BUILDING A GREAT SMILE

A good smile is a staple of creating great first impressions, excellent conversations, and lasting relationships.  A smile can help make you more memorable to others and, believe it or not, people will remember your name better if you are wearing a smile when you meet them.  Its power cannot be underestimated.

On the other hand, either the lack of a smile or tooth-related distractions within the smile often can give the wrong first impression about who you really are and can create obstructions to the development of many good, healthy relationships.

Modern dentistry has the power to help make many positive changes to your smile.  Sometimes those changes involve things as simple as minor shape changes to the enamel of your front teeth.  Other times those changes may involve treatment as complex as braces followed up by either crowns or veneers.

Below you will find before and after photos of people we have worked with over the years to improve their smiles.   We are dedicated to achieving an ideal esthetic result that blends the skills we have developed over the years with your esthetic end-goal and budget.



BEFORE                                  AFTER

Making changes to your smile can be a scary proposition.  However, when changes are made with skill, patience, and an eye firmly planted on the final goal, the results can be life changing.  Esthetic dentistry, including crowns and veneers, are one of the most satisfying services we provide for our patients.

If you have ever considered having crowns or veneers, or making any other changes to the looks of your front teeth please give us a call.  We would be happy to have a free Esthetic Smile Consultation to consider what we could do to help you achieve your ideal smile.

Happy Smiling!

Dr. David Barry, DMD

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Temporomandibular Disorder and Occlusal Splints

             Temporomandibular Disorder or TMD is characterized by having pain either in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) or in the muscles of the face.  There are other symptoms that can be associated with this pain including popping and clicking noises or not being able to open or close the mouth all the way.  This pain might be very acute or of a more chronic nature.  Diagnosis and treatment of TMD is very possible but can take some time with various approaches. 

            There are many different reasons that someone might have pain in the area of the TMJ.  The most important thing that needs to happen is getting the right diagnosis of the pain.  In some cases there is an underlying systemic disease.  Once that right diagnosis is found the treatment can then begin.  The most common causes for the pain are: stress, grinding your teeth, arthritis, abnormal use of muscles when not eating, etc. 

            In treating TMD, there is not fail safe treatment that guarantees the removal of pain, but various things are employed that can provide the relief.  The first step is teaching what causes the pain and eliminating some of the habits that cause and aggravate the muscles and joint.  These might include clenching or grinding and stress management.  Next, a combination of medications, including NSAID’s, like ibuprofen and opiates, to reduce the inflammation and pain, and physical therapy, to allow the muscles of the face to return to their proper uses.  In some cases an appliance that can be worn at night will be prescribed.  This is what we call an occlusal splint or a night guard.  It is a type or retainer that is worn at night to reduce the wear on the teeth if there is grinding occurring.  It also helps to reduce the pain by realigning the TMJ and can provide some relief.  In some cases changing the shape and realigning them to come together in a different way will help, but this treatment is not as recognized and usually is done as a last resort.  The final option in treating TMD is having surgery.  This is a last resort if nothing else is working and there is still intense pain. 

            In conclusion, the first step in helping to eliminate this pain is seeing your dentist or other specialist.  In reading this article it might be the start of your journey.  Make an appointment and we can help to get you out of pain and back to eating and functioning.

Dr. Mark Barry, DDS

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