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Everything You Need to Know About Tooth Infections

Everything You Need to Know About Tooth Infections

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Your teeth face a lot of problems, especially when you fail to brush and floss regularly. One serious problem that can occur is a tooth infection. If you are unfamiliar with this common and painful condition, check out these four facts.

Everyone Is at Risk

A tooth infection can affect anyone. Even if you take impeccable care of your teeth, a sudden trauma that cracks the tooth could lead to infection. Of course, unless you play full-contact sports or get into a serious car accident, good oral hygiene typically keeps tooth infections away.

Basically, you want to make sure you brush and floss regularly at home and eat a well-balanced diet with few sugary foods and drinks. It’s also important to see your dentist regularly for cleanings and examinations. If you fail to take good care of your teeth, a deep cavity or crack may develop. This allows bacteria to enter the vulnerable center of the tooth that can lead to an infection.

Tooth Infections Affect the Pulp

If you suddenly notice you have a small cavity, you probably won’t develop an infection before you make it to your dentist for treatment. However, if you don’t seek treatment, and the cavity grows, your risk drastically increases. This is because a tooth infection affects the pulp of the tooth, and it usually takes a big cavity or crack to reach the pulp.

When the bacteria reaches the pulp, an infection starts to grow. This often leads to an abscess, which is filled with pus and puts pressure on the tooth pulp. At this stage, removing the cavity and simply placing a filling will no longer be enough to solve the problem.

Swelling, Pus and Pain are Symptoms of an Infection

There are some tell-tale signs of a tooth infection. Because of the abscess, the gums around the infected tooth may be swollen. You may even notice pus leaking out of the area between your gum and tooth. Pain is another symptom of infection because of the pressure on your tooth’s pulp. Sometimes, this pain can be extremely severe. If the pus breaks free, this can alleviate the symptoms for a while, but the abscess will return.

If there isn’t pus and the pain is minimal, you may not be sure you have an infection, a cavity or just sensitivity. A great way to test this is by taking a drink of cold water. Hold the water by the tooth. If this causes pain, it’s probably a cavity or sensitivity. If it relives the pain, you most likely have an infection, and the cold water is working like an ice pack.

You Need Treatment From Your Dentist

If you have an infection, you’ll probably get some antibiotics. However, don’t assume they are enough to solve the problem, and don’t expect the problem to go away on its own. An infection must be treated by your dentist or it could worsen or spread to other parts of your body.

Currently, there are only two ways to treat an infection. If the tooth severely decayed, your dentist may recommend extraction. However, typically, dentists prefer root canal therapy to remove the infection and replace the pulp. Root canal therapy has a high success rate, but you will need a crown to strengthen and protect the tooth afterwards.

A tooth infection may or may not cause pain, but either way, it needs to be treated. If you would like more information on tooth infections or you think you may have one, contact Landmark Dental Group today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

Gum Disease

Gum Disease

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Gum disease or periodontal disease is a common oral condition that causes tender, bleeding gums. If left untreated, it can advance to more serious complications, causing severe decay and tooth loss.

Check out these five FAQs below about periodontal disease:

Who Is at Risk For Gum Disease?

Everyone is at risk for developing periodontal disease at some point in their lives. Older patients are more likely to develop it. While it isn’t a normal part of aging, about half of all adults have some signs of gingivitis. Some people, however, are more at risk. For example, if you suffer from diabetes or another systemic disease, your body has a harder time fighting off infection, making it easier for the disease to develop and worsen. Smokers have a higher risk because the dangerous substances in cigarettes make it harder for the body to fight off infection.

How Can You Prevent Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is completely preventable, but you have to take steps to keep it at bay. For starters, don’t smoke, and take care of your overall health to prevent developing diseases like diabetes. The next step is to always make sure you have great oral hygiene at home. Brush at least twice a day, and don’t forget to floss. Try to avoid sugary foods that promote plaque, which irritates the gums. Lastly, always go to your regular dental cleanings and exams. Even if you don’t have a cavity or another problem, these regular cleanings are important. Only professional dental cleanings can remove tartar. If tartar is left along your gum line, it can lead to chronic inflammation and bone loss.

Is the Disease Reversible?

Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease. It is easily reversed with regular brushing, flossing and dental cleanings. Signs of gingivitis include tenderness, bleeding when brushing and redness. However, you may have no symptoms, which is another reason to see your dentist regularly. In some cases, gingivitis advances to periodontitis, which is harder to treat. You can’t fix it with just regular at-home care. At this stage, you’ll need your dentist’s help to correct some of the symptoms, such as receding gums and bone deterioration.

What Happens If You Don’t Seek Treatment?

If you have gingivitis and don’t seek treatment, at best, you suffer from bleeding, tender gums. At worse, your gingivitis advances to periodontitis. Once you have periodontitis, more serious problems can occur. As the inflammation grows, it can lead to severe gum recession, exposing your tooth roots and increasing the chance of severe decay. If left untreated, it can cause the bone to shrink, making it harder to hold your teeth in place.

What Should You Do if You Develop Periodontal Disease?

If you believe you have gum disease, go see your dentist. Hopefully, you’ve caught it early enough, and your dentist will help you understand what you can do at home to reverse it. Your dentist may also suggest scaling and root planing to clean tartar and plaque below the gum line, which can help alleviate inflammation. If your gum disease has advanced to periodontitis, your dentist may offer some assistance, such as anti-bacterial rinses, but you may need to see a specialist for services such as a gum graft or bone graft if your gums or jawbone has diminished too far.

Gum disease isn’t just a mild annoyance. It can cause serious dental problems and should be treated immediately. If you believe you have periodontal disease or just want to know more about it, contact Landmark Dental Group today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

4 Facts About Enamel Erosion

4 Facts About Enamel Erosion

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You take great care of your teeth because you know the risks: cavities, infection, tooth loss, etc. However, even if you do everything you should, your enamel may be eroding.

Check out these four facts about enamel erosion:

Acid Can Erode Enamel

Enamel erosion isn’t your typical dental problem. True, failure to brush and floss regularly can lead to erosion because it allows bacteria to attack your teeth, weaken enamel and lead to cavities. However, even if you take great care of your teeth, you can still suffer from weakened enamel. This is because acid is a huge culprit of eroding enamel.

So many foods and beverages contain high levels of certain acids that attack enamel. This includes soft drinks, fruit juice and wine. Plus, foods and beverages that are high in sugar and starches can erode enamel, too. Additionally, if you develop acid reflux disease from a bad diet, this too could increase the level of acid in your mouth and cause erosion.

Aggressive Brushing Can Cause Enamel Erosion, Too

Yes, it is possible to be too enthusiastic with your oral hygiene. When you eat sugary or acidic foods, you may feel the need to aggressively brush your teeth to eliminate all that plaque. Plaque, however, is easy to remove with a light touch. When you aggressively brush your teeth, you can actually damage the enamel and wear it away.

If you do brush your teeth hard right after eating foods that have a lot of acid, the risk of wearing down your enamel increases. Acidic foods and beverages soften your enamel for a while. If you roughly brush your teeth while the enamel is soft, it’s easier to scratch it away. If you do eat something high in acid, don’t brush right after. Instead, rinse your mouth with water. Brush later, and don’t be aggressive.

Changing Habits Saves Existing Enamel

To prevent further erosion, change your habits. It would be best if you cut out the acidic beverages and foods completely. However, that can be difficult; our suggestion is to try to cut back. When you do drink soda, fruit juice or wine, try to drink it through a straw or only with a full meal. When you are done, rinse your mouth with water.

If the problem is that you are brushing too hard, ask your dentist to show you how to brush properly. You can also switch to a soft-bristled brush, so even if you do brush a little harder than you should, it won’t erode as much enamel.

Enamel Cannot Be Regrown

Unfortunately, the enamel you have lost cannot be regrown. Just like you cannot re-grow a bone, the lost enamel is gone for good. If you haven’t eroded much enamel, work with your dentist to make healthy choices that can preserve what you have and prevent future erosion.

If too much enamel has been lost, your teeth could be susceptible to severe decay. In this case, your dentist may suggest treatments that could replace the enamel. The dentist can’t replace the enamel with more enamel, but treatments like dental bonding, veneers and crowns cover the tooth like enamel, blocking bacteria and acid.

Erosion of enamel can happen to anyone. Even if you take great care of your teeth, poor eating habits can be wearing down the protective barrier of your teeth. Once this is gone, it cannot be regrown, and your teeth become extremely vulnerable. For more information on tooth erosion, or if you think you may have some erosion, contact Landmark Dental Group today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

Dental Implants Santa Cruz

Dental Implants Santa Cruz

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3 Benefits of Dental Implants

Many people suffer with missing teeth, but you don’t have to. There are several ways Landmark Dental Group can help restore your smile.

Here are three benefits of dental implants:

They Are Durable

Dental implants are the most durable option to replace missing teeth as they can actually bond to your jaw bone. Normal teeth are held in place with ligaments, which keeps them sturdy and strong. Implants can’t grow ligaments, but bone will fuse with the titanium in the implant. This hold is nearly as strong as natural teeth.

Dentures only sit on the surface of your gums, so they are the least durable option. They can slip and move even when they fit properly. Dental bridges are more durable than dentures, but they are attached to existing teeth. While this is a strong bond, it isn’t as strong as titanium fused to bone. Plus, the wear and tear may cause your healthy teeth (those attached to the bridge) to weaken or become lose because they are absorbing more energy.

Single Implants Are Just Like Normal Teeth

Single implants are perfect if you have one or two missing teeth throughout your mouth, and they work just like normal teeth. With dentures, you must remove them for cleaning, and it’s best to remove them at night to give your mouth a break. Dental bridges can’t be removed, but you have to use special floss to floss under them — or risk decay.

Single dental implants are cleaned just like natural teeth. You brush the tooth when you brush your teeth, and you can floss between the teeth with regular floss. The tooth can’t decay, but it is important to keep the area clean or it may lead to gum disease around the implant or peri-implantitis, which can destroy the implant.

Several Options Exist

If you have more than one tooth missing, don’t worry. There are different types of dental implants. If you have several teeth missing in a row, and the dentist feels a dental bridge wouldn’t be strong enough, you can get an implant-supported bridge. It works the same as a traditional bridge, but instead of connecting to healthy teeth, it connects to implants. For example, if you have four missing teeth, the dentist will put two implants on the outer edges of the missing space, but the bridge will cover all four missing teeth.

If you have all of your teeth missing, but you don’t want regular dentures, implant-supported dentures are also an option. They use a few implants to secure your dentures in place. They are still removable, but they snap in your mouth, keeping them stationary and solid when you eat and talk.

In closing, you have missing teeth, dental implants are a smart option to consider. They are more expensive, but they are also the most durable and most realistic option available today. With proper care, a dental implant may even last the rest of your life. For more information, contact Landmark Dental Group today!

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

Geriatric Dentistry Santa Cruz

Photo Credit: Phase4Photography | Adobe Stock

Photo Credit: Phase4Photography | Adobe Stock

4 Dental Dangers That Affect Geriatric Patients

Everyone is at risk for various dental problems, such as cavities. However, as you age, your risk of developing more severe problems rises because of natural wear and tear — perhaps from a lifetime of not caring for your teeth. Landmark Dental Group welcomes patients of all ages, including geriatric patients. To learn more about geriatric dentistry, check out these four common dental dangers that affect older patients, just below.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth may just seem like an annoyance, but it has major consequences. The saliva in your mouth plays an important role in the health of your teeth. It helps remove the bacteria and the foods on which bacteria feeds, such as sugar. When you have a dry mouth, nothing is flushed from your mouth. It stays on your teeth, promoting decay and tartar build up. Everyone can get dry mouth, but it is quite common in older people due to the fact that there are many medications that can cause dry mouth, and oftentimes geriatric patients are on multiple prescriptions.

Gum Disease

Gum disease is another problem that affects many elderly patients. Without treatment, it can lead to severe pain, gum recession, tooth loss or even loss of bone structure in the jaw. Gum disease is completely preventable with good oral hygiene, but it is still common. Failing to get routine cleanings that can eliminate tartar or being a smoker can increase your risk of gum disease. Landmark Dental Group offers geriatric dentistry treatments to help reverse or relieve the symptoms of gum disease, such as cleanings and antibiotic treatments.

Root Caries

Root caries are special types of cavities. Most cavities occur on the erupted portion of your teeth. However, root caries occur on the roots of the teeth. This leads to discomfort and increases the risk of tooth infection or tooth loss. Root caries are more common on elderly patients because they are more likely to have gaps between their gums and teeth, which allow bacteria to hide and cause decay. Landmark offers services such as scaling and root planing to prevent root caries, and they can, of course, treat them once they occur.

Missing Teeth

A lot of elderly patients have missing teeth. Again, there are many causes for this, such as poor oral hygiene habits, smoking, trauma, gum disease, normal wear-and-tear over the years, etc. The more teeth you have missing, the harder it is to talk and eat properly. Landmark offers a wide selection of options for replacing missing teeth, including dentures, dental bridges and implants. If you already have dentures, but they aren’t fitting properly, that’s normal. Landmark can help resize them for you, so you can once again eat and talk without trouble.

It’s important for everyone to care for their teeth, even the elderly. In fact, they often have more problems than younger people, but most of these problems can be corrected. For more information about geriatric dentistry, contact Landmark Dental Group today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

Family Dentistry Santa Cruz

Family Dentistry Santa Cruz

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What to Look for When Choosing a Family Dentist

Just because you have children or older parents that you’re caring for doesn’t mean that you need a different dentist for everyone. Landmark Dental is a general dentistry practice in Santa Cruz that’s an excellent option for your entire family. These tips will help you choose a great one.

A Wide Selection of Services

A great family dentist offers a wide selection of services that you can choose from. Of course, this includes preventive care, such as cleanings, exams and X-rays. It also includes restorative treatments, such as fillings, dental crowns, etc. However, your best bet is to find a dentist that offers even more. For example, at Landmark Dental Group, you can get specialized services such as root canal therapy. You can also opt for different cosmetic dental procedures, such as porcelain crowns, porcelain veneers, bridges, dental implants and tooth whitening. Landmark is a one-stop solution for all your dental needs.

Skilled and Experienced Dentists

It’s also important that you choose an office that has experienced dentists with the education and training to support the services they provide. If you go to a dentist who offers root canal therapy, but they haven’t had additional training on the procedure, you may end up wasting time and money on a root canal treatment that fails. At Landmark Dental Group, Dr. Trang Tran, DDS and Dr. Scott Weston, DDS have taken many continuing education courses on esthetic dentistry, root canal therapy, dental implants, sedation dentistry — and many others. Therefore, you can trust the services they provide.

Patients of All Ages

A family dentist is someone who accepts patients of all ages: child, teen, adult and geriatric. Landmark Dental Group welcomes patients of all ages, and has services specifically designed to help treat dental problems at any age.

Gentle Services

No one wants to have a rough experience at the dentist, but it’s even more important for children and the elderly. Having a bad dental experience as a child can shape how you view going to the dentist for the rest of your life. At Landmark, you can trust that all the treatments you and your family will receive are gentle, and the entire staff is caring and attentive. If you’re still nervous about going to the dentist, ask about their sedation dentistry options, such as nitrous oxide, which can make your appointment seem more like a quick dream and keeps you calm and stress-free during the treatment.

Choosing family dentistry is a great idea because it puts all your visits in one place. However, it’s important to choose a qualified dentist with a robust selection of services and the skills necessary. For more information on family dentistry, contact Landmark Dental Group today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

Find a Gentle Santa Cruz Dentist

gentle dentist santa cruz

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Many people suffer from phobias relating to the dentist, which is why finding a gentle dentist is so important. At Landmark Dental Group, we offer a wide selection of services and treatments that are effective — but gentle. If you live or work in Santa Cruz, and happen to be looking for a new dentist, below is some information about Landmark that may help you with your decision.

Our Doctors and Staff are Skilled and Experienced

It isn’t just the doctors that make Landmark special. The caring and attentive staff are also there to make sure your visit is as comfortable and calm as possible. Whether you’re in need of a routine cleaning, or getting an implant, the doctors at Landmark Dental Group have the skills and experience to help. With excellent training, such as working at a community clinic, treating geriatric and medically compromised, and undergoing extensive continuing education, Dr. Trang Tran, DDS and Dr. Scott Weston, DDS will keep your mouth healthy with as little discomfort as possible.

We Have Services for Patients of All Ages

Landmark encourages parents to bring in children as soon as their first tooth appears. Pediatric services include dental sealants, cleanings, and education on how your child’s teeth develop. All of this is done with minimal discomfort, so you and your child have a pleasant experience. Similarly, Landmark offers gentle services for geriatric patients who may be dealing with sensitive health issues that include more advanced problems, such as gum recession, dry mouth and missing teeth.

We Offer Sedation Dentistry

If you still feel nervous — even about gentle services — Landmark has you covered with several sedation dentistry options. If you only require minimal sedation and / or need to drive yourself home, inhalation sedation will put your body and mind at ease during treatments. For a little more help, you can choose oral sedation with the help of a pill from the Valium family. This will make you feel much more relaxed during treatment, but you won’t be able to drive yourself home. Last, IV conscious sedation is the highest level of sedation Landmark offers. You are given a medication intravenously until you are anxiety-free. Again, you’ll need a ride home. All three options are conscious sedation, but you may fall asleep from being so relaxed.

You have enough to worry about, and going to the dentist shouldn’t be one of them. When you choose a gentle Santa Cruz dentist like Landmark, you know you’ll get treated right and experience very little discomfort.

For an appointment, contact Landmark Dental today and ask about our new patient special.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

The Importance of Regular Dental Cleanings

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Photo Credit: xtock | Adobe Stock

Are Regular Dental Cleanings Really That Important?

You brush and floss and rinse every day at home, so is it really that important that you schedule regular teeth cleaning appointments? It is absolutely important! Your dentist does more than simply clean your teeth. Dental cleanings are an important preventative measure for your oral health. Check out these five things your dentist does for you during a cleaning.

Remove Tartar

Yes, cleaning is part of the regular dental cleaning. It’s right in the name. However, this isn’t your typical at-home cleaning. While your tooth brush and floss can get rid of food particles and plaque, they can’t remove hard tartar. Even if you brush really well at home, you may have some tartar hiding on your teeth along the gum line, between teeth or in crevices that are hard to reach with floss and toothbrush. Only a dental professional can properly use a technique called scaling to remove this tartar. If left untreated, tartar can cause gum inflammation or decay.

Check for Cavities

A lot of times, you know you have a cavity because you experience pain, especially when drinking cold or hot liquid/foods. However, that isn’t always the case. Tiny cavities may not cause any pain, and if they are hard to see, you may not know you have one. Over time, the cavity can worsen to cause you pain or even lead to infection. During a cleaning, your dentist looks for any cavities or weak spots that may lead to cavities in the near future, so you can get them treated before they get worse.

Look Below the Gum Line

You can see how good your teeth look above the gum line, but how do they look below the gum line? During dental cleanings, your dentist may routinely take X-rays. These images allow the dentist to look for potential problems at the root, such as tooth infections that may or may not be causing pain, cavities below the gum line or cracks in the tooth root.

Hunt for Signs of Gum Disease

Your dentist doesn’t just check your teeth during exams. Your gums are also inspected, particularly for gum disease. The dentist may measure the space between your teeth and gums. If the space is particularly deep, it may be a sign of gum disease. Other signs include bleeding, swelling and tenderness. If your dentist catches gum disease early, you may be able to reverse it quickly.

Spot Symptoms of Cancer

Cancer can develop in any part of your body, including your mouth, and your dentist will look for potential symptoms of mouth, tongue or throat cancer during cleanings. Signs of oral cancer include sores, lumps, lesions, etc. If you have regular dental cleanings, it’s more likely your dentist will catch signs of cancer early, which is important in fighting cancer.

Routine preventative care is the best thing you can do for your smile. If you’re looking for a place to get regular teeth cleanings in Santa Cruz, call Landmark Dental today. Regular teeth cleanings help stop problems before they become severe or even start, so don’t neglect your professional oral cleanings. If you would like more information about the importance of routine dental cleanings and exams; contact Landmark Dental Group in Santa Cruz today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

Emergency Dental Services in Santa Cruz

Photo Credit: 9nong

Photo Credit: 9nong | Adobe Stock

When you have a medical emergency, you go to the ER, but where do you go when you have a dental emergency? You can go to Landmark Dental Group in Santa Cruz because they accept emergency visits. Check out these five common reasons for emergency dental visits.

Tooth Infection

A tooth infection or abscess can be extremely painful, so if you experience one, you might not want to wait to make a regular dental appointment. You’ll need an emergency appointment. Luckily, the dentists at Landmark Dental Group provide root canal therapy, so you can get treated fast. Root canal therapy is often associated with pain, but the procedure actually alleviates your pain. Tooth infections are painful because the pus puts pressure on your tooth’s pulp. Having the root canal treatment removes this infection and the pulp.

Broken Filling

When a filling falls out or breaks, it can expose the pulp of your tooth, which contains all the nerves. If air, food or liquid reaches the pulp, it can cause a sharp, severe pain. At Landmark Dental Group, the dentist will repair your filling and remove any potentially new decay that may have caused the filling to become weak. If you have metal fillings, Landmark Dental Group can even replace them with tooth-colored fillings, which bond directly to the tooth and look almost like natural teeth.

Chipped or Cracked Teeth

Like a missing filling, a chip or crack in your tooth can cause pain. However, depending on the size and location of the chip or crack, it can be incredibly embarrassing. Lastly, a chip or crack can weaken your tooth and expose layers that aren’t protected by the enamel to decay. This can lead to more severe damage or even infection if not treated quickly. With an emergency trip to Landmark Dental, your chip or crack can be repaired to protect and strengthen your tooth. Depending on the size, the dentist may recommend a veneer or dental crown to improve appearance and strength.

Cavity Pain

If a cavity is small, it may not cause you much pain, but bigger ones can be painful, particularly when they are exposed to sugar, heat or cold, which can make eating and drinking difficult. Regardless of the level of pain, your cavity should be treated soon. You can’t brush away a cavity like you do plaque. Failing to treat the cavity will only allow it to grow, and as it grows, it may allow bacteria to reach the pulp and cause an infection.

Broken Veneer or Crown

Getting a new veneer or crown can drastically improve your smile. However, when one falls off, your smile isn’t so pretty, and your tooth is exposed to sensitivity and bacteria. Because the dentist must remove some of your tooth’s enamel to place a veneer or crown, your tooth is extremely vulnerable without a veneer or crown. This can cause severe pain and quick decay. If your veneer or crown has fallen off, you need an emergency visit to fix it soon.

When you have tooth pain, you don’t want to wait for a dental appointment. Luckily, at Landmark Dental Group, you can get emergency treatment. For more information, contact Landmark Dental Group today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Dentist: 4 Facts You Need to Know About Teeth Whitening

Photo Credit: Jürgen Fälchle

Photo Credit: Jürgen Fälchle | Adobe Stock

4 Facts You Need to Know About Teeth Whitening

Cosmetic dentistry is constantly growing, but teeth whitening is still one of the most popular procedures. Teeth whitening uses a brightening gel that removes organic stains from coffee, wine, tobacco and other stain-causing foods and drinks. If you want to see your teeth become shades whiter, check out these four facts you need to know about teeth whitening treatment from Landmark Dental Group in Santa Cruz.

You Can Effectively Whiten Your Teeth at Home

You don’t have to sit in the dentist chair to get whiter teeth. While a lot of the over-the-counter whitening products don’t work as well as in-office whitening, there is an at-home treatment that does. At Landmark Dental Group, you’ll get custom trays made to fit your exact bite. At home, you fill these trays with the whitening gel and wear them to reach your desired shade. The process takes longer than in-office whitening, but it is cheaper, as effective and convenient because you can do it on your schedule.

How Long You Wear the Trays Matters

Your results depend on how long you actually wear the trays. This includes how long you wear the trays each day and how many days you wear the trays. If you only wear them for a short period of time, your results won’t be great. With Landmark Dental Group’s teeth-whitening trays, you can wear the trays up to two times a day for 45 minutes or less. Your dentist will work with you to determine how long you should wear the trays to reach your desired results quickly.

Even Teeth Treated With Root Canal Therapy Can Be Whitened

If you’ve had root canal therapy, don’t worry. Even though the pulp has been removed from these teeth, they can still be whitened with tooth whitening. However, veneers, bridges and fillings cannot be whitened. If you want whiter teeth but have a veneer, bridge or tooth-colored filling, talk with your dentist about having it replaced to match your new tooth color. Landmark Dental Group offers porcelain veneers, porcelain crowns and tooth-colored fillings.

It’s Best to Start With a Healthy Smile

Having a white smile is important and can give your confidence a boost, but it isn’t the only thing that matters. Before you get your teeth whitened, make sure you have a healthy smile. If you have decay, damaged teeth or gum disease, work with your dentist on having those problems treated first. While tooth whitening is completely safe, if you have damage to your teeth or gums, the gel may cause pain when applied, especially if it can reach the nerves of the tooth. Once your teeth are healthy, you can focus on creating a bright, white smile.

Tooth whitening is one of the most popular dental cosmetic procedures because it is easy, inexpensive and effective. If you are tired of dingy, stained teeth, stop hiding your smile, and start making a change. Contact Landmark Dental Group in Santa Cruz today to learn more about tooth whitening.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz