Never Underestimate the Power of a Smile

Your smile is important and it can mean the difference between a ‘job’ and a career you love. Your smile is important and this summer is the perfect time to restore your smile back to the one you love. Fixing broken or cracked teeth can make you look younger, while gum graft surgery can even out your smile line.

If your gums bleed or are receding due to periodontal disease a LANAP laser procedure can easily remove plaque from below the gum line. It is not normal for your gums to bleed, even a little. Puffy, bleeding and swollen gums not only decrease the health of your smile, but can cause you to hide behind tight lips during family photos and special events.  LANAP removes the need for cutting the gum tissue or the need for sutures.  To make it even better, the entire mouth can be done in a day instead of needing to split up the procedure across a few days.

More than 70% of people 65 and over have periodontal disease. But now there is no reason to wait. For more information on LANAP laser procedures, contact Dr. Rice and her team today.

Why Periodontist Recommend You Should Smile More

You may think your smile has no bearing on the rest of your life, but did you know that smiling and the health of your smile is linked to your overall success and happiness in life? The healthier your smile is the more you share your smile with the world and the happier you are overall in life.

Research has found individuals who do not love their smile tend to smile less, and they may even attempt to cover up their teeth by tucking in their lips. Smiling is a universal sign for individuals to know that others are happy about something, or are appreciative. Lack of smiling can create a barrier between individuals and decrease a person’s sense of belonging.

Smiling can help you to feel happy even if you are feeling down. The more you smile, the more you release endorphins that produce happiness. If you are feeling down about something in your life, Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice recommends you find some great friends that can help you smile or spend time doing things that automatically make you smile. It can turn your life around. While you may not feel happy all the time, the more often you smile, the quicker you will find things that make you happy, and then you'll spend less time thinking about the things that do not make you happy.

For more information on the importance of smiling, contact Dr. Rice & her team.

Use It Or Lose It

The holidays are almost here and that is an exciting time. Fall leaves, cooler weather, 

hot chocolate and holiday eating. But it also marks the closing of a timeline.  Your insurance benefits run out at the end of the year. For many insurance plans, any money you haven’t used for the year will go away with the beginning of the New Year. Here are three ways you can use your dental benefits to your advantage.  

1.     Improve your smile through bone or tissue grafting surgery. If you have gum recession due to periodontal disease, gingivitis or trauma you may wish to look into repairing your smile. Or if you are missing a tooth, now might be the time to look into preparing your jaw for implant placement.

2.     Get periodontal laser surgery. If you have periodontal disease and you have been putting off treatment, the bacteria in your mouth means your situation is only getting worse. This can lead to other problems down the line including loss of teeth,  gum recession, and many times health issues. Laser surgery can help not only improve the health of your smile, but the overall look of your smile as well.

3.     Crown lengthening. This procedure can help to reposition the gums in order to improve the length of the teeth. Dr. Rice states, “Immediately after the surgery the teeth will look longer.”

Your dental insurance is yours to use, now is your opportunity to use it to your advantage. Call Dr. Denine Rice & her team for more information today.

It’s Never Too Late

Don’t give up on your smile and your gums! It is never too late to restore your smile back to its mint and youthful condition. Brushing and flossing regularly can decrease the negative effects of food, decay and bleeding gums. You do not have to wait until your teeth fall out to make positive changes.

If you have gingivitis and your gums bleed when you floss, or you have pockets that are 3 or 4’s, flossing two times a day can stop the long lasting impact of your old flossing habits. Dr. Rice says, “Your gums do not hold a grudge so put down the excuses and pick up the floss.”

If you have periodontal disease, you may need to visit a periodontist to get your smile back on track, but once laser surgery has occurred and the decay is under control, it can increase your overall health and that of your smile, while reducing your swelling, bleeding, and receding gums. You will still need to be seen on a regular basis, for maintenance, as deeper pockets need additional help to be kept clean.

Dr. Denine Rice states, “Flossing regularly can stop any future tooth loss.” One hundred and seventy-eight million people are missing a tooth.  Once you loose one tooth, typically other ones will also fall out because of the lack of stimulation to the jawbone. Flossing removes food from between the teeth that causes decay to seep into the gum line producing problems with the health of your smile.

Don’t wait. Make changes today!