Charmaine Johnson DDS Premier Smile Center

Are there one or two things about your smile that you dislike, characteristics you would change if you could? For many people, porcelain veneers are the aesthetic fix that creates the perfect smile. You shouldn’t have to hide your mouth behind your hand or avoid smiling wide because you’re embarrassed about the appearance of your teeth. Veneers can fix just about every cosmetic issue there is.

1. Antibiotic Stains

If you have permanent stains on your teeth that cannot be eliminated with teeth whitening, they may have been caused by antibiotics taken in childhood. Certain antibiotics can cause stains to develop on permanent teeth under the gumline, when the drug calcifies within the tooth. By the time an adult tooth erupts with an antibiotic stain, the only way to do anything about it is with cosmetic dentistry. Veneers cover up all manner of tooth stains, making teeth gleam white.

2. Crooked or Gapped Teeth

If you have mildly crooked or gapped teeth, braces aren’t your only solution for making your smile straight or filling up the gaps. Porcelain veneers can be used to cover up your wonky smile. Instead of months and potentially years of orthodontic treatment, you can get an aligned smile in just two visits to your Fort Lauderdale cosmetic dentist. Plus, every other imperfection will be concealed too.

3. Asymmetrical Smile

An asymmetrical smile is often a size of age or an oral health condition, like teeth grinding. If you develop gum recession or your teeth are worn down from clenching and grinding, your teeth can begin to look more worn down on one side of the mouth. Porcelain veneers correct the imbalance, building up your smile and developing the desired symmetry.

4. Chipped or Broken Teeth

Many people think a chipped tooth is merely unsightly, but it’s actually dangerous to the rest of your oral health too. If a tooth is broken, then it is weak, and it is susceptible to other oral health problems or further breakage. Veneers are made of super-thin but incredibly strong slivers of porcelain. They beautify your smile and make it strong too.

5. Narrow Smile

If your teeth are crowded, misshapen, or oddly shaped, you may have a smile that is out of proportion and looks narrow. Instead of your teeth filling the corners of your smile, the placement of the canines and premolars behind the front teeth leaves dark spaces, creating the illusion of a narrow smile. When your veneers are customized to your teeth, they are sized accordingly so your teeth spread from one side of your mouth to the other, filling in all the negative spaces and giving you a while smile.

Which Type of Veneer Is Right for You?

Whatever you dislike about the appearance of your smile, porcelain veneers can usually correct it. Modern versions of this cosmetic dentistry procedure are less invasive and don’t require the shaving down of natural teeth. You may be a good candidate for ultrathin or no-prep veneers.

Learn more about the smile makeover procedures that are right for you. Schedule a consultation with Fort Lauderdale dentist Dr. Charmaine Johnson at the Premier Smile Center.

Many patients ask me, in frustration, how they can reduce their chances of cavities and tooth decay.

Yes, having to visit the dentist often because of cavities is very frustrating!

Let’s start by answering the following questions:

• Do you sip soft drinks or other sugary drinks (including coffee or tea with milk and sugar) all day at your desk?
• Do you use breath mints or eat candy often?
• Instead of eating meals, do you snack all day?
• Do you often grab a soda, sports or energy drink when you are tired?
• Do you miss your regular dental checkup and cleanings?
• Are you inconsistent with your brushing and flossing habits?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, you may be raising your risk of cavities and tooth decay.

We can all make a list of everything we are proud of. As a dentist, one of the things that make me happy is if a patient is proud of their smile.

For some, it may be a healthy, clean and cavity free smile. For others it may be a sparkling, white and dazzling smile. Either way, your smile is integral to your health and happiness. The way we talk or eat, and the way we feel about ourselves are all affected by the state of our smile.

As a dentist, I look at a person’s smile from 4 major areas:

1. The health of the gums and bone – this is the foundation that holds the teeth in place. You may have the most beautiful teeth but if the foundation is poor, the teeth will fall out.
2. Cavity free and infection free teeth
3. The bite and position of the teeth – many times, the way we bite can cause a great deal of damage and fractures of the teeth
4. Cosmetics and the beauty of our smile

We all know someone with bad breath. Unfortunately, most people don’t know that they have it and only your children or grandchildren will tell you!!!!!

So, how does one eliminate bad breath?

1. Firstly, determine if you have bad breath or not by asking a significant other or your dentist. It is normally difficult to determine bad breath on yourself.
2. Some odor causing foods like onions and garlic can cause the bad odor to come out through your lungs for up to 24 hours after ingestion. Try to reduce the intake of these foods.
3. Examine the back of your tongue for a tongue coat. The tongue harbors 50% of the total bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria produce sulphide odors which is the smell of rotten eggs. This is the main source of most bad breath. We suggest using a tongue scarier to scrape the very back of the tongue. Do this 10-15 times every morning. A toothbrush is not as effective. It is like using a broom to clean a shag carpet.