Happy StPattys

Lumineers

Lumineers:

These are no prep or minimal prep veneers which do not require any shots.The procedure takes 2 visits with no discomfort.On the first visit you get temporary veneers so you can have a preview of the kind of smile you will get.

This picture is of a case where the patient has short teeth due to bruxism habit,I have put temps on him and even with the temps you can see that he has a more fuller smile.I will be posting the final outcome soon.

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a common and mild form of gum disease that causes irritation, redness, and swelling (inflammation) of your gums. Because gingivitis can be mild, you may not be aware that you have the condition. It’s important to take gingivitis seriously and treat it promptly because if left untreated, it can advance to periodontitis and you might lose your teeth to decay. The most common cause of gingivitis is practicing poor oral hygiene. If you are not maintaining a proper oral hygiene routine, our doctors at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center are here to assist you and provide you with routine dental cleanings.

Gingivitis commonly occurs because of films of bacteria that accumulate on the teeth (plaque). Gingivitis is a non-destructive type of periodontal disease, which means that it can be prevented. Generally, gingivitis resolves with good oral hygiene – longer and more frequent brushing, as well as flossing. If the condition is left untreated, gum disease can spread and affect tissue, teeth, and bones, leading to periodontitis which can eventually lead to tooth loss.

If you show symptoms of gingivitis, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. For more information about the services we provide at the office, visit www.nicholascosmeticdentalcenter.com. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center in Philadelphia, PA, call 215-279-1193.

Inlays and Onlays

The Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center provides patients with many types of restorations to keep their teeth beautiful and working correctly. One type of restoration which other people may not see very often but which makes a huge difference is the partial crown. Known as an inlay or an onlay, this kind of restoration repairs the grinding surface of a molar or premolar.

The difference between an inlay and an onlay is how much of the tooth surface it replaces. The back teeth have several raised, pointy bits, called cusps, with indentations in between. Inlays fill in the indentations, while onlays cover indentations and damaged cusps. If the patient needs a partial crown because of tooth decay, Dr. Malik will remove the decayed material before making an impression of the patient’s mouth. This impression is then sent to a lab where a custom-fitted partial crown will be milled out of porcelain.

Placing the inlay or onlay only takes a single trip, once it’s been made. Patients will soon be chewing comfortably again.

Shireen Malik, D.D.S, operates the Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center at 1128 Walnut Street, Ste 500, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 191078. To schedule an appointment, call 215-279-1193 or visit NicholasCosmeticDentalCenter.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Orthodontics before Implants

The Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center of Philadelphia is equipped to provide for a wide range of patients’ cosmetic and orthodontic needs. But patients who need extensive work done may not know what to get first. Implants are an incredibly effective type of restoration but they nearly always need to be placed after orthodontic work has been completed.

If the orthodontics are needed to correct overcrowding, there may not be room for the implant, let alone a new crown. But the main reason orthodontics don’t work on implants is the way in which implants need to fuse with the patient’s jaw bone. Endosteal implants get their name from the endosteum, a layer of tissue inside bones. An implant is inserted into this layer and if the osseointegration process goes correctly, new bone tissue will grow around it. The bone and titanium matrix won’t be pushed out of place by any orthodontic device, nor would a patient want it to be.

Because implants cannot be moved, it is important for the arches of a patient’s teeth to already be in the right shape if the artificial tooth is to align properly. However, patients who already have implants may still be able to undergo orthodontic treatment. It depends on which teeth need to be moved and to where. In some cases, an implant can actually provide helpful anchoring to the jaw ridge.

Shireen Malik, D.D.S, operates the Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center at 1128 Walnut Street, Ste 500, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 191078. To schedule an appointment, call 215-279-1193 or visit NicholasCosmeticDentalCenter.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Wisdom Tooth Decay

As we age, we acquire wisdom, and the same goes for wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth appear between the ages of 17-21 and are known as the third set of molars. When they erupt correctly, healthy wisdom teeth can help you chomp your food a little faster.  However, if they start to cause you pain and discomfort, you may need to schedule a consultation one of our doctors at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center to discuss extraction.

If you bite on a piece of food that is too hard or you experience a mouth injury, wisdom teeth may become troublesome. They can also become cracked, broken, and decayed. When this happens, the risk of infection increases, because if a tooth becomes broken, it could leave a hole that makes the tooth vulnerable to bacteria and decay. Decay can form on any tooth surface, but when the decay begins to attack the wisdom teeth, depending on the position of the tooth it becomes difficult to clean. Depending on the individual case, one of our doctors may be able to fill the tooth, but even in cases where a filling could be successfully placed, if the wisdom tooth cannot be adequately maintained, recurrent decay can occur. Though many patients tend to procrastinate through the process, extraction is always best to avoid infection.

If your wisdom teeth are still intact and you have questions about removal, please give us a call. For more information about the services we provide at the office, visit www.nicholascosmeticdentalcenter.com. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center in Philadelphia, PA, call 215-279-1193.

A Deep Cleaning for Your Gums

Deep cleaning your teeth is not something you do after eating a messy meal. A deep cleaning is required to treat gum and periodontal disease. If you haven’t been to the dentist in quite some time, you not only increase your chances of developing gum disease, you risk needing costly procedures to reverse the damage. The treatment that our doctors at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center utilize is called scaling and root planing and we are going to explain when it’s necessary.

Deep cleanings are offered when dental X-rays show some bone loss and a full-mouth exam reveals one or more gum pockets greater than 4 millimeters deep. Ideally, normal healthy pockets will be no more than 3 millimeters deep. If the pockets are greater than 5 millimeters, our doctor might prescribe a deep scaling and root planing appointment. Severe periodontal takes some time to develop, therefore, to prevent it you should practice proper oral hygiene at home and schedule regular cleanings twice a year.

If you think you may benefit from a deep cleaning, please give us a call. For more information about the services we provide at the office, visit www.nicholascosmeticdentalcenter.com. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Nicholas Cosmetic Dental Center in Philadelphia, PA, call 215-279-1193.