What is The Best Way To Whiten My Teeth?

With wedding season here already this question seems to be the hottest dental topic today.  There are so many different options and products out there to whiten your teeth it may be a bit confusing as to what's  best, even for the trained dental professional.

Every bleaching product, whether it's over the counter or from a dental professional, contain either carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide.  Carbamide peroxide products need to be placed on the teeth at about 1 hour intervals, while hydrogen peroxide products should only be applied to the teeth for under an hour. Therefore, results from hydrogen peroxide products may take longer to see.

What separates one bleaching product from the next is the percentages of carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide in the bleach, the application method, and the time it takes to see results. The strength of bleaching percentages vary from 10%-36%. In my opinion, products above 15% should only be used under a dental professional's supervision.

The application methods range as well. There is, what I call the scotch tape method, where a small piece of plastic containing a small amount of bleach is applied to the teeth. One can also use a customized bleaching tray, where the bleaching is placed into the tray and then the tray is worn for a specific amount of time. There is also a very controlled bleaching experience, where the bleach is applied in a careful manner so that it does not touch any part of the mouth other than teeth and a customized bleaching tray is used as well.

All products take at least one week to see adequate results, although some may take longer.

In summary, here are your whitening options:
1. Over-the-counter products contain about 10-24% peroxide
Pros-  Relatively inexpensive
Cons- Poor application method. The scotch tape method is not as effective and people run the risk of unnecessarily ingesting bleach or having sensitivity. Furthermore, you can only use how ever many strips are in the package.

OTC products are for people with yellowish or coffee stains who value saving a buck over the possibility of exposing themselves to too much caustic bleaching peroxide.

2.  The quick fix/One Hour Bleaching contains 36% peroxide
Pros- Whiter teeth potentially in an hour.
Cons- Relatively more expensive. A person's teeth will most likely relapse, risk of increased sensitivity, there needs to be adequate isolation of gums and lips so that bleach does not touch those areas (don't even think about doing this in the mall).

3. Custom bleaching trays (made by your dentist) contain up to 20% peroxide
Pros- Very effective for day-to-day staining. The custom trays can be used for fluoride, to help with sensitivity, and are cost effective because the trays can be reused.
Cons- Not as effective on grayish/blueish staining, and it could take up to 2 weeks to see results.

4. Bleaching tray and 1 hour bleaching combo aka Deep Bleaching
Pros- BEST bleaching on market! You can use the trays forever. My office offers bleaching for life program, which allows you to get free touch ups for life. The bleach works on tetracycline staining. Results will show in about 2 weeks.
Cons- Relatively more expensive. People need to follow a regimen to get the best results.

This is my professional opinion after exploring many bleaching methods in my practice.  Good luck in your quest for a whiter smile.

All About Baby's Teeth

Do you know the age in which your child should first visit the dentist? Most people think they have to wait until most of their child's teeth are erupted, or when they actually start getting their adult teeth. However, Dr. Geoffrey Gonzales, our pediatric dentist, recommends seeing his patients as early as the age of one. And, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry agrees. According to an article on CNN "...The eruption of that first tooth, between the ages of 3 and 9 months, should be a signal to parents to schedule a child's first dental appointment -- and one should be scheduled no later than age 1." 

The reason why pediatric dentists, like Dr. Gonzales, recommend seeing children early on is to educate parents, evaluate the teeth that are under the gums, establish a good daily hygiene routine and help the child feel comfortable at the dentist.

Tooth decay can happen when a child drinks a bottle of milk or juice and does not rinse out his/her mouth or brush his/her teeth. Don't be fooled that baby teeth don't need to be taken care of because they eventually fall out. Some of the baby teeth may still in place when children enter middle school, so it is just as important to take care of those teeth as it is to take care of adult teeth. If any tooth, baby or adult, is left untreated with tooth decay, infection, pain, or abscesses may happen. 

Be sure to schedule an appointment for your children by the age of one, and keep their regular hygiene appointments every six months. For more information about pediatric dentistry, please visit our Website or call us at (908) 634-4018.

Fluoride Benefits People of All Ages, Not Just Kids!

As a dentist, we were taught and have seen first-hand about the benefits of fluoride. Fluoride helps to harden the tooth's enamel and protect teeth from decay. Most pediatric dentists, like Dr. Geoffrey Gonzales, in our sister office, Little Smiles of Roselle Park, recommend that pediatric patients receive fluoride treatment at each of their bi-annual hygiene check ups.

Now, there is further evidence of the benefits of fluoride. According to Medical News Today, fluoride actually reduces the ability of decay-causing bacteria to stick to teeth!

So why is it that most dental offices only offer fluoride to its pediatric patients when the benefits of fluoride can be enjoyed by patients of all ages?! Here at Roselle Park Dental, we believe in prevention. We suggest fluoride treatment to all of our patients, regardless of age. Most insurance plans only cover fluoride treatment to those under a certain age, like 15, but who would you rather guide your oral health, your insurance company or your doctor?

Be sure to schedule and keep your bi-annual hygiene appointments to keep your teeth healthy and catch problems early. At these appointments, ask for fluoride treatment and keep those teeth strong! To schedule an appointment at our office, please visit our Website or call (908) 245-1745.

New, Improved Website

Hi everyone! Just wanted to let you know that we revamped much of the content on our Website, www.roselleparkdental.com. You can learn more about who I really am by visiting our Meet the Team Page. This isn't just a laundry list of my accomplishments, but rather a glimpse of how I approach my job and my life.

We also have implemented new payment plans at Roselle Park Dental. You are now able to get started on your dental treatment and pay later! In other words, you can make monthly payments without interest toward dental work you've already started or even completed. If you need more than just a few months to pay for your dental treatment, we offer extended payment plans for up to 36 months! We understand dental work is expensive, and we want to give our patients as many options as we can for them to get the dental treatment they need. To learn more about our new monthly, no interest payment plans, please visit our Financial Page.

If you don't have dental insurance, don't worry! We have an in-office discount dental plan that helps you and your family receive the treatment you need. The plan pays for itself with just a teeth cleaning appointment or one tooth-colored filling. You can learn more about Roselle Park Dental's discount savings plan by visiting our Financial Page.

We look forward to helping you and your family.

What's New at Roselle Park Dental

If you've been to Roselle Park Dental recently, you may have noticed a few changes. We've implemented our newest technology, E4D, which allows us to provide dental restorations the same day. No more temporary crowns that may fall off or waiting three weeks for your permanent crown to come back from the lab-- if you're a candidate, you can get your permanent restoration the same day!

We also have a state-of-the-art CT scan and panoramic x-ray machine that allows our doctors to see one's entire jaw structure and bone density. This helps our team create a personalized plan for implants, extractions and orthodontics, all here in our office.

Your comfort is one of our highest priorities. Ask us for our new comfort menu and choose from items such as a neck pillow, noise-cancelling headphones, stress ball or warm towelette. Also, you can now enjoy coffee, tea and other beverages in our waiting area. 

Lastly, we'd like to congratulate John Bancey, from Garwood, who won our new patient referral TV giveaway. Thank you to all those who participated and for referring your friends and family to us; it is the biggest compliment we can get! Be on the look-out for the next new patient referral giveaway in the spring.

Happy Holidays from Roselle Park Dental

At this special time of year, we are thankful for many things, especially the gift of your friendship and loyalty. We thank you for providing us with the opportunity to serve you this year.

Our warmest wishes for a joyous holiday season and a happy new year.

Help your friends or family start the new year off with a healthy smile AND enter to win a brand new, 50-inch flat screen TV! Refer one new patient to our office and get one chance to win. Refer two new patients and get three chances to win. If you refer three or more new patients, you receive five chances to win. This contest ends January 31, 2013. 

We look forward to seeing you and your family in 2013.

Use Your Dental Insurance Benefits Before the Year End!

It's December!! Now may be a great time to schedule a dental appointment to maximize your insurance benefits and use any remaining flexible account dollars. Even if you don't need extensive treatment, you should use that money for regular check ups and cleanings to prevent costly procedures in the future. You're probably paying a monthly premium to keep your insurance, so be sure to use it before the year end! If you have remaining flexible account dollars be sure to use them too before the money is lost to you forever.

Our holiday season does book quickly, so call Roselle Park Dental today at (908) 245-1745 to schedule your appointment. We look forward to seeing you!