smile makeover Archives - Smile Glen Ellyn Restorative Dentist
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Lady in nature smiling
15Jul

 You may be experiencing receding gums if you noticed your teeth look longer. You may also have noticed a receding gum line as gums appear to be pulling back away from your teeth.  If your gums recede, gaps may start to form between the tooth and gum. This creates a pocket that allows bacteria to build up. If a receding gum line is left untreated, gums, teeth, and tissue can become damaged. It’s possible to even lose a tooth. Gum recession is a common dental condition but since it occurs gradually, many people don’t realize it’s happening.

 Symptoms of Receding Gums

Over time, as the gums recede, you may notice one or more of these symptoms:

  • Long Teeth – When the gums pull back, the teeth can look longer than normal.
  • Exposed Root – When the roots of teeth are exposed, they can become uncomfortable and overly sensitive. Sometimes they are a sign of gum disease, or it can simply be that you’ve been brushing too aggressively or using a toothbrush that has hard bristles.
  • Loose Teeth – Receding gums can lead to a buildup of bacteria and eventually gum disease. If they are not treated, these pockets can become deeper because they are no longer attached to a solid structure. In severe cases, it’s possible for a tooth to become loose.

What Causes Receding Gums?

There can be many factors that contribute to gum recession. It can also be a combination of factors including one or more of these common symptoms:

  • Periodontal Disease – An infection and inflammation of the gums are caused by bacteria that destroy the tissue and bone that are holding teeth in place. Gum disease is the most common reason for gum recession. In its earliest stages, gum disease is often not noticed. It is often first discovered during a routine exam with your Glen Ellyn, IL dentist.
  • Improper Brushing Technique – Brushing your teeth too hard or too aggressively can wear away enamel. This can cause gums to recede.
  • Genetics – Some people are more susceptible to receding gums even if they have good oral care habits. This is because of their genetics.
  • Using Tobacco Products – Using tobacco often causes sticky plaque buildup on the teeth. This can cause gums to recede.
  • Hormone Imbalances – As the body matures through puberty, and through pregnancy and menopause for women, estrogen levels change. This can make your gums more sensitive and more likely to recede.
  • Misaligned Bite or Crooked Teeth – Gums often recede when the teeth can’t come together evenly or there is too much force on the gums.
  • Grinding Teeth (Bruxism) – If you grind or clench your teeth, it can put too much force on the gums and cause gum recession.

What Are Some Options for Treatment?

The best treatment option for receding gums will depend on how severe it has become and the cause. Dr. Gibbs offers numerous gum recession solutions and individualized treatment plans. Fluoride treatment and professional cleaning can often be beneficial. In some cases, a gum lift may be an appropriate treatment plan.

When should I see Dr. Gibbs About Gum Recession?

The best care is preventative care. Routine exams help find problems like receding gums before they become too problematic. When dental conditions are discovered early, they are more easily and successfully treated. If you notice your teeth look different or longer; or if your gums seem to be pulling back from your teeth, make an appointment for an exam right away.

21Nov

Give Thanks For Great Smiles

Hello again!

We hope that you find this blog to be a useful resource about dentistry. And if you are looking for a trustworthy dentist in Glen Ellyn, IL, we hope you will give our office a call.

In any event, it is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is almost here and, at Smile Glen Ellyn, we think it is worth reflecting on all of our blessings. Most of us have so many things to be thankful for.

If nothing else, we have the power to change our lives for the better, and that is a blessing in and of itself.

Always remember that when you are less than pleased with the state of affairs in your mouth, our team can help you make it better fast with one of our cosmetic dental solutions.

Treatment timetables will vary depending on the severity of your issues but, in some cases, you could be in possession of a stunning new smile by the new year!

How’s that for something to be grateful for?

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

First, you have to come in for a cosmetic dentistry consultation and let us determine the best treatment, or combination of treatments, to address your needs.

Until then, we have some options for you to be thinking about.

Professional Teeth Whitening

Most Americans could benefit from a whitening treatment at some point in life. This is because our teeth darken over time and our daily habits (i.e. chocolate and coffee) tend to leave deep stains.

Luckily, at Smile Glen Ellyn, we have professional whitening services that will give you something to smile about.

If your preference is to have your teeth whitening performed in our office, we have several options for you to choose from that can give you a brighter, whiter smile in no time.

And if you’d rather tackle the whitening process at home as your schedule allows, we have office-guided take-home kits you can use for a safe and effective experience.

As a special thank you, we even offer a whitening for life program that allows you to receive whitening kits as long as you maintain your routine cleaning appointments.

Whatever you do, don’t trust your smile to a kit that you can buy at the grocery store. Your Glen Ellyn dentist can get you better results in the end.

Dental Bonding

Cosmetic bonding is a great way to transform damaged teeth. The bonding material is durable and can be shaped to correct chips, gaps, cracks, and uneven teeth.

It is a quick and easy procedure as well.

Lumineers

A lumineer is a thin, prepless veneer that can be shaped and fitted to your teeth in short order. Lumineers can drastically improve the shapes of your teeth to give you a more desirable look. Who wouldn’t want that?

Invisalign Invisible Orthodontics

No one wants a better smile in the future at the expense of their current appearance. That’s why adults shy away from conventional metal braces even when orthodontic treatment would do them a world of good.

Invisalign takes that into consideration. In about a year you can correct crooked, crowded, and gapped teeth without having to endure the hassles of wearing metal brackets and wires.

Instead, you rely on a series of nearly invisible, removable aligners that discreetly and comfortably work to get the job done.

There are no dietary restrictions, mouth sores, patronizing nicknames, special tools, or in-office adjustments required to get your stunning new look.

Six Month Smiles

When you have teeth that are misaligned in the front of your mouth, we can deliver Six Month Smiles. Yes, this treatment wraps up in a matter of months!

This quick, concerted orthodontic approach can completely change the look of your smile without having to tackle the bigger, harder-to-move teeth in the back of your mouth.

We focus only on the teeth that show when you smile. And we promise that you’ll be smiling a lot when we are through with you.

Schedule Your Cosmetic Dentistry Consultation Today!

Contact our Glen Ellyn, IL dentist’s office to get learn more about the cosmetic dentistry possibilities and get started today.

We can’t wait to meet with you!

17Jul

We love summertime in Glen Ellyn, IL. There’s so much to do and so many people to spend time with! It’s a great season for visiting, taking it easy, and making changes. Patients come into our office during summertime and want to transform their smile to match their happy, sunny mood!

At Smile Glen Ellyn, we are always ready to take on a smile makeover challenge! Our patients love to see their look transformed by quality cosmetic dental care, and our staff enjoys the process of giving a patient exactly what they came in for.

Use what’s left of this summer to create your own smile makeover plan, and let us get to work! By the time the leaves are changing color and falling off the trees, you’ll be well on your way to the smile of your dreams! Depending on the severity of your current smile, you could be completely done with your cosmetic work! First, you have to decide what needs to be done!

What’s Missing in Your Smile?

The first thing we will ask you is to try to figure out exactly what it is about your smile that you don’t love. Why are you seeking a smile makeover in the first place? It can be difficult to self-evaluate, which is why we have put together a set of questions to help you think through the different aspects of your smile. This will help you come up with a list of requests so that we can do the best job possible for you! Take a look at our cosmetic smile questionnaire before you continue to solutions.

Changing the Color of Your Smile

The most common cosmetic request we get is for teeth whitening. With age comes discolored teeth, and discolored teeth are embarrassing! You don’t feel like you can smile freely when your teeth are not a pleasant shade of white. We have whitening solutions here at Smile Glen Ellyn.

Whitening Services
Any way you want to whiten, we offer it at our office. If you prefer to whiten at home, we have take-home kits you can use for safe, effective whitening. If you prefer to have your whitening done quickly in our office, we have several options for you to choose from! We even offer a whitening for life program that allows you to receive whitening kits as long as you maintain your routine cleaning appointments.

Changing the Shape of the Smile

Having beautifully white teeth is nothing if you aren’t happy with the shape of your teeth! We generally want our teeth to be uniform and balanced from tooth to tooth. If one tooth is uneven or misshapen, your entire smile will make you feel self-conscious! We have quick and effective solutions that will transform your smile without any discomfort or damage to your natural teeth.

Bonding – Cosmetic bonding is a fantastic way to transform your teeth. The bonding material can be shaped around your tooth or teeth to correct chips, gaps, cracks, and uneven teeth. Bonding doesn’t require multiple appointments, and the process is completely comfortable!

Lumineers – Lumineers are a step up from cosmetic bonding. This form of thin, prepless veneer can be shaped and fitted to your teeth very quickly. It requires very little prep to your teeth, so you are more comfortable and your teeth are healthier! Lumineers can completely transform the shapes of your teeth to give you the look you’re dreaming of!

Changing the Alignment of the Smile

The alignment of your teeth can be a cosmetic issue, but it is more often a matter of having a healthy smile. Teeth that are misaligned are more difficult to keep clean, and they are more likely to cause issues for your TMJ (temporomandibular joint). It is important that we find a solution that will get your teeth back to their rightful place!

Invisalign – Invisalign is a fantastic approach to quick, adult braces. These clear aligners will fit comfortably over your teeth so that your treatment is just that: yours. No one else will notice! In a matter of months, you’ll have a beautiful, healthy smile once again.

Six Month Smiles – For teeth that are misaligned in the front of your mouth, we recommend Six Month Smiles. This quick and discreet treatment can completely change the look of your smile without messing with the bigger, harder-to-move teeth in the back. Your complete treatment will be done in 3-9 months.

Make an Appointment Today

Is it finally time for you to address the problems you have with your smile? Contact Smile Glen Ellyn to begin the process towards your beautiful new look. We have all of the cosmetic options you need to transform your look into something you are proud to share with friends and family. Get in touch today!

17May

When you look at your smile in the mirror, what do you see?

Do you see an attractive, shiny white smile with a great shape?

Is it a smile you can be proud of, a smile that makes you confident in any situation, whether it’s business or pleasure?

Or…

Do you see a smile with teeth that are dull, misaligned, cracked, or missing?

Have you gotten used to holding back your smile to hide its imperfections? If so, you probably don’t present a very confident appearance.

If the second smile is what you’re seeing, it might be time to consider a Smile Makeover.

Smile Glen Ellyn is one of the leading cosmetic dentists in Glen Ellyn, IL. We’re a practice that is passionate about helping people get the bright, vibrant smiles that show who they are on the inside.

We want to give you the smile that you want, the smile that you deserve, and the smile you’ve earned.

What’s the Value of a Smile Makeover?

Like many people considering a Smile Makeover, you’ve worked hard to build a successful life.

Unfortunately, you were so busy that your teeth have suffered from neglect, and now they’re the worse for wear. Your smile is an important part of your appearance, and a genuine, attractive, natural-looking smile is one of the most powerful tools you have to inspire confidence and trust in the people you meet. A study conducted by Cambridge University in 2001 (and published in The Journal of Economic Psychology) revealed that your smile plays a major role in the basic building of the kind of trust that is needed for cooperation between people.

Your smile should show the world that you’re at the top of your game.

Of course, a Smile Makeover isn’t for everyone. A Smile Makeover takes many appointments, and it requires a lot of diligence at home to get it right. Not everyone can make this commitment! Keep in mind too that a Smile Makeover isn’t just about creating a fabulous new look: getting your oral health in order is a major part of a Smile Makeover. Healthy teeth are good looking teeth, after all!

What Goes Into A Smile Makeover?

A Smile Makeover means something different to everyone. Your dentist will work with you to create a treatment plan to address all the problem areas you can see (and some that only a professional would notice). Your dentist will evaluate your teeth to determine if your teeth are healthy enough for the procedures required and if any additional “pre-work” is needed before the Smile Makeover can begin.

A smile isn’t just about your teeth looking white and straight. Just as everyone has their own face, they have their own smile, and your dentist will take into account your entire look as a part of the evaluation and planning process. For example, the color of your eyes and hair can play a big role, as well as your skin tone. The shape and color of your lips will also be factored in as part of the “Smile Makeover Equation”.

When it comes to your teeth, your dentist will check:

Color:

Many people make the mistake in thinking that a youthful bright smile is composed of teeth that are almost blinding white. That’s true if you want to look like a cartoon character, but natural teeth should look healthy and natural. Teeth that are too white will look false and you won’t get the most out of your smile. We offer many different kinds of teeth whitening and teeth bleaching solutions in our practice, and you and your dentist will work together to decide which one is right for you.

Your dentist will also check the state of any fillings you might have; silver fillings can be replaced with tooth-colored ones if necessary.

Alignment:

Are your teeth crooked, or do they have an unsightly gap? At Smile Glen Ellyn we offer a number of different orthodontic treatments to help your teeth become straight to give you your perfect smile. The best thing about this is, nobody has to know you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment. We offer both Invisalign and Six Month Smiles, both of which are designed to minimize the “noticeability” of wearing orthodontic appliances.

Missing Teeth:

Missing teeth just don’t look bad. They can have serious consequences for your bite and can even change the shape of your face. We have a wide range of implants, restorations, and other ways to replace your missing teeth and restore not only your smile, but also your face’s structure. People are usually amazed at the effect replacing missing teeth has on their entire look!

What Are You Waiting For?

We’ve done a lot of Smile Makeovers over the years.

One thing that we’ve learned is those who can afford the necessary procedures and have the discipline to undergo all the treatments share another common trait: they don’t tend to wait for things to happen!

So why start now? Call us today at 630-858-8800 or connect online and make an appointment!

The whole team at Smile Glen Ellyn is ready to give you back your smile. All you have to do is ask!

16Feb

A smile makeover is a big decision, just like any other type of makeover you could get! You don’t want to sign yourself up for a major change without first evaluating the entire situation.

Can you imagine agreeing to buy a new vehicle or home without first asking yourself basic questions like, “Do I need to do this?” “Can I afford this?” “Is it in my best interest to make this purchase?”

Ultimately, a smile makeover is an investment in your smile and your future confidence. We think many patients could benefit from this big decision, but we will never pressure you. Instead, we provide resources to help you make the best decision!

Evaluate What You Have, First!

The first step in making this decision is to evaluate what you have before you begin. This will help you do a few things. First, you can decide if you need a total smile makeover, or if you’d just like to take care of a few things.

Second, an evaluation helps you see all that’s available to you. You might have things about your smile that you’ve never paid attention to before. A smile evaluation will help you do that.

Now, we know what you might be thinking, how do I do a smile evaluation if I don’t even know where to begin? We have you covered with our free smile evaluation tool on the website. Just click HERE for more details to see the list and get started!

Consider the Benefits

Your next step is to consider the benefits of having the work done. You have probably already considered the difficult parts: payment and risk of pain or fear. (You should know that we have fantastic solutions for both by offering financial payment plans and sedation options for every patient.) Now, how about thinking of the benefits!

Health
Some smile makeover solutions can really benefit the health of your smile! For example, straightening crooked teeth makes it easier to keep your teeth and gums clean, which lowers your risk of decay and infection!

Confidence
Nothing will destroy your confidence faster than a broken smile that you really hate to show to other people! A smile makeover can turn your entire experience around! You’ll have a smile that you can’t wait to show off, which makes your day to day life much more enjoyable!

Decide on Treatment

The final task is to decide on treatment that will benefit your smile the most. This is a conversation you will have with us here at the office. We will evaluate the health of your teeth and decide what your teeth can handle. Then, we’ll get to work to improve your smile! Below are a few of our most commonly requested solutions!

Color: Who wouldn’t benefit from a brighter smile? Teeth whitening is a great way for you to change the color of your smile from something you hate to something you love! In rare cases, we might recommend Lumineers to patients whose teeth are discolored beyond what traditional whitening treatment can handle!

Shape: The shapes of your teeth have a big impact on the way your smile looks. Teeth that are too short, wide, narrow, or long can make you feel as if everyone is staring! We use a variety of methods to correct those issues from Lumineers to bonding to contouring.

Gums: Your gum placement can make a huge impact on the way your smile looks. A gummy smile might benefit from gum lifts while some smiles lack enough gums, in which case we would consider a gum graft.

Have the Smile of Your Dreams
Our ultimate goal is to send you out of the office with the smile of your dreams! There is so much we want to accomplish for you. All you have to do is give us a call to begin the process!

Contact us today to set up a consultation or appointment. You won’t be disappointed in your many options here at Smile Glen Ellyn! We can’t wait to see you soon!

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