Best known for her roles in E.T. and Ever After, and more recently as a suburban mom/zombie on Netflix's Santa Clarita Diet, Drew Barrymore is now bringing her trademark quirky optimism to a new talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show on CBS. Her characteristic self-deprecating humor was also on display recently on Instagram, as she showed viewers how she keeps her teeth clean and looking great.

In typical Drew fashion, she invited viewers into her bathroom to witness her morning brushing ritual (complete with slurps and sloshes). She also let everyone in on a little insider Drew 411: She has extremely sensitive teeth, so although she would love to sport a Hollywood smile, this condition makes teeth whitening difficult.

Barrymore's sensitivity problem isn't unique. For some, bleaching agents can irritate the gums and tooth roots. It's usually a mild reaction that subsides in a day or two. But take heart if you count yourself among the tooth-sensitive: Professional whitening in the dental office may provide the solution you are looking for.

In the dental office, we take your specific needs into account when we treat you. We have more control over our bleaching solutions than those you may find in the store, allowing us to adjust the strength to match your dental needs and your smile expectations and we can monitor you during treatment to keep your teeth safe. Furthermore, professional whitening lasts longer, so you won't have to repeat it as often.

After treatment, you can minimize discomfort from sensitive teeth by avoiding hot or cold foods and beverages. You may also find it helpful to use a toothpaste or other hygiene product designed to reduce tooth sensitivity.

The best thing you can do is to schedule an appointment with us to fully explore your problems with sensitivity and how we may help. First and foremost, you should undergo an exam to ensure any sensitivity you're experiencing isn't related to a more serious issue like tooth decay or gum recession.

Having a bright smile isn't just advantageous to celebrities like Drew Barrymore—it can make a difference in your personal and professional relationships, as well as your own self-confidence. We can help you achieve that brighter smile while helping you avoid sensitivity afterward.

If you would like more information about teeth whitening, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “Important Teeth Whitening Questions Answered.”

Kill Bill fans have been pressing for a third installment of the stylized revenge tale since Kill Bill, Volume 2 hit the theaters in 2004. Finally, filmmaker Quentin Tarantino is talking about the long-awaited Volume 3 as if it might soon become a reality. The third movie in the franchise would most likely focus on the now-grown daughter of the character played by Vivica A. Fox in the first two. Vivica recently made known that should Kill Bill, Volume 3 go into production, she thinks 24-year-old actress and singer Zendaya would be perfect for the role.

Although Zendaya is a few inches taller than Vivica, the two women have a few things in common. Besides being talented movie and television actresses who have won awards for their roles, they both have camera-ready smiles. And both Vivica and Zendaya can thank their dentists for helping their smiles be their best.

In 2016, Vivica told Dear Doctor magazine that her smile needed a boost, so she opted for dental veneers to correct gaps between her teeth—and she's very happy with them. “I love my veneers!” she exclaimed. Zendaya also had help in achieving her Hollywood-perfect smile. In 2011, early in her career on the Disney channel, she wore clear orthodontic aligners to straighten her teeth. To further perfect her smile, she visited her dentist for professional teeth whitening in 2016, inviting a film crew along to show how easy and effective in-office tooth whitening is.

But you don't have to be a celebrity to enjoy smile-enhancing dental treatments. They are great options for anyone who wants to improve the look of their smile.

Teeth whitening. If your teeth are looking yellowed, in-office whitening can make them up to 10 shades brighter in one visit! Some people prefer professional at-home whitening kits, which produce great results more gradually.

Bonding or veneers. For small chips and cracks, cosmetic bonding can cover flaws by adding layers of a tooth-colored material over the tooth. For bigger flaws, heavy discoloration or gaps between teeth as Vivica had, dental veneers may be the answer. These custom-made thin porcelain shells cover the front-facing surface of the tooth, hiding imperfections to give anyone a Hollywood smile.

Orthodontics. Crooked teeth can detract from the look of a smile. While traditional braces are an option, many people with mild to moderate alignment issues find removable clear aligners the perfect way to get the smile they desire with minimal impact on their daily activities. Clear aligners are very subtle and can be removed for eating and cleaning as well as for special occasions—or for filming scenes, as Zendaya knows.

Contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation to see if professional teeth whitening, cosmetic bonding or veneers, orthodontics, or another dental treatment could enhance your smile. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Important Teeth Whitening Questions Answered” and “How Your Dentist Can Help You Look Younger.”

The monarchs of the world experience the same health issues as their subjects—but they often tend to be hush-hush about it. Recently, though, the normally reticent Queen Elizabeth II let some young dental patients in on a lesser known fact about Her Majesty's teeth.

While touring a new dental hospital, the queen told some children being fitted for braces that she too “had wires” once upon a time. She also said, “I think it's worth it in the end.”

The queen isn't the only member of the House of Windsor to need help with a poor bite. Both Princes William and Harry have worn braces, as have other members of the royal family. A propensity for overbites, underbites and other malocclusions (poor bites) can indeed pass down through families, whether of noble or common lineage.

Fortunately, there are many ways to correct congenital malocclusions, depending on their type and severity. Here are 3 of them.

Braces and clear aligners. Braces are the tried and true way to straighten misaligned teeth, while the clear aligner method—removable plastic mouth trays—is the relative “new kid on the block.” Braces are indeed effective for a wide range of malocclusions, but their wires and brackets make it difficult to brush and floss, and they're not particularly attractive. Clear aligners solve both of these issues, though they may not handle more complex malocclusions as well as braces.

Palatal expanders. When the upper jaw develops too narrowly, a malocclusion may result from teeth crowding into too small a space. But before the upper jaw bones fuse together in late childhood, orthodontists can fit a device called a palatal expander inside the upper teeth, which exerts gentle outward pressure on the teeth. This encourages more bone growth in the center to widen the jaw and help prevent a difficult malocclusion from forming.

Specialized braces for impacted teeth. An impacted tooth, which remains partially or completely hidden in the gums, can impede dental health, function and appearance. But we may be able to coax some impacted teeth like the front canines into full eruption. This requires a special orthodontic technique in which a bracket is surgically attached to the impacted tooth's crown. A chain connected to the bracket is then looped over other orthodontic hardware to gradually pull the tooth down where it should be.

Although some techniques like palatal expanders are best undertaken in early dental development, people of any age and reasonably good health can have a problem bite corrected with other methods. If you are among those who benefit from orthodontics, you'll have something in common with the Sovereign of the British Isles: a healthy, attractive and straighter smile.

If you would like more information about orthodontic treatment options, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “The Magic of Orthodontics.”

While anyone can lose a permanent tooth, the cause often varies by age group. Adults usually lose their teeth to disease, while those under twenty lose a tooth to accidents.

For adults, a dental implant is usually the best way to replace a missing tooth. Teenagers and younger, on the other hand, must wait to get implants until their jaws fully develop. An implant placed on an immature jaw will eventually look and feel out of place.

For most, their jaws won't reach full maturity until their early twenties. Even so, they still have a couple of good options for restoring their smiles in the meantime, albeit temporarily.

One is a removable partial denture or RPD, a device with the replacement prosthetic (false) tooth or teeth set in a gum-colored acrylic base. Of the various types of RPDs, most teenagers do well with a rigid but lightweight version called a “flipper,” called so because it can be flipped in and out of place with the tongue.

These RPDs are affordable, their fit easily adjusted, and they make cleaning the rest of the teeth easier. But they can break while biting down hard and—because they're dentures—aren't always well accepted among teenagers.

The other option is a bonded bridge. Unlike a traditional bridge secured with crowns cemented to natural teeth, a bonded bridge uses a strip of dental material affixed to the back of the prosthetic tooth with the ends of the strip extending outward horizontally. With the prosthetic tooth inserted into the empty space, these extended ends are bonded to the backs of the natural teeth on either side.

Though not as secure as a traditional bridge, a bonded bridge is more aesthetic and comfortable than an RPG. On the other hand, patients who have a deep bite or a teeth-grinding habit, both of which can generate abnormally high biting forces, run a higher risk of damaging the bridge. A bridge can also make hygiene tasks difficult and time-consuming, requiring a high degree of self-discipline from the patient.

Whichever you choose, both options can effectively replace a teenager's missing tooth while waiting for dental implants. Although temporary, they can make the long wait time for a teenager more bearable.

If you would like more information on restorations for children and teens, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.

In looking at options to replace your missing teeth, you might have heard others rave about dental implants. You're almost sold on this innovative restoration method—but you're a little skittish about the upfront cost.

Here are 3 reasons why getting dental implants to restore your missing teeth is a sound investment.

A solid long-term solution. Based on findings from over 3 million implant installations over the last forty years, more than 95% of implants continue to successfully function after ten years—and many are on track to last decades. That's something that can't be said for other forms of restoration. An implant's large upfront cost could in fact even out over the long-term and ultimately cost less than other restorations that may need to be replaced sooner.

A benefit to bone health. One of the more negative consequences of missing teeth is ongoing bone loss, a process that can continue to occur even when teeth are replaced by dentures or bridges. But bone cells readily grow and adhere to the titanium metal implant imbedded in the bone, slowing or even stopping continuing bone loss. If for no other reason, their positive impact on bone health is a top reason for choosing implants.

A range of choices. Replacing multiple missing teeth individually with dental implants can be quite expensive. But individual tooth replacement is only one of the ways implants could benefit you. It's possible to place just a handful of implants along the jaw to support other types of restorations like bridges and partial or full dentures. Not only is this cost-effective, but the implant-supported restoration may be more stable and secure. And these implants may also contribute to bone health.

But before you make your decision, visit us for a complete dental examination. We'll assess if your dental condition makes you a good candidate for implants, and then provide you more information on the process and costs.

If you would like more information on dental implants, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Implants 101.”