Metro Dentist

Invisalign

Invisalign Clear Braces allow a patient to straighten their smile without wearing braces. Using a series of clear plastic aligners, a patient can improve, straighten and reduce crowding without having to resort to traditional braces that involve brackets and wires. Invisalign positioners are virtually invisible! This new technology has revolutionized the straightening of teeth and made the process more acceptable to adults. No longer do most patients need to be self conscious while they undergoing orthodontic treatment. If you are interested in finding out whether Invisalign is right for you why not schedule a consultation with one of our participating Metro Dentists offering Invisalign.
Dental Insurance Basics

Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO) Insurance
This is typically the least expensive way to go for the consumer. Most dental services are provided by dentists who will provide specific treatements and services at no charge (some services may require a co-payment.)

Indemnity Insurance
This plan typically allows the consumer to go to the dentist of their choice. They generally pay a portion of the dentist's fee or a set dollar amount. The Dentist then will submit the invoice for payment. The payment may be made to the insured member or directly to the dentist. You will need to pay the difference between the full charge for the service provided and the amount paid by the insurance.

Preferred provider organization (PPO) Insurance
This is typically less expensive than the Indemnity Insurance. This type of insurance tries to take advantage of the benefits of the HMO by providing a network of dentist to chose from or you can decide to go to a dentist of your choice outside of the network. When you seek treatment from dentists outside of the PPOyou are will pay higher deductibles and/or co-payments.
Cosmetics Problems - Enhancing your smile

C. Cosmetics Problems - I don’t like my smile
Composite mock-ups are a valuable tool in a cosmetic dentist’s arsenal of tools. They are a simple way to preview proposed changes for a patients smile and allow both the dentist and the patient to see how the changes look in relation to the patients lips and face. Cosmetic Wax-ups done in the laboratory are often beautiful, but do not show the relationship between proposed changes to a patient’s lips and face. If I am interested in showing a patient proposed changes, I can carefully place realistic composite material directly onto a patients teeth and sculpt it to change the way they look in as little as five to ten minutes. Since the material hasn’t really been ‘bonded’ to their teeth is easily removed. I use these mock-ups not only to show the patient proposed changes, but often it allows me to quickly try out different looks so I can work out what look is best for the patient. Often, I like to see how long I need to make a patient’s teeth to crate an optimal look against their lips and to determining how that length looks when they actually smile and talk. Once I create a look I like I can photograph the mock-up and take a study impression of the mock-up prior to removing it. If I am planning to have my laboratory make a cosmetic wax-up for the patient, the information that I obtain from my mock-up can be valuable to me when I am writing the Rx to the lab. I can relay information about the desired length, shape and edge position of the teeth. I can even send the lab my study model and photos to review.
Another benefit of the mock-ups are that they allow a patient to better understand what changes are possible and allow them to make a better decision about how much and what sort of cosmetic dentistry they are interested in. Often after viewing a mock-up the patient responds that they had no idea how much difference some ‘little changes’ would make in their smile!
This article was reprinted with the permission of its author Dr Lawrence Spindel. It can be found in its original form at: http://www.lspindeldds.com/composite_mock-ups
Dental Tips of the Week

Wrinkles and grey hairs are not the only tell tale signs of aging. As we age our teeth tend to get yellowier. Yellowed teeth can make a person look prematurely older. Teeth Whitening can make some one look years younger.

Also when someone smiles what is noticed is their smile. Whitened teeth are the brightest thing in the visual field and tend to be the feature noticed first. Conversely, smiling faces are animated and energized and the visual effect of wrinkles is minimized. Smiling can make a person appear years younger! There are a number of affordable options for whitening your smile and if you are interested in finding out more please call one of our participating cosmetic dental offices to set up a consultation.
Dental headaches

Tension headaches, Migraines and TMJ Face Pain caused by Excessive Teeth Clenching or Grinding

1. I wake up in the night or in the morning with headaches
2. I wake in the morning with a sore jaw
3. I have late afternoon headaches
4. I get migraines
5. I have face pain and was told it is called TMJ.
6. I grind my teeth and:
     a. I broke a tooth
     b. My teeth are wearing down and/or chipping
     c. My partner wakes at night from the sound of my grinding

Excessive and prolonged teeth clenching or grinding is a major factor in causing head pain. Because of this the muscles in the head, neck and shoulders become distorted from excessive clenching pressure, the nerve bundles in the muscles react by causing pain. A wonderful solution to resolving this is with a small, comfortable FDA approved dental device called the NTI that is worn at night. The design of the NTI dramatically decreases clenching and or the damage from grinding. Visit www.headachehelper.com for a fuller explanation.

The NTI is a custom-fitted mouthpiece worn at night to keep people from clenching their teeth in their sleep. The FDA-approved guard prevents tension headaches, TMJ face pain and can reduce migraines for 80% of the people affected by Migraines.
Dental Hygiene

Treat your teeth right and they will treat you right!. Although implants are considered a dependable replacement for teeth, taking care of your own teeth should be our first priority. Stating from childhood each of us should brush and floss our teeth properly at least once per day. Twice yearly visits to a dentist insure early that longstanding accumulated tarter and plaque are removed and not allowed to cause periodontal disease. The dentist can diagnose dental problems at an early stage and recommend any need dental treatments.
Second Opinion - Dentist

Our Metrodentists are happy to provide second opinions on dental matters. A second opinion can be extremely valuable when making prior to deciding on a course of treatment that might be costly and time consuming. Getting advice from a trusted source can be extremely valuable! Keep in mind that our dentists all maintain their own private dental practices and that consultations with our dentists are not free!. If you are interested in finding one of our dentists who could provide you with a second opinion call Metrodentist today and we will attempt to provide find you a Metrodentist who will be willing to see you for a consultation at their dental office. Call us at 347-6982308,

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Metro Dentist

Dentistry Resource & Information

Invisalign

Cosmetics Problems - Enhancing your smile

Dental headaches

Dental Hygiene

Second Opinion - Dentist