The Pros and Cons of Invisible Braces

Invisible braces are becoming a hit today!
First there were the metal braces that are complete with a full head gear.
Then there were the much simpler metal braces.
Next are the porcelain brackets.

And finally invisible braces. Invisible braces can fix misaligned teeth for as quick as one month. Because it's the latest hip in the orthodontic world, I doubt this will cost less here in the Philippines.

The Pros

Unlike conventional metal braces, these are actually plastic trays which are custom-made to allow perfect fit. These "aligners" replace metals and wires. The plastic tray is responsible for the tension and compression which is necessary to move and align your teeth.

This is very advantageous for the wearer since this is fully removable and it sort of eliminates the pain (but not completely) in contrast with the conventional braces.

Well, it is undetectable by others since the tray is really thin. The term "invisible" is actually a misnomer since it functions as the conventional. So, if you don't want the unwanted "Betty" look, then this is your option.

The Cons

The concept of invisible braces is actually present since the 1940s but it was only now when it attracted ortho patients. So, new means that it would cost a lot. We are not paying for the materials per se, but the concept itself. So if you are thinking of getting yourself one of these, make sure you are financially-able!

Invisible braces are designed only for misaligned teeth or slightly crooked teeth. If your problem is your jaws or anything related to the bone, this wouldn't do you good. Try the conventional one instead.

The tray, since it is removable, is very easy to lose. So be really vigilant with these.

If you want the braces worn by Miley Cyrus (yeap She has one!), you can try lingual braces

Dental Caries: The Role of Food We Eat In Their Development

As long as we have teeth inside our mouth, we can't escape the vicious caries that. Dental caries is caused by a multitude and diverse ecosystem of bacteria inside our mouth. These bacteria eat up the sugar we eat. They thrive into our oral cavity and are able to survive because of these foods that are considered trophic for them. By trophic, this means that the food we eat is just as important for them just as it is important for our survival.

The acid these bacteria produce as a result of the metabolism (conversion) of sugar is responsible for causing the cavities on our teeth. These may either lead to re-construction of the weakened, cavitated tooth, or may progress into caries. Once caries is initiated, the tooth is even more susceptible to even more serious scenario.

It is very important to maintain good oral hygiene if we want to prevent destruction of our teeth by caries. The food we eat, particularly the sugar we eat contributes greatly to the progression of caries.

You might hear people tell you, "Don't eat chocolates as these will DEFINITELY give you dental caries." This is however only partly true. Dental caries per se is not solely dependent on the sweetness of the food or the amount of sugar that is contained in that food stuff.

Whether it is a loaf of bread, a piece of chocolate or a slice of chocolate, it does not really matter as long as you brush your teeth immediately after eating those cariogenic food. Note that cariogenic is different from carcinogenic food. Cariogenic foods are foods which are likely to cause caries and carcinogenic foods are those which predisposes a person to cancer when that person eats that certain food.

These bacteria would like it much more if its host eats more frequent without brushing after. That is why it is very advisable to brush your teeth after a eating cariogenic foods as this is very critical for the prevention of progression of dental caries.

The Dental Changes That Occur When We Age - Don't Worry, They're All Normal!

When you think of "aging", what first comes to your mind? You would probably say wrinkles, sagging of muscles, loss of that youthful glow etc. Most of us are afraid of aging because of the physical aspect and because of the fact that we are little by little deteriorating. However, the hard truth is that we really cannot escape aging. We are all programmed to age. Cosmetics can only improve a part of it, but most of it are irreversible.

Aging is not something that is concentrated on one part of our body, say our face, or our arms. Aging is something systemic, meaning, it affects the whole of us. The good thing is, the signs of aging do not appear overnight. So if you are young and you still have that youthful glow, then you really have to try your best to maintain that glow and try to improve it as much as you can.

Similarly, there are also physiologic changes that we usually notice with our teeth and our mouth. Here are the changes inside the mouth that are commonly associated with the elderly:

1. One of the most common things that we observe with the elderly is they are either missing a teeth or two or the whole set of teeth. This is a normal, physiologic sign of aging. What happens here is that there is gingival recession wherein the soft tissues whose main function is to hold your teeth in place losses its tight connection with your tooth. Similarly, there is also bone loss. Again, this is another physiologic phenomenon associated with aging.

2. Saliva is decreased. Our saliva contributes to making our food more palatable and tasty. Thus if there is a decreased production of saliva, chances are you won't be able to taste your food or you won't be able to enjoy it.
So this is probably one of the reasons why our grandparents often complain with the taste of the food they eat.
Saliva is also responsible for the flushing of the bacteria that are inside your mouth. So, a decreased amount of saliva would result to bad breath, given that your grandma or grandpa has teeth. The decreased in the production of saliva is because of the deteriorating salivary glands, which is again, all part of aging.

3. Less sensitivity to taste. I have already mentioned that a decrease in the amount of saliva would result to less sensitivity of taste. But in general, there is less sensitivity because the taste buds, which are located in your mouth, also deteriorate. This is probably the primary reason for this. However, secondary reasons, such as decreased saliva production (as mentioned earlier), and dentures also play a role in lessening your sensation for taste.

There are a lot of changes that are associated with aging that we just have to accept. Probably the most effective way of sort of maintaining that youthfulness in us is to enjoy whatever we have at the moment and try to cherish everything else. When we talk about the changes in our teeth, although most of these changes are unavoidable, the best thing we could do is to take care of it because sooner or later, we won't have any choice but to adjust to the consequences of not having one.

Is There An Association Between Periodontitis and Atherosclerosis?

Periodontitis and atherosclerosis are two technically different diseases that are somewhat associated with the elderly group. Some say that the susceptibility of these individuals to infections such as the above mentioned are what make these associated with the old age group.

However, despite the physiologic context of the two diseases, studies have shown that they are associated when taken separately. To put this statement simply, research have found out that if you have periodontitis, the likelihood of you having atherosclerosis, hence cardiovascular disease, is much higher as compare to those who have healthy tooth attachments.

For you to be able to understand what I'm talking about, you have to first know what is Periodontitis and what is Atherosclerosis. Periodontitis is actually a chronic inflammation of the tissues surrounding the teeth. Now, if there is inflammation, there would probably be an agent which is causing the infection. The agents for periodontitis are actually bacteria that thrive in the oxygen-poor environment that is located below the gingiva.

Periodontitis is basically of two types, chronic periodontitis, which affects the old age group and is somehow physiologically associated, and the other one, which is the less common type, the aggressive periodontitis, which affects young patients and progresses rapidly.

Atherosclerosis, on the other hand, is also a progressive disease process that causes thickening of our arteries. This is by far the most common cause of coronary artery disease.

Now, what is important is that studies have proven that periodontitis and atherosclerosis are indeed associated with each other. There are a lot of proposed mechanisms by which these two diseases interact. One of the most popular ones is the mechanism by which the bacteria causing periodontitis produce different chemicals which trigger the formation of blot clots in your vascular system, thus, leading to atherosclerosis. Periodontitis, being an infection, also weakens one's immune system thereby, predisposing him to more complex systemic diseases, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases included.

Now that you are more aware of the association between periodontitis and atherosclerosis, you are probably enlightened by the fact that taking care of your teeth and maintaining a good oral hygiene is as important as not smoking or drinking, eating healthy, exercising and the like, in preventing cardiovascular diseases. Although we pay little importance to our teeth, this is one way of showing you how important having healthy teeth and gums are in being healthy all-around.



Check out these other Articles:

1. Dental Caries
2. Invisible Braces
3. Dental Laminates

Herbal Medicines in Dentistry - Learn How To Manage Pain and Tooth Decay With These Modest Herbs

Herbal medicines have been used for many years. Their history can be rooted from ancient civilization wherein their role as a primary source of medication is evident. Although today only a few of these many herbs have been approved for their commendable medicinal properties, a large majority of naturally occurring herbs are only considered as food supplements because of the lack of a randomized controlled clinical trial. However, this isn't to say that herbal medicines have no future at all in the field of medicine. Currently many studies are presently being conducted to know these herbs in depth. Many are hopeful about these natural substances for if ever approved, they are going to be cheap and affordable for all.

What are Herbal Medicines?

Herbal medicines for them to be considered as such should be naturally occurring and with therapeutic compounds to our bodies. As said earlier, they are considered supplements rather than drugs because manufacturers of these alternative medicines do not have the budget to conduct randomized controlled clinical trials (in layman's terms are experiments done to prove or disprove a product's efficacy to a particular disease).

In contrast to drugs, which have a lot of criteria to satisfy before they can pass the standards of drug regulatory commissions, herbal medicines are required only 4 criteria that is safeness, efficacy, affordability and acceptability.

Accessible Herbal Medicines

There are a lot of herbal medicines that are found right in your fridge. For example garlic has been shown to reduce cholesterol in the body thus may play a role in lowering your blood pressure. It also contains an antibacterial compound called Allicin which is known to be effective in preventing wounds from progressing into worse infection. What is even better is that past tests show positive results in the treatment of AIDS. So we have a lot of hopes for our modest garlic.

Garlic can even boost your immune system so that your body can fight off infections effectively. If you are feeling sick in the morning, you can swallow chopped garlic mixed with honey and you'll feel well after.

Another accessible herbal medicine is bitter gourd. I know it tastes, well, bitter, but they say only those vegetables which taste bad actually possess vital vitamins and mineral essential to our body's functioning. In the case of bitter gourd, research has been shown that it is effective in lowering blood sugar level as in diabetes. It is a good source of vitamins A, B, C and minerals such as iron, folic acid, phosphorus and calcium. Yes! It is that loaded!

Herbal Medicines and its Role in Dentistry: Pain and Mouthwash

Peppermint has anti-pain effects and is effective in alleviating body aches and even a simple toothache. It can be taken internally as a decoction or the leaves can be applied directly on the afflicted area.

Peppermint is also known in Spanish as Yerba Buena which means "good herb" in Spanish. This herb has been around and been consumed for centuries as tea. For a simple toothache, if you want to be all-natural, this is the herb for you. You might also want to consult your dentist if you think the pain is intolerable. This may mean that it is inflamed and you might want to drink an anti-inflammatory agent for this matter. For headaches, you can heat the leaves and place them on your forehead and wait for the pain to go away for good.

Guava can be used as an antiseptic and mouthwash to disinfect our oral cavities from oral infections such as gum infections. It can also be used to treat tooth decay. As an herbal medicine, the guava fruit, bark and leaves can be used. Aside from its antiseptic property, guava is also loaded with a high concentration of vitamin C.

The bark can also be used as a substitute for toothbrush if you happen to be stuck in a forest and you badly need to clean your teeth. What you can do is to peel off the hard covering of the bark and turn the inner portion of the bark into bristle like. This is a very effective alternative for our regular toothbrush plus it is packed with antiseptic too! In fact, in the Middle East, they actually manufacture guava barks and even packaged them into individual blister packs and sell it very cheaply.

What is important with these herbal medicines is that they are really good supplements for our bodies to survive the everyday pollution of this world. A lot of these alternative medicines are immune boosters and are essential for repair and regulation of our body's function. We should not underestimate these herbs and we should always remember that much of synthetic medicines today have been patterned from the actions of these modest and natural substances.


Check out these other Articles:

1. Dental Check Up
2. Periodontitis and Atherosclerosis
3. Dental Instruments

If you are a Hollywood celebrity, then it is almost imperative that you got to have the perfect face, the perfect body and an astonishing attitude to

If you are a Hollywood celebrity, then it is almost imperative that you got to have the perfect face, the perfect body and an astonishing attitude to go with it. Before, celebrities are more "natural". They possess "true" beauty that everyone dreams off. However today, along with the advent of high-technology and the revolution of medical science, it is without a doubt easy to have any part of your body enhanced. If you have the money, you can easily go to an Aesthetic Surgery Clinic and have that "problem area" be hidden. And who has money big enough for this? Hollywood stars of course.

An aesthetic enhancement can either result to a miracle or a disaster. For some unfortunate species whose surgery did not turn out okay, well good luck and be prepared to be swarmed by media. Majority of Hollywood celebs opt to have their body enhanced because they feel the pressure that their status is imposing on them. Unless they want to be pestered by tabloids and paparazzi all the time, big stars have to always look good - ALL THE TIME. For most of the Hollywood stars, their looks are all they got for their living.

Among many aesthetic treatments there is, not to forget breast implants, liposuction, lip enhancements etc, one of the popular aesthetic treatments a big star in Hollywood can easily afford is cosmetic dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry today has a lot to offer. There are veneers, invisible braces etc. that can make your teeth look more presentable in a flash!

Among many hot Hollywood stars who have undergone smile treatment are Tom Cruise, Miley Cyrus, Hillary Duff, Gwen Stefani. An aesthetic enhancement can either result to a miracle or a disaster. And even non-Hollywood but famous nonetheless, Prince Harry had once turned into cosmetic dentistry!

Hollywood Celebrities and Bad Teeth (and Bad Smile)

Celebrities are good-looking; there is no doubt about that - and they have to be. However, they are not immune to dental imperfections. Crooked teeth, pointy fangs, or yellowish teeth are common dental problems to most hot celebs. Without Teeth whitening and other revolutionary dental treatments, where will these actors be today?

The following is a list of Hollywood stars, both famous and the no-so-famous stars who have or have had (in the past) bad teeth:
1.Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise is no doubt one hot hollywood hunk. But did you ever notice that he had crooked teeth before? The picture was taken when he was still a child (obviously) and you can easily spot how mal-aligned his teeth were before. If you look even closer, you can see that his jaw is a little crooked as well.

2.Keanu Reeves

Believe it or not, this photo was taken just recently. The star of the box-office hit The Matrix used to be as hot as Tom Cruise before. But what happened to him now? Not only does he has bad, crooked teeth, but he also looks twice his age.

We'd be really glad if he visits his dentist A.S.A.P! I mean, with the money he has, I think he can afford at least a teeth whitening treatment! Unless he does this, we will really miss his glory days!

3. Morgan Freeman

The star who always plays God has a lot going on with his teeth. As you can see clearly, his teeth are stained and they are crooked as well. Teeth whitening treatment and dental veneers are two very easy dental operations that can be done in a matter of one visit. This could really help Morgan Freeman perfect his smile!


There you have it. 3 of Hollywood's bad teeth. Watch out for more Hollywood Dental Stuffs!

The Perfect Way to Have the Perfect Smile

Ever dreamt of having pearly, white teeth? Well, with the advent of modern cosmetic dentistry, having that perfect smile is not far from reality. This field of dentistry primarily aims to improve dental health including function and aesthetics. A dentist specializing in this field would probably offer you treatments like teeth whitening, veneers and tooth reshaping.

If you have an amalgam filling (a black-colored filling on your tooth), or a gold crown you can easily have these replaced using a tooth-colored filling. This is not a difficult treatment nowadays and it can be done in one seating! Yes! You do not need to wait for ages and ages just to have a filling replaced.

Together with the technological advancements in dentistry is the progress in dental material. Before, dental materials are very limited. Today, more advanced dental materials are available so much so that treatments can be done in a matter of minutes with astounding results.

Among the very popular dental treatments is cosmetic dentistry veneers. To keep everything simple, what dentists do is they grind off a very thin layer of enamel (the outermost, hard covering of our teeth) on your teeth and add a thin layer of tooth-colored (usually shades lighter than your teeth's original color) material on your teeth. The treatment is relatively simple. However, treatments like these are not very cheap.

Discount Dental Plans - Why it Stands Out Among Others

Dentists make a lot of money everyday. This is mainly because dentists have to treat more than 32 teeth in one adult, multiply that by the potential number of patients he meets everyday. That's huge! This and the high costs of dental materials and technology make dental treatments a pain in our wallets. Shelling out money nowadays is not what everyone approves of especially if it won't kill us not to spend for that certain thing. Still some people are inherently health-conscious (and probably vain) that they are willing to spend a chunk of their earnings for these costly dental treatments.

Good thing there are dental insurance and discount dental plans that we can avail to make dental services available for all even for those not-so health conscious. But what is the difference between the two? Generally the difference is primarily attributed to the application process, cost and accessibility. What really makes discount dental plans edgier?

Application Process
If you already experienced applying for a health insurance, you may have noticed how much time you spend on the application process alone. If you are lucky, you would be able to complete the whole process within 3 to 7 working days. However, since most health insurance companies impose background checks (e.g. existing conditions) on their clients, rarely would you be able to enjoy the benefits immediately. This is exactly the same process as in getting a dental insurance. In short, long waiting period is needed if you opt to avail a dental insurance.

Dental plans however are instant. You can already enjoy the benefits immediately. Application process is a breeze since most plans are up and running after 3 days. There is also no background check since there is absolutely no health restrictions. If you have an existing orthodontic therapy being done, chances are in dental insurance, this will not be covered. No coverage means you get to pay for the treatment your self. When you avail of the discount dental plan, you get discounts even with your existing orthodontic treatment.

Cost
As with other health insurances, you also have to pay for premiums. Discount dental plans on the other hand requires you to pay an annual membership fee for as low as $7 per month compared to the $304 a month with dental insurance. Imagine how much you can save a month if you avail a discount dental plan!

But what about the quality of dental service, will it differ significantly with the more expensive dental insurance?
Not at all! In fact dentists are making more money with such plans because this is a means by which they can market their practice. If you think quality will be compromised, you thought wrong!

Accessibility
Dental insurance is not for everybody. This is because a dental visits and dental cases are too predictable - you have to visit your dentist at least twice a year plus the fact that we are still not in a cavity-free world. Dental insurance companies would not risk giving out dental insurance everywhere because of this predictability of dental patients. If you are really willing to avail an insurance, it would take a lot of time and negotiations before you can actually have your teeth treated.

This is why discount dental plans stand out - it is very much available for all. All you need is sign up for a membership for a very minimal fee and you can already enjoy discounts whether you like a teeth whitening treatment or any cosmetic work done.

Dental insurance and discount dental plans both work to satisfy its goal - to make financial burden lighter for a dental patient. However, in this time and age, not all that's expensive is gold. Sometimes, what you get with half the price of the expensive stuff you intend to buy is much, much better.