Mansfield TX Dentists: What Your Smile Says about You

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Recognizing the value that smiles have in social situations, your Mansfield TX dentists, Dr. Blair Jones and Dr. Seth Harris, strive to take good care of their patients’ smiles. As a tool of social interaction, a smile can communicate quite a lot. It can exude welcome, flirtation, joy, humor, submission, or even aggression. But did you know that your smile may give an indication as to your longevity and the success of your marriage? Many researchers study smiles, and some of their newest findings have revealed a correlation between the type of smile worn most frequently by people and longevity and divorce rates.

Researchers generally divide smiles into two broad categories known as Duchenne and non-Duchenne smiles. These categories are named after a French neurologist named Duchenne de Boulogne, who made the first forays into the scientific study of smiles. Distinguishing between the two smile types is simple. One must simply take into consideration the muscles used to produce the smile as well as the intent behind the smile. A Duchenne smile is an expression of joy, and the muscles surrounding the eyes are involved in producing one. A non-Duchenne smile is a smile of appeasement, and it does not involve the muscles around the eyes. You can probably guess, then, that the Duchenne smile has been associated with lower divorce rates and greater longevity. (more…)

filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry

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The Importance of Oral Cancer Screenings

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Cancer of all types can be extremely lethal. However, it is usually less so if it is caught in its early stages. Therefore, oral cancer screenings can be extremely beneficial and even life-saving. During every checkup, your Mansfield TX dentists, Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris, perform visual oral cancer screenings, looking for any lumps, rough spots, or sores that may be indicative of oral cancer. In addition, they will listen to any concerns you may have about your oral health, so be sure to tell Dr. Jones or Dr. Harris if you have been experiencing any unexplained changes in your oral health or is you have difficulty swallowing, a chronic sore throat, or numbness in your mouth, face, or neck as each of these symptoms may be indicative of oral cancer. (more…)

filed under: General Dentistry, Oral Cancer

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Repair Your Tooth with a Dental Crown

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How Teeth Become Damaged

Although our teeth are very strong, a variety of factors can weaken them to the point that they are unable to function properly. When teeth become this feeble, your Mansfield TX dentists, Dr. Blair Jones and Dr. Seth Harris, are likely to recommend a dental crown, a hollow, tooth-shaped restoration that fits over the damaged tooth and provides the strength necessary to restore its function. However, before teeth require dental crowns, you can intervene in several ways to prevent them from weakening. (more…)

filed under: Dental Crowns, Restorative Dentistry

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How a Dental Mouthguard Protects Your Teeth

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Oftentimes, people who grind their teeth are unaware that they do so. Because bruxism sufferers tend to grind their teeth during sleep, they are often unaware of the dental damage occuring. Teeth grinding weakens teeth by forcing them to slide against one another, eventually robbing them of enamel and putting them at risk of breaking. Bruxism also strains the jaw, which may lead to headaches, facial pain, jaw pain, migraines and earaches, all symptoms of a TMJ disorder. With so much potential damage, your Mansfield TX dentists, Dr. Blair Jones and Dr. Seth Harris, make it a priority to examine their patients’ teeth for any signs of bruxism during dental cleanings. Should they find these signs, they may recommend a dental mouthguard to prevent teeth from suffering any further damage as a result of bruxism. (more…)

filed under: Bruxism, Dental Mouthguards

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Can Teeth Grinding Result in Tooth Decay?

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It would seem that the real danger of teeth grinding is that it wears teeth down. With teeth wearing down, the risk for structural damage such as cracking or breaking increases. In fact, as your Mansfield TX dentists, Dr. Blair Jones and Dr. Seth Harris, note, it is not uncommon for untreated teeth grinding to result in the need for multiple dental crowns as tooth after tooth succumbs to the nightly wear of bruxism and breaks. But what if structural damage was not the full extent of bruxism’s threat? What if bruxism also were to increase the likelihood of tooth decay? Unfortunately, bruxism does increase the risk of tooth decay, which is why it is important to keep an eye out for any signs that may point toward this very damaging habit. (more…)

filed under: Bruxism, TMD

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What Jaw Pain Can Reveal about Your Oral Health

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If your jaw is frequently sore, the recurrences of pain may be frustrating to you. However, in many cases, jaw pain is only a symptom of a larger problem. According to your Mansfield TX dentists, Dr. Blair Jones and Dr. Seth Harris, bruxism (teeth grinding), while damaging to teeth, also frequently results in a sore jaw. Therefore, if you frequently experience soreness in your jaw, the culprit could be a teeth grinding habit that you have been unaware of until now. (more…)

filed under: Patient Education, Preventive Dentistry

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Are Porcelain Veneers Right for You?

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Depending upon what you want out of your smile transformation, one of several cosmetic treatments may be right for you. However, if you are looking to completely alter your smile fast, your Mansfield TX dentists, Dr. Blair Jones and Dr. Seth Harris, may suggest porcelain veneers. Thin, translucent shells of porcelain, veneers will transform any smile simply by attaching to the front surfaces of teeth. Thus, veneers may improve gaps, misalignment, damage, and even staining. In addition, porcelain veneers have achieved remarkable levels of realism, meaning that your new smile will look both natural and beautiful. (more…)

filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, Porcelain Veneers

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Mansfield TX Dentists Brighten Smiles with Teeth Whitening Treatment

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How often do you show off your teeth? If you have discolored and stained teeth, you probably go to great lengths to avoid smiling. Unfortunately, refusing to smile will affect your outlook over a prolonged period of time, accentuating negative feelings and muting positive ones, which simply isn’t right. You deserve to have a smile that can light up room, one that will elevate your mood. Thus, your Mansfield TX dentists, Dr. Blair Jones and Dr. Seth Harris, offer two teeth whitening treatments that can erase stains and brighten teeth multiple shades. (more…)

filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, Teeth whitening

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Mansfield TX Dentists Discuss Gum Disease Prevention

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The Threat of Gum Disease

How familiar are you with the consequences that can result from gum disease? Did you know, for instance, that gum disease increases the risk of heart disease? The link between these two diseases is growing clearer, with scientists discovering that the same bacteria are present in both diseases. However, the risks associated with gum disease do not end with heart disease. People who have gum disease are also more likely to develop diabetes and certain types of cancer, and these problems are only the ones that occur beyond the scope of the mouth.

According to your Mansfield TX dentists, Dr. Blair Jones and Dr. Seth Harris, within the mouth, gum disease can create lingering bad breath, bleeding gums, and even tooth loss. Gum disease also has no definitive cure, but can only be treated to prevent the disease from progressing. Prevention, therefore, is very important to your oral health. (more…)

filed under: General Dentistry, Gum Disease

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Mansfield TX Dentists Examine Tooth Decay and Dental Fillings

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Tooth decay is a serious matter. If untreated, a tooth can be severely damaged and even die as a result of the decay. Before that unhappy conclusion, however, a dental filling can be placed to repair the tooth and prevent further decay. Your Mansfield TX dentists, Dr. Blair Jones and Dr. Seth Harris, utilize the latest technology to offer their patients metal-free fillings. Made of a composite resin material that is tooth-colored, these white fillings are great for patients with mercury sensitivities, as traditional amalgam fillings contain small amounts of mercury and white fillings do not. White fillings also offer superior cosmetic results, blending in rather than standing out, yet they are still very strong, enabling them to protect teeth from harm. (more…)

filed under: Dental Fillings, Patient Education

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