Lumineers

For a limited time, Bonham Dental Arts is offering a FULL beautiful smile and savings of over $1,500!  Now is the time to make your dream smile become a reality! Lumineers is a permanent solution for stained, chipped, discolored, or misaligned teeth.

Our June through July promotion gives you an opportunity to purchase FIVE Lumineers and receive ONE additional Lumineer and night guard at no additional charge.  The results are a smile that looks younger, whiter, healthier, and gives you the confidence to smile like you’ve always wanted!
Think about how beautiful your smile will be in those wedding photos or videos!  What about the special anniversary or celebration? I’m sure your friends and family will be impressed when you flash that new smile at the class or family reunion.  The possibilities are endless!

Our caring team at Bonham Dental Arts can help you achieve your Lifetime of Smiles with Lumineers. The results are a new confident you.  Everyone deserves a beautiful smile.

We look forward to seeing your SMILE!

Call us at 727-493-4018 to schedule your complimentary Lumineers consultation and learn more about options for creative, interest free financing!

Get a Bright Beautiful Smile for a Fraction of the Cost

Snap-On Smile is a patented, revolutionary dental appliance that requires no prepping, no injections, and no adhesives. Its exclusive design is flexible, incredibly strong, and snaps right over a patient’s natural teeth. Its retention is completely tooth-borne, so the appliance does not impinge on the gum tissue nor cover the palate, making it look and feel very natural. Snap-On Smile is easily removable, completely reversible and is an excellent option for patients looking for a non-invasive, affordable approach to restorative and cosmetic dentistry.

Why Snap-On Smile

No shots. No drilling. No adhesives. You can even eat while wearing the Snap-On Smile® appliance. Patients looking for a non-invasive, reversible, affordable approach to restorative and cosmetic dentistry are excellent candidates for Snap-On Smile. It’s an easy, quick and affordable solution for patients who want to feel better, look better, and function better. Patients using Snap-On Smile report an immediate boost to confidence and self esteem. Most are impressed with the natural look and feel of Snap-On Smile and are grateful for the brief time investment – about two weeks – to achieve such life changing results.

All it takes is a brief consultation in your dentist’s office. The process is quick and painless. Your dentist will take photos and impressions of your teeth. You choose from different smile shapes and shades for your Snap-On Smile. In about two weeks, the exclusive lab at Snap-On Smile will create and send your dentist your new appliance for final insertion. Snap it in and wear it home.

Change your smile… change your life.

Here are some examples of dental problems that a Snap-on Smile can help:

Malalignment (Crooked Teeth)
Crooked teeth can be caused by several factors. Tooth crowding (or an “overcrowded mouth”) occurs when there is not enough room for all permanent teeth to erupt. Tooth spacing occurs when there is excessive space in the jaw bone.

In ideal scenarios, teeth are straightened with orthodontic treatment during the pre-teen or teenage years while the mouth and jaw are developing. However, many patients who do not have the opportunity for orthodontic treatment in their youth would have to undergo lengthy and expensive treatment to realign their teeth as adults.

Snap-On Smile is a far more affordable, quicker and stunning alternative to orthodontia for adults.

Missing Teeth
There are three basic ways to fix a missing tooth or teeth.

• A fixed bridge
• A removable appliance
• A dental implant

Snap-On Smile can be used in lieu of dentures. Like dentures, the Snap-on Smile is removable, but unlike dentures, patients can transform their entire smile while still maintaining their existing teeth because the appliance is simply placed over the originals. Its retention is completely tooth-borne, so the appliance does not impinge on the gum tissue nor cover the palate, making it look and feel very natural. Another advantage of Snap-On Smile — dentures only replace the missing teeth leaving the appearance of the remaining teeth unchanged. Together, the patient and dentist can choose from several shades and shapes with Snap-On Smile, providing an array of choices to further enhance a patient’s smile with this custom fitted appliance.

Snap-On Smile is a smart alternative to the invasive, painful and costly treatment options of dental implants and fixed bridges. Available in quadrant sizes as well as full arch, no other removable partial denture performs both these tasks as comfortably and naturally as Snap-On Smile. This option is also ideal for patients who are not candidates to receive implants.

Raising Facial Height/Vertical Dimension
Severe wear due to attrition and bruxism can cause substantial loss of facial height. Facial height, or vertical dimension, is a measurement taken between the tip of the nose and the tip of the chin. If left untreated, this condition can lead to angular chelitis, which is a deep fold at the corner of the mouth. Not only can this fold harbor bacteria, but it usually makes a patient look much older.

Traditionally, full mouth reconstruction is done by drilling down the teeth to prepare them for crowns (caps) on both upper and lower arches. This is an invasive, painful, time consuming and costly procedure.

A custom fitted Snap-On Smile can increase facial height as well as provide patients with a more pleasing smile with no drilling. The appliance can also be used for diagnostic analysis before full-mouth rehabilitation. Snap-On Smile is a non-invasive, quick, affordable procedure to dramatically combat the loss of facial height.

Enhancing Existing Smile
Planning an upcoming wedding? Starting a new job? Getting in shape for a school reunion? Dazzle on a big day with a gorgeous new set of pearly whites with Snap-On Smile.

In just a few weeks, Snap-On Smile® can give you a million dollar smile that is far less expensive, less painful and less time consuming than traditional cosmetic dentistry or orthodontics.

Ah, spring. A time when a young woman’s heart turns to—ohmigosh, I’m getting married soon! You’ve planned well to have a perfect wedding day.

You’ve picked the perfect man, an excellent caterer is hired; the best photographer is scheduled; the most gorgeous gown is ready, and on and on. The list is complete—maybe. Did you overlook something as equally important as the perfectly white pearls on your gown?

Will your teeth or his teeth be exquisite white pearls in your photographs?

They can be if you let us give Mother Nature a boost. Over time, teeth become stained by tea, coffee, colas, red wine, dark fruits and berries, and tobacco. We can give you a radiant bride smile in a short period of time.

In our office we use whitening agents that are much more powerful and safer for you than over-the-counter whitening products. Our whitening agents are effective, and we can protect your oral tissues because we supervise your whitening procedure.

We perform the procedure right here in our office, and can send additional whitening products and instructions home with you. Within a matter of a few hours or weeks, you can have a radiant smile.

A whitening procedure might be the perfect gift for your Maid or Matron of Honor. It would also be a special gift of appreciation to your mother or father who consoled you through puberty, dating and high school, drove you to piano lessons, and who chaperoned those giggly, girly sleep-overs.

You have enough things to worry about before your perfect wedding day; the whiteness of your teeth needn’t be one of them.

We want you to really sparkle as you walk down that aisle toward the luckiest groom-to-be in the world. Call and schedule an appointment. We can discuss your dental goals and choose a whitening treatment procedure that is right for you.

Bonham Dental Arts: Lumineers from Bonham Dental on Vimeo.

A current complex dental issue is the concern about osteoporosis medications causing healthy bone to die. There are things you need to know if you are taking these medications. Please ask your Bonham Family Dentist about this and he will help educate you on what you need to know.

There are studies indicating the bisphosphonates in osteoporosis medications can cause a serious dental condition called “osteonecrosis,” a rare condition in which healthy jawbone dies.

Early research shows that certain cancer patients who take an intravenous bisphosphonate are more likely to develop osteonecrosis than other patients.

Here is what is important for you to know if you are taking a bisphosphonate.

Tell us if you take an osteoporosis medication. Having your current medical history is critical when we plan your dental treatments.

You need regular check-ups, especially if you will undergo cancer treatments. Regular exams will help us to identify any unusual oral changes while they are in their early and most treatable stage.

Before you begin any medical treatment, tell your physician and oncologist about dental issues. This will help your medical team plan your treatments and monitor any effects from dental procedures we perform.

Tell us and your doctors if anything out of the ordinary occurs in your mouth. This includes bleeding gums, pain, an infection or an unusual sensation in your mouth.

Update your dental and medical history with me and your medical team. When your medical and dental teams have the same information, we will all be aware of anything that could affect your dental and overall health.

Provide phone numbers. Your physician, oncologist and I may need to confer about your health or care and coordinate our treatment plans.

Because we know so little about the bisphosphonate effect on the body, we should proceed with caution, for today is not as simple as we wish it were.

As always, please call our office if you notice anything out of the ordinary in your mouth. We can examine you and intercede early.

Diagnosis: pulpitis

When you called in for an appointment, you told us that you had a fever and your tooth hurt when you bit down. During the exam we found you had other symptoms:

• The gum is swollen. [See top image]
• Your have a nasty tasting discharge.
• The pain gets worse when you lie down.
• The pain worsens when you eat or drink hot or cold foods and beverages.

These are classic symptoms of pulpitis. You might be surprised to know that a “simple toothache,” or pulpitis, affects only about 12 percent of the population.

What causes pulpitis

There is a chamber in the center portion of each tooth, and that chamber contains a mix of nerves, blood vessels and soft, spongy tissue called pulp. Healthy pulp causes no sensations, but when it is attacked by bacteria, pressure builds up in the chamber and you experience pain.

Pulpitis is typically caused by untreated caries (decay) that has inched its way down into the pulp chamber. Your “simple toothache” could have also been the result of a loose filling, periodontal disease, an injury to the tooth or an extensive, invasive dental procedure that came close to the pulp chamber. [The dark area in the image is infection spreading into the pulp chamber.]

If we can catch the decay before it progresses, we usually can remove the decay, place a filling and save the tooth. But sometimes the condition has gone too far and an abscess forms at the end of the tooth’s root. Now we may be left with only two choices: do root canal therapy or extract the tooth. [Bottom image shows an abscess that formed at the tooth root.]

If it’s not pulpitis

Let’s say my examination determines that you do not have a “simple toothache.” We can examine you for other causes, but we may also refer you to a specialist.

Tooth pain can be caused by a sinus infection and mistaken for pulpitis. Perhaps you are under a great deal of stress and you grind or clench your teeth. This is called bruxism and can cause your teeth to hurt. A migraine can make teeth hurt. Nerves in your face can produce tooth pain.

People who have heart disease may experience tooth pain. In rare cases, tooth pain is caused by cancer.

So, you can see that what seems like a “simple toothache” can be a serious condition with serious causes and results.

Preventative homecare

If your pulpitis is caused by caries, our recommendation is to brush and floss twice each day. They are the most important things you can do to keep your teeth healthy and strong. We may also modify your diet and recommend that you use oral care products that contain fluoride.

If you are experiencing tooth pain or have another dental problem, please call our office and schedule an appointment right away. The earlier we can examine you and determine the cause of your dental concern, the better chance we have of preserving your precious teeth.

Want to have and maintain that brilliant white smile you’ve always wanted?  Don’t bother wasting your money on consumer-grade whitening strips when you can have the power of professional whitening the rest of your life!

New patients may receive a home whitening kit ($388 value) when they establish at our office with a new patient exam, x-rays, and professional cleaning.  If you are a current patient, you can join too!  Call to learn more about your promotional discounted rate for this program.

It works like this: at your visit we will create a custom tray and afterwards, we will provide a lifetime supply of whitening gel.*  It’s that easy!

• 2 professional cleanings must be maintained annually at our office or else lifetime subscription may be voided.
• May not be combined with any other offer or discount.
• The patient and anMay not be combined with any other offer or discount.y other person responsible for payment has the right to refuse to pay, cancel payment, or to be reimbursed for any other service, examination, or treatment that is performed as a result of and within 72 hours of responding to the advertisement for the free, or reduced fee service, or treatment.

How well-received you are by a stranger is also about presentation. And the foremost facial element of your presentation is your smile. Studies show that numerous, snap judgments are made about you based on your smile. Are you successful? Interesting? Wealthy?

It used to be that you were stuck with whatever smile you were born with, but today, cosmetic dentistry has wondrous new materials and techniques that are changing the face of society.

There are several factors we consider to design an attractive, natural-looking smile for you. For example, we look at the shape of your face as well as the proportions and symmetry of your facial features. Maybe one eyebrow is slightly higher than the other, or the distance between the tips of your nose and chin are out of proportion to the rest of your face. Typically, no one’s face is perfectly symmetrical.

Just like selecting your meal from a menu, you can choose elements of your smile. We call this “smile design.” You can select one of three smile types and what they say about you.

Sexy—You know a sexy smile when you see one, but what makes that smile smokin’ hot? The two front teeth are significantly longer than the other front teeth.
Sophisticated—The front teeth are in a straight line, all the same length. This smile says you are mature, wise and intelligent.
Sporty—This smile combines sexy and sophisticated. The front teeth are slightly longer than the rest of the front teeth. This smile says you are casual and informal.

Once you decide on a smile type, we need to match your goals and desires with the shape of your face and teeth. Then we see how your lips frame your teeth, your natural smile line and many other factors.

If you want to improve your smile presentation, invest in your future and call us to schedule a consultation. We can discuss your options and develop a smile that best suites you.

We will help you put your best foot—and smile—forward!

These are exciting times for anyone who has considered improving their smile. Yesterday, many people thought that only Hollywood movie stars could get dazzling smiles, but today people know that anyone can enhance the smile that Mother Nature gave them.

Just look at the results of a recent survey of several thousand dentists. They are eye-opening. It perhaps is not so surprising that more women than men are changing their smiles—67 percent to 33 percent. What catches the eye is the number of men who are jumping into the smile makeover arena. And their numbers are steadily increasing.

But here is the real wow factor: Most patients (53 percent) are 41 to 60 years of age! It is not just Baby Boomers who want to improve their smiles. Many patients on both sides of the age range are saying they have had enough of misshapen or stained teeth.

Why should anyone go through life and be unhappy with their smile? We know that people who have great smiles are judged as being more successful, more attractive, friendlier and more interesting. With our technological advancements, it is like snapping our fingers to give you a great smile.

From the survey of 5500 dentists, take a look at a few of the procedures and see how many of your friends and neighbors have chosen to improve their smiles.

Some patients may be surprised to know that many general or family dentists also perform cosmetic dental procedures.

Great smiles aren’t just for movie stars anymore. Be your own best friend; reward yourself and improve your smile wow quotient! Call us. Come in so we can discuss your smile goals and create a smile makeover treatment plan uniquely for you.

Childhood is a time for believing in imaginary friends and fantastic beings such as the tooth fairy. Soon, children begin a phase in which they trade some childhood magic for something real as a signal that they are growing up. In many cultures this trade is a rite of passage that happens when a child loses a baby tooth. Believe it or not, the tooth fairy became associated with that rite of passage.

There is not much reference to the magical connection between losing a tooth and a mystical being until about the eighteenth century. Then, in the late nineteenth century, the king of Spain asked a priest to write a story for the king’s young son who had just lost a tooth. Thus, was born Ratoncito Pérez, the Spanish version of a tooth mouse that had magical powers.

Today, it is unlikely that you think about tooth rituals and rites of passage when your child loses a tooth. You just pay the ransom and enjoy playing along with the tradition.

In our culture, the idea of a tooth fairy probably began in the early 1900s. But the idea didn’t really take off until sometime in the middle of the twentieth century. Suddenly, there were books, movies and cartoons about the Tooth Fairy. Then, in 1961, Charles Schultz gave the Tooth Fairy national exposure when he introduced her into one of his “Peanuts” cartoon strips.

Exchanging a lost tooth for money or a small gift may have begun as a way to calm a child’s fear about this important dental event. But it is big business today. Stores brim with all sorts of Tooth Fairy merchandise. Even the exchange rate has skyrocketed. What used to be a dime or quarter reward, today is two dollars—and climbing—in some families.

Yes, it is a natural progression of life when children five or six years old lose their baby teeth. It is also a time when we need to monitor this process so that we can make certain that a tooth replacement is happening normally. It is also a time for us to carefully watch the eruption of the permanent tooth. That way we can intervene early if the permanent tooth needs some help, erupts at an incorrect angle, or needs professional guidance in many other situations that can occur.

We want a child’s permanent teeth to be healthy and strong. With good home care and regular dental visits, we can let the tooth fairy continue to do her magic, and we can take over the real work of giving your child a smile that will last a lifetime.

Call us if it is time for a check-up or someone is having a dental issue. We are here to help.