We Understand Dental Fear. Family and Cosmetic Dentist Irvine.

The goal of preventative dentistry is to keep your teeth and gums in good condition so that you avoid tooth decay, gum disease, and other problems. As we say at Art of Dentistry Institute in Irvine CA, it’s better to prevent a cavity than fill one. Of course, you have to do your part. Good dental health, and preventative dentistry, begin with regular brushing. We recommend brushing twice a day for at least two minutes. Use a soft-bristle toothbrush and toothpaste with fluoride. Look for the American Dental Association seal on the package. Don’t forget to brush your tongue! Floss at least once a day. There are lots of floss types out there. We recommend string floss; it’s best for thoroughly cleaning around and in between teeth. The various options – waxed or unwaxed, flavored or not – are up to you. We think flossing just before bedtime is best.

Checkups

We like to see our patients about every six months. Some patients need more frequent visits, while others can space them out further. We’ll advise you. By seeing us for regular checkups you’ll get a thorough cleaning from a hygienist, as well as a dental exam. We’ll make sure your teeth and gums are in good shape, and treat any issues we might find. As with most things, the sooner a problem is identified and treated, the better. If we all do our part, you’ll get the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have good dental health. People from Santa Ana, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach come to Art of Dentistry Institute in Irvine CA for general and restorative dentistry. Contact us today!

Contact Art of Dentistry Institute:

949-955-3366

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

Art of Dentistry Institute 2646 Dupont Dr #200 Irvine, CA 92612

At Art of Dentistry Institute in Irvine CA, we want to see each one of our patients for a cleaning and checkup twice a year. Most of the time we try to get you to schedule your next appointment even as you leave the office from your latest one.

There are some very good reasons for that. Along with daily brushing and flossing, six-month cleanings and checkups are the best way to ensure you have good dental health. That means clean teeth with no cavities and pink healthy gums. Most appointments begin with a cleaning from the hygienist, but not always.

During the cleaning, we’ll scrape any tartar from your teeth. Tartar is hardened plaque, and you can’t get it off with a toothbrush and floss. That’s one of the reasons brushing twice a day is so important! Scraping tartar off of your teeth is known as scaling. Once your teeth are scaled, we’ll polish them with gritty toothpaste. This is pretty harsh stuff, and it removes any surface stains on your teeth. Sometimes patients wonder if they can get something like it for use at home. The trouble with that is that it’s just too abrasive to use every day. After scaling and brushing, the last step is flossing.

Then, it’s the dentist’s turn. During the checkup, we look for any new cavities that may have appeared since your last visit. We might take X-rays, although this is not done at every visit. We’ll examine your gums, too, for any signs of gum disease. Finally, we’ll look at your tongue, throat, face and head, and neck.

We’re checking for swelling or redness, or any signs of cancer. Why should you visit the dentist? Your dental health is important to your overall health!

At Art of Dentistry Institute in Irvine CA, we’ll take good care of your teeth. People from Santa Ana, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach come to us for general and restorative dentistry. Contact us today!

Contact Art of Dentistry Institute:

949-955-3366

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

Art of Dentistry Institute 2646 Dupont Dr #200 Irvine, CA 92612

One common reason given by people who don’t floss their teeth is that the practice is difficult to fit into their daily schedule. If you’ve found this to be true, Art of Dentistry Institute in Irvine CA has some suggestions for fitting this vital dental health habit into your day.

• The most common time is right before bed, but make sure you aren’t too tired to do a good job.
• Right when you wake up is also an option, but if food is left between teeth all night, it can lead to plaque.
• Try just after lunch, before you go back to work.
• Floss while you are in the car sitting in traffic. It’s easier one-handed with the pre-strung floss pics. You might get some curious looks from other drivers, but it’s worth it.
• Keep some floss in your gym bag so you can floss after you exercise.
• While you’re watching the nightly news.

We hope this gives you some ideas to help you make flossing part of your daily routine. Flossing is important for anyone who wants to have a healthy smile. At Art of Dentistry Institute in Irvine CA, the dental health of our patients is always our number one priority. Our services include general and restorative dentistry, and we serve satisfied patients from Santa Ana, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach. Contact us today!

Contact Art of Dentistry Institute:

949-955-3366

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

Art of Dentistry Institute 2646 Dupont Dr #200 Irvine, CA 92612

Tooth cavities, also known scientifically as dental caries, affect a large part of the population. According to a report by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, about 91 percent of adults in the United States have at least one dental filling. Obviously, no one wants to get a tooth cavity, but in conjunction of working with your dentist they are fairly simple to prevent and fix if you do find yourself needing a dental filling.

How Do Cavities Form?

Simply put, bacteria in your mouth combines with bits of food and saliva to create plaque, which then sticks to your teeth and begins to eat away at the protective enamel layer. The acids found in the plaque bore holes into you teeth and are ultimately how cavities form in teeth.

Tooth cavities and caries are often more prevalent in people who consume high quantities of carbohydrates and sweets. These food groups contain lots of sugars that your mouth’s naturally-occurring bacteria thrive on. When the sugars aren’t removed from your teeth, the bacteria converts the sugars into acid, which then combine with saliva to make plaque. Diets with high amounts of sugar are often what causes cavities to form.

Where Are Cavities Usually Found?

Cavities are often associated with children, who typically eat a lot of sugar and are not as diligent about brushing their teeth as adults.

In adults, cavities are often found near the edge of an existing cavity filling. Receding gums, a common occurrence in older adults, also causes cavities to form near the tooth root.

Why Do Cavities Need to Be Filled?

Untreated cavities and dental caries may eventually lead to a toothache. Plaque first attacks the enamel, which is the outer layer of the tooth, before moving on to the next layer. the dentin. From there, it continues to the pulp of the tooth, which is when you may start to notice pain and sensitivity. Ideally, you should treat a cavity before it reaches this painful step. Regular visits to your dentist can help you catch potential problems before they escalate.

If your dentist finds a cavity, don’t worry. Tooth cavities are easily treatable with a dental filling. Dentists will typically remove the tooth decay with a drill and then fill the hole with the appropriate substance.

How to Prevent Cavities?

Of course, prevention is always preferable to treatment. Keep tooth cavities from forming by brushing and flossing your teeth regularly and avoiding sugary foods and drinks. Visit your dentist twice a year for more thorough cleanings to further improve your chances to avoid the need for a cavity filling.

 

Did you find out you or a friend is pregnant? There are soon to be changes in every part of the body. Some of these changes are interesting and some might be exciting, but others are a literal pain. You may have heard friends or family talk about changes in general dental health, “pregnancy gingivitis” or other women who experience a toothache during pregnancy and are afraid to go to the dentist while pregnant. So, how do you maintain your oral health during pregnancy?

Keeping Healthy Teeth While Pregnant

Keeping healthy teeth while pregnant starts long before the road to pregnancy even begins. That’s right; the tried and true answer of good brushing and flossing habits prevails again. If you aren’t pregnant and are looking to start your family, we recommend continuing – or starting a routine – of healthy oral hygiene habits.

What to Tell Your Dentist

Have you started getting toothaches while pregnant? When you are pregnant there are so many things people tell you; what to wear, what to eat, what not to eat, etc. it can all be so confusing. While visiting the dentist, it doesn’t need to be confusing. Just tell your dentist that you are pregnant. That’s it, it’s that simple. Your dentist will know how to treat you, whether it is something small like a minor toothache during pregnancy or “pregnancy gingivitis”.

What is Pregnancy Gingivitis?

A common observation of many pregnant women is about their gums. Many pregnant women are quick to notice their gums are changing. Most commonly women report that their gums are more red than normal. Others notice bleeding gums while brushing their teeth. Others still complain about abnormal swelling of their gums. All of these symptoms are more commonly referred to as “pregnancy gingivitis”.

Before pregnancy gingivitis can be treated it’s important to understand the cause of pregnancy gingivitis. While many of the symptoms of pregnancy gingivitis are similar in nature to regular gingivitis some of the causes are different. The main difference is the hormone changes that occur during pregnancy. The hormones work two fold in creating a breeding ground for bacteria associated with gingivitis. Some of the hormones produced while pregnant encourage bacteria growth. Additionally, this change can affect the way your immune systems handles bacteria associated with pregnancy gingivitis.

Taking Care Of Your Teeth While Pregnant

So how do you prevent pregnancy gingivitis? Practice good oral hygiene techniques, like brushing twice a day for a period of 2 minutes each time and flossing once a day. You can also use an antimicrobial mouthwash to help eliminate these harmful bacteria.

Remember, dental health should remain an important part of your personal hygiene regimen, not only will proper oral health keep your breath fresh, but you are also looking out for the well-being of your future child.

If you have missing teeth — whether some of your natural teeth remain, or all natural teeth are missing — dentures are a cosmetic dentistry procedure that can remedy missing teeth, and help to restore your smile and improve your facial structure. There are two main types of dentures available—complete dentures, which include conventional or immediate dentures, and partial dentures.

Complete dentures are used when all of your teeth are missing, while partial dentures are often used when natural teeth remain. If you’re considering dentures, here is a quick look at both options.

Complete Dentures

Complete dentures can be either conventional or immediate.

A conventional denture is ready for placement 8-12 weeks after a patient’s teeth have been removed, and the gum tissue has healed.

Immediate dentures can be positioned as soon as teeth are removed so a patient does not have to be without teeth during the healing period.

The disadvantage of immediate dentures is that they often require multiple adjustments to fit properly as bones and gums shrink following tooth removal. Immediate dentures are usually considered a temporary solution until conventional dentures can be applied.

Partial Dentures

Partial dentures, also referred to as bridges, consist of replacement teeth attached to a removable, gum-colored plastic base connected by metal framework to hold the denture in place. Partial dentures are used when one or more natural teeth remain in the jaw, and can help prevent existing teeth from shifting position.

Eating and Speaking With Dentures

Due to modern dental technology, today’s dentures have come a long way from previous dentures that have been known to click or fall out when speaking or eating. While dentures may have an adjustment period to speaking and eating as any dental procedure, today’s dentures are solid mouth placements that have a much more reliable performance.

Alternatives to Dentures

Dental implants are the leading alternative to dentures, as they can support cemented bridges, eliminating the need for dentures. However, the cost of dental implants is greater than dentures, and not everyone is a candidate for implants.

If you’re considering dentures—whether complete dentures or partial—contact our Irvine Cosmetic Dentistry office today at 949-955-3366 for more information. Dr. Hawary and his professional staff of leading dental technicians will perform a thorough evaluation, and determine if dentures are the best cosmetic dental procedure for you. We can answer any questions you may have about dentures, and find the best dental solution to meet your needs.