restorative dentistry

Super Smiles Have Strong Enamel

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Categories: Dental Health, general dentistry, restorative dentistry

Lafayette dental financing

Did you know that enamel is the hardest substance in the body? It’s true! This substance, found on the outer surface of your teeth, is meant to last a lifetime. But Boulder County  Smiles in Lafayette CO reminds you that just because it’s super durable doesn’t mean you don’t have to work to take care of it.

Here are some helpful tips for keeping enamel healthy.

1. Pick the right foods for enamel health. It’s no secret that soft drinks impair your teeth, and don’t think that diet sodas are harmless – the artificial sweeteners can also erode enamel over time. There are also other culinary culprits that can do a lot of harm. Sticky, chewy candies should be avoided. Chewing ice is a no-no. And don’t use your teeth as tools. Take a minute to grab some scissors before you rip open that package with your incisors.

On the flip side, foods with calcium can neutralize acid in your mouth and safeguard your enamel. So, enjoy your dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt!

2. Avoid vigorous brushing and use a soft brush. Also, it’s best to brush about an hour after eating, because foods, especially acidic ones, can soften the enamel, thus making it more prone to weakening from brushing. If your teeth are discolored or yellowish, you may feel you need to brush harder. Instead, examine teeth whitening and speak with your dentist.

3. Keep stomach acids in check. If you have a problem with severe heartburn, the stomach acid could be traveling up your esophagus and into your mouth. This acid can erode enamel, so it is essential to talk to your Lafayette doctor about treatment.

4. Talk to us about dry mouth and teeth grinding. Lack of saliva is a major trouble for tooth enamel, and it’s no surprise that teeth grinding can also wear it down. Make sure your dentist is aware if you experience either of these issues.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO we want our patients to have the best dental health possible, and enamel health is a critical component. Our services include restorative and cosmetic dentistry. 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

 

ArticleID 7132

Crowning Achievements In Dentistry

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Categories: restorative dentistry

dental crowns Boulder

This message looks at one a modern miracle: restorative dentistry, available at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO.

Let’s pretend you are a biomedical engineer working in the field of dentistry before the conception of dental restorations. The men and women of your generation who have missing or damaged teeth want to repair or replace them with a man-made substitute. You have been hired to find or create a material that can be used to manufacture fillings, crowns, and dental bridges.

Consider the physical and chemical requirements of this incredible substance. It must sustain forces of 162 pounds per square inch (PSI), hundreds of times a day – day after day, year after year. It must be resistant to cracking and chipping. But there’s a catch regarding its stability; it must not hurt the enamel on opposing teeth. This material must also maintain its size and shape and be resistant to shrinking.

It must be bondable to living tooth structure as well as other materials needed for specific appliances. It must be biocompatible with the soft tissues in the mouth as well as tooth enamel, dentin, and bone. It can’t trigger allergic reactions in the wearers. It must be corrosion-resistant to the chemicals in saliva, foods, and beverages. It must resist infection regardless of ever-present bacteria in the mouth. And it can’t contain toxic chemicals that could be absorbed into the bloodstream.

And we haven’t even talked about the artistic properties yet. Ideally, this amazing material would match perfectly with real-life teeth in color, opacity, and translucence.

Of course, we know that such a material exists because dental restorations have been around for a long time. At this time, there are multiple materials used alone or in combination including porcelain, ceramic, and metals such as gold and silver amalgam. Though the metals are exceptionally strong and malleable, they don’t meet some patient’s esthetic requirements and are used mainly for back teeth.

It is interesting to note that porcelain, one of the ideal materials used in modern restorations, was created over 2000 years ago in China.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we offer restorative dentistry, including dental implants. Schedule 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

 

ArticleID 7320

Is Your Smile In A World Of Hurt?

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, dental crowns, dental implants, Family dentistry, restorative dentistry

full mouth reconstruction Boulder

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

 

Help! My Crown Came Off!

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, dental crowns, restorative dentistry

repair broken dental crown Lafayette

You’re chewing an apple and hear a wierd sound, then something in your mouth feels wrong. One of your crowns has come off. Call us at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO right away. Chances are, the crown (which cost you hundreds of dollars) can be re-cemented.

What do you do when your dental crown comes off? It’s vital that you take the following steps:

Don’t Swallow It!
This may seem like a no-brainer, but we are mentioning it because it is indispensable. Carefully take it out of your mouth. If you accidentally swallow it, you will have some extra issues that aren’t pleasant.

Look Carefully
Inspect the crown and your tooth. If there is damage to either, we will need that information. Which brings us to number 3:

Call Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry
We will schedule you an appointment right away and guide you on whether you should use temporary cement to re-attach the crown until you can get into our office.

Clean Gently
Use a toothbrush to cautiously clean the crown and the exposed partial tooth.

Handle With Care
While waiting for the crown to be re-cemented, avoid substances that are chewy, sticky, or crunchy.

Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO provides dental crowns, and also provides emergency dentistry. Schedule 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

 

7 Ways To Fix A Tooth

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Categories: restorative dentistry

fix broken tooth Lafayette

In a perfect world, each of your cherished teeth would stay healthy, strong, and brilliantly white throughout your life. The truth is, however, that most Colorado men and women will need to restore a tooth at some point.

A tooth can be compromised by cavities, enamel erosion, a chip or crack, gum disease, or injury. Sometimes old restorations break and need to be replaced or root canals performed decades ago develop an abscess.

Here are 7 different options for repairing a damaged tooth:

Dental Bonding
Bonding, officially called direct composite veneers, is used to fix minor cosmetic problems – small chips, cracks, discoloration, and spaces between teeth. A skilled cosmetic dentist applies moldable tooth-colored composite resin and shapes as desired. The resin is then cured with a special light to harden and adhere tightly to the tooth. Composite bonding is usually the most reasonably-priced option for improving healthy teeth with minor cosmetic issues.

Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are wafer-thin tooth-shaped fronts that are permanently bonded to your natural teeth. They are used when the underlying tooth is structurally sound and free of cavities. A beautiful veneer can cover a chip or crack or correct the alignment of a tooth that appears slightly off kilter as compared to surrounding teeth.

Fillings
Modern white fillings are strong and inconspicuous. A minimally invasive filling at Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry leaves you with more of nature’s prime dental material — your own enamel and dentin. We can also replace old amalgam fillings with white fillings. This makes your teeth look a lot better every time you open your mouth. Get rid of all that metal!

Inlays and Onlays
A traditional filling is shaped and molded after it is applied to the tooth. Because inlays and onlays are fabricated in a dental lab, they are ordinarily called indirect fillings. A less invasive inlay or onlay may be used instead of a traditional filling or, in some cases, a crown. Inlays are applied to just the center of the biting surface of a tooth (not to a cusp or point) and are typically smaller than onlays. An onlay restores one or more cusps of a tooth.

Crowns
A crown replaces the entire visible portion of the tooth, restoring appearance, durability, and function. A crown is ordinarily needed for a tooth that has had a root canal, a tooth with acute decay, or as the replacement tooth in a dental bridge. Attaching a crown to the abutment is the final step of a tooth implant procedure. Crowns can be made of all metal (such as gold), porcelain-fused-to-metal, all ceramic, or all resin.

Soft Tissue Grafts
Gum recession puts teeth and underlying bone at risk. Soft tissue grafting can cover the exposed root of a tooth to inhibit further damage. Gum surgery is also carried out for cosmetic reasons such reshaping a gumline to eliminate a “gummy” smile.

Dental Implants
What if a tooth has to be extracted because it is beyond saving? For many Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry patients, a dental implant anchored into the bone is the best solution. A tooth implant consist of a strong metal post (artificial root), abutment (connecting piece), and beautiful crown. A dental implant had many advantages over a dental bridge. They are stronger, provide virtually natural function, restrict bone recession, and do not affect the surrounding teeth. For patients with several missing teeth, tailor-made implant-anchored dentures can be created in any configuration required.

For more details about any of these procedures, call Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry at 720-862-3630. Thanks for visiting the Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry blog. We appreciate your interest in our Lafayette dental practice.

“An Air-dried Toothbrush Is A Healthy Toothbrush, Boulder”

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, Dental Health, general dentistry, restorative dentistry

Boulder Cosmetic Dentistry Office Accepting Patients

Today in our Lafayette dental blog we will highlight some of the simple things you can do with your toothbrush to keep your mouth as clean and healthy as possible.

One of the most important habits Boulder residents can form is to always allow their toothbrush to completely air dry between uses. The best way to let the toothbrush air dry is by placing it in a toothbrush holder on the counter with the bristles pointing up. This method of storage is much better than sticking it away in a drawer since it’s unlikely to dry there.

Also, when you travel away from the Boulder, Boulder County, or Lafayette, CO area, make sure your toothbrush is dry before you seal it away in a travel container.

A good strategy for Lafayette residents to make sure their toothbrush has ample time to dry is to buy two toothbrushes at your Boulder drugstore. Then alternate between the two so each has time to fully dry out between uses.

And Boulder dental patients should remember to replace their toothbrush (or toothbrushes) every 3-4 months, or after they’ve had a cold!

Hi. I’m Dr. Gordon West, a general and cosmetic dentist in Lafayette, and I want my patients to have the best oral health possible. At Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry we offer the following services:

porcelain veneers
dental implants
prepless veneers
dental crowns

We are currently accepting new Boulder patients and the state-of-the-art dental care in a comfortable environment. Our staff here would be happy to answer any questions you have about teeth whitening, veneers, bonding, or other cosmetic dentistry procedures.

Hate Your Dentures?

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Categories: dental implants, restorative dentistry

Boulder Dentistry Implant Perhaps you have heard or seen the Boulder dental industry’s advertising about dental implants. Most Lafayette dentists claim that dental implant dentures can change your life. Does this sound like hype? Exaggeration?

Let’s look at the facts about dental implant anchored dentures in Boulder:

Chewing: An oral implant denture can restore up to 95 percent of normal chewing function. How important is chewing? Can you chew easily with your current full or partial denture? Can you bite apples? When was the last time you ate a raw carrot?

Fit: Implant anchored dentures stay in place. An implant denture doesn’t slide around in your mouth and cause sores. Louisville implant denture wearers who exercise regularly especially appreciate this benefit.

Appearance: How does your smile look? Can you smile confidently? How many Broomfield denture wearers love their smile? Implant anchored dentures look like natural teeth. They don’t move when you smile, eat, talk, bike, swim, dance, golf, ski; you get the idea.

Bone health: When teeth are extracted, bone recession can occur over time (in fact, this happens in almost every case). Because a titanium implant is an artificial ‘tooth root’ inserted into your jaw bone, your bone has a better chance of staying healthy. If there are no other adverse conditions present, your jaw bone should remain strong and dense, just as if the original tooth root were there.

If you hate your dentures and live in Louisville or Broomfield, why don’t you come in for a consultation about dental implants and mini-implants? We can discuss all the particulars including procedure specifics, healing time and dental implant cost. Then you can decide for yourself if Implant dentures will, as promised, change your life.

Here is our contact information:

Dr. Gordon West DDS
Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry
1140 West S. Boulder Rd, Suite 201
Lafayette, Colorado 80026

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720-862-3630

How Mini Dental Implants Can Help Your Smile In 80026

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, restorative dentistry

How Mini Dental Implants Can Help Your Smile in 80026 I’m Dr. Gordon West, a dental implant dentist in the 80026 area. In a recent post, I explained how traditional dental implants are used to dramatically improve the lives of my Boulder denture and cosmetic dentistry clients. Today’s topic is mini dental implants, sometimes called ‘immediate implants’.

Though they are not as well known as traditional tooth implants, mini implants are also being used successfully in the 80026 postal code area to improve smiles. Like their larger diameter counterparts, mini implants can support a restoration for one or more missing teeth or replace a bridge or fixed denture. Broomfield tooth restoration clients and denture wearers benefit greatly from these slip free dental implants that are anchored securely in the jaw bone.

In some cases, a patient is unable to receive traditional full-size dental implants due to insufficient bone thickness. There are also Boulder mini implant patients who are not able to undergo dental implant surgery due to health issues. These Lafayette over-denture patients in the 80026 postal code area are often excellent candidates for the mini version.

The placement of toothpick-size mini dental implants can usually be done in one dental visit. The placement usually requires no incisions or stitches. Recovery time, if necessary, is usually very short. Most patients are able to eat dinner that evening.

Many Lafayette aesthetic dentistry clients are happy to learn that mini implants are a lower cost dental implants option. Don’t let the word ‘mini’ fool you; Your smile can receive a maximum upgrade with mini dental implants.

Call Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry at 720-862-3630 to schedule a consultation.

Tooth-Colored Fillings in Boulder

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, restorative dentistry, Smile Makeover

Tooth-Colored Fillings in Boulder Hello! Welcome to the Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry blog. If this your first visit, we hope you find useful information about our Lafayette cosmetic dentistry practice. If you have read some of our previous articles, we are glad you checked back with us. We post new articles regularly.

My name is Dr. Gordon West, DDS. I have been practicing dentistry in Lafayette since 1998. Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry is a full-service dental office located at 1140 West S. Boulder Rd, Suite 201 in Lafayette, Colorado. In addition to providing comprehensive examinations and deep cleanings for clients in the Boulder area, we perform all types of tooth restorations.

When a tooth has decay or has been damaged, a dental restoration is needed to ‘restore’ the tooth to its previous intact condition. A dental filling is one of the most common and well-known types of restorations. A dental filling is used to repair decayed or damaged tooth surfaces. Most people have a few fillings in their mouth.

If you have old silver amalgam fillings, we can replace them with nearly-invisible tooth-colored fillings. These fillings are made out of a strong composite resin. Many of our Longmont cosmetic dentistry patients have replaced their old silver fillings with fillings matched to their teeth. You can improve your smile instantly and relatively inexpensively by getting rid of the ‘metal’.

Another reason some Broomfield and Louisville clients have had their old fillings replaced is because they are concerned about the possible heavy metal toxicity of the mercury in the silver.

If you would like to replace your amalgam fillings, call us at 720-862-3630 to schedule a consultation. We are currently accepting new patients and would be happy to show you around our Lafayette cosmetic dental office and introduce you to our friendly team.

Smile – it increases your face value!

Correcting Severe Dental Problems in Lafayette

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, dental crowns, dental implants, porcelain veneers, restorative dentistry, Smile Makeover, teeth whitening

Correcting Severe Dental Problems in Lafayette Each separate restorative and cosmetic dentistry procedure performed in Boulder can address a specific dental problem. For example, a porcelain veneer can perfect the surface of a tooth that is discolored or slightly misshapen. Dental bonding can fill a small chip in an otherwise healthy tooth.

Some Lafayette dental problems are more extensive and require a combination of procedures. Crown restoration combined with soft tissue grafts can restore a severely decayed tooth with the root exposed. A bone graft and dental implant can restore a missing tooth in an area where the jaw bone has receded. Orthodontia followed by tooth bleaching totally transforms a smile by straightening and whitening.

What is the difference between tooth bleaching and whitening? Whitening is the term for procedures which remove surface stains to restore the degree of natural lightness. Bleaching goes even further by lightening teeth beyond their natural shade. That’s right: you don’t have to resign yourself to yellow teeth even if they have been that way your whole life! The natural shade of your teeth, by the way, like your skin and hair color, is determined by genetics.

Some Lafayette smiles have been gleaming for years by regular whitening. You can maintain the whiteness of your teeth just as you maintain your fitness level. (Of course it is a lot easier to make a quick visit to your Lafayette dentist once a year for whitening touch-ups than sweating in a gym several times a week!)

We live in an age where severe dental problems can be permanently corrected. You don’t have to participate in a TV makeover show in Hollywood to access these premium cosmetic dental procedures. They are available right here in Lafayette, Longmont and Louisville. Dr. Gordon West has the same advanced training and extensive experience as the dentists who keep the smiles of famous actors and musicians camera-ready.

Schedule a consultation at Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry to discover the perfect combination of procedures to achieve your ultimate smile. Our phone number is 720-862-3630.