Portland, Maine’s reconstructive dentists improve dental health one tooth and one mouth at a time

Sedation Dentist 

Portland, Maine’s reconstructive dentists play an important role in the lives of their patients.   Before treatment, many patients were suffering from a decline in their dental health, overall health and quality of life.  For some patients, the problem might have been a single broken tooth.  Other patients suffered from infections in the gums, damage to a number of teeth or the jaw, and even from joint disorders in the jaw.  Portland, Maine’s residents who have experience the positive results of reconstructive and restorative dentistry will be the first to recommend the gentle dentists to anyone.

Teeth endure daily wear and tear.  Whether from grinding or a lifetime of chewing, teeth may weaken and crack or break.  Such a problem should not be ignored.  Portland, Maine’s restorative dentists have a number of treatment options.  A single tooth might be treated with an implant or crown.  Problems with a few teeth might involve a bridge.  Old metal fillings can cause problems as well and Portland, Maine’s dentists can address the replacement of those as well.

Other teeth problems are the result of accidents.  Young or old, unfortunately, we sometimes experience accidents or injuries that damage our teeth.  Portland, Maine’s family dentists can help even young patients with restorative dental techniques.  After repairing the tooth, teeth, gums or jaws of the injured patient, the cosmetic dentist might also be able to suggest some cosmetic dental work to restore one’s smile and enhance one’s appearance.  This extra step makes Portland, Maine’s restorative dentists full service providers. 

Reconstructive dentistry

When left untreated, or if the damage reaches far enough into the tooth, infection of the tooth and jaw may occur.  Portland Maine’s patients can depend on their restorative and reconstructive dentists to perform root canals.   The very phrase “root canal” makes many people nervous.  At one time, a root canal was a painful procedure.   Today, however, much of the anxiety and pain associated with the procedure can be reduced through the use of sedation dentistry.  Your Portland Maine’s reconstructive dentist may have the special certification required to use sedation.    Sedation does not mean the patient is put to sleep, but he or she does receive medication to reduce anxiety and pain.

For Portland, Maine residents who suffer from TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder), reconstructive and restorative dentistry may be able to provide the relief you’ve been seeking.  Common problems associated with TMJ include pain in chewing and debilitating headaches.  Portland, Maine’s family dentists can discuss your options through reconstructive or restorative dentistry to correct the problem of TMJ and its related complications.

Don’t let the pain in your teeth, gums and jaws affect your quality of life another day.  There are treatments and solutions.  Call your Portland, Maine restorative dentist today.  Through reconstructive dentistry, your dentist can begin the process of restoring your dental health right away.

Pain free dentistry soothes Portland, Maine’s dental patients

Gum Therapy - Periodontitis

Dentists, spiders, high places….what do these have in common?  Portland, Maine’s residents list these among their worst fears.  Pain free dentistry can take the fear of dentists right off that list.  Portland, Maine’s sedation dentists are specially trained and certified to treat patient’s dental problems by first treating their dental fears.  Portland, Maine’s residents deserve and need proper dental care so getting them to the dentist is a top priority for many family dentists.

Oral Sedation

Gentle dentists in Portland, Maine know that many patients have lifelong fears of dental procedures.  These fears may be a result of oral sensitivities, previous painful dental procedures, bad childhood memories of dental work and the feeling of loss of control in the dental chair.  Portland, Maine’s dentists want patients to know they understand these fears and the impact they can have.  Portland Maine’s pain free dentists also want patients to know that proper dental care is critical to one’s dental and overall health and that sedation dentistry may be the answer for many patients.                                                                                      

Sedation dentists use prescribed medication to help reduce pain and lessen the anxiety of their dental patients.  The medication may be given orally or through an IV depending on the patient’s needs and level of comfort with either procedure.  The most commonly used prescriptions for sedation dentistry come from the benzodiazepine class of drugs.  There are, however, many options if such drugs are not tolerable to the patient.  Your family dentist will take a medical history and inquire about other medications being used.  Portland, Maine’s sedation dentists are carefully trained and licensed to administer these drugs and to monitor the patient’s vital signs and overall condition during the dental procedure.  Safety and comfort are at the forefront of all sedation dentistry.

Avoiding a dental problem does not make it go away.  Unfortunately, without proper treatment from Portland Maine’s dentists, dental problems will get worse and often lead to complications or further health problems.  Did you know that your dental health is a strong indicator of your overall health?  Some Portland, Maine residents think of dental care and basic health care as exclusive of each other.  In fact, they are powerfully connected.  Dental patients who suffer from unresolved dental problems are far more likely to develop other health problems, often caused by changes in diet and eating habits.

Portland, Maine’s dentists recognize the validity and power of dental fears.   Their first priority is to your dental health.   Gentle dentists can work patiently and carefully to ensure the comfort and ease of each dental patient.  Sedation dentistry allows you to relax and allow Portland, Maine’s best dentists to check, clean and repair your teeth.   Sedation dentistry can be used on your very first visit to a Portland, Maine dentist to put you at ease as he or she checks your teeth and determines the need for further treatment.  Don’t let fear of the dentist keep you from the dental chair.  Allow Portland, Maine’s painfree dentists to show you how your visit can be relaxing and comfortable.

Porcelain Veneers in Portland Maine for a fabulous smile

Dental crowns

Now, in Portland, Maine, it's possible to get a dazzling, white smile without feeling anything but good throughout the process. Imagine having a Hollywood smile, with no anesthesia, no residual discomfort and no need to avoid foods and beverages that are too hot or cold for weeks after you leave the dentist's office. For many years now, cosmetic dentists have been helping people achieve the look they want – bright, confident smiles they are proud to show the world. Now, with porcelain veneers at their disposal, Portland, Maine cosmetic dentists can give you that dazzling smile quicker and more easily than ever before! In addition, the procedure is painless. You won't feel even a moment's discomfort!

My best friend has crowns. Are they better than porcelain veneers?

Maybe you should get crowns. Ask your Portland Maine cosmetic dentist if they're right for you. Dental crowns are certainly the right choice, in some cases. Dental crowns work very well in completely surrounding badly damaged, stained or decayed teeth. They are bonded to your damaged teeth with specially formulated cement. Crowns can be shaped attractively and colored to the desired tint to give you the smile you've been dreaming of. Plus, dental crowns are very strong and they resist staining for many years. You can enjoy the foods and drinks you love without embarrassment or worry.

Nitrous Oxide Sedation

In Portland, Maine, getting dental crowns usually means your dentist has to remove some of your natural tooth material in order to make just the right-shaped nub for attaching the crown. Some of the material your dentist removes may be perfectly good and healthy, but once it is removed there is no getting it back. Crowns are especially good in cases where teeth have natural deformities or have large chips or large areas of discoloration. A dental crown completely surrounds the misshapen or damaged tooth, replacing a flawed or damaged look with perfection. It's important to keep in mind that once a tooth is reduced to a nub, a crown will always be required. You can't "un-remove" the part of a tooth that has been ground or filed away. Keep in mind, too, that your gums are going to naturally shrink away from the crown as you get older. That can leave you with an unattractive line or gap, and you may end up back at square one. It is important to discuss matters like this with your cosmetic dentist.

How are veneers different? What is the difference between composite veneers and porcelain veneers?
A composite veneer is a high-strength, stain-resistant resin that is applied only to the parts of your teeth that can be seen by others. Composite veneers are very different from crowns in this regard. There is usually no restructuring or reshaping of existing teeth required. These composite resin teeth veneers are pleasing to the eye and at the same time very strong. One of their main selling points is the fact that they usually can be applied in just one visit to your Portland, Maine cosmetic dentist. With this type of dental veneer, your cosmetic dentist has a little leeway in reshaping a tooth, since material is being added to your natural tooth. Small chips and other imperfections can be filled in with durable, tooth-colored risen.

Porcelain veneers are increasingly being thought to be superior to composite resin, because they are made of a high-tech, incredibly strong ceramic. This specially developed ceramic is very resistant to staining, much like glass. Porcelain veneers exhibit exceptional strength, too. It is thought they can last up to 30 years. This is a major area in which they are thought to be better than composite resin dental veneers, which seem to lose a bit of their stain-resistant quality as time goes on. The near-translucence of porcelain veneers allows them to do a better job in maintaining a natural tooth color while still effectively hiding defects. Porcelain veneers are applied in the same way as composite resin dental veneers – to the outward-facing surfaces only, but porcelain veneers are applied in coats as thin as one millimeter! In Portland, Maine, this means you can get your porcelain veneers and not worry about your teeth looking any bigger than they did before you went to the dentist. No one will notice any size increase in your teeth after you get your porcelain veneers, but if you do have small chips, they will be effectively concealed.

Advantages of dental veneers over dental crowns:
• Fewer visits required – in some cases, only one
• No pain, no discomfort during the procedure
• No worries over sensitive teeth, since there is no grinding or filing

If you have been considering getting that smile you've always wanted, don't wait – contact your local Portland, Maine cosmetic dentist today. Find out for yourself about the available procedures, and let your dentist help you decide which technique is right for you. If you don't need large defects covered and you want to avoid discomfort, you might just opt for porcelain veneers. 

Smile! Portland, Maine’s cosmetic dentists can whiten your smile with laser whitening

Portland, Maine’s cosmetic and family dentists are providing more than quality dental care to the residents of Portland, Maine and Gorham, Maine.   They’re improving the beauty of our area one smile at a time.   With the rush of Portland, Maine residents to their cosmetic and family dentist for laser teeth whitening, Portland, Maine may become known as Maine’s smiling city.

There may be nothing more beautiful than the smile and laughter of a child.  Portland, Maine’s children are blessed with young, healthy teeth that are bright and white.  With age, however, our teeth change and we often stop smiling as broadly as we did as youngsters.  Portland, Maine’s cosmetic dentists can restore the beauty of your smile by whitening your teeth.  Using the power of light technology, light emitting diodes (LED) are powerful tools in quickly and effectively whitening teeth by several shades.  Sometimes known as laser teeth whitening, the technique actually does not involve lasers.    Rather, LED technology is used to direct high intensity light at the teeth while the surrounding tissue remains protected and unaffected.

Portland, Maine’s family and cosmetic dentists know that there are many reasons for tooth discoloration.  Problems with tooth enamel, side effects from medication and the natural aging of the teeth can cause teeth to appear yellow or brown.  More commonly, Portland, Maine residents experience discoloration as the result of staining of the dentine layer of the tooth.  Tooth enamel has millions of tiny pores.  Over time, particles from tobacco, foods, drinks such as wine and coffee, and other chemicals can penetrate these pores and stain the dentine layer.  To effectively whiten the tooth, the dentine layer must be reached.

Using “laser dentistry” as LED treatments are commonly known, Portland, Maine’s cosmetic and family dentists use intense light beams to force oxygen through the pores in the enamel to the dentine layer.  The oxygen is able to act on the surface of the dentine to remove the staining particles left there over the years.  The procedure is brief and can be done within a half-hour to hour appointment window.  Best of all, LED whitening is painless.  Patients leave their Portland, Maine’s dentist’s office with a noticeably whiter and brighter smile. 

Sedation Dentistry

If the thought of any dental procedure makes you nervous, Portland, Maine’s cosmetic and family dentists are also trained and licensed as sedation dentists.  Sedation dentistry does not mean you are put to sleep.  Instead, Portland, Maine’s sedation dentists can prescribe medications to make you more comfortable and relaxed during any dental procedure.  Don’t let fear of pain and discomfort keep you from teeth whitening procedures that can enhance your appearance.

Smile Portland, Maine!  Whiter, brighter, youthful, healthy looking smiles are available from your Portland, Maine cosmetic and family dentists.  Contact your Portland, Maine dentist to schedule your appointment today.

Benefits of laser dentistry impress Portland, Maine dental patients

Dentists are using lasers and dental patients couldn’t be happier.  Laser eye surgery has become a widely accepted form of eye care and treatment.  Cosmetic and family dentists in Portland, Maine have discovered that the benefits of lasers have applications in the dental office as well.   Lasers are a safe and effective way to treat a number of dental issues.  Patients in Portland, Maine are responding enthusiastically to the increased comfort and reduced recovery time of many dental procedures.

Portland Maine’s cosmetic and family dentists have found that lasers allow them to work in a very specific area of the mouth.  Lasers can be used on both teeth and gums, yet the tissue around the area receiving the laser’s beams is left undamaged.  In years past, tissue around the dental problem could be bruised during the procedure as the dentist reached into the mouth and used his or her dental tools.  By holding the laser wand, the Portland Maine dentist is able to aim the laser’s beam directly at the area of concern.   This eliminates the need for cutting and stitches.  Bleeding is reduced as the laser’s beam actually helps the blood clot.  Infections are reduced because the beam sterilizes the area being worked on.   In some procedures, anesthesia may not be needed.  Laser dentistry is even being used to perform portions of the ever-dreaded root canal.  Patients report less discomfort, pain, and quicker recovery.

If a procedure is going to require several hours of work, or you need several things done, your Portland Maine dentist may recommend to you sedation dentistry. Sedation dentistry will keep you calm and comfortable during the dental procedure.

Dental lasers can perform other important functions as well.  For example, a Portland Maine dentist may use a laser to perform a biopsy on mouth tissue.  This can be an important step in the early detection of oral cancer.  Although certainly less serious than cancer, cold and canker sores can be extremely painful.  Dental lasers are being used to effectively treat these annoyances as well.  Dental lasers can be used to catch cavities and tooth decay earlier.  Your Portland Maine dentist can then treat these problems before they spread.

 Put the power of lasers to work for you.  The FDA has approved the use of lasers in dentistry.  Discuss laser dentistry with a Portland Maine family or cosmetic dentist today.  

Dental Crowns: Restoring Your Teeth's Regal Bearing

Getting your teeth back in shape with dental crowns 

Do you often look at the mirror and admit to yourself sadly that, yes, your teeth are in bad shape? Chances are you have also been thinking of going to your Portland, Maine cosmetic dentist to ask for advice or recommendations. If you have cracks, breakage or damage caused by wear and tear then expect to be told about dental crowns as an option. 

How your cosmetic dentist does it

The dental procedure for dental crowns is quite simple. First, your Portland, Maine cosmetic dentist conducts a thorough examination (that is, through x-ray, physical checkup).  Unless you have gum infection, which may require treatment first, your cosmetic dentist will proceed to reshape your teeth. You want to make sure that you get a dental crown that fits perfectly. 

Using an impression paste or putty, your cosmetic dentist in Portland will make a model of your teeth so that dental lab technicians can create the dental crown in their lab.  After three weeks of waiting (or wearing a temporary dental crown), you will get your customized dental crown.  Now comes the actual crowning. Don't say you're afraid of the pain caused by the pressure on your gums as your Portland Maine cosmetic dentist or family dentist puts the crown on your teeth with dental cement. Make sure to ask your family dentist about sedation dentistry which makes this procedure virtually painless and worry-free.

Dental crowns are made of these

Would you like the strongest material to cover your dental imperfections and improve the appearance of your teeth? You can choose a porcelain dental crown fused with metal. How about going natural? You can have porcelain or ceramic crowns. Actually, you can have also a resin or metallic dental crown (read: nickel, chromium, or even gold). Or, would you like anything but metal (because you're allergic to it)? For some clients like you, cosmetic dentists have recommended resin or porcelain dental crowns.

Marching to the cosmetic dental clinic

Enough said. There's nothing like hearing facts about dental crowns straight from the mouth of your cosmetic dentist in the Gorham and Portland, Maine area. See for yourself what a difference a dental crown makes. 

Your Winter Years are nothing to Dental Implants from Portland, Maine Cosmetic Dentists

No one is too old to get dental implants! You can even ask your Portland, Maine cosmetic dentists and they will say the same thing. Even if you’re in your winter years as long as you are a good candidate for dental implantation you are as good to go!

How would you know you’re a candidate for the dental implant procedure?  Well first your Portland, Maine cosmetic dentist will clinically evaluate your gum tissues and the density of your bone tissues in your jaw to see if it will adequately support the implant that will be put in place f your missing, rotten, cracked, or good for nothing goner of tooth. Other than the cosmetic dentists’ clinical eye, a dental x-ray may be also involved. This initial evaluation is totally painless!

If you’re gums and jaw bones seem a bit under the weather then your Portland, Maine cosmetic dentists will likely suggest a bone and/or soft tissue graft for extra structural support.

After you recover from the grafting process or if you’re gums and jaw bones are dentally okay then you may proceed to the actual dental implant procedure. But before anything else your trustworthy Portland, Maine cosmetic dentist will include sedation dentistry in the procedure for you to have a painless and comfortable dental experience. Hence, pain is out of the picture!

A titanium screw with crown abutment is implanted in the area in need of it and they are as real-looking as your teeth and as strong too! You can eat anything and worry nothing about it from falling off your mouth. Hey, it’s screwed there for a good reason! You’ll have nothing of the problems you might get from getting dentures or dental bridges.

So call your most trusted Portland, Maine cosmetic dentist now!

With dental implants you can enjoy gastronomic happiness without hesitations, plus you get to flash a good smile too!