Porcelain Veneers with Dr. Bernal Soto   

A noninvasive cost-effective way to change the shape, size and color of teeth, Porcelain Veneers can be used when people are not happy with their current smile, perhaps certain antibiotics as a child led to staining,  or a fall led to a chipped front tooth, perhaps it is to even out a smile and correct minor deficiencies, or defects, or perhaps teeth have changed  in shape and color with age.   

Veneers are the best first step in a patient makeover process and can dramatically help the patient look and feel 10 years younger, they can noticeably change patient outlook and confidence levels.   

“My philosophy, or protocol, is always a conservative, noninvasive highly cosmetic and natural approach to each cosmetic case.”  Dr. Bernal Soto, DDS, Masters in Restorations over complex cases.

Covid 19 and Stress and your Oral Health.  

The American Dental Association recently conducted a tracking poll and reported that a vast majority of dentists in the USA indicated stress-related oral health conditions among their respective patients has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic began. 

Tightness in the jaw can cause pain or discomfort in many parts of the body, including head, ears, teeth, face, and neck. The intensity of the pain can vary, and is often described as aching, throbbing, tender, or severe. These feelings may become worse while chewing or yawning. The exact location of the pain can also vary, with discomfort on one or both sides of the face, jaw, nose, mouth, or ears. 

Clenching or grinding may also be caused by stress, genetics or dental problems, such as misaligned teeth. Clenching and grinding can occur during sleep, or when awake, although you may not be consciously aware of it. Clenching and grinding can cause tightness or feelings of soreness in the face, neck, and upper or lower jaw. It can also cause headaches or earaches. 

Tips to relieve Jaw Stress  

Exercise - Small mouth-opening and mouth-closing movements several times as a warm up. Then, place your fingers on the top of your front four bottom teeth. Slowly pull down until you feel slight discomfort on the tight side of your jaw. Hold for 30 seconds, and then slowly release your jaw and relax . 

Jaw joint stretch This exercise helps stretch the muscles of the jaw and neck. Press the tip of your tongue onto the roof of your mouth, directly behind your top front teeth without touching them; then use your tongue to apply gentle pressure to slowly open your mouth as wide as you can, then slowly close. 

The  smile stretch helps eliminate stress in the facial muscles, upper and lower jaw, and neck. Start by smiling the widest smile you can without feeling tightness or pain. While smiling, slowly open your jaw an additional 2 inches. Inhale deeply through your mouth, then exhale while letting go of the smile. Repeat these exercises up to 10 times. Stop at the point if you feel pain.  

Mouth guards - Are beneficial especially if jaw tightness is caused by clenching or grinding teeth while asleep. They help reduce contact between the upper and lower teeth. This helps reduce wear and tera and fractures on the teeth and can help to eliminate jaw tightness, pain and headaches. 

Massage – Is often recommended to help increase blood flow and reduce muscle tightness. You can try this by opening your mouth and gently rubbing the muscles next to your ears in a circular motion. This is the area where the temporomandibular joints are located. Try this several times a day, including right before bed.

Today, having a mouth free of biological and functional problems is not enough! Patients want beautiful smiles that are integrated with their physical characteristics, but also in harmony with its emotional aspects.

Digital Smile Design(DSD) presents a new face of dentistry, more human, emotional and artistic, further enhancing our noble profession in society,  using video and natural settings we can clearly see because after all there are not many things in this life that are more important than a healthy, natural, confident and beautiful smile!

The DSD concept aims to assist the dentist and patient alike in 3 aspects:

Improved Planning and Design of an Aesthetic Smile.

Improved communication between the dentist and the patient; thereby increasing the participation in the design process of your own smile.

Educate patients about the benefits of treatment.

For decades, dental clinicians have sought to harmonize the shapes of the teeth with the entire face based on parameters such as gender, personality, and age; however, truly successful results have been elusive. Modern dentistry has to be modernized in order to meet the aesthetic expectations of our most demanding patients.  To achieve this type of result, the modern dentist needs to go beyond just being a good professional.

With the DSD concept each patient goes through a quick study process taken by video and pictures in our onsite dental studio, we study the results of the patient talking and acting naturally with the patient and  then based on this we make a mold of their mouth from a wax up, at this time we choose the form and size of the new teeth through Visagism - The Visagism concept helps dental clinicians provide restorations that account not only for esthetics, but also for the psychosocial features of the created image, which affect patients’ emotions, sense of identity, behavior, and self-esteem. These factors, in turn, affect how observers react to patients following treatment.

Then we try the new smile proposal in the mouth, the patient can smile, talk, and evaluate if the new smile is filling their esthetic expectations or if changes need to be made. At this moment all is completely reversible, because we are not touching the real teeth. We do this with acrylic over your real and natural teeth. Digital Smile Design brings true visualization into focus for the patient allowing them to see in real time the final result of the restoration before the dental treatments commences.             

DSD looks at the patient, the personality as well as the entire structure of the face to ensure the result matches with the aesthetic look of the face as well as the personality of the patient. 

When patients become friends… then like family..

The satisfaction of recovering teeth is a consequence of trusting a medical team specialized in dental implants. From replacing a single tooth to replacing all of them, it will give you the best excuse to smile again.

Let's talk about possibilities. Schedule your appointment today. - Dr. Del at clinic@davincisdentalcare.com

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