Do you already have a perfect smile, complete with Hollywood-straight teeth? Don’t assume all is well, according to dentists and orthodontists. That’s because, despite looks, even the straightest-looking teeth can often hide problems that can cause everything from a painfully bad bite to microscopic cracks and chips in the tooth enamel. This means that despite that even-looking grin, you could someday deal with painful repercussions that are costly and painful to fix. Dr. Alexandra George is a Wexford, Pennsylvania, dentist. She says that everyone - no matter how beautiful their smile is – owes it to themselves to get an orthodontic exam. "When we think of orthodontics, we most likely think of straightening out a crooked smile," says George. "It seems like a strictly cosmetic procedure to some, but orthodontics really can do so much more." For example, George says one of the most useful things orthodontics can do has nothing to do with aesthetics. Orthodontics can correct a bad bite, something that can cause everything from difficulty chewing to chips and cracks in the teeth. "If the teeth are hitting or scraping at each other when you chew, or they simply aren’t aligned evenly when your jaw is closed, you could be doing damage to your enamel," George says. Enamel is the semi-translucent outer layer of your teeth. Though it is the hardest substance in the human body, unlike bone it doesn’t grow back when damaged. That's why we need fillings when our enamel is damaged. But an aligned bite is one more way to protect that enamel. Another reason people get orthodontic treatment is for a condition called temporomandibular joint disorder. Temporomandibular joint disorder affects an estimated 10 million Americans, most of whom are women. It occurs when the temporomandibular joint becomes misaligned with the rest of the skull and can cause everything from jaw stiffness to tinnitus and head, neck and back pain. What’s more, according to George, you can have a beautiful smile and still have temporomandibular joint disorder. Thankfully, a category of orthodontics called neuromuscular orthodontics can help treat temporomandibular joint disorder by realigning the jaw to its optimal placement. George is a practitioner of this type of orthodontics and has seen success in her patients who undergo this treatment. Another reason to visit the orthodontist? Sleep apnea. Sleep apnea affects millions of Americans each night - and many of them don’t even realize it’s a problem. While some may wonder what their dentist or orthodontist can do to help with their sleep, George says many dentists and orthodontists can provide sleep orthotics that help prop the airway open as the patient sleeps. If you have never received an orthodontic evaluation, George says it's never too late to get one. As for children, dentists recommend they receive their first orthodontic exam at age 7. "It’s a good age to get a treatment plan in motion if that is necessary," says George. "It not only helps the parents prepare for the expenses related to the treatment, but more importantly the sooner the treatment begins, the better the results."

Picture this: You’re finally getting treatment for your TMJ disorder. You’ve been prescribed neuromuscular orthodontic treatment, but Dr. George has prescribed you not one but two different mouth guards - one to wear during the day, and one to wear at night. Why do you need two different mouth guards? You have the same mouth no matter what time of day it is, right? So what’s the big difference between day and night guards, anyway? Day Guards Day mouth guards are designed to discreetly fit over the teeth without being obvious. With a day guard you can still speak and carry on normal activities while preventing things like bruxism (teeth grinding) and positioning your jaw into place. Day guards also help prevent you from using your teeth for other bad habits like nail biting, because they must be removed to chew anything. Night Guards Night guards are equally as functional as day guards, but with less concern about being discreet. Night guards address a variety of issues such as bruxism, sleep apnea and aligning of the jaw to its optimal position. With time, neuromuscular orthodontics, including your night guard, can adjust the jaw positioning so that you may not need to wear a night guard that is bulky – or you may not need to wear a night guard at all. Do I Really Need Two Mouth Guards? Just as not everyone’s TMJ disorder is the same, not everyone will require the same TMJ disorder treatment. This includes the use of day and/or night guards. You may not want to wear two different night guards around the clock, but for best results, and for the sake of your teeth, if Dr. George prescribes two mouth guards for your treatment, trust her expertise and wear your day and night guards as prescribed. Want to learn more about mouth guards to treat TMJ disorder? Call Dr. George's office at 724-220-2347.

Wine drinkers around the world who enjoy a specific type of sparkling wine may have a new reason to cut back on their favorite bubbly beverage. It seems prosecco, a sparkling wine from Italy that’s been touted as a cheaper alternative to champagne, is causing a lot of oral health problems. The effervescent drink has been rising in popularity globally, but dentists are cautioning that, while delicious, the Italian-made prosecco could be causing damage to drinkers' teeth. Much like champagne (that is only made from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France), prosecco is a sparkling wine made from grapes that can only be grown in Veneto, Italy. But prosecco has the benefit of being just as delicious as champagne and far more affordable – and thus more drinkable. Unfortunately, prosecco does have a pretty big drawback: It has been found to cause serious damage to the teeth. That’s because the fizzy prosecco has a high level of acidity – a pH of a little bit more than three, which is the equivalent of drinking orange juice or soda. But shockingly prosecco has more sugar than soda! Between all that sugar and all that acid, those tiny bubbles are wreaking havoc on teeth, causing something that dentists have dubbed a "prosecco smile." So, what is a prosecco smile? It’s a smile marked by a white line across the teeth caused by damage to the tooth’s enamel. The good news is that a prosecco smile is totally preventable. Yes, there’s always the option of simply not drinking the buoyant beverage, but where’s the fun in that? If, like an increasing number of consumers, you must have your prosecco, there are a few steps you can take to make sure your teeth are protected from those bad little bubbles. Limit Your Intake No, you don’t have to give up prosecco - or any other drink - as long as it is drunk in moderation. But because of the acid and bubbles in prosecco, it’s a wise idea to limit what you drink in one sitting. Rinse, Repeat As you drink, alternate sips of prosecco with water. This will help rinse off the teeth as you drink and keep weakened enamel to a minimum. Hold Off on Brushing When you drink prosecco (or any other acidic beverage, for that matter), you weaken the tooth enamel, making the teeth softer and more vulnerable to damage. To keep enamel damage to a minimum, do not brush teeth immediately after drinking prosecco. Wait at least 30 minutes so the enamel has a chance to re-harden before you pull out your brush Enjoy Don’t let potential damage ruin a great glass of wine. Just put these tips into practice and enjoy! To schedule an appointment with Dr. George, please call 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

Women are requesting teeth fit for a princess. Beauty trends come and go, but at least one of them isn’t going anywhere anytime soon: the quest for whiter, brighter teeth and a healthy, beautiful smile. Each year, Americans spend billions of dollars on elective cosmetic dentistry procedures – everything from teeth whitening to braces to porcelain veneers. But while whitening is among the most common and affordable cosmetic procedure, sometimes it's not enough to simply whiten the teeth. Some patients want a little something more to create a healthy beautiful smile like their favorite celebrity. Media outlets are reporting that right now the biggest trend in cosmetic dentistry is, not surprisingly, new princess Meghan Markle’s stunning smile. The American actress-turned-royalty has women around the globe rushing to their dentist’s office to capture that signature glow for themselves. So, what’s so great about that "Markle Sparkle" that everyone wants their own version of it? Trend spotters and dentists agree, it's not just the natural whiteness of Markle’s smile, but the spacing, tooth size and even her tooth-to-lip and -gum ratio that makes her smile so beautiful. But Markle isn’t the first or only celebrity to spark an oral-health trend. Julia Roberts’ iconic smile is still a popular request, as is Gabrielle Union, and even Markle’s own sister-in-law, fashion icon Kate Middleton. So, what can you do if you want some of that signature Markle Sparkle for yourself? Whitening: A professional whitening treatment from Dr. George may be all your smile needs to capture that "fit for a princess" glow. These in-office treatments can reduce stains and discoloration by several shades, giving you that celebrity gleam you deserve. Veneers: Veneers are a great way to correct cosmetic issues with the teeth. Thin layers of porcelain are custom fit to each tooth, improving shape, size and color. Veneers can hide chips, cracks and discoloration and create a gorgeous grin in about two weeks. Orthodontics: Orthodontics changes the positioning and alignment of the teeth. It can also improve the tooth-to-cheek and tooth-to-gum ratio, widening the jaw to create your very own megawatt smile just like the one celebrities such as Markle and Roberts are famous for. As for Markle, we have a feeling she’ll be an inspiration for more than just her smile for years to come. Between a Hollywood career, dazzling teeth and a fairytale love story, what’s not to smile about? To get that Markle Sparkle for your own teeth, call Dr. George’s office at 724-220-2347.

We all want sparkly, beautiful teeth. But how far would you go to get them? If you’re a celebrity like Kim Kardashian or money is simply no object, you may opt for the newest wave of those once-popular tooth "grills."

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!

Are your teeth discolored, chipped or showing uneven wear? Are you tired of hiding your smile, or wishing there were some way to correct these issues without resorting to dentures or dental implants? Well, if this sounds like you, there’s an option you may not have considered: veneers. Veneers are thin sheets of porcelain that are custom fit over the teeth to correct their shape, color and overall appearance. To see if you are a good candidate for veneers, schedule a consultation with Dr. George. If you’d like to know more about how veneers are attached to your teeth, keep reading.