With a name like “wisdom teeth,” you might expect your third and final set of adult molars to be something to look forward to. Unfortunately, for many people, they’re not. The last four teeth to erupt on your dental ridges bring the average total of permanent teeth to 32. The problem with wisdom teeth, however, is that the average adult dental mouth can only comfortably accommodate 28 teeth. The discrepancy proves troublesome for many patients, who eventually have their wisdom teeth removed due to complications. (more…)
Is It Time for Root Canal Therapy?
The good news about treating tooth decay is that you have several options for doing so. Each treatment is designed to address a specific level of decay while preserving a maximum amount of your healthy tooth structure. Root canal therapy, for instance, is preferable in severe cases, when infection has reached the inner chamber of your tooth and a filling will not suffice to treat it. If your tooth is in severe pain because of lingering tooth decay, or if you’ve had a filling placed and it has failed, then it could be time to consider root canal therapy to save the tooth. (more…)
Can Bonding Fix Your Chipped Tooth?
Tooth damage isn’t like a cut to your skin or a sprained ankle. Both of these will heal over time, provided there are no unforeseen complications. Your tooth, however, will not, no matter how much time you give it. This makes little things like a chipped edge or cracked surface a more serious concern than they may at first seem. If you don’t fix the chipped tooth, then the damage can grow increasingly worse. Fortunately, a chipped tooth can often be repaired easily and effectively with custom, minimally invasive tooth bonding. (more…)
A Checklist for Your Checkups and Cleanings
Checkups and cleanings are the most well-known form of dental treatment, but many patients don’t fully realize their importance. Your visits do more than give your dentist a chance to judge how well you take of your teeth. They’re also important for preventing dental issues like tooth decay and gum disease, and for detecting bite problems early, before they cause significant dental damage. For most patients, checkups and cleanings are most effective when they attend them at least twice a year. To get the most of each visit, we take a look at what you should know before you visit your dentist. (more…)
Good Reasons to Consider Dental Implants
For many patients, the most important reason for replacing lost teeth is to restore the appearance of their smiles, as well as improve the function of their bites. While most of today’s prosthetic dental appliances can accomplish both goals effectively, there is more to consider about tooth loss than just how your smile looks. For instance, conventional bridges and dentures can eventually lose their grip and move about your dental ridge uncomfortably. They also cannot address the loss of your teeth roots—at least, not without the help of dental implants. If you need to replace one or more teeth, then your dentist may recommend that you consider dental implants for their profound, lifelong benefits. (more…)
What Is a Tooth-Colored Filling?
Keeping up with good hygiene at home and maintaining a strict schedule of visits to your dentist can help you avoid most dental issues, including cavities (which affect a large majority of people). However, prevention isn’t always guaranteed, and even when you take good care of your smile, you may still develop a cavity in one or more teeth. Fortunately, cavities can usually be treated easily with tooth-colored fillings, which restore your tooth by filling the cavity with a discreet, personalized, biocompatible resin. (more…)
Can Teeth-Whitening Work for You?
As one of the most popular cosmetic dental treatments, teeth-whitening is something that most people will choose at least once in their lives. Even with a consistently good schedule of hygiene at home and regular visits to your dentist, your teeth can still develop stains, lose their shine, or become uniformly dull over time. Fortunately, teeth-whitening can help you rejuvenate your smile’s appearance quickly and conveniently by erasing stains and brightening your teeth. To determine if teeth-whitening can work for you, your dentist will first perform a careful examination, and then consult with you about choosing the best treatment. (more…)
Do You Have Questions About Sleep Apnea?
The quality of your sleep can have a significant impact on your overall quality of life. When you don’t get enough of it, your mind and body can begin to suffer the consequences in the form of sleep deprivation, extreme exhaustion, and decreasing mental capacity. However, not just any sleep will do; your body needs to enter deep sleep (or R.E.M. sleep) to rest and rejuvenate properly. When you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), you might believe that you’re sleep soundly, yet the condition can make it impossible for you to enter R.E.M. sleep, which can have disastrous consequences on your overall health. (more…)
More Reasons to Worry About Gum Disease
Gum disease is slightly different for everyone, but for those who develop it, the threats are generally the same. As it progresses, gum disease destroys the periodontal tissues, ligaments, and jawbone structure that support your teeth. Because the disease involves rampant inflammation in your gums, it can also have a significant impact on your overall wellbeing. Therefore, treating gum disease, preferably in its earliest stages, can help prevent its most serious consequences, or help you recover from them if necessary. (more…)
Why Tooth Decay Is Such a Problem
Tooth decay, the condition that leads to cavities, is the most common dental problem among children and adults. However, because it can often be easily treated, many patients underestimate the magnitude of the problem and the consequences it can have on their dental health. Because of this misunderstanding, patients often neglect to seek treatment immediately, and the problem often becomes much worse. Today, we explore why tooth decay is such a problem, and how you can mitigate that problem with appropriate treatment from your dentist. (more…)