FAQs

You should brush at least twice a day, once in the morning and once before going to bed. You should floss once a day as well.

The following guidelines are important to brushing correctly:

• Make sure to use a soft-bristled brush. Hard bristled brushes can wear down the enamel of your teeth.
• Place your brush at a 45-degree angle to your gum line. Bristles should contact both the tooth surface and the gum line.
• Use short back and forth strokes or tiny circular movements to brush your teeth. Each movement should be no bigger than the size of each tooth.
• Make sure to use gentle strokes while brushing. Gentle strokes are effective in removing plaque, while too much pressure can wear down the enamel of your teeth.
• Brush all surfaces of each tooth, including the outer, inner and chewing surfaces of the teeth.
• Don’t cut your brushing short! Make sure to brush for at least 2 minutes.

The following guidelines are important to flossing correctly:

• Take 18 inches of floss and wind it around the middle finger of each hand. You can use these fingers to take up floss as it becomes dirty. Using your thumb and forefinger, pinch the floss leaving 1-2 inches in between for cleaning.
• Gently move the floss up and down in the spaces around your teeth. Never snap the floss down onto your gums, as it can cause damage.
• As you move the floss down into space between two teeth, slide it up and down against the surface of one tooth. Gently clean at the gum line as well. Repeat this for the other tooth.
• Repeat this process for all of your teeth.

Plaque is a sticky, clear film which forms every day on teeth, from food debris and bacteria. If plaque is not removed, it can lead to gum disease and cavities. Regular dental check-ups, along with brushing and flossing every day, can help prevent plaque buildup on teeth. In addition, avoiding sugary snacks and eating a balanced diet can help control plaque.

The following are signs of periodontal (gum) disease, and you should contact your dentist if you experience any of these:

• Gums that bleed while brushing.
• Red, swollen or tender gums.
• Gums that have pulled away from the teeth.
• Bad breath that doesn’t go away.
• Pus between your teeth and gums.
• Loose teeth.
• A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite.
• A change in the fit of partial dentures.

Periodontal disease can be prevented by practicing good oral hygiene. This includes brushing, flossing and visiting your dentist regularly. Also make sure to eat a healthy diet to get the required vitamins and minerals necessary for your teeth.

Below are the three most popular teeth whitening options available today:

Professionally Dispensed Take-Home Whitening Kits
These whitening kits are purchased from your doctor for use at home. The strength of the gel used in these kits is lower than that used for in-office bleaching, and thus the gel can be applied for longer periods of time. Usually the trays are worn a couple hours a day or overnight for a few days or weeks, depending on the product.

Over the counter whitening
Over the counter teeth whitening kits are store-bought and use a lower concentration gel than both in-office bleaching and take-home kits purchased from your doctor. While they are cheaper, they typically are less effective than methods that can be performed by your dentist because of the low concentration gel. Additionally, over the counter trays are not custom fit for your teeth, which can result in irritation to your gums while wearing the trays.

Teeth whitening usually lasts from one to three years, before darkening of the teeth is noticed. Additionally, once your teeth have been initially whitened, typically only “touch ups” are required to maintain the whiteness.

A missing tooth would historically be replaced by a bridge. A bridge requires the neighboring teeth of the space to have the majority of external tooth structure removed. With an implant, you only need a crown made on top of the implant itself to restore it, leaving the neighboring teeth undisturbed and completely intact.

Implants can also be used to restore multiple teeth, a full set of fixed or removable teeth or even a complete denture. If you experience tooth loss, the bony ridges in your mouth start to decrease and be lost as well. Implants are placed and prevent bone from shrinking, leaving you many future options for tooth replacement not available otherwise.

To replace a single tooth an implant is usually less expensive than any alternative in our office. The cost of implant care increases with the complexity of the case, the history of tooth loss and the position of the implant in the mouth.

Research has shown that implants are 98% successful: a higher success rate than almost anything else in dentistry! Under professional care, implants have a potential for lifetime durability. Ask us about our warranty.

For front teeth we strive to place teeth the same day in a temporary form. Posterior teeth are often left to rest 6-8 weeks prior to placing a functional chewing force on them. In cases where there is uncertainty about the strength of the bone, more time may be required to ensure longevity (7-10 months). In every case, clinical experience along with the prevailing research guides our decision to finalize the implant restoration. We always plan for long-term success and we do not rush.

Compared with older fashioned crowns, you don’t have to take away a lot of enamel with veneers, and some veneers don’t require any removal of tooth structure at all! Proper planning and expertise always lead to the optimal aesthetic success and beauty.

Porcelain doesn’t stain like most other dental materials or even natural teeth, keeping the shade of the veneers stable for their lifetime.

We can work quickly if that is your request, or we may take a longer period of time to ensure your satisfaction with the aesthetic result. Cosmetic dentistry is an art as well as a technical exercise. The beauty that is in your mind’s eye is not always easy to arrive at. We take the time necessary to produce exquisite smiles. We can also work as quickly as one week from start to finish, if that is the request.

This question is best answered by looking into your own smile. If you check out your upper smile from the side as well as the front, a veneer candidate will frequently count from 8 to 10 teeth that matter in the display of a good smile. The lower teeth may matter less, or even more so to some people. Frequently a full makeover entails 20 teeth. A conservative plan considers 4 to 8 for a moderate change.

Veneers can chip or break under severe conditions, and may have to be replaced. In my experience only the strongest materials we have today are more durable than the teeth they are restoring! We stand by our work unconditionally for 5 years.

Are you unhappy with your smile? There are several possible ways to improve your smile with cosmetic dentistry. Options can range from whitening to veneers to crowns, with or without Clear Correct orthodontics preceding your care. Essentially, anything to improve your smile could be considered in this field, however, Dr. Justin Cress has studied extensively and committed a large part of their practice to offering exceptional smile transformations, from the most subtle nuanced changes to extreme makeovers televised on the networks and in magazines.

The least invasive route is whitening your teeth. This can be done in the office or at home. Keep in mind, whitening does not work well for tetracycline stained teeth and does not whiten tooth-colored fillings.

Composite is a tooth-colored resin/ceramic filling material of many different forms that can be bonded to your teeth to create an excellent restoration. Resin is used for white fillings and, in some cases, as an in-office veneer material. Resin veneers are less expensive and less invasive than porcelain veneers but don’t have some longevity. These materials are not the most ideal since the resin plastic is excellent but not as ideal as the porcelain restorative choices available.