Archive for June, 2008

Your Smile Says Allot About You!

Monday, June 30th, 2008

When one thinks of a traditional dentist, he or she usually thinks of oral hygiene, or the treatment and prevention of oral diseases. By contrast, cosmetic dentistry deals with the appearance: making the mouth, teeth, and smile of the patient look its best. The two can overlap at times, especially in the case of tooth fillings and the variety of options when repairing or replacing a decaying tooth.

Cosmetic dentistry is a blend of both science, employing new medical technologies, and art, attempting to return beauty to a person’s smile.

A cosmetic dentist is able to address many various aesthetic needs of a patient, employing safe and effective procedures:

·         Dental Veneers – Veneers are a form of tooth repair. Bonding a veneer to a tooth can improve its color as well as fill in chips or cracks. Very worn teeth are treated with veneers, as well as severely discolored teeth that teeth whitening has been ineffective in treating.

·         Teeth Whitening – By and large the most common procedure employed by cosmetic dentists, teeth whitening can repair discolorations of teeth due to poor oral hygiene, food, drink, or smoking-related stains. While bleaching your teeth is something handled by a professional, many home teeth whitening products are currently on the market as well.

·         Dental Fillings – As mentioned above, dental fillings fall into the category of cosmetic dentistry when a porcelain tooth or one made of composite materials is used to create the appearance of a full tooth.

·         Dental Implants – When a tooth is lost, it is possible to have a prosthetic tooth implanted to compensate and fill out the smile. This can result in an improved, more youthful appearance – combating the collapse of the face as a result of the missing teeth.

·         Bonding – Using a composite material, the surface of a chipped or cracked tooth is remolded to simulate the proper shape of the tooth.

In the past, severely damaged teeth were pulled and replaced with a set of dentures. While this is still an option for those with extensive damage, new technologies are employed today to broaden the options available to the general public – especially those with only one or two damaged teeth. It is now possible to repair a smile that has been ruined by damaged teeth, and return a beautiful, white, youthful smile to someone looking to enhance their appearance.

The first step in the process is to have a consultation with a reputable cosmetic dentist. He or she will be able to give you all the details necessary for you to make a decision, including the operation itself, how often visits will need to be repeated, the cost, and what results to expect. The dentist will also be able to inform you on how to make to most out of the longevity of the procedure, and the care of your new smile.

Mold FAQ

Sunday, June 29th, 2008

If you are a new homeowner or even an old one that is just wanting to do a little studying on what this whole concern about mold is that you have been hearing about on the news and in magazines, then there are a few basic things that you need to know about mold 

What causes mold to grow?

Well, mold requires a few different things to grow and these are nutrients, air, and moisture.  Molds can grow in cooler temperatures down to around 40 degrees Fahrenheit and up to even around 100 degrees Fahrenheit.  If it gets cooler than 40 F, most molds will become simply dormant and cease growing.  They are hard to kill by change in temperature alone.  Temperatures above 100 F have been reported to kill mold and its spores, but the exact temperatures that are needed to kill specific species of mold are uncertain. 

How does mold get into your house?

The truth is that mold is always in your home, but it only grows there when conditions are favorable. Spilled water on carpet that is never cleaned up, condensation on windows or water pipes is a sign of high humidity that helps mold grow, as well, and even something as seemingly harmless as packing your clothes too tightly in the closet can cause mold problems. 

Do harmful molds exist?

Yes!  While there are only a few different kinds of mold that cause human health issues compared to the thousands of different varieties of mold there are in the world, mold growing in your home can be a serious health risk. 

Does mold cause health issues in everyone? Are they always the same?

No, mold does not typically affect one person the same as another.  One person might be allergic to the mold growing in the home and another may not.  Some molds can cause infections that are serious enough to see a doctor for and some can cause brain damage, miscarriages, birth defects, and in some cases, even death. 

What can I do to prevent mold growth in my house or business?

There are a lot of things that you can do to prevent mold from growing both on the constructed parts of your home and the items that you have inside it, such as furniture, clothes, and etcetera.  There are numerous articles online to help you in preventing mold from growing, but the general consensus is to not have a high level of humidity in any area of your home, such as in a bathroom that does not have a vent to allow steam to exit the room while bathing. A similar vent should be installed in the kitchen near the stove.

Elizabeth Basement Flooded