DesertSmiles

This lovely lady had been self-conscious of her smile for many years due to the color, shape and unesthetic dental care. With Mac Veneers her self image and embarrassment of her smile was transformed. She is now totally comfortable to smile and laugh as much as she likes without wondering how her smile is being judged. As she receives more and more compliments of “what a great smile you have”, her previous concerns about her appearance are a distant memory.

As we strive to provide the best in Phoenix cosmetic dentistry these type of transformations happen weekly in our office. Making the world a little better one smile at a time.

This is a case where six implants were placed in the upper arch and were restored with an overlay denture. The beauty of this case is not only an excellent esthetic result. Due to the strength of the implants no palate is needed in the prosthesis, therefore the patient is able to taste their food much more naturally. The other great advantage is the retention and security. The denture snaps into place and does not move. We actually had to decrease the number of attachments inside the denture, as it was too tight for the patient to remove initially. How many denture wearers have that problem!!

The internal metal reinforcement of the prosthesis insures no breakage and extended longevity. As we strive to provide the best in Phoenix cosmetic and restorative dentistry, it is very satisfying to provide a beautiful, secure smile in those unfortunate instances where the teeth have been lost or are not savable.

A study in the May issue of the Journal of Periodontology identifies lifestyle factors that have the most impact on periodontal health.  Done in Japan from 1999 to 2003, the study found the number one lifestlye factor that independently impacted the progression of periodontal disease was smoking.  Hours of sleep closely followed.  Those participants who received seven to eight hours of sleep exhibited less periodontal disease than those with six hours or less.  High stress levels and daily alcohol consumption also demonstrated a significant impact on disease progression.

As we strive to deliver the best in Phoenix cosmetic and restorative dentistry, we realize periodontal health is paramount for longevity of our treatment. 

Here is a beautiful result of instant orthodontics combining several techniques to create a total smile makeover. One of the cental incisors in the before picture had to be removed due to an untreatable problem. The area was not acceptable to place an implant so a porcelain to zirconium bridge was placed. MAC Veneers and bleaching of the remaining teeth created a beautiful result. These are the kind of results we produce weekly as we strive to be the best in Phoenix cosmetic dentistry. What an enhancement to not only his smile but self-confidence in business and personal relationships.

Earlier this year we installed a new digital x-ray system which is working very well. As we pursue to be the best in Phoenix cosmetic dentistry, we incorporate the latest technology whenever appropriate. In the past we used the traditional films developed in a darkroom. This entire process in know outmoded by the digital ’sensor’. It is positioned briefly inside your mouth where it acts like a small VCR camera. This type of picture results in more comfort due to the rounded corners of the sensor. Our patients at DesertSmiles are now exposed to 60-90% les radiation than the x-rays of the past.

Another great benefit is the highly detailed image is instantaneously tanslated onto our computer screen. This image can be rotated, magnified, adjusted for contrast, and even color-coded for educaitonal purposes. It can be viewed on the patient tv screen to serve as a visual aid for discussions and education regarding the condition of your mouth and treatment options. Further, we can store it easily and efficiently in our computer , eliminating paper files. The digital image can be easily reproduced many times for insurance purposes, referrals or patient education.

Dr. Wilcox was approved by the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners for a Section 1303 Oral Conscious Sedation Permit. This involves a comprehensive site visit by two examiners to inspect our facility, equipment, records, drugs, emergency preparedness and sedation procedures. It also included an in depth oral examination of Dr. Wilcox to test his competency in dental sedation techniques and handling possible emergency procedures. This is required every three years along with a level of continuing education in these areas. As we strive to provide the best in Phoenix cosmetic dentistry, patient safety is always our number one priority.

For decades, the American Heart Association recommended that patients with certain heart conditions take antibiotics shortly before dental treatment.  This was done with the belief that antibiotics would prevent infective endocarditis.  The AHA’s latest guidelines were just released and there is good news: the AHA recommends that most of these patients no longer need short-term antibiotics as a preventive measure before their dental treatment.

The new guidelines are aimed at patients who would have the greatest danger of a bad outcome if they developed a heart infection.  This would include artificial heart valves, a history of endocarditis, certain specific, serious congential conditions, and a cardiac transplant that develops a problem in a heart valve.

 The good news is patients who have taken prophylactic antibiotics routinely in the past but no longer need them include: mital valve prolapse, rheumatic heart disease, bicuspid valve disease and many congenital heart conditions.

For a complete overview of the new guidelines go to www.ada.org. 

Dr. Wilcox traveled to Austin, Texas to attend a symposium on esthetic dentistry and web optimization sponsored by the Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics.  This organization is made up of the very elite in cosmetic dentistry from the U.S. and Canada.  We are always trying to stay on the leading edge of cosmetic dentistry and hearing from and networking with the best is a terrific opportunity.  Esthetic techniques and technologies continue to advance and we do everything we can to keep pace and be a leader in Phoenix cosmetic dentistry.  We also learned of new ways to continue to improve DesertSmiles.com so it can serve our existing patients and those wanting to learn more about cosmetic and restorative dentistry in Glendale, Arizona and the areas well beyond our website reaches.

Here is a beautiful recent result where a combination of empress veneers and porcelain to zirconium bridges were combined. The technology of the porcelain to zirconium has progressed tremendously in the last few years to where the esthetic results match that of empress restorations which are the standard in cosmetic dentistry. The zirconium core is created via a sophisticated CAD-CAM system and the ceramic material is then baked over the core to create a beautiful and strong restoration. These restorations have created new possibilities for us here at Desert Smiles to create lifelike crowns and bridges without metal but with greater strength than traditional non-metal restorations. As we strive to produce the finest in Phoenix cosmetic dentistry, we are constantly searching for technological advances such as this. For more information on how your smile can affect confidence refer to our article on MAC Veneers

As part of our ongoing quest to provide the finest in Phoenix cosmetic and sedation dentistry we have included an AED to our emergency armentarium. Although we never have had or expect a serious emergency, being the most prepared possible is still our goal. In addition to CPR training yearly, we attend emergency medical training and comprehensive oral sedation training as well. The automatic electronic defibrillator has shown to dramatically improve the success rates in CPR.