Da Vinci Studios, the dental laboratory for ABC’s Extreme Makeover said the following about our Smile Gallery:

“I have never seen a smile gallery as extensive as Smile South Florida’s and where the final result of every case is of such a high standard.”

Craig Galbraith
daVinci Dental Studios
ABC’s Extreme Makeover
Dental Lab

That is one reason that Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentist, Dr. Charles Nottingham, DDS, took a cruise with the family to the beautiful islands of The Bahamas. At Smile South Florida, we have several patients that travel to us from The Bahamas to come have their cosmetic dental work done in our office. We were lucky enough to have one of our patients, who works for the Ministry of Tourism in the Bahamas, give us some great advice on where to visit.

We arrived by cruiseship at the Capital City of Nassau, which is located on New Providence Island. This is the islands busy downtown district. This area is bustling with commerce, shops, flea markets, and even a local Starbuck’s coffee shop. All of the local vendors are dislpaying their crafts, and liscenced hair braiders are there to have you leaving looking like a native islander.

We took a 10-minute water taxi ride over to New Providence’s neighboring island, Paradise Island. Paradise Island is home to the unparalleled Atlantis Resort. The Atlantis is an all-inclusive resort with a full casino, water park, aquarium, stores, beaches, and dolphin lagoon. On this tour, we had an amazing free lance tour guide that explained all of the local sites and even showed us where some celebrities have private homes on the island.

When we arrived in Paradise Island, we were interested to learn that in The Bahamas, they drive on the left side of the road, like in England. We departed from the water taxi to find a charming little village of pastel colored shops and eateries, pointing the way towards Atlantis.

Atlantis was nothing short of amazing–just as we were expecting! We had the pleasure of visiting the casino, and the upscale shops, before entering the guest check-in area. This is no ordinary hotel. The main lobby features cascading staircases surrounded by fountains and an underground view of some of the famous aquarium viewing tanks. Here, you can get an upclose glimpse of some of the underwater creatures like sharks, manarays, and jellyfish.

The fun really began when we ventured into the resorts on-site water park, Aquaventure. The best time I had was being thrown against the rocks and tipped over in my innertube on the Rapids Ride. What fun! The entire family spent a great day doing all of the activities that Atlantis had to offer, including relaxing and soaking up some rays by the large pool.

When the day was over, we all headed back to the ship exhausted from our fun-filled day in The Bahamas. The only thing that was missed on the way out was my purchase of a delicious Tortuga Rum Cake (although we did manage to sneak a tasty sample)!

The entire family had a great time on our trip and cannot wait to go back to The Bahamas again!!  Check out some of our photos taken below:

To book your next vacation to The Bahamas, contact the Ministry of Tourism.  To book your next appointment with Smile South Florida, call us at (888)803-6337, or visit us on the web today!

As we age, our teeth wear down and our faces appear more short. The cheeks also become sunken in and there is a collapse of the dental arches. This creates the appearance of more defined lines around the mouth and lower face, as well as an aging effect due to discoloration and reduced quality of the dental aesthetics. This is why Smile South Florida performs a dental restorative facelift.

A dental facelift is the use of cosmetic dentistry to create the effect of a traditional facelift, without intrusive plastic surgery.

A dental facelift can take years off of the face by restoring the fullness of the face lost over time. It can have a significant impact on not just the look of the patients face, but also on the function by having proper tooth, bite, and jaw alignment.

As we reach middle age, the dental arches, especially on the lower teeth, have a tendency to collapse inward given a sunken in look to the jaw. Widening the smile is one important method to help in giving back the fullness of the cheeks. We take into consideration replacing lost tooth structure and improving the height of the teeth. The teeth also start to become chipped, worn, crooked, discolored, and can even fall out/be missing. This also presents severe aging effect to the mouth, and especially the entire face.

Here are some of the dramatic results that can be achieved through cosmetic and restorative dentistry at Smile South Florida:

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Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentistry can give you back that youthful look to your face, and keep you smiling all of the time.  Come in today for a complimentary consulation, and see if you are a candidate for a dental restorative facelift.  You can call our office toll-free or email us!

About Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentistry

The cosmetic dentists at Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentistry have offices in Broward County and West Palm Beach and provide Boca Raton Dentistry, Fort Lauderdale Dentistry and Miami Dentistry. The dentists specialize in dental aesthetics including porcelain veneers, dental implants, extreme makeovers, Invisalign, and sedation dentistry.

About Dr. Charles Nottingham

Charles Nottingham, D.D.S., Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry, is an internationally and nationally renowned cosmetic dentist. He has been creating dazzling, healthy smiles for his patients since 1974.

About Dr. Kenneth Anenberg

Besides being an excellent cosmetic dentist, Dr. Anenberg specializes in Invisalign, a revolutionary alternative to metal braces, and sedation dentistry & sleep dentistry.

This documentary will air on Plum Television (Miami Beach Channel 5) in April 2009. The story behind the piece is to provide viewers with insight into the shared values and history of da Vinci Dental Studios and Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentistry.

Da Vinci’s founder, Daniel Materdomini, will be featured in the film, along with Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentist, Dr. Charles Nottingham. Mr. Materdomini and Dr. Nottingham have been working together for over 20 years, taking cosmetic dentistry to a new level of excellence. Mr. Materdomini and da Vinci Dental Studios have showcased Dr. Nottingham’s smile gallery cases in several predominant dental magazines. Dr. Nottingham even performed restorative work on Mr. Materdomini’s mother.

In offering feedback on the work that South Florida Dentist Dr. Nottingham completed for his mother, Mr. Materdomini said that, “if the Extreme Makeover show was filmed in Florida, I am sure [Dr. Nottingham] would be the providing dentist.”

During filming, Dr. Nottingham explained to Plum TV that many years before ABC’s Extreme Makeover Show made da Vinci Dental Studios a household name for porcelain veneers, Dr. Nottingham had selected them as his dental lab of choice. With hundreds of dental labs in the local area to choose from, Dr. Nottingham decided to have his dental materials shipped across the country, in order to perfect his results. Dr. Nottingham went on to mention that da Vinci continues to share his commitment to quality and service.

About Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentistry

The dentists at Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentistry have offices in Broward County and West Palm Beach and serve patients from Boca Raton to Fort Lauderdale and Miami. The dentists specialize in dental aesthetics including porcelain veneers, dental implants, extreme makeovers, Invisalign, and sedation dentistry.

About Dr. Charles Nottingham

Palm Beach Dentist & Fort Lauderdale Dentist, Charles Nottingham, D.D.S., Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry, is an internationally and nationally renowned cosmetic dentist. He has been creating dazzling, healthy smiles for his patients since 1974.

About da Vinci Dental Studios

da Vinci Dental Studios, founded in 1976 by master ceramist Daniel Materdomini, who introduced the first porcelain veneer on the West Coast. Well-known for the da Vinci Veneer^TM, which has been featured on numerous national and international television makeover shows, da Vinci Dental Studios is a full-service laboratory, manufacturing a wide-range of cosmetic and restorative products for dentists. Located in West Hills, California, da Vinci provides services for dentists throughout the United States, Canada, South America and Europe.

About Plum Television

Plum operates television channels and websites in Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, the Hamptons, Miami Beach, Sun Valley, Vail, Aspen and Telluride; destinations of choice for over 14 million of the nation’s most interesting and influential people each year. They are Plum’s audience as well as its content. Plum is available to a broader audience beyond its communities through video on demand and the Internet at plumtv.com

This stands to reason that we not only see a large amount of bookings for the at-home tray whitening, but also the more popular in-office ZOOM! whitening procedures. Both of these methods are equally as efficient in producing the desired level of whiteness to the teeth, however, the ZOOM! method only takes 2 hours in the office, as opposed to a week-or-so at home with the trays.

Even more, with the upcoming holidays and New Year’s right around the corner, many patients are booking ZOOM! for themselves and their families. This is the perfect time of year to have that beautiful white celebrity smile. Professional whitening will help remove the past years’ stains from wine, tea, etc., and make all of your pictures look brighter.

Dental whitening is also a vital step to take prior to having any cosmetic dental work done, such as porcelain crowns or veneers. Since the porcelain will not whiten with the use of bleaching materials, many patients opt to get their whitening done prior so that they may match their crowns, etc.

It is always a good idea to try to have the whitening done professionally if you can. Even with all of the less expensive methods out there on the market today, the best option for your teeth is to go with the professionals. With the ZOOM! whitening especially, it is monitored in the office by a dentist and a dental assistant to ensure decreased sensitivity, and to achieve the maximum level of whiteness.

When a patient calls our office to schedule an appointment, we always make sure to ask if the patient is a new or current patient. If they are new to the office, we need to get a new patient dental history, the doctor needs to perform an exam, and x-rays need to be taken. Prior to the ZOOM! the patient will also have a cleaning to remove any excess debris and plaque, and create a clean surface for the whitening product to adhere. If the patient has come from another office, and has records of a clean bill of dental health by their previous dentist (no cavities, no periodontal problems) and they have had a cleaning within the past six months, we can possibly make an exception to wave these procedures. Smile South Florida reserves the right to refuse treatment.

At Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentistry, we care about saving our patients money. To say thank you to all of our new and current patients for being so great this past year, we are offering some Holiday Whitening Specials:

• 50% Off Tray Whitening (retail $450) = $225 (includes upper and lower trays)
• $350 ZOOM! Whitening (retail $595)
• If you refer 2 or more people to get ZOOM! Whitening, yours will be free!

These specials are good until February 1st, 2009. Call or email for more details and to book your appointment today! Happy Holidays from Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentistry!!

Our goal is to educate patients on some common misconceptions in dental marketing that can be misleading and not give the entire story.  One such example is with the popular brand Lumineers by Cerinate.

Lumineers are considered a type of porcelain veneer “smile shaper” that boasts catch phrases such as “no reduction of tooth structure (no filing down of teeth), no shots, 2 easy dental visits, permanently whitens” and many others.  While these statements can have some string of truth behind them, in most cases this will not be the situation –not if you ask any top cosmetic dental professional.

While the popular Lumineers can, in very few situations, be completed in 2 easy visits with little to no pain, drilling, and preparation, this is not going to be necessarily true for everyone. It all depends on the condition of the teeth, and what the best treatment scenario would be to give the best aesthetic outcome.  If a patient has very bulky teeth and wanted to place even the “contact lense thin” Lumineer shell over the tooth, some preparation and drilling would be necessary for the outcome to have a better, less bulky look.  There are other situations where the patient would not be a candidate for Lumineers.  It would all need to be determined by a cosmetic dentist.

As far as the color and shade of the Lumineers, there is not a variety of color choices like traditional veneers. Veneers colors and shades are specifically selected by the doctor and the patient together so that the best result is achieved.  With Lumineers, there is no variation so everyone will get the same result regardless of what the best color/shade would be for each individual person.

If you look at the before and after photos featured on the Lumineers website, you will see some improvements in the look of the teeth after Lumineers have been used.  I am not discrediting that they can make a change in people’s dental aesthetics; however, compared to traditional veneers and crowns, the differences are very substantial.  If you look at our smile galleries and the before and after pictures, you can compare the dramatic differences in the quality of the aesthetics for our patients.

We are not telling patients to overlook Lumineers as an option, we are just encouraging people to do their research when it comes to making an informed decision, and consult a dental professional that has done extensive quality veneers cases.

At Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentistry, we offer a complimentary cosmetic consultation for our patients to come in and discuss all of their options with one of our skilled dentists.  Call or email us for more details!

Although we take many steps to ensure your comfort during dental cleanings, we know it is not the most natural experience.  The good news is there are ways you can participate in your overall experience. 

I highly recommend bringing an IPOD or walkman.  Listening to music you enjoy can be a major help in keeping you relaxed and passing time during your visit.  Some other suggestions may be sunglasses or audio books for your music player.  We also can provide (upon request) blankets and neck pillows.  We look forward to seeing you at your next dental cleaning.  Any questions regarding homecare or other hygiene issues please email me at Michelle@smilesouthflorida.com.  Call or email to schedule your appointment today!

New guidelines have been issued by the AHA ( American Heart Association) regarding premedicating for dental work and cleanings.

In past years, it was believed that IE (Infective Endocarditis) was caused by bacteria in the blood also known as “Bacteremia”. It was believed that after dental procedures, the bacteria in the bloodstream could settle on susceptible areas such as prosthetic valves and so on. New evidence has found many variances.

Previous AHA guidelines on the prevention of IE were largely based on opinion and limited studies. The most recent recommendations were devloped through an evidence based approach that was made after 20 years of extensive review. The new recommendation reduces the number of conditions that need premedication. Guidelines went under review due in part to the risk associated with a widespread immunity to antibiotic treatment.

Patients with these conditions NO LONGER require prophylactic antibiotic:

• Mitral valve prolapse
• Rheumatic heart disease
• Bicuspid valve disease
• Calcified aortic stent
• Congenital heart disease, like ventricular septal defect, atrial defect, and hypertophic cardiomyopathy

The new recommendation does suggest antibiotic treatment for the patients with the following conditions:

• Prosthetic cardic valve
• Previous infective endocarditis
• Congential Heart disease(CHD)
• Unrepaired cyanotic CHD, including pallative shunts and conduits
• Completely repaired congential heart defect during the first 6 months after the procedure
• Cardiac transplant pt who devlop cardiac valvulopathy

Patients with any of these conditions should consult a medical doctor and bring a letter with your physician’s recommendations to keep in your dental file. For more information, questions, or to schedule an appointment, please call or email us today.

It’s the one time of year that you can pretend to be someone or something else, without having people think that you’re nuts!  I chose to wear a Corrections Officer outfit, to match Alex, who was a prisoner in his orange jumpsuit.  Dr. Anenberg was fully decked out in a 70’s hippie-meets-disco-mullet-haired dude.  It was hilarious! (See photo below).

I am taking Dr. A to jail.

Sandy, Dr. A, and I. Sandy just escaped from the mental hospital.

Heather makes sure that Alex doesn't move!

Dr. N is going to remove my tooth the old fashioned way! Jason is dressed up as the Devil, and Xochilt is a Captain.

Later in the evening, we had a fun-filled party at our house with plenty of candy eating and spooky music.  Dr. Nottingham came dressed up in a medieval knight outfit, while his wife, Elisabeth was a cute spider.  Xochilt and Jason made an appearance as well!

Our Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentistry Team is dedicated to making sure that each and every patient that comes into our office, whether it be for a large cosmetic treatment or a routine hygiene cleaning, is educated on, and offered Oral Cancer detection tests. According to the ADA, “it is now easier than ever to detect oral cancer early, when the opportunity for the cure is great. Only half of all patients diagnosed with oral cancer survive more than five years.” (www.ada.org)

Here are some of the important things that you should know:

• Oral Cancer can begin as a tiny, unnoticed white, or red spot, or sore anywhere in the mouth.
• Oral Cancer most often occurs in those who use tobacco in any form (chewing tobacco, cigarettes, pipes, etc.)
• Alcohol use combined with smoking greatly increases risk.
• Oral cancers can occur in people who do not smoke and have no other known risk factors.
• Prolonged exposure to the sun without any sunscreen can increase the risk of lip cancer.
• Oral Cancer is more likely to strike after age 40.
• Studies suggest that a diet high in fruits and vegetables may prevent the development of potentially cancerous lesions.
• It can affect any area of the oral cavity including the lips, gum tissue, check lining, tongue and the hard or soft palate.

Other warning sign can include:

• A sore that bleeds easily or does not heal.
• A color change of the oral tissues.
• A lump, thickening, rough spot, crust or small eroded area.
• Pain, tenderness, or numbness anywhere in the mouth or on the lips.
• Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving the jaw or tongue.
• A change in the way the teeth fit together.

Oral Cancer Screening is something that should be emphasized as a part of every dental hygiene visit and checkup by the dentist. At Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentistry, we make strong recommendations on why we believe each patient should get tested. In our office, we use the ViziLite testing kit. This is just one of many methods that dental offices can use to detect early signs of Oral Cancer.

Most dental insurance companies will not cover an Oral Cancer Screening Test, but at $65, it is considerably inexpensive for having peace of mind. If you would like to find out more information on how you can get tested at Smile South Florida, call our office or email us today!

A woman and her husband interrupted their vacation to go to the dentist. “I want a tooth pulled, and I don’t want Novacaine because I’m in a big hurry,” the woman said. “Just extract the tooth as quickly as possible, and we’ll be on our way.” The dentist was quite impressed. “You’re certainly a courageous woman,” he said. “Which tooth is it?” The woman turned to her husband and said, “Show him your tooth, dear.”

What does the dentist of the year get?…A little plaque

What does a dentist do on a roller coaster?…He braces himself

What did the dentist see at the North Pole?…A molar bear

What was the dentist doing in Panama?…Looking for the Root Canal

Patient: Doctor, I am very nervous. You know, this is my first extraction.
Young dentist: Don’t worry, it’s my first extraction too.

A guy and a girl met at a bar. They started getting along really well and they decide to go to the girl’s place for a drink.
A few drinks later, the guy took off his shirt and washed his hands.
He then took off his socks and washed his hands.
The girl looked at him and said, “You must be a dentist!”
Flabbergasted, the guy responded, “Why yes. That’s amazing. How did you determine that?”
The woman replied, “Easy… you keep washing your hands.”
Well, one thing led to another, and they migrated to the bed. Things became more and more passionate and… (*snip*)
After their passionate deed was done the woman remarked, “You must be a GREAT dentist!”
The guy was very surprised, and said ‘Yes! Yes! I sure am a great dentist… You amaze me! And how did you know THAT, my dear?
‘ His lover said, “That’s easy. I didn’t feel a thing.”

Patient: How much to have this tooth pulled?

Dentist: $200
Patient: $200 for just a few minutes work???

Dentist: I can extract it very slowly, if you like.

Patient: Doctor, I have yellow teeth, what do I do?
Dentist: Wear a brown tie…

To get to our office from Weston, you just take I-75 North to the Sawgrass Expressway and exit off Commerical Blvd. Take Commercial east.

We are just north of University Hospital and south of Tamarac Elementary on the west side of University Drive between McNab and Southgate. The name of the building is the University Community Medical Plaza.

The estimated travel time is 20 minutes.

It’s often difficult to find the best cosmetic dentist. See our posting on Choosing The Best Cosmetic Dentist.

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To schedule an appointment, please call or send us an email.

Recently, we have had the pleasure of performing cosmetic dentistry for a former Head of State.

The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is a North American, English-speaking country consisting of two thousand cays and seven hundred islands that form an archipelago. It is located in the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida and the United States, north of Cuba, the island of Hispanola and the Caribbean, and northwest of the British overseas territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands. [*]

The Bahamas is only 50 miles from Florida.

We happily welcome all of The Bahamas Districts:

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To schedule an appointment, please call or send us an email.

We can also arrange travel recommendations. Ask about our VIP & Travel Program.

If you are traveling from the North or South, you can take I-95 or the Turnpike to Commercial and then head west.

Another alternative is to get onto the Sawgrass Expressway from I-75 or the Turnpike and get off on Commercial. Then, you need to head east.

We just north of University Hospital and south of Tamarac Elementary on the west side of University Drive between McNab and Southgate.

The name of the building is the University Community Medical Plaza.

Our offices are close to the following attractions:

• The Museum of Science and Discovery is located in Ft. Lauderdale.
• The International Swimming Hall of Fame is located near the Atlantic Ocean in Fort Lauderdale.
• The International Game Fish Association has the Hall of Fame for Sport Fishing in Dania Beach.
• Flamingo Gardens is a botanical garden and wildlife sanctuary.
• Butterfly World is located in Coconut Creek.
• Sawgrass Mills, a large shopping mall, is located in Sunrise. There are also multiple entrances to Everglades parks.
• In Pompano Beach is the Festival Flea Market Mall, America’s largest indoor flea market.

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To schedule an appointment, please call or send us an email.