Welcome to my Ann Arbor cosmetic dental blog. Today’s topic is energy drinks and the damage they can cause to your teeth. I am seeing more and more Ann Arbor teens and adults with tooth enamel erosion caused by frequent consumption of sport drinks.

Most of these Ann Arbor general dentistry patients take good care of their teeth, brush and flush, and come into Gary Sasaki DDS, MS for a twice-yearly exam and deep cleaning. But guess what? If you drink energy drinks regularly, your enamel can erode even if you practice immaculate oral hygiene.

Energy drinks like Red Bull, Rock Star, and Monster are a cocktail of powerful acids and other enamel-eroding substances. Most of them contain citric acid, fruit juices, loads of sugar, and a potent chemical that gives them their bright fluorescent color.

Perhaps, like myself, you have often noticed young people walking out of Ann Arbor convenience stores swigging 32-ounce energy drinks. I am concerned that area teens do not understand the serious dental consequences of frequent acid baths.

The following is from ABC Sports:

“Sports drinks are increasingly damaging the teeth of professional and recreational athletes, one of Australia’s top sports dentists has warned. Dr. Brett Dorney says he has witnessed a huge increase in dental erosion since the Sidney Olympics, when he was the event’s deputy director of dental services.”

Here is an excerpt from a recent CNN Story:

“Researchers at the University of Iowa’s College of Dentistry found the energy drinks and sports drinks eroded the enamel more than soda and fruit juices.”

I need to add the caveat that soda and fruit juices also contain acids that can damage teeth.

If your teeth have enamel erosion, whatever the cause, we can restore your smile with advanced cosmetic dentistry in Ann Arbor. Crowns, porcelain veneers, inlays and onlays can correct both structural and cosmetic problems.

Our phone number is 734-482-7466. Whether you are interested in re-designing your smile or full-mouth rehabilitation, come in for an exam and consultation. With cutting-edge cosmetic dentistry, we can repair acid-damaged teeth and dramatically increase your face value.

It’s no secret that most Ann Arbor people dread going to the dentist. Everyone knows it and despite your best efforts, even your area dentist knows it. But when you start visiting your dentist for the latest cosmetic dental treatments, you may find that you LOVE going to the dentist!

Dentists in the Ann Arbor areas have so many procedures and advanced materials at their disposal to make your smile as beautiful as it can be. Dental crowns, porcelain veneers, implants, teeth whitening, bonding, inlays and onlays are some of the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures in and around Ann Arbor.

Many Ann Arbor residents are surprised to find that most of these procedures are more convenient than they supposed and more affordable than they expected.

I’m Dr. Gary Sasaki, a cosmetic dentist in Ann Arbor, and I want to help you love your dental visits and love your smile. I’ve practiced dentistry since 1971, and I find it especially rewarding when area residents find renewed confidence after a smile makeover.

At my Ann Arbor practice we offer porcelain veneers, dental crowns and bridges, dental implants, drill-less dentistry and full mouth rehabilitation. If you have any questions, the comfortable, friendly, professional and relaxing staff here at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS would be happy to answer them and schedule an appointment to see what cosmetic dentistry procedures would be right for you.

Dr. Gary Sasaki
Gary Sasaki DDS, MS
734-482-7466
http://midentalspa.com/about_drs.htm

The most difficult part of attaining perfection is finding something to do for an encore. -Author Unknown

We are perfectionists at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS where we create perfect smiles for our Ann Arbor cosmetic dentistry and smile makeover patients.

Here are some of the cosmetic dental procedures we use in smile makeovers at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS in Ann Arbor.

Implant Dentistry
Dental implants are the ultimate tooth restoration available in Ann Arbor, or anywhere else, for that matter. A tooth implant consists of a metal post that is inserted into your jawbone. The post replaces the root of the missing tooth.

After a few months, it meshes with your jawbone to provide the strength and integrity of a natural tooth. A base and natural-looking crown is permanently attached to the post. For most Ypsilanti patients with missing teeth, it is the preferred restoration. Implants can also be used to attach dentures and partial dentures for no-slip implant/denture combos.

Crowns
A mainstay of Ann Arbor cosmetic dentistry, dental crowns are more beautiful than ever. New fabrication technologies and materials have improved the aesthetics and strength of this restorative option.

Veneers
Porcelain veneers are a more conservative treatment than a full crown. This is a good choice for Ann Arbor patients whose teeth are structurally sound but have unsightly flaws such as discoloration, chips, cracks, or imperfect shape. Are you one of the many Ann Arbor teens or adults with dark tetracycline stains? Call us today at 734-482-7466 to say goodbye to tetracycline stains!

Inlays/Onlays
Inlays and onlays (indirect fillings) are designed and fabricated using dental CAD/CAM software. These fillings are strong, attractive, and precisely fitted to the cavity.

Tooth Whitening
Teeth bleaching is the crowning touch for a perfect smile. (It’s the only thing you need if you are a fortunate Ann Arbor man or woman with perfectly-shaped and aligned teeth.) No one has to live with dull or stained teeth. Call us today for a teeth whitening consultation at our Ann Arbor office.

However, there are some folks who avoid smiling at all costs. Are you one of those people who cover their mouth when they laugh? Do you keep your mouth closed when someone takes a picture of you? Have you been hiding unsightly teeth for years?

It’s time to take care of those tooth problems and get a new lease on life.

Dr. Gary Sasaki at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS in Ypsilanti can make it happen!

If you are missing one or more teeth, and live in the Ypsilanti area, talk to us about dental implants. A dental implant is a permanent tooth replacement that includes both root and dental crown. Because it is anchored into the jawbone, it looks and feels like a natural tooth.

Are your teeth yellow or gray? Have teeth whitening done at our Ypsilanti dental practice and experience an instant transformation.

Many of your Ypsilanti friends and neighbors have benefited from porcelain veneers. They correct several types of imperfections and can be applied in just one visit to our Ypsilanti cosmetic dental office.

Dr. Gary Sasaki 
Gary Sasaki DDS, MS
http://www.midentalspa.com/

Composite Veneers
The application of porcelain veneers at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS can remedy a multitude of aesthetic dental problems and is often a better cosmetic dental solution for candidates in Ann Arbor than dental bonding. Veneers can correct tooth chips, tooth cracks, minor tooth misalignment, tooth discoloration, unattractive tooth shape, and disproportionate tooth size. Can a porcelain veneer create a perfect tooth? While a veneer cannot fix a decayed tooth, it can turn an unsightly tooth into an aesthetically perfect tooth.

Tooth Bleaching
Ann Arbor tooth whitening is a non-invasive cosmetic dental treatment that dramatically improves a smile. However, some tooth whitening dentists will guarantee fantastic results for any patient that desires a whiter smile. At Gary Sasaki DDS, MS in Ann Arbor we only recommend tooth bleaching for clients that are good candidates for the process. If you have all-natural teeth that are dull or stained, tooth whitening will brighten your smile. If you have several dental crowns in the front of your mouth, or gums that have receded, conventional tooth-whitening may not improve your smile.

Call 734-482-7466 to schedule a tooth-whitening consultation.

Tooth-Colored Fillings
If you have a mouth full of metal fillings, you may be interested in tooth-colored fillings. To get an idea of how the inside of your mouth would look without metal, have someone without any fillings open their mouth. Do you remember when your mouth looked like that? Would you like to bring your smile back to its pre-filling appearance? It is possible with tooth-colored fillings at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS.

These are just a few of the cosmetic dental solutions that create perfect smiles for our Ann Arbor clients. You can see a complete list of our services at http://www.midentalspa.com.

Mouth sores, clenching and grinding, gum disease, and poor oral hygiene can all be exacerbated by stress.

Ann Arbor people who have difficulty managing stress need to realize that it can increase the risk of getting mouth sores such as cankers and cold sores. Most canker sores only last 7-10 days, but for relief from the irritation, we recommend our patients pick up an over-the-counter topical anesthetic at any local Ann Arbor drug store.

Clenching and grinding the teeth is common for stressed-out Ann Arbor residents, and often it’s done unconsciously. Here at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS our comfortable, friendly, professional and relaxing staff can determine if a night guard or other dental appliance is appropriate to reduce grinding.

Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is exacerbated by stress because stress can result in an increase in dental plaque.

And Ann Arbor cosmetic dental patients may find that when they are under stress it is more common to neglect their oral hygiene habits. Many people in the Ann Arbor area find that they eat more sugary snacks when they’re under stress.

If you’re concerned about the effect stress can have on your teeth, schedule an appointment at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS today. We treat patients from age 40 to 80 and we offer cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, porcelain veneers, dental crowns and more. We hope to hear from you soon!

Dr. Gary Sasaki
Gary Sasaki DDS, MS
1900 Packard Rd
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48197
734-482-7466
http://midentalspa.com/about_drs.htm

If you have visited the dental section of your local Ypsilanti grocery store or Walmart lately, you know what I am talking about. There are brushes with bristles of varying lengths, brushes that massage your gums, and brushes that change color when they are used up. (If I had to rate them purely on their fun factor, I would choose the Spiderman brush.)

Some toothbrush manufacturers claim their brushes freshen your breath or remove stains from your teeth when used with teeth whitening toothpaste. How do you choose?

One key factor is the firmness of the bristles. Hard bristles may be more effective for cleaning burnt steak off a grill or hard water deposits off a shower floor. However, this does not hold true for your teeth. Medium and firm brushes can damage your gums. Soft and extra-soft bristles are plenty stiff enough to clean plague, food particles, and surface stains from your teeth. Soft bristles also offer more flexibility for hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.

After having dental work (like the full mouth rehabilitation available at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS) or oral surgery in Ypsilanti, especially anything involving soft tissue grafts, make sure you use an extra-soft brush and be careful!

What about the electric types and water-shooters? Some Ypsilanti folks like the feeling of vibrating bristles or a mini-squirt gun blasting away at the plaque. Ypsilanti people with arthritis or other movement-inhibiting conditions can benefit from powered brushes which take some strain off hands and arm muscles.

Is your toothbrush doing the job? Schedule an exam with your Ypsilanti cosmetic dentist at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS.

At Gary Sasaki DDS, MS, our comfortable, friendly, professional and relaxed dental hygienists instruct our Ypsilanti area patients on proper brushing and flossing. If you haven’t experienced a dental deep cleaning at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS, you don’t know how clean your teeth and gums can feel.

Schedule a thorough dental cleaning today by calling us at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS, 734-482-7466. An outstanding feature of Gary Sasaki DDS, MS is dental spa service to make our patients as comfortable as possible. We also offer porcelain veneers, dental crowns and bridges and a full spectrum of restorative dental procedures.

Hello Ann Arbor! Has your smile lost its luster? Are your teeth discolored? If flashing a pearly white smile is important to you I can help. My name is Dr. Gary Sasaki and I have been creating whiter, brighter smiles for patients in the Ann Arbor area since 1971 at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS.

Whether your teeth have been stained through sipping dark-colored drinks such as red wine or coffee or if smoking has left your teeth brown and dull, my staff and I at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS can whiten your teeth and intensify your smile.

Maybe you have injured your tooth in some way causing it to turn gray. We offer several solutions to restore the color to your tooth. When you come in for a consultation we will determine which cosmetic dental procedure is best for your teeth.

Your smile the first thing people notice, I will make sure your smile is brilliant and absolutely unforgettable!

At Gary Sasaki DDS, MS we not only offer tooth whitening to our Ann Arbor area patients, we also specialize in cosmetic and general dentistry.

If you or your family need porcelain veneers, dental crowns and bridges or dental implants we invite you to come in for a dental consultation. We are located at 1900 Packard Rd in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Invest in a white, bright smile! Call Gary Sasaki DDS, MS in Ann Arbor today at 734-482-7466 or visit http://www.midentalspa.com.

Thanks for visiting my cosmetic dental blog – Dr. Gary Sasaki

Hello friends of Gary Sasaki DDS, MS!

Close your eyes. Picture the most beautiful smile you have ever seen. Perhaps it is the smile of your significant other. Perhaps it is your favorite actor, actress, or singer. What makes this smile memorable? The brilliant color? The beautiful translucency? The pleasing shape? The alignment of the teeth? All of the above?

Would you like a smile as memorable as the image in your mind? It’s possible with cosmetic dentistry at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS in Ypsilanti.

Dr. Gary Sasaki skillfully redesigns smiles to correct alignment, dull color, damage, and stains.

Cosmetic dental procedures include the ever-popular porcelain veneers (gives teeth a brand new face), crown restorations, teeth whitening, and dental bonding (affordable and effective). We also offer tooth-colored fillings and cosmetic implants.

You can have a billboard-perfect smile right here in Ypsilanti.

The very same cosmetic dental procedures used on famous smiles is available at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS. A celebrity salary and jet-setting lifestyle may be out of reach, but not a red carpet-worthy smile.

Come in for a smile design consultation to learn what cosmetic dentistry can do for your world class smile! If you are nervous about seeing the dentist, we provide many relaxing amenities in our dental spa. Call 734-482-7466 to book your appointment today.

Dr. Gary Sasaki
Gary Sasaki DDS, MS
1900 Packard Rd
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48197
http://www.midentalspa.com

General dentists in Ann Arbor are dedicated to preventing and treating oral disease such as cavities and gum disease. When a problem is diagnosed, let’s say, a cavity between two teeth, a general dentist will assess the best way to restore the tooth involved.

Ann Arbor cosmetic dentists perform elective dental procedures that make a smile more attractive. Cosmetic dentistry procedures available at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS in Ann Arbor include teeth whitening, tooth-colored fillings, dental bonding, veneers, inlays, onlays, and dental crowns.

Some Ann Arbor dentists, like myself, offer both general and cosmetic dentistry procedures. In some cases, there is a cosmetic component to restorative procedures. For example, if a Ann Arbor dental patient comes in after receiving an injury that chipped a front tooth, the tooth needs to be restored to prevent decay. The tooth is also less structurally sound, so it is vulnerable to further damage. In addition, the tooth affects the overall appearance of the smile. Depending on the specifics of the damage, there are several of restorative options. Dental bonding, porcelain veneers, and crowns are all used to repair a damaged tooth.

As you can see, there is not always a definitive line between general and cosmetic dentistry. At Gary Sasaki DDS, MS, my comfortable, friendly, professional and relaxing team provides the full spectrum of preventative, cosmetic and restorative dentistry procedures.

Experienced Ann Arbor dental professionals who perform  general and cosmetic dental procedures can meet all of your dental needs.

If you are looking for a full-service dental spa in the Ann Arbor area, I invite you to come into Gary Sasaki DDS, MS. We are located at 1900 Packard Rd, Ann Arbor. To schedule an oral examination or smile makeover consultation, call 734-482-7466.

Dr. Gary Sasaki
Gary Sasaki DDS, MS
1900 Packard Rd
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48197
http://www.midentalspa.com