Plaque and bacteria found in the oral cavity not only threatens your teeth, gums, existing dental and cosmetic work, but possibly even your overall health.  Most people think maintaining healthy teeth and gums is just about having a sparkling smile or fresh breath.  But in actually it is also important for your overall health too.

• Dementia/Alzheimers – gum disease with its accompanying inflammation and infection may be associated with cognitive decline and dementia
• Stroke – patients with gum disease may have increased risk to stroke
• Oral Cancer – patients with chronic gum disease may lead to increased loss of bone and oral cancer risk
• Respiratory Infections – the inhalation of bacteria (dental plaque) found in the oral cavity can lead to pneumonia
• Severe Osteopenia – reduction in bone mass is associated with gum disease and related tooth loss (especially in post-menopausal women)
• Heart Disease – people who have gum disease are at an increased risk for a fatal heart attack, increased risk for being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and the bacteria found in the mouth may result in clotting problems in the cardiovascular system
• Pregnancy Complications – pregnancy gingivitis occurs in 50-70% of pregnant women resulting in an overreaction to oral irritants (bacterial plaque and calculus) resulting in increased swelling, bleeding, and redness or tenderness of the gums
• Uncontrolled Diabetes – chronic gum disease can disrupt a patients diabetic control, smoking accelerates tooth loss by 20X in diabetics, people with type II diabetes are 3X more likely to develop gum disease than those who do not have diabetes

If your gums are red, swollen, tender or bleed after brushing or flossing you may have gum disease.  Also if you have persistent bad breath, pain while chewing or loose teeth these may also be indicators that gum disease is present in your mouth.  If you have any of these symptoms or have not visited a dentist in awhile contact Premier Esthetics in Covinaat 626-966-8488 or visit us on the web at www.premieresthetics.com to schedule an appointment for an evaluation of the health of your gums.  Dr. Mark Gadberry is aCovina dentist whose office motto is we love healthy, pink gums.

Decay that is beneath the hard enamel surface can be challenging to detect because the decay process can begin through microscopic defects in the enamel.  Once the bacteria have penetrated through the hard enamel decay spreads to the softer underlying tooth structure destroying the tooth from the inside out.

Conventional radiographs (x-rays) and probing with a sharp explorer have significant limitations in detecting the early stages of sub surface decay thus resulting in the unnecessary loss of once healthy tooth structure.  In order to be able to detect this “hidden” decay we at Premier Esthetics inCovinause another method for its detection.

The DIAGNOdent laser allows ourCovinadentists and hygienists to locate this hidden decay much more predictably than conventional methods alone.  This unique instrument provides instant feedback on the health of your tooth.  A pen like probe examines your tooth surfaces safely and without any pain.  The probe’s harmless laser light constantly checks the overall health of your underlying tooth structure as it is moved across the tops of your teeth.  A number scale and audible alarm will alert ourCovinadental team of the presence of any hidden decay.  By finding the decay earlier we at Premier Esthetics inCovinaare able to conserve more of your natural tooth structure, limit your time in the dental chair, and minimize the expenses related to major tooth repair.

Call 626-966-8488 for your complimentary DIAGNOdent screening.

Don’t let “hidden” decay destroy your tooth!

It’s that time of year again, when we start preparing for the holidays and planning for the next year.  But before we start counting down you should make sure that you have maximized your dental insurance benefits.

At Premier Esthetics in Covinawe believe that dental insurance benefits should never dictate the care you want or deserve.  However, if you have dental insurance doesn’t it make sense to use your benefits to reduce your out of pocket expenses for the dental care you do want?

Our Covina dental office will not only show you how your individual insurance plan works but our trained dental staff will also show you how to maximize your benefits, reduce your costs, and receive the dental care you want.

Remember the majority of dental insurance plans have a “use it or loose it” policy.  That is, the insurance benefits you have available to you in 2011 do not roll over into 2012.  They are gone; lost forever.  Many patients pay a monthly premium to have dental benefits available to them. So why throw your hard earned money away and the insurance benefit too?

Most insurance plans cover two dental cleanings and a check up per year.  So if you haven’t seen the dentist twice this year, please contact our office at 626-966-8488 or visit us at www.premieresthetics.com and schedule your appointment before this year and your insurance benefits are gone!

Cal Poly Pomona Pumpkin Festival – pumpkin patch-pick in the field, farm market, gift shop, restrooms
Farm Store 4102 South University Drive, Pomona, CA 91768. Phone: 909-869-2215. Alternate Phone: 909-869-4906. Email: dmtaccone@csupomona.edu. Open: Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18, 2009; from 8 am to 5 pm. Tips from past year’s visitors:  Pick your own pumpkins from their HUGE pumpkin patch. Bring a wagon if you have one because carrying the pumpkins from the patch to your car can be heavy! Students from the College of Agriculture plant and care for the crop until it’s ready for harvest in October. Most pumpkins are priced at $4 each (these are 2008 prices – they may have changed), and visitors often bring gloves, shears and perhaps a wagon for their chance to pick a great pumpkin. Pumpkins range from softball to basketball size (some even larger). Pumpkin Festival admission and parking is free.  The popular Insect Fair, featuring educational displays and demonstrations, will run Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 4pm.  It is located in the Bronco Student Center.  Insect Fair admission in 2008 was $4 for adults, $3 for children under 12, and children 2 and under are free.
The Pumpkin Patch At Santa Fe Dam – pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, Fall festival, tractor-pulled hay rides, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, bouncy castle or moon bounce, school tours 15501 East Arrow Highway, Irwindale, CA 91706. Phone: (626)334-6555. Fax: (805) 650-7771. Email: wheelfunrentals@yahoo.com. Open: Saturdays and Sundays in October from 10am to 5:30pm, Weekdays by reservation for groups/school. Directions: Located where the 605 and 201 Freeways meet. From the 605 freeway, exit Live Oak Avenue.  Head East on Arrow Highway. Turn left into Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area. Located between parking lot 3 and 4. Weekends in October (Weekdays by reservation for groups/schools). Payment: Cash, Visa/MasterCard. There are farm-grown pumpkins, ghoulish games for the kids, a jack-o-lantern jumper, a super slide, fall hay rides, creepy carriage rides, even arts and crafts for the little ones! Of course, there will also be plenty of our unique multi-passenger cycles, paddle boats, and kayaks available to rent at special prices. There are several spots setup for photo opportunities! If you get hungry, the best carnival food will be only steps away, including cheeseburgers, all beef hot dogs, candy apples and ice cream, and refreshing drinks to wash it all down!

Kids love Halloween.  The costumes are great, carving pumpkins and going to parties is fun but what about all that candy?  How do you manage your child’s candy consumption to protect their teeth from all that sugar and prevent cavities?

Here are some Halloween tips we give our patients at Premier Esthetics in Covina regarding how to best manage the candy your children do bring home to prevent cavities:

• Limit the number of exposures your child’s teeth have to sugar.
• It is better to eat a lot of candy at one time rather than spreading that candy consumption over hours or days.
  Each time your teeth are exposed to sugar you create an “acid” exposure for them.  The acidic environment created by the metabolism of the sugar by the bacteria in our mouth begins the decay process.  For example if you eat five pieces of candy at one time you have exposed your teeth to one acid exposure.  However if you eat one piece of candy five times throughout the day you have exposed them to five acid exposures.
• Candy that melts is better for the teeth than candy that is sticky. Candy that is sticky will adhere to the tooth structure whereas candy that melts won’t.  When candy adheres to tooth structure it increases the amount of acid that individual tooth is exposed to thus speeding up that tooth’s demineralization.  For example a lollipop or a chocolate bar that melts is better than a carmel that sticks to the tooth.
• Eat candy at a time when your children can brush their teeth afterwards. It is better to eat candy at a time when your children can brush their teeth after eating it to help prevent cavities; for example after school or after dinner.  If they do eat it at a time that they do not have access to a tooth brush have them at least swish out their mouth a couple of times with water to reduce the residual sugar content in their mouth.

Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a comlimentary consultation. We at Premier Esthetics wish you and yours a Happy and Safe Halloween!

Most of the patients we treat at Premier Esthetics in Covina are able to be treated in our dental office environment. However there are times when our patient’s treatment must be done in a hospital setting (Hospital Dentistry) either due to necessity or preference.

Hospital dentistry is an option we sometimes consider when we treat the following type of patients:
1) Pediatric patients
2) Dental phobic patients
3) Specially disabled patients

The advantages of hospital dentistry are:
1) The majority of the dental treatment, if not all of it, is accomplished in one appointment.
Dental phobic patients often times elect hospital dentistry because of this benefit. Dental treatment they have been deferring because of their apprehensions is finally able to be accomplished in an environment that eliminates their concerns and fears.
2) Patients have a positive dental experience.
This is especially important for young children who have an extensive amount of dental treatment to be done. They are able to have it all finished in one visit, they don’t remember their appointment, and they don’t develop phobias/fears of the dental office and dentist. After the hospital visit our goal is to wean the child into our Covina dental office setting by scheduling simple appointments like dental cleanings and fluoride treatments where they can have a positive experience.
3) Uncooperative patients are able to receive comprehensive dental care.
Sometimes it is too large of a challenge for a specially disabled patient to sit still and cooperate for extensive dental procedures. Hospital dentistry eliminates this challenge for them so they can be victorious in receiving their dental treatment.
4) Unlike oral conscious sedation the patient’s airway and respiration is monitored at all times by an M.D. Anesthesiologist.
While we focus on the patient’s dental needs and treatment an anesthesiologist is focused on maintaining and monitoring our patient’s vital signs and airway. This enables us to give our patients the best dental treatment possible because our attention is not divided.
If you or someone you know may be a candidate for hospital dentistry contact our Covina office at 626-966-8488 to schedule an evaluation.

Premier Esthetics serves the following communities: Covina, West Covina, San Dimas, Glendora, Arcadia, Monrovia, Azusa, Claremont, LaVerne, Montclair, San Gabriel Valley.

Cerec 3D’s modular CAD/CAM technology makes it possible to manufacture all-ceramic restorations (inlays, onlays, partial crowns, veneers and crowns for the anterior and posterior teeth) in our dental practice in Covina, California in a single visit.

With this state-of-the-art technology your restorations are made without the need for dental impressions.  Instead an intra-oral video camera takes pictures of your teeth and bite and the computer constructs a simulated model of your mouth from these pictures. My patients love it because there is no more gagging or choking while they try to stay still for a couple of minutes during the impression process.

We at Premier Esthetics design on the computer simulated dental model (all-ceramic inlay, onlay, veneer or crown) to restore your tooth to its esthetic form and function.  We then send this design information to our computerized milling machine which fabricates your restoration in 3 to 6 minutes while you wait.  Our patients love to watch their restorations being made and take it out of the machine themselves.  They are amazed by this technology!

Our patients at Premier Esthetics in Covina also enjoy the fact that they don’t need to come back for a second appointment to put their restoration in but instead leave that day with their permanent in place.  They also are thankful that they do not need to take extra time off from work to come back, there is no longer any need for temporaries that may fall out and that they will not need as many shots to have the final placement of their restoration accomplished.

Premier Esthetics serves all San Gabriel Valley communities.  Contact our office in Covina at 626-966-8488 or visit us on the web at premieresthetics.com to schedule a complimentary Cerec 3D evaluation to see if you might be a candidate for Cerec 3D.

First impressions are important when meeting new people, and one of the most prominent features of the face is a person’s smile. For this reason, those who have missing, stained, or misaligned teeth often visit our practice, Premier Esthetics in Covina, to undergo a smile makeover. Doing so may help a person’s self-esteem, as well as improve the overall facial appearance.

When visiting our Covina office, patients are asked of their desired outcome and we discuss their options available. In order to meet the individual’s ideal goal, we provide a personalized treatment plan. Some of the most common requests include achieving a brighter/lighter smile, or change in size, shape, and color of the teeth. With the use of cosmetic teeth bleaching, porcelain veneers, bonding, and dental implants, patients can regain a more aesthetically pleasing smile and better facial balance. Using our advanced imaging technology and photographs of the patient’s face, teeth, and smile, we are able to show them how the enhancements would look before performing the procedures. In addition, models (mock-ups) of the patient’s new teeth are created in order to provide patients with a tangible preview. We take great care in considering the patient’s needs and wants when creating a treatment plan.

If you are interested in undergoing a cosmetic smile makeover, you may browse our website to learn more regarding the treatments offered.  Please contact our office to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Premier Esthetics serves the following communities: Covina, West Covina, Glendora and San Dimas.

Serving Covina, West Covina, Glendora, San Dimas, CA

There are instances where the destruction to a tooth either by decay (caries) or traumatic fracture makes it impossible to restore simply with a filling. In these circumstances, we want to restore the diseased or broken tooth structure with the most conservative type of restoration. Thus, an onlay is decided upon because only the damaged portion of the tooth is affected. This restoration allows for the remainder of the tooth to be untouched. Besides being less invasive, most onlays will not impinge on the gingival (gum) tissue,  but will provide a healthier environment for the gums, and strengthen the tooth.

Once an onlay is diagnosed as the preferred treatment choice, here at the practice of Dr. Gadberry and Dr. Rubin in Covina, California, you can choose to have a cosmetic tooth-colored porcelain bonded restoration. This very natural-looking restoration gets bonded to the existing tooth and replaces the worn, decayed, or fractured portion of the tooth.

These restorations are very strong and can last for decades, replacing form and function, and enhancing your smile.

Contact Premier Esthetics in Covina for a complimentary consultation 626-966-8488.

Serving Covina, West Covina, Glendora, San Dimas, CA

It is very difficult to define what is beautiful. This is a term that is very personal to each individual. However, nature generally provides an answer in that most naturally occurring things are harmonious and pleasing to the eye. Take a snowflake or a flower for example. Each has shapes whose proportions instinctively let us know they are “easy on the eyes.”

The smile can also have proportions that are naturally harmonious and appear beautiful to us. Knowing the proper relationships of the teeth to the surrounding structures, such as the lips, eyes, nose and adjacent teeth, can enhance the ability to design a wonderfully pleasing and beautiful smile.

Our office in Covina, California, has the ability to design the smile you have always desired. Dr. Gadberry and Dr. Rubin have decades of experience in designing wonderful smiles and beautiful teeth. With new imaging techniques you can see the results before the change is even started. In some instances, a “mock-up” or model of what the final look will be can be temporarily placed so that you can live with the change for a while.  

At our office, we can offer the widest range of cosmetic enhancements. You can browse through hundreds of photos in our gallery of past smile makeovers.  Please contact our office for a complimentary consultation.