The Importance of the Canine Tooth

In some cultures, the impacted canine is perceived as a charming character in the smile. It draws attention, and is considered a beauty mark.

The clinical reality of the canines is that they are very important when properly positioned in the mouth.  Created with extremely long roots, the canine teeth provide support when the jaw grinds from side to side.  A properly aligned dentition is supported by the canines in the side way movements, so that none of the back teeth or teeth on the opposite sides should come into contact.  This important feature prevents wear facets and fractures to the back teeth.

With the advancement of clear aligner orthodontics, realigning the malpositioned canine can be achieved easily.  This patient spent fifteen months in clear aligner orthodontic to move her impacted canine back into proper position.  The treatment also straightened other misaligned teeth.

The end result is a pleasing smile with all functional guidance and stability established. 

Note only the canines are in contact during grinding movements.

Note only the canines are in contact during grinding movements.

Do You Love Your Smile ?

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Alex Nguyen, DDS is a Saratoga Dentist who practices General Dentistry, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry. For over 20 years the practice has been serving the residents of Santa Clara County and San Francisco Bay Area.

How Well Can Invisalign Move Teeth ?

Invisalign can effectively move teeth to help enhance both functional and esthetic issues.  Cases for Invisalign must be evaluated carefully and selectively to ensure optimum end results.  My two cases below demonstrate the fact that Invisalign can work extremely well.  Note the degree of misalignment of the teeth in the Before views. Case 1 After Invisalign

Case 1 Before Invisalign

Case 2 After Invisalign

Case 2 Before Invisalign

Images of actual patients of Alex Nguyen, DDS are Copyrighted and Digitally Embedded to track Unauthorized Use.

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Alex Nguyen, DDS is a Saratoga Dentist who practices General Dentistry, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry. For over 20 years the practice has been serving the residents of Santa Clara County and San Francisco Bay Area.

A World of Thanks

What better occasion than today to express my most sincere Thank You to the patients whom I have met, befriended, and will continue to care for. May you find Peace in your travels, Love in your family gatherings, and Health in your march into the 2011 Holiday Season !

How Come the Color Could Never Match For Crowns on the Front Teeth?

The two front teeth are the most commonly restored teeth.  They erupt into the mouth at about the age of eight, and being positioned in front of the mouth they often sustain the most damage. Color is not the only parameter required to match the two front teeth with the rest of the teeth in the smile.  Among other factors, we have to also match contour, surface texture, and shade variations of different areas of the teeth.  Matching the front teeth is like sculpting a portrait of what they used to look like. That is the only way they will blend in with the natural dentition. Furthermore, the two front teeth serve as a very important guidance for joint stability and function.  We must approach the front teeth in more than one dimension.

When done correctly,  restorations for the front teeth will disappear into the rest of the smile.  Here is a testimony from a recent case I delivered last week.

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Email dated 9/09/2011

Dear Dr. Alex,

I want to personally thank you for the wonderful job you did on my case. Although it took longer than I anticipated, it was worth the wait and I am very pleased with the end result. You definitely have the knack for how teeth should look and function. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness and professionalism. ...Again, I want to thank you for a job well done.

P.S. you will soon have another positive review on Yelp :)

Sincerely,

K

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Alex Nguyen, DDS is a Saratoga Dentist who practices General Dentistry, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry. For over 20 years the practice has been serving the residents of Santa Clara County and San Francisco Bay Area.