California Smile Design

We believe that a child should have their first dental visit when their first tooth erupts or before they reach their first birthday. Recent studies are showing that by the age of three, a child is already at risk of having cavities which can be caused by something as innocent as putting a baby to sleep with a bottle of juice or milk. Along with taking our first look at your child’s oral condition, this first appointment is also largely focused on the parents and helping them to establish a good oral hygiene program and diet for the child.

It is a little known fact that a child’s primary teeth are vital to the long-term health of their permanent adult teeth. The premature loss of primary teeth as a result of accidents or decay can cause serious problems including poorly spaced and crooked adult teeth. As a result, it is just as important to care for a child’s baby teeth as it is for the adult teeth that follow.

According to recent studies, almost half the population of adults in North America suffers at least occasionally from bad breath (halitosis). The most common cause of bad breath is oral bacteria in the mouth and on the back of the tongue. These bacteria produce a volatile sulfur compound, which in turn produces a smell similar to “rotten eggs”. Other causes of halitosis include certain foods, smoking, alcohol, hormonal changes or simply being hungry.

Depending upon the type of bad breath, the treatment usually begins with ensuring meticulous oral hygiene. Your dentist or dental hygienist will check for gum disease and if necessary prepare a detailed treatment plan. Tongue scraping (don’t worry, it’s easy and painless), should also become an important part of daily home care and part of your regular tooth brushing routine.

Tooth grinding or bruxism, is a serious issue that can result in damage to your teeth, poor sleep patterns and soreness in the muscles of the face and neck, not to mention an unhappy spouse. Fortunately, this problem can normally be corrected with the use of a dental night guard.

Night guards look much like a sports mouth-guard, but are specially designed to prevent muscle tension and withstand the intense pressure exerted by tooth grinders. Only your dental office can provide a custom-made night guard that will fit you perfectly. Ask us about dental night guards or other treatments available to relieve tension and discomfort in the jaw and neck.

Many of us who grew up before the time of fluoridated water have a mouth full of silver fillings. These fillings known as amalgams, have proven to be extremely durable restorations, but they are not very pleasing to the eye.

Fortunately, recent advances in dental materials have made it possible to use tooth coloured filling materials. These materials can be virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth and are used to achieve long lasting and attractive restorations. In our practice, we use tooth coloured materials for almost all the fillings that we place. We even use these materials to replace old amalgam fillings that have started to deteriorate or that simply detract from the appearance of our patient’s smiles.

Dental Implants are part of a tooth replacement treatment. They are virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth. These implants are metal posts or frames, usually made of titanium, that are surgically placed under your gums. They then fuse to the bone of your jaw and act as roots. Replacement teeth, called crowns made of porcelain, are then attached to the implant. They will fit securely to your gums because they are held in place by bone, allowing them to look and function just like natural teeth.

Once the implants are in place, your dentist will typically wait a few months to proceed with crowns – temporary appliances are available for you to wear while you wait.