Invisalign Dentist in La Jolla

So often when a patient is asking for help with a cosmetic dental concern, the question of whether they should get veneers or Invisalign comes up. There’s no doubt that a beautiful smile can make you look years younger, not to mention improve the way others perceive you in both professional and social relationships. A happy, unabashed smile opens minds and hearts alike. The road to a gorgeous, naturally beautiful smile may seem to be a great challenge, but, with careful thought and planning, solving the most challenging cases becomes easy.

Here’s what you need to know about the popular Invisalign treatment and porcelain veneers and how they can help you achieve a beautiful smile, starting first with symmetry – the cornerstone of beauty.

What is a Beautiful Smile?

Symmetry is one of the most important elements of beauty. When teeth appear straight and level with good arch form and proportions, it gives the look of a more beautiful smile. That’s why Invisalign is an excellent choice when it comes to achieving the look of well-aligned, symmetrical teeth.

Some of my patients come to see me with concerns about unattractive teeth and restorations or worn teeth due to years of wear and tear. Due to one or a combination of problems it is also quite likely that there has been a loss of good symmetry.

Invisalign works without the use of traditional braces, is virtually undetectable, and is proven to straighten teeth in as little as 12 months for most adults. Traditional braces work well, but I have not met many adults that like the idea of having a hardware store in their mouths. They make hygiene very difficult, smiling strained and eating a challenge. In addition, they don’t ever go well with your favorite outfits.

Veneers are thin custom porcelain facings that are bonded onto the surface of unattractive teeth to improve color, shape, size or alignment. They are great for improving grey, mottled or dull teeth when someone has not been blessed with attractive teeth. Veneers are durable and reliable, and in the hands of our master ceramist can be amazingly beautiful and natural.

Invisalign: A Complement to Cosmetic Dentistry

Some patients have lack of symmetry coupled with unattractive teeth. Doing veneers alone can solve most of their initial concerns, but combining the benefits of Invisalign and cosmetic magic, we can achieve results at a truly amazing level. Gaining proper symmetry allows us to create remarkably beautiful and natural results with our veneers or other cosmetic procedures.  Invisalign becomes an adjunct to creating the best results possible.

The Roadmap to a Better Smile

Our dentist office in La Jolla will schedule an initial consultation to assess your smile, determining whether Invisalign or veneers is the correct procedure for you. If you are a candidate for Invisalign treatment, our office, with the help of Align Technologies will create custom, clear trays for your teeth that carefully and gently correct your smile. If a more comprehensive approach is indicated the Invisalign planning can place the teeth in the most advantageous positions to maximize the benefits and potential of the cosmetic veneers.

Invisalign is an excellent complement to cosmetic dentistry because it can permanently improve your bite, crowding, alignment, and the symmetry of your smile, leading the way for veneers that can look a million times better.

Before & After

This patient had both Invisalign and veneers to complete his smile. What an incredible difference!

For more information on Invisalign and porcelain veneers in La Jolla, please visit http://www.joethedentist.com/ or give our La Jolla dental office a call at 858.459.6224.

Gold Jewelry Buyer in La Jolla

Investors everywhere have been talking about gold prices, and with a bear market to boot, consumers are left scratching their heads: Is it time to sell my gold?

Despite the naysayers who predict the use of gold may decline, reports on actual gold use may prove there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the commodity. According to a report at Forbes, the fabrication of gold jewelry worldwide has increased 12 percent year-over-year with 551 metric tons used in the first quarter of 2013, hitting a record value of $28.9 billion dollars.

And despite a dramatic decline in the value of gold on the comex, an increase in demand has nonetheless put gold in a positive spotlight. Although the demand is largely limited to China and India, the United States is, for the first time in seven years, seeing an increase in its year-over-year demand of gold jewelry.

According to the World Gold Council, the demand for gold jewelry has grown by 5 percent in America, reaching an estimated value of $986 million, indicating the first U.S. increase in demand for gold since 2005.

The World Gold Council added that current trends are “a further positive sign of recovery in the U.S. economy, coinciding with a correction in the gold price over the course of the quarter.”

So when it comes to selling your gold pieces, now may be the time to capitalize on its easy sale. As for its gold commodity counterpart, talk to a financial advisor to understand if selling is the best move for your portfolio.

SELLING GOLD JEWELRY: 3 TIPS TO GET THE BEST DOLLAR

Gold in your possession such as watches, rings, bracelets, necklaces or earrings can be easily sold. Your jewelry doesn’t have to be current, in good repair, or completely intact – United Coin and Precious Metals, a gold buyer in La Jolla, will accept your baubles in any form.

To get the most for your jewelry, these 3 tips will ensure you get the top dollar for your precious metal.

Know Your Buyer

Be wary of selling your gold online or over the phone with any of the so-called gold buyers. Although many of these gold buyers can be legitimate, your best bet is to deal with someone locally. Some gold buyers have issued as little as $15 for real gold jewelry, and they won’t offer refunds 10 days from the date of check’s cut date, making for a bitter and unwanted deal. Work with an actual place of business instead. United Precious Metals is a certified gold buyer with thousands of satisfied clients and one of the best reputations for buying jewelry in the greater San Diego area.

Know the Value of Your Gold Piece

Despite what many gold buying campaigns tell you, over 98% of gold jewelry purchased finds its way into the melting pot. Knowing this is important in order to have a good understanding of what karat or purity your gold is along with an idea of what it weighs. At United Coin & Precious Metals, we work with you so you have a complete understanding of the value of your jewelry. A simple formula to help you determine the value of your unwanted jewelry would look like: (Spot Price) X ( purity or karat) X (weight in grams).

Know the Price of Gold

It may be a good idea to know the market price of gold before selling your jewelry. That way, disreputable gold buyers will stick out like a sore thumb if they misquote your rate, and you’ll know to take your business elsewhere.

For more information on selling your gold pieces, to get current precious metal pricing, or for more information on jewelry buying in La Jolla, log onto http://unitedcpm.com/ or call 1 (858) 412-6462.

On May 25, for one night only, there will be a special performance at the Timken Museum in Balboa Park — a staged reading of “Cadenza: Mozart’s Last Year,” in honor of the 25th anniversary of Mainly Mozart, the distinguished organization that has been offering fine music to San Diegans since 1988.

“Cadenza” will be presented by Vantage Theatre, a small non-profit company known for collaborative, site-specific projects. Its mainstays are longtime La Jollans —executive director Dori Salois and her husband, playwright/director Robert Salerno.

Dori Salois and Robert Salerno.

Salerno, a retired physician and lifelong lover of Mozart’s music, wrote the original version of the play in 2006, the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth. Thinking about the composer’s untimely death at age 35, he asked himself: What if Mozart could have used his creative genius to transform even his death into something beautiful? And he added a touch of modern physics to his musings.

“I happened to read about a ‘Theory of Everything’ (M-Theory), new theories of time and causality, and the discovery of the 11th dimension,” Salerno said. “And I was astounded to find that the most advanced minds in modern science were sounding more and more like the ancient mystics. I decided to work some of these concepts into my play, along with the boundless beauty of Mozart’s late music.”

So Einstein finds his way into “Cadenza,” alongside characters from Mozart’s real life, and the Queen of the Night and Sarastro, from “The Magic Flute.” It’s an imaginative mix, combining historical details with deathbed fantasies and lots of Mozart’s music — a sort of “Amadeus” meets Steve Martin’s “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.”

The play was originally produced in 2007 as part of a “Days of the Dead” event at Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park. The newly revised version is shorter and sharper, and the partnership with Mainly Mozart and the Timken is a special delight.

“We’ve always been big fans of Mainly Mozart,” said Salois. “When we first moved here from New York 28 years ago, we were asking ourselves: Is there anything here for us, a cultural life? When Mainly Mozart got started, we went: Yes!”

Last year, a chance encounter with someone who had seen the original production sparked a productive meeting with Mainly Mozart’s co-founder Nancy Laturno Bojanic and associate director Tyler Hewes. Both were enthusiastic about presenting the play for their 25th anniversary, and suggested several possible venues, including the Timken. Salois went there first, and loved it.

Rhys Green as Mozart and Leigh Scarritt as the Queen of the Night star in ‘Cadenza: Mozart’s Last Year,’ coming to the Timken Museum May 25.

“The room — their French Gallery — is just perfect for us, and the Timken is wonderful to work with,” she said. “They’ve had concerts there before but never a theatrical event. Though we call this a reading, we’re coming in with almost a full set, lights, sound and eight actors, in costume.”

They’re bringing in some of the cast from the original production — Rhys Green, as Mozart, Steve Oliver as Sarastro, and Skyler Dennon as Mozart’s fellow-Mason and “Magic Flute” producer, Emanuele Schikenader. One of the new additions is Leigh Scarritt, playing both Josepha, an imperious soprano, and the Queen of the Night.

“Staging the play at the Timken, it’s like Mozart meets Mozart. They were made for each other,” the playwright said.

If you go

■ What: ‘Cadenza: Mozart’s Last Year,’ from Vantage Theatre, Champagne reception follows the show

■ When: 7 p.m. May 25

■ Where: Timken Museum of Art, 1500 El Prado in Balboa Park, San Diego

■ Tickets: $10-15

■ Contact: (619) 466-8742

■ Web: mainlymozart.org

Notes from ‘Cadenza’: Was Mozart poisoned?

■ In the 200-plus years since Mozart died, there has been endless speculation on what killed the 35-year-old genius. Some, including Beethoven for a short time, believed that he was poisoned either by a jealous Salieri or by enraged Masons who opposed the public sharing of their secret rituals and traditions.

■ While Mozart’s terminal symptoms of extreme swelling, vomiting, fever, rashes, convulsions, delirium and severe pain can be explained by trichinosis, poisoning, and other causes, the most compelling theory is that the composer succumbed to Schonlein-Henoch purpura, a late complication of Rheumatic fever, a condition from which Mozart is well-known to have suffered since childhood. Thus, the greatest tragedy in music history could have been prevented by a simple shot of penicillin.

■ Rotary Club of La Jolla Sunrise meets, 6:55 a.m. The Shores Hotel, 8110 Camino Del Oro. $20. (619) 992-9449.

■ Pen to Paper writing group meets, noon, Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave. (858) 552-1657.

■ La Jolla Traffic and Transportation Board meets, 4 p.m. La Jolla Rec Center, 615 Prospect St. info@lajollacpa.org

■ Athenaeum Jazz Spring 2013 Series, featuring The Anthony Wilson Seasons Guitar Quartet, 8 p.m. The Auditorium at TSRI, 10640 John Jay Hopkins Drive. $32-37. (858) 454-5872.

Friday, May 24

■ La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club meets, 7:15 a.m. La Jolla Marriott, 4240 La Jolla Village Drive. $20. (858) 395-1222 or LaJollaGTRotary.org

■ Toddler Yoga, for walkers up to age 5 with parent participation encouraged, 10:30 a.m. Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave. (858) 552-1657.

■ Baby & Me Yoga, for babies up to age 1 with parent participation required, 11 a.m. Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave. (858) 552-1657.

■ Kiwanis Club of La Jolla meets, noon, La Jolla Presbyterian Church, 7155 Draper Ave. $15 unless attending as a member’s guest. mmcalister@cgpinc.com

■ Feast for the Senses, three young artists and the opera singing chef perform, Allied Artists Association of San Diego display, reception sponsored by Sunrise La Jolla, 5 p.m. La Jolla Community Center, 6811 La Jolla Blvd. $20-30. RSVP: (858) 459-0831.

■ “Starry Nights at Stella,” a food, drink, and art party presented by Jonny Mars and the Thumbprint Gallery, hosted by artist Jono Shakespeare, 5 p.m. Stella La Jolla, 8008 Girard Ave. info@thumbprintgallerysd.com

Saturday, May 25

■ Seniors Computer Group, 9:30 a.m. Wesley Palms, 2404 Loring St., Pacific Beach. Free for guests, $1 monthly membership. (858) 459-9065.

■ Art Festival, sponsored by the Bird Rock Art Gallery, featuring art demonstrations, community art project and music from Bird Rock musicians, noon, Bird Rock Art Gallery, 5785 La Jolla Blvd. (858) 999-0500 or birdrockarts.com

■ The Encinitas Ballet Academy presents “Sleeping Beauty,” 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sherwood Auditorium at Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 700 Prospect St. $20-25. Use promotional code arts for $5 off. (760) 632-4947, EncinitasBallet.com

Sunday, May 26

■ La Jolla Open Aire Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Girard Avenue at Genter Street. (858) 454-1699.

Monday, May 27

Memorial Day

■ Schools closed and no Parks and Beaches, Inc. meeting

Tuesday, May 28

■ Rotary Club of La Jolla, noon, Cuvier Club, 7776 Eads Ave. Lunch $30. (858) 459-1850.

■ Hatha Chair Yoga, 12:30 p.m. Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave. (858) 552-1657.

■ “Lincoln,” screens, 2 p.m. Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave. (858) 552-1657.

■ La Jolla Shores Permit Review Committee meets, 4 p.m. La Jolla Rec Center, 615 Prospect St. info@lajollacpa.org

■ Pen to Paper writing group 2 meets, additional session, 6 p.m. Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave. $5 suggested donation. (858) 552-1657.

■ Toastmasters of La Jolla meets, 6:30 p.m. La Jolla Firehouse YMCA, 7877 Herschel Ave. Free for guests, $78 six-month membership. president@tmlajolla.org

■ History of Bluegrass, lecture/concert from Virtual Strangers, 7:30 p.m. Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St. $14-19. (858) 454-5872.

Wednesday, May 29

■ Kiwanis Club of Torrey Pines meets, 7:15 a.m. Torrey Pines Christian Church, 8320 Scenic Drive North. First two meetings free, then $15. essheridan@aol.com

■ Ico-Dance classes, expansive, lyrical, energizing, expressive dance classes for adults of all levels, 10:30 a.m. La Jolla YMCA Firehouse, 7877 Herschel Ave. For pricing, contact (760) 594-6045 or icodance@gmail.com

■ Torrey Pines Rotary Club meets, noon, Rock Bottom Brewery, 8980 Villa La Jolla Drive. Lunch about $16. info@torreypinesrotary.org

■ La Jolla Parks and Rec meets, 4 p.m. La Jolla Rec Center, 615 Prospect St. (858) 552-1658.

Thursday, May 30

■ Rotary Club of La Jolla Sunrise meets, 6:55 a.m. The Shores Hotel, 8110 Camino Del Oro. $20. (619) 992-9449.

■ Pen to Paper writing group meets, noon, Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave. (858) 552-1657.

■ Panel discussion, “All the News That’s Fit to Print: Religion, Sexuality and AIDS Coverage in the 1980s,” 7 p.m. UCSD Great Hall at International House, North Torrey Pines Road and Pangea Drive. (858) 534-8849.

Did we miss listing your community event?

■ E-mail information to: ashleym@lajollalight.com

■ The deadline is noon, Friday for publication in the following Thursday edition. Questions? Call Ashley Mackin at (858) 875-5957

Mayor Filner addresses a crowd gathered at Children's Pool earlier this year as the Seal Cam is unveiled. Pat Sherman photos

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner released a list of proposed revisions to his $2.6 billion Fiscal Year 2013- 2014 budget this week, which includes almost $11 million in extra funds from an unanticipated increase in property taxes and new savings from renegotiated rents.

The budget increase includes $50,000 for the Park and Recreation Department to handle operations and monitoring of the Seal Cam at Children’s Pool (Casa) beach, and $620,000 for San Diego Fire Rescue to add a Lifeguard Sergeant, Marine Safety Captain, Lifeguard Scheduling Sergeant and a Lifeguard Advance Academy.

In addition, more than $6 million would be added to the annual infrastructure spending plan, bringing it from $49 million in the proposed budget to more than $55 million in the revised budget.