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Iconic Teeth From Your Favourite Movies

Halloween is coming up – this year your costume can be instantly recognizable with some iconic teeth! Movies and TV shows use prosthetic teeth, natural imperfections in the actors teeth, and make up to give their characters a distinct look.

Winifred Sanderson, Hocus Pocus

The oldest of the Sanderson sisters was obsessed with beauty and youth so it makes sense that the costume designers gave her comically large teeth that don’t meet “conventional” beauty standards.

Austin Powers, The Austin Powers movies

Powers’ bad teeth were created by a dental technician named Gary Archer. Mike Myers came to Archer and told him, “I want bad British 1960s teeth”, based on a widely-held stereotype. Archer took pictures and made drawings of British patrons at an English pub that he often visited and the pictures became the inspiration for the final design Archer showed Myers, resulting in his iconic smile.

Lloyd Christmas, The Dumb and Dumber movies

When Jim Carrey was a child he got into a fight, resulting in the chip in his front tooth. The tooth was capped and Carrey had it temporarily removed to portray Lloyd Christmas.

The Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland

Johnny Depp has said the Mad Hatter’s iconic smile was inspired by comedian Terry Thomas’ diastema. In an interview Depp said, “the French call the teeth with the gap in the middle ‘les dents de bonheur’ – ‘the teeth of happiness’,”. A fitting inspiration for the (sometimes) jovial Mad Hatter.

Harry Lyme, Home Alone 1 and 2.

Harry’s gold tooth plays an important role in his identification. When he first enters the McCallister’s house impersonating a police officer, Kevin notices his gold tooth when he smiles. As a result when Kevin is almost hit by Harry and Marv’s van Harry smiles at him again and Kevin notices the gold tooth, blowing his cover as a police officer.

Stu Price, The Hangover

Did Ed Helms REALLY pull out his own tooth for a movie role?! Well, kind of! When Helms was a teenager he had a dental implant placed. Instead of blacking out a tooth for the movie he decided to talk to his dentist to see if he could have the 20 year old implant crown temporarily removed. His dentist agreed to remove it and the rest is movie history!

Belletrix Lestrange, Harry Potter Movies

Though Belletrix’s rotten teeth are never specified in J.K. Rowlings’ book, actress Helena Bohnam Carter felt the gnarly teeth would give her character a feral look. As Bellatrix had spent so much time in prison, Carter felt her teeth should look savage and deranged as she hoped to portray her as such.

Dracula – 1958 Starring Christopher Lee

Vampire fangs have an interesting history in Hollywood as most people associate fangs with Bela Lugosi’s popular 1931 portrayal. Lugosi, however, never wore fangs in his role as Dracula. In the era before microphones actors needed to enunciate for optimal clarity; prosthetic fangs impeded this greatly. Fangs were not popularized in vampire films until Christopher Lee’s iconic portrayal in 1958.

Let us clean up your “fangs”! Call today to book an appointment.

Pulling Baby Teeth – When and How?

Should you be pulling out baby teeth? How and when is the best time?

Youtube can show you countless creative ways to pull out baby teeth; from the “slamming door” method to newer techniques like the nerf gun. For some kids this is harmless fun, but for others it can be painful and scary.

It’s important to remember that teeth should only be pulled when they are loose enough to come out with very little pulling by the parent or child. Having a loose tooth can become uncomfortable as it can shift around and poke the gums affecting chewing. Remember that you want to make sure the tooth is not pulled out prematurely. Let your child be in control of the situation; this will ease anxiety and fear surrounding losing a tooth.

Your child will likely play with the tooth with their tongue throughout the day, gradually loosening it. If they are becoming anxious to lose the tooth offer crunchy snacks like apples to speed up the process.

When the tooth is truly ready to fall out organically there should be little or no blood, but have gauze ready to clean the area and rinse the mouth out to keep the site clean.

If your child has a loose tooth that is causing pain or keeping them up at night, call our office to make an appointment and we can assess if the tooth will need to be extracted in office.

(604) 936-1263 or email https://austindentalgroups.com/contact/

Don’t forget to read last week’s blog about the tooth fairy for more information!

 

 

TikTok Veneer Trend Ain’t Bussin.

In a recent TikTok trend influencers are doing “veneer checks” to show off their shaved down teeth. The problem is – these influencers aren’t getting veneers! Their teeth are prepped in a way that suggests they’re getting full mouth crowns. Although it doesn’t seem like a big deal,  crowns compromise a great deal of your tooth structure leaving them weak and vulnerable.

Preparing a tooth for a veneer involves removing a small layer of your enamel. We then cement a thin, shell-like porcelain piece (the veneer) to the outside of your tooth. This can improve the shape, colour, length, and overall uniformity of the tooth.

Preparing a tooth for a crown involves cutting down your tooth to a peg-like shape and covering the whole prepared tooth with a porcelain or zirconia cap. It also improves shape, colour, and uniformity. Crowns are typically reserved for teeth that are already compromised due to a crack, root canal, or large area of decay.

On average, veneers and crowns need to be replaced every 10-15 years. As a result, the people in the TikTok videos will likely need to replace their restorations 5 or more times in their lifetime. They may find this is costly and detrimental to their oral health.

If you’re not satisfied with your smile, book a consultation with our office and we can discuss ways to improve your aesthetics. Lets achieve the smile you’ve been dreaming about!

Our office offers whitening, Invisalign, night guards, and other services that can help your teeth look their best without shaving them down to pegs.

Call today for your consultation! https://austindentalgroups.com/contact/

 

Source:

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/michaelblackmon/veneers-dental-work-instagram-smile

 

Affordable Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures

Nowadays, Cosmetic dentistry is growing at a rapid pace. All thanks to this improving industry which has made the dental procedures more and more affordable for people.

The most affordable cosmetic dentistry procedures THAT  we are going to help you with are:

1-Teeth Bleaching

Do you have discolored teeth? Do you want them to shine bright? If yes, it’s quite a cheap dental process and the best part is that it doesn’t come with any side effects.

2-Tooth Contouring & Reshaping

If you have a misshapen or chipped tooth for some reason, try the tooth contouring and reshaping treatment. It’s one of the painless dental processes that will help you feel good about your teeth and your smile.

3-Dental Crowns

Trying to fix your bad breath? Tired of chips, cracks, and cavities? Try dental crowns!

These crowns are basically dental molds that help by improving the visual quality of your teeth.

4-Composite Dental Bonding

Do you wish to get your tooth’s structure fixed? Or want a treatment that can help in improving your tooth’s strength?

The composite dental bonding is so far the best thing you can try. It’s a cheap process and it will fix almost all your major teeth issues.

Always there are options to fix your teeth and have your beautiful smile back.

If you like to check your options for cosmetic dentistry, don`t hesitate to call us at 604 936-1263 and make an appointment with Dr.Ross.

Happy Holidays from Dr.Ross and Staff

Wishing you a sparkling holiday season 

May your smiles be Merry and White!

   

 

Snoring and dental problems

If you don`t have good oral health, it can be the reason for your Sleep Apnea.

You can sometimes find early signs of a sleep disorder by visiting your Dentist.

The first sign of having sleep apnea is tooth grinding  (bruxism). Grinding can cause tooth wear and breakage as well as inflamed and receding gums.

A spike in cavities can also be a sign of grinding.

Sometimes mouth`s anatomy and sinuses and Sometimes the eruption of the wisdom teeth can be the reason for snoring.

When the tooth has partially erupted, this causes a flap of tissue to become infected and swollen.

Because of this condition, patients may sleep with their mouth open, leading to snoring.

Snoring also can be caused by a number of factors like allergies, a cold, overweight, or alcohol consumption.

Other risk factors that contribute to what causes snoring include the following:

Being male, Being 40 years of age or older, Pregnancy and family history of snoring.

 

There are approved oral appliances available to help with snoring.

Your dentist can make you a custom snoring device, but only after you have been officially diagnosed with an oral problem. This oral appliance is a device that fits like a retainer and looks like a mouth guard. It supports your jaw and tongue to maintain an open upper airway.

 

There are several benefits to using a custom-made snoring device over store-bought ones, including:

– The device is much more effective than any prefabricated one because

it’s specially designed for your mouth.

– A custom snore guard will last definitely longer than that one you can get over the counter.

– They are portable, so you can take them with you while traveling.

–  Oral appliances are far more comfortable than wearing a mask!

 

Does Dental Implant work as my missing tooth?

Dental implants are used where there are one or more missing teeth. Implants are posts that are surgically placed in the upper or lower jaw, fuse with your jawbone and you will still have a certain amount of sensation with, when you chew and talk. Dental implants are replacement tooth roots.

There are many advantages to dental implants:

-Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth.They are designed to fuse with bone, so they become permanent.

– Dental implants allow you to speak without the worry that teeth might slip like those poor-fitting dentures.

– Because they become part of you, implants eliminate the discomfort of removable dentures, as well as the need for messy adhesives to keep them in place.

–  Sliding dentures can make chewing difficult. With dental implants you can eat your favorite foods with confidence and without pain.

– Dental implants can give you back your smile and help you feel better about yourself.

– Dental implants don’t require reducing other teeth, as a tooth supported bridge does. Because nearby teeth are not altered to support the implant, more of your own teeth are left intact, improving long-term oral health.

–  Dental implants require the same care as real teeth including: brushing, flossing, rinsing with mouthwash, and regular dental check-ups.With good care, many implants last a lifetime.

Call Our Office ( https://austindentalgroups.com)  to book your Implant consult with Dr.Ross when you would like to know if you are a good candidate for implant treatment or not.

 

Healthy Summer Teeth

In Summer to stay healthy and hydrated, there’s no wonder that you need to drink more. Just you need to think more about choosing your beverages.

Some drinks can increase the risk of tooth decay.

Consider sugary drinks especially for children just once in a while to enjoy, and not often. Instead, to beat the heat, offer water.

When you drink acidic beverages, reduce their contact with your teeth by using a straw and finishing the drink quickly, instead of sipping over a long period of time.

Give your kids healthy snack alternatives such as apples, bite-size carrots or other foods that are naturally sweet, and instruct children to avoid candies, chocolate, and other foods that contain refined sugar. Take a break from snacking is also healthy for their teeth. It allows time for saliva to bathe the teeth, wash away leftover food and get stronger.

It’s important for families to consistently brush and floss, which keeps them on track for healthy teeth. Whether your kids are staying up till late, resist the temptation to skip brushing before

a late bedtime or let it slide when they sleep in the next morning.

It is a good idea to make your family check-up appointments during summer before kids are back to school. Call us now and we help you get the appointment time that works best for you.

Have a wonderful Summer

Baby Teeth – When do they come in?

The most common questions we are asked about Baby teeth are “when will they come in?” and “when will they fall out?”. While the answer can vary – we have a general timeline for when we expect these things to occur.

Baby Teeth

Most children will have all 20 of their primary teeth by the time they are 3 years old. By age 21 all of your child’s permanent teeth should have erupted (with the exception of wisdom teeth which may or may not fully erupt.)

Caring for baby teeth can be difficult for parents.

From 1 to 2 years  

  • Brush your child’s teeth daily (using non-fluoridated toothpaste).
  • Check for signs of early childhood tooth decay once a month. Lift your child’s upper lip and look for chalky-white or brown spots on the teeth or along the gum line. If you see any, take your child to a dentist as soon as possible. Your dentist may suggest you start using a small amount (the size of a grain of rice) of fluoridated toothpaste.
  • Switch to a regular cup for all drinks between 12 and 15 months.
  • Limit soother use to nap and bedtime.
From 3 to 4 years old
  • Teach your child “2 for 2,” which means brushing twice a day for 2 minutes each time.
  • Start using fluoride toothpaste, the amount of a green pea, and teach them to spit rather than swallow.  Supervise your child while he/she is brushing teeth.
  • Encourage your child to do some brushing with you completing the job, making sure that all tooth surfaces have been cleaned.
  • If your child continues to suck her thumb as permanent teeth begin to appear, talk to your doctor or dentist.
For all ages
  • Wash your hands before and after brushing teeth.
  • Rinse toothbrushes thoroughly after brushing and ensure that each one can dry without touching other toothbrushes.
  • Replace toothbrushes every few months, when the bristles become flattened with use.
  • Between meals, quench a child’s thirst with water. Do not offer candy, dried fruit (including raisins) and sugared drinks or juices.
  • Take your child for regular dental visits (every 6 months, unless otherwise suggested by your dentist).

To schedule your child’s next cleaning Contact us! (604) 936-1263

What Happens During a Dental Cleaning?

Many people have mild to moderate dental phobias. A lack of understanding about what happens while you’re in the chair for a cleaning can add to this fear.

First Exam

Your hygienist will likely start by doing a quick exam of your mouth, noting and potential areas of concern to discuss with the dentist when they come in to perform a more thorough examination. They will use a small mirror to check your teeth and gums for any signs of inflammation, decay, and other issues.

Removing Plaque and Tartar

The hygienist will use a scaler during your cleaning to “scrape” plaque and tartar build-up around and under your gumline and between your teeth. They may also use a “cavitron” or water scaler in addition to or instead of hand instruments to remove build up.
If this is your least favourite part of your cleanings remember that improved oral health (proper brushing and flossing) reduces the amount of tartar and plaque in your mouth. Less tartar and plaque = less time scaling (scraping).

Polishing

This is when the hygienist uses a high powered electric rotating rubber cup to apply a gritty toothpaste to your teeth. The high-pitched sound can be intimidating but this part of your cleaning is important for removing surface stains.

Professional Flossing

No one is more skilled at flossing your teeth than a hygienist. It might seem silly to have your hygienist floss your teeth during your cleaning if you’ve already flossed that day, but this helps to remove any leftover plaque, polishing paste or debris.

Fluoride Treatment

There are a few different options available for fluoride treatments. (Not all dentists carry all options.) Most common are fluoride trays: foam trays that fit over your teeth and are filled with a flavoured gel or foam fluoride and placed in your mouth for 1 minute. There is also a flavoured paint-on varnish that stays on your teeth until you brush it off at night. Least effective, but a good option for people with a strong gag reflex is a fluoride ride that you swish in your mouth for one minute. Fluoride helps to strengthen enamel and prevent tooth decay. It is an important part of your regular cleaning.

Post-Cleaning Exam

Your dentist will then come in and review any notes your hygienist has made, and perform their own exam with the help of a small handheld mirror. In this time they may find spots of potential decay and recommend x-rays to be certain. Other concerns your dentist is looking for is bite/jaw issues, the need for orthodontic referral, or referral to a periodontist if your gums have deep pockets around the teeth.

Contact us today to schedule your next cleaning and check up! (604) 936-1263