Cosmetic Dental Blog

High in the evening sky at Portland City Grill the packed house buzzed with conversation and questions. Many men and women met last week to learn about the art behind plastic surgery and cosmetic dentistry. Often we can’t put our finger on why someone is beautiful…we just know that they are. Is it their figure, […]

This summer Dr. Stafford spoke at an event about the SCIENCE and ART behind beauty. Sometimes it is hard to put a finger on what it is exactly that makes someone so beautiful. Is it their figure, eyes, smile, nose or a combination of many things? Dr. James Chan explains how facial plastic surgery isn’t […]

If you are looking for the best physician to provide a cosmetic procedure for you, you can look for a board certified specialist in plastic surgery. It is different for dentistry as currently there is no board certified specialty for cosmetic dentistry. Consequently any dentist can advertise that he or she is a cosmetic dentist, […]

There are three common reasons why people lose their teeth. 1) The tooth is ruined by decay. 2) The bone support is destroyed by periodontal disease. 3) The tooth is knocked out by some trauma. I lost my tooth due to another, less common, cause. I was having intermittent mild pain in the tooth so […]

When facing the decision to invest in restoring decayed primary teeth, I am often asked the legitimate question by parents. “Why should we put money into the baby teeth? Aren’t they just going to come out anyway?” Primary teeth are smaller and less durable than permanent teeth which have much thicker enamel and larger roots. […]

In my last column I explained the difference between medical “insurance” and dental “benefits.” Understanding this is critical. The next step is to find out just exactly what benefits you have. It is important for you, the policy holder, to obtain this information from the insurance carrier or the human resources department at your work. […]

One of the most positive developments in dentistry during the last decade is the increase in the success and popularity of dental implants to replace missing teeth. In this article I intend to outline, in ordinary language, what dental implants are and what they are used for. Dental implants are pure titanium cylinders that are […]

In my experience, the topic which causes the most misunderstanding in dentistry is dental insurance. My goal in this series of articles is to give you some basic information to help you understand this often confusing issue. First of all the term “insurance” is really a misnomer in the context of dentistry. The word “insurance” […]

I recently returned from the annual conference of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry in Boston. This meeting, more than any other, re-ignites my passion for dentistry and gives me a higher vision of what is possible to achieve. The lectures and workshops I attended were first rate, and the knowledge and skills I acquired […]

In the last decade tooth colored fillings have become a very popular alternative choice to traditional silver/mercury amalgams. The latest insurance company statistics show that 65% of the fillings placed in the US are tooth colored composites compared to 35% amalgam. If you prefer tooth colored fillings, there are some things you need to know. […]