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Today, we are celebrating Aria Dental Studio's 2nd year anniversary.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank:

* All our loyal patients for their confidence in us & their referrals
* Our hard working and enthusiastic staff Theresa and Maria

* My lovely wife and daughter for their endless support and for putting up with my constant dental talks over breakfast, lunch and dinner, (and in between snacks)

* Our wonderful reps, maintenance crew and suppliers - you know who you are! ;-)

* The hard working and innovative researchers and developers for making dentistry so much FUN and Magical!

Thank you!

Dr Mehio

Labels: anniversary, aria, cake, dental, dentist, party

Most people want straighter teeth. If you would like to improve the look of your smile, we have the solution for you.

Dr.Mehio is a preferred Invisalign provider. What is Invisalign? It is the clear alternative (pun intended) to traditional metal braces. Traditional braces may cause the roots of your teeth become shorter and about half of the wearers of metal braces experience tooth decay.

Why, is this? The reason is that traditional braces can’t be taken out for cleaning or eating, and thus also decrease the accuracy of x-rays. With Invisalign, you receive new removable aligners every 2 weeks, adjusted to fit the changes in your tooth alignment. These aligners are less painful for patients. You can also eat whatever you want, because you can remove your aligners before meals. These aligners are clear, making them virtually invisible. Invisalign may also work more quickly than braces.

Some people are unhappy with their smile, but don’t want to go through the pain and embarrassment of visible metal braces.

Now you can have the straight teeth you always wanted without the inconvenience of braces. If you are interested in Invisalign, please give us a call and we will schedule you a free consultation at your convenience.

Labels: clear braces, invisalign, orthodontics, teeth straightening

Q: Is it necessary to use mouthwash?
A: Mouthwash is beneficial to your oral health.
Q: How so?
A: It can reduce bad breath, periodontal disease, and if it contains fluoride it can even reduce cavities. If you are prone to cavities, you may benefit from using a mouthwash.
Q: Great, so I don’t have to brush or floss anymore?
A: Sorry to get your hopes up, but brushing and flossing remain highly important for your dental health. Mouthwash does not replace brushing and flossing, but together they are like the three musketeers of dental health.
Q: Should I use mouthwash before or after brushing and flossing?
A: It is most advantageous to use mouthwash last, and to not rinse your mouth out with water afterwards. The reason for this is that when you introduce water into your mouth, you are preventing some of the fluoride from coating your teeth. Fluoride in regulated quantities is beneficial for your oral health.
Q: What kind of mouthwash should I use?
A: Whichever brand you prefer, as long as you make sure that the label says that it is alcohol-free. There has been some debate about whether or not mouthwashes containing alcohol can contribute to oral cancer. It would be wise choose a variety that does not contain alcohol. Most new mouthwashes do not contain alcohol. Choosing a mouthwash that contains fluoride is also a good idea.
Q: Thanks for the info!
A: Our pleasure, we are here to help you achieve great oral health and smile confidence! Please comment if you have any questions, or topics you would be interested in reading about on our blog.

Labels: halithosis, holistic dentistry, mouthwash, oral malodor, oralhealth, periodontitis

We have good news for you!

We are very excited for our new addition.
Our favourite new staff member is CEREC! That stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics (CEramic REConstruction). Developed at Zurich University, this CAD/CAM system has been successful in dental studios since 1985. Over 8 million patients have been treated by CEREC. She works like the Ferrari of dental machines, and she’s a real time saver.
Are you too busy for two visits to the dentist? Our new CEREC machine eliminates this need, cutting down your time to one visit.
How is that possible? Well, instead of taking impressions at our office and sending them to the lab, CEREC creates the crown for us in office. No need to take impressions, no temporaries, and no waiting for the lab to send us your restorations. CEREC creates crowns, onlays, inlays, and veneers.

How it works:
We take a 3-D photograph of the tooth being restored, and then this is uploaded to the CEREC computer where the restoration is designed to fit in naturally with your surrounding teeth. This info is then sent to the milling unit, where diamond burs mill the restoration from a ceramic block. The Dentist then uses resin cement to bond the restoration to your tooth.
Not only will your restoration look natural, but milled ceramic is also stronger than ceramic that is layered and pressed by hand in a lab. The materials used are also biocompatible and metal-free. There are no disadvantages for the patient. For the patient the cost is the same, and the time is reduced.
The only downside is the cost that we pay to purchase the machine, as well as the time spent for the Dentist to learn to use the machine. Here at Aria Dental, we strongly believe this is time and money well spent. We appreciate your loyalty, and know that you will appreciate the saved time. One appointment is all it takes!

Labels: cad/cam, ceramic, cerec, crown, inlay, onlay, restoration, veneers

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is surgically anchored into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge in place. The benefit of using implants is that they don't rely on neighboring teeth for support and they are permanent and stable. Implants are a good solution to tooth loss because they look and feel like natural teeth.

Implant material is made from different types of metallic and bone-like ceramic materials that are compatible with body tissue. There are different types of dental implants: the first is placed directly into the jaw bone, like natural tooth roots; the second is used when the jaw structure is limited, therefore, a custom-made metal framework fits directly on the existing bone.

Labels: bridge, dental implants, implant, missing teeth, teeth replacement

Teeth are essential to chewing, speaking and smiling. They can be a good reflection of your personality, age & lifestyle. Missing one or more teeth can compromise our ability to do any of those tasks and may affect our confidence. More importantly, missing teeth may lead to bone loss in the jaw.

Bone needs that constant stimulation from teeth like muscles require stimulation to maintain their volume and strength. Without the tooth to stimulate the jaw, the bone beneath it will begin to shrink (atrophy) in the same manner that muscle underneath a cast gets smaller. Since your facial bone supports the skin and muscles on top of it, losing volume can cause your face to look prematurely aged. The good news is that dental implants offer a solution to stop bone loss.

For any questions or a complimentary consultation, you may contact our Vancouver office at (604)568-8686

Labels: bone, dental, implant, implants, replacement, teeth, vancouver

Botox injections are well known for their facial cosmetic benefits as well as the relief of certain medical conditions such as excessive sweating. Botox works primarily by temporarily decreasing or paralyzing the muscles into which it is injected. Because of the ability to lessen muscle contractions, it is logical to assume that Botox will work for many other medical conditions in which excessive or too strong muscle contractions are the source of pain and dysfunction.

Jaw clenching and bruxism are common conditions that cause facial pain and excessive wear on one's teeth. Typical treatments include nightguard to protect the teeth and medications that attempt to decrease inflammation of the muscle or cause sedation in attempt to limit the strength of the muscle. Neither approach really addresses the source of the problem....excessive muscle activity and spasticity.

Botox would seem to be a very logical approach to the treatment of bruxism. It can be injected precisely into the sorest part of the muscle, weakening the most spastic part of the very large masseter muscle without affecting the ability to chew. Breaking the spasm of a muscle often only requires stopping the origin or focal area of contraction and not the whole muscle. Even with only partial relief of muscle tension, pain is less and less clenching occurs.

This has been precisely my experience with the treatment of clenching and associated TMJ disorders. The key to a successful outcome is to be able to locate by feel the source of muscle spasm. Usually this is possible as the patient knows where the sorest part of the jaw muscle is. Three to five injections are done through the outer skin into the underlying masseter or temporalis muscle. It usually takes about 25 to 30 units per affected side as a starting dose. It may eventually take a higher dose to get a more complete relief but this starting dose should at least get some relief. If no relief is obtained at this dose, this would suggest that a higher dose is unlikely to be effective either. Like all Botox injections, it takes about a week to see its effect, so patients have to be patient.

For a complimentary consultation, email us at: info@ariadental.com, http://www.ariadental.com/contact.php or call 604-568-8686.

Labels: botox, bruxism, clenching, headach, migraine, nightguard