Your smile may be communicating a message that you aren’t aware of before you’ve even had a chance to say a word for yourself. But nobody had to conduct a study to tell you that a smile can affect how others perceive you. Nevertheless, a scientific poll on behalf of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry confirmed that good-looking incisors can give you a sizeable advantage in your professional and social life.

The study conducted by Dr. Anne Beall, a market research expert social psychologist. A cross section of 528 Americans were shown pictures of eight individual before and after undergoing cosmetic dentistry. The participants were asked to quickly assess how the eight people measured up in 10 categories:

• Attractiveness
• Intelligence
• Happiness
• Career success
• Friendliness
• Interesting
• Kindness
• Wealth
• Popularity with the opposite sex
• Sensitivity to other people

The study revealed that getting your pearlies looking their whitest can help you make a splash in your career. And an attractive se of ivories may be just the thing for making a first impression that’ll get that certain some one to notice—and remember—you. In fact, the study found that an attractive smile could make you be perceived as being more intelligent, interesting, successful, and wealthy to others.

But in our work of a coffee shop on every corner, stained teeth are almost inevitable. Even if you don’t drink coffee, alcohol, smoking, certain foods and drinks, and genetics can take a toll on the greatest of smile. Additionally, gaps and misaligned teeth add to the distraction.

As you meet new people and make connections, you don’t want anything to get in the way of an opportunity. A smile makeover, from either whitening to more comprehensive solutions, such as Snap-ON Smile or LUMINEERS, can be the solution for you to improve your smile, confidence, prospects for romance, and opportunities for career success. It could be that “something different about you” that others will notice—in the best of ways!

Poll Results

• A smile is an important social asset 99.7%
• An attractive smile makes a person more appealing to the opposite sex 96%
• An unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for career success: 74%

The fist thing noticed about a person’s smile:

• Straightness
• Whiteness and color of teeth
• Sincerity of smile
• Missing teeth
• Sparkle of smile

Factors considered to make a smile unattractive:

• Discolored, yellow, or stained teeth
• Missing teeth
• Crooked teeth
• Decaying teeth and cavities
• Gaps and spaces in teeth
• Dirty teeth

Affordable Lumineers or Snap-on-smile may be the solution for you. Schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Crusan to get more information on these revolutionary advancements in cosmetic dentistry.

Mountain View Dental offers state-of-the-art dental care technology, including our CEREC system, which can be used for a full range of single-unit indications: inlays, onlays, partial crowns, posterior crowns, anterior crowns and veneers. In most cases, we can perform these services in a single visit, making your treatment as painless and convenient as possible!

Contact us today for an initial exam.

You should have your teeth checked and cleaned at least twice a year, though your dentist or dental hygienist may recommend more frequent visits.

Regular dental exams and cleaning visits are essential in preventing dental problems and maintaining the health of your teeth and gums. At these visits, your teeth are cleaned and checked for cavities. Additionally, there are many other things that are checked and monitored to help detect, prevent, and maintain your dental health. These include:

• Medical history review: Knowing the status of any current medical conditions, new medications, and illnesses, gives us insight to your overall health and also your dental health.
• Examination of diagnostic x-rays (radiographs): Essential for detection of decay, tumors, cysts, and bone loss. X-rays also help determine tooth and root positions.
• Oral cancer screening: Check the face, neck, lips, tongue, throat, tissues, and gums for any signs of oral cancer.
• Gum disease evaluation: Check the gums and bone around the teeth for any signs of periodontal disease.
• Examination of tooth decay: All tooth surfaces will be checked for decay with special dental instruments.
• Examination of existing restorations: Check current fillings, crowns, etc.
• Removal of calculus (tartar): Calculus is hardened plaque that has been left on the tooth for sometime and is now firmly attached to the tooth surface. Calculus forms above and below the gum line, and can only be removed with special dental instruments.
• Removal of plaque: Plaque is a sticky, almost invisible film that forms on the teeth. It is a growing colony of living bacteria, food debris, and saliva. The bacteria produce toxins (poisons) that inflame the gums. This inflammation is the start of periodontal disease!
• Teeth polishing: Removes stain and plaque that is not otherwise removed during toothbrushing and scaling.
• Oral hygiene recommendations: Review and recommend oral hygiene aids as needed (electric dental toothbrushes, special cleaning aids, fluorides, rinses, etc.).
• Review dietary habits: Your eating habits play a very important role in your dental health.

As you can see, a good dental exam and cleaning involves quite a lot more than just checking for cavities and polishing your teeth. We are committed to providing you with the best possible care, and to do so will require regular check-ups and cleanings.

Keep your teeth healthy for life!

Brushing and flossing help control the plaque and bacteria that cause dental disease. Plaque is a film of food debris, bacteria, and saliva that sticks to the teeth and gums. The bacteria in plaque convert certain food particles into acids that cause tooth decay. Also, if plaque is not removed, it turns into calculus (tartar). If plaque and calculus are not removed, they begin to destroy the gums and bone, causing periodontal (gum) disease.

• Plaque formation and growth is continuous and can only be controlled by regular brushing, flossing, and the use of other dental aids.
• Toothbrushing – Brush your teeth at least twice a day (especially before going to bed at night) with an ADA approved soft bristle brush and toothpaste.
• Brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums, gently using a small, circular motion, ensuring that you always feel the bristles on the gums.
• Brush the outer, inner, and biting surfaces of each tooth.
  Use the tip of the brush head to clean the inside front teeth.
• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen your breath.Electric toothbrushes are also recommended. They are easy to use and can remove plaque efficiently. Simply place the bristles of the electric brush on your gums and teeth and allow the brush to do its job, several teeth at a time.

Flossing – Daily flossing is the best way to clean between the teeth and under the gumline. Flossing not only helps clean these spaces, it disrupts plaque colonies from building up, preventing damage to the gums, teeth, and bone.

• Take 12-16 inches (30-40cm) of dental floss and wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches (5cm) of floss between the hands.
• Using your thumbs and forefingers to guide the floss, gently insert the floss between teeth using a sawing motion.
• Curve the floss into a “C” shape around each tooth and under the gumline. Gently move the floss up and down, cleaning the side of each tooth.
• Floss holders are recommended if you have difficulty using conventional floss.

Rinsing – It is important to rinse your mouth with water after brushing, and also after meals if you are unable to brush. If you are using an over-the-counter product for rinsing, it’s a good idea to consult with your dentist or dental hygienist on its appropriateness for you.

At Mountain View Dental we pride ourselves on creating a soothing environment for our patients. Our primary goal is to make your experience as relaxing as possible. Even with our comfortable atmosphere the option for sedation dentistry may be best for you.

What is Sedation Dentistry?

Here at Mountain View Dental we use oral conscious sedation. This is a very safe method of sedation that allows the patient to relax without being completely “put under.” The sedation is generally accomplished with two tablets that are taken in our office.

While we allow the medication to take affect we use an advanced monitoring system to observe your vital signs. Once the medication begins to relax you, we then add nitrous oxide. Within a few minutes the sedation is achieved and we can begin to take care of your smile.

Am I a candidate for Sedation Dentistry?

During our complimentary sedation consultation Dr. Crusan will discuss in detail your comprehensive health history evaluation to determine if you are healthy enough for Oral Sedation. Most patients meet the health requirements to have Oral Sedation.

Are there any special requirements to have Sedation Dentistry?

There are just a few. Most importantly you must have someone to drive you home from the appointment and stay with you for the first few hours as you will still be medicated.

There are a few simple dietary requirements for the day before your appointment. Dr. Crusan will go through the details with you at your consultation and you will be on your way to a comfortable dental experience.

What have our patients said about their sedation experiences?

The most common comment we hear is “I don’t remember a thing about the appointment”. Would you be able to say that about your last dental procedure? Even though you are conscious, the medication has an amnesic effect that often results in our patients not remembering the experience at all.

Here is how one of our patients has described her experience: “I had a root canal by Dr. Crusan recently while also using the conscious sedation for my appointment. I had a wonderful experience. By the time the sedation wore off, I had no recollection of my visit to the dentist. My tooth feels great and I didn’t have to endure a long, anxious appointment.‎” -Chelle

If you feel sedation dentistry would be right for you, give us a call to set up an appointment with Dr. Crusan to talk about this wonderful option.