Natural-Looking Dental Bridges

Tooth replacement is important for eating, talking, self-esteem, and even jaw structure. When replacing a tooth, it is nice to have a replacement that blends right in with your other teeth. Here at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, CA, we are able to create natural-looking bridges to replace missing teeth.

Dental bridges are usually made from metal, ceramic, or ceramic covered metal. The options with ceramic will help the bridge look just like the rest of your natural teeth. A bridge closes the gap by placing a replacement tooth, called a pontic, between two crowns. The crowns are placed on the teeth adjacent to the open space. Bridges may last for fifteen years or longer with good care.

In order to create a bridge, first, the adjacent teeth will be reshaped to fit crowns on them. An impression will then be taken of the area so we can send it to a dental laboratory. There, a custom bridge will be created just for you. You will wear a temporary bridge while the permanent one is being created. The process usually takes two or three weeks. The final bridge is cemented into place and the next time you smile or go to eat something, you will be happy with your natural-looking, strong replacement.

If you are missing a tooth, it is important to replace it as soon as you can. To schedule an appointment with All Coast Dental of Pacific Beach, CA, call our office at (858) 270-4904. More information about bridges can be found on our website. 

Tips for Flossing with Braces

As our doctors at All Coast Dental will tell you, flossing can be difficult when you have traditional metal braces, but it’s more important than ever to keep the gaps in your teeth clean when you have a mouth full of metal. Many folks who have braces don’t know how to floss with them or think that they can’t floss at all if they have braces and this is not true. We already taught you how to brush with braces, so it’s only fair that we share some tips for flossing effectively and keeping those brackets and wires clean.

• Use waxed floss, because unwaxed floss is more likely to get caught and shred in your braces.

• Use about 18 inches of floss and thread it carefully. 

• Take the floss and gently thread it under the main wire of the braces before passing it between two teeth. Then remove the floss and re-thread it under the main wire to pass between the next pair of teeth.

• Be sure not to snap the floss. Simply move the floss up and down carefully against the side of each tooth.

If you have questions about orthodontic oral care, please give us a call. To learn about services provided at our practice, visit www.allcoastdental.net for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, CA, call 858-270-4904. 

As our doctors at All Coast Dental will tell you, flossing can be difficult when you have traditional metal braces, but it’s more important than ever to keep the gaps in your teeth clean when you have a mouth full of metal. Many folks who have braces don’t know how to floss with them or think that they can’t floss at all if they have braces and this is not true. We already taught you how to brush with braces, so it’s only fair that we share some tips for flossing effectively and keeping those brackets and wires clean.

• Use waxed floss because unwaxed floss is more likely to get caught and shred in your braces.


• Use about 18 inches of floss and thread it carefully.


• Take the floss and gently thread it under the main wire of the braces before passing it between two teeth. Then remove the floss and re-thread it under the main wire to pass between the next pair of teeth.


• Be sure not to snap the floss. Simply move the floss up and down carefully against the side of each tooth.

If you have questions about orthodontic oral care, please give us a call. To learn about services provided at our practice, visit www.allcoastdental.net for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, CA, call 858-270-4904.  

Tips for Brushing with Braces

If you have braces, you should be working overtime on practicing proper oral hygiene. This is because braces have tiny spaces where food particles and plaque get trapped, and inadequate cleaning while wearing these wires can cause enamel staining and tooth decay around brackets or bands. Our doctors at All Coast Dental can’t stand behind you to monitor how often you brush, but we can provide you with the following routine that will help make brushing with traditional braces both simple and effective.

• Prepare to brush – take off elastics, and any other removable parts of your orthodontic appliance.


• Clean your braces – use your brush at a 45-degree angle to clean around the wires and pins of your braces. Brush the top of each wire and then from the bottom. Take time to ensure that all plaque and debris are removed.


• Brush your teeth – clean each tooth individually. First, place your brush at a 45-degree angle to the junction between the tooth and the gum, and then apply gentle pressure as you move in a circular motion. Use the same brushing action on all outer and inner tooth surfaces, tilting the brush as needed to better reach the insides of smaller front teeth.

If you have questions about orthodontic oral care, please give us a call. To learn about services provided at our practice, visit www.allcoastdental.net for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, CA, call 858-270-4904. 

Custom Take-Home Teeth Whitening

Have you ever tried store-bought whitening kits only to find that they did not get you the results you desire? It may be time to try a professional approach. Here at All Coast Dental, we make it easy. You can take home our custom teeth whitening trays to whiten your teeth in the comfort of your own home and on your own time.

When dark foods and drinks like cola, blueberries, or coffee have left teeth darker than you would like, we have a solution. We can create you a set of custom trays that you take home and wear for a short period of time over a few days. This system has the professional strength that works while still keeping the convenience factor of at-home whitening. To ensure the perfect fit, we use impressions of your teeth to create the custom trays. We give you a whitening gel that is placed into the trays and worn for your recommended amount of time. They are able to be worn at day or night, depending on what works the best for your schedule. Using our professional system, our patients often see smiles four to eight shades whiter.

Stained or discolored teeth can really bring confidence down. Stop hiding your smile and make an appointment with us for our custom take-home whitening trays. To schedule an appointment in our Pacific Beach, CA office, call All Coast Dental at (858) 270-4904. More information about teeth whitening can be found on our website, www.allcoastdental.net.