Ben and Gary Show Episodes

Ben and Gary Show Episode 80

 

Welcoming you back to Smiles International

Thank you for entrusting Smiles International with your dental health care needs. We want to take this opportunity to make you aware of the precautions our office is taking to ensure the safety of our patients and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Your D.C. & McLean Dentists for Patient-First Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry.

Dr. Gary Kaihara, Dr. Benjamin Watkins, and Dr. Dan Pinto of Smiles International are committed to earning your trust. Caring for you drives our patient-first approach to dentistry in D.C. and McLean. Our facilities and our approach to each procedure are designed for you and your family’s lifetime of dental health, including general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, restorative dentistry and prosthetic tooth replacement with implant teeth, dentures, partials and dental bridges. Our cosmetic dental care renovates your smile with solutions for chipped teeth, crooked teeth and discolored teeth, including...

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Ben and Gary Show Episode 79

 

Can You Make My Crown Match My Teeth?

Answering this question is our guest Rick Bishop, a Certified Dental Technician Specializing in Dental Ceramics.

"It's a big advantage to have the lab in the office. I can go see the patient to do more than just pick a simple shade. I look at all aspects of the patient's natural teeth which in turn makes the final crown match that tooth. This personalized service that this office provides is key to the crowns success. Whether it's one tooth or many.

Working as a team and the great relationship that the lab and the Drs have, makes it possible for us to meet the patients expectations.

 

 

 

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Ben and Gary Show - Episode 24

 

Help, My Teeth Are Moving!

Do my teeth move? Absolutely, they can move anytime in any direction.

With orthodontics, we control how they move. Here are some reasons why they move on their own:

  • Function force and wear and tear as we age
  • Greater function force when some teeth are lost 
  • Bite misalignment - an aligned bite supports proper tooth position. 

Here are some of the consequences:

  • Teeth tend to move forward as we age
  • Front teeth become crowded, get thinner, chip more easily, become jagged
  • Bite becomes even more misaligned, allowing tooth movement
  • Loss of teeth and vulnerability to decay

Here are the remedies:

  • Monitor teeth and act before problems get serious
  • Orthodontics to stabilize teeth to function better
  • Crowns, bridges, bonding to repair function and appearance

In our practice, we like to be proactive, advising patients to take care of issues before they require aggressive remedies.

 

 

(Video treadmill image attribution -...

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Ben and Gary Show - Episode 13

 

Help! My Teeth Don't Show When I Smile Anymore

 A 71 year old woman from Seattle told the docs that her formerly lovely smile didn't show her teeth anymore. She asked them what she should discuss with her dentist.

Without pictures, here are  causes of a tired looking older smile

  • Her teeth might be shorter due to wear
  • Her front teeth may have chips and craze lines from force
  • Her back teeth may have fractures
  • The yellow color of tooth sub structure may show due to thinning enamel
  • Her face muscles may be relaxed causing her lips to cover her teeth

The docs advise that she discuss the following with her dentist

  • Complete assessment of her bone, bite and tooth structure
  • Veneers and crowns - how many depends on how many teeth show in her smile
  • Referral to restorative specialists

 See you on the next episode. Send us your questions!

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Ben and Gary Show - Episode 11

 

Can My Teeth Be Too White? 

Everyone desires a whiter smile, but is there a such thing as "too white?"  In this video, Doctors Ben & Gary not only answer this FAQ but dive right into the discussion of the different methods to whitening your teeth. 

Whitening Methods:
  • In-Office Bleaching
  • Home Bleaching
  • Restorative Dentistry (Crowns/Veneers)

The Doctors elaborate on how achieving that much sought after "Hollywood Smile" is more than just having whiter teeth but more so having natural looking teeth.

Too White Teeth Make Your Smile Look Fake

Drs. Ben and Gary place emphasis on the common goal here at Smiles International. They suggest that your newly restored smile should compliment the patient in such a way that people think their teeth have been untouched - rather than warranting responses like "Hey, your veneers look great!"

The Doctors consistently aim to produce brilliant restorations that...

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Ben and Gary Show - Episode 5

 

Broken and Cracked Teeth

In this episode, the doctors discuss the diagnosis and repair of cracked and broken teeth.

What Is The Difference Between A Cracked Or Broken Tooth?

A cracked tooth is where a tooth has incompletely splintered but no part of the tooth has yet broken off. Cracks may not be visible.

A broken tooth is where a portion of the tooth has chipped off.

How Are Cracked And Broken Teeth Evaluated?

There are several steps in the evaluation of cracked and broken teeth -

  • Asking how it occurred
  • Asking what are symptoms 
  • Removing the damaged portion to assess
  • Visual inspection 
  • Imaging studies in 3D if necessary
  • Consult if nerve damage is suspected
How Is The Crack or Broken Tooth Damage Repaired?

The restoration of cracked or broken teeth depends on the extent of the damage -

  • Filling
  • Partial crown (Onlay)
  • Crown
  • Root canal if nerve damage occurred, then crown

Th doctors always try to save the damaged tooth. If the crack or fracture damage goes below...

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