Cosmetic Dental Blog

WARNING PG-13! There are some very graphic images in this blog. I spent Friday morning in the office of an excellent local periodontist, Dr. Munib Derhalli, (http://www.periodontalconcepts.net/). We have worked together for many years and often meet to discuss how to get the best outcomes for our mutual patients. But this meeting was different—I was […]

Choosing a the right dentist is a very personal decision. Many people tell us “like-ability” is a priority. Experience, dedication and skill are also close contenders. However, it takes someone with an artistic eye to understand how a fabulous smile is really the combination of teeth, tissue, facial features, and personality all complimenting each other. […]

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” […]