortable and unsightly metal braces. Invisalign uses a series of clear aligners that fit over your teeth, similar to a retainer, and gently nudge your teeth into place. Your father will change aligner every few weeks until his smile is straight. And best of all, the Invisalign aligners are clear, so they are nearly invisible. They are also fully removable, so they easy to clean, You can’t say that about old fashioned braces.

Bring Your Dad to Office in Plano, TX
Make this year’s Father’s Day gift one that will last for years to come. A new smile from Plano Smile Studio will brighten his days to come.
Contact us today to make an appointment.

A Faster, More Discreet Solution for Adult Braces

Fear and embarrassment are two very real motivators in life. Although Taylor Swift urges us to “shake it off,” the reality of the matter is truer to the tone of Ryan Adam’s haunting and memorable cover version of the pop hit. Criticism really hurts and can can affect your self-esteem.

But why are we talking about criticism and self-esteem on a dental health blog? Good question. The answer is because we hear fears of being embarrassed as the number one reason why patients avoid adult braces. Patients tell us that they’re embarrassed and think they might look immature or inexperienced in the workplace if they are wearing braces made of brackets and wires. Teenagers are eve more fearful, afraid of things people might say in the halls of their high school.

Criticism and feeling like you’re being made fun are terrible things to have to endure. But if you need adult braces to correct some aspect of your smile, there’s still good news on the horizon. At Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX, we offer the Invisalign system of adult orthodontics. Invisalign can safely and comfortably correct many of the same issues as adult braces.

If you are suffering from crowded teeth, misaligned teeth, or gaps in your teeth, then you may be a candidate for Invisalign. In today’s post of dental health blog from the office of Plano Smile Studio In Plano, TX, we’re going to tell you a little bit more about some of the unique advantages offered by the Invisalign system

Advantage #1: Invisalign is Comfortable

Instead of uncomfortable brackets and wires, Invisalign uses a series of comfortable and transparent aligners. These aligners fit comfortably and discreetly over your teeth, and steadily move your teeth into the correct position. We can even show you a preview of what your smile will look like before you even begin treatment! You wear each aligner for a period of about two weeks, and then you move onto the next aligner.

Advantage #2: Invisalign Means Freedom

Invisalign also gives you more freedom. Traditional braces come with a host of requirements; frequent appointments and a list of foods you can’t eat. With Invisalign you can continue to eat all of your favorite foods; you simply take out the aligner before your meal!

Advantage #3: Invisalign is Discreet

Because Invisalign uses transparent aligners, most patients report that no one can even tell that they have them on! That makes worrying about criticism for wearing braces into a complete non-issue. That means you never have to worry about someone in your workplace mentioning them, or someone criticizing your teenager. In addition, Invisalign is removable. That means you can take the aligners out before a photo if needed.

Advantage #4: Invisalign is Fast

Invisalign only requires about a year to be effective for most patients. For many the treatment time is actually less than that. Traditional adult braces generally take about two years to achieve the results you want. That means Invisalign gets the job done in half the time!

Make An Appointment

Ready to learn more about Invisalign? Then contact the Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX. You can reach our office at 972-398-2550.

Avoid the Dangers of Diet Soda

If you want to prevent tooth decay, what do you need to do? Avoid sugar, right? As long as you’re not eating or drinking a bunch of sugar your teeth will be just fine. Or will they?

True enough, sugar is one of the biggest contributors to tooth decay, but it is not the only one. If all you do to protect your teeth is cut out snacks and drinks that contain sugar, then you are still at risk for tooth decay and gum disease. Bacteria and acid are also major causes of oral health ailments, and avoiding sugar alone won’t stop those.

Many foods items make health claims based on the fact that they are sugar free, but when it come to your oral health, sugar free doesn’t necessarily mean good for your teeth. Diet soda, for example, has no sugar, but it is still very bad for your teeth.

Here at Plano Smile Studio, we want you to be able to take care of your teeth, and to make informed decisions about what you put in your body. But in order to make informed decisions, you have to have the information. So, let’s take a look at what diet sodas do to your teeth, and what really causes tooth decay.

Tooth Decay Is Caused by Bacteria

The real culprit behind tooth decay is a form of bacteria called dental caries. This bacteria loves to hang out in your mouth, and passed down from parent to child, usually by sharing spoons. Dental caries feed on sugar, which is where our sweet old friend there comes in. The bacteria converts the sugar into a corrosive acid that eats away at the enamel that protects your teeth. This is what causes cavities, which are fairly easy to treat, as long as they are caught early. If tooth decay is not treated right away, it can eat all the way to the center of the tooth, or pulp, where tiny blood vessels and nerves keep the tooth alive. If the dental caries get all the way to your pulp, an infection could set in and you could lose your tooth and put your health at risk.

The Acid In Diet Soda Will Rot Your Teeth

What diet sodas lack in sugar they make up for in acid. Most diet sodas contain both phosphoric and citric acids to punch up the flavor and enhance the carbonation. Unfortunately, these acids are corrosive and will weaken your tooth enamel.

Phosphoric Acid – This acid, although it occurs naturally in many foods, is very corrosive. So much so that it is often used to strip rust from metal. Anything used for something like that can’t be good for your teeth. Not only does phosphoric acid weaken your enamel, it also inhibits your body’s absorption of calcium, which is used to remineralize, or repair, your tooth enamel. So phosphoric acid not only damages your teeth, it stops them from healing themselves.

Citric Acid – This is one of the most commonly used flavoring additives you can find. It is used in both regular and diet sodas, as well as fruit juices and sports drinks. This is also a very corrosive acid. So, if you think you’re safe from tooth decay because you only drink fruit juice and vitamin water, you’d better think again. There’s almost certainly citric acid in there.

Drink Water and Then Drink Some More

The only thing that is safe to drink all day is water. Water will rinse away harmful bacteria and sugar, while neutralizing acid. Carry a bottle of water with you at all times, so you never have to go thirsty.
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And don’t forget regular cleanings and examinations from Plano Smile Studio. Healthy teeth mean a healthy body, so don’t wait.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Top 3 Reasons You Should Consider Invisalign

Do you need braces, but are putting it off just because you don’t want the hassle, awkwardness, or pain? The solution: Invisalign. Invisalign can help you achieve the smile of your dream while avoiding the pain and hassle of traditional braces. Your Plano, TX dentist can provide you with all of the information you need to make an informed decision about your orthodontic care. Invisalign has many great advantages over traditional braces, but let’s just talk about the top three:

1. They are invisible. Of course, that’s why they’re called Invisalign! With Invisalign, your friends or colleagues will never even know you are wearing your aligners (unless you tell them, of course)!

Invisalign is a series of clear plastic aligner trays that are changed out every two weeks for optimum alignment. These clear plastic trays are near impossible to see, since they are not made of bulky metal wires and brackets like traditional braces. You won’t have “metal mouth” – you can wear them to work or school without fear of looking or feeling awkward.

1. They are removable. Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign aligners can be removed! Every day actions like eating and brushing and flossing your teeth require that you remove the aligners. This means you can eat whatever you want! No more worrying about something getting stuck in your braces. You can have any kind of sticky snack you desire – all you have to do is remove your aligners first!

It also makes it easy to keep your teeth clean. Traditional braces require you to brush and floss around the brackets and wires – and it’s not always easy to reach all of the nooks and crannies. When you use Invisalign, the aligners are simply removed for brushing and flossing just like normal.
The aligners can also be removed for special occasions. If you have a special event or date coming up, and you just don’t want to worry about your aligners, just pop them out for the night. With Invisalign, the trays are never in your way.
Of course, the most often you wear your aligners, the quicker they will work to align your teeth! So don’t take them out too often!

1. They are pain-free. Did I mention that Invisalign is metal wire and bracket free? Think have a mouth full of metal would be uncomfortable? Is it! With Invisalign, all you have in your mouth are smooth, clear plastic aligners that provide ultimate comfort. That means no rubbing, cutting, or poking on the inside of your cheeks or lips.

It also means there are no wires roughly yanking your teeth into place, only smooth aligners that gently push your teeth into position. You wear your aligner for two weeks – until it does its job – then switch to a new aligner. All you will feel is a gentle pressure when you change your aligners – none of the painful tugging of a brand new wire like with traditional braces. You won’t ever be in pain – when you use Invisalign, the most you will ever feel is just a little bit of pressure.
As you can see, there are a lot of great things about using Invisalign. However, this solution may not be for you. If you have severely crooked teeth, or other major orthodontic problems, Invisalign may not be the best solution for your circumstance. But if you have a mildly misaligned smile and want an invisible, comfortable, and convenient option, Invisalign may be your solution.
Choosing the best option for your orthodontic treatment is a big decision. We want to help you. Call our office today at [phone_number] or visit our contact page to schedule an appointment. Let’s talk about all of your options for orthodontic care, and make the decision that is right for you.

Why Water Is Better – Part 1

We all know that staying hydrated is important when exercising or spending time in the sun. With summer just around the corner here in Plano, TX, it’s time to be thinking about just how you are getting the hydration you need to stay healthy.

Hydration is particularly important for a healthy mouth. But not all forms of hydration are equal in the value it provides for your body. Everything we eat and drink has water in it – but which are healthy, helpful options and which are options that are actually harming your smile and our body? Let’s talk about some beverages you should avoid in order to stay better hydrated and protect your smile at the same time.

What You’re Drinking May Be Damaging Your Smile

Some beverages may help to keep you hydrated, but they are also harming your health. Let’s look at a few examples of this:

Sodas. Everyone orders a soda when they go out to dinner. Unless you are particularly health conscious, you might drink a few sodas a week (or in some cases, even in a day). But do you understand what these soft drinks are doing to your teeth?

Sodas are laden with sugar and acid. Sugar and acid are your teeth and gum’s worst enemy, next to poor hygiene habits. The combination can be incredibly hazardous to your oral health. Acid erodes your enamel and sugar can feed bacteria growing around your teeth and gums. This can contribute to cavities as well as to gum disease.

Fruit juice. While offering some nutritional value, fruit juice is often overloaded with sugar and chemicals. The added benefit of a few vitamins isn’t often worth the toll it takes on your teeth. Acid is also a huge deal when it comes to juices – the acid naturally occurring in fruit juice can be amplified by added chemicals and preservatives.

Hello cavities! Hello sensitive teeth!

If you just have to have your fruit juice, try to stick with the homemade fresh-squeezed kind, and less of the store-bought, from-concentrate, ultra-processed varieties.

Coffee. Coffee is a big one for working professionals. Millions of Americans stop by the local coffee shop on their way to work every morning to grab their daily dose of caffeine. The problem lies in the fact that this beverage is also overstuffed with sugar. Sugar is simply fuel for the bacteria growing around your teeth and gums.

Another issue with coffee is that it stains your teeth! Coffee is one of the worst things to drink if you want to keep your teeth bright white. If you have stained or discolored teeth, read about our teeth whitening services.

Tea and other sugary drinks. Sweet tea and sugary drinks like lemonade are staples during the hot summer months. However, these drinks are mainly just vehicles for sugar. These drinks also often have little or no nutritional value.

Tea, while not so bad on its own, is sometimes almost syrup-like when sweetened. We have already talked about what that amount of sugar can do to your teeth. In addition, black tea (even unsweetened) can stain your teeth almost as badly as coffee. If you’re looking for a good alternative, try unsweetened green or herbal tea for no sugar and less staining power.

Alcohol. Everyone knows the dangers of over-consuming alcohol, but does you consider the effect it has on your oral health? Alcohol is made by fermenting a certain substance (depending on the type of alcohol) with sugars and acids to create a chemical reaction. Unless you’re drinking pure alcohol (and you’re probably not), there’s a good chance your drink is loaded with extra sugar and chemicals to make it taste better.

Especially if you’re drinking fruity cocktails. Imagine the sugar content in a classic Piña Colada. Mixed drinks are bad news for your pearly whites.
Simple Fix

Lucky for you, there’s a really simple way to avoid all of the bad things that come with drinking sodas, coffee, juice, tea, alcohol, and other sugary, acidic drinks. Just drink water! Learn about how to incorporate more water into your diet in our next blog: Why Water Is Better – Part 2.
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If you’re experiencing pain or are otherwise concerned about your oral health, please call our office right away at [phone_number] or use the form on our contact page to schedule an appointment. We’d love to help you have a happier, healthier smile.

Choosing Professional Teeth Whitening

Greetings Plano! Welcome to the latest entry in the on-going blog of the Plano Smile Studio. We offer this educational blog service to ensure you know all about oral health and hygiene, as well as all the available treatments for your dental needs.

In last week’s blog post, we talked a little bit about which foods and drinks stain the enamel of your teeth. In today’s blog post, we’re going to talk a little bit about the options you have for removing stains from your teeth.

At the Plano Smile Studio, we offer a whole menu of Professional Teeth Whitening options. We’ll briefly describe these options in this blog, and we’re happy to offer any questions you may have these whitening solutions.

Professional Teeth Whitening Menu

Professional Teeth Whitening is just one of many services we offer to ensure to you can smile like a movie star. Before beginning any whitening program, we will evaluate the health of your teeth and gums. We generally recommend you have your teeth cleaned in-office before undergoing Professional Teeth Whitening, this helps to ensure best results. On occasion we may need to treat tooth decay or other problems before you can safely begin a Professional Teeth Whitening program.

No matter your lifestyle and needs, we have a Professional Teeth Whitening solution to work for you. Professional Teeth Whitening can remove plaque, increase the whiteness of your teeth, and help you feel better about your appearance.

Zoom! Whitening System

Zoom! Whitening is our most popular whitening option. With Zoom! your teeth are treated with a professional strength whitening gel; after the gel has been painted on your teeth, we exposure to the special Zoom! whitening lamp. The light from the light helps to activate the whitening gel, ensuring quality results.

The procedure can be completed in one quick office visit. It is a painless procedure and the results are instant. We can have your teeth several shades whiter immediately after the procedure; this makes it ideal if need to look good in a hurry for a wedding or other event.

Our Zoom! package includes plaque removal from your teeth, the in-office Zoom! procedure, a supply of take-home whitening gel, and a set of custom trays to be used for the procedure and for aftercare maintenance whitening. The supply of take-home materials helps to ensure you get the results you desire, and that your teeth remain white as snow.

NiteWhite Whitening System

NiteWhite is an affordable option which you can do at home, and at your own convenience. NiteWhite whitens with a custom set of trays and whitening gel. You simply insert the whitening gel into the whitening trays and place them in your mouth. It’s really that simple!

NiteWhite requires you to wear your whitening trays for a hour at a time, once or twice a day. It can deliver amazing results in just a week or two. This makes it an ideal option if you have some time before you need your teeth to look whiter and brighter, or prefer to do your whitening at home.

Unlike other take-home whitening systems you find in stores, NiteWhite uses a professional strength whitening gel. This professional strength product is specially formulated to deliver amazing results in very little time, all without irritating your gums or making your mouth sore.

NiteWhite Touch-Up System

If you’ve previously undergone Professional Whitening, the NiteWhite Touch-up package is an extremely affordable way to keep your teeth looking white. Everyday things like red wine, soda, and cigarettes can leave stains all over your teeth, even after whitening. This touch-up package ensures that your teeth stay white, and helps to prevent further stains from developing.

Make An Appointment
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Click here to contact the Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX. We’re happy to answer any questions you have about Professional Teeth Whitening, and help you determine which whitening system is right for you. You know you’re ready for that movie star smile, so get it now at the Plano Smile Studio!

Why Water Is Better – Part 2

Title: Why Water Is Better – Part 2

Meta: Last time we talked about what drinks to avoid. Now, learn about how to add more water into your daily routine.

You may have caught our last blog, Why Water Is Better – Part 1, where we discussed the types of beverages that can cause your oral health to decline. We know that getting enough water is important, because during these hot Plano, TX summers, it’s easy to get dehydrated. Let’s review the types of drinks you want to stay away from:

Sodas – As the worst of the worst, soft drinks are packed with sugar and acid – the perfect team to erode enamel, breed bacteria, and destroy your oral health.

Coffee – A vessel for lots and LOTS of sugar. Also an enemy of a bright, white smiles due to its tendency to stain.

Juices – Over-processed, over-sugared fruit juice is a prime suspect if you’re investigating sensitive teeth.

Alcohol – Loaded with sugar. Watch those cocktails, especially.

Sweetened Tea – With very little or no nutritional value and gobs of sugar, drinks like sweet tea, lemonade, and other sweetened flavored drinks are bad for your oral health and your body.

Now that we know which beverages are harmful to your teeth and gums, let’s talk about ways you can substitute more water into your daily routine instead of sugary, acidic soft drinks and juices.

How To Incorporate More Water Into Your Diet

Okay, so I think you can agree that drinking water is better than damaging your teeth with coffee, sodas, and juices. But how do you make sure more water – and less sugar – makes its way into your diet?

I need the caffeine. Are you a person who cannot function in the morning without a cup of coffee to get you moving? It’s okay – there’s no shame in it. Sometimes we all need a little boost. But habitual consumption of sugar-laden coffee is bad for your oral health. Instead, try switching to unsweetened green tea. It still has a caffeine kick, but isn’t packed with sugar and will not stain your teeth as badly as black tea.

But I still want the sweet taste of juices and sodas. Are you simply addicted to the flavors and sweetness of soda and juice? Try adding fruit to your water. Keeping a pitcher of water flavored with slices of fresh fruit in your refrigerator is a great way to avoid sugary drinks. Frozen fruit works well here too – it even doubles as ice.

And, if you just have to have the bubbly goodness of a carbonated drink, use seltzer water! You can have a bubbly, fruity drink without all of the sugar and acid of a soft drink. They even make home carbonation machines if you want to carbonate your own!

I just don’t like water. That’s a tough one. Have you tried bottled water? Do you like the taste of the water at a friend’s house? Ask them what sort of filtration system they use. It may just be that the water in your town has a funny taste – you may want to invest in a filtering set-up of your own. A filter may improve the quality and taste of your tap water. I think you’ll agree that your health is worth the small investment.

Other ideas such as drinking a glass of water before each meal and keeping a glass of water on your bedside table to drink when you wake up in the morning are also helpful. The goal is to drink less gum-damaging, teeth-eroding beverages and more water. If you need to pack a water bottle around with you 24/7 in order to get plenty of water, then do it! It’s a sure-fire way to make sure you don’t drink the bad stuff.
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If you are already showing signs of gum disease, enamel erosion, or if you are in any pain, please contact us immediately. We can help to restore your oral health and help you learn about how to protect yourself against disease and decay. Call us at [phone_number] or use the form on our contact page to schedule an appointment. We want you to have the best, healthiest smile possible.

Thanksgiving, Tranquility, Sedation Dentistry | Plano, TX

This holiday season, there’s a surprising place where you can find a bit of peace and tranquility: the dentist’s office. We know what you’re thinking – how could that be?! The answer lies in the sedation dentistry techniques we practice at the Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX. In today’s post of our dental health blog we’re going to tell you a little bit more about these services.

We find this to be an important topic for this type of year. You’re likely to face at least a little bit of stress around Thanksgiving. (Perhaps a lot of stress if you’re in-laws are planning on coming over.) There’s so much going on. You have to plan and prepare an extremely elaborate meal; then’s there’s all the Christmas shopping you have to start worrying about. Will you deal with the Black Friday crowds? Plus, you’re going to be a round your family a lot; no matter how much you love them, that can still be trying.

About the only thing that could make that worse is a toothache. But toothaches aren’t something you should ignore; toothaches are a signal from your brain that there’s something wrong with your tooth. Every year, Americans will put off needed dental work because they have some sort of fear or anxiety related to visiting the dentist’s office. That can only make matters worse; a small cavity today can mean a root canal next month. A root canal today can mean the removal of a tooth next week.

At the Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX, we are specially equipped to handle nervous and fearful patients. We have a spa-like atmosphere that helps to induce relaxation in our patients. We also give them peace of mind my following the highest standards possible in sterilization and infection control. We even offer sedation dentistry in the form of a prescription sedative.

Sterilization and Infection Control Standards

We want all our patients to not only have peace of mind, but also be healthy. For that reason, we practice the most stringent sterilization and infection control standards possible in dentistry. All our staff members who assist during a procedure wear gloves, masks, and protective eyewear when necessary, We also practice good hygiene by throughly washing our hands before and after each procedure; we also use only fresh, new gloves for each patient.

All of the equipment in our treatment rooms in handed with respect and kept sanitary. We always sterilize our dental instruments after every single procedure. We clean, and then disinfect all of the surfaces and equipment in our procedure rooms. When we have waste, we take great measures to deal with it properly. We only use sterile water in our treatment rooms; our water lines are even disinfected on a daily basis.

Oral Sedation Dentistry

If you are nervous or fearful about your appointment, we can definitely help. We practice a technique called oral sedation dentistry. If requested, we can prescribe you a mild sedative to take before your procedure. You simply take this pill about a half hour before your treatment. When the pill kicks in, you will feel calm and extremely relaxed. Many of our patients even fall asleep; almost all of them don’t remember their procedure afterwards.

Sedation dentistry is also an important tool because it can help us complete lengthier treatments in one sitting. Before if you needed a lengthier procedure or even several procedures performed, we would have to schedule you for several appointments. With oral sedation you feel so relaxed that we can complete several different treatments at the same time. This is a great option if you need to have several treatments performed, like with a smile make-over.

Make An Appointment

Don’t let a toothache keep you from missing a beat this holiday season. Keep being lightning on your feet by scheduling an appointment at the Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX. Even if you are nervous or anxious about visiting the office, contact us for a consultation. We can answer any questions you may have, and describe every step of your procedure to you. We can also evaluate if oral sedation dentistry is the right choice of you and your needs. So what are you waiting for? Shake it off and schedule an appointment at our comfortable and modern office by calling at 972-398-2550.

Is Healthy Eating Hurting Your Teeth?

We all should want to lead healthy lifestyles. Looking great and feeling great helps you get so much more out of life. But sometimes in an effort to be healthier, you might do something that actually damages your health. For instance, running is great exercise, but it’s hard on your knees. Lifting weights builds strength, but it is easy to injure yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing. Crunches might tones those abs, but they are murder on your back.

The same goes for the food you eat. You might be surprised to find out that some of the foods you are eating for their health value may be damaging your teeth. Here at Plano Smile Studio we want to make sure you are keeping healthy without damaging your smile. In addition to a healthy oral hygiene routine and regular visits to our office in Plano, TX, consider limiting your consumption of these foods that may be hurting your smile.

Dried Fruits

Raisins are nature’s candy, but just like regular candy, they are bad for your teeth. Even though the sugar in raisins is natural, it is still sugar. The bacteria that feeds on sugar doesn’t care where the sugar came from. It just wants to eat. This bacteria will turn the sugar into acid that eats away at your teeth and causes decay.

Dried fruit is sticky, so that means it’s hard to get the sugar off your teeth. Your saliva does a pretty good job of keeping your mouth clean, but sticky sugars like the ones that come with dried fruit are hard to get off your teeth.

Citrus

Fruits like oranges and grapefruits are loaded with Vitamin C, which helps boost your immune system. However, they are also loaded with acid, which is bad for your teeth, specifically your enamel. Enamel is the hard shell of your tooth that projects the inside. Citric acid, like the type found in oranges, weakens the enamel, and puts your tooth at risk for decay.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to brush your teeth directly after eating citrus. The acid has weaken the enamel, so brushing could actually strip it away. Wait a while before you brush, so your enamel has a chance to harden back up.

Also remember that citrus fruits also contain sugar, so they offer double the trouble when it comes to tooth decay.

Red Wine

A glass of red wine a day may help guard against heart disease, but it can also stain your teeth. If you’ve ever spilt a glass of pinot noir onto a white tablecloth, you know how devastating the effects can be. Now image that tablecloth is your teeth, and you can see the risk red wine poses to your smile.

Nuts and Popcorn

You want to stop snacking away on chips and pretzels, but you have to eat something. So, you start munching on nuts and popcorn, low salt, of course. This is great except that these snacks are hard and can crack your teeth.

A tooth fracture, even a small one, can cause lots of damage, so make sure you are careful to avoid the kernels when eating popcorn, and definitely don’t try to crack a nut with your teeth.

Protect Your Smile

It is important to realize that you do not have to totally cut these foods out of your diet, but you need to eat them in moderation. Drinking plenty of water along with them will help dilute the staining power of dark liquids, as well as wash away sticky bacteria.

And don’t forget to make regular visits to Plano Smile Studio for check-ups and cleanings!

We Can Help

If eating healthily has already taken its toll on your teeth, then Plano Smile Studio can help you get your smile back into shape.
We can whiten stained teeth.

We can repair chipped teeth with porcelain veneers.

If necessary, we can replace a tooth with quality dental implants.
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Don’t wait. Contact us today and make sure your smile stays as healthy as the rest of you.

Five Halitosis-Busting Tricks

We all have moments of bad breath; that is completely normal. However, some patients spend most of their days fighting bad breath with every kind of product they can think of. Halitosis, which is another word for chronic bad breath, is often caused by bacteria in your mouth. If that sounds like you, you might try some of these tips below to clear the bacteria and try to get a healthier mouth!

Floss Often – Bacteria hiding between your teeth could be a cause of your bad breath. Floss at least twice a day to remove that bacteria.

Use a Tongue Scraper – Another hiding place for bacteria is the surface of the tongue. Patients often forget to brush the tongue, and we recommend taking it a step further with a tongue scraper.

Use Antiseptic Rinse – Don’t waste your time with cosmetic rinses. Get a mouth rinse that has the antiseptic or antibacterial label on the bottle to kill germs.

Drink More Water – Keeping your mouth hydrated produces more saliva. One of the main jobs of saliva is to remove bacteria from the mouth.

Chew Sugar-Free Gum – When you are feeling an episode of bad breath, reach for a sugar-free mint or gum that will freshen your breath without filling your mouth with sugar.
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Halitosis is definitely a social interaction buster. No one enjoys being around someone with bad breath, but with a few tricks, you can take care of it. If these tips don’t work, chances are good that you’ll need some sort of dental work. Contact us today to find out what could be causing your halitosis. We can’t wait to help you solve the mystery!

Whiter Teeth, In Time for the Holidays

Greetings Plano! Welcome back to the ongoing dental health blog of the Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX. In today’s post of our dental health blog, we want to talk about something near and dear to your teeth: professional teeth whitening. If you make an appointment now, we can probably make an appointment for you before Thanksgiving!

Do you see a lot of friends and family round this time of year? Does everyone gather at your house, or your Uncle Bob’s house, for a sort of mini-family reunion? Thanksgiving with your family (or in-laws) can be a lot of fun. There’s the tasty foods that everyone will be eating in abundance. Can you say turkey sandwiches for the next week?

But there’s more to the fun than just the food. There’s all the stories that will be told will be told. Remember that embarrassing incident one time at summer camp? That story is going to be on full-display. You might even break-out a board games. Like all family game nights, it will end with Uncle Bob throwing the game board in frustration after an overly-long and competitive round of monopoly.

Can You Show-Off Your Smile for the Camera?

No matter what you Thanksgiving holidays hold in-store, one thing is extremely likely. Someone will have a camera out and will be posting photos over you all over Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and every other site they can think of. What’s your general reaction when someone asks you to smile for the camera? Are you willing to show-off a toothy grin or are you embarrassed by your smile?

As Americans, we value our appearance extremely highly. One of the most important things about appearance is the whiteness of our teeth. Clinical research has shown that self-esteem is often directly linked to one’s appearance. That’s why professional teeth whitening has become such a major industry in our country. Every year companies make millions and millions of dollars selling products that promise to whiten your teeth.

Have you tried one of these products? Many of our patients have, and been dissatisfied with the results. The strength of the whitening gel is often low. That means results are slow. It also may make it tempting to try and use more of the product to deliver faster results. Unfortunately, that can have consequences for your gums as it can cause irritation to them.

Professional Teeth Whitening at the Plano Smile Studio

Sometimes it life, it’s just easier and more effective to call in a professional. At the Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX, we offer two types of professional teeth whitening. We can help get your teeth looking great in as little as an hour with our in-office treatment. If you prefer to have more control over your teeth’s exact shade of whiteness, we also over a professional strength take-home whitening kit which you can use in the comfort of your own home.

If you want to look great in time for Thanksgiving, we recommend our in-office treatment. We offer Zoom! Teeth Whitening; in as little as an hour, we can have your teeth looking much whiter and much healthier. We simply apply whitening gel to your teeth; we then expose the gel to the patented Zoom! whitening light. This light helps to activate the whitening. In a whitening appointment, we will perform three, 15 minute rounds of professional teeth whitening. Afterwards, we will even send you home with a take-home whitening kit to use for maintenance.

If you’re looking for a more affordable option, we also offer a take-home whitening kit, the Nite White System. You wear a custom-fitted tray filled with the prescription-strength whitening gel for about an hour a day. After a week or two of regular application, you will have the results you’ve been dreaming of. This option is great, and if you act now, you can have a beautifully white smile in time for Thanksgiving.

Make An Appointment

Be prepared for Thanksgiving. Show-off a new, whiter smile to all your friends and family this year. Professional teeth whitening at the Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX can having you look great in just a single, completely painless appointment. Make an appointment by calling our office at 972-398-2550. We look forward to hearing from you!

A Reliable Restoration for Any Smile

Restoring a damaged or missing tooth is an essential part of having the smile of your dreams. Whether the restoration is big or small, that restoration will end the spread of decay and infection. It will provide you with a way to keep your smile healthy and strong for years to come.

After all, that is the goal for our smiles, is it not? You want to keep your natural teeth for as long as possible, and restorations allow you to do that. Today, we want to talk about the levels of restorations available to you so that you can see that no matter how large your problem is, we can offer you a solution!

Just about every person in this country has at least one dental restoration already. In fact, we believe that about ¾ of every high school graduate has already had at least one filling, and most have had more than one! So that’s where we would like to begin: dental fillings. The most basic dental restoration available to you!

Small Restorations

Small restorations are fundamentally important because they stop the spread of decay. Your tooth has come under attack from bacteria, which has formed a cavity. If we don’t place a dental restoration, we are leaving your tooth at risk to be lost completely. Here at Plano Smile Studio, we use only the best materials for restorations, which is why we use composite fillings.

Composite Fillings

A composite filling is made of a resin material, which is a mixture of glass and other plastics to create a strong bond on the inside of your tooth. We use this same material for other functions, but it works perfectly to hold bacteria at bay and create a strong bond for your tooth. On top of that, the filling itself can be made to match the color of your teeth, which means no more embarrassing dark spots in your smile!

Single-tooth Restorations

Sometimes a filling is not enough. When an entire tooth is missing, we need to perform a different sort of restoration. We can use a dental bridge, but we find that most of our patients and staff prefer the dental implant solution for it’s beauty, function, and longevity.

Dental Implants

A dental implant is a small titanium post that will be inserted into your jawbone. We will then attach a beautiful crown to the top of the implant to complete the restoration of your missing tooth. The result is completely permanent and fully functional making this the only single tooth restoration on the market of its kind.

Entire Smile Restorations

Now that we’ve talked about a cavity restoration and a single tooth restoration, we want to talk about what we do when your entire arch of teeth are missing. You cannot live without teeth because they allow you to eat and speak, so when you reach this point of having no teeth, we want to act quickly to give you a solution that will work for you!

Dentures

For most of our patients, the answer is a set of dentures. Dentures are the most popular full-mouth restorations available. Dentures have been around for centuries, and we are always finding ways to improve them. You have probably heard the horror stories of slippery or poor-fitting dentures, but we can take care of that problem with the assistance of dental implants! That’s right, those little titanium posts are at it again. This time, they are providing a secure foundation for your dentures to connect to.

Where Does Your Smile Need Help?

We have covered a lot of territory today. From the basic use of a filling in a cavity to the use of dentures, we have the ability to restore just about any tooth that comes our way! The best way to catch those problems early, however, is to maintain routine appointments.

With routine appointments, we can prevent cavities before they begin, heal teeth before they need to be removed, and protect your natural teeth before it reaches a point of being a total loss. Restorations are great, but we prefer to not need them at all!
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Contact us today to get started with your next cleaning and exam. We would love to help you have the happiest, healthiest smile of your life! Let’s get started now!

Find the Right Cosmetic Solution for YOUR Smile

Cosmetic dentistry is very important to many of the residents here in Plano, TX. We see patients each and every day who want to make changes to their appearance by altering their smiles from something that they hate into something they can’t wait to show off!

What about you? Are you perfectly happy with your smile, or is there something that you wish you could adjust? We can help! Our name, Plano Smile Studio, says it all! We approach your smile like a work of art, and when you leave our office, you feel like your smile is something worth looking at!

Today, we want to talk about our cosmetic dentistry options so that you can see exactly what’s available to you! We have selected the most common problems and solutions for you to get a better idea of the kind of work we are able to complete, and after you’ve read through this information, you can check out our Smile Gallery to see real patient examples!

When is it Time to Make the Appointment?

It can sometimes be difficult to decide when it’s time to finally make that phone call and set an appointment. After all, you’ve probably been unhappy with your smile for some time. What’s different now? You could spend your entire life saying that. The truth is that at some point, you just have to look at the facts and make the call.

Embarrassed?

If you are embarrassed to smile openly in front of strangers or new friends, then it’s time to get cosmetic dental work done! Your smile should be one of your best assets not something you need to hide when you meet new people!

Not Confident?

How is your confidence level? Being embarrassed shows that you are worried about what others will think, but your confidence is based on what you think of yourself! If you aren’t happy with the way you look when you smile, you’ll never want to smile! That’s a truly sad way to live your life.

Just Want an Improvement?

Maybe you’re not embarrassed or missing confidence, but you just want to make some improvements. Whenever you’re ready, just come see us! We are happy to help you improve your smile to the level that you desire. We call those smile goals, and we are happy to help our patients achieve them!

What Can I Expect?

When you come into the office for the first time, we are going to be asking you some questions. After all, we need to get a better idea of what you are looking for in your smile improvements. We have included a few of those questions below so that you can go ahead and start thinking about them, should you decide to make an appointment soon!

What Do You Like?

We always begin a consultation by asking what you like about your smile. We want to know the parts of your smile that make you the most happy. This information helps us gauge what is important to you, what should be left alone in your smile, or what we can highlight for you!

What Do You Want to Improve?

Once we know what you love, we will try to find out what areas you want to improve. This can be difficult for patients to pinpoint. Most patients know that they don’t like their smile, but they really have no idea why! Below are a few things for you to think about.

Shape: The shape of your teeth can greatly affect your smile. If your teeth are too short, too skinny, or covered by excess gums, it will affect the shape of your teeth. An injury can also affect the shape by creating a chip or uneven tooth!

Color: The number one complaint we hear is regarding the color of the patient’s smile. Darkened or yellow teeth are not attractive, and many, many patients want to improve that!

Alignment: A smile that is crowded, has gaps, or teeth that overlap will make you feel uncomfortable when you smile! This is called alignment, and we have some great solutions!

Some Possible Solutions

Now that you have a better idea of some of the common problems we see in smiles, we want to take just a moment to address possible solutions. You will see that each of these solutions lines up with one of the common problems we mentioned above.

Bonding/Veneers: Dental bonding and porcelain veneers are two different procedures, but they can accomplish the same task of changing the shape of your teeth. We can use these products to create uniformity and symmetry in your smile.

Whitening: We offer a few different whitening options for your smile. Whether you choose to do at-home whitening or in-office Zoom! whitening, the results will be much better than anything you could expect from a drugstore kit!

Invisalign Orthodontics: Finally, if you are having an issue with the alignment of your teeth, particularly your smile, you might consider short-term adult orthodontics. We offer Invisalign here at the office, which will allow you to adjust your teeth without anyone around you suspecting a thing!

Make the Call Today!
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Don’t wait another day to make the call for a consultation or appointment! You can have your dream smile sooner than you imagined.
Contact us today and set up your first consultation or appointment. We can’t wait to see you and your soon-to-be improved smile!

Gum Disease: It’s About More Than Your Teeth

When you see a dentist on a regular basis, you hear a lot of information, advice, and requests for you to care for your teeth in the best way possible. We talk about it a lot here at Plano Smile Studio.

We know our patients are trying their best, and we appreciate that effort. We also know that everyone has room for improvement, which is why we are always seeking to encourage our patients toward better oral health.

What you might not realize is that we do this for more reasons that one. This is about more than your teeth. This is about your future health! We know what is at risk, and we want to be sure that you are able to live a long and healthy life!

Oral Health is Important

Your oral health is very important, don’t get us wrong. Maintaining oral health through great hygiene has many benefits for you. It will make you feel more confident about your smile, and a healthy smile is one of the best gifts you can give yourself!

Confidence

Healthy smiles are confident smiles. There’s no hiding behind your hand, and you don’t care if someone asks to take your picture because you are always ready to smile. Having a confident smile makes meeting new people, presenting at a meeting, or just hanging out with your friends all the more enjoyable.

Healthy Smile

Having a healthy smile just makes you feel good. You will feel clean and ready to take on the world! There’s nothing else quite like it. Not only does it make you feel good on the inside, but it has a huge impact on your overall systemic health.

Systemic Health Impacts

Systemic health refers to the health of the rest of your body. It has long been known that gum disease is connected with other, more deadly, conditions in the body.

Pregnant women know to see their dentist at least once during pregnancy because gum disease is linked to preterm birth and low birth weight. It has also linked to heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

We don’t know all of the connections, and we don’t know why these connections exist, but we are happy to share the information we do know so that you can see that these relationships are a very serious problem that needs to be addressed.

Heart Disease

We have long known that heart disease and gum disease were linked. Recent studies may be able to explain why. It seems that when your gums bleed, the gum disease bacteria enters the bloodstream and clings to blood platelets. More and more platelets stick together until a clot forms.
Blood clots floating through your veins will cause all sorts of issues from symptoms of heart disease to a full-blown heart attack.

Cancer

Researchers studying men’s health found a surprisingly high statistic when looking at the rates of pancreatic cancer. Men who had gum disease were 64% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.

This statistic is a huge tell-tale sign that there is a definite link between gum disease and cancer. Other cancers have been connected with gum disease, but this pancreatic cancer study is especially alarming.

Alzheimer’s Disease

We study Alzheimer’s disease in many ways, but one way is to compare the brains of patients with the disease and patients without. The gum disease bacteria p. gingivalis was discovered in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, but it was not found in the brains of those without.

Again, we don’t fully understand why this happened, but isn’t that information alarming to you?

Making Better Choices Affects Your Whole Life

The final truth is that your entire health is related. The things going on in your mouth DO have an impact on the rest of your body. Caring for your teeth is about more than just your teeth. Your entire future could depend on it!
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Contact us today to learn more about the connections between gum disease and systemic health. We have only mentioned a few today. You can also set up your next appointment or exam and talk with us in person! We can’t wait to see you soon.

How To Straighten Your Teeth Comfortably

You have a problem with your teeth.

Maybe your teeth are crooked. Maybe you have gaps between your teeth. Maybe your teeth are crowded together. Maybe you have an underbite, an overbite, or a crossbite.

Whatever your issue, you want it fixed. You want your teeth to be straight because you know that will improve your smile. The problem is you don’t want to wear braces. At this stage in your life, you think braces would have a negative effect on your career. That’s why we want you to visit our dentist office in Plano, TX. You can learn about Invisalign during a consultation with our team at Plano Smile Studio.

The Problems With Braces

Adult orthodontics have become increasingly popular for many reasons. Some people are now in a position where they can the treatment to fix things that have bothered them for years. Other people may have had orthodontic treatment as teenagers, but they have experienced relapse, which means their teeth are moving back toward their original positions. At the same time, you may be concerned about how your co-workers, clients, or customers will react if they see you wearing braces. You can’t hide when you have metal brackets and wires attached to your teeth.
It’s understandable if you don’t think that will project the professional image you want to portray.
Another issue that may make you hesitate to get braces is the fact that the average treatment lasts about two years. That may be a longer time than you are willing to live with metal in your mouth.
Is Invisalign The Answer?
Still, you would like to have your teeth straightened. You are ready to see a different smile in the mirror. You just wish you could complete the treatment sooner and more discreetly. This is where Invisalign may be just what you have been looking for. Invisalign is sometimes called clear braces. It may be able to give you results that are comparable to traditional braces in about half the time.

How Invisalign Works

You may be wondering how this is possible. Invisalign works in a different way than braces.

We already mentioned how traditional braces work. Brackets are attached to your teeth, and wires connect the brackets together. This allows braces to pull and push your teeth into new positions. Invisalign uses a series of plastic aligners instead of brackets and wires. Each aligner pushes your teeth a little closer to being straight. We should also mention that each aligner is clear. This makes them virtually transparent when you are wearing them. Most people you meet will not notice that you have anything over your teeth, which makes Invisalign more acceptable to wear in professional situations.
Now we know that Invisalign works faster than traditional braces. We also know that it is less visible than metal braces. But those aren’t the only advantages. Here are few more reasons you may find Invisalign easier to handle as an orthodontic treatment:

• Invisalign is simple.

We’ve already mentioned the series of transparent aligners that you will wear during your Invisalign treatment. To keep your teeth moving, all you need to do is change your aligners as needed. Generally, this is every two weeks. With braces, you will have to return to the dentist or orthodontist every time your braces need to be adjusted.

• Invisalign can be removed.

Braces will be on your teeth 24 hours a day, every day, until your treatment is complete. Again, that could last two years or more. With Invisalign, you do need to wear the aligners for at least 22 hours per day for the best results. Another way to look at this is you can remove the aligners for up to two hours every day.

• You don’t have to change you diet with Invisalign.

Many people think this is one of the biggest advantages of Invisalign. With braces, you have to avoid certain foods. Hard, crunchy, and chewy foods can get stuck between your wires or cause your brackets to come loose. With Invisalign, you can remove your aligner whenever you sit down to eat. This means you won’t have to give up any of your favorite foods during your treatment.

Get Started With A Consultation

The only way to find out if Invisalign will work for you is to talk to someone who can evaluate you misalignment issues. Plano Smile Studio would be happy to do that for you. If you live in or near Plano, TX, call us at 972-398-2550 or fill out our online appointment form to get started.

Chew Turkey Again with Restorative Dentistry

Greetings Plano! Welcome back to the ongoing dental health blog of the Plano Smile Studio. Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching; have you started your preparations yet? Take a minute to envision what your dinner table will look like on that special Thursday afternoon. In all likelihood, your table will be filled to the brim with delicious food. What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish?

For some of our patients, Turkey is the obvious answer which springs to mind. You’ve stuffed the bird to to perfection, and it’s baked to a golden brown. For other patients, their favorite dish is a side item. Maybe it’s the mashed potatoes they made themselves from scratch, with real Idaho potatoes. Or it could be the green bean casserole, gooey and delicious.

Food is a fun thing to think about (sorry if you’re reading this blog on an empty stomach) because we associate it with so many of our memories. You can probably remember what the cake tasted like on your wedding; or the taste of the corn beef sandwich you washed down with a pint of lager on St. Patrick’s day.

But what happens in life when it becomes far more difficult to eat the food you love? Boredom is one common answer; eating the same soft foods for days on end is certainly no fun. Malnutrition is the other, scarier answer. Malnutrition can occur if you are forced to eat a repetitive diet of soft foods; you will miss out on needed things in you diet, such as protein and fiber. But restorative dentistry can be just the answer you need for eating your favorite foods once more.

At the Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX, we have years of experience in helping our patients regain their ability to chew without pain. We practice many different aspects of restorative dentistry. Restorative dentistry gains its name because it’s designed to help restore the form and function of your tooth. Once a tooth as been restored it will not only look better, it will work better when you’re chewing. In today’s post we’re going to briefly look at two different procedures which can help get you chewing once more.

Tooth-Colored Fillings Look Great and Function Well

The most obvious cause of dental pain is a cavity. Cavities can leave your teeth in a heightened state of sensitivity, making it far harder to eat your favorite foods. Cavities are caused by a build-up of plaque and bacteria on the enamel of your teeth. No matter how well you brush and floss your teeth, some bacteria remains on your teeth after you eat. This bacteria can then erode away the enamel of your tooth, this results in a cavity.

Cavities may hurt, but the good news is that they are easy to repair. We offer tooth-colored fillings at the Plano Smile Studio. This fillings are made of composite resin which means they are free of the mercury contained in many metal fillings. We can painlessly remove decay from your tooth and then fill it with a tooth-colored filling. Best of all, you won’t have to deal with the appearance of an ugly metal filling in your smile.

Dental Crowns Restore the Structure of Damaged Teeth

Sometimes a tooth can become extremely decayed. At this point a filling is not enough to correct your dental problem, and take away the pain in your tooth. In these cases, we may recommend a dental crown. A dental crown is almost like a hat or cap for your decayed tooth; it’s bonded over your tooth to restore your tooth’s natural structure. A dental crown is an excellent and lasting way to restore your ability to chew.

Dental crowns can be made out of multiple types of material. Although some patients opt for a gold crown, the most popular option is our porcelain crowns. Porcelain crowns are designed to match the natural appearance of your tooth. They look so great that we actually use dental crowns for cosmetic purposes on occasion, to repair the appearance of a misshapen tooth. At Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX, you can be sure that your crown will last for years; we have the experience and technology necessary to protect your teeth.

Make An Appointment

If you’re ready to eat your favorite foods, without pain, then you need restorative dentistry. Call the Plano Smile Studio at 972-398-2550 to make an appointment today in Plano, TX.

Could Your Dental Care Be Like A Dream?

Are You Have a Hard Time Chewing Halloween Candy?

What’s your favorite type of Halloween candy? Perhaps you enjoy a Charleston Chew or a bag of Reese’s Pieces? Whatever type of candy you love- one thing is certain: it can be hard to enjoy your candy when you have a hard time chewing it.

If you’re having a hard time chewing, we have solutions for you at the Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX. We want you to be able to eat your favorite foods again; after all, food is the spice of life. We offer several solutions for replacing missing teeth including bridges, dentures, dental implants, and implant-retained dentures.

When your teeth or damaged or decayed it can become nearly impossible and incredibly painful to chew. When you’re having a hard time chewing, you have to severely restrict your diet to just softer foods. Over time, restricting your diet can leave you in a state of malnutrition.
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The same is true if you are stuck wearing a pair of ill-fitting dentures. Can you imagine the embarrassment of your dentures falling out during a meal? Or worse yet, what if your dentures fall out during the course of a normal conversation? You might die from that type of embarrassment.
But that’s where we come in at Plano Smile Studio. In today’s post of our dental health blog, we want to tell you a little bit more about our comprehensive solutions for painful chewing. From bridges to dentures to dental implants, we’ve got you covered in one convenient Plano office.

Dental Bridge

A dental bridge is one of the most common ways to replace a missing tooth. A dental bridge is installed by placing dental crowns on the sides of your tooth. This crowns then support the bridge hardware. A dental bridge holds an artificial tooth in place on your missing tooth. Our artificial teeth are durable and natural-looking. We We work carefully to ensure that your bridge blends in seamlessly with the rest of your teeth.

Partial and Complete Dentures

We offer both partial and complete dentures at our Plano office. Partial dentures are used if you are missing several teeth, but still have some natural teeth remaining. Complete dentures are used if you are missing the entire row of your bottom or top teeth. Dentures are an effective way to replace missing teeth, as well as support your facial muscles. Dentures can restore your ability to chew and speak with ease; however dentures require adjustment and replacement over time.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are an artificial tooth root which we embed into your jawbone. Dental implants consist of a small, biocompatible screw on which we can place a dental crown or denture. Dental implants fuse with your natural bone structure, ensuring they are the most secure and long-lasting of any tooth replacement options. We highly recommend dental implants to all our patients who are missing teeth; with a dental implant you can chew and speak with ease and peace of mind.

Implant-Retained Dentures

We can also use dental implants as an anchor for dentures. Dental implants can be used to secure both partial and complete dentures. Traditional dentures sit on your gums and require adhesive to keep in place. Implant-retained dentures are fixed into place and secure. Implant-retained dentures are more comfortable and functional than traditional dentures. With this option, you never have to worry about your dentures sliding out of place!

Make An Appointment

Are you ready to regain your ability to chew with comfort and ease? Then contact the Plano Smile Studio in Plano, TX, to schedule an appointment and discuss your options for replacing missing teeth. You can reach our office by calling at 972-398-2550.

A Filling That Doesn’t Draw Attention

If you’ve been around the dental office for most of your life, you probably have a filling or two! Depending on your age, these fillings could be gold, silver, amalgam, etc. You know where your fillings are, and when you open your mouth to yawn or laugh, so does everyone else! At Plano Smile Studio, we have a better solution for filling cavities: composite fillings. Rather than looking like you’ve been chewing on shrapnel, you can look like you have a full set of healthy teeth!

Dentist have used amalgam, in particular, for years and years because it is a very strong, inexpensive filling material. These fillings last, but there are consequences. Mercury from fillings has been known to seep out of the filling and into your system, and the large area needed for the metal filling can weaken your tooth or cause leaks, leading to more trouble later on. We need a new solution.

Tooth-Colored Fillings

Dental bonding material is composite resin. We can also use this material to fill cavities. The process is simple because we can layer the resin in a little at a time to create a leak-proof filling. The bonding will hold your tooth together rather than making it weaker, but the best part is the appearance. We can make composite resin match any shade of tooth out there, so no one will know that you’ve had work done. It’s so inconspicuous that you might even forget which tooth got a filling!
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By changing the material used for fillings, we can offer you a better, more aesthetically pleasing, and healthier filling when you need one! Contact us today to learn more, and be sure to schedule an appointment so that we can check your current fillings for leaks! We can’t wait to help you get a healthier smile!

Choose Sedation that Works for You

Each of our patients has a different story. Each patient has had a set of unique experiences that led him or her into our office doors. When it comes to previous dental experiences, we understand that some are good and some are very, very bad. This is especially true for our patients who have been around the dental office for a while. With experiences like that, or even just seeing things in movies and television shows, it’s no wonder patients are afraid. We believe that sedation dentistry can empower our patients to combat that fear.

Oral Sedation

For patients who prefer to be somewhat aware during their work, oral sedation allows you to be completely relaxed while still being coherent. Most of our patients choose to doze off, but we can wake them up to ask questions or get feedback. It’s a fantastic balance of feeling deep relaxation while also being a part of what’s going on in the procedure room.

IV Sedation

For patients who want nothing to do with the procedure room, IV sedation will ensure that you stay asleep during a procedure. You can take a drug-induced nap while we work on your mouth. You will have no memory of what happened, and you won’t hear, smell, or taste anything while we work!
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Sedation is a personal choice. Most of our patients are able to choose between these two types of sedation, depending on their preference. Once you experience sedation dentistry, you will have a completely different opinion of the dental office! Contact us today to learn more, or to set up an appointment. Let us know how we can help you overcome your fear of the dentist!

Only Pay for a Restoration Once

A dental restoration is what we use to replace a missing tooth in your mouth. Teeth come out for any number of reasons, not limited to injury, disease, or decay. When they come out, it’s important to replace them with a restoration so that your jaw can continue to function in the way that it is supposed to. Teeth help not only with chewing, but also with speech and of course, smiling! One missing tooth can do a lot of damage if left alone, so we always recommend that you get a dental restoration.

The problem is that not all restorations are created equally. Some restorations are less expensive up front, which makes them attractive, and they will do the job for a while. The problem is that in 10-15 years, that restoration will need to be replaced. At that point, you get to pay for your restoration, again. Instead of fooling with that, we often recommend that you invest in the best restoration upfront, and never worry about it again! That’s the magic of a dental implant.

A Dental Implant Lasts

When we place a dental implant in your mouth, there is a 96% chance that it will stay there. We fully expect it to stay there for the rest of your life, assuming that you take care of your teeth, of course. While the cost may not be as attractive as that of other restorations, you have to understand that those other restorations probably aren’t going to last for the rest of your life. The titanium post of the implant will fuse with your bone, creating a permanent solution for your missing tooth.
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Don’t pay for a restoration over and over again for the rest of your life. Invest in a permanent solution, and then don’t worry about it! Take good care of your dental implant, and you can expect it to last until the end of your days. Contact us today to learn more, and let us know what your questions are!

Help Your Student Have a Healthy Smile

The new school year is waiting on our doorstep, but we still have so much to do! This season is one of scrambling to enjoy the last days of summer while also preparing our students to go back to school. In the midst of that hustle and bustle, make sure you add a visit to the dentist to your list of things to do! A dental check up is a great way to start the school year, and we’d love to make sure your student has a confident smile when he hits the hallways!

Does Your Teen Need A Boost of Confidence?

We see a lot of teenagers who are discovering the ruthless nature of the middle/high school hallways. Don’t be surprised if your teen is suddenly self-conscious of his crooked smile. Come on in to see us, and we’ll discuss options like Invisalign Teen to get your teen’s smile in great shape!

Does Your Child Have More Cavities Than Swiss Cheese?

School-age children tend to have more cavities than any other age group. It’s a combination of eating habits and poor oral hygiene skills. Help you student establish good habits, and bring her in to discuss possible solutions, like dental sealants or 3-month appointments.

Is Dental Care a Priority in Your House?

This is a tough one, but if your students are rushing to brush their teeth, or not taking the time to floss, you need to work on prioritizing. Create a routine that gives them ample time to take care of their teeth, and enforce it! You’ll thank yourself later, and so will they!
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Get your child on the right foot by ensuring that he has a smile he can be proud of! We are here at Plano Smile Studio to assist you in whatever way we can! Contact us today to set up an appointment for your student. Bring along any questions or concerns that you might have, and we’ll help you get it figured out!

A Guide to Caring for Your Dental Implants

If you want dental surgery that gives you new teeth in a day, many dental plans will accommodate you, especially since 66% of Americans believe tooth replacement is a medical necessity rather than a cosmetic correction.

Dental implants can last an entire lifetime if you care for them properly. Like real teeth, they don’t wear out or expire and can handle your daily routine. But even though the implant procedure is fast, care is lifelong. Implants should be maintained regularly to get the most out of them, both inside and outside your dental office.

Clean your implants thoroughly every day to keep plaque and other bacteria from infecting the space between the gums or bone and the implant post. The same inflammation and bone loss caused by gum disease can cause the support structure for the post to weaken. Use floss and tiny dental brushes to thoroughly clean the area around the implant as your dental office suggests.

Oral irrigation can also reduce plaque around dental implants and natural teeth, and your dentist may recommend a mouthwash regimen in addition to normal cleaning. However, if your alcohol-based mouthwash is causing dry mouth, opt for an alcohol-free rinse.

Fluoride toothpaste doesn’t damage implants, but toothpastes with abrasive substances like baking soda and stain removers might wear down the glaze on the porcelain implants. Check with your dentist if you’re not sure what toothpaste to use.

Extreme biting, tooth grinding at night or injury can break the bond between your implant and your jawbone. Any of these stressors can cause your replacement tooth to be loosened or knocked out, so it’s important to control such habits or ask for help managing them.

Drug use, smoking, cardiovascular disease and uncontrolled diabetes can all contribute to gum disease and tooth loss, so it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle as well.

Dental implant patients are urged to schedule regular visits to their dental office to check up on their implants.
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Peri-implant diseases and other complications are generally preventable with regular care and maintenance. Dental implants are highly successful in the long term, so don’t let your fear of complications prevent you from getting the only treatment that provides the actual look and feel of real teeth.