General dentistry

Why Improve Your Smile?

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Categories: Dental health, General dentistry, Gum disease

oral health Fort Collins

Causes and consequences of poor dental health and how you can brush up on your own

Most of us struggle with at least one area of our dental care. It could be that flossing is the one dreaded task, or maybe you haven’t been wearing the night guard recommended often enough. All of us should check with our dentists from time to time and make sure we’re on track with the best dental care plan unique to our situation. It’s best to never let the untreated cavity become a dental emergency.

How poor dental health can arise

Teeth Grinding

Grinding our teeth can happen when we’re sleeping at night, completely unaware of the toll it’s taking on our mouths. Even during the day, we might do this unknowingly, since stress at work or school can result in grinding. This bad habit will slowly wear away our fillings and eventually remove the hard enamel which protects the soft layer of dentin beneath. If you’ve recently observed a chipped tooth, or your jaw aches in the morning, you might be grinding your teeth at night.

Improper Care

It can be difficult to create the best oral hygiene regimen and your dentist might even urge more frequent brushing due to incorrect or inadequate self-care in the past. Not brushing often enough can lead to bad breath, swollen gums and even gum disease in the long run. Most individuals still feel that brushing and flossing are the main tools for success when it comes to protecting their teeth.

Poor Diet

Regularly eating foods high in sugar exposes our teeth to its deteriorating impact. The longer we spend chewing on candy, the longer our teeth spend fighting its harmful acidic content. If you’ve noticed an increase in cavities or nasty breath, you might be eating too many sweets, putting your teeth at risk. It would be smart to consider more fresh fruits and vegetables for their natural teeth-cleaning ability or go for more calcium enriched foods to shield and strengthen your teeth.

Benefits of improving your dental health

Increased Confidence

By upgrading your smile, you will improve your self-esteem and encourage a full and bright smile. If you suffer from chipped or cracked teeth, you might hide your smile while speaking and laughing in front of others. By having certain flaws in our teeth corrected, we no longer fear speaking to others and become more engaged in conversation. If we don’t feel this confidence in ourselves it can be discouraging to spark up a conversation with someone new, since our smile could be the first thing they notice.

Improved Health

Misaligned teeth are not only a cosmetic issue but can lead to a plethora of dilemmas down the road. When our teeth don’t align appropriately, it causes unneeded wear and tear that can lead to toothaches, cavities, cracked teeth, and periodontal issues. If your smile has some imperfections, it might be wise to consider braces or some other aligner for better support.

Save Money

If you’ve ever refused a night guard at the dentist or put off much-needed braces, it might be costing you. Cigna Health estimates that every dollar spent on maintaining dental health saves you anywhere from $8 to $50 restoring it. Improving your smile not only helps you look and feel better but puts money in your pocket better spent on other needs.

 

 

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

 

ArticleID 8542

 

Let’s Take Care Of Those Tooth Stains

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Categories: Cosmetic dentistry, General dentistry, Teeth Whitening

Fort Collins Teeth BleachingThe effectiveness of teeth bleaching depends partly on the types of stains.

Extrinsic tooth stains are the best to remove. These surface stains have not yet penetrated through the enamel into the dentin. Extrinsic stains are caused by dark-colored foods and beverages like blueberries, carrots, coffee, red wine, and cola. And nicotine is no better for your smile than it is for your lungs.

Unfortunately, even if you eliminate these common teeth stainers, your teeth will become discolored over time. Like gray hair, wrinkles, and memory lapses, a dull smile is an inevitable part of aging for some individuals.

Intrinsic tooth stains develop from the inside out. Tooth injury or tetracycline are the usual culprits. Intrinsic stains are harder to remove completely, but it is possible to lighten them with professional tooth whitening available at your cosmetic dental office.

If your teeth are darkened, whether from coffee, tetracycline, or excessive fluoride, call The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry at 970-221-5115. We have treated many patients with extreme tooth discoloration.

It is never too late or too early to beautify your smile.

Men and women can take years off their appearance by restoring the youthful white smile they once enjoyed. Teens and young adults with surface stains can prevent them from becoming intrinsic stains with tooth bleaching.

 

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

 

ArticleID 2991

 

Great Reasons to Floss Your Teeth

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Categories: Cosmetic dentistry, Dental Implants, General dentistry

Three Great Reasons to Floss Your Teeth by The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry

Flossing is a bit of a chore. It takes a little extra time, and if you haven’t flossed in a while, it can even be painful.

It’s no wonder our team at The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry is constantly reminding our patients to ‘brush and floss!’

Flossing is critical, You’ll never hear one of us say ‘don’t worry about the flossing.’ It just isn’t going to happen for two critical reasons. Here they are:

1. Bad Breath

I knew I could catch your attention with this first one. Bad breath is something we all worry about. It’s part of our ‘appearance, and we are all aware of how that can influence our relationships.

When we meet new individuals, communicate with others in close quarters, or greet a partner, bad breath is on our minds. We worry about how bad breath affects first impressions.

It makes sense, then, that bad breath would be one of the things you might worry about.

Flossing is a great way to help you eliminate bad breath.

Flossing helps restrict plaque buildup between your teeth. It also helps flush out pockets of bacteria. Together, plaque and bacteria can create bad breath.

To decrease your chances of being caught with bad breath, floss every day.

2. Cavities

When bacteria is allowed to concentrate on your teeth, tooth decay can occur. Plaque buildup is a concentration of bacteria. When plaque is allowed to remain between your teeth it gives bacteria a chance to destroy enamel and damage your teeth. Cavities are damage to your teeth caused by bacteria.

Flossing gets between your teeth where your brush can’t get and gets rid of plaque buildup. It also loosens pockets of bacteria that can be removed with a quick rinse.

Flossing will help you keep plaque and bacteria from developing between your teeth.

The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry recommends you floss your teeth every time you brush your teeth. At the very least, we encourage you to floss every day before you go to bed. Once a day is your minimum, and nighttime is a good time to floss.

 

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

 

ArticleID 7780

Who Do You Call If You Have a Dental Emergency?

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Categories: Dental Implants, General dentistry, Restorative dentistry

urgent dental clinic Fort Collins

A dental emergency is any occurrence in which damage to the teeth occurs and the patient needs urgent care. While a dental emergency may have never happened to you, it could happen in the future.

Some things are too serious to wait for an appointment. How do you know if you need to call for help? Who do you call? How can you be prepared?

Some frequent questions people may have in a dental emergency:

  • “Is this serious enough, can’t we treat it at home for now?”
  • “Should I call 911?”
  • “How can I help in the moment?”

How to know if it is a dental emergency and when to seek help

If you are experiencing any of the following, call The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

  • A knocked-out tooth
  • A broken tooth
  • An abscess with pus
  • Unexplained severe mouth pain
  • Persistent bleeding of the mouth

Should I call 911 for a dental emergency?

If you suspect you are dealing with a potential dental emergency, stay calm. In the heat of the moment a person’s instinct may be to call 911. However, paramedics and dentists would encourage you to analyze the situation.

Dental emergencies are serious. Dental offices are for an urgent dental issue. If you need treatment, dentists are the professionals for the job. Act fast and responsibly.

Calling 911 may ultimately waste your time in getting the help you need. The police cannot help in dental matters and paramedics are not dentists. They can help if you have a non-dental medical emergency, but not if it is a dental-specific issue.

What should you do instead?

Instead, call The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry. We will help you over the phone. We can talk you through your situation to identify and diagnose the issue. No prior appointment needed. We will determine the best course of action and set up a time for you to come in for treatment.

The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry is here for you when you have a dental emergency

When it comes to your smile, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Obtaining immediate assistance is the first step in addressing the situation. When you call The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry, a dental professional will recommend you over the phone. Do not hesitate. The consequences of untreated emergencies can leave permanent damage. Some serious dental infections can even threaten your life if not treated.

Our contact information is below. Save our number in your phone contacts so you will be prepared in the unfortunate event that you experience a dental emergency.

 

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

 

ArticleID 8544

 

7 Ways To Fix A Chipped Tooth

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Categories: General dentistry, Restorative dentistry

fix broken tooth Fort Collins

In a perfect world, each of your teeth would stay healthy, strong, and brilliantly white throughout your life. Unfortunately, most of us will need to restore a tooth at some point. At The Fort Collins Dentist we can help.

A tooth can be compromised by decay, 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 seven different options for repairing a damaged tooth:

Dental Bonding. Bonding is used to fix minor cosmetic problems like small chips, cracks, discoloration, and spaces between teeth. A composite resin is applied and shaped as necessary.

Porcelain Veneers. Porcelain veneers are wafer-thin shells that are permanently attached to the front of natural teeth. They can cover chips, cracks, and gaps, or the alignment of a tooth.

Fillings. Modern white fillings are strong and inconspicuous. Patients love them because they blend in so well with natural tooth color. People concerned about the safety of metal fillings often replace those with non-metal white fillings.

Inlays and Onlays. Inlays are applied to the center of a tooth’s biting surface of a tooth (not to a cusp or point). An onlay restores one or more cusps of a tooth.

Crowns. A crown replaces the entire visible portion of the tooth, restoring appearance, strength, and function. A crown is often necessary for a tooth that has had a root canal, with severe decay, or as the replacement tooth in a dental bridge.

Soft Tissue Grafts. Gum recession puts teeth and underlying bone at risk. Soft tissue grafting can cover the exposed root of a tooth to prevent further damage. Gum surgery is also done for cosmetic reasons, such as reshaping a gumline.

Dental Implants. Implants are titanium posts that are inserted into the jaw. Once they fuse with the bone implants can support one or more artificial teeth.

At The Fort Collins Dentist we offer complete restorative dentistry. People from North Laramie, Cheyenne, Greeley, and South Berthoud also come to us for cosmetic and sedation dentistry, and much more. Please call our office to find out what we can do for your smile!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

You Can’t Afford Cheap Dental Work

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Categories: Dental health, General dentistry, Oral Health

Fort Collins teeth whitening

Have you ever gotten a deal on a used car that turned out to be a lemon? After a couple years of continual repairs, you realized that it ended up costing as much as a new auto would have. And after spending all that money, you still have a a lemon.

The same is true of deficient dental work. We at The Fort Collins Dentist will never sell you a lemon.

You have probably received shiny postcard ads that proclaim amazing deals on cosmetic dentistry: porcelain veneers, crowns, white fillings, and dental implants. The prices may be attractive, but be certain you do plenty of research before committing. We aren’t trying to imply that all dental practices that publicize low procedure prices in their ads furnish deficient work—we are just cautioning patients not to decide on a cosmetic dentist based on price alone. Unlike a car, you can’t sell your smile and buy a new one.

We will use porcelain veneers as an example. What can go amiss if you receive substandard porcelain veneers?

The dentist may be inexperienced and make mistakes: improper placement, substandard color matching, bite complications.
The materials may be deficient: unnatural color, prone to breaking, veneers pop off.
The lab techs that create the restorations may turn out poor quality work: unnatural color, poor fit.

During your consultation, you will learn about The Fort Collins Dentist’s years of experience, techniques, specialty training, and the number of procedures performed.  You will learn about the best materials for the restorations and receive specifics about the dental lab we use. We serve patients from North Laramie, Cheyenne, Greeley, and South Berthoud and provide a variety of services such as crowns and other restorations. Schedule an appointment with us today.

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

How Often Should I Replace My Toothbrush?

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Categories: Cosmetic dentistry, Dental health, General dentistry, Restorative dentistry

How Often Should I Replace My Toothbrush?

Too many people wait too long to get a new toothbrush, and this can contribute to poor dental health. At The Fort Collins Dentist we recommend a new toothbrush about every three months.

How often you replace your toothbrush depends, of course, on how often you use it. We recommend, strongly, that you brush at least twice a day. If you’re brushing twice a day, picking up a new toothbrush at the store every three months is recommended.

Keep It Fresh

A toothbrush can become familiar, like a comfy pair of shoes. Sometimes the idea of tossing out the old one and replacing it isn’t very appealing. But after three months, the bristles are getting bent and frayed. There is probably some dried toothpaste foam starting to build up, too. So toss that old brush, and get a fresh one!

What kind of brush should you be using? There are so many choices. The most important thing is to choose a brush with soft bristles. They are gentle on the gums, but still effective in brushing away plaque.

To recap: for good dental health, replace your toothbrush every three months. Patients from North Laramie, Cheyenne, Greeley, and South Berthoud come to The Fort Collins Dentist for general dentistry and restorations. Schedule your next checkup with us today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

4 Oral Ailments To Discuss With Your Dentist

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Categories: Dental health, General dentistry, Gum disease, Oral Health

Bad Breath Treatment North Laramie

This article is about some of the most common conditions that should be discussed with us, at The Fort Collins Dentist.

There is a solution for each one of these issues.

Tooth Decay. This is easily the most common dental problem. Tooth decay (cavities) occurs when plaque combines with the sugars and/or starches in food to produce acids that attack tooth enamel. We can always do a drill-and-fill, but prevention via regular brushing and flossing is best.

Dry Mouth. Also known as xerostomia, this lack of saliva is very bothersome and can predispose you to a host of dilemmas such as decay and gum disease. It’s a common side effect of prescription medications, so make sure to bring a list of current prescriptions with you to your appointment.

Jaw Issues. If you suffer from jaw pain or notice a clicking sound, be sure to schedule an appointment with us immediately. These symptoms can be signs of a condition called temporomandibular disorder, or TMD.

Teeth Grinding. Known as bruxism, this can damage teeth surfaces. If you’ve been stressed out and find that you’ve been grinding your teeth, discuss it with us. An oral appliance can make all the difference.

At The Fort Collins Dentist, the dental health of our patients is always our top priority. Patients from North Laramie, Cheyenne, Greeley, and South Berthoud come to our office for restorative dentistry, general dentistry, and much more. Please call to schedule your next cleaning and checkup with us today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

 

ArticleID 4795

A Beautiful Smile is Timeless

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Categories: Cosmetic dentistry, General dentistry, Smile design

Your Smile Doesn’t Have to Show Your Age in Fort CollinsAt The Fort Collins Dentist we know that every stage of life has its pros and cons. For example, in our golden years, we may enjoy traveling, more free time and grandchildren. However, most  retirees do not welcome wrinkles, limited mobility or dental problems.

Fortunately, your smile can be healthy and pleasing throughout your life. With cosmetic and restorative dentistry, you can have a youthful smile at any age.

Regain Your Youthful Smile

Even if your teeth are showing visible signs of wear, we can help. Do you have any of the following concerns?

  • Enamel loss
  • Staining
  • Chips
  • Missing teeth
  • Broken dental work
  • Gum recession
  • Old amalgam fillings

At The Fort Collins Dentist, we serve you with a full array of dental services including dental implants sleep apnea, and cosmetic dentistry.

Could Your Smile Benefit From Adult Braces?

Would you like to straighten your teeth? Modern braces can correct all types of tooth alignment dilemmas. Overbite? Gap between your two front teeth? Crowded teeth?

Now, individuals of any age can have an extraordinary smile that looks as young as they feel. Let’s discuss some orthodontic options.

Invisalign

Invisalign uses clear aligners instead of metal or ceramic brackets. With Invisalign aligners, you switch aligners every couple of weeks as your teeth gently shift into place.

How can straightening teeth improve your life?

We all know that a an attractive smile improves one’s appearance. Everyone wants to look better. However, the benefits aren’t purely aesthetic.

  • Straight teeth can prohibit decay
  • If teeth are aligned properly, you are less likely to snore
  • Decreases the risk of periodontitis (advanced gum disease),
  • Straightening teeth can help you eat a healthier diet

Regardless of your age, it is not too late to enhance your smile–even if you have some missing teeth. Braces combined with tooth implants can transform a smile.

If you haven’t seen a dentist in a while, you will be interested to learn about the latest cosmetic dentistry treatments. Many procedures can be completed in one visit with us at The Fort Collins Dentist. We serve patients in North Laramie, Cheyenne, Greeley, and South Berthoud seeking all kinds of services, including cosmetic dentistry, TMJ/TMD, and implants. Contact us for an appointment today.

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

 

ArticleID 8685

It Doesn’t Take Long To Beautify Your Smile

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Categories: Clear Braces, Cosmetic dentistry, Dental Implants, Dental veneers, General dentistry

South Berthoud cosmetic smile makeover

At The Fort Collins Dentist, we can improve your smile with cosmetic dentistry. Possibilities include restoring cracked or discolored teeth, straightening them, or even replacing those that are missing.

We all want to have the best possible smiles, but cosmetic dentistry is more than just appearance. Straight teeth are easier to care for, and make for a healthier smile. That may explain why clear braces are so popular. They can straighten your teeth, and are almost undetectable as you wear them.

Also in demand are porcelain veneers. They can transform your appearance and are minimally invasive. A thin layer of tooth enamel is removed before veneers are permanently attached to your teeth. After that, you’ve got a mega-watt smile.

Dental implants are, in many ways, one of the most significant advances in the history of dentistry. Titanium posts inserted in the jaw can support one or more replacement teeth that look and function like the real thing.

At The Fort Collins Dentist, cosmetic dentistry can restore your smile. People from North Laramie, Cheyenne, Greeley, and South Berthoud also come to us for complete general dentistry. Contact us today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

ArticleID 3967