Dentistry is changing rapidly nowadays, with undetectable dental treatment growing in popularity.

It seems a cosmetic dentist working in California is now offering his patients a facility that allows treatment to be effectively ‘unnoticeable’.

He told reporters recently that people both at home and abroad are looking for dental treatments that appear more natural. Dr. Curtis Couch said: “Most dentistry looks like dentistry and you can tell when someone has had a lot of dental work done– but at our practice, our goal is to provide dentistry that is almost undetectable.”

Dr. Couch added: “I meet people all the time who are unhappy with previous dental work from other dentists. They mostly say they wish their smile looked more natural and less ‘plastic’”.

“My goal is to approach treatment in a way that helps patients find what they are looking for and achieve the results they want. We offer treatment that gives optimum results while seamlessly blending in with your natural teeth and improving the overall appearance of your smile.”

Dr. Curtis is well known and respected in California for the work he does in restorative dentistry. What’s more, he believes that the only way to offer this kind of work is to ensure that he keeps up to date with changes in techniques and new developments. As such he attracts a variety of people, including celebrities.

He added: “For me it is most important to constantly offer the latest in dental technology and equipment so the patient’s overall experience is always improving and the results become more and more incredible.”

Dr. Couch also prides himself on his welcoming dental surgery. This is not surprising given the fact the surgery is exclusive, He continued: “Our exclusive practice offers patients superior care and five-star service. Nestled in the hills of Thousand Oaks, California, our practice emanates warmth, sophistication and comfort above all else.”

Sunday, March 27, marks the beginning of Root Canal Awareness Week in the United States. During this time, representatives of the American Association of Endodontists will be working to dispel the negative stigma surrounding root canals and to encourage patients who may be in need of a root canal to seek the treatment from an endodontist.

There are more than 15 million root canals performed each year in the United States, and it’s no wonder since the results of a survey suggest that 70 percent of Americans want to avoid losing their natural teeth. So why the need for a Root Canal Awareness Week?

Root canals have long  since been seen as negative, uncomfortable, last resort solutions to painful tooth problems. Endodontists want to reverse this negative perception of the treatment by empowering the public with knowledge of what root canals can achieve and dispelling theories that they are mercilessly painful.

According to some endodontists, a root canal might be the saving grace needed to maintain someone’s natural smile. President of the American Association of Endodontists, Dr. Clara M. Spatafore said, “Nothing looks, feels or functions as well as your natural teeth. Choosing to save a tooth with root canal treatment will help you sustain your ability to bite and chew and maintain the natural appearance of your smile.”

Dentists are noticing an increase in the number of patients who are choosing tooth coloured fillings, rather than the conventional silver amalgam type.

There have already been safety concerns expressed over the mercury content in amalgam fillings, which is no doubt the main reason why alternatives are becoming popular, but there are other advantages to the tooth coloured variety too.

Not only are the tooth coloured fillings potentially safer, but they also look better too. The fillings themselves are made of a mouldable plastic resin, which can actually be dyed to match the colour of your own natural teeth, rendering them almost invisible. Once the fillings are inserted, they are usually finished off with a dental sealant, making them more secure and less likely to fall out too.

The material not only looks like your own teeth, but it even mimics the natural texture, bonding firmly wherever it is applied to create a more natural smile. Unsurprisingly, these “natural” fillings are most popular among teenagers and young adults, who often find the unsightly silver amalgam version ugly.

The tooth coloured fillings are not suitable for every condition, however. They are best used where there are smaller cavities and in cases where the cause of the decay has already been treated and is unlikely to get any worse. It isn’t really suitable for use in larger holes or in the teeth at the rear of the mouth. Any dentist will be able to advise you if the material is suitable in your case.

Just because the product is more securely sealed within the cavity doesn’t mean you don’t need to still attend regular dental appointments to have it checked for general wear and tear, and good oral hygiene will help keep your teeth and the filling looking and feeling healthy.

The craze for whiter and straighter smiles is sweeping the length of the UK as more and more people want to copy their favourite celebrities. Unfortunately a lot of people are unwilling or unable to either afford the money or time for the more lengthy and complicated ways of achieving this, such as tooth bleaching, braces or veneers.

If you want to make an instant improvement to your teeth then there is a new, simpler option on the market now – the snap-on smile. These fit like normal braces over your teeth, but have perfect white teeth on the front. Once you’re use to the sensation the braces shouldn’t affect your speech and you can even eat with them in. Though at a cost of around £900 per set you might want to avoid eating or drinking too much so they don’t end up getting stained or cracked! You can put the snap-on smile on as little or as often as you like; perhaps wear it every day for work or just save it for special occasions. Often patients making the decision to start the procedure are doing it with something special, like a wedding, in mind. They are very easy to remove and to keep clean.

To have the smile fitted, you will need to have impressions made and then select the shape and colour of the teeth. It’s advised that you match the shape of your natural teeth as much as possible, and don’t go too white or the smile will appear too false. Experts say that you should ideally match the shade of your teeth to the whites of your eyes, to achieve the most natural look.

The snap-on smile is not advised for those who already have an overbite or protruding top teeth, as the style of the device could end up pushing your teeth further out of place.

Public health groups in New Jersey are launching a campaign aimed at encouraging elderly residents to monitor their oral health more closely. Most campaigns of this kind are usually aimed at families with young children, but experts warn that problems like bad breath and gingivitis can have a much more serious effect on the lives of adults. Consequently, the need to take better care of your mouth and teeth will increase with age.

Dental groups in New Jersey recently launched a series of public service announcements highlighting the importance of dental check-ups and good oral hygiene as you get older.

“Dental care doesn’t stop when you get older,” said Andrew Greenberger, a periodontist participating in the US campaign. “It’s more important than ever to take good care of your mouth, whether you have your natural teeth or wear partial or full dentures. Good oral health leads to good overall health, and by contrast, poor oral health can lead to serious disease.”

The link between oral and general health has long been established, with recent reports suggesting that more frequent brushing and a healthier mouth can actually reduce the risk of heart disease. Regular dental check ups are not just likely to identify problems with your teeth, but can also help health professionals identify other potential conditions, even ones not at all linked with your mouth but actually found in other areas of the body, much earlier.

Elderly patients are also more at risk from certain oral conditions that dental check ups will be able to identify and treat, before they become more serious. Oral cancer, for example, if found early can be treated relatively easily, despite the high death rate if it is discovered later. The elderly are also more likely to suffer from more minor oral health problems, such as gingivitis and other diseases of the gums, because of weakened tissue, often caused by the use of dentures.

Despite the Scottish Government setting a target to reduce number of adults losing teeth more and more Scots are doing just that.

A recent survey found that only 88 % of adults (16 and above) still have some of the teeth they were born with. This is 2 per cent short of the target set five years ago by the then Labour and Liberal Democratic coalition.

Robbie Finnie who is the Liberal Democratic Health spokesperson remarked: “Scotland’s healthy teeth target is being badly missed by the SNP.”

He added: “One in eight Scottish adults have no natural teeth at all. This figure has not changed since 2008. The statistics are worse among older women. Sixteen per cent of women aged 55-64 have no natural teeth.”

According to Mr. Finnie, the incoming SNP Government was told “…about the need to increase the number of dentists, especially in rural areas.”

In response to this a spokeswoman for the SNP Government said: “The survey results show that the improvement made in the number of adults retaining their natural teeth is being maintained. We are hopeful that improvement will continue towards the target for 2010.

“In 2003 ministers changed the reporting figure to include all adults over 64.

“We have seen an increase of over 370 NHS dentists since 2007. The number of adults registered with a dentist under NHS arrangements increased from over 1.8 million to over 2.7 million.”

One disturbing statistic found by the survey is that 29 per cent of Scottish adults have lost more than 12 natural teeth over their lifetime. Since adult human beings only have 32 teeth in total, this is a significant loss.

While it is generally accepted that ageing does affect the general health of teeth, the survey did also find that out the 29 per cent with less than 20 natural teeth, a quarter fell into the 45 – 54 age bracket. A further 44 per cent were between 55 and 64. The remainder will be in older and younger age groups.

An increasing number of people are choosing subtle, non-invasive treatments to give them a natural looking smile, it has been revealed.

In the last ten years, there had been a huge swing towards the ultra-bright, glossy Hollywood smile but recent surveys and figures show a significant decrease in the number of patients opting for Hollywood-style treatments over the course of the last two years, with more patients following the example of Cheryl Cole and opting for a more natural looking smile.

The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry has reported a huge decline in the number of patients asking for Hollywood smiles and a significant increase in the number of people asking for treatments such as invisible braces and gum sculpting, which improve the overall aesthetic of the smile whilst maintaining a natural look.

Cheryl Cole has become a fashion icon and many people are now choosing to follow in her footsteps and opt for treatments to preserve their natural smile; celebrities such as Lara Stone and Georgia Jagger are also famed for their natural smiles, which boast a large gap between the front teeth.

For a long time, American dentistry has lead the way but British teeth are becoming something of a fashion must-have; American dentists are now coming over to the UK to learn about techniques which help to improve the overall look of the smile without resorting to invasive treatments.