Our smiles are the first thing people notice about us when meeting us for the first time. A bad looking smile can easily  harm your self confidence and the way you interact with other people.

Many people today are looking to Cosmetic Dentistry to help them turn back the clock.

Teeth whitening is the most conservative and least invasive procedure to help turning those pearly whites into a whiter and brighter look.
ZOOM Teeth Whitening is the in-office whitening procedure that can give you a new white smile in the shortest possible time.
How does it work?
Your dentist will first evaluate your smile to see if you are a good candidate for teeth whitening and then book you for a 90 minute ZOOM IN-Office teeth whitening session.
The whitening gel is applied to your teeth and the SPECIAL ZOOM LIGHT activates the gel to start the whitening process.
After 3X 15 minutes sessions your teeth will whiten to an average of 8-10 shades!

The problem with most Home Whitening systems is that it takes +- 7 – 21 days to get to a great result and most people don’t complete the time. ZOOM! offers a white smile in just 45 minutes!

To see how Dr Bill Dorfman of ABC’s Extreme Makeover uses ZOOM! see the video below:

Question:
Why do many people then today still get cavities?

We are living in the new millenium and technology is improving at a faster rate than ever before! Still something like the old dental cavity bugs us and we  cannot get rid of it!

Answer:
Most people do not know the correct technique or time that is necessary to maintain good oral health.

The Solution:
The solution starts with education and action or should I say the lack of it.
And finally , YES, taking RESPONSIBILITY for our own health and well-being. If we do not take care of ourselves, then nobody will! It is easy to decide not to stick to an oral hygiene routine, but actions always have reactions (ask NEWTON) or consequences.

To finally know how to really brush and Floss your teeth, I have done some research on the net and these 2 videos by COLGATE show  it best! Now learn and do, because just knowing how to , won’t change a thing! Enjoy.

If you get the message “This Video is no longer available“, just click the “Refresh” button in your browser and “Play” the video again. You might need to repeat this a few times.
Tip: Wait for the video to download fully, before playing.

Certain conditions makes this even worst as the bacteria multiply and excrete sulphar components that is the leading cause in BAD BREATH.  Sinus problems usually cause a post nasal drip that creates a continual flow of bacteria on the dorsum of the tongue.

Morning Breath
This usually refers to the bad breath most people suffer in the morning after a nights sleep. The main reason for morning breath is dry mouth that happens during the night, causing the concentrate of bacteria and their secretions to peak.

Cleaning the tongue on a daily basis as part of your oral hygiene program will have huge benefits!
The correct instrument to use is called a tongue cleaner / scraper. If you do not have one, you may even use your toothbrush, but many people find this difficult as the bristles can cause Gagging.

Watch this short video clip to learn more on how to clean your tongue using a tongue cleaner.

* only 1 visit needed for crowns and ceramic fillings
* No gaggy impressions
* No tempory restorations
* Most beautiful restorations available in the world
* Most cost effective with only 1 visit

SEE FOR YOURSELF! Watch the video below:

If you get the message “This Video is no longer available“, just click the “Refresh” button in your browser and “Play” the video again. You might need to repeat this a few times.

  

 

 

Clinical trials are expected to begin very soon on the anaesthesia that will numb the patient’s mouth without the use of the much feared painful needle injection. Reports suggest that over 145 million people of in fear of the dentist and the teeth numbing needle is to blame for the huge number of fears. The nasal mist, called Kovacaine, numbs the upper teeth but not the lips or cheeks and therefore it is claimed that the patient won’t suffer from the usual numbing feeling after treatment. Dentist, Robert Harrison, said: “Some people are afraid of the needle, no doubt about it. “If a dentist becomes skilled at giving injections, however, it’s pretty tolerable for most patients.”

Dentists have identified the mist as an ideal replacement for needles when treating young children as it offers a pain free experience. Dr Kenneth Allen, a dentist and supporter of the new anaesthetic, said: “I’m hoping the product is everything they claim because it would be wonderful. “I’d love it if we could replace the needle completely, but I’ve found in a majority of patients if you just take the time and compassionately deliver a slow injection, they do just fine.” Although the new anaesthetic method is exciting many dental professional it is still on trial and yet to be known whether or not the needle substitute will be used worldwide.

Nobody likes going to the dentist, but redheads may have good reason.

A growing body of research shows that people with red hair need larger doses of anesthesia and often are resistant to local pain blockers like Novocaine. As a result, redheads tend to be particularly nervous about dental procedures and are twice as likely to avoid going to the dentist as people with other hair colors, according to new research published in The Journal of the American Dental Association.

Researchers believe redheads are more sensitive to pain because of a mutation in a gene that affects hair color. In people with brown, black and blond hair, the gene, for the melanocortin-1 receptor, produces melanin. But a mutation in the MC1R gene results in the production of a substance called pheomelanin that results in red hair and fair skin.

The MC1R gene belongs to a family of receptors that include pain receptors in the brain, and as a result, a mutation in the gene appears to influence the body’s sensitivity to pain. A 2004 study showed that redheads require, on average, about 20 percent more general anesthesia than people with dark hair or blond coloring. And in 2005, researchers found that redheads are more resistant to the effects of local anesthesia, such as the numbing drugs used by dentists.

The mutation in the MC1R gene also occurs in brunets, although it’s less common. In the latest study, the researchers tested for the MC1R gene variant, finding it in 65 of 67 redheads and in 20 of 77 people with brown or black hair. The participants were surveyed about dental-care anxiety, fear of dental pain and whether they avoid going to the dentist.

People with the MC1R gene variant had more dental care–related anxiety and fear of dental pain than those without the gene variant. And they were more than twice as likely to avoid dental care.

Dr. Daniel I. Sessler, an anesthesiologist and chairman of the department of outcomes research at the Cleveland Clinic, said he began studying hair color after hearing so many colleagues speculate about redheads requiring more anesthesia.

“The reason we studied redheads in the beginning, it was essentially an urban legend in the anesthesia community saying redheads were difficult to anesthetize,” Dr. Sessler said. “This was so intriguing we went ahead and studied it. Redheads really do require more anesthesia, and by a clinically important amount.”

After publishing research on the topic, Dr. Sessler began hearing from redheads who complained about problems with dental pain and fear about going to the dentist. He said that when someone with red hair is considering a dental or other procedure requiring an anesthetic, they should talk to their doctor about the high probability that they are resistant to anesthetics.

“Because they’re resistant, many redheads have had bad experiences,” Dr. Sessler said. “If they go to the dentist or have a cut sutured, they’ll need more local anesthetic than other people.”

Gum disease is a serious and real thread to society today and is the biggest cause for tooth loss in adults world wide. All my patients get a complete report on the health of their teeth and gums at their 6 monthly visits. Gum disease often start as the ‘typical bleeding gums’ experience many patients report at these visits. 
People that get gum disease usually do not floss their teeth and are mostly uneducated about the disease.

Don’t underestimate this serious disease.  For more info and to educate yourself on the topic go to this gum disease link to find out more.

Watch this video footage of Whoopi Goldberg revealing some SHOCKING NEWS about GUM DISEASE!

Some photos
My Father in-law had some gaps between his teeth and a crooked insisor that was straightened and repaired with 1 visit composite Bonding.   See his picture in the photo gallery nr. 00034

My Mother In-law had her metal fillings replaced with WHITE FILLINGS to get rid of the BLUE-ISH appearance these fillings often made to spoil a white smile.    See her picture in the photo gallery nr. 00032

My wife had some teeth whitening and that made her smile even more gorgeous! See some of our photos below:

The wedding was absoultely great and afterwards I got this great idea of starting a Wedding website to help other people with their smiles as so many Brides and Grooms don’t really know just how easy it is to look absolutely fabulous on their wedding day!

WEDDINGSMILES.CO.ZA
The new website www.weddingsmiles.co.za is very similar to the myteeth website, but just more specific for weddings and in particular brides and grooms. Go check it out and if you know of someone that is planning to get married, refer them to Weddingsmiles and help them getting their best SMILES ever on their BIG DAY.

Have a great day!  
Dr Francois Burger

Why don’t dentists like doing these fillings anymore although it seemed to last?.

Many of these fillings are 10 or even 20 years old and logic tells us that they therefore must be good.
These metal fillings were placed by ways of an undercut in the tooth structure. ‘Good dentists’ were given that name, because their fillings never came out easily. The bigger the undercut, the stronger the retension. The downside is that big undercuts weakens the tooth significantly.
Furthermore these metal fillings also shrink and expand over time and this leads to crack formation!

Many cracks are present due to expansion and shrinkage of amalgam fillings.