Don’t let Tooth Stains from Medications Hold you Hostage

Hi everyone,

Tetracycline is a very powerful antibiotic. It’s so effective that many doctors have used it for decades. Unfortunately, one of the more perplexing side effects is tooth discoloration. In the past, moms given tetracycline during their pregnancy passed this discoloration onto their children. The tooth discoloration affects a child in the early phases of tooth development and before permanent teeth form. Today, doctors no longer prescribe tetracycline to women who are breastfeeding, pregnant or who are planning to become pregnant. In addition, the discoloration can be produced if it is given to the child up to the age of 14 or so since that is the time when the permanent teeth are developing and mineralizing.

teeth-stains-porcelain-veneers

As a child gets older tetracycline staining can be quite embarrassing. A discolored smile can lower self-confidence and self-esteem at any age. It can have an impact both personally and professionally that those of us without this problem may not realize. But tooth staining from tetracycline or other medications does not have to rule your decisions to be social and productive. [Read more…]

Porcelain Veneers May Be Your Answer to a Beautiful Smile

By Dr Langberg

Hi everyone!

According to a survey conducted by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), nearly 99 percent of Americans believe a beautiful smile is socially advantageous and can boost self-confidence. The survey also reported that 50 percent of all participants reported being “unhappy” with their present smiles. That seems almost tragic when you consider that the technology and techniques available to dentists today to whiten teeth and place porcelain veneers have never been better or more predictable.

At our office in Southdale, MI, we are seeing more and more patients who want porcelain veneers to augment the beauty of their natural smile. It is significant to note that with veneers, many people can also achieve fuller features and lips, a reduction in wrinkles around the mouth, and a generally more youthful appearance reflected back at them in the mirror.

[Read more…]

Fixing Gaps Between Your Teeth

By Dr Langberg

Hi everyone!

When adjacent teeth do not touch we call it a “diastema” , which is just a fancy word for the gaps or spaces between your teeth. This can be caused by teeth that are too narrow your mouth, missing teeth, or an uneven bite. These spaces can be very tiny or large enough to be unsightly or a food pack problem.

Because sometimes spaces between teeth are not attractive or may cause discomfort when chewing, our office uses many different approaches when eliminating these gaps:

Orthodontics: Often clear braces, called Invisalign or ClearCorrect can be used to close the spaces between teeth. The advantage with this approach is that there are no restorations to be done and no wires or metal brackets that show on your teeth. It can take from just a few to 18 months to reposition your teeth and we work with several talented and experienced orthodontists in our area and get terrific results.

Bonding: Bonding refers to a procedure where I carefully attach plastic or composite resin to your teeth. This is perfect for smaller spaces and the color is custom blended to exactly match your teeth. Most times this does not require any anesthetic and can be done in one visit.

Porcelain Veneers: Porcelain veneers or laminates (Lumineers) are great for larger spaces and also make it much easier for us to lighten or lengthen your teeth at the same time. They are more durable and longer lasting than composite bonding. They are custom shaded and individually hand made at a dental lab and are the “gold standard” for restorative solutions to closing spaces between your teeth.

Porcelain Crowns: When the teeth with gaps between them require more comprehensive restorations due to decay, wear, fracture or previous large fillings we will consider custom shaded porcelain crowns. Many times the choice between porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns will depend on the condition or degree of destruction on the backside your teeth. Veneers by definition do not cover the back of your teeth and so require a relatively intact backside as opposed to crowns which cover the entire tooth.

What is great about any of these procedures is that your appearance changes for the better dramatically! Patients are always blown away by our results! In addition, many times lips and cheeks are better supported and patients notice more youthful facial profiles. And it is always a bonus when not just your spaces are closed, but your smile is whitened and brightened.

Call our office in Southfield at 248-356-8790 if you are concerned about those spaces between your teeth. I will be pleased to meet with you free of charge to discuss all your options to close those gaps and make your smile the best it can be!

That’s all for this week! Until next time,

Mark W Langberg, DDS, MAGD

What Porcelain Veneers Can Do For You

By Dr Langberg

Hi, Everyone!

If you reside in the Bloomfield Hills, Farmington Hills and the Southfield area and are seeking information about porcelain veneers, let me tell you a little about what they are good for and how they work.

You will want to consider porcelain veneers if you have one or more of the following:

· Tetracycline stains (permanent gray or yellow discolorations from taking antibiotics when your teeth were forming)

· Stained or yellowed teeth from coffee, tea, or just the simple passage of time

· Chipped, worn or uneven teeth

· Spaces or gaps between your teeth

Veneers are great if you want straighter teeth or a brighter smile. I have seen people’s lives literally changed overnight by transforming their smiles with porcelain veneers!

A veneer is an extremely thin wafer of porcelain that is custom made and bonded to each tooth, usually with some slight shaping of your teeth done first (sometimes a little reduction has to be done on the front of your teeth so the veneer will not make your teeth look bulky or “fat”). You also may be a candidate for Lumineers, a new type of ultra thin veneer where almost no reduction is done.

Our porcelain veneers are individually hand made and custom shaded for your unique face and smile. They have many advantages including the fact that being a glass and not plastic they will not stain, discolor or decay. They are extremely durable and last a very long time.

The process is considered minimally-invasive cosmetic dentistry and is much more conservative than caps or crowns. They usually take only a few hours and two visits to complete. Patients are typically blown away by the amazing results we get. Check out the before/after pages on our website, drmarklangberg.wpenginepowered.com for some samples of our high quality work!

Call our office in Southfield at 248-356-8790 if you are considering porcelain veneers. Consultations with me are free of charge and I will be happy to explain our procedure in more depth, show you the materials we use and help you determine if veneers are the right decision to improve your smile and dental health. Don’t wait. The look in your eyes and the quality of your smile is your calling card to the world. Now is the time to get the smile you’ve always wanted!

That’s all for this week! Until next time,

Mark W Langberg, DDS, MAGD