Gordon West DDS blog – Cosmetic dentist in Boulder

Just Like Natural Teeth (Naturally Perfect Teeth, That Is!)

Posted on August 3, 2018August 2, 2018

Hello friends and neighbors in the Lafayette area! Have you been searching for the right dentist to repair your crooked, stained, or chipped teeth? The team at Gordon West DDS wants to end your search! We specialize in porcelain veneers, which are an extraordinary, minimally-invasive solution for cracked, stained, or chipped teeth.

Porcelain veneers are custom-fitted glass-like porcelain shells that are permanently attached to the surface of the teeth that need correcting.

A veneer can transform a tooth’s color, shape, size, or length. The porcelain closely resembles genuine tooth enamel so you will look like you were born with a perfect smile. Our veneers are practically indistinguishable from natural teeth – naturally perfect teeth, that is.

Because we offer porcelain veneers that are custom-made and fitted perfectly to your teeth, you can correct multiple issues at once with just one procedure.

Fix chips and cracks without compromising the healthy tooth structure.

When considering porcelain veneers, it’s indispensable that you have them done the right way by a reputable cosmetic dentist. When done the right way, porcelain veneers can stay strong and beautiful for many years.

At Gordon West DDS in Lafayette, we also provide dental implants. Make an appointment with us today.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

Countering Anxiety With Sedation Dentistry

Posted on July 27, 2018July 23, 2018

Does the mere thought of sitting down in a dentist’s chair fill you with dread? Does it make you avoid the dentist altogether? If so, you’re among the millions of Americans coping with dental anxiety. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, sedation dentistry may be just what the doctor ordered.

If you have dental anxiety, your first impulse may be to avoid the dentist altogether. That’s a bad idea, because it puts your dental health at risk.

We offer several ways of getting through your dental appointment. General stress and anxiety reduction uses a relaxing environment coupled with acupressure and music. This is good for mild to moderate anxiety.

Oral sedation involves taking a sedative that will put you in a deeply relaxed state. You’ll need someone to drive you home when it’s over.

General anesthesia is usually done in a hospital. It’s the best option for those with extreme dental anxiety or dental phobia.

Sedation dentistry is important, because it can get you to the dentist. Better to have a little help getting through your appointment than getting a mouth full of fillings, or worse.

Don’t let anxiety prevent you from getting the dental treatment you need. Make an appointment with Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette today. We provide general and family dentistry.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

Is Your Smile In A World Of Hurt?

Posted on July 20, 2018July 23, 2018

Do you have acute tooth damage, bone loss, or few or no teeth still intact? Restorative dentistry from Boulder County Smiles can help those whose mouths are in a world of hurt.

First off, we feel for you. We understand how severe dental issues influence you every day of your life.

Whatever the cause of the condition – 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 brilliant smile you never had. Patients who undergo full mouth reconstruction regain their confidence to smile, eat, and speak normally. How would that influence your life?

Replacing missing teeth and adding bone through grafting restores underlying facial structure, improving or preventing that “sunk-in” look that ensues when teeth are gone and the jawbone recedes.

Full mouth reconstruction (sometimes called full mouth restoration) is a term which refers to a combination of dental procedures that restore a smile for people with multiple damaged or missing teeth. Treatment may include any combination of the following procedures: crowns, inlays/onlays, dental bonding, white filling replacement, tooth implants, porcelain veneers, implant-anchored dentures, gum contouring, soft tissue grafts, bone grafts, and tooth whitening.

Dental implants are generally the best tooth replacement for those with missing teeth. A dental implant consists of a titanium post surgically inserted into the jaw bone to replace the root of the missing tooth. If there is not enough bone to anchor an implant, bone grafting may be performed to augment existing bone.

If you currently have dentures, ask us about implant-anchored full or partial dentures. Significant improvements can be made even if you only get two or three tooth implants.

Crowns (sometimes called caps) are used when there is enough viable tooth structure that the tooth doesn’t need to be extracted. A crown adds strength to a tooth that has a large filling or has been injured. A crown can repair a bite misalignment and is usually necessary after a root canal. In a dental implant procedure, attaching the crown to the abutment is the final step.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we offer a full range of restorative dentistry procedures. Restoring a healthy smile may be the best investment you ever make. Make an appointment with us today.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

Best Practices For A Healthy, Beautiful Smile

Posted on July 13, 2018July 23, 2018

Even if you value a healthy smile, it’s easy to become somewhat lax about smile-friendly lifestyle choices. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, our goal is for you to evaluate where you stand and think about whether you could step it up a notch. Committing to oral health with our family dentistry can help.

Brushing

Good: Brush teeth once a day.
Better: Brush teeth thoroughly after each meal.
Best: Brush after each meal and floss thoroughly before bed.

Dental Checkups

Good: See Boulder County Smiles if you get a toothache.
Better: See us once a year even if you don’t notice any dental troubles.
Best: Twice-yearly, have a thorough dental exam and professional dental cleaning at Boulder County Smiles.

A White Smile

Good: Use a whitening toothpaste.
Better: Use a tooth whitening system at home.
Best: Schedule an in-office tooth whitening treatment.

Missing Tooth

Good enough for some people: Ignore it. (We don’t recommend this.)
Better: Get a quality dental bridge.
Best: Restore your smile with a beautiful, strong, and natural-functioning dental implant.

Smile-Friendly Nutrition

Good: Eat a sensible diet.
Better: Eat a healthy diet and limit sugary snacks and beverages.
Best: Eat a sensible diet, limit between-meal snacking, eat lots of calcium-rich foods, limit sugary snacks, abstain from energy drinks and soda, and sip water throughout the day to keep acid at bay.

For Young Smiles

Good: Never put your child to bed with a bottle. When your toddler starts drinking from sippy-cup, don’t let them sip juice or milk all day.
Better: Follow the previous advice and schedule his/her first dental checkup before the first birthday.
Best: In addition, speak with us about dental sealants when your child is young.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we are dedicated to the best in dentistry. We provide family and cosmetic dentistry, and look forward to meeting you.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

Can My Dentist Help Stop My Snoring?

Posted on July 6, 2018July 23, 2018

Partner can’t sleep because you snore? Is it finally time to do away with it? At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we can help.

Snoring sounds can develop when the tissue in the back of the throat collapses onto the soft palate. This narrows the air passageway. As you breathe, this area opens and closes—with a noisy result.

Your snoring may be a symptom of a condition called sleep apnea. With Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the air passageway not only narrows, you actually stop breathing. These pauses can last for up to a minute and occur dozens or even hundreds of time per night.

Many people with sleep apnea snore, but not all snorers have sleep apnea. Regular snoring does not generally wake you up during the night. (Though it may wake your partner up again and again.)

Is My Snoring a Symptom of Sleep Apnea?

Do you wake up multiple times during the night gasping?
Are you excessively tired during the day?
Do you wake up with a headache?
Do you nod off during the day because you are sleepy?
Are your mouth and throat noticeably dry when you wake up?

Snoring is more than a pesky annoyance, but you are not without options. Contact Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO. We also provide general and family dentistry.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

Missing Teeth in Boulder? Don’t Miss Out On A Beautiful Smile

Posted on May 18, 2018May 17, 2018

If you have chipped or cracked teeth, or are missing one or more of your teeth, cosmetic and restorative dentistry from Boulder County Smiles may be just what you need. We offer multiple ways for you to keep (or regain) your ability to eat, drink, speak, laugh, and smile with confidence.

Dental Veneers
Porcelain veneers offer a relatively cost-effective approach to cosmetic adjustments – uneven color, size, or shape. They are thin ceramic shells bonded to the front of the teeth. They upgrade unsightly, but structurally sound teeth.

Dental Implant
A dental implant is a titanium post that is surgically implanted into the patient’s jaw. A tooth restoration goes on top of the post. Because they are physically attached, they prevent bone loss. Best of all, they look and function like natural teeth.

Dentures
For patients who have lost most or all of their natural teeth, there are several options in dentures. Traditional dentures are removable, and rest on top of the gums. Implant-supported dentures are anchored to dental implants and are more stable than traditional dentures.

Schedule a consultation with Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette to find out more about cosmetic dentistry. We also provide general and family dentistry, and treat sleep apnea.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

Let’s Make A Plan: Cosmetic Dentistry in Lafayette CO

Posted on May 11, 2018May 7, 2018

When you want to reach a goal, the difference between success and failure often comes down to planning. If you want to improve your smile, make a cosmetic dentistry plan with Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO.

Maybe you haven’t thought much about your teeth in the past, but have noticed some problems lately. These maybe purely aesthetic, like stains, or a serious hazard like gum disease.

Do you have a vision for your smile? We’re dedicated to customized, patient-focused care. We design a personalized treatment plan for every patient. Age, lifestyle, current status of oral health, overall physical health, and risk factors are all taken into account.

Let’s make a plan. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, our services include general and family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, and MTM Clear Aligners. We provide treatment for gum disease, and sedation dentistry for those with dental anxiety.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

What Does Your Saliva Reveal? Ask Your Dentist in Lafayette CO

Posted on May 4, 2018May 7, 2018

Dentists know that an examination can reveal issues in other parts of the patient’s body. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we often refer our patients to their medical doctor for further diagnosis when they encounter inflammation, chronic bad breath, bleeding gums, or jaw pain.

Healthcare providers may soon have another oral diagnostic tool for detecting systemic diseases—a test that valuates the molecules in saliva.

UCLA researchers are working on a test that could have the ability to diagnose diseases like diabetes and cancer. It’s conceivable that dentists will soon be able to take saliva samples that can be tested for numerous diseases. And if that happens, disease diagnosis will be much simpler for all parties.¹

We understand how the state of your dental health impacts the rest of your body. Think of us as a key member of your healthcare team, dedicated to your overall health and well-being.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we provide general and family dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry procedures like teeth whitening and porcelain veneers. We also do oral cancer screening.

¹Saliva Test May Uncover Deadly Diseases, Dentistry Today (citing an article in Clinical Chemistry, clinchem.org), November 6, 2014, http://dentistrytoday.com/todays-dental-news/10711-saliva-test-may-uncover-deadly-diseases, accessed on December 19, 2014

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

Not The End Of The World – Root Canals in Lafayette CO

Posted on April 27, 2018May 7, 2018

Root canal. These are among the most ominous words in dentistry. But at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, they don’t have to be.

A successful root canal (known formally as endodontic treatment) can save a tooth and prevent the need for an extraction. During the procedure, the nerve and pulp of the affected tooth are removed. What remains is the tooth’s interior – the canal – which is cleaned and disinfected. The next step is filling and sealing the cleaned area with a special rubbery material, and then protecting the restored tooth with a crown or filling.

The most common reason to need one is that a tooth’s roots have become inflamed or infected. Root canals can be a straightforward procedure, not much different than having a cavity filled. The area where the treatment is taking place is numbed beforehand. Even so, some of our patients have anxiety at thought of most procedures. If you’re one of them, ask us about sedation dentistry.

If you have a tooth that is bothering you, don’t put off calling us, because it won’t get better on its own. In addition to root canals, Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO provides general and family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and treatment for gum disease. Schedule an appointment today.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

Kids Who Like The Dentist? Family Dentistry in Lafayette

Posted on April 20, 2018May 7, 2018

Most of our young patients at Boulder County Smiles like visiting our Lafayette office for checkups, cleanings, and treatments. Establishing a good relationship with family dentistry is a vital dental health.

The Oral Health-Physical Health Connection

Good physical health in children is impossible without the oral health component. This may seem obvious, but cavities in children is a national epidemic, and for the most part is preventable. Regular checkups are just as important as wellness exams and immunizations.

The health of your child’s teeth and gums affects their speech development, eating habits, academic success, mental health, and social relationships. We love working with you and your child to establish habits that ensure a healthy smile for life.

The Good News

Today’s children are far less fearful of the dentist than previous generations. Part of the reason is that modern dental tools are better, and rarely cause any pain. If you are old enough to remember the whining dental drills of fifty years ago, you probably have a greater appreciation for the technological innovations that make dental treatment far more pleasant than in years past.

But advanced tools are not the only reason that our youngest patients look forward to dental visits. At Boulder County Smiles, we have a warm, inviting atmosphere that puts patients of all ages at ease.

We recommend that parents bring their toddler in for a first exam before age one, or when their first tooth comes in. During the initial visit, we can review treatments such as sealants, fluoride, and brushing and flossing techniques.

In addition to offering general and family dentistry, Boulder County Smiles offers cosmetic dentistry procedures like teeth whitening. Schedule an appointment today.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

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Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

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Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

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Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

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Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

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Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

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Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

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Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

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