703.478.9574Cosmetic Dentist
Reston and Arlington, VA
Common Dental Problems
The dental profession has done an excellent job in recent years of educating the public. So we know to brush and floss, and get regular check-ups and professional cleanings. The earlier a problem is detected and treated, the more easily and effectively it can be treated.
Perhaps not everybody knows that cosmetic dentistry has made huge progress recent years with the dental use of computers, development of improved dental materials and tools, and use of lasers. Most dental problems are now easier to fix than previously, and even advanced and serious problems may be treated, where in past times you might have ended by losing all your teeth and wearing dentures.
Click here to learn more about common dental problems we can repair.
Here are some common dental problems which can be repaired by our cosmetic dentist.
Gaps between teeth
Does your smile reveal a gap (also called a diastema) between your front teeth? This can sometimes be part of a larger orthodontic problem, but often it’s simply caused by the frenum (the gum tissue between those front teeth) being too thick.
If orthodontic treatment isn’t necessary, there are two simple remedies for gaps between teeth:
- Porcelain veneers – Dr. Katz will make thin ceramic plates to cover the front sides of the teeth in such a way that there’ll be no gap. Porcelain is bonded to the tooth’s surface, making it very durable and it’s also stain-resistant.
- Dental bonding – a dental composite material, in a shade of white to match your teeth, can be molded to fill the gap, with a little of it bonded to each neighboring tooth. When polished and buffed it will be virtually indistinguishable from your natural enamel.
Missing teeth
When one or more teeth are lost and there’s a large gap left, there are two possible solutions:
- Dentures – a removable structure custom-made to fill the gap with an artificial tooth, or several of them. A complete denture can be made to replace all your teeth, and a partial one will replace several adjacent teeth.
For some people, this is a good solution, as the dentures can be taken out at any time, yet they’re always there when you want your smile to look its best.
- Bridges – these are also called fixed partial dentures, as they do the same job as dentures, but are permanently attached to the surrounding teeth. Dr. Katz will choose from 3 types of bridges, depending on the specific circumstances of your missing teeth.
A traditional bridge comprises two crowns, fitted over the two teeth adjacent to the gap, plus one or more artificial teeth custom-built to fit in that gap.
If a gap between teeth is not filled, the neighboring teeth can start to move from their correct positions, and misaligned teeth can result, which in turn can lead to other problems.
A gummy smile
Sometimes some of our teeth appear to be too short, or the gum tissue seems too abundant, so we feel that too much gum shows when we smile. This is a simple dental problem to fix with modern cosmetic dentistry.
The teeth are partly hidden by excess gum tissue and a treatment called gum contouring will remove the excess tissue to reveal more of the teeth.
Cosmetic dentist Dr. Katz will first plan the treatment, determining exactly how much tissue to remove and where, so as to give your smile an even, balanced look.
A laser is used to recontour the gum tissue, like re-sculpting your smile in one visit. It’s a cool laser, very precise, and it vaporizes the tissue instantly. You’ll be walking away with a whole new look!
Stained teeth
There probably isn’t a person on planet Earth who never gets stains on his teeth. It happens over the years, just because we eat and drink things which slowly discolor the tooth enamel.. The most common of those culprits are tea, coffee, cola drinks, tobacco and red wine and the stains they create are known as extrinsic stains.
There are also intrinsic stains, not caused by anything we eat or drink, but by heredity, or some medications which are taken during childhood, while our teeth are developing. These stains are part of the tooth’s structure and can’t be removed by any tooth whitening procedure.
Tooth whitening can be done quickly in the dentist’s office or more gradually by you at home.
- The Zoom!™ whitening system – Dr. Katz uses this method, in which a laser beam speeds up the whitening. The whole procedure takes about 90 minutes, counting the preparation and finishing-up.
The Zoom!™ system includes a take-home component, so that you can follow-up at home to maintain the new brightness. We’re all different in how white our teeth can potentially become. If yours can become even whiter than the 90-minute procedure will allow, the at-home kit enables you to take them to their maximum whiteness.
- Professional take-home kits – if you prefer, Dr. Katz will have some trays made to fit your teeth exactly, and give you a kit with whitening gel, so you can do the whitening at home, but with professional-strength gel. This is more convenient for some people, and works very well.
- Over-the-counter tooth whitening products – whitening toothpaste won’t have much effect because whitening only takes place while the teeth are in contact with the whitening agent, which isn’t very long in the case of toothpaste.
The kits with generic tooth trays and a whitening gel can be more effective, although the tray may not fit your teeth very well, and the gel will be of a lower strength than that used by Dr. Katz or any other cosmetic dentist.
Crooked teeth
One of the main reasons our teeth become crooked is that they’re crowded. They haven’t enough space to spread out flat and even. This is an orthodontic problem and in years past, people wore metal braces for a couple of years. This slowly pressured the teeth to move and make more space for each other.
With modern cosmetic dentistry advances, we now have improved options for straightening teeth.
Clear aligners – instead of using braces permanently attached to your teeth until the dentist removes them, this method uses a series of clear plastic trays which progressively move your teeth into better positions. The most commonly used system is Invisalign™, and another one is OrthoClear.
Dr. Katz will design a series of trays which you’ll wear for 2 weeks each. Each 2 weeks, you abandon the current tray and start wearing the next in the series. Each set moves your teeth incrementally closer to their final positions.
These trays are removed for eating and cleaning, and can be removed any time, for instance, if you have an important meeting or date and want to look your best. For the most part though, they should be left in.
Ceramic braces – these are a modernized version of the old metal braces. They’re attached to your teeth with fine wire, but the pads themselves are white ceramic, so they aren’t as obvious when you smile.
Dr. Katz will examine your teeth and overall dental status before determining whether clear aligners or braces would be a better method for you. You might be able to make the choice yourself, if you make a good candidate for both.
Pain in the jaw
If you feel pain in your jaw or jaw joint, you probably also feel pain in other areas of your face, head, neck and shoulders, at various times. Unless the jaw pain is actually pain in the gums, due to infection, or part of some other medical condition unrelated to dentistry, it could be a symptom of TMD (also called TMJ).
For your bright and confident new smile, contact cosmetic dentist Dr. Katz and schedule a Complimentary Cosmetic Consultation. He’ll listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and together you can decide on the best course of action.
Click here to learn more about common dental problems we can repair.
