When you look your best, you exude confidence and grace. One of the features that people notice immediately is your smile. Because few people have a naturally perfect smile, they often seek help from their dentists. Cosmetic dentistry focuses on correcting stained, misshapen, or missing teeth and producing a sensational image.
A recent study found that individuals with bright, white smiles are seen as more intelligent, attractive, and successful. Even subtle changes, such as teeth whitening, can transform your appearance. Often, dentistry includes:
• Porcelain Veneers
Thin pieces of porcelain, veneers are permanently placed over front teeth to cover imperfections. Designed to mimic the translucency of tooth enamel, veneers generate beautiful, naturally-looking results.
• Bonding
For small chips or gaps, your dentist may suggest bonding, a process that involves the use of tooth-colored materials to renew your smile’s appearance.
• Teeth Whitening
The aging process, certain foods and beverages, and tobacco use can stain teeth and make you look older. Professional teeth whitening can remove discolorations and brighten teeth up to 10 shades. Both in-office and at-home professional bleaching are available, so check with your dentist to see what options they offer for patients.
• Invisalign
Though many adults would love a straighter smile, most don’t want to tarnish their mature images. Invisalign clear braces, a series of custom aligners, will gently and discreetly shift teeth into the correct position, resulting in a gorgeous smile without the embarrassment of metal braces.
• Dental implants
Just one missing tooth can cause oral health problems, such as shifting teeth, gaps in your smile, and alignment issues. Made from biocompatible titanium, a dental implant is a small post that acts as the foundation for a permanent crown. Implants can replace one or more missing teeth.
Let us make you smile at Dr. Yolanda Cruz Dentistry – Toronto Canada Dentist.
Your teeth are designed to chew and grind food. Some people have an unconscious habit of clenching and grinding their teeth. Also called bruxism, this condition can create small cracks in your teeth. Over time, clenching and grinding can make teeth more susceptible to decay and may wear down the pointed surfaces of molars. Muscle pain, headaches, and jaw damage can also occur because of bruxism.
When you have bruxism, you may unconsciously grind your teeth at night as well as during the day. In some cases, the clenching and grinding is mild, so no treatment is required. If the symptoms are severe enough, you may need help from your dentist or orthodontist to address the problem. Some common signs of bruxism include increased sensitivity in teeth, excessive wear of teeth surfaces, earaches, and chronic facial pain.
Stress, anxiety, and frustration can increase your chances of clenching and grinding. Often, young children experience bruxism, with the condition occurring mostly in kids under age five. Approximately three of 10 children grind their teeth without realizing it, often when they sleep. By adolescence, most kids outgrow this problem.
Because bruxism can create dental issues like teeth sensitivity or fractures in teeth, you should speak with your dentist or orthodontist about treatment options. Lifestyle choices like relaxation exercises can help you manage stress, but you may need a dental appliance to prevent clenching or grinding. Your orthodontist can take impressions for a splint or mouth guard. These devices will fit over your teeth and protect them from damage.
Creating beautiful, healthy smiles at Dr. Yolanda Cruz Dentistry – Toronto Canada Dentist – Bruxism
If you experience headaches, clicking or popping of your jaw, neck pain, or ringing in your ears, you could suffer from TMJ dysfunction. At Yolanda Cruz Dentistry, we can work with you to alleviate the symptoms and give you a healthy, functional smile.
TMJ dysfunction occurs because of disharmony between your jaw joints and chewing system. The temporomandibular joints are the small, triangular joints that connect your jaws to sides of your head. These joints work with the associated nervous and muscles to give you to a full range of motion. Stress, injury, and fatigue can disrupt balance and strain the whole system. When this occurs, patients often have limited movement, alignment problems, and pain.
Common signs of TMD include:
• Clenching and grinding
• Difficulty swallowing
• Dizziness
• Migraines
• Limited jaw movement
• Neck aches
• Tenderness in jaw muscles
• Tingling in the extremities
To confirm TMJ dysfunction, the dentist or orthodontist can perform a complete exam. Once TMD has been identified, you can work with the dentist to determine the best treatment. Non-surgical TMD therapy can include strengthening exercises, crowns or fillings to repair damaged teeth, hot or cold compresses to ease discomfort, and an oral appliance called a bite guard. Customized to fit your mouth, this device keeps your teeth and jaw in the correct position, which eliminates pressure on the TMJ and strained muscles. Early treatment can help you avoid extensive damage, so contact your dentist right away if you suspect TMJ dysfunction.
Schedule your consult today at Dr. Yolanda Cruz Dentistry in Toronto – Yolanda Cruz DDS
Having teeth that are sensitive to hot or cold can create discomfort in your mouth. Tooth sensitivity occurs when the dentin layer of your teeth becomes exposed. Several factors can contribute to sensitive teeth. Understanding the causes can help you limit the occurrence of tooth sensitivity. Your dentist may also make recommendations to address this issue.
• Tooth Decay – Cavities expose the roots of your teeth to irritants such as hot beverages, cold foods, or sweets.
• Clenching and Grinding – Enamel is the strongest material in your body, but it’s no match for clenching or grinding, which can wear away enamel and cause nerve damage.
• Cracks in Teeth – If you crunch ice or bite hard candies, your teeth may develop cracks. These fractures can create irritation when chewing motions rub the cracked pieces together.
• Receding Gums – Usually the tooth root is protectively covered by gum tissue. Periodontal disease can cause gum tissue to pull away from teeth and expose the sensitive roots.
• Acidic Foods – You may love tomatoes, oranges, and other acidic choices, but consumption of too many acid-rich foods and drinks can erode enamel, which can produce tooth sensitivity. To neutralize acidic goodies, have cheese or milk afterwards.
• Recent Dental Work – Though fillings and crowns may be necessary to improve your oral health, you may initially experience short-term sensitivity.
• Whitening Products – Many people try teeth whitening to enhance their smiles. These products contain peroxide-based bleaching solutions, which can create temporary sensitivity in teeth. Usually, this sensation stops shortly after you complete the treatment.
Dr. Yolanda Cruz dentistry for the whole family – Toronto Canada Dentist
One of the most important things you do to keep your teeth healthy is regular brushing. This habit becomes ingrained in people at a young age. Over time, you can get sloppy, which may lead to oral health problems like cavities or gum disease. Staying away from these common pitfalls can keep your oral health in top condition:
Choosing the Wrong Toothbrush. The more comfortable a toothbrush is, the more likely you are to actually use it. Find one that feels good in your hand and fits the size of your mouth.
Picking Incorrect Bristles. If bristles are too stiff, they can aggravate your gums and cause problems, so go with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
Not Brushing the Right Amount of Time. Most dentists suggest brushing for at least two to three minutes. Any less time and you may not clean all the surfaces completely.
Brushing Too Hard or Too Often. Ideally, you should brush two to three times a day. Brushing more frequently can lead to exposure of the roots or gum irritation. If you brush too vigorously, enamel erosion may occur.
Using the Wrong Technique. For the best results, use short, vertical strokes. When you brush with long, horizontal movements, you can damage gum tissue.
Forgetting to Change Toothbrushes. Although your toothbrush is designed to remove bacteria from your mouth, it can become a germ magnet, so change it every three to four months. The bristles also wear out or fray and buying a new toothbrush will make sure you can keep your mouth sparkling clean.
Tooth brushing tips from Dr. Yolanda Cruz dentistry – Toronto Canada Dentist
When you schedule regular checkups, your dentist will examine your mouth and look for any issues at these appointments. Catching problems early on makes it easier to repair damage and preserve your oral health. If you notice the following signs, let your dentist know right away:
• Bleeding gums. You wouldn’t ignore bleeding on your arm or leg, yet most people don’t pay any attention to bleeding gums. This symptom is frequently an early sign of gum disease. Without treatment, gum disease can result in bone degeneration and tooth loss, as well as contribute to overall health issues like heart disease and osteoporosis.
• Sores that don’t heal. Some people develop canker sores or cold sores, which usually clear up in 10 to 14 days. Your dentist should check out any spot that doesn’t heal after two weeks. Oral cancer can begin with a sore that won’t go away, so you should not ignore this issue.
• Areas of white, creamy patches. of A yeast infection of the mouth, thrush can crop up because of certain medications such as steroid inhalers for asthma. Additionally, it can indicate a disease like diabetes, so mention this issue to your dentist if you notice any signs of thrush.
• Hairline cracks in teeth. People who suffer from problems such as TMJ dysfunction or bruxism, which is clenching and grinding of the teeth, may develop small cracks in their teeth. Stress, fatigue, and injury can contribute to these types of problems. Your dentist can recommend treatment to correct any misalignment and relieve discomfort.
We care about your dental health at Dr. Yolanda Cruz Dentistry – Toronto Canada Dentist.
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