Blog Archive

If you've ever experienced jaw pain or discomfort, you're not alone. TMD, or Temporomandibular Dysfunction, is something many people suffer from.  In this blog post, we at Dentistry in Paradise, in Santa Barbara California, aim to understand and explain the pathology and treatment better. What is TMD? TMD refers to...

One dental question we often get asked, “Is carbonated waters bad for my teeth”.  Today, we're diving into that topic. While it's a refreshing alternative to sugary sodas and sports drinks, many patients wonder about its effects on dental health. Let's explore the risks and benefits of carbonated water for...

Whether you’re missing a single tooth or all of your teeth, the reality is that any missing teeth can profoundly impact your ability to chew thoroughly, speak clearly, and smile with confidence. Both dental implants and dentures can restore your smile, but which option is right for you?  Each provides...

Periodontal disease affects about half of adults over age 30 and a whopping 70% of adults over age 65. It’s a leading cause of adult tooth loss, but it can also make your gums recede.  If you’ve noticed your gums look different lately, you might wonder if your gums are...

A crown is a dental cap that fits over your natural tooth. Crowns can be made of porcelain, resin, or metal, and they serve many purposes. You might consider a crown for purely cosmetic reasons, or you might need one to protect a tooth.  Kevin Miller, DDS, and our team...

Wisdom teeth once helped prehistoric ancestors eat rough, uncooked foods. Over time, humans have evolved to have smaller jaws and different diets. This means you don’t necessarily need wisdom teeth — nor does everyone have room for them — but the teeth still erupt anywhere from your late teens to...

Poor oral health increases your risk of dental issues, such as cavities, abscesses, oral infections, periodontal disease, and tooth loss. However, the repercussions of poor oral health aren’t limited to your mouth.  Gum disease, for example, has been linked to heart disease, low birth weight, and diabetes, but new research...

A dental abscess is a painful and potentially serious condition that requires prompt attention. An abscess can affect any area of your mouth, including your wisdom teeth, your gums, or even your anterior teeth. Not sure if you’re dealing with an abscess? Because they can escalate quickly, it’s better to...

Fluoride 一 an ionic form of fluorine 一 is a mineral found in natural water sources, but you probably recognize it for its use in dental settings. Fluoride is in all toothpastes with the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance, and it’s available as a topical application during routine dental...

Discovering that your gums are receding can be concerning, but rest assured, you're not alone. Also known as gingival recession, this condition affects as many as 88% of people over age 65.  If you suspect that you have receding gums, don’t hesitate to reach out. The earlier you address receding gums,...

When a tooth becomes damaged or decayed, timely dental restorations can save it, preventing an extraction. In the past, dental crowns were the go-to solution for severe damage. That’s because dental crowns encompass all surfaces of your tooth.  While there’s a time and place for dental crowns 一 they can protect a...

A bright, white smile can greatly enhance your appearance and boost your confidence. While teeth whitening treatments can help add sparkle to your smile, your food choices can also play a role in staining — or brightening — your smile.  Did you know that certain foods can naturally help brighten...

For many people, visiting the dentist is a major source of anxiety and fear. Dental phobia, also known as dentophobia, is a common condition that can prevent individuals from seeking necessary dental care, whether that’s a routine cleaning, a crown to protect a tooth, or a filling to stop decay. If you’re...

Dental implants and dentures are two popular options for restoring your smile when you have missing or damaged teeth. Both can improve the appearance of your smile as well as your ability to chew and speak properly, but they differ in terms of cost, durability, and maintenance requirements.  Our team at Dentistry in Paradise offers...

Do your gums bleed when you brush your teeth? This may be a seemingly innocent symptom 一 it may not even hurt 一 but bleeding gums can be a sign of gingivitis. Gingivitis is the earliest form of periodontal disease, also called gum disease. Because gum disease can cause extensive damage...

Did you know that smiling has health benefits? Smiling can boost your immune system, release endorphins, slash cortisol levels, and even help reduce physical pain. Smiling is good for your health, but what happens if you don’t love your smile?  Maybe your teeth aren’t as bright as you’d like them to...

Adults have 32 teeth, although if you’ve had all of your wisdom teeth removed, this number drops down to 28. However, the average adult has about 25 teeth, meaning that most adults are missing a few teeth. About 23 million Americans are missing all of their teeth. These facts highlight...

If your teeth seem a little less bright these days, you're not imagining it. Yellow or stained teeth are a common cosmetic complaint, and many people find that their teeth start to yellow a bit as the years pass.  The good news is that our team at Dentistry in Paradise...

Dental crowns 一 sometimes called caps 一 are dental restorations that cover the entire visible portion of your tooth. This is in contrast to fillings, inlays, and onlays, which only cover a portion of your tooth. Your dentist can affix a crown for purely cosmetic reasons, but they’re often used to help protect...

It may seem like a coming-of-age milestone to have your wisdom teeth removed, but you may wonder: Do wisdom teeth always have to be removed? The answer is no. However, while wisdom teeth don’t always have to come out, there are many reasons your dentist could recommend it. Here’s what you need to know,...

Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a gum infection. It’s often the result of poor hygiene, when too much plaque and tartar build up on your teeth. Periodontal disease is a common public health concern, with 42% of American adults experiencing some form of this oral health condition. ...

Veneers 一 thin porcelain shells that cover the front surface of your natural teeth 一 are one of the best cosmetic dentistry treatment options for enhancing the appearance of your smile. They’ve been a common option for years, yet there are still many misconceptions regarding veneers. That’s why Kevin Miller,...

Are you embarrassed by a missing tooth or frustrated by how it affects your ability to eat or speak clearly? An estimated 267 million people suffer from tooth loss, but, thankfully, there are many options for replacing missing teeth.  Dental implants are a durable and aesthetically pleasing option, and they’re...

Cosmetic dentistry is well-known for services such as teeth whitening, but did you know that some cosmetic services, such as dental bonding, can repair a tooth while enhancing its appearance?  Dental bonding is one of the many cosmetic services we provide at Dentistry in Paradise in Santa Barbara, California, but not everyone knows the many benefits...

Crowns are a type of dental restoration that cover your natural tooth. Dental crowns protect and strengthen your tooth if it’s been damaged by a large cavity or if it’s been weakened by a large crack.  Typically, the process for getting a crown is a two-appointment process, with your crown fabricated...

There’s no part of the human body quite as problematic as wisdom teeth. Although humans were meant to have this third set of molars to replace worn-down teeth due to tough fibrous diets thousands of years ago, they rarely erupt without complications today. Each year, dentists extract about 10 million...

Gum disease 一 also known as periodontal disease 一 refers to a gum infection. But unfortunately, gum disease doesn’t just affect your gums. Untreated gum disease can compromise the integrity of your jawbone, increase your risk of tooth loss, and even affect your cardiovascular health.  The best way to reduce...

Dental implants restore the function of your mouth and a picture-perfect smile. But what if you’re missing more than one tooth? Dental implants can replace a single tooth, but they can also restore your entire mouth.  All-on-4® implants support an entire row of teeth on just four implant posts — and...

Dental crowns, sometimes called dental caps, serve many purposes in dentistry. They can enhance the look of a misshapen tooth, protect a tooth after a root canal, or strengthen a tooth with a large filling. Dental crowns can even replace a missing tooth. In this blog, Kevin Miller, DDS, explains two...

If you’re not happy with some aspects of your smile, which cosmetic service do you choose? Teeth whitening, cosmetic bonding, or maybe a crown? For some, there may be a simpler answer: Instead of choosing multiple treatments, veneers serve as the single solution to many smile flaws. In this blog,...

Have you recently gotten teeth whitening but are concerned that your results may not last? You’re not alone. At Dentistry in Paradise we provide at-home teeth whitening kits to many of our patients, and it’s common for them to want to learn more about extending their teeth whitening results. As...

Bike accidents and biting into something hard are two common causes of dental emergencies, but the reality is that dental emergencies can pop up anywhere 一 on the sports field, at work, or while eating at home. If you’re dealing with a knocked-out tooth, an oral infection, or a toothache,...

If you’ve ever bitten into an ice cream cone, you may have felt the sharp, zapping pain associated with tooth sensitivity. However, temperature isn’t the only thing that can cause sensitive teeth. If you’ve noticed that your teeth are touchier than usual, a visit to the dentist is in order....

As 5 months have gone by since we reopened our office, wewanted to update our patients on the safety related to COVIDand the importance of going to the dentist for your overallhealth. To date, there have been no known cases of Covid-19contracted from dental offices in the United States, accordingto...

Congratulations to our dental assistant, Griselda, on the birth of her third child. Baby Victoria joined her siblings on August 31st. She is a beautiful, healthy girl and we welcome her to our dental family also. Griselda is back from maternity leave and just celebrated her 15th year with Dentistry...

Dr. Miller has perfected the art of making in- office crowns with the use ofour amazing Cerec Machine, which we featured in a previous newsletter. Wehave received such positive feedback from you, our patients, who appreciatethe fact that crowns are started and finished in one visit. No temporaries areneeded while...

Did you know that one of the first things we notice when we meet a new person is there teeth?  One of the best ways to create a better first impression can be smiling with a brighter smile!  Over the past 20 years, teeth whitening has become a very sought...

Maggie has been with DENTISTRY IN PARADISE for almost two years. She has been a dental assistant since 2003 and is a pleasure to have in our office. Her hobbies include working out at the gym and she has recently completed acourse on eyelash extensions. Maggie also loves cooking and...

SUMMER can bring fun vacations which may also mean a break from routines. Don’t take a vacation from your good oral hygiene habits! Remember to pack that toothbrush and floss and continue to use them daily. Extra sweets along with the traditional BBQ menu, including corn on the cob, make...

Dentistry in Paradise has moved to our new office space. You will find us in Suite 109, which is next door to our previous location. We are so pleased with the remodel and our patients are as well. We want to extend a warm welcome to those of you who...

The negative effects of smoking cigarettes have been noted for years, in both overall and oral health. Many people have switched to vaping thinking that it is safer than smoking. The research is still out on that debate but we do know that it can damage your oral health.  ...

The most well-known of the options and the one that comes first to most people’s minds, are porcelain veneers.  Porcelain veneers are thin porcelain “facings” that cover the front surface of teeth to straighten or mask colors of the teeth.  Advantages of porcelain veneers are the rigidity and high strength...

"Dentistry in Paradise is excited to announce that we now offer same day crowns with CEREC technology.  CEREC means Ceramic Reconstruction and was developed over 25 years ago in Zurich, Switzerland.  The program is a complex digital software and milling device that is able to provide high strength and high...

First, let's understand what gingivitis is. Gingivitis is inflammation of the gum tissue. Gums can appear red, and "puffy". They may be tender when brushing and flossing, and they may bleed. Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease that can be reversed with good homecare and regular dental visits....

  Silver diamine fluoride, although an old medicament used over a century ago, is one of the hottest topics in dentistry over the last couple of years.  Large amounts of current research have shown silver diamine fluoride to very effective in the treatment of tooth sensitivity and arresting (or halting) the...

Did you know that the condition of your teeth and gums has a direct impact on your overall health?  Numerous studies have shown strong associations between oral health and a variety of health concerns.  These include heart disease, stroke, diabetes and complications in pregnancy.  In this blog post, we would like to explore...