We Solve Problems To Restore Smiles

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Categories: Dental Health, dental implants

solve tough dental problems Lafayette

Even if you think your smile is beyond repair,  it may not be true. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO we perform dental miracles every day. Here are some tough dental problems we routinely solve:

Tough Problem 1: Insufficient Bone for Dental Implant
Solution: Bone Grafting

As a replacement for a missing tooth, a dental implant has many merits as compared to a dental bridge. However, there must be sufficient bone to support the titanium post (screw) that is surgically implanted.

Many implant patients need some level of bone grafting and the procedure has a high success rate. Disinfected, processed donor bone is placed at the implant location where the bone needs structural strengthening. The grafting material is in granular form that can be packed into the contours. It generates growth, and eventually the patient’s newly-produced bone replaces the donor bone material.

If you have had another dentist tell you that you don’t have enough bone to place an implant post, talk to Dr. West. The team at Boulder County Smiles has carried out many bone grafting procedures for dental implant placement.

Tough Problem 2: Severe Tooth Loss
Solution: Full Mouth Restoration

If it feels like your dental troubles are beyond repair because you have few or no teeth left, take heart. Regardless of the cause—chemotherapy, recreational drug use, eating disorder, extreme mouth injury, disability, inadequate oral hygiene, or simply poor overall health—there is hope.

Full mouth reconstruction can restore your previously healthy, beautiful smile or give you the remarkable smile you never had. Patients who receive full mouth restoration regain their confidence to smile, eat, and speak normally.

Full mouth restoration is comprised of a combination of dental procedures as necessary according to the patient’s particular situation. These can include dental implants, implant-supported bridges, orthodontia, crowns, inlays/onlays, dental bonding, gum contouring, soft tissue grafts, and teeth whitening.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we are committed to the dental health of each patient. Services include dental implants and sleep apnea treatment. Schedule an appointment today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 7516

Small Dental Annoyance Or Serious Problem?

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Categories: Dental Health, general dentistry

mouth sores Boulder County

In this post from Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we are going to talk about stomatitis. Stomatitis is the formal word for something very common: non-specific irritations found in the mouth.

Stomatitis is commonly caused by cold sores, gum disease, or even from biting the inside of the mouth (ouch!). Any time the membranes in the mouth become inflamed, they are referred to as stomatitis.

Most people have probably suffered from stomatitis and don’t think it’s a big deal. The good news is that it usually isn’t, because most of these irritations clear up on their own in less than two weeks. While they might  speaking and eat difficult, they are often just a temporary inconvenience.

However, there are cases where a bacterial or a viral infection can occur in these areas of inflammation.

Because of this possibility, we should be aware of these issues. Even if you are fortunate and there is no infection present, we can always help you treat the symptoms of stomatitis.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we treat stomatitis frequently. Our services include general and family dentistry. We also offer sedation dentistry to those patients who need it, and can treat issues like sleep apnea. Schedule an appointment today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 6639

Periodontal Disease Is Linked To Systemic Diseases

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Categories: Dental Health, general dentistry, Gum Disease Treatment

gum disease treatment Lafayette

Every year, millions of Americans are diagnosed with gum disease, the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. It is serious, but treatable at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO.

What do your gums do?

The soft tissue in your mouth, like skin, has a vital job. It protects the roots of your teeth. It also provides a barrier for the connective tissues and ligaments that hold your teeth in their sockets. Plus the alveolar bone in which your teeth are anchored.

What is gum disease?

Gum disease starts with inflammation. Gums become swollen and tender. In its early stages, gum disease is called gingivitis. As the disease progresses, the gums pull away from the teeth, creating pockets. This is called periodontitis or periodontal disease.

What causes periodontal disease?

Bacteria are always present in the oral cavity. When it is left on the teeth and gums, it turns into plaque. Plaque is a thick coating of bacteria on your gums and teeth. Plaque accumulates if it is not removed by rinsing, brushing, and flossing. If plaque accumulates in the gumline pockets, the gums can start receding. When plaque hardens, it is called tartar or calculus. You can’t brush away tartar with your toothbrush. You need to have a professional dental cleaning.

What are signs of gum disease?

  • Sore gums
  • Bad breath
  • Receding gums
  • A change in the color of gums
  • Loose or shifting teeth
  • Pain and tenderness
  • Pus between teeth and gums
  • Teeth that appear longer
  • Growing spaces between teeth
  • Changes in your bite

How does periodontal disease threaten your health?

Gum disease increases your risk of:

  • Stroke
  • Heart disease
  • Heart attacks
  • Diabetes
  • Cancer
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Osteoporosis
  • Asthma
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Low infant birth weight

Can gum disease be prevented?

Yes. Your first (and best) line of defnese is flossing and brushing your teeth twice a day. Seeing us for a cleaning and checkup every six months is essential, too. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO we can treat gum disease. We also treat sleep apnea, and offer specialties like dental implants. Schedule an appointment with us today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 8101

Look As Young As You Feel By Replacing Missing Teeth

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Categories: dental implants, dentures

tooth implants BoulderA wise person once said that everyone wants a long life, but no one wants to get old. Yet there are rewards to maturing, like wisdom and more free time for family, hobbies, or travel. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we know there can be a down side, too, like missing teeth. Fortunatley, they can be replaced with dental implants that are nearly as good as the real thing.

Gaps In Your Smile?

Missing teeth are one of the more common issues for older citizens. At Boulder County Smiles, we can restore missing teeth with dental implants.

Dental implants are titanium posts that are inserted into your jaw. A single implant can suipport one artificial tooth. Multiple implants can support a set of dentures.

Dental Implants Are The Restoration Of Choice For Active Seniors

Dental implants help active seniors look as young as they feel. They are strong, natural-looking, and function like real teeth. Restore the youthful smile you once enjoyed with permanent dental implants.

Avoid Denture Drawbacks

Avoid denture disadvantages: embarrassing slipping, limited taste, and gum irritation. Dental implants are not just for youthful smiles, they keep your facial shape intact by maintaining jawbone structure.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, dental implants are among our specialties – whether it’s a single implant or implant-supported dentures. We also offer general and family dentistry. Schedule your next checkup with us today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 8094

3 Dental Dangers For Toddlers

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Categories: Dental Health, Family dentistry

Broomfield family dentist

Keeping babies and toddlers safe and healthy requires nonstop effort. You snap them tightly in their car seats, lock your medicine cabinet, and guard the stairway with a gate. You take them to the doctor for check-ups. Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO wants to remind you about another critical component of child wellness: oral health.

Sadly, we see too many cases of tooth decay in children. You have probably received the following critical advice, but it bears repeating:

  • Don’t put babies to bed with a bottle!
  • Don’t allow children to drink juice continually during the day!
  • Prevent frequent snacking on sugary foods!

Oral health is intrinsically connected to overall physical health and normal development. If your oral hygiene is not up to par, now is the time to shape up and help your child develop a good oral health routine that will serve them well throughout their life.

Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO recommends twice-yearly dental visits, starting around age one or when the first tooth appears. Our services include general and family dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry. Specialties include dental implants. Schedule an appointment with us today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 5245

Are Toothpicks Good For Cleaning Teeth?

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Categories: Dental Health, Family dentistry

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we always remind our patients how important it is to clean their teeth on a regular basis. Not just the front surfaces, but between the teeth, too. This is essential for cavity prevention.

What’s the best way to go about getting those narrow spaces between teeth? That’s an easy one: dental floss. Our rule of thumb is to brush your teeth twice a day, and floss at least once – ideally, just before bedtime.

What about during the day, though? You’ve just had lunch, or a mid-afternoon snack, and you can feel the gunk that’s stuck between your teeth. It isn’t always easy to pull out dental floss in the middle of the day, especially if you’re in a meeting or some other appointment.

How about a good old-fashioned toothpick? They’re easy to carry around and have pointy tips that are good for digging into tight spaces.

Our quick answer? No. In fact, we frown on using toothpicks to clean between your teeth. For one thing, they don’t do a very good a job compared to other options. For another, it is not unheard of for people to get splinters in their gums when a piece of the toothpick breaks off. You might also poke into your gums by accident.

But most important is that they don’t clean off plaque. Which brings us back to those other options: when you’re out and about during the day, we recommend using an interdental cleaner. There are several types available at any grocery store: they’re usually made from a soft plastic with bristles on the end. They’re slender and compact, so you can slide them easily between your teeth to dislodge and remove food particles.

We know that chewing on a toothpick looks pretty cool. But they are not recommended for cleaning teeth. Use an interdental cleaner like those made by DenTek, or GUM. Floss picks are also good.

Above all, see us at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO for a professional cleaning and checkup every six months. Our services include general and family dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry. Schedule an appointment with us today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

Ask Us About Denture-Stabilization Implants

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Categories: dental implants, dentures

Boulder County tooth implants

The condition of your teeth has a big impact on your quality of life. Denture wearers understand this all too well. The path from a healthy mouth to a toothless mouth is downhill. Denture implants from Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO can make an enormous difference.

The Drawbacks of Dentures

While dentures are better than having no teeth at all, they certainly come with drawbacks. They can irritate gums and make breathing, eating, tasting food, talking, and laughing difficult. And they’re not a once-and-your-done solution for missing teeth. As the jaw shrinks, they call for relines.

Stop The Progression

But there is reason for hope! Dental implant technology can improve the quality of life for people who have been wearing traditional dentures. To a certain extent, implants stop the downhill progression of declining oral health due to tooth loss.

Dental implants can be used to replace one tooth, to anchor overdentures. Mini dental implants (also called denture-stabilization implants) allow us to securely an appliance that won’t slip or irritate gums. Small titanium posts (the actual implants) are inserted into the jawbone, and in time fuse with the surrounding bone, creating a secure base for an overdenture.

Restore Chewing Ability

Did you know that some denture patients retain only ten percent of their chewing capacity? Denture implants can curb bone recession and restore near-normal chewing ability. Improved chewing function with implants can result in better nutrition and overall physical health and well-being.

Denture implants are among the services available at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO. We provide general and family dentistry, and have sedation options. Call to schedule an appointment today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 7770

Is Your Smile Holding You Back?

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry

Broomfield cosmetic smile makeover

A question from Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO: have you ever taken an unanticipated trip to the grocery store looking completely unkempt? You know: one of those in-a-rush trips for an emergency item – say cough medicine or a must-have poster board for your child’s school assignment?

On such an occasion you will inevitably bump into someone you know. How do you feel in your sloppy sweatpants and stained T-shirt? Or worse yet, pajamas.

Our outward appearance influences the way we feel inside. In professional situations, don’t you feel more self-confident when you are wearing flattering, pulled-together business clothes? Aren’t you more likely to vocalize your opinion when you are comfortable in your own skin?

When encountering someone for the first time, don’t you feel better when you are having a good hair day or have cleared up a recent bout of acne? Blind dates are brutal when you don’t feel at the top of your game.

Attractive clothing, well-groomed hair, and a fit body boost self-esteem for most folks. But do you know what people notice before any of these characteristics? Your face. Specifically, your smile and eyes. Multiple studies have shown that dazzling teeth and eyes immediately capture attention. Now, it’s difficult to change your eyes unless you get colored contacts. But stunning smiles are within reach because at Boulder County Smiles, we can work miracles with cosmetic dentistry.

With specialized training, finely honed skills, modern equipment, and quality lab services, we can turn unattractive smiles into stunning first-impressions using a variety of state-of-the-art cosmetic dental procedures. Boulder County Smiles patients who have received cosmetic dental smile makeovers report feeling more confident, more attractive, more effective at work, and happier in their relationships. Some even say that they take more risks and observe more success.

If you are not satisfied with your smile, you are probably not aware of the influence it has had on your confidence and self-image. Don’t hide behind an unattractive smile any longer. Call Boulder County Smiles. We offer cosmetic dentistry, procedures like dental implants, and many other services. Call today to schedule an appointment.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 6924

Do Veneers Make Teeth Look Bigger?

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, porcelain veneers

Boulder County cosmetic dental and tooth implants

A well-designed veneer from Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO does not make your tooth look larger – unless you want it to. A veneer can correct many cosmetic dental problems and is a minimally invasive restoration. During the placement of some porcelain veneers, an extremely thin layer of enamel is removed from the tooth.

If you have teeth with damage, discoloration, an irregular shape or minimal to moderate misalignment, you have several dental remedies to choose from. Don’t worry if you feel that veneers seem to have more cons than pros for you. You have alternative options. We can analyze your smile, your needs, and your goals to develop a perfect plan.

Boulder County Smiles offers the highest standard of dental care and the full spectrum of vital services including:

dental crowns
teeth whitening
sedation dentistry
Invisalign clear braces
prepless veneers

Porcelain veneers are just one of the cosmetic dentistry services from Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO. Schedule an appointment with us today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 6551

Between-Meal Cleaning

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Categories: Dental Health, general dentistry

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we constantly remind our patients to brush and floss their teeth after every meal. And most of our patients take that advice to heart. But what are you supposed to do in the middle of the day? You’re out and about, and your usual stuff – that favorite toothpaste, the container of dental floss – is at home in the bathroom.

What’s the best way to keep your teeth clean between meals?

One of the best things you can do is rinse your mouth with water after you eat. That alone will give your whole mouth a quick cleansing.

A quick brushing is good, too. An excellent trick is what we call dry brushing. That means brushing your teeth without toothpaste. Yes, it sounds a bit strange – but it’s effective, especially if you can use a little water, too. (We know of other dentists who do it themselves.) It isn’t the way you would brush at home, of course, but it’s going to clean the surfaces of your teeth – and that’s half the battle.

The other half of the battle is the stuff that gets between your teeth. A good solution here is using floss picks. They’re no substitute for regular dental floss, but because they have a little handle, you can do it one-handed and without the aid of a mirror. (Just be sure you use regular floss later on, before bed.)

Another effective trick is chewing sugarless gum. It only takes about five minutes of chewing to get the benefits. The gum will remove a lot of the surface debris from your teeth. It also gets your saliva going, which in turn promotes re-mineralization. That’s the process of replacing minerals in your teeth.

Still another good idea is to eat healthy snacks. Raw vegetables and nuts are always a better choice than a cookie or candy bar, or some other sugary treat. Not only that, these rough-textured foods help to scrub your teeth as you chew.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we want each of our patients to keep their teeth clean during the day, and hope these suggestions help. We would also like to see you in the office every six months. Our services include general and family dentistry and dental implants. Call today to schedule your next checkup.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026