Cosmetic dentistry information for everyone.

Why didn’t my dentist tell me about the Maryland Bridge? I discovered this myself while searching on the Internet.

Ken in Grand Forks, MN

Dear Ken,

In most cases a Maryland Bridge won’t work for a missing tooth. Further, some dentists really don’t know how to do them, and there can be technical problems, because they are not as strong or reliable compared to a conventional dental bridge.

In my opinion, the dentist should provide you with all of the options for a missing tooth: either a conventional dental bridge or a dental implant is the way to go. And in some cases, a removable partial denture may be another option. In some unique situations, an Encore Bridge or Maryland Bridge would be an option.

Learn more about procedures used for missing teeth here.

Dr. Hurley,

I’ve been searching for a good dentist to straighten my crooked tooth.  My tooth next to my right front tooth is crooked and pushed back.  I know there are a couple options, braces or possibly Invisalign, but I’m not sure which I would be a good candidate for.  Are there any other options? Should I just have the tooth pulled?

Leslie from Sedona, AZ 

Leslie,

Most of the time Invisalign will work for adults who have crooked teeth, but another option is to have porcelain veneers placed on your teeth. If you want to straighten your tooth right away, then porcelain veneers is the best and quickest approach.

Some dentists my offer extracting that tooth as an option, but I don’t advise you to do this. This will cause you to have an uneven number of front teeth, which will not improve your smile. Your front teeth include a combination of different shapes, and you have some options to making them look straight. But one thing you want to make sure of is that your smile remains symmetrical by keeping all six teeth.

Learn more about the methods for straightening teeth, and see patient photos of these procedures on my website.

New Jersey Monthly Magazine recently listed Dr. Allyson Hurley among their illustrious list of “NJ Top Dentists of 2009“. This list is compiled through a survey of New Jersey dentists, and so inclusion is truly an honor, as it is a nod of respect from her peers.

This blog will include news and information from Dr. Hurley about cosmetic dentistry and general dentistry.