I had crowded, crooked teeth my entire life. I remember as a kid, I used to practice my smile for photo day at school. I’d hold a wide smile without showing any teeth. As an adult, I found myself talking, eating, laughing, and smiling in public with one hand over my mouth. A quick review of my social media photo albums revealed that I either had the close-lipped smile I perfected in my youth, or I was frowning in every picture. If friends happened to catch me in a candid shot that exposed my teeth, I hid the photo. In less than a year, I was graduating from college, and starting my own business. All my classmates talked about how important presenting a polished, professional image to the public via websites and social media was to building a client base. Each time I thought about meeting people, presenting proposals, or smiling for the camera, my stomach would sink. I’d worked diligently for four years, and my smile was the one thing keeping me from feeling confident in my abilities. That’s when I decided to visit Dr. James P. Kostas and the caring team at Complete Dental Care of Burlington, MA to find out how I could straighten my teeth. If you’re a working professional considering orthodontics, I highly recommend you pick up the phone and call to schedule your smile evaluation and consultation today.
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The Cosmetic Dentist Burlington Turns to for Six Month Smile Transformation
August 30, 2015
The Emergency Dentist Burlington, MA Turns To
August 12, 2015
If you or a loved one lost a tooth, injured their jawbone, or experienced severe pain or swelling of the mouth, would you call your dentist right away? Many patients say they wouldn’t because they don’t expect their dentist to be available in case of emergency. Instead, patients say they would go to the emergency room if the problem was severe, or call to schedule a regular appointment. At Complete Dental Care, Drs. James P. Kostas and Justin J. Cardarelli, encourage patients experiencing dental emergencies to call our practices immediately. We’re here to help you, and we always try to see our patients with dental emergencies right away. Your comfort and care are our top priority, and that means we’re available when you need us most. Call to find out more about emergency care from our Burlington, MA team or schedule your appointment today.
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The Dentists Burlington Trusts – Complete Dental Care
August 3, 2015
If you recently moved to the Burlington, MA area or are looking for a new dental practice for any reason, the friendly, knowledgeable staff at Complete Dental Care is waiting for your call. Our state-of-the-art office offers unsurpassed quality with maximum comfort, allowing our patients to relax and enjoy their dental visit. Call to schedule your first appointment today. We can’t wait to meet you.
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Emergency Dentistry, Burlington: Being prepared
July 16, 2015
Your daughter’s wedding is tomorrow. You have been running around like crazy making sure you are doing everything in your power to make her day special. At the rehearsal dinner you reflect on how well everything has come together and you start to get excited for the long awaited day. You reach for the fresh bread at the center of the table, take a big bite and….’CRACK.’ That front filling that has been there for years gives way at the worst moment you can think of. It’s Friday night! The wedding is at 1:00pm the next day and all you can think of is showing up as the Jack-o-lantern in all of the pictures! Here at Complete Dental Care, James P. Kostas, DMD, P.C. we understand there is no truer dental emergency. Our office is here to put your mind at ease in situations like these. Dental emergencies can occur any time and any place; that’s what makes them an emergency!
Our Burlington office has recently expanded hours, increased coverage and added more providers to better serve the Middlesex County area. With new office hours 6 days a week and being available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for dental emergencies, Complete Dental Care wants to make sure you are never without coverage. Whether the emergency is esthetic, trauma, or infection related Dr. Kostas and are ready, willing and able to take care of you in your time of need. We understand that our patients come first. We understand that as service providers we are here to make your life easier, and better yet, we find happiness in doing so. Our office is trained in the latest in dental technologies. With the advancements of CEREC same day crowns we are equipped to provide you a beautiful porcelain replica of your tooth within 1 and a half hours.
Contacting our office in an emergency is easy! Our convenient website directs you to our emergency number where you will be placed in direct contact with the office. After hours, our system will send your message directly to one of our providers who will promptly respond to your needs. Even if you are uncertain if you have a dental emergency, you can contact our doctors who can help you determine if immediate action needs to be taken.
Examples of dental emergencies include: Knocked out or avulsed tooth, discomfort or pain, large swellings, uncontrolled bleeding, and immediate esthetic concerns (including broken dentures).
Speed counts in saving a knocked out tooth. That is why Dr. Kostas and are available 24/7 to help protect your smile. If you do lose a tooth, contact our offices immediately and then follow these steps:
- Do not touch the root! You will be introducing bacteria and foreign particles to the part of the tooth that will be re-integrated.
- Rinse the tooth and ensure that all foreign particles are removed.
- Carefully try to re-insert the tooth back into its socket. Gently hold the tooth in place until you can see your provider
- If the tooth cannot be inserted it should be carried to the office in a medium. Milk works great and is usually accessible but saliva and water can work as well. These mediums however, carry a less successful prognosis.
We’re here to Help in Any Dental Emergency
We at Complete Dental Care with Dr. Kostas hope that you never have to experience a dental emergency, but our promise to you is that we will be available and prepared if you ever should. Call us immediately in case of emergency. We handle emergencies from all of Middlesex County including Burlington, Bedford, Woburn, Wilmington, Lexington and Billerica.
Teeth Whitening for Brighter Smiles in Burlington, MA
June 17, 2015
Congratulations! We had record-breaking snow this year, but that has (finally) melted and everyone is ready for summer in Massachusetts. There’s so much to do: a weekend at the Cape, sailing on the Charles River, a Red Sox game, explore Beacon Hill, or a tasty backyard picnic with family and friends. No matter what activity suits you, there are sure to be many reasons to smile. So, now is the time to make sure your smile is looking as beautiful as possible. With teeth whitening, Dr. James P. Kostas and the team at Complete Dental Care in Burlington, MA, will have your teeth looking their absolute best.
If your teeth are yellowed, stained or otherwise discolored, then as the saying goes—join the club. Millions of Americans have less than perfectly white smiles and the reasons are all generally the same:
- Commonly consumed foods and beverages, such as berries and tomatoes or coffee and red wine
- Smoking and chewing tobacco
- Certain medications, such as the antibiotic tetracycline
- Teeth grinding and clenching, which can darken the biting surfaces of your teeth
- Improper oral hygiene
- The aging process
- Tooth injuries
Choices for Teeth Whitening Burlington Loves
Whether you’re in a hurry to have a whiter smile because you have a special occasion coming up soon, or if you’d rather whiten on your own schedule, the cosmetic dentist Burlington depends on has the right teeth whitening option for you. With Opalescence® Teeth Whitening System, you’ll probably only need a single one-hour visit to our office to have a smile that is several shades whiter and brighter. Opalescence tooth whitening gel contains potassium nitrate and fluoride. Potassium nitrate reduces sensitivity, and fluoride helps to strengthen enamel. So, you won’t only be enhancing your smile when you whiten with Opalescence, you’ll be improving the health of your teeth at the same time.
If you’d prefer to whiten your teeth in the comfort and privacy of home, then Burlington dentist Dr. Kostas can give you a teeth-whitening kit. Simply fill the custom-fitted mouth trays with the professional grade whitening gel that we supply, and you’ll have dazzling new smile in about two weeks.
Call Our Office Today
To schedule your appointment for teeth whitening, call Complete Dental Care in Burlington, MA. We also serve the surrounding areas of Wilmington, Billerica, Woburn, Lexington, Bedford and beyond.
Improve Your Smile With Dental Implants
May 31, 2015
Missing teeth can stand between you and a healthy, happier smile. We all want to look our best, and our teeth are no different. Missing teeth can be a confidence killer, but there is hope with dental implants from Dr. James P. Kostas at Complete Dental Care in Burlington, MA.
Implant Dentistry Overview
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots used to support a restoration for a missing tooth or teeth, helping to stop or prevent jaw bone loss. Losing teeth can be a drag and a confidence killer. Dental implants provide patients with the strength and stability to eat all the foods you love without struggling to chew. In addition, dental implants stimulate and maintain the jaw bone, thus avoiding bone loss and helping to preserve facial features. Dental implants in Burlington are getting the expert treatment.
Common tooth-loss factors:
- Tooth decay
- Root canal failure
- Large cavities
- Dental injuries
- Gum disease (Periodontitis)
- Trauma to the mouth (tooth injury)
- Excessive wear and tear
- Congenital defects
Implant dentistry services:
- Quality, proven, reliable procedures
- Exam and X-Rays
- Placement of dental implants
- Restoration to final results
The benefits to having dental implant dentistry are many including properly aligning your bite, natural-looking teeth, better oral health, bone loss prevention and so much more. Dental implant patients enjoy restored function, which allows a healthy diet of hard-to-chew foods, improved speech and more. Your new smile will boost your confidence, enhance your appearance and improve your quality of life.
Cosmetic Dentistry
The best cosmetic dentist in Burlington is Dr. Kostas – period. We can give you the smile you deserve! Some of our most popular cosmetic dentistry services include cosmetic bonding, teeth whitening, and porcelain veneers. Cosmetic dentistry is important not only for your teeth and gums, but in the way you carry yourself. How your teeth look can have a huge effect on your confidence and how you interact with people. Having a bright smile is a powerful mood booster. Did you know that smiling often has many physical benefits like lowering blood pressure and improving your immune system? See how Dr. Kostas and his staff can improve your smile using the latest cosmetic dentistry procedures.
Make An Appointment Today
To schedule an appointment, please speak with our friendly staff located in Burlington, MA. We also serve the surrounding areas of Wilmington, Billerica, Woburn, Lexington, Bedford and beyond.
Why Endurance Runners Have More Cavities: Oral Health for Athletes
April 11, 2015
A study conducted in 2014 aimed to evaluate the correlation between endurance training and compromised oral health, a relationship that had been previously discovered but not thoroughly investigated. Today, we’d like to take some time to talk about the various ways that endurance training can affect your oral health.
Running & Tooth Decay: What’s the Connection?
The two don’t seem to have much to do with one another at first glance. After all, exercise is good for you, right? People who work out regularly are typically less prone to health problems like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. But can your time at the gym actually give you cavities? According to a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, it certainly can.
Researchers studied 70 men and women, half of whom were triathletes who trained nearly 10 hours per week running, swimming, and cycling. The other half of the group was comprised of non-exercising controls to ensure the validity of the study. Tests included saliva assessment, dental exams, and questionnaires regarding oral hygiene habits as well as dietary choices during training. The researchers discovered that nearly half of the triathletes consumed sports drinks rather than water during exercise and that 74 percent used sports bars or gels.
Often full of carbohydrates and sugars, these products bathe the teeth in the types of compounds that acid-causing bacteria love to eat. This significantly increases the risk of dental caries, or cavities. A carb-heavy diet has also been linked to increased pH levels in the mouth, another problem that is commonly associated with cavities. It was also found that a decrease in saliva production – coupled with breathing rapidly through the mouth during exercise – contributed to an environment that is more conducive to enamel erosion.
Reducing Your Cavity Risk
Naturally, we’d never tell you to quit your running or exercise routine in order to preserve the health of your pearly whites. There are, however, some things you can do to mitigate potential damage. Staying hydrated is a top priority as it aids in proper saliva production. Avoid sugary sports drinks and snacks, and opt for a cool bottle of water and fresh fruits or cheeses instead. Of course, home hygiene is as important as ever, so be sure to brush and floss twice daily.
If you have any other questions about how exercise affects oral health, please feel free to give us a call. Our Burlington, MA dental office proudly serves patients from communities in Bedford, Woburn, Billerica, and beyond.
Celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month with Dr. James P. Kostas
February 11, 2015
Since 1949, the American Dental Association (ADA) has celebrated the importance of children’s oral health every February. This year, we’d like to take the opportunity to emphasize the role that children’s dentistry plays in your little one’s smile and overall health. At Complete Dental Care, Dr. James P. Kostas offers a comprehensive range of general family dentistry services to patients in Burlington, MA, including gentle children’s dentistry.
Give Your Child’s Smile a Smart Start
Studies show that children who visit the dentist regularly tend to experience better oral health as adolescents and adults. Bringing your son or daughter into our office for routine checkups and cleanings will help to pave the road toward strong, beautiful smiles for years to come. Because we understand that many of your younger patients may feel apprehensive about visiting a strange place, we always strive to promote a calm, comfortable environment where they know they are safe and warmly welcomed.
As a parent, you do everything you can to keep your son or daughter healthy and happy. Because we respect you and your family, we will never recommend a treatment that is unnecessary; in fact, we want you to serve as our partners in your child’s oral health. You will always be fully informed of the state of your little one’s teeth and gum health, and our team will gladly answer any questions you may have in a way that is straightforward and easy to understand.
Schedule Your Child’s Dental Visit Today
Though National Children’s Dental Health Month does offer an ideal opportunity to raise oral health awareness for the kids in our community, our team believes that every day provides a new chance to build a solid foundation of healthy smiles for our youngest patients. If it has been more than six months since the last time your son or daughter visited the dentist, the time to call and make an appointment is now. We can’t wait to welcome the youngest smiles in your family to our Burlington, MA dental office. Our team also happily serves patients from throughout the surrounding areas, including Woburn, Bedford, Billerica, and beyond.
A New Year, a New Smile: Make Your Resolutions Count with Cosmetic Dentistry
January 9, 2015
Happy New Year from all of us here at Complete Dental Care! We hope everyone has enjoyed a safe and joyous holiday season, and that all of our patients are looking forward to a year full of healthy, beautiful smiles. To help start the New Year out right, we’d like to center our first post of 2015 around the ways our team can help you get the bright, gorgeous smile you deserve. With the most advanced technology in the industry and a gentle, caring approach, the office of Dr. James P. Kostas offers cosmetic dentistry to patients in Burlington, MA and beyond.
How Can Cosmetic Dentistry Help You?
Do you ever look at your teeth in photos or in the mirror and wish that they were whiter? If so, you certainly aren’t alone. Millions of Americans are dissatisfied with the shade of their teeth and the way it affects their self-confidence. Whether it’s red wine, tea, tobacco, or your morning cup of coffee, surface stains add up over time and cause your smile to look less than luminous. Whitening toothpastes and over-the-counter products claim to brighten enamel, but achieving truly noticeable results requires a professional grade whitening formula. At Complete Dental Care, we personalize our teeth whitening treatments to create dazzling smiles both in our office and with custom at-home whitening kits. You’ll love how quickly and easily we can lift years of deep stains from your teeth, allowing you to show off a superstar smile not only in 2015, but for years to come!
Are you looking for a way to completely transform the appearance of your smile without extensive dental work? Porcelain veneers may be the perfect solution for you. These wafer-thin shells of dental porcelain are meticulously crafted to look and feel completely natural, correcting a wide variety of common aesthetic flaws. Chips, gaps, cracks, misalignment, and deep stains become a thing of the past in as few as two visits to our office. We also offer CEREC same day crowns, dental implants, full mouth reconstruction, and invisible braces with Six Month Smiles. Whatever your smile needs to look its absolute best, you’ll find it here at Complete Dental Care, your local Burlington, MA dentist.
Kick Off 2015 with a Smile
This year, resolve to have the brightest, most confident smile in the room wherever you go. While crash diets and extreme workout goals virtually always end in broken resolutions, it’s easy to keep this one at Complete Dental Care. Give us a call today to schedule your consultation and to learn more about how our team can give you the flawless, radiant smile you’ve always wanted. Our conveniently located office in Burlington, MA happily welcomes families from throughout communities in Billerica, Bedford, Woburn, and the surrounding areas.
Dental Health and Overall Health
March 4, 2014
Since Valentine’s Day occurs in February, this is a great time to talk about the connection between your smile, your heart, and your overall health. Some patients are surprised to hear that there even is a connection. There is, but it’s not obvious.
Research indicates that gum disease is what is connects your smile with other health problems. Gum disease is the result of bacteria and plaque collecting around your teeth and gums. The symptoms of gum disease include sensitive or bleeding gums, bad breath, and more. If left untreated, gum disease can cause pockets to form between your teeth and gums. These pockets give bacteria and plaque a way into your bloodstream and from there to the rest of the body, including the heart. Once there, the bacteria and plaque of gum disease can contribute to clotting and even heart attack.
Other health problems that gum disease can influence include:
- Alzheimer’s
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Pneumonia
- Pre-term birth
Given all this, what can you do to protect your smile and your health in general? First, I recommend flossing once a day and brushing at least twice, but if you can do it after every meal that’s even better. A good antibacterial mouthwash will also help by eliminating bacteria.
Second, I would encourage you to see me at least twice a year for a checkup and cleaning. These appointments are important because they let me watch for signs of gum disease. If I find anything, I can start treating it immediately. The earlier your gum disease can be treated the better, for both your oral health and your overall wellbeing.
Do you have questions about this post, or do you need to schedule an appointment with me? Call Complete Dental Care in Burlington, MA today. I offer great care to patients from Burlington, Bedford, Billerica, Woburn, and beyond.
