What's a CEREC?

So part of my mouth makeover involves undoing some patchwork from the past. If you've ever gotten a filling, it was probably the traditional metal one. A couple of problems - they can wear out in 10-12 years, and actually lead to a tooth to crack - often requiring major pain to fix. They can also discolor the gums - you may have seen those people with that black line on their gums. Not to mention those fillings just aren't fun to get, strapped into your dentist's chair getting your tooth filed down. I'm going to get 3 of my old metal fillings replaced with CEREC fillings -but first, Dr. Powell found a cavity that needed filling first. I now have my first CEREC - and I have to tell you, it was the coolest thing I've ever seen at a dentist's office. First, a computer scanned my tooth - Dr. Powell made some adjustments on the monitor. Then, in a matter of minutes, a diamond cut this little cube into my tooth-colored filling, which was applied to my tooth. Quicker and easier than those old-school fillings, and not scary as all.

YOU'RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE

Little Orphan Annie and her friends were right - you're never fully dressed without a smile. Dr. Powell showed me some before and after shots - and the difference in appearance is remarkable. As Randy Jackson says, it's the "wow factor", dawg! Check out some of the transformed patients from Asheville Dental Care here . We get one chance to make a first impression - and we only get one ride on this good earth. I'm glad I've finally decided to do this. Part of my apprehension was a fear of the dentist. Honestly, from the moment I came into Dr. Powell's office, I got a different feeling. For one thing, there's a relaxation room with soft lighting, music, and a fountain. While you're having a procedure done, you get shades to shield you from the light - and here's the cool part - the glasses have built-in MP3 players - loaded with your choice of country, rock, or my favorite, classic hits. Speaking of the technology, it's like something straight out of the Jetsons. I saw the lab where "CEREC" fillings are made on the spot - the latest pain-free option to the traditional metal filling. More on those in my next post. I was blown away at the technology - and as a new patient, you too can take the tour and see what I'm talking about.

MY LIFE ON THE D-LIST: DIASTIMA

When my "grown up" teeth came in, a couple of 'em forgot to take a step forward. So I've had that gap (which I later learned is called a "diastima") that I figured I was stuck with forever. I was self-conscious about it, and never fully showed off my smile in photos. I became really aware of it when I was getting some pictures made for the http://www.965woxl.com/ - and everyone kept saying to "smile naturally", and I was having a hard time doing that. You can see the diastima in its glory in the close-up pic. But when Steph turned her $100 grand smile into a million dollar mouth - and told me how easy (and the most important part - painless) it was, she had me at hello all over again. I then had my first consultation with Dr. Robert Powell at Asheville Dental Care.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

So our story begins nearly a year ago. That's me (the bigger fella) with my wife, Stephanie and our ring bearer, Joe (the curly headed bloke). Steph said she'd wanted to get something done about her "chipmunk teeth", which I thought were adorable, but she wanted to have the perfect grill for her bridal portraits. That's when I first became familiar with Dr. Robert Powell and Asheville Dental Care, who did her porcelain veneers in one day. She was very happy with the results. The difference was really evident when we reviewed our wedding pictures - Her perfect, Osmond-esque smile, and me with my big goofy grin that had bothered me for a while. What's my issue? See exhibit A in the next post.