Glencoe Dentist: When Whitening Won’t Work

Posted by glamoursmiles

Covering MouthThere are two types of stains that can dull your smile. Extrinsic stains are common and happen to everyone as the years march on. They are exacerbated by coffee, tobacco, and dark food and beverages. These stains generally respond very well to professional teeth whitening. Intrinsic stains occur from inside the dentin of your teeth. Generally, this is a result of medication side effects. Your Glencoe cosmetic dentist, Dr. Brent A. Engelberg, will tell you more about this type of staining, and what you can do if you’re tired of having a discolored smile.

Medication and Fluorosis

Tetracycline and other medications that are similar can have wonderful effects on patients in need. Unfortunately, in spite of the best efforts of science and research, side effects sometimes don’t become clear until after the meds are already long (more…)

Cosmetic Dentist in Winettka Challenges You to a Quiz on Invisalign

Posted by glamoursmiles

True of false thought bubblesYou may have already been down the braces road, and perhaps you don’t have the best memories. Let’s face it,0 adolescence can already be awkward enough. Slap a mouthful of cumbersome metal on the teeth of a young teenager and they’re likely to be mortified and embarrassed. If you were one of the many young people that sported traditional braces, you probably got used to them eventually. However, wouldn’t you have loved to have more options? Fast forward to the present, and perhaps your teeth ended up shifting in spite of all of those great efforts on the part of your orthodontist and your parents’ wallets. If you are unhappy with the way your teeth look, whether you had braces at one point, or never got a chance to have your teeth straightened, Invisalign can seem almost like a miracle. Your Winettka cosmetic dentist, Dr. Brent Engelberg, challenges you to this quiz on Invisalign.

Questions

Q1. True or false: Invisalign is flatter and more comfortable than traditional bracket-and-wire braces, but they’re still a bit visually distracting.

Q2. True or false: There are usually talking and discomfort issues from Invisalign.

Q3. True or false: Invisalign is a one-size-fits-all treatment.

Answers

A1. FALSE – It might sound like science fiction that a method for straightening your teeth might exist that does the job so inconspicuously, but it’s true. Invisalign aligners are virtually invisible, and definitely more comfortable than the older alternatives. (more…)

Are Caffeinated Beverages Making Your Smile Dull?

Posted by glamoursmiles

CoffeehouseCaffeine is technically a drug, so it isn’t any wonder that so many Americans feel truly addicted to coffee, soda, and other caffeinated beverages. Are you one of the many that doesn’t feel like you’ve truly woken up until you have your morning coffee? Or do you stop at the corner mini-mart multiple times each day for a gargantuan soda just to get through the day? Even if you don’t drink caffeinated beverages to excess, and aren’t bothered by caffeine in any way, there’s one common problem with these drinks (even tea) if you want white, bright teeth. If you are thinking of opting for professional teeth whitening, but want to make sure you have lasting results, you may want to consider giving up the coffee or soda habit beforehand. Your Winnetka cosmetic dentist, Dr. Brent Engelberg, will offer some tips.

Educate Yourself

Many drugs and substances seem to be double-edged swords. If you search the internet for caffeine information, you may see multiple articles that talk about health benefits including a possible decrease in heart disease. However, you can find just as much information to the contrary, and including many other issues including anxiety and high blood pressure. Some research has indicated a gene that makes (more…)

Chipped Dental Crown? Highland Park Cosmetic Dentist Can Assist You

Posted by glamoursmiles

Chipped CrownPorcelain is an amazing material. To combine such strength with a delicate appearance makes it the perfect material for dental restorations such as crowns. However, not even teeth (which are covered in the second strongest compound in the entire world – enamel) are impervious to damage. So you may wonder what you should do if you chip a porcelain dental crown. Your Highland Park cosmetic dentist, Dr. Brent Engelberg, will educate you now so that you’re ready to deal with this situation, should it ever occur for you.

Porcelain Crowns

The dental industry has made the effort over the years to come up with the best, strongest, most cost-effective, but also cosmetically accurate materials to use for cosmetic and restorative dental treatments. At one point, layered porcelain was the trend. However, it became clear that pressing the material produces a much stronger crown. Pressed porcelain actually looks better, as well, offering superior translucence to give you a bright looking smile. But what happens if your high-quality, beautiful dental crown chips?

Chipped Crown Advice

Just like teeth, accidents can happen, and restorative dental work can be compromised. First and foremost, if you chip a crown, you should call your Highland Park cosmetic dentist and explain your situation to decide if (more…)