Dentistry in Salem, Oregon

I found an article on MedicineNet.com that does a good job of explaining what Dental Veneers are and what they can do for my dental patients.  Here is an excerpt:

"Dental veneers (sometimes called porcelain veneers or dental porcelain laminates) are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth. These shells are bonded to the front of the teeth changing their color, shape, size or length and resulting in an improved appearance.

Dental veneers can be made from porcelain or from resin composite materials. Porcelain veneers resist stains better than resin veneers and better mimic the light reflecting properties of natural teeth. Resin veneers are thinner and require removal of less of the tooth surface before placement. You will need to discuss the best choice of veneer material for you with your dentist.

What Types of Problems Do Dental Veneers Fix?

Veneers are routinely used to fix:

• Teeth that are discolored ? either because of root canal treatment; stains from tetracycline or other drugs, excessive fluoride or other causes; or the presence of large resin fillings that have discolored the tooth
• Teeth that are worn down
• Teeth that are chipped or broken
• Teeth that are misaligned, uneven, or irregularly shaped (for example, have craters or bulges in them)
• Teeth with gaps between them (to close the space between these teeth)"
  
  PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO COME IN AND ASK ME IF DENTAL VENEERS ARE RIGHT FOR YOU.  CHECK OUT THESE PICTURES OF SOME OF MY PAST VENEER CASES.  THE BEFORE AND AFTERS ARE AMAZING!
  http://www.stonesfamilydental.com/smileveneers.php

Almost every day, I get someone that asks me what they should be doing to clean their teeth and gums.  Here is what the ADA recommends, and I agree:

"The ADA recommends the following for good oral hygiene:

• Brush your teeth twice a day with an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste. Replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. A worn toothbrush won't do a good job of cleaning your teeth.
• Clean between teeth daily with floss or an interdental cleaner. Decay–causing bacteria still linger between teeth where toothbrush bristles can’t reach. This helps remove plaque and food particles from between the teeth and under the gum line.
• Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks.
• Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral exams."

Isn't it interesting that eating healthy and limiting the number of times you snacks helps you take good care of your teeth?

Please, whether you are a patient of mine or not, don't hesitate to ask me questions about how to take good care of your smile.

The following article was originally published here:http://tiny.cc/jVkVx
Dr. Stones wants to share this with you because he wants you to know that he carefully follows all FDA regulations.

"FDA Reaffirms Amalgam Safety
After years of careful investigation and the review of some 200 scientific studies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today reaffirmed its view that dental amalgam is a safe, effective material for use in dental restorations.
The FDA ruling classifies encapsulated amalgam as a class II medical device, which places it in the same class as gold and composite fillings. The ADA has supported a class II designation for amalgam since the FDA first proposed it in 2002.
"The FDA has left the decision about dental treatment right where it needs to be—between the dentist and the patient," said Dr. John S. Findley, ADA president.
Speaking for the FDA today at a lunchtime news conference was Dr. Susan Runner, acting director of the agency's Division of Anesthesiology, General Hospital, Infection Control and Dental Devices, FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health.
"The best available scientific evidence supports the conclusion that patients with dental amalgam fillings are not at risk for mercury-associated adverse health effects," said Dr. Runner.
She went on to say that "long-term clinical studies in adults and children aged 6 and older with dental amalgam fillings have not established a causal link between dental amalgam and adverse health effects."
Dr. Runner noted, too, that the FDA explored potential health effects of dental amalgam in developing fetuses, breast-fed infants and children under age six. Although the research on these populations is more limited, she said, "the scientific evidence that is available suggests that these populations also are not at risk."
Some patients, she noted, have an allergy or sensitivity to the mercury or other metals in dental amalgam. Such patients may develop "contact reactions" within the oral cavity.
To address the needs of these patients, said Dr. Runner, the FDA is placing special controls on dental amalgam to help provide "reasonable assurance" of its safety and effectiveness. These special controls include recommended performance tests to ensure that essential information is provided to the FDA when devices are submitted for evaluation.
The special controls also instruct manufacturers to add language to their product labeling that:
warns against the use of amalgam in patients with mercury allergies;
advises dental professionals to use adequate ventilation when handling amalgam, and; reviews the benefits and risks of amalgam.
The ADA is in the process of revising its public information on dental amalgam to reflect the FDA's validation of amalgam as safe and effective.
To read the FDA's complete media statement on dental amalgam, please visit fda.gov."