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Recipe for the Perfect Smile

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Infinity Dental Web.

We’ve got your recipe for the perfect smile.

You want a gorgeous smile. Maybe that’s youthful and sexy. Or, maybe it’s classy and sophisticated.

That special smile is different for everyone, but unless you were born with unusually exceptional genes, there’s only one way to get it…with the right cosmetic dentist.

If I were to create a perfect smile recipe, it would have three ingredients: Technical knowledge and skill, a listening ear, and an artistic eye.

Technical knowledge and skill

Cosmetic dentistry isn’t a recognized specialty. There isn’t an extra year of dental school we can attend in order to be labeled a “cosmetic dentist.” This means every cosmetic dentist you encounter is actually a general dentist who also does cosmetic procedures.

The field of dentistry is transforming.

Procedures and technologies that improve your oral health and give you a stunning smile are developed frequently. To keep up–and use this technology effectively–cosmetic dentists need post-graduate training.

There’s nothing wrong with asking a dentist where they received their cosmetic training along with their credentials. Request samples of their work. If they don’t have a smile gallery, something’s wrong. Ideally, they should be AACD accredited, which ensures they’re in the top of the cosmetic field, but there are many great cosmetic dentist who are still in the accreditation process.

A listening ear

In general dentistry, you treat something objective—the health of the tooth. Cosmetic dentistry is more subjective. It’s about how you, the patient, feel about your smile. To create a smile your patient loves takes a listening ear.

What is it about their smile that makes them unhappy or embarrassed?

What is their ideal look?

When they say white teeth, do they mean nuclear white or something white but subtle.

And, a good cosmetic dentist needs to be willing to go back to the drawing board when they didn’t get it perfect.

An artistic eye

The last ingredient is the toughest because it can’t be taught.

A good cosmetic dentist has to be able to see how the shape of your teeth works with your facial shape. They need to understand color and techniques for mixing those colors to give you a translucent smile with the subtle shading of natural teeth, while matching it perfectly to your natural teeth or veneers.

Some of that can be taught, but as anyone who’s taken music lessons know, just knowing the theory doesn’t make you a composer. Two cosmetic dentists can do the same work on the same patient, know exactly what the patient wants, and end up with completely different results.

Before you get your smile makeover, make sure your cosmetic dentist has all the ingredients.

Dr. Mike Malone and his team practice expert cosmetic dentistry in Lafayette, LA. Dr. Malone is the former president and current accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is also the official Cosmetic Dentist of the Miss Louisiana USA and Miss Louisiana Teen USA pageants.

How To Deal With Your Child’s Dental Fear

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Infinity Dental Web.

Sometimes, kids and the dentist just don’t mix. Kids either get antsy and impatient from the prolonged sitting time, or they get scared of one of the many tools the hygienists must use to clean.

While some dental anxiety is deeply rooted and cannot be solved so easily, most children should not have to go into a tooth cleaning appointment in fear of the dentist. Here are a few tips suggested by Philly.com for parents struggling with this very issue!

~ If your child has never been to the dentist before, anxiety is going to be normal. We all fear the unknown, children or adults alike. What can make a child’s anxiety worse is if their parent is acting equally scared or anxious. So stay positive and upbeat, and you can spread the calmness to your child!

~ Maintain a positive opinion of dentists — at least around your children. Contributing to the negative stereotype around dentists brought on by television (ahem, Seinfeld) and film (Steve Martin’s frightening portrayal of a dentist in Little Shop of Horrors) won’t make your child feel any better about going to visit the dentist. Remember, your kids are always listening!

~ Instead, highlight the positives of going to a dentist from your point of view in front of your children. It isn’t rocket science — you know you use this same psychology in front of your kids when you want them to eat their broccoli and brussels sprouts! Emphasize why you like going to the dentist to your kids — My teeth feel clean, My dentist is very nice, I really enjoy going to see my dentist, etc. Soon, your child might even ask you to go!

~ Set some guidelines as to proper behavior when in the dentist’s office. Plan a reward in advance so that your child is motivated to follow the guidelines. It isn’t bribery, it’s motivation! Make it someone small and easy that you can do right after the appointment.

~ Over-reassuring your child that the visit ‘won’t be bad’ will only scare them. This builds the visit up into something horrendous in their brains, and you’l only make it worse.

~ Comment when your child is doing well in the dentist’s chair. If your child acts up by doing something like refusing to sit in the chair, it’s better to not give this behavior as much attention.

~ If this does happen (your child escaping from the dental chair and attempting to run away) make sure to reverse it! If you leave the dentist without finishing the appointment (and on such a negative note) chances are your child will remember how the appointment ended next time they need to go in. You want to make this a positive experience so your child isn’t afraid, or even looks forward to seeing the dentist!

~ Of courses, there are more serious cases. If your child still suffers from extreme dental anxiety, you might think about seeing a cognitive-behavioral therapy expert.

Why You Should Never Fall Asleep Without Brushing

Posted on September 19, 2014 by Infinity Dental Web.

I mean, you probably already knew this. It’s common sense you’d want to brush away all of the food particles and bacteria produced from the day out of your mouth before you go to bed.

But at the same time, we’ve all done it. We’ve had those late nights out when you get home and you’re too darn tired to brush those teeth. Now, we’re going to explain to you why you really can’t be too tired to brush your teeth before bed. Because there are repercussions, and they’re pretty nasty.

First off, not brushing your teeth leads to bad halitosis. In other words: terrible, horrible breath. Usually you can tell your breath is bad by the mere taste in your mouth. And if you can’t stand your own breath, how will others?

But worse than bad breath, if you decide to skip a night here and there, you will pay. According to the Huffington Post: “ Skip a session, and you’re on your way to encouraging the growth of bacterial buildup in the form of plaque, which can lead to cavities and gum disease.”

During any given day, if you run your tongue along your teeth, you may find a sticky, fuzzy substance. This is the formation of plaque as it builds up in your mouth during the day. When you brush your teeth at night, the fluoride in your toothpaste fights the bacteria sitting on your teeth and prevents it from attacking your teeth.

When you leave plaque lingering by not brushing, it can become tartar, “‘that hard, yellow, rough material you sometimes feel in between your teeth’” according to Dr. Ruchi Sonata, a dentist and representative for the American Dental Association.

There is no timeline of when plaque starts to turn into a cavity, but Dr. Ruchi says that skipping one tooth brushing session can already start the process of a cavity formation. So don’t skip people! But at the same time, doing a sloppy, quick brushing job can be just as bad as not brushing altogether.

As you can see, there is no replacement for brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day. Also, the ADA recommends visiting a dentist twice a year to get rid of the tartar in between your teeth — a dentist is the only one who can truly get at that hardened gunk in between your teeth.

Tip: Assuming that breath mints and mouthwash are cleaning your teeth is false; while these make your mouth feel fresh, they aren’t truly cleaning your teeth and fighting bacteria from growing in your mouth.

Even the Tooth Fairy is On a Budget

Posted on September 4, 2014 by Infinity Dental Web.

When the economy is struggling, it affects everyone — even the tooth fairy apparently. Yes people, even the tooth fairy is on a budget.

In the US this year, children have received an average of $3.40 per tooth, down from 8% from last year when kids were getting an average of $3.70 per tooth.

This information was found from a survey that was taken by Visa and reported in USA Today. However even though the price of a tooth has dropped in 2014, it has remained pretty stable in recent years despite the state of the economy:

Price of A Tooth (DailyMail):

2010: $3

2011: $2.60

2012: $3

2013: $3.70

2014: $3.30

Between 2011 and 2012, the price the tooth fairy was willing to pay for a tooth jumped 14%. It happened again between 2012 and 2013 when the price of a tooth increased by 23%.

According to USA Today, “Market specialists say that the amount of money the fairy leaves is a sign of our economic state of mind and consumer confidence.”

In 2013, when tooth inflation was at its peak, it wasn’t unusual for the tooth fairy to leave a child a $20 bill under their pillow. But this year, the tooth fairy is only leaving kids $20 at a rate of 4% — down 2% from last year.

Interestingly enough, the Visa survey found that dads are less careful about how much money they leave their children from the ‘tooth fairy’ while moms are more deliberate. “On average, fathers say the fairy left about $4.20. For moms, that price was about 45 lower, or about $2.90,” according to the Daily Mail.

Experts say it is a good thing parents are leaving their children less money from the tooth fairy. It’s excessive, and there’s no value in that. If anything, leaving your children less money teaches them the ‘value of a dollar’ lesson even more.

British Fight Back the ‘Bad Teeth’ Stereotype

Posted on August 30, 2014 by Infinity Dental Web.

You might never guess that some of the most famous smiles that have come out of Britain — Emma Watson’s, Daniel Radcliffe’s, Colin Firth’s, and last but not least, the Duchess of Cambridge’s — are without one crown, veneer, or even braces in some cases.

In fact, Princess Kate’s smile has been considered one of the most famous in the world! But she’s British, so how does that work? They’re supposed to have bad teeth!

Well, unfortunately one of the reasons so many British people have crooked, unsightly teeth is because of the price of dental and orthodontic work in the UK. It simply remains too high, and with the “increasing gap in wealth” in the UK, this will remain a problem for many people.

So what does a British person do to avoid spending £30,000 in London to have your “teeth safely replaced”? There is a compromise. A growing trend in Britain, instead of getting braces and veneers and crowns is to get a ‘micro-rotation.’

What is a micro-rotation, you ask? Cosmetic dentists describe it as a hassle-free way to straighten your teeth. Also called Micro-Contouring, the teeth are “rotated and tilted in small micro-maneuvers to ultimately create the smile of your choice” according to The Perfect Smile. This procedure is fairly new, and can be carried out over a period of a few months. Within this time frame, adults can have straighter teeth without having to pay for and endure metal braces.

The result of getting micro-rotations versus braces is a “very natural appearance because it is a type of mini-cosmetic smile makeover” according to The Perfect Smile. “It still uses the tooth’s natural colours but it simply enhances the way the light reflects the teeth. So all the teeth look harmonious to the lips and face.”

Apparently, getting micro-rotations has become the latest craze in Britain. It gets you the ‘desired smile’ meaning, one most similar to Princess Kate’s. In Britain, perfectly straight white teeth are viewed as unnatural, plus they “must be renewed and maintained at some expense and risk”, according to Newsweek.

To be fair, we’ve had the ability to do micro-rotation on teeth for roundabout 40 years. Back then, one Beverly Hills dentist Craven Kurz developed the technique to conduct the procedure. The technology wasn’t completely there however. Now, it’s facing a resurgence in Britain.

In the end, what makes a smile beautiful is subjective. This shift in preference for a ‘natural’ smile versus an ‘artificial’ smile might not last forever. What type of smile do you prefer?

‘Cavity Pose’ Sweeps Social Media Photos in Japan

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Infinity Dental Web.

A strange trend has taken hold of Japanese fashion magazines of late. The Daily Mail calls it the ‘cavity pose’ and it’s rampant among the fashion magazine world in Japan.

According to the media, Japanese models bracing the cover of fashion magazines are falling into a pose called the ‘cavity pose’ in which the model appears to be holding a cheek while wearing a sad expression, as if she might be holding a painful cavity.

You might ask, why on earth would someone do that? Apparently, this pose makes the models look thinner, smaller and ‘cuter.‘ Apparently in Japan, these three values are what deem someone to be beautiful. Crazy, right?

The craze isn’t just sweeping fashion magazines. People in Japan are putting on the ‘cavity pose’ all over social media — Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms. Apparently the pose first made its appearance last year but in recent weeks it has exploded over social media.

In Japanese, the cavity pose has several translations:

cavity pose — mushiba no poozu OR mushiba poozu

cavity hurts pose — mushiba ga itai poozu

looks like a cavity pose — mushiba mitaina poozu

I got a cavity pose — mushiba ni natta poozu

The trend has spread to art, comics, and art in Japan as well. It seems that the ‘cavity pose’ is now as popular, if not more than the “popular peace sign as the next big thing in pictures in Japan, but whether it will stand the same test of time remains to be seen,” according to the Daily Mail.

We find the popularity of the cavity pose a bit strange — what do you think? Does the cavity pose actually make faces look thinner?

Video Tutorial: How To Make Vampire Teeth

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Infinity Dental Web.

Hey guys! We found this fun video on Youtube and thought we’d share it on our blog. It’s a step-by-step instructional video on how to make a set of wearable origami vampire teeth. So wether if it’s Halloween or not, if you’re into origami why not try making these with your kids? Have fun!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt-mVQZllAw

Indian Boy Has Over 230 Teeth Removed

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Infinity Dental Web.

You might have heard this story on the news already. It’s pretty shocking, so we wouldn’t be surprised! In India, there has been a very unusual and shocking dental condition landed a young boy in the hospital.

The teenage boy, Ashik Gavai lived in a small village in Amravati. He first realized there was an issue a year and a half before the operation. Finally when the pain in his mouth became severe, his father took him to JJ Hospital in Mumbai, in fear something serious was wrong with his son.

The doctors were not expecting to find what they did. Dr. Sunanda Dhiware reported to the BBC that Gavai came into the hospital with a swollen right jaw. Dr. Dhiware and his team soon realized Gavai had a seriously rare condition diagnosed as “a complex composite odontoma where a single gum forms lots of teeth. It’s a sort of benign tumor.”

Gavai underwent a 7-hour operation during which surgeons removed over 230 teeth from his mouth. In this rare condition, a single gum forms lots of teeth, forming a mass similar to a benign tumor. Dr. Dhiware reported they weren’t able to cut out the teeth initially because they had all grown together in large masses.

To address this issue, the team ended up using a chisel and hammer to remove the teeth, which were described as resembling “small white pearls.” At this time, Gavai has 28 teeth remaining. After much deserved recovery time, caps will be placed in his gums to replace the teeth that have been removed.

Gavai’s team described his condition are very rare. Dr. Dhiware said she had never seen anything like it in the 30 years of her career, but that made the case more exiting for her.

The few past cases of complex composite odontoma involved a mass of teeth that formed together in the upper jaw, and not nearly as many as in the case of Gavai. Also, Gavai’s tooth masses were deep in his lower jaw.
Dr. Mike Malone and his team practice expert cosmetic dentistry in Lafayette, LA. Dr. Malone is the former president and current accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is also the official Cosmetic Dentist of the Miss Louisiana USA and Miss Louisiana Teen USA pageants. Check out his website for more information.

What Do You Think About In the Dental Chair?

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Infinity Dental Web.

Let’s face it — going to the dentist has it’s obvious benefits, but one of them is not being entertained. As patients and human beings, we’re naturally worried and anxious. Anxious about having someone invading our personal space, worried about how weird we look from this angle, worried about what the bill is going to look like, worried if there will be any pain.

I have thankfully had great experiences with dentists and dental hygienists; they’ve always been considerate in asking if I am uncomfortable or experiencing any pain. After all, these people are sticking sharp metal instruments in our mouths.

According to Dental Practice Management along with some of our own ideas, here are some things that cross a patient’s mind in the dental chair. After all, it’s not like we can talk!

I wish I had brushed my teeth before this appointment.

Are you going to keep asking me questions when you have instruments in my mouth?

Will I get a discount if I pay in cash?

My dentist’s nose is pretty clean. I hope my nose is clean.

Are you going to lecture me on flossing again, then proceed to show me how to floss properly for the hundredth time?

I could never be a dentist.

How long is this going to take? I’m using my lunch break for this appointment…

Does anyone look attractive with their mouth open this wide?

I can’t believe I used to never floss. Gross!

How many times are you going to poke my gums with that pointy metal thing?

I wonder if my breath is bad.

I hope I never have to get dentures. I like my teeth.

And most importantly…

How much of this is covered by my insurance??

What do you guys think? Have any of you had these thoughts while in the dental chair? Please feel free to add to our list by commenting below!

Should Dental Offices Serve Wine To Patients?

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Infinity Dental Web.

Dental fear: some of us have it, some of us don’t. For those of us who suffer from a dental phobia, merely sitting in the waiting room of a dental office is enough to send your heart into panic mode. But some New York City dentists are addressing the dental (and pain) anxiety in a….let’s say non-traditional way.

New York dental offices Marini & Manci, Park South Dentistry, and The Dental Boutique have all implemented a wine cart in their waiting rooms, where their patients now have the option to relax with a glass of red or white wine before treatment. It’s not quite a ‘trend’ yet, but it could certainly turn into one if patients respond positively to the option of having a little drink before a procedure.

According to Food and Wine magazine, Park South Dentistry claims the option to have wine creates “a soothing, luxurious environment.” Before a drilling, sure, of course wine could help a patient to relax. But the fact is that red wine has been scientifically proven to stain teeth. So are you just fixing one problem while causing another?

What do you guys think? Should dental offices serve wine to patients pre check-up? Yay or Nay?

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