Dental Implants for Lifelong Tooth Replacement

Dental implants are often the top choice for tooth replacement. Why is that? Because they are the strongest and longest-lasting option. At Smiles of Cary in Cary, NC, we choose to offer dental implants as a tooth replacement option for our patients because with good care, they can last a lifetime.

Dental implants are actually implanted into your jaw bone like a real tooth is. To begin the process, your doctor will make an incision in your gums and place a titanium implant post into the bone socket where your tooth used to be. This process takes time to heal, so you will wear a temporary crown for several months. When the implant has bonded with your jaw bone and the healing is complete, an abutment will be placed onto the implant to act as the base for your new tooth. A custom-created dental crown is then permanently bonded to your tooth.

A dental implant should be taken care of just like a normal tooth, however, there is no special care needed. Brush twice per day, floss once per day, and see your dentist for routine cleanings. This should keep your dental implant looking great and acting strong.

If you are missing and tooth and want to know if a dental implant is right for you, schedule a consultation with Smiles of Cary in Cary, NC. To schedule, call our office at (919) 462-3350 or visit our website, www.smilesofcary.com. 

Are You Brushing Effectively?

When you visit us here at Smiles of Cary, we make sure that you receive the highest level of service and ensure that our dental work is of the highest quality. We also make it a priority to educate you on the effective techniques of maintaining a proper oral hygiene routine. Though we’ve been brushing our teeth all of our lives, many of us would be surprised to learn that we are doing it wrong. Next time you step in front of the mirror to clean your pearly whites, try utilizing these powerful brushing tips.

• Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums.


• Move the brush back and forth in a circular motion in short (tooth-wide) strokes.


• Brush the outer tooth surfaces, the inner tooth surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.


• Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, using a gentle up-and-down stroke.


• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria.

If you have questions about oral hygiene and dental health, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.smilesofcary.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Charles Ferzli at Smiles of Cary in Cary, NC, call 919-462-3350.

The Proper Flossing Technique

Proper flossing removes plaque and food particles in places where a toothbrush can’t easily reach – under the gum line and between your teeth. Here at Smiles of Cary, we’ve heard plenty of excuses as to why our patients aren’t flossing, but it’s important because plaque buildup can lead to tooth decay and gum disease if not removed. To receive maximum benefits from flossing, Dr. Charles Ferzli recommends using the following proper technique.

• Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty.


• Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers.


• Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums.


• When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a “C” shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth.


• Hold the floss tightly against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up-and-down motions. Repeat this method for the rest of your teeth and don’t forget the back ones!

If you have questions about oral hygiene and dental health, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.smilesofcary.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Charles Ferzli at Smiles of Cary in Cary, NC, call 919-462-3350.

Dental Sealants for Pediatric Patients

Kids tend to go through a time period where they are cavity-prone. This is often because of the pits and grooves that molars have. At Smiles of Cary in Cary, NC, we offer our pediatric patients dental sealants for extra cavity protection.

The pits and grooves in molars make collecting food and plaque easy. In addition, it is not always easy for kids to reach these grooves with a toothbrush. This is why dental sealants are great. They literally seal out bacteria and debris so that they cannot become trapped.

To apply dental sealants, your dentist will first clean your teeth. After that, they will be dried. An acidic solution will be brushed onto the molars that are being sealed to rough up the surface of the tooth. This is just to aid a strong bond between the sealant and the tooth. The teeth and rinsed and again dried. The dental sealants will then be brushed onto the teeth. The sealant is made of a plastic material that can harden to create that barrier. After the sealants are hardened, they are complete.

Dental sealants are great for kids and teens, however, they can also provide benefits for adults who have never had a cavity or filling in those areas. If a dental sealant sounds like it could benefit you or someone in your family, schedule an appointment in our Cary, NC office. To schedule with Smiles of Cary, call us at (919) 462-3350 or visit our website, www.smilesofcary.com. 

Digital X-Rays for Better Patient Outcomes and Greater Safety

Advances in technology are what allow our practice to continue growing. Offering our patients the best equipment and technology is what gives us the best patient outcomes. Here at Smiles of Cary in Cary, NC, one way we implement new technology is by using digital x-rays.

Digital x-rays are beneficial to both our patients and our office in multiple ways. They save time for both us and our patients. We are able to reference past x-rays faster than ever before. In addition, there is no waiting time for the x-rays to develop. They are displayed immediately on our monitors. Less time spent is money saved, again both for us and our patients. One more fantastic benefit that digital x-rays have over x-ray systems of the past is greater safety. Digital x-rays use much less radiation than systems of the past. Therefore, our patients are subjected to much lower levels.

Digital x-rays also allow us to use computer programs that can detect changes that the human eye may miss. We have tools that allow us to take a closer look than ever before. All of these combined benefits allow us more accurate diagnoses and treatment plans.

To find out more about the technology we use here in our Cary, NC dental practice, contact Smiles of Cary at (919) 462-3350 or through our website, www.smilesofcary.com. 

Dentures for Full or Partial Tooth Replacement

When looking for tooth replacement, it is nice to have options. Here at Smiles of Cary in Cary, NC, we want to be sure that our patients make informed decisions about their oral health. One of the options we have here is dentures. Dentures are a false set of teeth to replace some or all of a patient’s teeth.

Dentures are very popular and they have been around for a long time; even George Washington had dentures. However, major advancements have been made since then and so we no longer use hippopotamus ivory to create teeth!

Many dentures these days are made of acrylic resin or porcelain. These options are strong and take on the appearance of natural teeth. Whether you need all of your teeth replaced, or just a few, we have denture options for you. We can provide a full set or partial dentures.

Partial dentures work similar to dental bridges; they are attached to adjacent teeth using abutments. However, unlike bridges, partial dentures are removable.

For full dentures, we are able to place them conventionally or immediately. Immediate placement means no time spent without teeth after extractions; however, you will probably need the dentures refitted in the future. Conventional-set dentures will fit great from the start.

If you are missing teeth, it’s time to regain your oral health and restore your smile! To schedule your dentures consultation, give our Cary, NC office a call at (919) 462-3350 or visit our Smiles of Cary website, www.smilesofcary.com. 

Lumineers For A Perfect Smiles

A bright, beautiful smile is something that gives us confidence! Unfortunately, as we go through life, our teeth may not always remain great-looking. For this reason, we offer Lumineers here at Smiles for Cary in Cary, NC!

Lumineers are very thin veneers that are placed right over your existing tooth. We are able to create a brand-new look for your smile without major dental work like braces or surgery. Lumineers are great for crooked, gapped, chipped, discolored, misaligned teeth, and many more aesthetic issues.

The ceramic shells are created in a dental laboratory; customized for each patient. We send the laboratory pictures of your smile, impressions of your teeth, along with additional information so they can create a smile that fits and looks perfect for you. When the Lumineers are ready, we bond them to your teeth one by one. Since there is very little tooth preparation needed to bond Lumineers, you will not have to wear temporary veneers during the creation of your new smile. In addition, Lumineers are completely reversible if you desire to remove them later in life. Lumineers are designed to stay strong and beautiful for over twenty years with good care!

If you are tired of hiding your smile, consider Lumineers! To schedule your appointment with Smiles of Cary in our Cary, NC office, call us at (919) 462-3350 or visit our website, www.smilesofcary.com.