Camarillo Smiles Voted VC Star Readers Choice Favorite

On May 6th, Camarillo Smiles got voted by the readers of the Ventura County Star as a Ventura County Star Readers' Choice Favorite Dental Office. All of us here at our Camarillo dentist office want to thank you for voting us one of the best dental offices in Ventura County. We are so thankful to be able to enjoy our days taking care of the best dental patients on the planet!

Toothbrush Smackdown: Is a Regular Toothbrush as Good as an Electric One?

Powered (electric) toothbrushes can be quite expensive, and I know that many of our patients have asked us if they are really worth the money. Let's not drag this out- the answer is a resounding...Yes! Removing dental plaque plays a key role in maintaining our oral health. To determine how to do this most efficiently, we turn to the Cochrane Collaboration. The Cochrane Collaboration offers impartial advice on a large range of health care issues. They started in 1993 and are completely not-for-profit, making them a well-trusted organization.

They looked at forty-two different studies involving 3855 participants and this is what they found:

Powered toothbrushes like the Oral B Triumph which are rotation oscillation type toothbrushes (where the brush heads rotate in one direction and then the other) are better than manual toothbrushes at removing plaque and reducing gum inflammation, and is no more likely to cause injuries to the gums. This review did not allow direct comparison between the different types of powered toothbrushes.

Powered brushes were first introduced commercially in the 1960s. Many advances have been made over the years and the best ones come from two competing camps. They simulate manual toothbrushing in different ways (such as moving side to side or circular motions). The term “side-by-side” refers to the ‘sonic’ action found in toothbrushes such as the Sonicare toothbrush by Philips. The term "circular" is referring to the rotation, oscillation movements as seen on the Oral B Triumph.

A review of research on these toothbrushes included data from 17 trials with 1369 participants. After looking at all the data they concluded that the toothbrushes with a rotation oscillation action reduced plaque and gingivitis more than those with a side to side action. However, the difference was small and it's clinical importance unclear.

So, the sonic toothbrush has now been found to be less effective than their rotary headed cousins. Both, however, provide more dental protection than regular manual toothbrushes.

What do we see in our dental chairs in Camarillo? We see people doing way better with a powered toothbrush compared to a regular manual brush. It could be the 8800 oscillations per minute that the Triumph toothbrush does, or it could be the ease of use, or it could be the timer that lets you know that your time is not up yet- keep going.

Which one should you get?

The studies suggest that the Oral B brushes clean slightly better that Sonicares, but is it significant? Probably not. I see people doing great with their Triumphs as well as their Sonicares. Where I do see a difference is in the cheaper powered toothbrushes vs. more expensive ones. In this case, you really do get what you pay for. The brushes with a rechargeable battery do do a much better job compared to those with a replaceable battery. It is probably the power difference.

If you are interested in keeping your teeth for many, many more years, go ahead and invest in a good quality powered toothbrush. It is an investment that you will be smiling about for a very long time.

Brushing after Meals

I know, I know...Momma told us to brush after every meal. Although I don't have a problem with brushing after every meal, I do have a problem with when "after" should be. Every time we eat something, we have what dentists call an acid attack in our mouth. Simply, it is just that most foods cause a marked rise in acid in our mouth that lasts for about 20-30 minutes. This acid can soften our teeth making them more vulnerable to our enthusiastic, enamel blasting scrubbing.

Therefore, it is wise to wait 30-60 minutes after eating before we brush. Rinsing with water immediately can really help with decreasing the potentially harmful effects of acid in our mouth.

We have wonderful food and access to great local fruits here in Camarillo. A dentist like me sees acidic erosion on teeth every day. Seeing that we need to keep these teeth for a long, long time, we need to watch out for these subtle attacks.

Let's keep our teeth healthy and bright! Momma will be so proud.

When Good Crowns Go Bad

The Dreaded Black Line around a Crown

We have all seen smiles that you know have crowns in the front. You look at them and say to yourself that something is not natural. Many times, it is the dreaded black line, the dark rim of gum tissue that gives it away. The black rim of gum tissue does not occur around natural teeth, only around teeth that have been crowned.

What Causes the Dark Line?

The dark line is associated with an old porcelain crown. This style of crown is referred to as a porcelain fused-to-metal crown because it has tooth-colored porcelain baked onto metal. This had been done for strength for years. The dark line originates from the edge of the crown where the porcelain and the metal meet at a knife-edge at the gum line. At the knife-edge, a very thin amount of the metal always shows. One of the illusionary techniques dentists have used was to hide the thin dark line under the gum line. Over time, the gum tissue would recede and expose the dark line. In some patients the dark line would show through the gums and make it appear dark as well.

How Do You Get Rid of It?

The only way to eliminate the esthetic problem is to replace the crown. When replacing just one single crown in the front, you should expect that it might take more than one try-in of the new crown before it is permanently cemented into place. Because your central incisors are the most prominent teeth in the mouth, matching them is the most difficult esthetic challenge. Only the best dental technicians are able to mimic one central incisor tooth next to another.

What Are Some of the Replacement Crowns Like?

Some of the clever ways dentists and dental technicians have been able to mimic natural teeth is through the new advancements in dental materials. The all-tooth-colored ceramic crown is the latest technological advancement dentists have to recreate natural teeth. In comparison to a porcelain fused-to-metal crown, an all-ceramic crown does not contain any metal, thus no dark line can appear.

Some advantages of all-ceramic crowns are as follows:

Advantages

• High esthetics
• Excellent fit
• If gum recession occurs, there is no dark line

Crowns often need to be replaced after several years of service for esthetic or functional reasons. With the growing esthetic awareness of patients and the available ceramic technology, this type of re-treatment is becoming more common in the dental office.

The Value of a Smile

Cosmetic dentistry including Invisalign, whitening and other cosmetic procedures will give you the smile you deserve.

Statistics reveal that Americans place a high value on their smile. According to an American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry national survey:

•92% believe an attractive smile is an important social asset.

•85% of Americans believe an unattractive smile makes a person less appealing to the opposite sex.

•74% of Americans believe an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for career success.

•50% of Americans are not satisfied with the appearance of their own smile.

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