Cosmetic Dentistry Explained

Cosmetic dentistry is getting more popular than ever.  A beautiful smile is recognized as an asset to health and success and is important to most people.  Please know that while the American Dental Association does not classify cosmetic dentistry as a specialty of training, cosmetic dentists spend thousands of hours training in the art and through education and experience become extremely skilled and well regarded in this field of dentistry. The difference between cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry is that the procedures done are entirely elected for and approved by the patient. Patients must be well informed and ask questions such … Read more…

Fixing a Gummy Smile – What are my options?

Patients often ask if veneers or braces are the right option for them to correct a “gummy smile.” When you come into our office for an free initial consultation, Dr. Ken Cirka and Dr. Jessica Meier will evaluate your smile and see how to best achieve perfection.  “Actually there are several options and considerations that we dentists have to take into consideration to fix this problem,” Dr. Cirka says. Many times when we evaluate patients a main concern is their “gummy smile.” They may feel that their teeth appear small or their gums show too much when they laugh. There is … Read more…

5 Ways to Keep Healthy – Starting with your teeth!

The gums and the teeth are frequently overlooked important areas of our health. Not only will healthy teeth give you a beautiful smile, they will increase your quality of life.  Protect Your Teeth If you are an active athlete then it is highly recommended you protect your teeth with a mouth guard. This can prevent major damage to the teeth. Additionally if you are clenching or grinding your teeth then you need protection while you sleep.  Clenching and grinding can also cause major headaches and jaw pain.  The dentist will make you a night guard that will protect the teeth from significant … Read more…

8 Tips for Keeping Your Smile Bright

Patients often come into the office looking for the best way to whiten their teeth. Surprisingly, the solution to whiten is not always the same for each patient! There are several different methods for whitening the teeth. Detailed below are 8 different options that may be the right solution for you to achieve a brighter, whiter smile 1) Dental Cleaning The first place to start is at your dentist’s office. A dental cleaning is a great way to remove surface stains and the polishing that is performed by the dental hygienist will brighten up the enamel as well as make … Read more…

Dental Visit for the New Year

We dentists often get asked “DO I REALLY NEED TO HAVE A DENTAL EXAM?” Here are the reasons why you need to be healthy for 2016! Avoid Major Dental Work You can save time and money when we dentists see something small that can be fixed quickly and easily with no discomfort.  The longer you wait, the bigger the problem (and expense) it becomes. Protect Your Heart With regular cleaning and checkups, we dentists and our hygienists can identify and treat gum disease in its early stages, or even prevent it from developing in the first place.  This inflammation leads to … Read more…