Spring. It’s a time of renewal and hope. The snow melts, the flowers bloom and the summer birds return to their nests. We humans celebrate by swapping our dark, heavy coats for pastels and jackets, and if we’re really motivated, we deep clean the house. But why should our homes get all the love? What about our smiles? That’s right – spring is the perfect time to spring clean our smiles, too. Here are some great ways to make your smile beautiful this spring! Try Something New With the recent introduction of toothpaste tablets, designer flavored dental flosses and toothpastes, and xylitol gum, now is the perfect time to try a new oral health product to add some excitement to your care routine. Get (a) CleaningThe fastest and easiest way to get a spring-clean mouth is to schedule your regular oral health exam and cleaning. There’s no better feeling than a truly clean mouth with two rows of sparkly-clean teeth, to boot. Your exam is also your opportunity to diagnose any oral health issues and "clean house" in your mouth. Show Your Colors With winter darks being packed away and spring brights coming back out of hibernation, why not pick a few colors that will help make your smile bright? Blue or blue undertones help neutralize yellow and make your teeth look whiter. That goes for shirts, decorative scarves and, yes, even lipstick. Tackle Your Issues Suffering from jaw pain or temporomandibular joint disorder? Spring is the perfect time to get in control of your oral health and begin treating these ailments before the official kickoff of vacation season this summer. Imagine enjoying your favorite foods again this summer instead of missing out another season due to the pain. Start a Construction Program Spring is the perfect time to begin your full-mouth reconstruction journey. Tax refunds are here, the holidays are over, and the kids are finishing up with school. Now is the time to focus on yourself and make the improvements to your health and appearance you’ve been putting off while helping everybody else. Carve out a little you time and speak to Dr. George about getting new dental implants, partials, bridges, bonding or veneers and spring forward to a more beautiful smile. To schedule an oral health spring cleaning, give Dr. George’s office a call at 724-220-2347.

A recent article on the lifestyle blog Refinery29 featured a young woman who delayed her impending nuptials to undergo an extensive (and expensive) smile makeover. But the woman didn’t do it just for fun - she did it to look better in her wedding photos. The makeover ultimately cost the young bride $25,000 and stretched her engagement out to two and a half years, following the completion of the full-mouth reconstruction she underwent. So, what does a $25,000 full-mouth reconstruction include exactly? In the case of the story’s author, it included braces, dental implants, teeth whitening and a temporary bridge. With the average wedding now costing $25,714, this young bride spent enough on her teeth to get married twice! "I think the full-mouth reconstruction is absolutely a better investment," says Dr. Alexandra George, a cosmetic dentist from Wexford, Pennsylvania. That’s because, according to George, investing in your smile is investing in something that not only lasts, but also gives you confidence and makes you look and feel better. And with the average marriage only lasting 15 to 18 years, a beautiful smile may just last longer. "For patients with dental implants or orthodontics like the bride in the story, those should last a long time." According to George, orthodontic treatment should last a lifetime if well maintained. The average dental implant can last an average of 15 years, but with excellent maintenance can last much longer. So, what’s empowering this new generation of brides to take the appearance of their smile so seriously all of a sudden. Believe it or not, it may be something a lot less serious (and maybe more fun) than you think. "Brides are turning to social media for inspiration and getting motivated to perfect their appearances by seeing selfies of other brides and celebrities," George says. But why social media? After all, television and magazines have been around for ages, and both are known to showcase swarms of celebrities with perfectly aligned business-card-white teeth. George, for her part, thinks it could be due to a few things. First, the lack of airbrushing creates a sense of realness when looking at others’ photos. Second, these are "real" people with really great smiles "So it gives you that feeling of ‘I can have this too'," says George. And don’t underestimate those trendy filters, either. "Sometimes seeing a photo of yourself through a filter can show you what your potential is," George says. "If you see how good your own smile could look with some adjustments, that could be enough to encourage someone to finally take action." https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/11/217081/bride-teeth-whitening-wedding-smile

Augmented reality. It’s one of those futuristic, high-tech-sounding terms we’ve all heard once or twice but have no idea what it really means. Well, augmented reality is a little bit like virtual reality, except it changes what is already there - in other words, it allows you to see a projected image of something over an already existing thing or image. This fascinating technology is already being used in everything from video games to car repair and civil engineering – and it soon may have a new use: at your dentist’s office! You read that right - augmented reality could be coming soon to a dental clinic near you. Here’s why. Imagine you are preparing to invest in something you’ve wanted for a long time: a healthy, beautiful smile. But in order to do so, you need to invest in a full-mouth reconstruction – a deluxe smile makeover, if you will. The problem is, for the amount you’re investing, how can you be sure you’ll get the results you want? That’s where augmented reality (or AR) steps in. A new startup in Switzerland is developing software that uses augmented reality to superimpose an image of a made-over smile onto the faces of patients seeking to undergo cosmetic dentistry procedures, and it could change the whole industry. "Being able to show patients what kind of results they can expect will be a game changer," says Dr. Alexandra George of Wexford, Pennsylvania. "For some patients it's hard to imagine what that might look like." George performs everything from teeth whitening to full-mouth reconstruction in her Pennsylvania practice. She says the new software will be a useful tool for dentists. "The software doesn’t just superimpose an image – you can actually adjust that image," says George. "So if the patient doesn’t like what they see, they can make changes." And that’s very good news for both patients and dentists. "We want patients to be satisfied with their smile," George says. "If they’re able to get a better idea of what they can expect, that will eliminate any surprises in the end. And if they see something they don’t like, it empowers the dentist to be able to correct the treatment plan before the treatment even begins." That can save valuable time, money and frustration. "Bottom line, it’s your smile, and it's your money," George says. "We want you to be satisfied with our work, and if this software can create realistic expectations of what your final outcome looks like, everyone wins."

Surviving a cancer diagnosis and completing a successful chemotherapy treatment is cause for celebration. But after the celebration ends and life begins to return to its new normal, many chemotherapy patients are left feeling - and looking - very different than they used to.

Whether you have just completed your full-mouth reconstruction or are still in the middle of the process, the final outcome will be well worth the investment. But what will you do to celebrate once your treatment is complete? Here are some fun suggestions!

This month, as you’re celebrating all things love, don’t forget to treat your mouth to some extra TLC, too. One of the hardest-working parts of your body, your mouth does a lot for you - doesn’t it deserve some love, too?

Having crooked teeth can make even the most confident person insecure about his or her smile. In fact, a recent study found that 81 percent of American adults are insecure about their smile - and about 28 percent of them won’t even smile in pictures! But poor self-esteem isn’t the only problem caused by crooked teeth. Believe it or not, having a bad bite can contribute to many other ailments you may have never considered.

With Black Friday sales practically a national holiday and entire television shows dedicated to using coupons and getting good deals on everything from flea market finds to vintage vehicles, you could say saving money is a big deal. But in life there are just some things you should never scrimp on – even if that means you pay a little more up front. As the old adage goes, you get what you pay for – and in the case of these five purchases, you definitely want to pay for something good.

We all have someone like this in our life - that person who seems to have everything and need nothing. They may be a great person, but when it comes time to buy them a holiday gift, it can be a little frustrating. As the age-old question goes: What do you get for the person who has everything? How about the gift of good health - good oral health, that is! This holiday gifting season, check out these luxury oral health care products that even the person who has everything probably doesn’t have (yet).

Full-mouth reconstruction: it’s a mouthful, all right. Not only is it a lot to say, but it can also be a long, multi-stage procedure. The good news is, the benefits certainly outweigh the time and expense you invest into it. That’s because in addition to improving your smile, full-mouth reconstruction can improve a lot of other areas too. If you think full-mouth reconstruction is purely cosmetic, think again. Here are some significant ways that full-mouth reconstruction can improve your life.

When many people here the term "full mouth reconstruction," it causes some confusion. Full mouth reconstruction sure sounds serious, and even painful - but believe it or not, it's not as scary as it sounds. If you’ve ever wondered what exactly full mouth reconstruction means and how it can help you, keep reading!What exactly is full mouth reconstruction, anyway?Full mouth reconstruction is the process of completely correcting your smile through a variety of different medical procedures. Full mouth reconstruction isn’t merely a functional and health-related restoration, but a cosmetic restoration, too.Full mouth reconstruction comprises a combination of different procedures, all designed to restore health, beauty and functionality to your teeth. Each procedure and its duration varies by individual, but all procedures are customized to help you look your best.What procedures are considered part of full mouth reconstruction?Full mouth reconstruction can entail a combination of many different procedures. Common procedures may include:• Orthodontics• Dental implants• Veneers• Bonding• Crowns• Bridges• Neuromuscular dentistryTo begin full mouth reconstruction, Dr. George will first look at the condition of the teeth. If they are healthy, no further work on the teeth themselves may be required. However, if they are not, they may require fillings, crowns, root canals or even tooth extraction. Once the teeth are healthy, the next stage of reconstruction can begin.If teeth have been removed, time is of the essence in getting them replaced. This can help prevent or reduce bone loss and periodontitis, and it can even help keep your bite in place and increase the odds of your implant successfully taking to your jaw. If an implant is not an option, bridges may be a suitable plan B.Once the teeth are healthy, the next step may be to address the alignment of the bite. This not only improves the look of your smile, but will also improve the health of your teeth. That’s because when your teeth are in proper alignment, they will wear more evenly and be less likely to chip or break. They will also be less likely to cause bruxism (teeth grinding) or temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). If TMD is already present, neuromuscular dentistry may be used to correct the bite and address any issues with the jaw or bite. This can be done with custom orthotics, orthodontics or both.Once any TMD or bite issues are corrected, any damage to the teeth can be repaired. This may include veneers or bonding. Veneers can change not just the color of the teeth, but also the shape and size. Bonding is similar to veneers in that they both address the appearance of the teeth, but the procedure and how the materials adhere to the teeth are different. With veneers, a thin sheet of porcelain is attached to the tooth. Some of the tooth is cut away to make room for the veneer, and then the veneer is attached to the outward-facing portion of the tooth. The benefits of veneers include that they are durable and don’t stain, so you can change the color of your teeth without worry that it will darken or stain over time.Bonding is more like a filling. It covers just a portion of the teeth, and it does not last as long as a veneer. It can also stain, but unlike a veneer, bonding does not require custom shaping and can be done in one visit. If no veneers or bonding are required, whitening treatment may also be an effective option.BenefitsIn addition to improving the appearance of your teeth and smile, full mouth reconstruction can also improve your bite and ease tension in the jaw, neck, back and head. It can also eliminate bruxism as well as the signs of past bruxism. And finally, full mouth restoration can improve something money can’t buy – your self-confidence.To learn more about how full mouth restoration can restore your healthy, beautiful smile, give Dr. George’s office a call at 724-934-3422 and schedule an appointment today.

 As we age, it’s normal to experience many changes to our face and bodies that, let's be honest, aren’t too desirable. We slow down physically, our hair turns gray, and as our skin loses collagen, it becomes thinner and less elastic. Thankfully there are many options out there to help stave off the ravages of time for as long as possible. Staying physically fit can help keep us active long into our senior years, and a relaxing trip to the day spa can rejuvenate our spirits while it corrects our hair color. We can even eat a low-sugar diet, wear lotion with an SPF or get cosmetic treatments like Botox or fillers to help maintain a youthful glow. But sometimes these preventative measures just aren’t enough.