Philly Dentistry

How to get Bright White Teeth

One of the first things that someone notices about you is your smile. By whitening your teeth you can drastically improve the appearance of your teeth, improving confidence and everyday life.

There are many different options that can be used for whitening your teeth. Some of these can be done at home while others are done professionally at a dental office. There are also small changes to your daily habits, nutrition and your oral hygiene regimen at home that can be made in order to decrease staining of your teeth to help them stay bright.

At Philadelphia Dentistry we offer free whitening consultations so that Dr. Ken Cirka, Dr. Mimi Jeon, or Dr. Stephanie Smith can evaluate your teeth and discuss your options and determine the best course of action for you to whiten your teeth.

There are many things in our diets that can damage the teeth and cause them to pick up staining more easily. These include soda, tea, coffee, smoking, and anything that is acidic in your diet. You do not need to completely cut these things out of your diet; however, there are things you can do to prevent the damage from happening such as not sipping on your coffee and tea for long periods of time and drinking water afterwards. During your free consultation with us we can review your nutrition and discuss with you further how to keep your smile bright and stain-free.

DIY Whitening

There are plenty of whitening treatments available that you can do yourself that are effective. These treatments are available at the drug store and are at affordable costs. The most important thing to check is that the treatment is safe for your body and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Dental Association (ADA). Whitening toothpaste can help remove surface stains that build on the enamel. There are also whitening pens that give you the ability to remove a precise stubborn stain like when stain gets stuck between the teeth. Whitening strips can also be effective however it your teeth are not straight then it can be tricky for the strips to reach areas where the teeth overlap or have spaces. Ask Dr. Ken Cirka , Dr. Mimi Jeon, or Dr. Stephanie Smith about DIY Whitening and how it will work with your specific case.

Professional Whitening Treatments

There are two professional whitening treatments that Dr. Cirka, Dr. Mimi Jeon, or Dr. Stephanie Smith offer at Philadelphia Dentistry that both work great. The first option is for us to make you custom bleach trays where you whiten your teeth at home over the course of approximately two weeks. We provide you with strong bleaching gel materia l that is safe and effective and we instruct you how to use it so that you can get a brighter smile. The custom trays are great since they are custom made for the shape of your teeth they will allow the material to get into all the nooks and crannies to whiten evenly and effectively. These trays are convenient and affordable and can be reused if you find that staining starts building up again.

The second option for professional whitening is an in-office procedure called ZOOM! where an ultraviolet light is shined on the teeth to whiten them. This option will give you immediate results with instant bright, white teeth. For patients that have an event coming up or do not think they will be compliant with the take home trays the ZOOM is a great option.

Call us to schedule your free whitening consultation at 215-568-6222 today so that Dr. Cirka, Dr. Jeon, or Dr. Smith can discuss your options for whitening and help you get a bright, white smile as soon as possible!

Patients often come into our office wondering if porcelain veneers are the right cosmetic solution for their smile. At Philadelphia Dentistry, Dr. Ken Cirka, Dr. Mimi Jeon, or Dr. Stephanie Smith are highly trained in cosmetic dentistry and will study your unique smile and let you know if porcelain veneers are right for you and if they are the correct first step in your treatment.

Similar to building a house, the foundation is the most important consideration to begin with. At your cosmetic consultation Dr. Cirka, Dr. Mimi Jeon, or Dr. Stephanie Smith will do a complimentary examination and cavity detection x-rays to first determine the health of your teeth and your gums. If any work is needed to get healthy first before starting with cosmetics, our office will make it very smooth for you and explain everything step by step.

Once confirmed that your foundation is strong with healthy teeth and healthy gums, Dr. Cirka, Dr. Mimi Jeon, or Dr. Stephanie Smith will evaluate your teeth and your smile and determine if porcelain veneers are the correct solution. They will also let you know how many veneers would be indicated for your case. This largely depends on how broad your smile is, if there is heavy staining present, and if your teeth are small or chipped.

What happens once it is determined I am a candidate for porcelain veneers?

Porcelain Veneers

At this stage it is a matter of setting up two appointments with our friendly and cheerful front desk until your new smile is ready to show off! At the first visit Dr. Cirka, Dr. Mimi Jeon, or Dr. Stephanie Smith will take a series of photos and x-rays of the front teeth. A shade and shape will also be selected for the porcelain veneers and this information is communicated to the cosmetic dental laboratory that makes the veneers.

Dr. Cirka, Dr. Mimi Jeon, or Dr. Stephanie Smith, will sometimes need to make adjustments to your natural teeth in order to provide the best success for your veneer case. Before making any adjustments the doctor will review your case in detail so before the treatment starts you will understand exactly what needs done.  

It is important to go to an experienced cosmetic dentist to determine which the best solution is for you and your smile. Porcelain veneers can give you a beautiful, white and long-lasting smile. Call us today to schedule a free consultation at Philadelphia Dentistry with Dr. Ken Cirka, Dr. Mimi Jeon, or Dr. Stephanie Smith at 215-568-6222. We look forward to meeting you!

You may or may not have heard of Invisalign treatment through a friend, family, dentist, or TV commercial. Invisalign is an exciting advancement in dentistry in which we are able to straighten teeth with clear aligners and leave metal braces in the past. The process will often be faster than alignment with metal braces and take less than a year to happen.

Before starting Invisalign treatment it is important to understand how it works and what is required from you for it to work properly. Here is a list of 10 facts you need to know before beginning treatment:

1. Invisalign trays are virtually invisible

Invisalign is so invisible to the eye that you likely have spoken to someone going through Invisalign treatment and did not even know it! Initially the feeling of the tray to your tongue may cause your speech to slightly lisp, however, after only a day or two this will subside. When your trays are over the teeth they will often look whiter, brighter, and straighter to others since the plastic gives a slight shine. This is great for wedding photos- believe it or not many patients prefer to have the trays in rather than out for these photography sessions!

2. You must wear the trays all the time

Invisalign treatment is a commitment. If you want your teeth to move into the right place and become straight you have to wear the trays all day and all night for a minimum of 22 hours per day. You can take them out to eat your meals but once you are done eating, rinse the trays and place them back on. This may seem difficult; however, once a habit is formed it becomes second nature for most patients.

3. Your oral hygiene will likely improve

Since you will be taking the trays out in between meals you will need to brush your teeth before putting the trays back in. This will mean that you are brushing more often than normal. Also as the teeth are moving new spaces open up which traps food differently. This encourages most to floss more regularly so food is not trapped under the Invisalign trays. Many patients invest in mini toothbrushes and floss to carry around so throughout the day they can be sure to keep their teeth clean

4. You may (unintentionally) lose weight

With Invisalign trays in place most patients tend to snack a lot less. Patients will find themselves with their clothes fitting better and tell us that their mindless snacking has drastically reduced.

5. Coffee intake may decrease

Drinking coffee with the trays in place will stain the trays to look yellow. We tell patients to use a straw however even with this trick the stain still builds on the tray. This leads patients to think again before having a cup of coffee, cutting down caffeine intake.

6. Your dentist may send you to a specialist

Invisalign treatment is designed to move the teeth just like metal braces do. There are some cases that may require a combination of metal braces AND Invisalign, which could mean your dentist refers you to a specialist, an orthodontist. This depends on your specific case and how much movement is required

7. It is practically painless

You may remember metal braces being extremely painful and uncomfortable as a kid, especially when you needed to go and get the braces tightened. Invisalign is nothing like this throughout treatment. For the first few days in your trays, the teeth will go through shock and feel sore, however, this only lasts a short while. As time passes your teeth become used to the trays and patients even tell us that they “miss having the trays in” once they are done treatment!

8. Do not brush the trays with toothpaste

Toothpaste has abrasive ingredients that can damage the Invisalign trays. Your eye might not see the scratches however you will notice the trays will stain more. Sometimes they can get an odor too from toothpaste. It is better to clean your trays with mild soap and water, or purchase retainer cleaning tablets at the drug store.

9. Treatment is often shorter than straightening with metal braces

The way the Invisalign trays are engineered will more often than not allow the trays to move teeth more quickly than metal braces. Your dentist will be able to give you an approximate timeline on treatment and most treatment is completed in one year or even less than one year

10. It is WORTH IT

Patients tell me all the time how happy they are they moved forward with Invisalign treatment. They are more confident with their smile which improves confidence in every aspect of their lives. Patients are also able to keep their teeth healthier since straight teeth are easier for them to clean and for their dental hygienist to clean too.

If you have been thinking about Invisalign treatment call us to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Ken Cirka, Dr. Mimi Jeon, or Dr. Stephanie Smith at 215.568.6222 today! We look forward to meeting you.