Dental implants are used to anchor a single tooth, several teeth or a mouthful of teeth. The typical dental implant for the replacement of a single tooth consists of three separate pieces; each fulfilling a unique role in the process.

The actual implant is usually a titanium post that your Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon surgically places in the jawbone. Over the next two to six months, the implant will safely fuse with the jawbone to form a secure, immovable base upon which the two other components, the abutment and the prosthesis or crown, will be placed. The abutment attaches to the portion of the implant that sits above the gumline.

It forms a platform for the crown, which is carefully molded and positioned on the abutment by a prosthodontist or restorative dentist.

What is Allesee Orthodontic Appliance?

Allesee Orthodontic Appliance is the advanced way to straighten teeth and improve smiles. Using the latest medical imaging technologies, AOA manufacturers precision polymer aligners that rapidly straighten teeth. Using a precise 3 dimensional analysis of your teeth and adjacent tissue, AOA crafts personalized aligners for each patient. Each aligner is worn for 3 weeks, and can be removed to eat, brush, floss, and on special occasions. During wear, the patient’s teeth are gently moved to their ideal position.

The length of the process depends on the patient’s specific situation and the results the patient wants to achieve. AOA aligners are:

Clear · most people won’t even know you’re wearing them

Comfortable · AOA aligners have a smooth surface that is gentle in your mouth

Removable · take them out to eat or brush, then put them back in again

Hygienic · smooth surfaces stay cleaner than other plastic aligners

Affordable · in most cases, the cost is comparable to metal braces

Fast · treatment time is comparable and in many cases less than that of traditional braces

Convenient · whether you’re a singer, musician, or just going on a first date, you’ll love AOA aligners

AOA Can Work For You

People aren’t born with perfect teeth. For many patients, AOA creates that beautiful smile. Here are some of the common orthodontic conditions that AOA treats:

Crowding – teeth are too close together

Spacing – gaps between teeth

Overbite/Overjet – front teeth stick out

Underbite – lower teeth stick out

Crossbite – upper and lower teeth are out of alignment

Openbite – space appears between surfaces of upper and lower teeth during bite

Misplaced midline – center lines of upper and lower teeth don’t align

AOA is the ideal solution in many such cases. And while AOA works for most orthodontic problems, only a trained AOA orthodontist or dentist can tell you if this revolutionary product will work for you.

AOA outperforms other aligners

When it comes to creating beautiful smiles, AOA is the clear winner. AOA aligners:

Are clearer · AOA aligners are the “clearest” on the market.

Stay clearer · AOA aligners do not “cloud” during treatment.

Are more hygienic · the smooth surface of AOA aligners has no ridges to trap bacteria, and is easier to clean.

Are more comfortable · AOA’s revolutionary manufacturing process creates the most precise aligners on the market today, ensuring the most accurate fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Zoom! Whitening The Zoom!

Chairside Whitening System is a scientifically advanced, patent pending, tooth whitening procedure.

It’s safe, effective and fast, very fast. In less than an hour your teeth will become dramatically whiter. Zoom!

Chairside Whitening is ideal for anyone looking for immediate results. The convenience of Zoom! in comparison to days of wearing trays or strips, makes it the perfect choice for the busy individual.

Zoom Teeth Whitening Frequently Asked Questions

Conscious Sedation (awake and aware)

Oral Conscious Sedation (Pills):

At South Beach Dental, we offer Oral Conscious Sedation and Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas) for procedures.

A pill is taken about an hour before your treatment, which will make you feel relaxed and somewhat sleepy. You will, however, remain awake, and will be able to interact with and respond to the dentist. The sedative effects can last for up to four hours. Sometimes you may also be prescribed a pill to take the night before your treatment to help you sleep. The most commonly used oral conscious sedation medications are Halcion, Ativan or Valium, all of which generally have a low incidence of side effects.

This mode of sedation is gaining popularity and is now heavily advertised as “sedation dentistry” and “dentistry with oral conscious sedation”. However, if you hear the term “sleep dentistry” associated with the use of oral medications, understand that pills do not and should not put a patient to sleep. If you are a patient who wants to sleep through your dental treatment, oral medications should not be your choice of sedation. You will need to have a responsible adult drive you home.

Nitrous Oxide (“Laughing Gas”)

Nitrous oxide is a gas breathed though a small rubber inhaler placed over your nose that helps decrease anxiety, allowing you to feel more relaxed. The recovery time is very short, and the effects pass within minutes, so you will be able to drive yourself home. Nitrous is best used for patients with mild anxiety who are having short, uncomplicated dental treatment.

Unconscious Sedation (asleep and unaware)*

General Anesthesia:

General anesthesia produces a state of unconsciousness wherein you are completely asleep during your treatment. General anesthesia is fast-acting, taking effect in approximately one minute, and can be controlled to increase or decrease your level of sedation safely and precisely. If you are afraid of receiving dental treatment, you will not have to “get over” your fear on your own, because you will sleep through your treatment. If you have special needs, such as physical or mental disabilities, are in recovery from an addiction, or have complex medical conditions, general anesthesia may be the safest option for you.

When you receive general anesthesia during your dental treatment, you will feel no pain; you will not hear, smell or taste anything, and you will have no memory of the procedure. This modality is predictable, comfortable, and ensures that your dental treatment can be easily completed.

Intravenous Sedation (I.V.):

I.V. Sedation produces a lowered level of consciousness wherein you are asleep during your treatment. I.V. sedation is fast-acting, taking effect in approximately one minute, and can be controlled to increase or decrease your level of sedation safely and precisely. If you are afraid of receiving dental treatment, you will not have to “get over” your fear on your own, because you will sleep through your treatment.

When you receive I.V. sedation during your dental treatment, you will feel no pain; you will not hear, smell or taste anything, and you will have no memory of the procedure. This modality is predictable, comfortable, and ensures that your dental treatment can be easily completed. The recovery is simple and quick.

* Unconscious Sedation (General Anesthesia and Intravenous Sedation) is not offered at South Beach Dental.

South Beach Dental now offers OraVerse™, the first and only local anesthesia reversal agent; Numbness associated with dental procedures can be gone twice as fast!

South Beach Dental is now offering OraVerse to patients who don’t want that lingering numbness after local anesthetics. After administrating OraVerse, a patient can return to normal sensation twice as fast. In clinical trials, patients have reported a return as quickly as 30 minutes after receiving OraVerse. For details visit www.oraverse.com

OraVerse is the first and only local anesthesia reversal agent that accelerates the return to normal sensation and function for patients who want to avoid the unwanted and unnecessary lingering soft tissue numbness following routine dental procedures. The first-in-class product was officially launched earlier this year by the San Diego based company Novalar Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

The average duration of soft tissue numbness following the use of a local dental anesthetic is 3-5 hours. Numbness can lead to functional deficits. These deficits can result in difficulty with speaking, smiling, eating, drinking, biting of lip or cheek and uncontrolled drooling as well as give the patient a perceived sense of altered appearance. OraVerse has been proven to return a patient’s normal sensation twice as fast.

OraVerse has an excellent safety profile. There are no contraindications and no known drug interactions with OraVerse. In clinical trials involving over 700 patients, there was no significant difference in adverse events versus control.

About OraVerse®

OraVerse (phentolamine mesylate) Injection is the first and only local dental anesthesia reversal agent that accelerates the return to normal sensation and function following restorative and periodontal maintenance procedures.  OraVerse is indicated for the reversal of soft tissue anesthesia,

(i.e., anesthesia of the lip and tongue, and the associated functional deficits resulting from an intraoral submucosal injection of a local anesthetic containing a vasoconstrictor.)

OraVerse is indicated for use only in adults and children 6 years of age or older and weighing at least 15 kg (33 lbs). For more information visit www.oraverse.com

Important Safety Information

Following parenteral use of phentolamine at doses between 5 to 15 times higher than the recommended dose of OraVerse (phentolamine mesylate), myocardial infarction, and cerebrovascular spasm and occlusion have been reported, usually in association with marked hypotensive episodes producing shock-like states. Although such effects are uncommon with OraVerse, clinicians should be alert to the signs and symptoms of tachycardia, bradycardia, and cardiac arrhythmias, particularly in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease; as these symptoms may occur with the use of phentolamine or other alpha-adrenergic blocking agents.

Many patients are unaware that they are grinding their teeth because it often happens while they sleep. They may wake with a headache, toothache or a sore face. In addition to causing discomfort, grinding can wear away or fracture tooth enamel and may eventually loosen teeth.

Bruxism can develop at any age, and children as well as adults can have the habit of grinding their teeth. Although the causes of bruxism are not really known, several factors may be involved. Stressful situations, problems sleeping, an abnormal bite, and crooked or missing teeth may responsible.

Regular dental checkups are important to detect damage in the early stages. Your dentist can diagnose and treat irregular wear on teeth and determine the source of facial pain that may result from bruxism.

Based on your dentist’s diagnosis, one or more treatments may be recommended. The dentist may suggest a night guard that can be worn while sleeping. Custom-made by the dentist from soft material to fit your teeth, the night guard slips over the upper and lower teeth and prevents contact between them. In addition to providing cushioning, the night guard relieves some of the pressure of grinding and clenching, which can damage delicate jaw joints.

When everyday stress seems to be a major cause of bruxism, it may be helpful to find ways to relax-listening to music, reading book, taking a walk or enjoying a warm bath. Applying a warm, wet washcloth to the side of the face may help relax muscles that have become sore from clenching. If you have difficulty handling stress, counseling may point to effective ways for dealing with stressful situations.

An abnormal bite, one in which teeth do not fit well together, may lead to grinding. Treatment may involve reducing the “high spots” on one or more teeth. For serious cases, your dentist may suggest reshaping or reconstructing the biting surfaces with inlays or crowns.

Grinding is a common occurrence for many people at some time or another. If you suspect that you are routinely grinding your teeth, see your dentist about protecting your smile.

What are Porcelain Veneers?

Many patients are discovering the benefits of dental veneers.

Unlike a crown, which covers the entire tooth, a veneer is a thin covering that is placed over the front (visible) part of the tooth. The dentist applies veneers in a simple, comfortable procedure that takes just a few visits.

Veneers are a popular treatment option for several reasons. Veneers generally are placed on upper front teeth that are severely discolored, poorly shaped or slightly crooked. Veneers may be used to lighten front teeth that are naturally yellow or have a gray cast and can’t be whitened by bleaching.

Veneers are sometimes used to correct teeth that are chipped or worn. They may also be used to correct uneven spaces or a diastema (a large, noticeable gap between the upper front teeth).

There are two types of veneers:

Ceramic Veneers (sometimes called laminates) and Composite Resin Veneers.

Ceramic Veneers are extremely thin shells made of a strong and durable dental ceramic. The dentist removes a small amount of enamel from the front and sides of the tooth. This makes room for the veneers and prevents the restored tooth from feeling or looking bulky or unnatural. Next, the dentist makes an impression of the prepared teeth so that the shape of the preparations and surrounding teeth can be replicated in the dental laboratory.

The dentist also looks for the shade that will best match or blend with the other teeth.  The impressions are sent to a dental laboratory that makes the ceramic veneers to fit your individual teeth. This may take several days.

At the next visit, the dentist places the veneers on the teeth to check the fit and shape. After any adjustments, the teeth are cleaned and the ceramic veneers are then bonded to the teeth with dental cement. Further adjustment may be done at a subsequent appointment.

Composite resin veneers generally are done in one appointment. After the tooth is prepared or reshaped, the dentist carefully bonds and sculpts the composite material in a color that matches your other teeth. A special light is used to harden the composite. The veneer is smoothed and polished to look like a natural tooth.

LUMINEERS are contact lens-thin and are placed over existing teeth without having to remove painful tooth structure (unlike traditional veneers.) LUMINEERS is the painless, permanent cosmetic solution for stained, chipped, discolored or misaligned teeth.

LUMINEERS can only be made from patented Cerinate porcelain unavailable anywhere other than the Cerinate Smile Design Studio.

In just 2-3 visits to your LUMINEERS dentist, you can have a custom-made smile that is clinically proven to last over 20 years – and it is completely reversible since your natural tooth structure is still intact!

Uses of Bonding

Bonding is a term used to describe a number of procedures that involve applying composite resins to the tooth.

It can be used strictly for cosmetic purposes or to repair cracked and chipped teeth, or protect the teeth against decay. Regardless of its use, bonding can provide an attractive result.

Listed below are some common uses of bonding.

Masking deep stains

Certain antibiotics given to children while their permanent teeth are developing can cause ugly dark staining deep inside the teeth. Binding can cover these stains.

Closing gaps and repairing chips and cracks

Composite resins are used to close small gaps between front teeth and to repair some chips and cracks. This procedure readily improves your appearance and can help protect damaged teeth.

Protecting exposed roots

Composite resins also are used to protect exposed tooth roots, which commonly result from gum recession. Because roots are composed mostly of dentin, a softer tissue than enamel, they are more susceptible to decay, wear and erosion. Composite resins (in combination with adhesive resins) are applied to the tooth roots to treat sensitivity to temperature extremes, which occurs when tooth roots are left exposed.

Restoring decayed teeth

Composite resins may be used to fill small cavities. Because composites are tooth-colored, they usually are preferred for front teeth. In fact, they are almost impossible to distinguish from the natural tooth.

Procedure

Binding often is completed in one visit and does not require drilling. The process involves preparing the tooth surface with an etching solution that allows the composite resins to adhere. To match your teeth, various color resins carefully are blended so the bonded tooth will look natural.

A procedure called bonding can quickly and comfortably improve your appearance: if you have chips, cracks or gaps in your teeth if you have severely stained teeth as a result of antibiotic drugs given to you during childhood if you simply want to improve your smile. Bonding uses tooth-colored materials called composite resins to repair chips or cracks of transform gaps into an attractive, natural looking smile

Contouring and Shaping Your Teeth

What’s one of the first things you notice when you meet someone new? It’s often the person’s smile. Teeth that look clean, even and healthy help make a positive impression.

If your smile reveals chipped or irregularly shaped teeth, your dentist can provide several options to make it more attractive while protecting your oral health. Tooth contouring and reshaping are simple procedures often used to correct minor flaws and problems such as teeth that are chipped or oddly shaped.

Contouring and shaping are used to smooth out irregular edges and angles of teeth. These procedures, sometimes called enamel shaping, slenderizing or stripping, allow for subtle, minor alterations to the length, shape or position of teeth. Teeth that are uneven or overlapping may also benefit from this treatment.

Your dentist gently sculpts the teeth to artfully eliminate or minimize imperfections and create a smile that makes a lasting impression.

What’s involved?

Tooth contouring and reshaping are quick procedures with very little, if any, discomfort. Anesthetics usually are not required and the entire process may take one or three visits.

Because some tooth enamel is removed during the process, your dentist may take an x-ray to determine the size and location of the tooth’s pulp. The dentist may mark the tooth before removing a tiny amount of surface enamel with a handpiece. Abrasive strips may be used to even tooth enamel on the sides of the teeth before they are smoothed and polished.