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Top Dentist Larchmont NY | Eric Spellman DMD
Top Dentist Larchmont NY | Eric Spellman DMD

How to Fix a Gummy Smile

How to Fix a Gummy Smile?​​​​​​​

Gummy Smile Larchmont | Eric Spellman DMD | Dentist LarchmontWhen you smile, can you see a lot of your gums? Do you feel like your teeth look shorter than normal or that the pink of your gums is the dominant feature? If so, you may have what is known as a ‘gummy smile’ – a fairly common problem cosmetic issue. Fortunately, there are several cosmetic dentistry treatments that make it possible to alter the amount of gum tissue that you have surrounding your teeth.  so that you can enjoy a more natural and attractive smile.

Here is what you need to know about excess gum tissue and what can be done to fix a gummy smile. We encourage you to call our office at 914-315-4446 to schedule a consultation with our cosmetic dentist in Larschmont, Dr. Eric Spellman, who has over 30 years of experience and advained training in cosmetic dentistry.

Causes Of A Gummy Smile

It is not always known exactly what causes a gummy smile. In many cases, patients who have this feature find that it is a genetic issue and that their parents or grandparents also show excessive amounts of gum tissue when they smile. However, there are also some other reasons why a patient has a gummy smile.

  • If your teeth haven’t erupted properly, they might still remain partially covered by gum tissue. This can cause them to look shorter than is considered normal and lead to lots of gum tissue on display.
  • Your teeth have become eroded. This can cause them to look short in comparison to the gums.
  • You have a condition called gingival hypertrophy which is where gums are naturally long or enlarged.
  • You have an overgrowth of the upper jaw, a condition called vertical maxillary excess, which causes the gums to bulge.

Treatments To Fix A Gummy Smile

If you have a gummy smile, there are a number of potential treatment choices. Our cosmetic dentist, Dr. Eric Spellman, will be able to tell you which is most likely to be the best choice for your individual smile. Some of the most common and successful treatments include the following:

Gum Contouring

Gum contouring is a procedure that changes the line of your gums so that your smile is as esthetically-pleasing as possible. Gum contouring usually takes place using a local anesthetic, although sedation may be given if you are particularly anxious or nervous about dental procedures.

The gum line can be recontoured using either a traditional scalpel or some cosmetic dentists may offer the procedure using laser technology. Excess gum tissue is cut away and the gums are then left to heal back around the teeth. You may have to wear a dressing over the site for a number of hours afterward and you will be given special instructions for what you can eat and how to care for your teeth and gums after your procedure.

Porcelain Veneers or Dental Crowns

If removing gum tissue isn’t really an option, such as when your gummy smile is being caused by shortened teeth rather than an excessive amount of gum tissue, then you may be recommended to have porcelain veneers or dental crowns. These can adjust tooth size so that they look more in proportion to your gum tissue. Porcelain veneers are thin shells that are placed onto the outside enamel of teeth, whereas dental crowns sit over the top of affected teeth and cover them completely. Which is right for you will be decided by our cosmetic dentist. Again, you can expect this procedure to be carried out under local anesthetic with or without sedation.

Jaw Surgery and Orthodontics

If your excessive gum tissue is being caused by jaw protrusion, you may be recommended to undergo surgery to reduce the size of the jaw as well as move it to a more natural position. An orthodontic solution such as clear braces or Invisalign may also be used to ensure that your bite is as natural as possible. Unsurprisingly, jaw surgery is performed under a general anesthetic and has a short recovery period during which time you will be very limited in your activities.

Schedule A Gummy Smile Consultation

Call our dentist office, Eric Spellman, DMD at 914-315-4446 if you have a gummy smile for more information and to schedule a consultation to discuss the best course of treatment. With over 30 years of experience and advanced training in cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Spellman treats patients who have a gummy smile from Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Scarsdale, NY and many surrounding areas.

What should you know about Sedation Dentistry

What should you know about Sedation Dentistry​​​​​​​

Sedation Dentistry Larchmont | Eric Spellman, DMD | Family & General DentistVisiting the dentist can be an incredibly anxious experience for some people. In fact, it is a common reason that people put off dental work which can result in an even more serious condition. For individuals who avoid the dentist at all costs, sedation dentistry may be a solution. Understanding the perks of this service could influence a person’s decision to seek the dental work that they desperately need.

What is Sedation Dentistry?

In its simplest terms, sedation dentistry refers to the use of medication to relax patients during both minimal and invasive procedures. The exact type of sedation used is determined by the extensiveness of the patient’s anxiety.

Levels of Dental Sedation

There are four key types of sedation dentistry available. They include:

Minimal Sedation: This method is used in order to keep the patient calm and comfortable, but they are fully awake during the procedure.

Moderate Sedation: This type of sedation makes it difficult for the patient to carry on a conversation and they are likely not to remember much about the entire procedure.

Deep Sedation: Deep sedation is when the patient is somewhat asleep during the procedure, but can easily be awakened.

General Anesthesia: This type of sedation is when the patient is completely unconscious and awakes a period of time after the procedure is complete.

Types of Dental Sedation

There are also a variety of types of sedation dentistry available. They include:

Inhaled minimal sedation: Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is commonly used to relax patients who require minimal sedation. This is given by placing a mask over the patient’s nose and allowing them to inhale the gas.

Oral sedation: this type of sedation is given in a pill form and is more controlled than other options. It can range from minimal to moderate sedation, and the dentist will be able to outline the proper dosage for your needs. Typically, the dose is given one hour before the procedure begins.

IV moderate sedation: In some events, moderate sedation is given intravenously and easily controlled by the dentist to ensure proper dosage.

General anesthesia: This type of sedation includes medicines that will put you in a deep sleep during the procedure.

Who is a Candidate for Sedation Dentistry?

Generally, individuals who have an actual fear of being at the dentist are the best candidates for sedation dentistry. Additionally, if you have very sensitive teeth, a severe gag reflex, or simply have difficulty sitting still, then this could also be an option for you. Children can sometimes be given sedation simply because they are incapable of remaining in the proper position for a period for a period of time.

Is Sedation Dentistry Safe?

It’s important to understand with any type of sedation; there is an element of risk. Certain conditions such as obesity or sleep disorders could mean that sedation dentistry is not appropriate for you. This is why it is incredibly important to only receive sedation dentistry from a skilled professional who specializes in this particular type of dentistry. A complete evaluation will ensure that you are a proper candidate.

Overview

Sedation dentistry is a terrific option for individuals who experience anxiety and fear when thinking of sitting in a dentist’s chair. Its important for people who put off important dental work to consider this option as it could help protect your dental and even physical health. Remember, oral health is connected to your entire wellbeing. Failure to take care of your teeth could lead to even more serious (and more expensive) issues down the road.

Schedule A Dental Appointment Today!

If you dental anxiety or a fear of the dentist, sedation dentistry may be the solution for you. Contact our cosmetic dentist at Eric Spellman, DMD in Larchmont at 914-315-4446 to schedule an appointment. With over 30 years of advanced training and experience, Dr. Eric Spellman treats patients from Mamaroneck, Scarsdale, NY and many surrounding areas.

How effective are teeth whitening toothpastes?

How effective are teeth whitening toothpastes?​​​​​​​

Teeth Whitening LarchmontYou’ve seen the kinds of toothpaste every time you go to the store that state that they have the best whitening ingredients or the best results, maybe you’ve even tried one or two. However, the results have been all over the map for so many people. If you haven’t tried it, you must wonder if it even works, or if you are better off to try strips, or trays. In order to answer your questions, we’ve compiled some information to help you better understand when you should use a whitening toothpaste, and when you need to enlist the help of a professional.

When to Use Whitening Toothpaste

Whitening toothpaste is often found to be effective at removing surface stains. This means that they aren’t appropriate for changing your actual tooth color.

So, if you have teeth that have become discolored from some of your days to day activities, like drinking coffee or wine, or eating certain foods, whitening toothpaste could be an ideal solution. However, even those surficial stains can penetrate deeper into the tooth if they aren’t removed in a timely manner. If you have started to use a whitening toothpaste, you should expect to see results around six weeks. For this reason, many people take a photo of their teeth with an item like a white napkin, and then weeks later, they can compare their updated tooth color to see if it is working for them.

If you are looking to get an immediately white smile for a special event, there is one trick that you can use. Look for a whitening toothpaste that contains an ingredient called blue covarine. This chemical can immediately diminish the discoloration of the teeth, although the effects are not as long lasting as other options. In order to get the fast action and long-lasting effects, look for toothpaste or solutions that can combine blue covarine with other longer-lasting formulas.

Long-Term Results

f you’re using a whitening toothpaste, it is best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the best results. Generally, this includes the application at least twice a day for an extended period. Even if your whitening toothpaste doesn’t contain blue covarine, you can achieve impressive and long-lasting results.

Whitening toothpaste typically get results through the use of certain chemicals and formulas that help to polish the teeth and break down the chemicals that caused the stains in the first place. If you’re considering toothpaste, you can look for some of these chemicals: Hydrated aluminum oxide, Calcium carbonate, or Magnesium carbonate. Some types of peroxides are also used in order to effectively whiten teeth.

Product Considerations

Product compositions and results can vary widely. If you are considering whitening toothpaste, you can often look at some of their reviews or rankings online. Be cautious though, because these user reviews aren’t always indicative of the results that you will get. It is also important to look for products that carry the ADA seal. This means that these products and their claims have been reviewed by the American Dental Association and have been found to be effective and reliable products.

Overview

Whitening toothpaste can work wonders to remove some of the superficial stains that you might have on your teeth. However, if you aren’t getting the results that you want, visit with your dentist. Your dentist can use formulas that aren’t available on the open market and can clean superficial and deeper stains. Call your dentist to schedule an appointment today. They can discuss all the whitening treatments that they offer and help you find one that is best tailored to suit your needs.

How Are Inlay And Onlay Procedures Done

How Are Inlay And Onlay Procedures Done?​​​​​​​

How Are Inlay And Onlay Procedures Done? | Eric Spellman, DMD Larchmont, NYDespite our best efforts to keep our teeth clean and free from problems, dental decay is a virtually inevitable occurrence. In most instances, a filling is sufficient to fill small to moderate-sized cavities caused by decay. However, if you have developed a large cavity in one of your molars or pre-molars, our dentist may recommend an inlay or onlay as the best course of treatment.

What are inlays?

Inlays are a restorative dental solution that are placed over the chewing surfaces on the molars and pre-molars. Inlays are recommended for patients who have large cavities in these teeth since regular fillings are typically not strong enough to restore the tooth. While conventional fillings are placed and moulded to cover the cavity on the day of your appointment, each inlay is custom-designed specifically for your tooth using impressions and photographs of your affected tooth. You can even choose the type of material for your inlay, with porcelain, composite resin and gold being popular choices. Our dentist will be able to advise if there is a specific material that they particularly recommended based on your individual needs.

What are onlays?

Onlays are a larger version of inlays and cover both the chewing and biting surfaces (cusps) of the molars and pre-molars. Just like inlays, onlays are also custom-designed for your tooth from the material of your choice. In addition to dealing with areas of decay, they can also add strength to the overall tooth structure. They are especially useful if our dentist believes that a standard filling would cause the tooth to crack.

How are inlay and onlay procedures performed?

The procedure to fit inlays and onlays is identical and takes place over two visits to our dentist’s office. In the first, our dentist will prepare your affected tooth by removing all areas of decay and ensuring that there is no bacteria present. Impressions of your tooth can then be taken, and these will be used to create your custom inlay or onlay. The impressions will be sent to the dental laboratory along with information about your choice of material for your new restoration. You will then be fitted with a temporary restoration that you will wear until your custom-designed inlay or onlay is ready. Around a week later you will be able to return to our dentist’s office to have your final restoration placed. The temporary version will be removed, and our dentist will check the fit of your permanent inlay or onlay before placing and securing it. Once it is in place, our dentist will check your bite to make sure that there are no problems with how your teeth come together. A quick polish of your restoration concludes the process. If you have further questions about inlays and onlays as dental restorations, or if you think you may have a cavity that requires this type of repair, please do not hesitate to contact our offices and speak to our knowledgeable and helpful dental team.

Is it Possible to Whiten Yellow Teeth? ​​​​​​​

Is it Possible to Whiten Yellow Teeth? If so, how do you do it?​​​​​​​

Learn how to Whiten Yellow Teeth in Larchmont NY | Eric Spellman, DMDYou only have to watch television or open a magazine to be inundated with images of models, celebrities and other notable figures with bright, white and attractive smiles. Society subconsciously tells us that the whiter our teeth are, the healthier and more appealing we will look, and the more successful we might be. Unfortunately, most of us have teeth that are naturally much more yellow in appearance. Learn how to whiten yellow teeth below and call our dentist office, Eric Spellman, DMD, for a teeth whitening appointment in Larchmont.

What causes yellow teeth?

Most people naturally assume that yellow teeth occur as a result of poor oral hygiene. While poor brushing almost certainly leads to dental discoloration, it is by far the only contributor. In fact, part of what makes teeth appear yellow is outside of your control.

Contrary to popular belief, teeth are not naturally bright white. Each tooth is made up of multiple layers. These include the pulp in the very center, the dentin which is the middle layer, and the enamel on the outside. Contrary to popular belief, enamel is not actually white, but translucent. Meanwhile dentin has a natural yellowish color to it. In many instances, when the patient has dentin that is very yellow, or has enamel that has eroded significantly, their teeth may appear particularly yellow in color.

Enamel can also be affected by the things that we put in our mouths, including foods and drinks that stain, such as coffee, red wine and red berries, and nicotine if we smoke. Smokers are particularly well known for having yellow teeth due to the nicotine staining that they experience. Ageing also causes teeth to appear darker, as do areas of decay.

Fortunately, it isn’t necessary to live with the effects of a yellow smile. It is possible to whiten yellow teeth and there are a variety of teeth whitening options available that will enable you to do so.

Toothpastes and mouthwashes

There are countless different toothpastes and mouthwashes that contain whitening agents and claim to be able to improve the color of your teeth. The problem is that the grade of whitening agent that is approved to be in these products is extremely low. This means that it takes continual use for them to make any difference to the color of your teeth, and it may be weeks or months before you notice any improvement. You must also continue use or the effects fade very quickly. However, the benefit of these products is that they are inexpensive and widely available.

Teeth whitening kits

If you are after a faster and more obvious result, then you may wish to consider teeth whitening kits. These can be picked up online, over the counter or even on some home shopping channels. You must paste the whitening agent on to your teeth then use a special light to trigger the chemical reaction that causes them to whiten. These are slightly more expensive than toothpastes and mouthwashes as you might expect. They can also be tricky to apply yourself, with many patients finding that they get the bleaching agent on their gums and other oral soft tissue, which can cause irritation and soreness. Inconsistent results are also common.

In-office whitening

When it comes to achieving the whitest and brightest smile, the best option for patients is in-office teeth whitening with our cosmetic dentist, Dr. Eric Spellman. This is carried out by your dentist and uses the highest approved grades of bleaching agent, meaning you can obtain the best results with fewer applications. Some patients may only need one appointment to achieve the whiteness that they desire. The steady hand and experience of your dentist also means minimal complications and a consistent application across your teeth, ensuring your new smile is as naturally attractive as possible.

Contact Us

If you have teeth that appear yellow and would like to learn more about whitening your smile, our experienced dental team would be happy to help. Please contact our Larchmont, NY office with your query or to arrange an appointment to assess the suitability of your smile for our teeth whitening services.

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