Unhealthy Smile Overhaul: Secrets to a Healthy Transformation
There is a great incongruity that exists in the field of modern dentistry. As healthcare providers, our primary objective should be the optimal health and well being of our patients. Yet a simple research query reveals the prevailing definition of Cosmetic Dentistry to be “the branch of dentistry dealing with the appearance of the teeth.”
Consider the continuum of health. A health-conscious individual eats well and exercises regularly as a means to an end. Sure, six-pack abs are attractive, but they are simply an outward manifestation of inner health. That’s why they call it physical fitness training, not physical cosmetic training. As we address the issues of gum disease, decay, crowding, and discoloration, transforming what might initially appear as an unhealthy smile, we usher our patients along the continuum from ill health to optimal health. The cosmetic, aesthetic results are a BEAUTIFUL by-product.
Essentially, at the Spodak Dental Group, we firmly believe that a healthy smile IS a beautiful smile!
As true health care professionals, we must turn from the typical reactive medical model of getting people un-sick to a proactive model of getting people healthy. Proactive dental care is not only less complex, it is less costly.
Smile its Good for You: Unlock Health & Joy Today!
Having a straight, healthy smile dental plan has never been easier.
Smiling is one of the easiest ways to boost your health, and is the gateway to your happiness and confidence, so smile its good for you. Americans spend trillions of dollars every year trying to boost health, focusing on supplements, the newest fitness routines, diets and health care, but don’t consider their smile in the mix. However, not everyone enjoys all the healthful benefits of a straight and vibrant smile if they’re embarrassed to smile.
Eighty percent of Americans suffer from some level of malocclusion or imperfect position of the teeth when the jaws are closed. This crowding of the teeth not only leaves us embarrassed to smile, but often results in gum disease, decay, bone loss, and ultimately tooth loss. Once affected, these dental ailments will all prove to be both uncomfortable and costly. They can even have devastating ramifications for your overall health and wellbeing, contributing to a greater risk of systemic infection, heart disease, diabetes, low birth weight, and more. If this sounds like you or someone you know, don’t worry because there is help for a healthy smile dental plan.
Emotional and Social Perks: Smile its Good for You
Beyond the immediate health benefits of straighter teeth, there are many emotional and social benefits to flashing a bright, beautiful perfect smile. Did you know the benefits of smiling not only reduces stress but also lowers your heart rate? Or that smiling increases productivity, boosts your immune system, increases attention and makes you look younger?
It is statistically proven that those who smile more feel better about their lives and circumstances. That’s because the benefits of smiling boosts confidence, and releases chemicals in the brain that trigger a “Happiness Response” that not only builds a sense of confidence, optimism and satisfaction, but also helps to boost the immune system to perform better and protect us from harm. Additionally, people who smile freely are typically perceived as more approachable, more positive, and more trustworthy.
Experience Your Future Smile Today
If you’re interested in improving your smile but want to see an example of the possible end result without jumping in and making the investment, Trial Smile may be the perfect solution for you. In less than an hour, we can provide you with a recommended cosmetic smile makeover, with NO shots, NO drilling and NO simulation!
With a goal to help all of our patients achieve their dental goals, we’re committed to doing dentistry differently. Regardless if you’re hoping for a whiter, wider, straighter or completely remodeled smile, we can help you!
Our Trial Smiles allow you to test drive your smile, giving the doctor the opportunity to design a smile perfect for you, and giving you the opportunity to provide feedback to get the exact smile that you’ve always been envisioning! It’s like test driving a car before buying it – it just makes perfect sense!
Smile its Good for You: Embrace a Healthier, Happier You
Don’t hide your inner health, beauty and confidence behind pursed lips; smile its good for you. Invisalign® is the newest option for people who strive for a straighter smile, and the benefits are easy to see. Unlike the unsightly, uncomfortable bands and wires of traditional braces, Invisalign® technology employs clear, comfortable, and removable aligners to gently and efficiently straighten your teeth, often within a fraction of the time and cost of traditional treatment.
The removable aligners effectively treat a wide variety of cases including crowding, spacing, crossbite, overbite and underbite, all while allowing you the convenience of eating whatever foods you enjoy. Regardless of what stage you’re at in life, Invisalign® offers you more comfort, convenience and confidence while straightening your teeth, and has minimal interference on how you live.
Revitalize Your Smile with Premium Dental Implants
Dental implants are often the best treatment for missing teeth. When a damaged or decayed tooth is removed, both the visible part of the tooth (called the crown) and the root are lost. An implant is placed in the jawbone so that it can fuse with your natural bone and become a strong and sturdy foundation for replacement teeth.
There are three parts to replacing teeth and consist of the implant, usually made out of titanium; the abutment, which is a connector to the implant; and the crown, which is the replacement tooth.
Dental implants are the closest you can get to healthy, natural teeth. People who have dental implants are able to eat confidently, smile and laugh, enjoy the foods they love, and participate in activities they might have otherwise avoided.
Another benefit is that implants also help to protect healthy bone. Leaving empty spaces in your mouth after losing one or more teeth can lead to additional health issues, such as the loss and deterioration of some of your jawbone. When the jawbone is not being used to support a natural tooth, the jawbone deteriorates, losing strength and firmness, and this cannot be reversed. Dental implants are the only dental restoration option that preserves and stimulates natural bone and helps to prevent bone loss. Implants also help to protect your natural teeth because they prevent the healthy, adjacent teeth from shifting as they would if an empty space were left for an extended period of time.
Protect Your Smile: The Importance of Mouth Guards in Sports
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 7 million sports- and recreation-related injuries, and more than half of those injuries are sustained by children as young as 5 years old.
Last year, the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation forecasted that more than 3 million teeth would be knocked out in youth sporting events. They also reported that athletes who don’t wear mouth guards are 60 times more likely to damage their teeth! Yet, in a survey commissioned by the American Association of Orthodontists, 67 percent of parents admitted that their children do not wear a mouthguard during organized sports.
An effective mouth guard holds teeth in place, allows for normal speech and breathing, and provides a high degree of comfort and fit. It should cover the teeth and, depending on the patient’s bite, also the gums.
If you do suffer a dental injury and knock out a tooth, make sure you find the tooth (avoid touching the root) and call your dentist immediately.
Try and keep the tooth as clean as possible and store in milk if you can. Most teeth can be re-implanted if cared for properly and are re-implanted quickly, and your dentist will have all equipment and necessary materials needed to treat dental injuries and protect your smile.
All Star Smiles Day: Empowering Kids with Free Dental Care
Spodak Dental Group and Marlins All Star fielder Giancarlo Stanton have teamed up to provide free dental care to elementary school students throughout the South Florida community during each school year under the banner of All Star Smiles Day, with the goal to eventually stop the childhood tooth decay epidemic in the nation.
Tooth decay is largely preventable, but it remains one of the most common diseases of childhood, and is five times as common as asthma and seven times as common as hay fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC says 42 percent of children ages 2 to 11 have had cavities in baby teeth and 21 percent of those ages 6 to 11 have had cavities in permanent teeth.
“We had such an amazing day of charitable giving to children in desperate dental need,” said Dr. Craig Spodak, owner of Spodak Dental Group. “Giancarlo Stanton’s vision and opportunity has allowed us to take our goal of ‘making the world a better place through the power of compassion’ to an entirely new level. Together, we are going to change the lives of as many children as we can, and we can’t wait.”
Smiles Promotion Month: Spodak Dental’s Charity Drive for Children
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month! Here at Spodak Dental Group, we’re excited to be raising funds to care for underserved children who require care for dental pain and/or trauma. As part of our Smiles Promotion, we’ll be working with the All-Star Smiles Foundation, a non-profit organization with a mission to create a unique experience with an alliance of dentists, athletes, and community partners to provide access to great dental care for the children in our community.
Boost School Lunches for Healthy Teeth – Smart Choices
Snacking and consuming sugar or sweet drinks promote tooth decay, and it all starts with bacteria. Bacteria live in our mouths and when we feast, so do bacteria. Bacteria breaks down sugars and starches left on the teeth, which leads to the formation of plaque and acid. Acid created by bacteria can damage the teeth if left on the tooth surface for at least 20 minutes, so the window for thwarting cavities is very small!
Poor nutrition can affect your entire immune system and can increase susceptibility to many common oral disorders including gum disease. Antioxidants and other nutrients found in fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts improve your body’s ability to fight bacteria and inflammation, which helps to protect your teeth and gums.
Foods like granola bars, raisins, oatmeal and peanut butter tend to hang on to teeth and are not easily washed away by saliva. But, healthy foods can sometimes fall into this category so don’t avoid these foods, just make sure to drink water afterward, or floss.
However, there are plenty of delicious, healthy and teeth-friendly foods that your child will enjoy! Fruits and vegetables with high water content are a great option and include melons, pears, celery and cucumbers. Cheese is also a great option because it triggers the flow of saliva, and aged cheeses such as cheddar, Swiss and Monterey jack are great choices.
Crisp fruits and raw vegetables like apples, carrots and celery are not only healthy, but they help to clean plaque from teeth and freshen breath. Water is also incredibly essential for not only hydration but also rinsing out your mouth after eating.
Most importantly, remember to visit the dentist regularly! Having regularly scheduled check-ups will help to monitor your dental health and make sure that your teeth are healthy and long-lasting.
A Smile Restored: Empowering Abuse Victim to Smile Again
In an effort to help her transform from victim to victor, the team surprised the woman with free care to restore her smile and help her smile again.
“My sincere hope is that her confidence and her strength, sends a message to someone at home who is in an abusive relationship to not take it anymore,” said Dr. Craig Spodak, general dentist at the Spodak Dental Group. “To take care of their family and leave a relationship like that.”
The 32-year-old, who wants to be identified as Jane, is learning to smile again, while rebuilding her life and is using her experience to help others realize they can live a life they’re proud of and deserve.
There are so many healthful benefits and empowering properties of straight, beautiful teeth, so contact your dentist today and start attaining the healthy smile dental plan you deserve. Remember, a vibrant smile can brighten every aspect of your life; smile its good for you.
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