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1. Invisalign is less effective
Unless you have severe orthodontic problems, Invisalign works just as well as traditional braces. For more serious problems, the treatment may take longer and require more expertise or attention from the orthodontist, but that’s no different from traditional braces as well.

2. Invisalign is more expensive
The severity of your orthodontic problems, length of treatment time, and complexity of the treatment affect the cost of treatment. Compared head to head, Invisalign and traditional braces actually cost about the same in most cases.

3. Invisalign can be used at any age
Invisalign can be used by both adults and teen. Although, it’s preferred that younger children whose teeth are still growing shouldn’t use Invisalign, as young children aren’t serious enough to brush their teeth several times a day, which can cause serious issues sometimes.

4. Health insurance usually doesn’t cover Invisalign
In our experience most of the insurance companies do cover this treatment, but their can always be exceptions.

5. Invisalign is faster/slower than traditional braces
Your orthodontic problems are the primary determinant of treatment length. It mainly depends on the time you wear them in a day, which means if you aren’t diligent to wear invisalign aligners for enough time (around 22 hours a day) the treatment time might increase.

There are some devices available which also speed up the process, but it is advisable to consult a dentist before using them as they might not be suitable for your problem.

6. Invisalign aligners require less attention to oral hygiene
While it’s true that the removable Invisalign aligner makes oral hygiene easier, for example, you can take the aligner out for meals, but brushing teeth after each meal to prevent film and plaque from building up under the aligner still remains important.

You must also brush the aligners thoroughly to keep them clean and prevent stains. It’s definitely easier to floss your teeth with Invisalign than with traditional braces, because you don’t have to work around wires.

From this, we conclude that just like any medical treatment Invisalign also has its own advantages and disadvantages and considering them it’s upon you to use them or not as at the end its effectiveness depends upon the amount of care taken by the patient and the seriousness with which the process is followed.

Getting veneers has become increasingly common these days. Several people are using them on the recommendation of their dentists and orthodontists. That said, only a handful of people actually understand how the veneers work and impact their smiles.

Harmony Dental understands the importance of being aware about the dental procedure one is undergoing. So, here is pretty much all the information you will need to know to understand how veneers transform your smile:

What are Porcelain Veneers?

Veneers essentially are shells that help in covering the chipped, broken, damaged or decayed part of a tooth on and around its outermost layer. Porcelain veneers, especially, have a ton of advantages against veneers made of other normal materials.

Porcelain helps you ensure that the veneer being made looks identical to the teeth you already have. Although you might want whiter teeth, you would not one teeth to look whiter than other ones. Because of the usage of porcelain, the newly added veneer would blend into the shade and sheen of your existing teeth.

How Can Porcelain Veneers Improve My Smile?

Porcelain veneers help in improving your smile in several ways. First and foremost, it repairs the aesthetic condition of the tooth that got damaged. Now, this damage might have been incurred because of decay or an accident, but a veneer can make it look naturally perfect. It also ensures that the tooth no longer poses a problem when you are trying to eat and helps you retain your natural chewing rhythm.

Are They Right for Me?

Do you want to have a perfect set of teeth? Do you want newly added veneer to look exactly like the teeth you have? Do you want to take a step closer to that perfect smile you always dreamt about? If you nodded while answering any of those questions, porcelain veneers will do wonders for you.

How Can I Get Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers are not retail products and are made to order in the laboratory. So, when you are undergoing a veneer putting process with a dentist, you will get access to getting a porcelain veneer.

You might not like to be seen if you have stains on teeth due to consumption of coffee, tea, tobacco or natural ageing. You might need a professional tooth whitening to get free from a dental discoloration. You can get a smile in an hour or less you were longing for.

Learn top 5 facts with a cosmetic dentist while going for teeth whitening-

• You can do it in-office or at home

There is a kind of whitening treatments: in-office or at home. In-office treatment, a dentist at Harmony Dental applies a powerful whitening gel to your teeth multiple times. In an hour, your smile will become 6-8 times whiter. It is a perfect instant solution.

Dentists provide the customized home kit. It consists of a set of mouth trays with the whitening gel. This will give the result in almost 2 weeks.

• Results can last for years

With proper care, results will last for a long time. Regularly brush and floss your teeth and avoid intake of staining foods and beverages. No whitening treatment lasts for a lifetime; always a touch-up is required in 2 years.

• It won’t damage your teeth

Whitening products if overused may damage enamel. Dentists use bleaching solutions and know for how long the teeth can be exposed before any negative effects develop.

This can’t sure with the whitening kits bought from a store.

• It’s best for the kids to wait

When a child’s teeth are at the developing stage, their enamel is usually thinner than an adult’s. Whitening could cause them harm. Harmony Dental does not recommend whitening for anyone below 18.

• It won’t affect dental work

If you have crowns, fillings or veneers, a whitening treatment won’t affect the colour. Pre-inform the dentist regarding any dental work you have undergone. They will ensure that your smile comes out of the same colour. It might involve bleaching your teeth to match your current restorations.

Tooth whitening is the fastest, easiest and affordable ways that help in improving your appearance. For any questions, consult a dentist before getting a whitening treatment.

Harmony Dental assures that fluoride in water is harmless. It’s important why fluoride is necessary for the body.

7 fluoride side effects that should be monitored to achieve desired results-

1. Tooth Discoloration

Consumption of too much of fluoride leads to yellowed or browned teeth. With regular brushing, it is easy to avoid and therefore does not poses any risk.

2. Tooth Decay

High intake fluoridated water can lead to the weakening of enamel. This mainly affects children who are still at the age of developing teeth.

3. Skeletal Weakness

Taking too much fluoride highly impact teeth and damage the skeletal system as well. Patients suffering from endemic skeletal fluorosis struggle with problems.

• Joints become weak
• Increase the risk of a fracture

4. Neurological Problems

Fluoride not only affects bone and teeth, but it also impacts young children in the development of the brain. Exposure to fluoride before birth could lead to poorer cognitive outcomes in the future.

Higher levels of fluoride lead to low scores in IQ tests.

5. High Blood Pressure

As per research, there is a significant correlation between high blood pressure and water with too much fluoride.

6. Acne

People are concerned with the internal fluoride treatment side effects but it affects your appearance as well.

Regular intake of fluoride may lead fluoroderma which results in acne and painful sores.

7. Seizures

Fluoride alone will not cause seizures; it can put seizure sufferers at an increased risk. If you’re already prone to seizures, ensure to keep track of the water quality. Too much consumption of fluoride can cause a life-threatening seizure.

Final Thoughts on Fluoride Side Effects-

Fluoride is the best to way to strengthen tooth enamel but too much consumption or exposure of fluoride can cause harm to your body.

It is better to drink clean and safe water. Ensure you’re not exposing yourself and your family to dangerous chemicals.

Consult Harmony Dental if you’re concerned about fluoride side effects or how to determine the levels of fluoride in your water. Get in touch and find the right water quality monitoring tools.

Why are teeth removed?

While it’s common to get the wisdom tooth removed by adults and teens, there can be other reasons as well for tooth extraction. Tooth decay that is beyond repair, tooth infection, crowding in mouth, cracked or impacted tooth can all be the probable reasons for you to get the tooth extracted. The tooth extraction is performed by an oral surgeon and is a relatively quick process. Local, general, IV, or a combination of these options can be used for sedation.

How much does a tooth extraction cost?

The cost of extraction depends on the condition of the tooth. If the extraction is simple, it may cost you 75 to 200 dollars per tooth while the cost of extracting impacted tooth can be 800 to 4000 dollars.

How to prepare for a tooth extraction

The dentist in TX will take an X-ray of the tooth. Let the doctor know if you are taking any other medicines or soon going to be treated for another medical condition. Also inform your doctor if you are suffering from any medical condition or disease as the dentist would want your health to be stable and in a good condition.

What is the procedure for a tooth extraction?

• Simple extraction

During simple extraction, you will get local anesthesia for numbing the area around the tooth. Then the dentist will use a tool known as elevator to loosen the tooth and forceps for removing it.

• Surgical Extraction

In surgical extraction, you will receive both anesthesia and intravenous anesthesia. The surgeon will cut your gum with an incision and remove the bone around the tooth or cut the tooth before extraction.

What are the risks of a tooth extraction?

Some risks associated with tooth extraction can be bleeding which lasts for hours, severe fever or chills, infection, vomiting or nausea. However, the doctor should be able to control it with medical intervention.

What is the recovery period from a tooth extraction?

You can resume normal activities after few days; however, the first 24 to 48 hours need complete rest and care for the socket.

When you hear bone grafting it sounds very scary right. But it’s not that critical treatment. It’s a surgical procedure where in transplanted bone is used to repair and rebuild diseased or damaged bones. A bone graft can be done in almost any part of your body. Bone grafting can be done by taking bone from your hips, legs, or ribs to perform the graft.

Why do I Need a Bone Graft?

Your dentist in Pearland says bone grafting is done to encourage healing of bones and its growth. Conditions that might specifically require a bone graft includes:

• A fracture that your doctor thinks may take more time to heal
• Fracture of yours that you didn’t get treated with the graft and is not healing now
• Ailments of bones like cancer or osteonecrosis
• Surgery of spinal fusion
• Dental implant surgery

Synthetic Grafting Material is Completely Safe

Synthetic grafting material is usually composed of a combination of one or more of the following: hydroxyapatite and calcium sulfate. These materials are sometimes used by dentists after tooth extraction to preserve the socket. Synthetic bone is typically not resorbed by the body, and acts as a scaffold for new bone cells to ingrow.

A More Comfortable Process

The details of your bone grafting surgery will vary a great deal according to the reason of your surgery. Ask your dentist near Pearland 77581 about the details of your particular surgery.

• You will be given anesthesia to ensure that you won’t feel any pain or discomfort during the procedure.
• Your vital signs, like your heart rate and blood pressure, during the operation will be monitored
• After cleaning the affected area, your surgeon will make a cut through the skin and muscle surrounding the bone that will receive the bone graft.
• The bone graft will be inserted by your surgeon between the 2 pieces of bone that need to grow together. In some cases, your doctor might secure the bone graft with special screws.
• Lastly surgically the layers of skin and muscle around your treated bone will be closed and, if necessary, also around where your bone was harvested.

Have you ever experienced a dental emergency? The hardest thing about coping with a dental emergency is finding the right dental care. When there is an emergency, it would be too difficult to look for the dentist or an emergency room that can help with your situation. During an emergency, all you would want to do is rush to the nearest clinic for some relief and treatment.

Thus, it is important you keep yourself informed about emergency centers in advance so that in case of any emergency you don’t have to sit and look it.

IMPORTANT STEPS TO TAKE BEFORE THE EMERGENCY OCCURS

One of the best places to start searching for a dental emergency room is the regular service provider. You can ask your regular dentist if they offer emergency dental service or are aware of someone who offers emergency dental care 24*7.

One of the drawbacks of looking for an emergency care after the dental hazard is that you will only rely on internet for finding the emergency center. You may probably read some reviews and explore their services before making the decision as you are in a hurry and don’t have much time for an option.

DON’T WASTE TIME OR POSTPONE EMERGENCY TREATMENT

It is important to keep the number of the emergency care noted so that you don’t have to waste time looking for the number during emergency. You should also find out what the insurance company covers during an emergency situation. It is important to consider the dental emergency as medical emergency and treat it same way.

The dental emergencies usually ask you if there is any bleeding as the main aim is to control any kind of bleeding. They may suggest you ways to control the bleeding so that you can at least reach the emergency center without much blood loss.

EMERGENCY DENTIST

Irrespective of the type of medical emergency, you will receive the right treatment with the help of the dental experts. You first need to make a call and they would suggest if you can wait or need to rush to them immediately.

Do you think that tooth loss only affects your smile? Tooth loss impacts you much more than just your smile. It can gradually lead to neighboring teeth drifting away from their places along with causing difficulty in pronouncing, chewing and deteriorating your periodontal tissues. However, one of the most significant issues caused by tooth loss which is often ignored is bone loss.

It is possible for you to lose as much as 25% of the bone mass tissue under empty space of missing tooth in just one year.

Bone Grafts Can Prevent Bone Loss

Once the tooth extraction has been done, the periodontist may place the bone grafting material in the empty space. He will then stitch the gum tissue on the bone graft which will help in healing and promoting new bone growth near the graft. The bone graft will help in preventing excess bone loss in short term but for a long term solution, you need to get dental implants.

Bone Grafts Prepare the Way for Implants

The bone grafts not only help in reducing the bone loss, they also serve the purpose of supporting the implants. If you have a thinner bone, the implant may not be placed safely or it may fail. Thus, it is imperative to perform bone grafting before the implant procedure. The procedure involves relocating the bone matter from other part of the body to your jaw.

The grafting material will join the existing bone and stimulate new bone growth which creates a strong foundation for implant. It may take few months for the graft to heal completely.

Bone Grafts Protect Your Gums and Facial Form

Bone grafts when accompanied by implants prevent the deterioration of gum tissues where the missing tooth used to be. Bone grafts make it easier to keep your gum healthy and take further care of them with the help of proper hygiene.

It is important to get bone grafts in place of missing tooth as, if you lose many teeth and your bone matter deteriorates, it can even change the shape of your face.

When it comes to your smile, you probably want it to be as protected and healthy as possible, right? At Harmony Dental we want your smile to be healthy and protected too! For this reason, we recommend dental sealants in Pearland, TX for most of our dental patients. Our dental sealants are a cheap, quick and effective way to add extra protection against bacteria, plaque, and even acid.

What Are Dental Sealants?

Wondering what exactly our dental sealants in Pearland, TX are? Dental sealants are a BPA-free, plastic liquid which can be applied directly to the teeth. Dental sealants are typically tooth-colored or clear, allowing them to blend seamlessly with the rest of your smile.

Getting Dental Sealants

The process for getting dental sealants is extremely quick and easy, at Harmony Dental we recommend that patients receive dental sealants following a routine checkup. Your dentist will paint the dental sealant material directly onto the chewing surfaces of your teeth and then allow it to fully dry. Once dried, dental sealants create a barrier between your teeth and the elements. The barrier also seals any pits, grooves, and depressions on the teeth, making it easier to clean your smile as well.

Benefits of Dental Sealants

When it comes to protecting smiles and preventing dental complications, dental sealants have many benefits over alternative treatment options, including:

• Dental sealants are designed to blend with the natural smile, making treatment unnoticeable.
• Dental sealants prevent tooth decay and cavity formation.
• Dental sealants are durable and can last for about a decade with proper care.
• Dental sealants can be applied in just a matter of a few minutes.
• If damaged, dental sealants can easily be fixed in just a few minutes.

Get Dental Sealants in Pearland Today

Want to make sure your smile is protected with dental sealants near you? Contact Harmony Dental today to schedule an appointment at our Pearland dental practice, we are always welcoming new patients into our practice and would be more than happy to get you on the schedule for some dental sealants.

If you’ve been dreaming about a picture-perfect white smile, you may be tempted to try some methods that you think will get you there, but in actuality, they won’t.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular treatments people have been trying at home.

Rinsing with hydrogen peroxide is a common option many people try at home, believing that since it can bleach hair it should be able to bleach teeth. The truth is, that while hydrogen peroxide does have some bleaching ability by nature, it will take months and months of use to see any difference in your teeth.

Baking soda is another choice for DIYers since it’s a common additive to some toothpastes, but what many people don’t realize is that the product only eliminates the top layer of stains.

You’ve probably seen the claim to fame of apple cider vinegar – it’s heralded to clean just about everything. But the truth is that apple cider vinegar is very acidic which means that any whitening benefit is offset by potential damage to your teeth.

Coconut oil has been in the press a lot lately due to its many health benefits. And while it can have many benefits to general health, there is absolutely no evidence that it can benefit your teeth by making them whiter.

Your grocery store is probably packed with whitening toothpastes, but buyer beware. Yes, they can remove minor stains, but when they’re used for too long, they can start to erode your enamel – plus the stains return!

Next in line are commercial whitening strips. Do they work? The same is true as with whitening toothpastes. When they’re used for too long, they can start to do damage to your teeth.

Over-the-counter whitening kits come with limitations, too. Users often find that getting the application method right can be tricky, plus there have been complaints of gum sensitivity arising from improper use of the bleaching component.

So, what’s the answer? A professional whitening kit prescribed by a dentist. The kit will be designed with trays that fit your teeth so you’ll know you’re getting the right amount of treatment for maximum benefit.

But if you won’t want to worry about managing the process yourself, Harmony Dental offers treatments in our office that will take all of the guesswork away. Make your appointment today for a whiter smile tomorrow!