You want to hurt a dentist’s heart?  Just say something like that.  We actually hear statements like this all of the time.  We don’t hear them in the office, though.  We hear them in casual conversation when someone asks where we work.  It’s strange how the phrase, “I’m a dentist” can turn happy hour into a confessional in no time[…]

With so many teeth whitening products available on the market today, it can get a little confusing.  How do you know which one to choose?  Will over-the-counter whiteners work as well as the stuff from the dentist?  There are a few important differences between OTC products and professional teeth whiteners. Active Ingredients There is only one family of chemicals proven[…]

Kids are pretty accident-prone.  From taking their first little baby steps to leaning to ride a bicycle to playing sports, they have a high risk of injuring themselves.  Often these injuries affect the face, mouth, and teeth. As the parent, your job is not to panic, but to know what to do and calm your child while you do it. […]

Do you want to improve your smile but are not sure how to do it?  Many people consider both of these very popular cosmetic dentistry options.  It is important to understand two very substantial differences in order to decide which will be best for you. Cost There is no question that teeth whitening is far less expensive than porcelain veneers. […]

Receding gums used to be accepted as a fact of life.  That’s where the phrase “getting long in the tooth” came from.  Aging meant receding gums, so the teeth appeared “longer”.  We now know that gum recession is not simply a fact of life.  We can prevent it, and we can repair it! What Causes Gum Recession? There are several[…]

Everyone wants healthy, pink gums surrounding their teeth.  Some people, though, have a little too much.  When you see a full layer of gum tissue between the upper lip and the upper teeth, we often refer to it as a “gummy” smile.  There are a few different causes of gummy smiles, which means there are also a few different ways[…]

19It’s hot, y’all.  Houston summers are almost unbearable without a nice cold beverage.  Here’s what you need to know about the dangers of these common summer drinks and how you can protect your teeth from them. What’s so Bad about These Drinks? The beef we have with these awesome summer drinks is twofold: their sugar content, and their acidic pH. […]

Are you interested in straightening your teeth with Invisalign?  If so, here are some great questions to ask yourself. How Diligent Will I Be in Wearing The Aligners? Invisalign differs from traditional braces in that it puts some of the responsibility for success in the patient’s hands.  Since the aligners are removable, the patient has control over how much movement[…]

Being a parent is tough.  Not only are there a million things on your to-do list; there are a lot of things that should be on your to-do list that often get forgotten.  Then when a problem arises because you were not doing the things you should have been doing, you add another parenting burden: guilt. We see it all[…]

Did you know Invisalign is not exclusively for adults?  At Designer Smiles, we treat many teens with clear aligner therapy to create beautiful smiles. Invisalign offers some unique features that allow us to tackle the specific challenges of treating people who are not yet fully grown. The biggest challenge in treating teenagers with removable aligners is ensuring that they actually[…]