Tooth-Colored Fillings

Even minor smile imperfections like chips, cracks and tooth decay can keep you from feeling confident in the appearance of your smile.  In the past, this was easily corrected with metal amalgam crowns or fillings.  However, the resulting appearance was relatively unaesthetic and often increased sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures.  Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour offers a modern restorative solution at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO.  Tooth colored fillings provide patients with a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing restoration that blends in with the natural shade of their tooth.

Tooth colored fillings differ from metal amalgam fillings in that they use a white, composite resin to fill the tooth.  This material is not temperature sensitive and it blends in nicely with the rest of your natural smile.  Tooth colored fillings are secured to the surface of your tooth with a specialized adhesive gel that bonds quickly and reliability.  With a natural appearance and secure fit, tooth colored fillings offer a cosmetically appealing alternative.  Tooth colored fillings are an excellent choice for areas of your smile that may be more visible than others.  With a tooth colored filling you can restore confidence in the appearance of your smile.  Tooth colored fillings also don’t require as much modification of the natural tooth structure when compared to metal amalgam.

Patients that visit Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour leave with a new found confidence in their smile.  The dentists use tooth colored fillings to restore cracked and chipped teeth, as well as to replace old metal amalgam fillings with a more aesthetically pleasing and natural looking alternative solution.

Veneers

If you are insecure about your smile due to gaps, cracks, persistent stains, misalignment or other issues with your teeth, veneers can provide a way for you to transform your smile into one you will be proud to show off. Made of ceramic or porcelain, veneers are thin shells that cover your existing tooth structure and allow you to completely redesign and reshape your smile. In Colorado Springs, CO, Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour of Southern Cross Dental frequently uses veneers to help patients increase their confidence.

Transforming your smile with veneers usually only takes two to three appointments. During your first appointment, you and your doctor will discuss the shape and look of the smile you would like to achieve. The dentist will then prepare your teeth for your veneers by removing a small amount of enamel. This ensures that they will fit comfortably and feel natural. Once your teeth are prepared, Dr. Rahimpour will take an impression of your mouth to be used for fabricating your veneers. The process takes between one to two weeks and is done in a lab of the highest standards. While you wait for your permanent veneers, you will be provided with temporary ones. Then at your next appointment, your permanent veneers will be bonded to your teeth to create the attractive smile you’ve always wanted.

If there are certain things you don’t like about your teeth, you don’t have to live with them. Everyone should have a smile they love, and Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour of Southern Cross Dental can help. Call (719) 471-1717 to schedule an appointment in Colorado Springs, CO. For more information about the dentists and their services, visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com.

Tooth Extractions

Teeth are extracted for a variety of reasons, including decay, infection and impaction. If decay reaches too deeply into the tooth or if an infection has damaged too much of the supporting bone or tissue, the teeth may need to be removed. Teeth are also extracted if there is not enough room in the mouth. When teeth are impacted, it can cause damage to the roots of nearby teeth, so they are removed before damage is done. At Southern Cross Dental, Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour can help you with tooth extractions in Colorado Springs, CO.

Before the procedure is performed, a local anesthetic is used to numb the area around the extraction site. During a simple extraction, the tooth is loosened with an elevator and then extracted with forceps. Once removed, the dentist may choose to smooth and contour the underlying bone. Then the gums are sutured.

After the extraction, it is critical to keep the area clean to prevent infection. A dry, sterile gauze will be placed over the gums to limit bleeding. You must make sure to keep it in place for 30 to 45 minutes while the blood clots. During the 24 hours after the procedure, you should not smoke, rinse your mouth vigorously or clean the teeth immediately adjacent to the extraction site. Strenuous activity, hot liquids and straw drinking should also be avoided. A certain amount of pain and discomfort accompanies an extraction, and a painkiller may be prescribed.

If you are suffering pain from decay, infection or impaction, Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour of Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO can determine if a tooth extraction is required to save your mouth. Schedule an appointment by calling (719) 471-1717. For more information visit our website, www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com.

What is Fluoride?

Fluoride is a natural mineral found through the earth’s crust and is widely distributed in nature. We use fluoride to help prevent cavities. Many people do not know that fluoride is often added to drinking water to help reduce tooth decay. The American Dental Association, the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association have endorsed the use of fluoride in water supplies because of its effect on tooth decay.

Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by making the entire tooth surface more resistant to acid attacks from the bacteria that live in the plaque on your teeth. Before fluoride is added to tooth products, it can be found in water, soil, air and rocks, among other places in nature.

Drinking water and tooth products such as toothpastes and rinses are the most common sources of fluoride, but the most effective source is found only in the office of a dental professional. As part of an oral hygiene routine, it is very effective in fighting tooth decay and pain in decaying areas. It can stop and even reverse cavities, and it even helps remineralize tooth enamel, rebuilding bonds as they begin to wear away.

If you are interested in fluoride treatment, ask Dr. Navid Rahimpour or Dr. Faranak Rahimpour during your next appointment at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO. 

Pregnancy and Oral Health

Pregnancy and oral health are two things that go hand in hand when you are expecting a baby. We encourage all of our patients to take good care of their dental hygiene and oral health when they become pregnant.

Most women know how vital it is that they take good care of their physical health, but often don’t consider the impact oral health has on their overall health. A surge in hormones can exasperate the way a pregnant woman’s gums react to plaque. As a result, there is an increased risk of tooth decay, loose teeth, and gum disease if proper oral hygiene isn’t maintained.

The following steps are important to follow while you are pregnant:

1. Brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each session

2. Floss your teeth regularly, preferably once a day

3. Visit us for a check-up and cleaning

4. Inform your doctor that you are pregnant and avoid getting x-rays

5. Avoid eating sugary snacks as it increases the risk of tooth decay

By following these steps, pregnant women have a better chance at maintaining their good oral health during pregnancy. Contact team here at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO to discuss pregnancy and oral health in more detail.