What does a smile do?

A smile let others know you’re happy.  It produces a chemical reaction in your body that actually makes you happier.

A smile lets others know you’re friendly.  It puts complete strangers at ease, and causes them to smile too! A smile is contagious.

A smile shows love.  We smile to let others know it’s okay, we smile at our babies and children, we smile our forgiveness, approval, and love for people we care for.

A smile shows savvy.  People who smile often and whose teeth are white and aligned are perceived as smart, confident, and financially secure.

A smile belongs to a youthful spirit.  Babies smile freely because they’re uninhibited, and people playing with babies wear wide, joyful smiles because we feel an intimate freedom in our souls during those interactions.

A smile is universal.  No matter your age, race, gender, or culture, we all smile, and we all interpret a smile to be a positive sign.  We gravitate towards those who smile, and others gravitate towards us if we smile.

A smile can change!  Just as our bodies, minds, and hearts are continuous works in progress, so can be our smiles.  They can become straighter, whiter, and healthier. We then become more inclined to show them off.

Are you ready to more fully experience the power of your smile?  Make an appointment with your dentist, and you’ll have taken the first step towards your most beautiful, powerful smile.

MI Paste™. A New Product for Your Smile!

We at Crabapple Dental excited about a new product for your teeth!  We’ve seen it produce excellent results for people who’ve experienced tooth discoloration.

It’s called MI Paste™.  It’s designed to replenish the minerals in your teeth, improving the strength and color of your smile.  Just as you might take a vitamin to ensure your body doesn’t become deficient, you use MI Paste™ as a supplement for your teeth.

The most well known mineral for teeth is fluoride.  That’s why we see it in our toothpaste and water.  However, other minerals are important as well, including calcium and phosphate.  Over time, acid in our foods causes our teeth to lose these minerals.  This demineralization makes our teeth more susceptible to cavities and discoloration.

After flossing and brushing, you simply apply a small amount of MI Paste™ and go to bed.  Over time, your teeth will become healthier and prettier as the paste replenishes their minerals.

What many people don’t realize is that the health of your teeth is connected to and reflective of the health of your entire body.  We think this product is definitely worth mentioning to you!

You can’t get MI Paste™ over the counter, so ask us next time you come in!

Natural, Comfortable Tooth Replacement

Dental implants are excellent options for people who may have lost a tooth or teeth, due to periodontal disease, injuries, or other reasons.  Dental implants are substitute for the roots of missing teeth.  They act as an anchor for a replacement tooth or a set of replacement teeth. The benefit of implants is they do not rely on other teeth for support, so your dentist can replace a tooth with or without supporting teeth in place.  Dental implants are also very natural-looking and feeling, so you may forget you ever lost a tooth!

In a 2009 medical breakthrough, dental surgeons developed a way to use stem cells to rebuild teeth.  As technology continues to improve, so will your experiences at the dentist’s office… and so will your smile!

Listen to Dr. Sarah Roberts discuss Anti-Aging for Your Teeth.

Dr. Sarah Roberts recently made a guest appearance on the radio talk show Super Human Radio.  You can listen to Dr. Roberts discuss Anti-Aging for Your Teeth here.  In addition, here are a few interesting takeaways from the show, for those interested in truly understanding how to keep their smiles – and themselves – as young and healthy as possible.

1. First, the best way to maintain a youthful smile is PREVENTION.

2. Eat healthy foods.  People who eat too much junk food or are diabetic have more sugar in their blood.  Since this blood, minus the red cells, surrounds your teeth and gums, sugary blood can cause bacteria to grow and decay to occur.  Thus, teeth can rot or become discolored.  The connection between eating healthy, non-sugary foods and healthy smiles is clear.

3. Brush your teeth 2-3 times per day for about 2 minutes each time.  Use a soft toothbrush, angled at 45 degrees.  An excellent option for brushing is the Sonicare toothbrush.  Sonicare works well because it has a sonic vibration that loosens debris you can’t see.

4. If you absolutely cannot brush your teeth after a meal, chew gum.  After a meal, the pH levels in your mouth are more acidic, which can cause decay.  Chewing gum balances the pH in your mouth.

5. If your smile already shows signs of aging, you have many cosmetic options to improve the look and health of your smile, including whitening, orthodontics and procedures to lengthen teeth that have been ground down due to stress (many people actually grind their teeth while they exercise or sleep – which ages your smile).

6. Crown lengthening adjusts the gum line to make it smooth and even, which is a crucial aspect of a beautiful smile.

7. If you chose at-home whitening, make sure you chose a name brand.  Whereas many off-brands have compromised the integrity of their product, name brands put a lot of effort into managing the pH of their product.  This ensures their products are safe for tooth enamel.

8. Whatever your smile situation, there is usually a cosmetic solution.  Remember, cosmetic dentistry is not simply about aesthetics; it is also about health.  Beautiful smiles are healthy smiles.

Are You A Candidate for a Smile Makeover?

Happiness is the best facelift. –Joni Mitchell

Your smile is so important.  Smiling and laughing are keys to more than just looking more attractive – though people who smile often are perceived as more attractive than people who do not smile as often.  The act of smiling and laughing is actually proven to reduce stress and release tension.  So smiling is important for your entire well-being.

However, some of us do not smile as often as we would like, because we’re concerned about our smiles.  If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you may be a candidate for a Smile Makeover.

• Do you not smile as often as you would like because you don’t feel confident about your teeth?
• Do you feel your smile holds you back in your professional or personal life?
• Do you feel your teeth are too long, too short, too wide, or too narrow?
• Do you feel your teeth aren’t white enough?
• Do you have noticeable gaps between your teeth?
• Are any of your teeth chipped or broken?
• Do you have difficulty flossing due to crowded teeth?
• Do you feel your gums show too much when you smile?

If any of these questions apply to you, a Smile Makeover could drastically improve your self-esteem, confidence, health and appearance.

Invisalign FAQ - And a Holiday Discount!

Here are a few questions we get from patients about Invisalign.  If I don’t answer your question here, please leave it in the form of a comment and I’ll respond!

Is it possible for me to picture how my teeth would look after cosmetic dental treatment?  Yes. Our office offers the latest technology in computer imaging, so we can give you a good idea of what your teeth will look like after cosmetic dental improvements.

Does Invisalign really work?  Yes.  Invisalign is clinically proven to straighten teeth without metal or wires.  There are plenty of before and after case studies and satisfied clients as well.

What do the aligners look like and what are they made of?  The aligners are made of medical-grade clear plastic and custom shaped to fit your mouth perfectly.  They are difficult to notice when worn.

How much does Invisalign cost?  The cost of Invisalign varies according to the extensiveness, but can cost anywhere from $3500 to $5500.  Currently Crabapple is running a special for $1000 OFF Invisalign Treatment + Free Whitening, if you and a friend become fans of our Facebook page.

Will insurance cover Invisalign?  If you have Orthodontic coverage, Invisalign should be covered just like traditional braces, but coverage varies from policy to policy.

How does Invisalign work?  Whereas traditional metal brackets and wires pull our teeth in the desired direction, Invisalign gently presses directly on to the teeth, moving them in the direction of the aligners.  For this reason, it is very important to keep your aligners in between 20-22 hours per day.

Will my teeth stay straight after treatment?  Yes.  We offer several different types of retainers, so we can chose the type that works best for you.

Let's Talk About Invisalign.

     I haven’t seen patients this excited about dentistry in a long time. 

     -Dr. Doug Bowman Freemont, OH

Invisalign is a relatively new form of straightening smiles, yet it’s been around long enough to achieve real technological progress.  Within the past year Invisalign Assist technology has made vast improvements in order to benefit a wider range of patients and teeth issues.  Just a few of the advancements include:

1. Ability to achieve anterior teeth extrusions and canine rotations and perform lingual root torque when up-righting retroclined upper incisors.  In other words, patients who may have previously needed braces can achieve the same or better results with Invisalign.

2. A way for doctors to accurately track smile-straightening progress to ensure the desired outcome.

3. Feature enhancements that make routine appointments go faster, smoother, and easier for patients.

      I had several patients who I initially told that Invisalign wouldn’t do for their cases and       that they needed braces.  But it turned out Invisalign could work for them very, very        well.

     Dr. David Hamer, Charlottesville, VA

This is good news, for several reasons.  First, a straighter smile is a healthier smile.  For example, straighter teeth tend to have tighter gums, which reduce the risk of periodontal disease.

Second, Invisalign is often preferred to braces as a method of smile beautification, because patients find it easier to floss, brush, chew, and speak with Invisalign than braces.  Not to mention the appeal of the clear, inconspicuous tray versus the clunky metal brackets.

All this means more patients are seeing more results, through more user-friendly means.