To have chronic or frequent pain in the jaw, face, head, and neck can be extremely frustrating. Because medical and dental science still has a ways to go in understanding chronic pain, the frustration of this condition may be exacerbated by a lack of accuracy in treatment. Here, we want to discuss how jaw structure and behavioral habits may play a role in the face and head pain, and what may be done to improve comfort.

Two Sides Of The Same Coin

Both bruxism and TMJ affect the jaw. TMJ is the term used to describe a group of disorders that occur in the temporomandibular joints. In addition to occurring in the same general area of the face, bruxism and TMJ also sometimes share symptoms. Their unique nuances are:

Accuracy In Diagnosis And Treatment Is Important To Long-Term Gains

The discrepancies between bruxism and TMJ are so minor that it may be difficult to immediately understand what is happening in the mouth and why. As dental professionals, we do our best to recognize the subtle signs of each condition so we may administer the most appropriate treatment.

The protocol for treating each of these oral problems may be similar if TMJ is not severe. Oral appliances, or mouthguards, are the standard approach. However, the type of mouthguard that is used in each situation may vary. Because bruxism is a habit that inflicts stress on teeth and the jaw, the purpose of a mouthguard is to buffer the force of clenching and biting. A TMJ mouthguard, on the other hand, may also need to address the actual position of the jaw during sleep. This mouthguard may need to be more rigid than the one used to manage bruxism.

Dr. David Frey has extensive experience in the treatment of bruxism and TMJ. He has developed The Zone Mouthguard for athletes, and he uses a multi-phase, multi-dimensional approach to successfully treat TMJ and its unpleasant symptoms.

Learn more about TMJ and bruxism in consultation with Dr. Frey. Call our Beverly Hills office at 310-276-4537. UK patients may reach our Marylebone office at +44 (0) 207 0960794.

Beverly Hills, CA area patients who have imperfections throughout their smile may be worried about the cost of fixing these issues. Thankfully, with the help of today’s amazing advances in restorative and cosmetic dentistry, many of these treatments are more affordable than ever! Dr. David S. Frey and his team provide full mouth reconstruction services, which can address a variety of issues all at once!

What Is Full Mouth Reconstruction?

Full mouth reconstruction, or a “smile makeover,” is achieved with one or more cosmetic and restorative procedures to address problems within the smile. If patients have missing teeth, teeth that are broken, and teeth that are dull and yellowed, they may benefit from dental implants, composite resin bonding, porcelain veneers, and teeth whitening. Combining these treatments and using them on the appropriate teeth will completely change the look of the smile and allow patients to rebuild their self-confidence.

What Treatments Are Used In A Smile Makeover?

There is no “one size fits all” plan for dental work, so it is essential that patients work with our dental team to achieve the smile of their dreams. Dr. David S. Frey evaluates the patient and then walks them through the different ways the smile can be improved. This may include combining treatments such as:

Picking and choosing the treatments right for a patient and then putting them together into an affordable and attainable dental treatment plan is the best way to address the problems of the smile. Some of these treatments can be performed one at a time over the course of several months, or patients may opt to have several done at once to save time and money.

Schedule A Consultation

If you are ready to completely transform the appearance and function of your smile, we recommend speaking with Dr. David S. Frey to ask about full mouth reconstruction services and the procedures that can help you in achieving the smile of your dreams! Contact the Beverly Hills, CA office at (310) 276-4537 today to schedule your consultation visit.

Tooth loss can occur to anyone. It may be a result of periodontal disease, large areas of decay, or injury to the mouth. It doesn’t mean that you can’t have a perfect smile! Dr. David S. Frey of Beverly Hills, CA is a dedicated dentist who works with patients in the area to restore their smile when tooth loss occurs. One of the most popular options chosen by his patients is that of dental implants.

How The Dental Implant Works

A dental implant is a post made from titanium metal that functions as a replacement for a natural tooth root. The dentist will place the implant into the bone of the jaw and allow a process called osseointegration to occur. This is the growth of bone around the implant to hold it in place and give it th stability and strength it requires to function at its best.

What Are The Benefits Of Dental Implants?

Dental implants are:

Schedule A Consultation

If you are interested in finding out if you are a candidate for the placement of dental implants and want to move forward with an experienced dental professional, we welcome you to book an appointment with Dr. David S. Frey today to discuss this as an option for tooth replacement. Call (310) 279-4537 and visit the Beverly Hills, CA area location at 461 North Linden Drive, Suite 414. We welcome you to book an appointment with our professionals to find out about implants and other tooth restoration solutions used to achieve beautiful, healthy smiles for life!

This is the time of year when many young people are preparing themselves for the “big game.” Whether it be football, baseball, wrestling, or some other activity, sports play an integral role in many kids’ lives. Sports also present a prominent risk for injury. For this reason, coaches and organizations advise players to wear protective gear. Many of the kids who are gearing up for a Fall season of sports are doing so with a custom-fit mouth guard.

A mouth guard is an appliance that is fit over the teeth. The common assumption is that a mouth guard is intended to protect the teeth and tongue in the event of a contact injury. A good mouth guard, however, is also made to reduce the risk of concussion and trauma to the jaw. Because a mouth guard is capable of more extensive protection, it is necessary to choose your child’s gear wisely.

Types of Mouth Guards

Don’t send a player onto the field or court without sufficient tooth and jaw protection. Learn more about The Zone Mouthguard by calling our Beverly Hills office.

Book Consultation

It’s back to school time, and that has many people scrambling to find snacks that will suit their children. Snacking isn’t something that occurs only in lunchrooms or classrooms; a high percentage of the adult population would describe themselves as “snackers,” too. Grabbing a small bite provides a mood boost, and it might stave off hunger, but it can also degrade oral health if you’re not careful. Here, we point out a few ways that snacking might be harmful to your teeth.

Sugar Residue

Depending on what you instinctively reach for when the urge to snack strikes, it is possible that your teeth could be at risk of decay. Sugary foods and drinks like cookies with your coffee or that afternoon soda can leave sugar residue on your teeth. Here, it will feed the multitude of bacteria that live in your mouth. Sugar residue is a precursor to plaque, an invisible biofilm that harbors bacteria and increases the acidity in the mouth. The sugar itself is not acidic, but it invites bacteria to deposit acids on enamel that weaken the surface and cause cavities.

Tooth Erosion

Acidity doesn’t just cause cavities. New research suggests that overwhelming acidity in the mouth can wash over entire tooth surfaces and sit on enamel for prolonged periods. This could be in the form of sugar residue but also may be straight acid. For example, fresh citrus fruits and pickles contain their own natural acids that can sit on teeth. Sour candies are ultra-acidic. Sugar-free sodas still contain acidic ingredients such as citric or malic acid, both of which can quickly degrade enamel.

Erosion is a prevalent and troubling problem among younger age groups due to the consumption of sports and energy drinks. When teeth are continually bathed in acidic ingredients, we may see changes in the shape of teeth and significant deterioration of brightness that may not be treatable with teeth whitening.

Smile-Saving Tips

Protecting your smile from acidity is easy. One way is to choose crunchy, whole-food snacks like carrots, cucumbers, and apples. Another smile-saving tip is to rinse your mouth with water after any snack. It takes a few seconds to swish water through the mouth and across all teeth (remember to swish through front teeth, too) to reap long-lasting rewards.

Schedule A Consultation

Dental exams and cleanings are also an essential aspect of saving your smile. Schedule your visit in our Beverly Hills office at (310) 276-4537.

A healthy smile is a true asset to health and wellness. An attractive smile is, too, actually. When teeth look white and radiant, we feel better. We smile more. When we do this, we attract goodness into our lives. Studies have proven that smiling is a minor physical act that excites the brain to produce more “feel good” chemicals like dopamine. Smiling, especially with bright white teeth, has also demonstrated the power to propel professional and social success.

You are likely aware that there are many pitfalls that can diminish your radiant smile. Here, we offer four tips for preservation.

  1. Get intentional about oral care. There is a new trend revolving around mindful living, and it can help your smile. To be intentional means to act with purpose. If you set the intention to protect your teeth from unnecessary damage, this encourages daily, purposeful action such as brushing and flossing with your full attention on the task at hand. You might even throw in the occasional home-whitening boost using quality strips or another whitening product.
  2. Watch how you eat. Usually, we hear that we should watch what we eat. When it comes to tooth discoloration, there is no way to avoid pigmented foods altogether. We won’t even suggest that you try to do this. What we will suggest is that you use a straw when consuming iced tea, coffee, or soda. We will also suggest making a habit of rinsing your mouth with water after you consume food or beverage. Rinsing is better than brushing in this instance because enamel is usually softer after a snack or meal and therefore susceptible to erosion from brushing.
  3. Turn to Mother Nature for assistance. There are several natural remedies to protect a radiant smile. One that we can stand behind is the consumption of crunchy fruits and vegetables. These foods have a polishing effect that discourages plaque buildup. Also, ending a meal with, say, a stick of celery, dilutes and sweeps away debris that can cause stains.
  4. Teeth whitening treatment is not a once-and-done process. Most people who undergo teeth whitening once want to do it again. Why? Because a radiant smile is an asset we all love to admire!

Do you want to establish a new baseline of radiance for your smile? Contact us online or call our Beverly Hills office at 310-276-4537 to schedule your treatment. Dr. Frey also offers professional teeth whitening in his office in Marylebone in the UK.

You may realize that you snore but have little idea of how severe your snoring problem really is until someone tells you. If a loved one has expressed concern about your snoring habit and its disruptive nature, there is more than one reason to take note. Not only do you want to support your relationship by protecting everyone’s sleep, yours included, but you also need to realize that there comes the point at which snoring is a dangerous habit. Here, we want to point out a few ways that snoring may be revealing that you have obstructive sleep apnea.

No Amount Of Sleep Feels Like Enough

Many people wake up feeling groggy and sleepy. However, if you consistently wake up feeling exhausted, even after at least eight hours in bed, it could be because your quality of sleep is being disrupted. If your morning is spent chugging coffee and you still can’t seem to break out of that fog bank in your head, it could be that your body is working on overdrive at night.

Obstructive sleep apnea causes a pause in breathing. This can happen hundreds of times a night. When you stop breathing, your brain panics and releases adrenaline to wake you up enough so you begin to breathe again (until the next apnea episode). As a result of this constant struggle for deep sleep, some people find that they have to nap during the day or that they fall asleep when they sit for a few minutes.

Mornings Are A Headache

Many people with obstructive sleep apnea also report that they tend to wake up with a headache more often than not. The reason that this may occur is that the flow of oxygen to the brain is restricted during every apnea episode.

Blood Pressure Climbs

Sleep apnea disrupts the processes that are commonly performed while you sleep. Therefore, a number of secondary concerns may originate with this sleep disorder. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one example. Blood pressure may increase in the face of obstructive sleep apnea because, in the body’s state of shock, blood vessels constrict and blood pressure rises to jumpstart the respiratory system. The circulatory effects of an apnea episode linger even after breathing has resumed.

Obstructive sleep apnea presents serious concerns, but it can be treated efficiently. Some people obtain the best results with oral appliance therapy. If you suspect you have obstructive sleep apnea and would like to learn more about this treatment, contact us online or call our Beverly Hills office at 310-276-4537.

We all want to feel good when we smile. We also expect that chewing and biting will occur without complication. This expectation and others may not be satisfied if teeth are affected by widespread decay or inflammation. Oral disease, injury to teeth, and even wear and tear are all common reasons why a person may be a good candidate for full mouth reconstruction, or Smile 360 treatment. This procedure is not your average cosmetic dentistry makeover; it is a step-by-step process that rebuilds the framework for a healthy, attractive smile.

What To Expect From Full Mouth Reconstruction

If multiple dental problems are keeping you from the comfort and confidence you deserve, a full-mouth reconstruction plan may be right for you. The personalized treatment plan is developed based on the findings of an initial visit with Dr. Frey. During this consultation, our objective is to get to know you and your smile concerns. We want to know every detail you have to share because your concerns and preferences are what guide our treatment process.

After a comprehensive consultation, we perform a thorough dental exam that includes x-rays and, if necessary, other diagnostic tests. This exam observes your teeth, restorations that may no longer be functioning well, your gums, and also your facial structure. The observations that are made during this exam provide us with a starting point from which your smile can be recreated to perfectly suit your needs and your facial contours.

Dr. Frey describes the Smile 360 process as a dental pie. Integral pieces to this pie include:

A full mouth reconstruction plan may begin with restorative treatments such as root canal therapy or tooth replacement, as needed to reinstate the foundation for functional biting and chewing. Outdated tooth restorations may be replaced to enable opposing teeth to fit optimally. This reduces stress on the joints of the jaw. When gums and teeth are healthy and the jaw is in working condition, cosmetic treatments focus on perfecting the shade, length, size, and texture of the teeth that make up your smile.

Full mouth reconstruction need not be a stressful endeavor. Patients of our Beverly Hills, CA and Marylebone, UK offices can expect their comfort to be our priority throughout the treatment process. To schedule a consultation, call an office near you.

Much of the work that is done in our Beverly Hills office revolves around making the smile look amazing. Cosmetic dentistry is rewarding for us and for our patients. At the same time, we still regard routine exams and cleanings as the foundation on which all beauty can be built. You may realize that twice-a-year dental exams are valuable. Most people do. Where interest seems to wane is in the area of dental cleanings. After all, doesn’t your dentist or hygienist do exactly what you do on a daily basis already? Not really.

There are particular steps that are followed during a routine dental cleaning. These professional treatments also coincide with exams that guide the cleaning process. For example, patients who have developed space between gum tissue and teeth are more susceptible to advanced gum disease. Therefore, certain measurements of periodontal space may call for a deeper cleaning.

Deep cleanings are the exception. Preferably, routine cleanings are maintained at six-month intervals. Each time we perform a routine cleaning, we:

  1. Remove plaque and tartar from the gum line. Plaque and tartar are made up of the same content: saliva, tiny food particles, and bacteria. The difference between the two is that plaque is softer and stickier, whereas tartar has calcified, or hardened, onto enamel. As you may imagine, tartar is a bit more difficult to remove. The more plaque and tartar there are, the longer this step of the cleaning may take.
  2. Clean and polish teeth with moderately abrasive toothpaste. The toothpaste that is used to clean natural enamel (not restorations like veneers) is gritty.  It is more abrasive than the toothpaste sold commercially, which is why professional cleaning leaves teeth brighter and smoother. The toothpaste used during cleanings doesn’t remove enamel, but it does remove superficial debris that has settled in the pores of teeth.
  3. Floss between all teeth. The technique used during professional cleanings doesn’t differ much (or at all) from what should be done at home. And yet, we often discover unexpected information during this step. Having your hygienist floss for you may help you become aware of places you’re missing. Usually, the back of the mouth is a challenging area for flossing. Your hygienist may suggest tools or techniques that can help you achieve greater flossing success.

There’s no time like the present to give your mouth the gift of health and beauty. To schedule a visit in our Beverly Hills office, contact us online or call 310-276-4537.

Most of us recognize teeth grinding or clenching in other people, but not in ourselves. According to the American Sleep Association, approximately 15 percent of children grind their teeth when they sleep, and about 10% of adults do, as well. At a glance, a little clenching and grinding while you sleep may not seem like a big deal. Ultimately, though, we see some pretty steep consequences originate with this subconscious habit.

Teeth Grinding: What Is It?

Teeth grinding and clenching are habits that dentists refer to as bruxism. This term doesn’t describe the occasional clenching of the jaw that we see television and movie actors do; bruxism describes excessive grinding and gnashing that occurs frequently. In severe cases, these actions may go on night after night. When grinding and clenching are persistent, several symptoms may develop. These include jaw and head pain, tooth pain, and even broken teeth.

Dr. Frey is recognized as a leader in the treatment of TMJ disorder, a condition that often relates to bruxism and the continual clenching and grinding of teeth. Common approaches to minimizing bruxism may include a customized mouthguard and bite correction. In addition to obtaining professional care from a dentist who has specific experience treating TMJ disorder, there are a few ways to treat bruxism naturally. Home treatments that may complement professional care include:

If you are a grinder and clencher, your mouth and jaw may be suffering the consequences. Get the care you need to combat bruxism from Beverly Hills dentist Dr. David Frey. Contact us online or call 310-276-4537 for a convenient appointment.

Oral care is a simple task that we are encouraged to perform twice a day. Brushing is easy. Most people have this down to a highly-efficient practice that we do morning and night. Flossing and other steps, however, may come as more of a challenge. Chore may be a better word. We realize that the idea of adding another task to oral care may sound unappealing. We’re going to bring it up anyway. It is important that we support our patients with suggestions that can improve their oral health. This one, tongue scraping, may do even more than that.

At this point, you may be shaking your head already. Scrape my tongue? Yes. Hear us out.

What Tongue Scraping Is And What It Does

You may instinctively perform some version of tongue scraping when you brush your teeth. As folks have learned that the back of their tongue can be a haven for bacteria and toxins, the habit of brushing this part of the tongue has occurred. This is not beneficial. Tongue brushing and tongue scraping are two different things. When you brush, you leave bacteria behind. Furthermore, those that are picked up are likely to adhere to your toothbrush, only to jump ship the next time bristles are in your mouth.

True tongue scraping, the kind that will provide you with the most benefit, involves gently moving a non-sharp, curved scraper from the back of the tongue to the front. Tongue-scrapers can be purchased online or at most drug stores. The practice is really simple, takes only about a minute a day, and offers significant benefits such as:

We are committed to helping our patients enjoy lifelong oral health and smiles they love. For more information on our general and cosmetic dentistry services, call our Beverly Hills office.

Dr. Frey is known for the thoughtfulness he puts into every dental treatment. Cosmetic dentistry is an investment and one that we do not take lightly. When you visit us in Beverly Hills or Marylebone in the UK, you can expect to receive comprehensive care that extends beyond your time in the office. Here, we want to discuss how you can make the most of porcelain veneers after your smile is perfected through this treatment.

About Porcelain Veneers

The indirect veneer process involves the minor alteration of a tooth or teeth. Impressions are taken and sent to a lab in which veneers are crafted out of durable dental porcelain. These veneers are made to exact specifications, so they achieve the desired outcome. In some cases, veneers are made to elongate a tooth or teeth. Veneers can also disguise slight turning or a noticeable stain, chip, or gap. Because porcelain veneers share important characteristics with enamel, their presence looks completely natural in the smile.

How Long Your Veneers Last Is Somewhat Up To You

Porcelain veneers are bonded to a prepared enamel surface. This chemical bond is intended to provide sufficient strength for biting for several years. With good care and proper usage (teeth are not tools), it is possible to see porcelain veneers hold their value for up to 15 years.

During their lifespan, porcelain veneers are susceptible to the same type of degradation as natural teeth. Biting, chewing, and dietary habits can all affect the extent of wear to these cosmetic fixtures. In addition to normal wear and tear, another reason that veneers may need to be replaced is decay. Remember, veneers only cover the front surface of teeth. To reduce the risk of decay developing at veneer margins, it is essential that you continue to brush and floss with care.

Staining can be a problem for individuals with veneers, though not in the way you may think. Porcelain is a great material for veneers because it resists stains. However, what we have found is that substances like tobacco can cause marked discoloration around veneers, at their margins, or on teeth adjacent to those that have been veneered. It is important for smokers and those who use tobacco to develop strategies to protect cosmetic dental work.

The Magic Is In The Follow Through

Good habits support the longevity of porcelain veneers. We are here to help. In addition to good home care, veneers are better maintained when you see your dentist routinely for exams and cleanings.

Is it time to bring out the best in your smile? Call today to schedule your visit.

Root canal therapy has existed for many, many years. The initial technique to treat infection deep within a tooth was first developed in the mid-1800s. That has presented an enormous opportunity for refinement. It has also given us plenty of time to reach assumptions about a beneficial treatment that don’t serve us.

You may have heard stories about root canal therapy. You may have a perception of what this procedure is like by hearing comedic statements or watching scenes in movies or television that poke fun at this minor treatment. Often, a patient needing root canal therapy will have an intense sense of anxiety about their impending treatment without really understanding why. It all boils down to misunderstanding. We’d like to clear that up for you here.

Root Canal Therapy Is NOT Painful

One of the biggest misunderstandings about root canal therapy is that the procedure hurts. To get a root canal is not much different than getting a cavity filled or having a tooth prepared for a dental crown. There is a need to remove infected material, and then there is a filling process – neither of which is painful.

Root canal treatment may be associated with pain because patients often complain of a bad toothache before their treatment. There is also a potential for heightened sensitivity during root canal therapy, or any dental treatment, due to an expectation of pain. Finally, the reputation that root canal therapy has for being uncomfortable could be due to outdated information. Earlier in dentistry when techniques and anesthetic may have needed a bit of refinement, many of the treatments that were conducted were somewhat uncomfortable.

A root canal performed today is not a painful or stressful experience. The use of modern anesthetic technique and meticulous surgical methods makes the procedure comfortable. Many dentists who perform root canals also offer sedation to help patients feel fully relaxed in the chair.

Tooth Extraction Is NOT An Alternative To Root Canal Therapy

There may be a few reasons why some patients think extracting a diseased tooth is a better idea than repairing it. Whatever those may be for any individual, there remain key points that need to be considered. If we were to extract instead of repair, we would need to follow up with tooth replacement. Otherwise, teeth would shift and the risk for further infection would manifest.

We prioritize education and prevention in our Beverly Hills and London offices. Contact the office near you to schedule general dental care that revolves around your needs. Call our Beverly Hills office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Frey DDS.

The sight of blood in the sink when you brush, or floss can be disturbing. This may be especially true if you notice blood frequently. Because this is one of the primary symptoms of gum disease, it is necessary to take bleeding gums seriously. When we can discern the underlying cause of bleeding (it may not be what you think), we are empowered to stop this problem in its tracks.

Why The Gums May Bleed

Gums may start to bleed at the early onset of inflammation. This doesn’t mean that infection has developed – at least not yet. So, if bleeding is a relatively new thing, there is a good reason to schedule a dental exam and cleaning right away. It could be that plaque, a sticky biofilm of debris and bacteria has accumulated around a few of the teeth in your mouth. A thorough dental cleaning can remove this debris, and also any tartar that has hardened to enamel. Once these irritants are removed, we can expect that bleeding will stop. Of course, there is a need for daily brushing and flossing as well as routine dental care moving forward.

Let’s say you have been really good about seeing your dentist, and you brush and floss daily, and you still see bleeding. Understandably, this could feel frustrating because you’re taking good care to avoid gingivitis and periodontitis. If you believe that bleeding only relates to inflammation and infection, you may sense that your efforts are failing. This may not be the case. Some studies suggest that bleeding gums may relate to certain deficiencies in nutrients.

If bleeding does not coincide with direct oral problems, it may be advantageous to have your vitamin C and K levels checked. Instead of formal lab work, you may add more leafy greens to your diet, as well as more citrus fruits. Together, the two can boost both vitamins that could be related to bleeding gums.

Finally, if you’re pregnant and you start to notice that your gums bleed frequently, you might chalk this problem up to the hormone changes your body is going through. Routine dental care is integral to a healthier pregnancy so should not be avoided during this momentous time.

Call the Beverly Hills office of Dr. David Frey for personal dental care.