Clear Braces

Braces aren’t just for teenagers anymore; people of all ages are turning to braces in order to improve their smiles. These days, adults make up nearly half of orthodontic patients hoping to finally get the perfect smile they've always dreamed about. That’s why Dr. Shital Kazi offers a clear braces option for her San Lorenzo, CA patients.

While traditional braces are the most commonly used to correct alignment and structure, there are other treatment options available. Dr. Kazi offers clear braces for those who are more concerned about aesthetic appearances. These braces are made from ceramic and provide a certain degree of transparency to mimic the color of your natural teeth, this makes them less visible. They are as effective as traditional braces and function the same way.

Braces are typically worn one to three years, but it really depends on each individual case. Patients who have greater pride in their smile will go further to keep up their oral hygiene. Poor oral health, particularly gum disease, has been linked to heart disease, strokes and other heart conditions, so keeping good care of your oral hygiene could improve your overall health.

If you are interested in improving your smile with braces in San Lorenzo, CA, schedule an appointment with Dr. Shital Kazi by calling (510) 276-6040. For more information on other services offered by Dr. Kazi, visit www.lewellingdental.com.

Full/Partial Dentures

If you have missing teeth, you know how it can interfere with your speech and chewing. Having missing teeth can also cause the structure of your face to change. In addition to physical issues caused by missing teeth, it can lead to decreased self-esteem or self-consciousness.

 

At Lewelling Dental Care, we offer solutions for replacing missing teeth including dentures. Conventional dentures involve having the teeth extracted and giving the gums time to heal. After healing takes place, dentures are placed.

 

In addition to conventional dentures, we also offer immediate dentures. This option involves placing the dentures immediately after the teeth are extracted. One benefit of immediate dentures is you don’t have to wait for your dentures to be placed. Dr. Shital Kazi will evaluate your situation and determine if immediate dentures are right for you. If you still have some remaining teeth, which don’t need to be extracted, partial dentures may also be a good option.

 

Dentures may take a little time to get used to. In most cases, dentures are a comfortable option for replacing missing teeth. It’s also important patients take proper care of their dentures. Maintaining good oral hygiene is still essential if you have dentures.

 

Our team here at Lewelling Dental Care is experienced in various areas of dentistry including cosmetic, preventative and restorative services. For more information on dentures or any of our services, please call Lewelling Dental Care at (510) 276-6040. 

Night Guards

Night guards provided here at Lewelling Dental Care help our patients get relief from their jaw pain and headaches, and protect their teeth. Some patients find themselves clenching and grinding their teeth either during the day or, more often, at night while sleeping.  Most patients are not even aware that they even have this problem that is slowly damaging their teeth.  It is more problematic at night because it can happen for hours at a time while sleeping. Teeth clenching and grinding stresses and wears down tooth enamel.  These problems can also cause irritation to the gums. Not only do our patients complain of headaches, and jaw pain, but can also have ear pain frequently because of excessive teeth clenching and grinding.

 

Dr. Shital Kazi offers a solution from our San Lorenzo, CA dental clinic in the form of night guards. Night guards are custom made for the patient, based on impressions taken of their teeth. Every night, the patient is instructed to wear the night guard which protects their teeth if they start clenching or grinding them. It acts as a barrier between the top and bottom teeth, so they can’t grind anymore and their teeth are protected.

 

We also recommend that our patients refrain from alcoholic drinks and caffeine before bed because it can exacerbate the grinding problem. To ask us about night guards for your teeth grinding, contact us today.

Headache Relief through TMJ Care

Anyone that suffers from headaches knows that they are the last thing you want to wake up to in the morning.  A pounding headache as soon as you open your eyes is not only painful, but it makes it difficult to function and start your day.  If your morning migraines are largely focused behind your eyes, near your temples, around your jaw and ears or in the back of your head, your headaches could be a sign of a dental problem.  Although very common, it’s something few headache sufferers think about.

 

Turns out many patients that complain of chronic migraines are actually suffering from TMJ disorder.  TMJ has to do with your jaw function and is often a result of night grinding.  If you think that TMJ could be the cause of your migraine, you should be on the lookout for some of the other common symptoms.  Many of my patients that are suffering from TMJ also have pain when opening and closing their mouth, trouble chewing, find that their jaw can be stuck open or shut, have clicking or popping sounds when opening their mouth, and they grind their teeth while sleeping or during moments of stress.

 

 TMJ can cause severe pain in patients that are suffering from the disorder.  Call 510-276-6040 to schedule an appointment to find out if TMJ is the reason behind your chronic headaches.  Don’t waste time suffering from your migraines.  Let me help you with your night grinding habit and stop your headaches from interrupting your day.

Yours in good smile health,

 

Dr. Shital Kazi, DDS, FAGGD

Sports Mouth Guards

Mouth guards are essential in any type of contact sport regardless of how old you are. Most people believe that mouth guards are just for sports like football and hockey because they’re high contact, but in reality, you should be wearing one during any sport where contact is even a possibility. We provide custom-fit mouth guards to our patient-athletes to help prevent structural damage to their teeth and jaws. Mouth guards also help prevent lacerations to the cheeks, tongue and lips.

 

One of the most beneficial aspects of wearing a mouth guard is that it can greatly decrease the risk of concussions. There’s been a lot of news lately about the large number of concussions in professional and amateur sports. That’s because we’re finally seeing the negative impact concussions have had on these athletes. Mouth guards will not prevent concussions, but they can decrease the chances of sustaining one. The material we use to create our custom-fitted mouth guards is extremely shock absorbent and reduces transmitted forces caused during your athletic event.  

 

But you can get a mouth guard at any sporting goods store, why would you need one from us? Over-the-counter mouth guards, also known as “stock” mouth guards come in very limited sizes and are considered the least protective. There are also “boil and bite” mouth guards that claim to be “custom.” While these mouth guards are “molded” to your mouth, they do not cover the entire area, and often leave the posterior teeth exposed. Both of these over-the-counter options are bulky, uncomfortable and interfere with speaking and breathing.

 

Custom-fitted mouth guards are the only way to fully protect your teeth. If you schedule an appointment with us at Lewelling Dental Care, we will create a custom mouth guard that is specifically designed to protect your mouth. Our goal is to keep your teeth healthy. If you’re an athlete and you’re using an ill-fitting uncomfortable mouth guard or no mouth guard at all, it’s time to consider one. 

Why Invisalign?

At our office in San Lorenzo, CA, we offer Invisalign aligners so that you can straighten your teeth without committing to a mouth full of metal. Using a series of clear plastic aligners Dr. Shital Kazi will guide your teeth into a smile you can be proud of.

While regular braces are still best for more serious cases, Invisalign is great for cases of mild to moderate spacing or crowding. For these cases, Invisalign provides teeth correction that bypasses the discomfort,  and restrictive diet that those who have traditional braces must face.

With a computer program that generates a series of aligners with small changes in each, Invisalign will allow you to straighten your teeth without anyone even knowing. Virtually invisible, the aligners are made of thin, comfortable plastic, and unlike traditional braces, they are removable. Therefore, your teeth will not experience the same discoloration and plaque build-up that can normally occur with metal brackets and wire. In addition, you will be able to eat all the foods you like, such as popcorn, chips, pretzels, nuts, apples, carrots and corn.

If you think Invisalign might be the best option for you to achieve the smile you’ve been dreaming of, call us at (510) 276-6040 to schedule an appointment. For more information, visit www.lewellingdental.com.

Orthodontic Options

Thanks to advances in orthodontic technology, you no longer have to feel embarrassed or self-conscious because you’re wearing braces. While traditional bracket braces are the most commonly used throughout the industry, there are other treatment options available. Our dentist, Dr. Shital Kazi offers you the opportunity to wear clear braces, Invisalign or even traditional braces to align teeth quickly and effectively.

 

Invisalign is considered the most technologically advanced orthodontic option for aligning teeth and is very comparable to Clear Braces. This technology uses a series of invisible, removable and comfortable aligners that gradually straighten teeth. Invisalign is worn a minimum of 22 hours per days, patients will take them out to eat, brush and floss. Not only does Invisalign allow patients to have a great look while straightening their teeth, it also allows for a great smile after. Because the aligners are removable, patients are able to brush and floss just as they would if they had no braces at all.

 

Clear Braces are made from ceramic and provide a certain degree of transparency in order to mimic the color of your natural teeth, this makes them less visible. They are as effective as traditional braces and function the same way. Clear Braces are also designed so that they will not stain or discolor the teeth over the period of their use.

 

Dr. Kazi also offers traditional braces for patients looking to correct bite problems while straightening their teeth. These braces are made of strong metal alloys and are considered the smallest and most comfortable option. While they do take the longest of all the orthodontic options made available by Dr. Kazi, they are the most effective when it comes to aligning teeth and correcting bite problems.

 

Give us a call today if you want to straighten your teeth and have the smile you’ve always wanted!