Ada Gruita, DDS

Teeth Whitening » Whitening Systems That Can Really Help Make Teeth Shine

Whitening your teeth is the most popular way to be able to confidently flash a full, friendly smile when you meet anyone. It’s simple, affordable, and needs to be redone periodically because there are many reasons your teeth may become gradually darker.

Many of us have a natural tooth color that is more yellow or brown than others. But unless you brush immediately after consuming certain beverages (coffee, tea, red wine, sodas) or foods (blueberries, tomato sauce, curries), your teeth will gradually discolor. Smoking also will darken teeth, so best to reduce it if you can’t quit (and brush afterwards).

As you probably already have discovered, over-the-counter whitening products are not very effective, whether gels, strips, toothpastes, rinses, or even after wearing trays for hours on many days.

There is a more effective, quicker, and easier way to get the whitening level you want, whether back to your natural shade or a whiter one that, with good dental hygiene, will last at least six months.

When you come into Pro Health Dental, your cosmetic dentist in Mission Viejo, after an exam to be sure your oral health is ready for teeth whitening, all you have to do is relax in a dental chair for an hour, either watching a video, listening to music, or just napping. In three 15-minute sessions during a single visit, we will paint your teeth with a dentist-grade hydrogen peroxide gel, then activate it with a special light that allows it to penetrate the enamel and the dentin layer beneath it. In one visit, about eight dark shades will be removed for most patients.

To help maintain the freshness of this cosmetic treatment, we will also provide you with customized plastic trays, similar to orthodontic retainers, which you can fill with our professional gel and wear either overnight or twice a day for 15 minutes. These also can be utilized by themselves, if you prefer this method to having the full whitening in the dental chair. This approach will remove six shades within two weeks for most patients.

Of course, you can keep your teeth whiter if you follow the normal practices for good oral health. That means brushing your teeth after breakfast and dinner for two full minutes each time, using a recommended toothpaste for your personal needs. Before bedtime, you also need to floss thoroughly. If you are uncertain about the proper techniques for brushing and flossing, have our dental hygienist show you when you come in for a professional cleaning when you have your semi-annual full dental exam. 

Set an appointment today for teeth whitening in Mission Viejo.

Read More About Cosmetic Dentistry:

• The Long-Term Benefits Whitening can Have on Your Smile
• How Calcium Benefits Teeth
• Why You Should not Disregard Flossing

Fastbraces » How Fastbraces Maximize the Teeth Straightening Experience

Fastbraces have been around for a quarter century and are used in over 50 countries, so they have been thoroughly tested to know they are safe and effective. Yet surprisingly few American dentists have any experience with them, though Dr. Ada does.

Why are they called Fastbraces? They use several advanced technologies and techniques that speed up the normal 2-3 year orthodontic process. First, they use a triangular bracket to move the root of each tooth at the same time as a square wire moves the crown or top of the tooth. Traditional braces slowly move the crown first over an entire year using a square bracket, then a round wire is used for the root, but the process is inefficient because of this outdated technology.

A series of subsonic and phototherapy applications also speed up the process by stimulating the body cells known as osteoclasts and osteoblasts, which help remove and replace the bone in the dental arches. The net result is that whatever the prognosis might be for the individual’s conventional orthodontic braces to achieve their goal, the time can typically be cut in half with Fastbraces.

There are other advantages over traditional braces.:

• One is that soft tissues are protected because Fastbraces have limited impact the gums.
• Two, they are lighter than regular braces.
• Three, there is no need for teeth to be extracted or for jaw surgery before the orthodontic treatment starts.
• Four, there is no risk of root resorption, the loss of the root structure of a tooth, as sometimes happens with conventional braces.
• Five, Fastbraces are smaller and can be clear, so less visible, if you don’t want others knowing you are undergoing orthodontic treatment, usually associated with teenagers.
• Six, they are suitable for all ages.
• It’s much easier to clean Fastbraces than other types of braces.

Justified or not, people do judge us by our smiles, especially when we meet the first time. You might be at an interview for a job, being introduced to a new work colleague, meeting at a social occasion, or running into a group of friends and strangers on the street. You want to give everyone a full, confident smile every time. Fastbraces can guarantee that you get that perfect smile the fastest way possible.

Call Pro Health Dental to set an appointment today for a full examination to explore your options for straightening your teeth.  Whatever approach you select, it’s worth knowing that 92% of patients who have orthodontic treatment of any kind are very happy they did.

Chewing on ice, popping popcorn in the mouth, and biting off the corn on cobs are summertime traditions. But these and other foods could harm your teeth, even chip them.

It seems hard to believe your teeth aren’t hard enough to avoid being damaged by mere frozen water. But the enamel (the hard outer surface) is thin at the tips and chewing ice cubes can actually lead to hairline cracks. If this happens, you will notice that your teeth are suddenly very sensitive to hot and cold. If the cubes  are in a drink, just let them melt down a bit. Incidentally, if you feel the need to chew on ice frequently, it could be a sign of iron deficiency (the reasons are not clear).  

There is nothing wrong with eating fluffy popcorn anytime of the year. But the unpopped popcorn kernels can also be rough on your teeth if you bite into them, potentially causing fractures or breaking a filling, exposing the nerves in the soft tissue of the core. Before sitting down to watch a favorite TV series or new movie, shake the bowl to make the kernels sink to the bottom.

Corn on the cob might not seem dangerous, but especially when raw, the effort to tear off the corn with teeth can result in their being damaged. 

Hard candy isn’t really meant to be bitten into as is. It’s supposed to melt in the mouth over a long time, soothing the throat, stimulating saliva for those with dry mouth, or allowing you to savor it slowly as it dissolves. There is a reason some of these are called jawbreakers. If these types of candies lead to a chipped tooth, then treatments such as veneers or crowns can help.

Nuts and seeds out of the shell could chip if you don’t chew them slowly and carefully or grind them up to add to salad, soups, and smoothies. You also risk damaging teeth if you use them to crack the shells. Likewise, nutrition bars that contain nuts not only are a threat, but because the bars are sticky, slices of nuts could lodge between teeth, causing gum irritation.

Olives, cherries, peaches and other foods with large pits present clear hazards. Buy pitted ones and chew carefully, since factories can make mistakes.

Hard breads, including pretzels and biscotti, could easily break teeth. Best to eat them when softer right out of the oven or dipped into soup or olive oil. 

Beef jerky might be a surprising addition to this list, but the difficult chewing involved can both chip them and result in dislocation of the temporomandibular (TMJ) joint (which connects the jaw to the skull).

The easiest and most affordable way to transform an imperfect grin into a gleaming Hollywood smile is to have veneers placed on the front of problem teeth. These can cover cracks, chips, and gaps or change the appearance of teeth that are too small or misshapen. No one will probably know you’ve had your smile enhanced with veneers: they’ll think you’ve just been brushing with whitening toothpaste and you feel the confidence to fully smile at everyone.

On the initial visit, you will be examined to be sure your oral health is in good enough shape for veneers (underlying issues such as periodontal disease may first need to be addressed). If you grind your teeth during sleep, disclose that to your dentist so he can create a custom mouthguard to wear at night to keep them and your veneers from being damaged.

It may be recommended that you first receive a professional whitening to bring all your teeth to the same shade and prevent any dark ones from showing through the translucent veneers. A mold will be made of the teeth after they are slightly filed to ensure the veneers will adhere and to keep them from being unnaturally bulky.

On the second visit, a temporary set of veneers will be tested to see how they feel and adjustments may be made. A final decision will be made on the shade (whether to match natural teeth or upgrade the whitening of all of them) and instructions will be sent to a top dental laboratory to craft them from biocompatible dental porcelain. On the final visit, the actual veneers will be placed.

How long they will look great depends on how well you care for them. That means foremost that you be dedicated to brushing twice a day with a soft-to-medium brush for two minutes each time, while flossing once. You also need to be sure you have a dental exam twice a year and at that time also have your teeth cleaned by the dental hygienist (put this on your calendar because it is easy to forget how long it has been between visits).

Although veneers are resistant to stains, they cannot be whitened and you want to be sure that both they and your natural teeth are brushed shortly after consuming foods and drinks that can stain if left on for too long. These include coffee, tea, red wine, highly-colored foods (such as blueberries), and colored sodas. Smoking (anything) can also cause darkening.

Even more important, you need to stop bad habits that can damage veneers, such as biting nails, pens, and pencils, chewing on ice, opening bags with your teeth or using them to put on clothing. 

With proper care, veneers can last 10-20 years.   

Read More About Cosmetic Dentistry:

• How Braces Work and the Value they Provide
• How Invisalign can Help Fix Overbites

Most people have a small overbite in the sense that their top front teeth fall in front of their lower front teeth. A minor overbite doesn’t generally require correction, however if the space of the overlap between your upper and lower teeth is greater than the ideal size of 2mm to 4mm, then it could start to interfere with normal mouth activities and result in jaw pain or other dental issues. 

The good news is that an overbite can be corrected through orthodontics, and Invisalign is a popular and effective option. Visit your Mission Viejo dentist to get the process started.

How Invisalign Can Treat an Overbite

Invisalign works by using a series of clear aligners to gently move your teeth into the desired position. When fixing an overbite, Invisalign is typically used in conjunction with other appliances, such as:

Invisalign Mandibular Advancement

Young patients whose teeth are still growing and developing (12 years of age and under, typically), will usually need the Invisalign Mandibular Advancement. They are just like regular clear Invisalign aligners but with plastic wings that move the lower jaw bit by bit while also bringing the jaws into alignment and straightening the bottom front row of teeth. 

Elastics

Older patients whose teeth are already firmly in place may need to use elastics in tandem with their aligners to guide the lower teeth forward and simultaneously push the upper front teeth backward to close a large overbite. 

Motion Device

In cases of a very deep overbite, you may be asked by your cosmetic dentist to wear what’s known as a “motion device” to correct it. It consists of a bar that is positioned on the upper teeth that reduces the bite while your aligners and elastics do their work to bring your teeth into the proper position. 

Important Information About Invisalign

One of the most important factors in assessing whether you’re a good candidate for Invisalign is how committed you are to wearing the aligners. Although the aligners can be removed for eating, drinking, brushing, flossing, sports, and other activities, they are meant to be worn for at least 22 hours per day. Not following the treatment guidelines can extend your treatment time and compromise your results.

For Invisalign in Mission Viejo, visit Pro Health Dental.

Read More About Cosmetic Dentistry:

• The Value of Fastbraces and How They Work
• Performing Maintenance on Veneers

If you have less-than-perfect teeth that have always embarrassed you, but you hated the idea of having to wear braces at any age, then FastBraces from Pro Health Dental is the right solution for you.

Everyone whose parents did not insist on having them wearing those orthodontic contraptions was relieved, since those who did always complained about the discomfort, difficulty cleaning their teeth, and food restrictions. And the process went on forever, often two or three years.

You may have been attracted recently by the idea of the Invisalign aligners, which are invisible, removable, plastic oral trays, but they require frequent visits to the dentist for adjustments and often have to be worn for a year. They also are also mostly for mild cases of misalignment.

FastBraces live up to their name because the process usually takes just four months, depending on the complexity of the patient’s situation, and do not require lots of visits to the office. They can also be used for challenging cases because they do use orthodontic wires and brackets that are often required, but they are designed differently so they don’t cut the gums and are smaller, so less visible and much easier to clean over the shorter time they are worn.

Most revolutionary is that they immediately begin to reposition the teeth and in a different way than traditional braces, which slowly move the crown (the top) of each tooth in the first year, then its root. FastBraces straightens both at the same time, in large part because when you come into the office, we will use a subsonic wave and phototherapy method to accelerate the movement. These stimulate cells known as osteoclasts and osteoblasts in the treatment area, which are involved in making changes to the bones. This is especially effective for pre-teens and teenagers, whose jawbones are still developing, but it also works for adults. 

Very few practices offer FastBraces and have our experience in managing the process. If you have always wanted straighter teeth, but were afraid of the difficulties, come in for an examination to see what orthodontic solution would work best for you.

Read More About Cosmetic Dentistry:

• How Invisalign can Help Fix Overbites
• How You Can Provide Maintenance on Your Veneers

Studies have repeatedly shown that people tend to get impressions of others they meet for the first time largely based on appearance, whether at a job interview or socializing. You can argue that this is superficial and unfair and you aren’t inclined to make such superficial judgments, but we can’t change human nature. Fortunately, one of the easiest ways to make a good first impression is to be able to flash a beautiful and self-confident smile.

Unfortunately, there are many beverages that darken anyone’s teeth. The big ones are coffee, tea, red wine, and colored sodas. They all are acidic, wearing away the white surface enamel of teeth to reveal the yellowish layer of dentin underneath, while tannins and other discoloring ingredients can deeply stain teeth. There are three things you can do to prevent or mitigate this: use a straw and swallow the liquid immediately, cut back on all of them and drink alternatives, and brush right afterwards.

There are other discoloring culprits, including curries, tomato sauce, blueberries, and smoking of any kind. But few of us can adhere to a perfect diet or regimen, so what to do to restore your gleaming smile?

You’ve no doubt tried over-the-counter whitening strips, gels, and toothpastes, which usually have disappointing results no matter how much effort you put in. What you need is a professional-grade whitening process, which Mission Viejo dentist Dr. Ada Gruita can provide.

The best is surprisingly quick and easy. In three sessions of 15 minutes each in a single visit, we will apply a special peroxide-based gel while you watch a video, listen to music, or nap. It’s teeth whitening effects are activated with a special dental light. In less than an hour, you can have up to eight shades removed. Most patients have this redone once a year to keep their teeth gleaming. 

Alternatively or to help maintain the in-office whitening, we can provide you with customized retainers which you fill with a gel and either wear overnight  or for 15 minutes twice a day. In two weeks, this will take off about six shades of darkening.

The long-term benefits of a dental office whitening process include:

• More self-confidence when you smile.
• Your smile makes you seem especially friendly, which leads to new relationships of all kinds.
• An instant and enduring impression that you take care of your health and appearance, attracting others who share those priorities.
• A greater opportunity for career advancement.
• As you follow up with your whitening and oral care program, you become more diligent about brushing and flossing, which prevents periodontal disease.

Visit Pro Health Dental for teeth whitening in Mission Viejo.

Read More About Cosmetic Dentistry:

• How Calcium Benefits Teeth
• Why You Should Not Disregard Flossing
• Whitening Systems that Can Really Help Make Teeth Shine
• Foods that Contribute to Chipped Teeth

It is wise to remove wisdom teeth, the last four molars at both ends of your upper and lower arches, if they become “impacted.” That happens if they try to break through the gums when your mouth is overcrowded and are prevented from fully growing out by neighboring teeth, often causing pain. These wisdom teeth can make the area hard to clean or cause misalignment of other teeth, leading to infections in 12% of cases, so manydentists remove them when patients are young if they anticipate problems.

Their name derives from the fact that they are the last teeth to come in, typically emerging between ages 16 and 21 (but as late as 25), when someone is supposedly wiser than when they were a child. They are relics of evolution, the final flat teeth with cusps to grind food when humans were hunter-gatherers eating mostly rough and tough food such as leaves, nuts, seeds, bones, and raw meat. Since the advent of agriculture 10,000 years ago, softer foods like cooked grains have become predominant, making these molars (the third on each side) less important, so our jaws adapted to grow less forward, causing the crowding. Starting with the Industrial Revolution, impacted molars became common.

Any infection related to wisdom teeth can raise the risk for cardiovascular disease, pneumonia, and endocarditis (an infection of the heart valves).

If your wisdom teeth were never removed, whatever your age now, you should have your oral health assessed by your dentist to be sure they are not contributing to causing periodontal disease (infections of the gums, teeth, and jawbone). This can only be fully determined with a digital x-ray, which has very low radiation. Symptoms of wisdom teeth that may need extraction include:

• Pain around any wisdom tooth or that area of the jaw.
• Swelling or bleeding of the gums around the tooth.
• Frequent cavities on these teeth.
• Red, white, or dark spots on any wisdom teeth.
• Discomfort when you bite on a wisdom tooth.
• Frequent sinus congestion.
• Bad breath or an unpleasant taste when you chew, which might indicate an infection.

Fortunately, if a wisdom tooth needs to be removed, it is a pain-free process.  You will first be given a CT scan to provide a detailed view of the tooth and the nerves around it, to determine the exact course of the procedure. A local anesthetic is injected and a prescription of pain medication is prescribed afterwards. You should expect to bite on gauze for a while to stop any bleeding and apply an ice pack (or bag of frozen vegetables) on and off to reduce swelling for a couple of hours. Plan to only eat soft foods and drink lots of fluids for a few days (but avoid drinking through a straw, spitting, or smoking).

Be wise and call for an examination of your overall oral health as soon as possible.

If your gums bleed easily when you brush or floss, you may not feel it’s a big deal. But this is a sign that you have periodontal or gum disease, which can lead to other very serious health issues. This first stage is called Acute Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis, a mouthful that means a bacterial infection is killing the cells in your gums in the area where there is bleeding. ANUG is usually just called gingivitis and other symptoms might be red, puffy, or sore gums, tooth sensitivity, or persistent bad breath.

This usually occurs because of inadequate brushing and flossing. It could be due to not spending a full two minutes brushing after breakfast and brushing and flossing before bedtime. Often it is just because of a need to get better at both techniques and your dental hygienist can show you the right ways. About a third of us have this early form of gum disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control, while half who are 30 or older have periodontitis, the more advanced stage.

It begins with gingivitis, when bacteria forms around any specks of food or drink that haven’t been scraped off. This turns into plaque, a sticky film that produces toxins which inflame the gums and can remove the protective surface of a tooth, the enamel (making it sensitive to touch). Without timely treatment from a dentist, the infection causes the gums to pull away from the tooth they are supporting and, untreated, eventually it will fall out or become so weak it needs to be extracted.

And that is just beginning: when a tooth is missing, the neighboring teeth begin to lean in to fill the gap and in the process become loose themselves. You need to replace the tooth with a dental implant or bridge before that happens to keep the others from moving or you will soon find multiple teeth that need replacement. In that event, you find yourself wearing a partial or full denture. As anyone can tell you who has them, they can make speech hard to understand, hinder chewing, have to be cleaned carefully, and need to be readjusted every few years because of the gradual loss of jawbone.

If all that isn’t enough, studies show that not dealing with gingivitis right away allows the oral bacterial to get into the blood stream and these significantly raise the risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, pneumonia, Alzheimer’s disease, and a variety of types of cancer.

If you have bleeding gums, call Pro Health Dental today to set an appointment for an immediate examination before it progresses.
Read More:
Preventing Cavities