Blog Archive
If you have cosmetic issues with your teeth, such as chipped teeth, discoloration, or small misalignments, you might be looking at veneers as a natural-looking, long-lasting solution. But you have another problem. When you sleep at night, you grind your teeth. And people who grind their teeth are more likely...
Your tooth hurts, and it’s steadily gotten worse over the last day or two, even as you tried to ignore the pain. You can’t ignore it anymore. Your tooth is on fire, and you’re worried you need an extraction. While that concern is understandable, extraction isn’t a foregone conclusion. Sure,...
Picture this: You’re eating breakfast and planning your day when you suddenly hear — and feel — a crunch you weren’t expecting. Your tooth has broken off. It’s not a great time for that, you think. You have an important event in the next day or two, or maybe you’re...
You’ve just come through a holiday season where you likely ate and drank more than usual. Chances are that some of what you consumed was dark, including coffee, wine, and chocolate. Maybe now, when you look in the mirror, your pearly whites aren’t quite as white as they used to...
The holiday season is here, and with it comes great food and drink you might not see the rest of the year. After all, the average person attends five holiday gatherings each year. While all of this sounds (and tastes) great, it comes with a problem: All the additional sugar...
Are you looking for that perfect smile? Some of us are blessed with perfect teeth and don’t need any help (besides regular cleanings!), but many of us have issues to address before feeling confident smiling for the camera. If you fall into the latter category, it might be time to...
If you’ve just started Invisalign treatment, congratulations on taking a big step toward a better smile. At American Dental Clinic in San Diego, California, we’ve had a front-row seat to watch Invisalign explode in popularity — 18 million people and counting have used this innovative alternative to traditional braces. In...
Here’s a fact that probably won’t surprise you: Nearly 90% of American adults ages 20-64 have at least one cavity in their teeth. Here’s another fact: Those cavities need to be filled to prevent the tooth decay that causes cavities from getting worse and leading to significant oral health issues,...
If you suffer from unexplained dizziness, lightheadedness, and a spinning feeling, you might need to see … your dentist? Surprisingly, your dentist might hold the key to solving your issue: vertigo, a sensation of motion or spinning often described as dizziness, is a common symptom of TMJ disorder, which affects...
As the years go by, you may notice your teeth aren’t as white and sparkling as they used to be. That may not seem fair, given that you’ve faithfully brushed, flossed, and scheduled regular dental cleanings over the years. Unfortunately, though, experiencing the yellowing and darkening of teeth is just...
Every year in the United States, 15 million root canals are performed. Root canals are recommended when the pulp inside your tooth becomes infected and inflamed. Your dentist cleans out the infected pulp before filling and sealing the tooth. The procedure relieves your pain and saves your natural tooth. Thanks...
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that can restore both the function and appearance of a damaged or misshapen tooth. Crowns cover many tooth flaws and are affixed atop dental implants. With so many uses, it’s no surprise that over 2 million crowns are placed annually on patients in...
Preparing for a baby is an exciting time in life, but it can also feel busy, scary, and overwhelming. That makes it easy to overlook important details — like dental care. Prenatal care often focuses on doctor visits and birthing classes. However, dental issues can also become increasingly common during...
Whether you’ve been wearing your Invisalign® clear aligners for six months or two years, you couldn’t be more excited that you’ve reached the end of your treatment plan. You’ve worked hard to attain straighter teeth, a perfectly aligned bite, and a beautiful smile, and you want to keep it that...
Enamel is the outermost layer of your teeth. Composed primarily of minerals, it protects the dentin and pulp inside and shields the more sensitive parts of your teeth from the environment. Enamel is durable, but damage can happen — and discoloration in the form of white spots is a common...
According to the CDC, about 25% of people in the United States are living with oral hygiene issues, most of which are preventable with proper and regular oral health care. The main pillars of oral health care are brushing your teeth, flossing, and visiting your dentist for regular cleanings. Here...
The holidays are a time of office parties, family gatherings, and social events — which means plenty of photos to commemorate the events. If your smile looks dingy, dull, or discolored, having your photo snapped probably doesn’t bring you much holiday joy. Fortunately, professional teeth whitening can help your smile...
In the realm of dental solutions, dental implants have emerged as a gold standard for tooth replacement. Their unparalleled sturdiness and natural feel have made them a preferred choice for many seeking to restore their smiles. At American Dental Clinic, highly skilled cosmetic dentist Emmanuel Aguilar, DMD and the rest...
Dental crowns are versatile, and dentists use them in a variety of situations to lend strength to a damaged tooth, or to function as a natural tooth along with a dental implant. However, versatile isn’t the same as infallible. Dr. Emmanuel Aguilar and his staff at American Dental Clinic in San Diego have patients...
Some of us are blessed with a perfect smile. However, these are few and far between. Even celebrities with perfect bone structure, skin, and hair often need cosmetic dentistry to turn on the brilliance of their smiles. Even if your teeth looked and functioned optimally when you were younger, dental...
Dental implants can offer life-changing results when you have missing teeth. That’s because they’re the closest thing to the ones you were born with, thanks to their innovative design. Unlike dentures, crowns, and bridges that sit on top of the gums and teeth, dental implants have a post anchored in the...
Home oral care is one of life's routines but one of the most neglected. Almost half of all US adults exhibit signs of early gum disease, also known as gingivitis. It’s a small wonder that gingivitis is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Emmanuel Aguilar, DMD, and the team at American...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fewer than 50% of adults living in the United States have a complete set of permanent teeth, not including wisdom teeth. Unfortunately, the chance of tooth loss only increases as you get older. Because of the nature of these statistics, it means...
What you eat has an impact on every aspect of your health, including your oral health. At American Dental Clinic, Dr. Emmanuel Aguilar and his staff recommend that you keep an eye on your diet and ensure you’re eating foods that are both good for you and not damaging to your teeth....
If you’ve spent months wearing braces or dutifully working through your series of clear aligners, you’ve probably been looking forward to the day you were free to enjoy a lovely straight smile. But there’s one more step in your orthodontic journey, and that’s wearing your retainer. At the American Dental...
Learning you need to get a tooth removed probably didn’t feel like great news, but it’s nothing to worry about. Tooth extractions are the most common surgical procedure across the country. Plus, if you need to get a tooth out, we’re here at American Dental Clinic in San Diego, California....
When you have a cavity, you probably assume you’ll need a filling. However, that’s only one way to treat damage or decay in a permanent tooth. Dr. Emmanuel Aguilar and his staff at American Dental Clinic offer cutting-edge restorative treatments designed to repair damaged, broken, or missing teeth. If you have...
You know that matchless feeling after you leave your dentist’s office with teeth that have been polished by a pro? You might not want to eat or drink for as long as possible so you can make that fresh, just-got-out-of-my-dental-cleaning feeling last as long as possible. The components of good...
Dentists have been using lasers for quite a while, and the FDA has steadily approved the technology for increasing uses and procedures. At American Dental Clinic, Dr. Emmanuel Aguilar and his staff are happy to provide you with the many benefits laser dentistry offers. The laser difference Lasers may bring...
Located at the back of the mouth, wisdom teeth are the last teeth to appear. As a result, in people who have jaws that can’t accommodate more teeth, wisdom teeth can become impacted. Because it doesn’t have enough room, an impacted tooth usually either fails to erupt or erupts in...
Have you ever wished you could switch teeth with another person? Maybe you’ve got a single tooth you hate that’s stained or chipped. Maybe you have a gap in your smile that bothers you. Or maybe you feel like something is off with all of your teeth; they could be...
If you’re missing teeth, you’re at risk for oral health complications. Thankfully, advancements in dental technology provide options that make it easy to replace missing teeth. At American Dental Clinic in San Diego, California, Emmanuel Aguilar, DMD, and our professional dental team offer single crown dental implants and All-on-4® implants....
Having perfectly aligned teeth isn’t just about looking good – although that doesn’t hurt. The way your top and bottom teeth meet, referred to as your bite, is important for your overall oral health. There are multiple types of “bad bites,” also known as malocclusions, and we’re discussing those bites....
Experts estimate that about half of all dental implant procedures in the United States require a bone graft. This means that if you’re considering an implant to replace a missing tooth or teeth, there’s a one in two chance you’ll need to have a bone graft first. At American Dental Clinic, Dr. Emmanuel Aguilar performs dental...
Professional teeth whitening is an easy and effective way to whiten and brighten your smile. Emmanuel Aguilar, DMD, and the team at American Dental Clinic in San Diego, California, offer in-office teeth whitening services, as well as take-home whitening trays, to boost the appearance of your smile. We specialize in whitening your teeth...
Nearly half of Americans suffer from some degree of gum disease, the leading cause of adult tooth loss in the United States. Also called periodontal diseases, gum disease can range from relatively mild disease, called gingivitis, to periodontitis, the advanced form of gum disease when tooth loss is most likely. Gum disease can...
Dental phobia is more common than you might realize, affecting roughly 13%-24% of individuals worldwide. Your anxiety about visiting the dentist may be in relation to the possibility of pain or uncomfortable sensations, an unfamiliar setting, sitting in the chair for a long time, or the very small possibility of...
Traditional dentures are bulky. They often look and feel unnatural. Fortunately, there’s a better alternative to replacing one or more teeth: All-on-4® dental implants. All-on-4, 5, 6 dental implants are dentures secured by implants. If you’re interested in a more convenient and aesthetically pleasing alternative to traditional dentures, read on....
When your gums are healthy and young, they fit snugly around the bottoms of your teeth, holding them in place. Over time, or with disease or trauma, your gums may start to recede. If they recede too much, you’re at risk for tooth loss. One of the major problems with...
Maybe you’ve always wished to have straighter teeth but think that you’re too old for braces. Or perhaps you wore braces when you were younger but didn’t wear a retainer, so you’ve discovered that you need your teeth to be straightened again. The truth is that there are a lot...
Are you hiding your natural beauty because you don’t like the color of your teeth? Teeth that are discolored or stained can make it harder for you to feel confident showing off your beautiful smile. Teeth can lose their white appearance for many reasons, but fortunately, solutions are available to...
Millions of people have dental implants. Are all of them caring for their new smiles the way they should? Unfortunately, the answer is no. But we’re here to change that. Our team of experts at the American Dental Clinic, led by Dr. Emmanuel Aguilar, takes a closer look at what...
Like the people who flash them, smiles come in all shapes and sizes from that “just stepped off the runway Hollywood smile” to the mesmerizing “confident, nothing can stop me smile” to everything in between. Sometimes a smile is defined by the physical characteristics of your teeth and gums. An...
A couple of decades ago getting straight teeth involved lots of awkward materials like metal braces, uncomfortable wires, rubber bands, and let’s not forget that embarrassing headgear. As if the appearance and discomfort were not enough of an inconvenience, the treatment process often took years that involved frequent visits to...
Whether you live in the hills of Hollywood or in a charming rural town like Oak Glen the desire to have a beautiful, dazzling smile is something everyone wants, but few of us come by naturally. When most of us mere mortals look in the mirror we can always find...
Time and money have a way of interfering with the best-laid plans. If you are among the over 30% of Americans who haven’t visited the dentist in the last 12 months you can probably relate. Unfortunately for many people, missed appointments can all too quickly turn into undetected cavities, gum...
Healthy teeth and gums and a dazzling smile are attributes we all aspire to have. After all, a great smile makes a great impression. Now getting that perfect smile and maintaining good oral health is a whole other thing altogether and a whole lot harder. Despite our best efforts at...
In an ideal world, we’d all have perfectly white, straight, and healthy teeth throughout our lifetime. Unfortunately despite practicing our best oral hygiene routines and scheduling dental visits for periodontal cleanings, tooth decay; gum disease and injuries may result in missing teeth or extractions. Missing teeth are a real problem...
Time is at a premium for everyone. On most days scheduling the necessities like work and home responsibilities tend to max out even the most ambitious person. When you’re sick or injured it’s a no-brainer you should book an appointment as soon as you can get one. Unfortunately, the last...
In a perfect world, we’d all have stunningly beautiful, bright smiles for a lifetime. No cavities. No missing teeth. No imperfections. But despite our best efforts with at-home oral care like brushing and flossing, as well as regular checkups and hygiene cleanings, we may need a filling or even an...
We’ve all been there. Despite our best efforts to keep our smile bright and healthy something happens. Maybe it’s a large worn-out filling or even an injury that cracks, weakens, or damages your tooth. Fortunately, your dentist has lots of restoration and cosmetic treatment options to not only fix the...
The COVID-19 pandemic has shattered preconceived notions of what is normal. As California struggles to contain the spread of the coronavirus and enacts safety measures, it can be difficult to know what is safe and what you should avoid. This is true across the health care and dental scene as...