Everyone knows about cavities. Most of us have had a filling because of one. But what do we really know about what causes cavities? Bottom line is that bacteria take sugar, eat it, and produce acid. That acid is what turns the hardest substance in the body, your teeth, to mush.
In today’s world having a smile you can feel good and confident is more important than ever. A smile is your first impression with someone and you should always be happy about putting your best foot forward. If you feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about you smile due to missing, damaged, discolored, or crooked teeth or if you have just minor cosmetic concerns please let us discuss the many options you have to achieving a smile you can be proud of.
A crown, or cap, is a way of restoring a tooth that has been damaged past the point where a filling can repair it properly. The general rule is that if less than half the natural tooth is remaining a filling will not work and a crown is indicated. The procedure of crowning a tooth surrounds the tooth which allows chewing force to be distributed down equally on the tooth.
A dental implant is a small screw, usually made of titanium, which is implanted into the bone of the upper and/or lower jaw. After placement the implant will bond to the bone and is available to be used for support of various prosthetics. Because the implant incorporates into the tissue of your mouth strength and stability of a replaced tooth are better with an implant than any other option.
If a tooth has been damaged beyond repair sometimes removing it is necessary. Tooth extraction is surgery that involves removing a tooth or parts of a tooth.
When people think about the health of their mouth they usually thinks about their teeth, they rarely think about the gums and bone that support those teeth. Gum disease is truly a silent killer of teeth because even though it is the #1 reason for tooth loss today, it rarely hurts. In fact most people with gum disease do not experience pain until the teeth are no longer able to be saved. There are a few signs that are visible and can help you determine if you have gum disease.
Orthodontic treatment is one of the most valuable treatments our patients receive. Not only does orthodontic treatment improve the cosmetic look of your smile but the improvement in alignment will also enable you to keep your teeth cleaner and gums healthier throughout a lifetime, therefore minimizing future dental treatment.
This section should be very important to many different people because studies show that over 178 million people in the US are missing at least 1 tooth. Teeth are lost for many reasons, not always just because you didn’t take care of them. But it is very important to understand what the effects are on your mouth from missing a tooth/teeth and why you should replace that missing tooth.
There are very few things in the world that produce the same kind of reaction as the words root canal do. Just by reading that sentence most of you will have had at very least an unpleasant thought or maybe even a chill run down your spine. I am here to tell you that the world is wrong!
There are two main goals of our preventative program. The first goal is maintaining optimal oral health of your existing teeth and supporting tissue (gums and bone). The second goal is to catch any problems that arise while they are small and fix them before they become major problems.
TMJ, an acronym for the temporomandibular joint, is often the source of pain and headaches for many individuals. Dysfunction of the TMJ is termed TMD. The TMJs are one of the most complex and over-worked joints in the body. As a result, patients who experience TMD often have some or all of the following symptoms:
Everybody loves a bright white smile. Because of that tooth whitening is by far the most popular cosmetic dental treatment performed. If you feel like brushing twice a day and normal cleanings isn’t enough then let’s go through the different options you have in tooth whitening.
