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Cosmetic and
restorative
dentistry

What You Probably Do Not Know About Dental Crowns

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Dental Crowns have certainly come a long way since Charles Land developed the porcelain jacket crown. Although the porcelain jacket crown was patented in 1889, it was not made available to patients until 1903.  

The original jacket crowns covered the tooth by, “Jacketing,” it with a porcelain material, and although they were quite popular, there were some issues including micro cracking. These stability issues were not addressed until the late 50s and early 60s when Abraham Weistein invented a stronger structure that attached metal implants to porcelain crowns.  

According to Web MD, Dental Crowns are used to restore a worn down or broken tooth and can be used to hold a cracked tooth together. If you have a severely decayed tooth, your dentist may recommend a Dental Crown to support the tooth, especially if a large filling is required and you do not have much of the natural tooth left. Dental Crowns can also be used to cover Dental Implants, hold a bridge in its place or to make dental cosmetic restoration modifications.  

Dental Crowns can be manufactured out of several materials including metal alloy, gold, resin, ceramic, porcelain or porcelain fused to metal.  

Metal Dental crowns can be made from base metal alloys such as chromium or nickel, or other alloys such as palladium or gold. Compared with other types of Dental Crowns, Metal Dental Crowns do not require as much tooth structure removal. Metal Dental Crowns rarely break or chip and can withstand tremendous force from chewing and biting. The only drawback is the color. 

Porcelain Fused to Metal Dental Crowns are matched to your natural adjacent tooth color, but will wear more easily. This type of Dental Crown can also break or chip. Porcelain fused to metal crowns look almost like natural teeth with the exception of the metal that can sometimes show underneath the porcelain, especially if you are dealing with gum recession. 

All resin Dental Crowns are more cost effective than other types of Dental Crowns but will eventually wear down and are more apt to break or chip. Resin crowns can be made to match your natural tooth color.  

All porcelain or all ceramic Dental Crowns provide the most natural looking dental restoration and are more suitable for patients who suffer from metal allergies. All porcelain or all ceramic crowns are not as strong as porcelain fused to metal Dental Crowns, but can be matched to your natural tooth color and are best for front teeth.   

If you would like more information regarding Dental Crowns, schedule an appointment with your dentist, Dr. Michael Weiss, today.

Talk to your Dentist about Oral Piercings

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Oral Piercings may be all the rage, but if you, or someone you know, have been considering a tongue, cheek, uvula, or lip piercing, there are some things to think about before you decide to take the plunge.

The American Dental Association explains that there are serious health risks when it comes to oral piercings. These include infection, excessive bleeding, infectious disease, nerve damage and gum disease. Other problems that could occur from oral piercing include tooth breakage and a serious condition known as Endocarditis.

Once the wound has been created by the piercing, additional bacteria is introduced to the already millions of bacteria that call your mouth home. Introduce jewelry and you are at risk of infection, especially if you or the person who places your barbell, stud, or ring has not properly sanitized the jewelry or their hands. If infection is not treated immediately, it could be life threatening.

Oral piercings pose a potential threat when it comes to the risk of blood borne disease such as herpes simplex virus and hepatitis B, C, D, and G. According to the National Institute of Health, oral piercings can transmit these infectious diseases.

Even if you have your tongue, cheek, lip, or uvula pierced by an experienced piercer, there are things that could go wrong. Your blood vessels could become punctured leading to excessive bleeding, not to mention the numbness that naturally occurs after the procedure. In some cases, that loss of sensation could cause permanent nerve damage.

Swelling is natural after a tongue piercing, but it has been reported that some people have been sent to the hospital, as the swelling was so severe that it blocked the airways making breathing next to impossible.

In a recent dental journal it was reported that more than 47 percent of people who had oral piercings and wore mouth jewelry damaged dental restorations and chipped at least one tooth.

Your dentist will tell you that gum disease is more prevalent in people who have had oral piercings. This could be due to the long stemmed tongue jewelry, or barbells, that are worn in the cheek, tongue, and lip. If the jewelry is exposed to the soft gum tissue, it could cause gums to recede, exposing the gum line to tooth decay or eventual tooth loss.

If jewelry becomes loose inside your mouth, jewelry aspiration is a real possibility. If you swallow or choke on part of the barbell, stud or ring it could cause injury to your lungs or digestive track.  Contact our office if you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Weiss to evaluate your oral health with piercings. 

Tooth Whitening Has Always Been Popular

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The most popular Cosmetic Dentistry technique in the world is tooth whitening, but teeth bleaching certainly isn’t new, in fact, for thousands of years, people all over the planet resorted to some pretty unpleasant tactics when it came to their pearly whites.

The ancient Egyptians used ground pumice and wine vinegar to make a paste to whiten teeth while the ancient Romans preferred human urine. In the 16 th century, barbers got into the act adding tooth whitening to the mix. After a shave and a haircut, barbers would file down clients teeth before soaking with acid. This worked quite well for tooth whitening, but because this method of tooth whitening took the enamel as well, tooth decay was the price one had to pay for tooth bleaching.

These days, thanks to modern Cosmetic Dentistry, you do not have to do what your ancestors did to get that million-dollar smile. Over the counter tooth whitening products account for millions of dollars in sales every year, but because those products are made for the masses, you may not be getting the results that you should.

Talk to your Cosmetic Dentist in East Montgomery County about Venus® Teeth Whitening. Available from Dr. Michael Weiss this chair side tooth bleaching system could give you that movie star smile or natural smile that you always wanted.

Venus® Teeth Whitening is an in office treatment that is fast, effective and affordable. All it usually takes is just one in office treatment and subsequent at home bleaching sessions with your take-home tooth whitening kit to give you your new smile.

Your actual tooth whitening appointment starts with the application of a special hydrogen peroxide gel to your teeth. Almost immediately your teeth. Great care is taken so there is very little tooth sensitivity or discomfort.

Although your teeth are ready for a night out on the town, it does not stop there. Your Cosmetic Dentist, Dr. Weiss and his caring team will supply you with a tooth whitening kit so that you can maintain your new smile in the comfort of your home. All you have to do is fill your custom whitening trays with a special whitening gel and wear them for a set amount of time to keep your new gorgeous smile white and bright.

Stop wasting your money on over the counter tooth whitening products and schedule an appointment for Venus® Teeth Whitening with Dr. Weiss today.