This holiday season, it is possible to bring bright smiles to match the snowy white fields as families get together for enjoying festivals and feasts. For any home where hanging and stuffing stockings is a regular practice, it is a good idea to toss in items that will promote oral hygiene by reviewing this list of dental care stocking stuffers, inexpensive items that are both practical and easy to fit in to a stocking! Read the rest of this entry →

There are many reasons to consider porcelain veneers. Tooth enamel may have become discolored by the effects of smoking, coffee, or age. Teeth may also become discolored by certain drugs, excessive fluoride, or as a result of a root canal. Veneers are often used to correct the look of teeth that are misaligned or have gaps between them. Teeth that have been broken or have been damaged by tooth grinding may also be repaired using veneers.

Porcelain veneers are ultra thin shells placed over the existing teeth. The two types of material used for these veneers are dental porcelain and resin composite. Porcelain veneers are much more stain resistant, more durable, and more closely match the look of natural teeth. Resin composites are less expensive and they are thinner, requiring less removal of the natural tooth surface. The resin composite (“bonding”) material will become stained and discolored over time as opposed to porcelain veneers which are stain resistant. Both are bonded to the existing teeth using a special light activated bonding compound.  Read the rest of this entry →

If you take your health for granted, you’re not alone. Most people assume that the diseases you need to worry about will show up in your chest, abdomen or brain. For the most part, they’re right, but here are three life-threatening diseases straight from the dental assistant schools final exams that you need to know about!

Malignant Melanoma: The granddaddy of all skin cancers, malignant melanoma is fast growing and definitely high on the list of diseases you don’t want to get. Malignant melanoma often first appears as a form of skin cancer with lesions you can see. Simply removing a cancerous lesion doesn’t get you a pass on this condition, however. Unlike other skin cancers that may or may not recur, malignant melanoma is highly likely to recur. It also shows up in some unexpected places, including the eyes, scalp, and inside your mouth! Read the rest of this entry →

One of the trickiest aspects about being a parent is getting kids excited about dental care, especially younger ones who are just starting to learn basic hygiene. When a child or children are beginning to learn how to schedule their showers, tooth brushing, flossing, fingernail clipping and other tasks, it is important to regularly remind them of how much good it will do them to stick to those routines. Read the rest of this entry →