Schedule Appointment
(469) 507-3939
Schedule Appointment

Admin

by
old couple smiling

When it comes to replacing missing teeth, you’ve got options. Restorative dentistry can include dentures, partials, bridges, crowns and dental implants. Dental implants, however, are widely regarded as the gold standard choice. What makes implant dentistry so superior compared to other prosthetic teeth options? At The Smile Lounge, we love helping patients understand the valued advantages of choosing dental implants. Although they may require a bigger sacrifice in upfront cost and recovery, dental implants can mimic your natural teeth better than any other restorative dentistry option.

The Dental Implant Difference

Dental implants work differently than traditional dentures or bridges. They are the only restorative option that replaces both the tooth and the tooth root. Implants involve small titanium screws that are surgically inserted into the jaw bone. Over time, the biocompatible implant fuses to the surrounding bone so that it can make a firm foundation for a crown, bridge or denture that will be attached on top. This unique ability to anchor prosthetic teeth into the jaw bone is what brings so many long-term benefits for the patients who choose implant dentistry.

The Next Best Thing to Your Real Teeth

If you are replacing missing teeth, you’ll need your prosthetic solution to not only look like your natural teeth but feel and function like them too. Dental implants check all the boxes in terms of comfort, stability and appearance. In fact, you can expect the following when choosing dental implants as your teeth replacement solution:

Comfort: With prosthetic teeth that are custom fabricated and anchored into your jaw, you can expect the comfort and fit of natural teeth!

Convenience: Dental implants do not require any special or additional maintenance and cleaning. Routine brushing, flossing and dental visits should keep them in top condition.

Dietary Freedom: Unlike removable dentures, dental implants allow patients to eat the hard-to-chew foods they enjoy and those that are nutritious for their bodies, such as meats, nuts and fibrous vegetables and fruit.

Facial Appearance: Dental implants are the only way to prevent bone loss that occurs in the jaw after missing teeth. In doing so, implants also preserve the shape and appearance of your lower face so that you don’t experience premature facial aging due to atrophy in the jaw.

Ready to learn more about dental implants? Are you a candidate for dental implants? Call The Smile Lounge today to find out. We love restoring smiles with the best that modern dentistry has to offer!

Posted on Behalf of The Smile Lounge

by
man smiling

There’s good reason why your dentist may ask you to reveal your current medication list. Not only does your dentist need to have an accurate picture of your overall health, but many medications can have side effects that impact your teeth and gums. Here are some top oral health concerns that may be caused by your daily medications:

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth, also called xerostomia, is very often caused by medications. In fact, there are over 400 different medications, including antihistamines, decongestants and high blood pressure pills that can lead to a chronically dry mouth. Not only does dry mouth make it difficult to swallow and speak, but your dental health may be in danger too. We need adequate saliva production to ward off tooth decay, bad breath and gum disease. Saliva rinses away bacteria and food debris after you eat as well as neutralizes harmful acids inside your mouths.

Bleeding Gums

It is not uncommon for physicians to prescribe anti-coagulants to help prevent stroke and heart attack. Unfortunately, these medications can prevent the blood from clotting in other areas of your body – including your gum tissues. If you are on an anti-coagulant, make sure you tell your dentist, as they need to be prepared for bleeding gums during cleanings as well as take extra precautions to control bleeding if you are scheduled to have a more invasive dental procedure.

Oral Thrush

Whether it is antibiotics or corticosteroids, there are medications that may be necessary for you to take but may also suppress the immune system. When it comes to your oral health, this can result in an overgrowth of yeast. The white lesions that may develop on your inner checks, tongue or gums are caused from a condition called “oral thrush.” Oral thrush needs prompt treatment but can be remedied by an antifungal prescription that restores proper balance to your mouth.

At The Smile Lounge, we are keenly aware of the connection between your mouth and body. In doing so, we recognize the impact that many medications can have on your oral health. Please keep us informed about any new medications or supplements you may be taking so that we can protect your smile best.

Posted on Behalf of The Smile Lounge

by
video bg min

We can hardly believe it – it’s been on full year since The Smile Lounge began passionately treating patients of the Grand Prairie and Fort Worth communities. This is a milestone worth celebrating with the ones that have supported our growing dental family.

On Saturday September 4th, The Smile Lounge is hosting a First Year Anniversary Celebration. The event will take place at our 3050 W Camp Wisdom Road office from 10am to 2pm. We invite you to join us for food, music, giveaways and lots of fun!

If you are new to our office, you’ll enjoy getting to know our friendly dental team members and experiencing the comfortable atmosphere of our modern office. The Smile Lounge is a state-of-the-art dental practice that offers a full menu of general, restorative and cosmetic dental treatments for patients of all ages. We welcome the opportunity to tell you more about how we can care for you and your family. Pampering your smile is what we do best!

The Smile Lounge is a proud member of the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce, and we look forward to hosting this event for the dedicated community we serve. Please find a more detailed First Year Celebration Invitation on Facebook and let us know if you plan to attend. We hope to see you on September 4th!

Posted on behalf of The Smile Lounge

by
Adobestock 204272201

All babies have white teeth erupt inside their mouths par any debilitating factor that occurred while they were in the womb. The teeth are naturally white. It is only over time that they begin to dull and discolor. Because the teeth are naturally white, it goes to reason that there are outside factors that contribute to tooth discoloration and that there are things you can do to enhance your smile’s natural whiteness.

Professional teeth whitening treatments are the most popular cosmetic dental procedures done each year in the United States. Billions of dollars are spent by people trying to get the whitest smile possible. Yet, there are a few simple things you can do every day to boost your smile’s whiteness and begin to reverse the discoloration that has set in.

  • Avoid All Soft Drinks – Soft drinks provide no benefits whatsoever other than enjoyment to your tastebuds. Soft drinks are laden with sugar. The average 8-ounce soda contains over 80% of your recommended daily intake of sugar. The high amount of sugar and the rate at which most Americans drink soft drinks is a substantial contributing factor to why obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease have been on the rise in the past few decades. Soft drinks also contain stain-causing colors and chemicals that lead to discoloration of your teeth. When a high sugar intake compromises the health of the teeth, the teeth will easily absorb added coloring within soft drinks and decrease your smile’s beauty.
  • Limit acidic foods and beverages — Acid is notorious for eating away at anything it encounters. Soft drinks, juice, all forms of alcohol, and citrus fruits are highly acidic. Acidic foods and drinks will weaken the tooth enamel, leaving it vulnerable to discoloration and decay. By limiting your consumption of acidic foods and beverages, you can enhance your smile’s natural whiteness.
  • Floss and brush daily – Flossing your teeth is the most important thing you can do for your oral health. Floss removes dental plaque from between the teeth and the gum line, preventing tooth decay and gum disease. Brushing twice a day helps clean the surfaces of the teeth and buff away remaining dental plaque.
  • Rinse Your Mouth After Eating & Drinking – After you eat or drink anything other than water, take 30 seconds to rinse your mouth with water. This rinsing will help wash away staining residue left behind before it starts staining your teeth.

Contact The Smile Lounge to learn more!

Posted on behalf of The Smile Lounge

by
Close Up Of Biracial Man Show White Healthy Teeth

Soft drinks have been around for about 100 years. They taste good, they provide a refreshing way to quench your thirst, and they pair really well with pizza, hamburgers, and popcorn. However, as delicious as they taste, they can be linked to numerous health problems such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Did you know that soft drinks can wreak havoc on your smile, too?

Soda, coke, pop, soft drinks – however you say it, they are all highly acidic and sugary beverages. Every time you take a sip of a soft drink, the oral bacteria inside your mouth feed on the sugars. As bacteria “feed,” they create acids. Combined with the acidic content that soft drinks already contain, you essentially give your mouth an acid bath with every drink. The acids in soft drinks can linger on your teeth for around 20 minutes. With repeated sips and frequent indulgence in soft drinks, the tooth enamel becomes weakened and leads to cavities and tooth decay.

Well, what about diet sodas? They can’t be as bad since they don’t contain sugar, right? Wrong. Even though diet soft drinks do not contain sugar, they still contain multiple acids and low pH values. The risk of dental erosion and tooth decay remain just as high by drinking diet sodas as it does by drinking regular soft drinks.

Prevent Damage with One Single Beverage

The best way to prevent damage to your teeth and smile is to stop drinking soft drinks and other sugary beverages and replace them with water. Water is the most abundant resource on planet Earth. It contains no harmful ingredients, no calories, and it provides benefits to your entire body. It is recommended that people drink their weight in ounces of water every day. Therefore, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should make it your goal to drink 150 ounces of water each day.

If you do choose to indulge in a sugary beverage, you need to make a habit of rinsing your mouth with water after you finish drinking. Rinsing with water will help wash away much of the sugary particles and acids that remain on your teeth.

At The Smile Lounge, we want to partner with you in your oral health. Making water your beverage of choice will benefit your smile, weight, skin, and overall health. Contact us today to learn more.

Posted on Behalf of The Smile Lounge

by
smiling girl

For the past three decades, we have all heard the dangers that tobacco poses to our health. Lung cancer rates soared when tobacco use was at its highest, and rates dropped drastically when doctors began warning people of the dangers of tobacco. While all of the medically-based knowledge is proven, there are still millions of people who choose to smoke. Those people are literally choosing an unhealthy option and taking the risk. However, another product is now on the rise that poses threats to the younger generation’s health: vaping.

Vaping is the process of inhaling vapor from an electronic cigarette or vaporizer (commonly known as a vape pen). Vape pens are becoming increasingly popular among teens and young adults, and they are promoted as a “safe alternative” to smoking. The adverse consequences that vaping is causing on oral health in young people are anything but “safe.”

Vaporizing liquids contain ingredients such as propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. These two ingredients along are very damaging to the tooth enamel, gum tissues, and saliva production. Not only do damaged teeth and gums ruin a person’s smile, but it is crucial for you to understand that the health of the mouth is a direct correlation to the health of the entire body. Diabetes, heart disease, miscarriage, and low-birth-weight babies have all been linked to poor oral health. Making wise decisions regarding the health of the mouth is vital for a healthy life.

The most unfortunate aspect of vaping is how specifically it is targeted toward young people. Vaping companies have started adding flavoring products to the vaping liquids to entice young people to pick up the bad habit. Over 80% of youth who use vaping devices credit the appealing taste as the primary reason for use.

Parents need to be aware that vaping liquids contain nicotine. Nicotine is a highly addictive and dangerous drug. One electronic cartridge of vaping liquid contains the same amount of nicotine as up to three packs of cigarettes.

Dentists across the United States are trying to bring awareness of the dangers of vaping to light. At The Smile Lounge, we want to discourage everyone from starting this bad habit. You only get one smile, don’t ruin it.

Contact our practice to learn more.

Posted on Behalf of The Smile Lounge 

by
woman showing teeth

If you are an allergy sufferer, then you know that allergy season can be miserable for many reasons. While plants, trees, and flowers may be beautiful as they bloom out and cover the world in color, they also release pollen into the air that can make your allergies overwhelming. As beautiful as spring is, for allergy sufferers, it is often best enjoyed from inside.

The most miserable symptoms of allergy season include nasal congestion, postnasal drip, sneezing, a sore throat, and itchy, watery eyes. Many people would tell you that suffering from allergies is worse than having the flu because it can last for weeks or even months at a time.

Combating allergies is rough stuff, we know. To further compound the misery of allergy seasons, there is a specific way that allergies can take their toll on your oral health. Dry mouth, a condition in which the salivary glands do not produce enough saliva to keep the mouth moist, affects many allergy sufferers. More than just uncomfortable, dry mouth is caused by breathing in and out through your mouth and can lead to severe oral health complications.

As strange as it sounds, saliva is one of the most important components of oral health. Not only is a moist mouth comfortable, but it also helps to protect your mouth against tooth decay, gum disease, and mouth infections. You see, inside every human mouth, millions of oral bacteria thrive off of the food particles left behind after you eat. Saliva helps to rinse these particles and the damaging bacteria away so that they do not remain inside your mouth and adhere to your teeth.

If you suffer from allergies, pay attention to the symptoms of dry mouth:

  • A dry, sticky feeling inside your mouth
  • Frequent thirst
  • A dry throat
  • Hoarseness
  • Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
  • Sore throat
  • Dry, raw tongue
  • Cracked lips

Most allergy medications contain antihistamines to help dry up the excess mucus being created by your irritated sinuses. As helpful as these medicines are, they can produce dry mouth as a side effect. It is imperative that you drink at least eight 8-oz glasses of water per day to keep your mouth and entire body well hydrated.

Contact The Smile Lounge if dry mouth is bothering you. We will help protect your smile.

by
Toothache, Medicine, Health Care Concept, Teeth Problem, Young Man Suffering From Tooth Pain, Caries

A Broken Molar is a Dental Emergency

When it comes to eating, your molars do a lot of work. The back teeth were specifically designed with rough surfaces to help break down foods to make them easily swallowed and digested. Yet, with so much usage, the molars are susceptible to cracking and breaking.

The molars absorb most of the force when you chew. Chewing hard types of foods like pretzels, hard candies, and ice can lead to a crack in the tooth enamel. Grinding and clenching the teeth can also crack the molars. In these instances, you may not know precisely when it happens because a crack in a tooth is not always painful. However, if a crack leads to a broken tooth, there will typically be intense pain and sensitivity while eating or drinking hot or cold foods or putting any pressure on the tooth.

A broken molar will not heal on its own. You need to seek immediate care from your dentist as a broken tooth is a dental emergency. If a broken tooth is not treated quickly, not only will you suffer from extreme pain, but your tooth will be vulnerable to decay. Bacteria are present inside the mouth by the millions, and if they reach the inner layers of a tooth, they can cause irreversible damage. It is also an incredibly serious condition because damage to one tooth leaves the neighboring teeth susceptible to decay and damage.

If you experience a sudden, sharp pain or an injury to a tooth that results in a break, take these steps:

  1. If any piece of the tooth breaks off, find it and place it in a small cup with milk or your own saliva.
  2. Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area of the affected tooth.
  3. Call your dentist right away!
  4. Place a cold compress on the outside of your mouth to help reduce swelling.
  5. If you are in extreme pain, take an over-the-counter pain reliever to help control your pain.
  6. Don’t panic.

These simple steps can help save your smile. Knowing what to do in an emergency before an emergency happens can help you deal with the problem with greater confidence.

At The Smile Lounge, we are dedicated to providing the best dental care services to all our patients. If you experience a broken molar, cracked tooth, or any other oral damage, please contact our practice immediately!

Posted on Behalf of The Smile Lounge

by
Cosmetic Dentist

Cosmetic Dentists help enhance or improve the appearance of the teeth, gums, or jaw. When patients are not happy with their smile, or those who have chipped, cracked, or misshapen teeth, cosmetic dentistry can help give you that perfect smile. Cosmetic dentistry focuses on the overall appearance of a patient’s smile including the color, position, shape, and size of the teeth. Understanding what a cosmetic dentist can do will help you decide what type of dentist you may need.

Cosmetic dentistry offers many services to enhance your smile. We offer a detailed consultation process that allows our team to examine your teeth and mouth to determine the recommended treatment. We also take the time to let the patient explain their concerns, and what they like or dislike about their smile. Our team is there every step of the way to help guide our patients, and choose a treatment that works best for them.

What Cosmetic Services Are Available?

  • Smile Makeovers
  • Facial Rejuvenation
  • Teeth Whitening
  • Invisalign
  • Gum Contouring
  • Dental Crowns
  • Porcelain Veneers
  • Dental Bonding
  • Dental Implants

Cosmetic dentistry can help brighten your smile, straighten your teeth, and make your teeth look more uniform and natural. If you have damage or an injury, you do not need to live with these issues. Cosmetic dentistry can help fix these imperfections. Missing teeth can be corrected, and you can enjoy a beautiful smile without anyone knowing you had missing teeth. Leaving missing teeth in your mouth can lead to bone loss or other complications, so it is important to address your issues as soon as possible.

Looking to Take That Next Step?

Taking that first step to call our office is all you have to do to get on the road to a beautiful smile you can be proud to show off. Creating beautiful smiles is what we do, and our team is here to provide the very best care available. Using the latest technology we can transform your teeth into a bright white smile.

If you are unhappy with your smile, or are interested in finding out what procedures are available, contact our office, and our staff will be happy to set up your consultation.

by
Dental Crowns

A dental crown is a type of dental restoration that places a cap over a tooth or dental implant. Crowns help keep the underlying tooth from breaking apart, and can be used to help fix an area on a tooth that is broken. There are different types of crowns available to patients, and depending on the severity of the tooth will determine which type of crown is best. Crowns are typically made of hard materials such as porcelain or ceramic, but can also be made of gold, resin, or stainless steel. They can be made to match the color, size, and shape of your natural teeth and blend in nicely.

Pros of Dental Crowns

Dental crowns improve your appearance, and can help correct any cosmetic issues in the mouth. There are many benefits to dental crowns, and crowns are commonly used today.

  • Crowns are used to replace large or worn out fillings in the teeth
  • Restore dental implants
  • Restore cracked, injured, or damaged teeth
  • Correct discoloration or alignment
  • Reshape your teeth
  • Keep cracked or damaged teeth from breaking down further
  • Protect the underlying tooth after a root canal
  • Crowns are durable and last for years

Cons of Dental Crowns

With any dental procedure there are always some disadvantages patients should consider. In some cases, crowns may need to be repaired or replaced. This is not common but does happen occasionally. During a crown procedure the tooth has to be filed down to ensure the crown can be securely placed. If a crown is not fitted properly there is risk that it can fall out, or allow bacteria to enter underneath the crown. Patients may become more sensitive to hot or cold after their crown is placed. Our office typically recommends a sensitive toothpaste to help with this issue.

If patients ever have an issue with a crown we encourage them to contact our office right away. Leaving a damaged crown untreated can lead to further issues or complications. Overall, crowns are extremely helpful in preserving teeth, and give patients a beautiful natural white smile. The benefits of crowns definitely outweigh the risks.

Interested in Finding Out More?

If you are interested in finding out more about dental crowns, or if you have a damaged or discolored tooth, a dental crown may be the right solution. Our team is available to help you take the next step towards that perfect smile.

To schedule your consultation with our team contact our office, and our friendly staff will be happy to assist you!

Want to schedule an appointment?

Schedule Appointment
LEARN MORE

Contact

3050 W Camp Wisdom Rd #140
Grand Prairie, TX 75052

(469) 507-3939

[email protected]

Footer Logo
Facebook-f Instagram Yelp Youtube

All Rights Reserved.