There's no need to live with a damaged smile when dental bonding, a common cosmetic dentistry treatment, can improve your appearance. With the help of our Williston, VT, dentists, Dr. Gabriel Mannarino and Dr. Holly Halliday, bonding can restore your smile.

What is dental bonding?

During dental bonding, flexible composite resin is added to your teeth to repair or reshape them. One of the most impressive features of composite resin is its ability to bond to tooth enamel. Although it's soft and flexible when it's applied in our Williston office, exposing it to a curing light hardens it and ensures that it's as strong and durable as your tooth enamel. Composite resin is tinted to match the most common tooth shades, making it an excellent choice for many types of dental repairs.

How is bonding used?

Bonding is used to treat a variety of issues that affect the appearance of teeth, including:

• Cracks and Chips: Although chips and surface cracks may not affect the health of your teeth, they can make you feel self-conscious when you smile. Filling in a chip with composite resin or using it to cover a crack offers an excellent way to repair damage and boost your self-esteem.
• Breaks: Bonding can be used to restore broken parts of teeth. If you happen to have the broken section of your tooth, it may even be possible to reattach it.
• Worn Teeth: Wear and tear eventually takes a toll on teeth, eroding the enamel and changing the length. If your teeth have become shorter due to wear and tear or grinding and clenching, bonding will help restore your normal tooth length.
• Changes in Color: A blow to your tooth or an antibiotic taken during childhood can permanently change the color of a tooth. Adding a little composite resin is a simple way to conceal discolorations.
• Imperfections: In addition to repairing damage to teeth, bonding can also be used to hide flaws in teeth or change the shape. Adding a little composite resin can make your twisted tooth look straight or can smooth out uneven surfaces.

Could your smile benefit from dental bonding? If you're interested in this cosmetic dentistry treatment, call our Williston, VT, dentists, Dr. Mannarino and Dr. Halliday, at (802) 878-0600 to schedule an appointment.

A dentist can treat more than just teeth, but the gums that hold them in place too. Uneven or excessive gums are caused by genetics, poor oral hygiene and uneven tooth wear. With the help of Dr. Gabriel Mannarino and Dr. Holly Halliday, and cosmetic dentistry procedures in Williston, VT, your smile can be restored with ease.

Gum Treatment Options

For many they are born with large gums or forceful brushing has pushed their gums back in spots. No matter the cause of the uneven or excessive gums, a trip to see Dr. Mannarino is the first step to restoring your smile. Your visit starts with a dental examination and cleaning. Our staff wants to ensure that there aren't any underlying dental issues that need to be taken care of or is causing this gum appearance. After that, we will evaluate your teeth and gums to determine the cause for the unevenness.

Depending on the cause and the severity of the situation, he will choose from a variety of treatment options including:

Gingivoplasty: This is a surgical procedure that reshapes the gum tissue to look more even. This procedure is best for those with normal amount of gums, but whose are uneven or slightly misshapen.

Gingivectomy: This procedure removes excess gum tissue. This Williston cosmetic dentistry option is best for patients with excessive gum tissue that needs to be trimmed down or even removed.

Veneers: If the gums appear enlarged because of the size of the teeth, we may opt for veneers. These thin coverings are placed over the front of the teeth to change their size, color and even shape.

For individuals unhappy with their excessive or uneven gums, schedule an appointment with Dr. Gabriel Mannarino and Dr. Holly Halliday at Williston Dental today by calling (802) 878-0600. Cosmetic dentistry procedures in Williston, VT can make your smile look as beautiful as it once was all over again.

Dental stains on your teeth often form slowly over time until, one day, you realize your smile has become dull and drab compared to what it once was. Luckily, your dentist can help you get rid of your teeth’s stains and enjoy your smile once again. Learn more about professional teeth whitening treatments with Dr. Gabriel Mannarino and Dr. Holly Halliday at Williston Dental in Williston, VT.

Does professional teeth whitening work? 
Professional teeth whitening has proven to provide immediate and dramatic results in just a single appointment, lightening the color of your teeth up to ten shades. At-home whitening kits also provide moderate results, but not as quickly or dramatic as with professional teeth whitening. At-home kits require weeks or months of continued use whereas professional sessions require a single, hour-long procedure.

What can I expect at a professional teeth whitening appointment? 
Your dentist begins your session with separating your teeth from your oral tissues using a dental dam. This will ensure that your gums and other tissues are not irritated by the whitening gel. With the mouth prepared, your dentist will apply the whitening gel to your teeth. This gel will remain on your teeth during your whitening session. Depending on the whitening system your dentist uses, they may direct a special light at your teeth to help in the whitening process. You will be left with the whitening gel on your teeth for about an hour, after which your dentist will clean off the gel to conclude your appointment.

Professional Teeth Whitening in Williston, VT
Some patients experience minor sensitivity after their whitening session. If you have a history of tooth sensitivity, be sure to alert your dentist so they can adjust the strength of the treatment accordingly. A good candidate for teeth whitening should have healthy teeth and gums, free of decay and gum disease. Additionally, good candidates have realistic expectations for the results of their whitening treatments and understand that they are not permanent. Most patients return for touch-up appointments every six months to one year.

For more information on professional teeth whitening, please contact Dr. Gabriel Mannarino and Dr. Holly Halliday at Williston Dental in Williston, VT. Call (802) 878-0600 to schedule your appointment with your dentist today!

Don’t let gum disease affect the health and appearance of your smile. We can help!

According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, gum disease is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults. This may be startling to hear but before you panic, it’s important to know that gum disease can be managed effectively with the help of our Williston, VT dental team Dr. Gabriel Mannarino and Dr. Holly Halliday. Find out the most common treatment options when it comes to helping alleviate your gum disease symptoms.

There are a variety of both surgical and nonsurgical options to help treat your gum disease. The type of treatment our Williston periodontist chooses will depend on your general health, how advanced your gum disease is and how well you’ve responded to other earlier interventions.

Here are some of the nonsurgical treatment options for gum disease:

A professional cleaning: These six-month checkups are vitally important because it gives our dentists a chance to remove plaque and tartar buildup and keep teeth looking and feeling their best. If tartar is found above and even below the gumline this can lead to gum disease and will need to be removed. However, the only way to remove tartar is through a professional dental cleaning. While these cleanings aren’t designed to actually treat those with active gum disease it will be highly recommended that you come in more regularly for these cleanings if you are showing some symptoms of gum disease.

Scaling and root planing: This is the most common and effective way to treat gum disease without the need for surgery. This procedure can be performed under local anesthesia. During this treatment, we will remove plaque and tartar from above and below the gum line, and even smooth down certain rough areas of the tooth roots. By smoothing out the tooth roots we can prevent an increased buildup of harmful bacteria.

In cases where gum disease is more advanced, the only real option may be to get surgery. Common gum disease surgeries include:

Flap surgery: While under local anesthesia, our Williston periodontist will make a small incision in the gums and lift the flap so that they can remove tartar buildup. In some cases, rough spots in the bone may be smoothed down to prevent overgrowth of bacteria. When complete, the gums are pulled taut around the tooth and stitched back up.

Bone or soft tissue grafts: These grafting procedures may be necessary if gum disease has become so serious that it has caused the gums to recede or has caused bone loss. Through these grafting procedures, we can facilitate the regrowth of bone and tissue, making both the jawbone and gums stronger and healthier.

If you have questions about how to treat your gum disease in Williston, VT, then don’t waste any time. Call Williston Dental Team today to schedule your periodontal consultation.

What your dentists in Williston, Vermont, want you to know

Dental implants are an investment in your smile and your life, and you deserve to get the most out of your investment. Dental implants are the best long-term solution to tooth loss and if you care for them properly, they can last a lifetime. So how do you take care of your new dental implants? Your dentists at Williston Dental Team in Williston, VT, want to share some facts about how to keep your dental implants looking and feeling great.

Dental implants look just like natural teeth and are secured by bone just like natural teeth, so you can clean them just like natural teeth. In fact good dental hygiene habits are a critical piece of making your dental implants last as long as possible.

Your dentists at Williston Dental Team want you to follow these simple steps when caring for your dental implants:

• Brush after meals and before bedtime, using a soft-bristled toothbrush; sonic toothbrushes are excellent because they help to flush food debris and bacteria away from your implants.
• Floss every day with a piece of floss or floss picks; if you have an implant-supported dental bridge, use floss threaders or loops to floss underneath the bridge.
• Use fluoride or antimicrobial rinses to strengthen your teeth and control oral bacteria around your implant.
• Don’t forget to visit your dentists at Williston every 6 months for professional cleanings and at least once each year for an exam including x-rays. Your dentists will examine your implant and supporting bone and soft tissue to look for infection and other signs of deteriorating health of your implant.

Fortunately, dental implants are very successful. However, they can still fail from lifestyle or medical issues. If you smoke, have diabetes, or periodontal disease, you are at greater risk for implant failure. Be sure and tell your dentists if you have these conditions.

Caring for your dental implants is just like caring for your natural teeth. You deserve to have a naturally-beautiful smile and now you can, thanks to dental implants. To learn more about caring for your dental implants, call your dentists at Williston Dental Team in Williston. Call today!