Some of the current facts about dentistry in America today are amusing, amazing, educational and surprising. 

Did you ever wonder the going rate for the Tooth Fairy?  According to Securian Dental Plans, the Tooth Fair is currently paying out $2 per tooth. The American actors with the best teeth are Bratt Pitt and Julia Roberts.  Almost three quarters of Americans would rather go grocery shopping than floss their teeth. 

The past decade has seen a serious decline in the incidences of tooth decay.  Only 40% of young people ages 6 to 19 had ever had cavities, which is down 50 percent from ten years ago.  Despite this fact, over 51 million hours of school are lost annually by children due to dental related illness.  Employed adults lose over 164 million hours of work every year because of dental visits or oral health problems.

While Americans spend over $2 billion annually on oral care items, half of Americans do not get regular dental care.  Consider that 50 percent of Americans consider the smile the first facial feature they notice and that 80 percent of Americans are not totally happy with their smile.  With all the advances made in cosmetic dentistry, more Americans can realize a great smile than ever before.

Perhaps because of its close proximity to Washington, DC—home to politicians, socialites and other much photographed movers and shakers—the State of Virginia can now safely be said to be leading the pack when it comes to great cosmetic dentistry.

You can benefit from the same media-star treatments that famous people enjoy. Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you—and unquestionably, when your teeth show in a photograph, they either make you look better or worse.

Opt for looking better by scheduling a consultation with one of the many leading cosmetic dentists for which Virginia is rapidly becoming famous. Are your teeth looking a little dingy? Over time, the natural aging process and your lifestyle (smoking or drinking coffee, tea, or wine) can stain your teeth.

Professional chair side whitening can restore your smile to its former dazzle. If whitening alone isn't enough, your Virginia cosmetic dentist can provide you with porcelain veneers, crowns, invisible alignment and other cosmetic dental options that will make your smile gleam again!

The greatest new concept in aesthetic treatments is the dental medical spa, informally referred to as a dent-med spa by most people.  Dent-med spas offers cosmetic dental procedures along with medical spa services.  If you want to get your teeth whitened and a Botox treatment done all in the same place on the same day, a dent-med spa makes it possible.

Imagine the convenience and reliability of having cosmetic procedures performed in a dent-med spa.  You can feel reassured that the procedures are all being done under the supervision of a dentist and doctor.  While a visit to the dentist sometimes makes us feel a bit anxious, going to have our smile improved through painless techniques is a pleasurable experience.  Coupled with the possibility of getting facial, skin care treatments or body massage and it becomes a place you really want to visit.  After a day at the dent-med spa, you can have a more attractive smile and glowing skin, taking years off your appearance.

Dent-med spas often offer a calming environment, with lowered lighting, gentle music and the use or aromatherapy.  As soon as you enter the spa, you feel relaxed and ready to be pampered because it's a friendlier environment that a traditional doctor's or dentist's office.  Adding the ambiance of a spa setting makes you feel pampered and comfortable – what could be better?

The dental wand offers painless, computer controlled anesthesia delivery for dental patients who are particularly sensitive to pain.  Because the wand delivers a dosage controlled by a microprocessor as opposed to thumb pressure, a slow, steady injection is delivered that is comfortable for the patient.

The hardware for the device resembles a small computer tower and the hand piece looks a lot like a ballpoint pen.  Because of the shape of the hand piece, it is easier for dentists to have a straight path for a more accurate injection.  The hand piece is clean because it is disposable.

The immediate benefit a patient derives from receiving an injection through the dental wand is painlessness.  After the injection, the patient will notice that their lips, cheeks, tongue and face are not numb for hours.  This is because the dental want allows the dentist or dental technician to hit exactly the right spot and numb only the tooth or teeth being worked on.  Further, the technique is so painless that it is even comfortable for use on the sensitive palate.

If you fear the sting of the injection before dental work, ask your dentist about the dental wand today for a painless, direct numbing method.

Cosmetic dentistry is a lot more than just cosmetic! Though twice-yearly visits to your dentist will keep teeth white and smile bright, they can also keep numerous health problems at bay.  Researchers have determined that poor oral health is associated with heart disease, stroke and reduced immune system efficiency. The condition of the mouth often mirrors the condition of the body as a whole!

Establishing good oral health should begin early. Parents need to instill good oral hygiene health habits in their children and be sure to take them to a cosmetic dentist at least every six months.  In addition to giving kids’ white teeth, dentists can correct oral problems that can lead to chewing or speech difficulties and adversely impact a child’s self-confidence and school performance later on.

Good oral health and treating oral diseases and conditions significantly improve the quality of life.  Brush and floss after every meal to reduce plaque, the sticky white substance that contributes to dental cavities and gum disease. Go easy on black coffee and tea and sodas. And don’t use tobacco—both smoking and chewing can lead to gum disease and lost teeth!

Check out this case study on smile transformations…