New Jersey Cosmetic Dentist | Dr. G. Gary Green

Natural-Looking Fillings

2009-12-04T15:31:00.000-08:00

For years, the only alternative to repair cavities was mercury amalgam fillings. In recent years, however, more and more dentists have turned to natural-looking porcelain fillings. In his metal-free practice, Dr. G. Gary Green uses natural-looking fillings to repair cavities.

Traditional amalgam fillings present several disadvantages, including:

They are visible and obvious and might be perceived as unattractive
They can eventually cause discoloration of the tooth
Metal fillings are conductive, sometimes causing discomfort
Metal fillings can expand and contract and eventually lead to cracks in the surrounding tooth
Mercury in amalgam fillings could cause health issues

On the other hand, porcelain fillings offer several advantages. These advantages include:

The porcelain material can be exactly color-matched to your teeth
Porcelain can strengthen the existing tooth
Porcelain fillings don’t contain mercury
Porcelain is not a conductive material

Whether you're getting new fillings or having old, amalgam fillings replaced with natural-looking porcelain fillings, porcelain can give you a more attractive look and a healthier mouth overall.

In the Newark, New Jersey area, G. Gary Green, DMD, has a metal-free practice and uses exclusively porcelain material for fillings. For more information on porcelain fillings for new dental work or to replace old, metal fillings, please contact Dr. Green's office.

Caring for Your Porcelain Veneers

2009-11-03T16:11:00.000-08:00

Porcelain veneers are an increasingly popular option for correcting a number of cosmetic dentistry issues. Dr. Gary Green can evaluate your smile and give you a good idea of how porcelain veneers can help you in an initial consultation.

Porcelain veneers are not only an effective treatment, but also a long-lasting one. If cared for properly, veneers can last for a very long time. Some special considerations must be made, though, to ensure your veneers will have a long lifespan.

When caring for your veneers, you must remember the following:

Practice good dental hygiene
If you grind your teeth, take measures to prevent grinding, particularly at night
Don’t bite or chew on hard objects
Be sure any dentist or hygienist that cleans your teeth knows you have veneers
Avoid excessive use of alcohol

These precautions will help maintain the integrity of your veneers, preventing damage particularly to the edges. Alcohol can dissolve the bonding agent that holds the veneers to your teeth, and chewing or biting hard objects can not only chip the edges of the veneers, but can dislodge them.

If you have questions about porcelain veneers and how to care for them, please contact Newark, New Jersey area cosmetic dentist G. Gary Green, DMD.

Lifespan of Porcelain Veneers

2009-10-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

Porcelain veneers can give you a bright, perfect smile in a simple, non-invasive procedure. Their versatility allows them to correct a number of minor cosmetic issues in the teeth. Dr. Gary Green can help you determine if porcelain veneers can give you the smile you've always wanted.

Veneers are thin porcelain shells, and are very delicate when they first return from the lab where they're custom-made to fit your teeth. However, once they're bonded to your teeth with a special bonding agent, they become strong and durable.

Veneers can last for a very long time, but their lifespan depends on how well you take care of them. Some factors important to the long life of veneers include:

Good oral hygiene
Avoiding teeth grinding
Protecting veneers from chips by not biting hard objects
Limiting alcohol consumption
Proper equipment used for periodic professional cleaning

Keeping your mouth in good health overall goes a long way toward keeping your veneers in good condition. Teeth grinding or biting hard objects such as ice can chip the edges of your veneers or even dislodge the whole veneer, and excessive alcohol use can dissolve the bonding agent, causing the veneers to come loose.

When you visit a general dentist to have your teeth cleaned, if you see someone other than Dr. Green, you'll want to be sure they use polishing equipment that's compatible with porcelain veneers. Equipment that is too harsh can cause permanent damage to the veneers' surface, leaving them susceptible to severe staining.

To find out what veneers can do to give you a perfect smile, please contact Newark, New Jersey area cosmetic dentist G. Gary Green, DMD to schedule an initial consultation.

Dental Implant Recovery

2009-09-24T15:26:00.000-07:00

Dental implants can be used to replace one or several missing teeth, providing a permanent replacement that's far more secure and comfortable than removable dentures. A consultation with Dr. Gary Green can help you decide if dental implants are right for you.

Dental Implant Process

Placing dental implants is a two-step process. First, the implant itself, a titanium screw, is set into the jawbone. For the next three to six months, healing occurs which allows the implant to bond with the bone. During this time, you might experience some discomfort due to the healing process. Usually this can be dealt with using over the counter pain medication.

During dental implant recovery, it's important to maintain extremely diligent dental hygiene. One of the most common reasons for dental implants to fail is because of insufficient dental care, which can cause chronic swelling in the gums. Dr. Green can help provide guidelines for dental implant after care to be sure you take the best possible care of your mouth during this healing time.

Mini Dental Implants

Mini dental implants have a much shorter recovery time. They don't require the two-step process, and can be placed in a single dental appointment with no incisions in the gums and no stitches to be removed later. Mini dental implants can also provide a permanent option for tooth replacement.

To find out if traditional dental implants or mini implants can help you regain your smile, please contact experienced prosthodontist G. Gary Green, DMD, in the Newark, New Jersey area for more information.

Cost Considerations for Cosmetic Dentistry

2009-08-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

Cosmetic dentistry can make a huge difference in your appearance, as well as how you feel about yourself. However, many people don’t take advantage of what cosmetic dentistry can accomplish due to the cost. Newark, New Jersey cosmetic dentist G. Gary Green, DMD, offers several financing options to help you pay for the smile you’ve always wanted.

Multiple Financing Options

Most cosmetic dentists, including Dr. Green, will accept major credit cards, giving you a manageable option to pay for the work. In addition, be sure to discuss financing options during your consultation. You might choose to arrange directly with the dentist to make payments over a period of time, or take advantage of financing options through CareCredit Dental Financing.

Less Expensive Procedures

Advances in technology have brought less expensive alternatives that can produce even higher quality results. Easily applied dental veneers take the place of much more invasive full crowns in some instances. They can also make slightly crooked teeth look straight, or fill in gaps between the teeth. While crowns are still the best option for some situations, veneers often offer a less expensive and even more natural-looking option.

For more information about available cosmetic dentistry financing options, please contact cosmetic dentist G. Gary Green, DMD, in the Caldwell, Essex County, Livingston, Verona, and Newark, New Jersey area.

Common Dental Problems and Solutions

2009-06-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

While cosmetic dentistry produces dramatic, flashy results, general dentistry gets us through everyday problems with our teeth that can cause extreme discomfort or other problems. Dr. Gary Green provides general dentistry that can help you keep your teeth healthy in the long term.

Some common dental problems can cause major discomfort, but are often fairly easily dealt with. Among these are:

Tooth decay – Sometimes, in spite of your best efforts, you end up with a cavity that needs to be filled. Most cavities can be easily repaired by Dr. Green.
Gum disease – Also known as gingivitis, gum disease involves chronic inflammation of the gums. Bacteria involved in gum disease has been linked to cardiac problems, so treating gum disease is an important part of not only your dental health, but your health overall.
Dr. Green can help you practice thorough dental hygiene to keep your gums healthy, as well as evaluating the condition of your gums during your regular appointments and providing treatments if you’re developing issues.
Bad breath – Bad breath, or halitosis, can be a troubling and embarrassing situation. Often, though, halitosis can be traced to a problem with your dental health, such as gum disease or even oral cancer. Dr. Green can evaluate the cause of your bad breath and even eliminate it by treating the root cause.

To make a general dentistry appointment in the Caldwell, Essex County, Livingston, Verona, and Newark, New Jersey area, please contact experienced general dentist G. Gary Green DMD.

Immediate Loading of Implants

2009-06-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

As dental technology improves, more options are available for those who have lost teeth and need to have them replaced. One area where technological advances are making replacement easier is in dental implants. A consultation with cosmetic dentist G. Gary Green, DMD, can help you decide if implants are what you need to restore your smile.

The newest innovations in implants allow restorations to be placed immediately, rather than after a long healing period. You can have implants installed in a single appointment that lasts only a couple of hours, with the restorations added right away. It’s a quick, less invasive and less expensive way to provide permanent replacements for missing teeth.

The success rate for these implants is also extremely high. Around 98% for implants placed immediately after the removal of a tooth, and almost 94% for older extractions are successful. With this high success rate, and quick, relatively easy placement, these smaller implants can be an excellent choice for tooth replacement, whether for a single tooth or multiple missing teeth.

Dr. Green can help you determine if traditional or mini implants are best for your particular needs. If you’re in the Newark, New Jersey area and would like more information about immediate loading implants, please contact experienced prosthodontist G. Gary Green, DMD for answers to your questions.

What to Expect After Dental Implant Surgery

2009-04-15T08:48:00.000-07:00

Dental implant surgery involves implanting a titanium screw into the jawbone, making it one of the most invasive procedures in all of cosmetic dentistry, if not the most invasive. In fact, most cosmetic dentists are not qualified to perform the surgery itself and have to refer their patients to a certified prosthodontist to do the work.

The implant procedure sounds painful – there is no denying that. However, the vast majority of our implant patients experience very little, if any pain and very mild discomfort during the surgery. Various anesthetics are used to ensure that you feel no pain while the implant is being placed. We will prescribe pain medications to alleviate any pain you might experience once the anesthetic wears off. Over-the-counter pain relievers are often all that is needed in the few days following the surgery.

We will give you detailed instructions to follow to help ensure that your implant and the osseointegration process are successful. You should expect the osseointegration process to take three to six months. When this is complete, your permanent crown will be attached and your smile will be restored to its natural beauty.

If you are missing one or several teeth, dental implants may be the perfect treatment option for you. We recommend implants over every other treatment option to those who are good candidates. A thorough examination of your teeth and oral health will be necessary to determine your candidacy. If you live in the Caldwell, New Jersey area and are interested in what implant dentistry can do for you, please contact Dr. Green today to arrange a consultation.

Implant Dentistry and Pain

2009-03-16T15:31:00.000-07:00

Having a titanium screw drilled into your jawbone sounds excruciating, and it very well would be if modern anesthetics were not available. Dental implant surgery may sound like a horrible experience, but the vast majority of our implant patients report feeling no pain and only mild discomfort during their procedure.

The implant surgery itself is a single-visit process. In other words, unless you are getting multiple implants, you will not have to sit through multiple surgeries and dental visits. Sufficient amounts of local anesthetic will be administered to ensure you feel no pain whatsoever. You will be aware of what is going on around you, but pain will not be an issue.

We will prescribe pain medication to help alleviate any discomfort you may feel as the anesthetic wears off. Many of our patients report some discomfort the day following the surgery, and many of these individuals require nothing more than over-the-counter pain relievers. You will be prescribed pain medication just to be safe.

Any surgery-related pain should be gone within a few days. If pain persists or gets worse, you should contact Dr. Green immediately. This may indicate infection or problems with the osseointegration process.

Do not let any fear of pain stop you from choosing dental implants. We can guarantee that pain will not be an issue. We can also guarantee that avoiding treatment for a missing tooth will eventually lead to more pain. Therefore, we recommend implants to all who are good candidates for them. If you live in the Caldwell, New Jersey area and have one or more missing teeth, please contact Dr. Green today to arrange a consultation.

How is Tooth Bonding Done?

2009-02-02T12:14:00.000-08:00

If you have small chips, areas of discoloration or other minor damage to your teeth, dental bonding may be the right treatment for you. Aside from teeth whitening, bonding is one of the most conservative ways of restoring your beautiful smile. Unlike most cosmetic dental procedures, dental bonding requires no impressions be taken of your teeth, no x-rays, no off-site laboratory work, and no anesthesia. Here is how we do the procedure:

After a thorough cleaning, we will begin by roughening the surface of the tooth. This roughening is necessary for the bonding material to better adhere to the tooth. Then we will begin applying the bonding material. The putty-like bonding material will be color-matched to your teeth to ensure a natural-looking restoration. We will apply and sculpt the bonding in layers, until you are satisfied with the restoration. Once this is complete, we will cure the bonding material with a high-intensity light and then polish the tooth.

Bonded teeth require the same care as regular teeth. If you participate in contact sports or if you are a teeth grinder, be sure to wear a mouth guard. With proper care, your bonded tooth should last for several years.

If you live in the Caldwell, New Jersey area and have minor tooth damage, or discoloration that needs repair, please contact Dr. Gary Green today to arrange an appointment.

Healing Time for Dental Implants

2009-01-05T08:59:00.000-08:00

Dental implants are the preferred prosthodontic treatment for missing teeth. Their benefits are so great that we recommend implants to everyone who is a good candidate. Aside from their high initial cost, they have very few drawbacks. One of these drawbacks is the lengthy healing process involved. The healing process can take anywhere from three to nine months, depending on a number of patient-specific factors. So, why does this healing process take so long?

Osseointegration

The implant itself is a titanium screw that is drilled into your jawbone. This screw needs to anchor, or attach to the surrounding bone tissue in order for the implant to be successful. This anchoring process is called “osseointegration” and accounts for most of the waiting involved over the duration of the implant process. If the osseointegration process could be eliminated, then the entire dental implant process might only take a few weeks. This is not the case, unfortunately.

Successful osseointegration is essential. If this does not occur, then the implant will fail and other options such as bridges or dentures will have to be used. There is no way of predicting how long this process will take. Much of it has to do with how much healthy jawbone structure is present when the implant is installed.

If you live in the Caldwell, New Jersey area and are interested in getting dental implants, we can help. Dr. Green is a certified prosthodontist and can perform the entire implant procedure from beginning to end. Please contact Dr. Green today to arrange a consultation.

Dental Disasters: What You Should Do

2008-12-09T12:47:00.001-08:00

From our perspective, any noticeable damage to your teeth can be considered a “disaster.” A severely chipped, cracked, broken, missing, or discolored tooth can cause a person to be embarrassed by, or at least very self-conscious about their smile. This can have many far-reaching and negative social, psychological, and economic impacts on an individual. Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you. If you hide your smile because of dental problems, then it is in your best interest to explore what the field of cosmetic dentistry can do for you.

Many things cause dental disasters. Trauma to the mouth is one of the most common. Such trauma may be the result of an automobile accident, sporting accident, work-related accident, or any other unforeseen circumstances. Certain medications and radiation treatments can cause severe discoloration and tooth loss. Chronic conditions such as temporomandibular joint disorder and teeth grinding can also lead to tooth loss. And, of course, poor oral hygiene habits will take their toll.

If you have lost one or several teeth, it is crucial that you seek treatment as soon as possible – for functional as well as cosmetic reasons. If a missing tooth does not get treated in a timely manner, the bone structure around it will begin to deteriorate, which will then lead to further complications. Dental implants are the preferred treatment for missing teeth, but if you are not a candidate, there are other options available. Severely decayed teeth need immediate treatment as well.

If you have recently suffered a dental disaster, you will want to look for a certified prosthodontist like Dr. Gary Green. He has the training to perform everything from minor dental procedures to full-mouth reconstructions. If you live in the Caldwell, New Jersey area, please contact Dr. Green today to arrange a consultation.

Benefits of Porcelain Fillings

2008-11-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

Porcelain and ceramic technologies have made traditional metal and amalgam fillings a thing of the past. The benefits of porcelain are so great that many of our patients are choosing to get their metal fillings replaced with porcelain. We have placed hundreds of porcelain fillings and replacements in the last few years. Let us take a look at some of these benefits:

Aesthetics – This is the most obvious benefit. Porcelain can be matched to your tooth color to make your fillings virtually imperceptible. Replacing your unsightly old metal fillings will do wonders for your smile.
Greater strength and longevity – Because porcelain fillings are bonded to your tooth, they actually make your tooth stronger. Metal fillings are subject to expansion and contraction due to temperature changes and can actually damage your tooth. You can expect your porcelain fillings to last much longer than metal fillings.
Reduced risk of decay – Because metal fillings are packed into a cavity and not bonded to the tooth, there is potential for decay to develop around the edges of a metal filling.
No toxicity – Amalgam fillings contain mercury, a known toxic substance. Individuals who have amalgam fillings are subject to up to four times the mercury exposure of the average person.

Metal fillings are still used in certain cases involving the back teeth. Your cosmetic dentist will discuss which options are best for you during your consultation. If you live in the Caldwell, New Jersey area and are in need of fillings, or if you want to replace your old fillings with porcelain, please contact Dr. Gary Green today to set up an appointment.

Welcome to Dr. Green's Site

2008-10-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

We are happy to kick off this blog with a welcome to everyone visiting our site. We hope you will feel as welcome and comfortable as we strive to make you feel in our office.

Dr. Green's philosophy is to apply the latest, most effective technology available in a comfortable homelike atmosphere. Although the office contains intra-oral cameras, Doppler auscultation, and digital x-rays, it doesn't look or feel like a dental office. Our office is a place you'll probably be happy to spend more time, partly because we keep on schedule so your wait times are short, but also partly because we have a country home parlor, not a waiting room. Coffee and tea is available, and Dr. Green treats you not just like a patient, but like a valued friend.

We tried to keep the same feel as much as possible in our website. We have detailed, informative content in a relaxed homelike atmosphere, and we invite you to look around. Read up on some common dental problems, then learn about the treatments and procedures we offer to help you achieve and maintain a smile you will be happy to show off. The more you know, the better you can play a part in getting that happy, healthy smile.

And for examples of our results, take a look at our patient gallery.

Then, once you've looked around our virtual home, we'd love to have you come by our actual home. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Green and you'll learn just what we mean by patient-centered care.

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2008-08-05T14:19:00.001-07:00

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