Smiles by Paulanto

01/01/2022

Dentistry is a lot about treating different dental pathologies. But sometimes, it is about improving things, as well. For this case, we replaced these 2 front crowns. These were old crowns with caries (cavity) and gum (gingival) pathology.
The crown was very old and it was never properly fitted to the tooth. As a result, bacteria entered into the openings of the crown and caused a cavity underneath the crown.
Also, the gums were very inflamed. To really improve on the gums, we decided to make well-made temporaries and wait until the gums healed. Trust the process and be patient. At the end, patient was extremely happy with the outcome of her new crowns. Peep the pink gums ;)

Smile on!

12/11/2021

Patient came to our office concerned about her front teeth “white spots” and discoloration. Some causes of these white spot lesions included demineralization or fluorosis. After counseling the patient on proper diet and oral hygiene we looked at different treatment options.
We elected for a conservative treatment approach with composites to save as much enamel as possible for good bonding.

Omnichroma :)

Smile on!

11/13/2021

Dental anxiety is a common issue with many of the patients that we see. Sometimes this anxiety may be crippling enough that patients don't ever see their dentist in so many years. The phobia that revolves around dental care has a lot to do with pain, miscommunication with their dentist, and traumatic dental experiences.

After some time, we do see patients come back to their dentist. At this point, however, they know they need help with their teeth but are too afraid to look under the "hood". They are afraid that they may hear that their teeth are hopeless.

This present case is of a patient who was seeking to get out pain. Thankfully, we were able to evaluate her whole dentition and give the patient an insight into the possibilities of what good oral hygiene and good dentistry can do.

Break the barrier of anxiety, see your dentist :)

Smile on!

10/17/2021

07/17/2021

A deeper look into a cavity…
At a first glance, it wouldn’t come to mind that these two teeth showed much decay. But after removing the first layer of decayed enamel, you can see the detrimental effects of the ongoing process of caries.

Patient was not in pain. Thankfully, with good bonding protocols we can limit the spread of further decay and protect this tooth for the long game.

However, removing caries may not be enough to control a patient’s risk for caries. We will usually supplement a patient’s dental care with Prevident 5000 to help reduce risks of caries disease. Ask your dentist about Prevident 5000 and other supplements.

Smile on!

07/09/2021

Leaking restorations…
Replacement of existing restoration with marginal leakage and undesired staining. With good materials and good bonding techniques, dentistry can provide results that are rewarding. Previous restoration removed.

Bonding agent: Scotchbond universal
Composite: Omnichroma

Smile on!

06/10/2021

Super fun case. Patient was looking to improve on aesthetics of this one front tooth. Ultimately, crown was replaced. With good photos and proper communication with the lab, we were able to get a harmonious smile from this one tooth. With an Emax crown, we were able to improve the aesthetics of the case.

Smile on!

05/29/2021

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! This was a very fun and challenging case.

The patient’s occlusion posed some difficulty with this case. Communicating with the lab with proper photos helped in the success of this cases. Lots of shades with this one. Patient was very glad with the results!

Smile on!

04/09/2021

Oral Health is just as important as a good smile

Patient presented to us for treatment of her “teeth” because the patient hadn’t seen a dentist in many years. Because of so many years of neglect, we see a build up of calculus (hardened plaque). We recommended deep scaling and root planning treatment to get the gums under control. But, what’s really awesome is patient compliance. Happy to say that the patient has been complaint and continuing their hygiene regimen.


Facts about Periodontal Disease

- Periodontal disease is one of the most common diseases of the oral cavity.

- Not only is it common, but it is linked to other chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.
- “According to recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), half of Americans aged 30 or older have periodontitis, the more advanced form of periodontal disease. This equals approximately 64.7 million Americans.” (https://www.perio.org/newsroom/periodontal-disease-fact-sheet)
- Is it treatable? Yes! ✅
- Is it a one and done treatment? Unfortunately, no. 👎
- Maintenance is essential to keep periodontal disease at bay.

It takes 2 to tango! At home hygiene is super important. But! It also takes a visit to your friendly neighborhood dentist for maintenance and check ups!

Smile on!