Dr. Barr is now a Six Month Smiles instructor!

I just returned from presenting a 2-day course for Six Month Smiles. I spent the weekend teaching dentists about Six Month Smiles. Six Month Smiles is a system of providing short term cosmetic orthodontic treatment for patients who want a smile they can be proud of in a reasonable amount of time.

Most patients can achieve beautiful results without spending 2 years braces. In the time it takes between regular cleanings, Six Month Smiles can close spaces and straighten crooked teeth.

I'm proud to be among only 4 dentists selected to be an instructor and look forward to teaching dentists all over the country.

Gum Disease may lead to heart attacks - more news

A quick note here.

Recently there was another report on the news about how the inflammation from Gum Disease can lead to heart disease or heart attacks. Also implicated is diabetes and strokes. Watch this special report and interview from ABC News:



For more information on how you get yourself checked click on Gum Disease in Palm Beach County.

Teeth Whitening at Mall Kiosks Banned

As I predicted in my August 2008 post on this topic, teeth whitening provided by untrained people at mall kiosks (and other locations) is being banned. Tennessee has just passed a law banning this practice. I expect other states will follow suit. It just makes sense.

Palm Beach Smiles Website - Now with Video!

My primary practice website, http://www.palmbeach-smiles.com/, now has video!

On the home page and nine other pages, you can see video of me introducing the page and topic. Here are links to the individual pages:

Palm Beach Smiles - Home Page

Palm Beach Smiles - About Our Office

Palm Beach Smiles - 6 Month Braces

Palm Beach Smiles - Cosmetic Dentistry

Palm Beach Smiles - Smile Makeovers

Palm Beach Smiles - Porcelain Veneers

Palm Beach Smiles - Before & After Gallery

Palm Beach Smiles - General & Family Dentistry

Palm Beach Smiles - Dental Implants

Palm Beach Smiles - Meet Dr. Michael Barr

6 (Six) Month Braces or Porcelain Veneers?

Veneers vs. Braces?

Dentistry now has more cosmetic options than ever before. People are also more aware that an unattractive smile is not a life sentence. You can change your smile! If you've watched any TV in the past few years, it's likely you've seen some of what dentistry can do for your smile.

The most common complaints about unattractive smiles usually include:
- dark or discolored teeth
- spaces or gaps
- crowding or crooked teeth
- worn down or chipped teeth

Depending on your goals, the answer to your problem can vary. If your only concern is the color of your teeth, simple whitening may be the solution. If your concerns include the spacing, size, shape, or crookedness of your teeth, then either braces or veneers may be the right choice for you. In some cases, it may be a combination of all the above.

Most people are familiar with braces (orthodontics). There is the traditional approach to braces, and today we also have 6 Month Cosmetic Braces. The way they work is very similar. The goals are different.

Traditional braces are intended to not only straighten teeth, but also to correct any bite discrepancies. Because of the goal to correct the bite, the treatment time is longer. Usually it's anywhere from 12 to 24 months, or even longer in some cases.

6 (Six) Month Braces are intended to correct the alignment of the teeth in the "smile zone." 6 Month Cosmetic Braces straighten only the teeth that show in your smile. They do not usually correct any bite discrepancies. 6 Month Braces are a wonderful solution for adult patients who are not happy with their smiles because of spacing, crowding, or crooked teeth. After straightening your teeth, whitening may be the "cherry on top." The advantage of 6 Month Braces over Porcelain Veneers is that it's more conservative and less expensive. By straightening your teeth with braces, no irreversible changes have been made to the teeth themselves, as occurs with Porcelain Veneers. But, naturally, 6 Month Braces cannot change the shape or size of your teeth.

Porcelain Veneers are the ultimate in cosmetic dental makeover treatment. Porcelain Veneers can also correct crooked teeth (with some limitations), discolorations, close spaces, and rebuild worn or chipped teeth. With Porcelain Veneers, we can create picture-perfect teeth in terms of alignment, color, and shape. Exquisite Porcelain Veneers require some reshaping of the natural teeth to make room for the porcelain restorations. And, if the teeth are very crooked, this reshaping can sometimes be aggressive. That's where 6 Month Braces may be a big help - to reduce or eliminate such aggressive reshaping.

So, think of 6 Month Braces as a possible alternative to Porcelain Veneers if your only concern is the alignment of your teeth. Sometimes a combination of both 6 Month Braces and Porcelain Veneers will be the perfect solution. Ultimately, the best way to find out is to give us a call at Palm Beach Smiles for a free consultation.

Dr. Michael Barr is the founder of Palm Beach Smiles, a general dental practice in Boynton Beach, Florida with a focus on Cosmetic Dentistry.

Whoopi Goldberg Talks About Gum Disease

A few weeks ago, Whoopi Goldberg returned to her TV show, "The View," after being absent for emergency gum surgery. In this episode, she spent a few minutes discussing her personal experience with gum disease and how she will be losing her teeth. But, more importantly, Whoopi did a tremendous public service by bringing up the serious health consequences of gum disease (periodontal disease) that go well beyond losing teeth. Gum disease can kill you! Yes, you read that correctly! New discoveries are revealing possible connections between gum disease and heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer, for example.

Dentists have known about this for several years. But, it's amazing how the power of Whoopi's celebrity will do more for public awareness of gum disease than the dental profession could dream of doing. Whoopi set aside her pride and laid it all on the line to spread a very important message. Thanks, Whoopi!

The good news is that gum disease can be treated and prevented at our dental office in Boynton Beach.

Check out this short video! Whoopi has her facts right about gum disease.





This video was edited and annotated by Dr. Michael Barr, Boynton Beach dentist and founder of Palm Beach Smiles.