Often when I am asked to restore patients’ smiles, the patients ask for qualities that they think will make their smile perfect – smooth on the incisal (chewing) edge and white. These qualities SOUND good, but in the mouth, they may not be so pleasing to the eye. So what makes a smile beautiful? Typically, the most esthetic qualities involve symmetry, a natural light color, and the appearance of health. [Read more…]
Cosmetic Options
Right or wrong we often make assumptions about people based on what they wear, how they speak, or their posture. A confident, attractive smile also plays an important role in a person’s image. When you look good, you feel good, and if you’re pleased with your smile, you’re more likely to wear it! [Read more…]
Teeth…one of your most valuable possessions!
Uninsured and underinsured Americans have been for years a concern to the healthcare industry. Realizing the importance of good health, our government has been attempting to solve the problem through healthcare reform. Unfortunately, dental care is looked at by some as a non-necessity. Teeth are important for chewing, which helps provide proper nutrition to our bodies, and a healthy smile affects others’ views of who we are. [Read more…]
Drugs and Your Teeth
Living in the affluent East Cobb area not only provides our young adults with many cultural and educational opportunities but also, unfortunately, easy access to drugs and alcohol, the use of which can wreak havoc on the teeth and gums (not to mention the brain and the rest of the body!) There are many drugs that can have such deleterious effects, but I’ll focus on three more common ones among teenagers: alcohol, marijuana, and methamphetamine. [Read more…]
Why are dental costs so pricey and variable?
Dentistry is a profession that is both art and science. It should not be treated as a commodity where comparison shopping is based on price alone. There are many reasons why a treatment plan quoted by one dentist may vary greatly from that of another dentist and why the associated costs for each procedure may also differ. [Read more…]
How to Prevent a TKO (Tooth Knock Out)
On a Thursday afternoon recently, a beautiful young lady was rushed into my office with a bloody rag held up to her mouth. Two of her front teeth were missing, the gums surrounding those teeth were torn and bleeding, and there was a broken hunk of bone hanging from the area where the teeth had been. She had been running on the field at school during lacrosse practice when another student ran into her, accidentally head-butting her in the mouth. As we tried to come up with a plan to piece this pretty child’s smile back together, I couldn’t help thinking “Why wasn’t she wearing a mouthguard?” [Read more…]
A Child’s View of the Dentist
My dental practice treats everyone from toddlers to the elderly, and though we have a passion for cosmetic dentistry, children are usually the most fun and interesting patients.
With three children of my own, ages ten and under, I know that kids have unusual insights and yield their opinions and ideas freely. [Read more…]
2015 Georgia Dental Mission of Mercy
This past weekend, Dr. Cheek, Jordan, and Kelly volunteered at the Georgia Dental Association’s annual Mission of Mercy which was held at the fairgrounds in Perry, Georgia. Around 2000 people who are financially unable to afford dental treatment were seen and given free dental care including fillings, extractions, cleanings, and partial dentures. [Read more…]
Sensitive Teeth
Oral Cancer….Are You At Risk?
Approximately 35,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, around 25 percent of those people will die of the disease. Although the use of tobacco and alcohol are risk factors in developing oral cancer, approximately 25% of oral cancer patients have no known risk factors. Therefore, it is imperative that everyone receive regular examinations of the oral and facial tissues. These examinations are typically done by a dentist as part of a regular dental visit. [Read more…]