The teeth cleaning performed at every dental checkup is an important part of your visit – especially if you have tartar on your teeth. Tartar forms because plaque in your mouth will harden if it is not removed in time. That hardened plaque – tartar – will resist your efforts as you brush and floss, and can stick to your teeth, continuing to cause harm until the substance is removed by your hygienist. Removing tartar improves your defense against tooth decay, so its removal means lowering your risk for a problem calling for restorative dental care. (more…)
Is Bruxism Causing Problems With Your Oral Health?
A habit of grinding your teeth while you sleep is certainly not going to help you enjoy your mornings. Patients who are dealing with bruxism will routinely wake up and find themselves dealing with sore teeth, as well as pain in their jaw and face. Unfortunately, the oral health troubles associated with bruxism last longer than the morning. If you let this problem go unaddressed for too long, your teeth can suffer real harm. TMJ problems that develop because of a teeth grinding habit can cause you real pain, and limit your ability to operate your jaw. Your teeth can eventually suffer serious damage when you grind them, making restorative dental care necessary. (more…)
It Is Possible To Receive A Dental Crown In One Appointment
How much time are you going to lose to dental treatment when you need a dental crown? Thanks to the CEREC technology at your dentist’s office, the time it takes for you to receive your restoration can be cut down to a single visit. This means having important oral health support for a weak, decayed, or otherwise flawed tooth. Crowns are called on to address a number of problems. While they are commonly seen as a means of cavity treatment, there are other situation that can call for them. An injury may leave you in need of permanent protection and support for a tooth. For some patients, a crown will serve as a solution to the problem of a naturally weak or undersized tooth. (more…)
When A Root Canal Is Necessary – And When It Isn’t
Not all cavities will have to be addressed via a root canal treatment. When tooth decay starts to form, it will initially only affect your enamel. However, as decay spreads, problems can reach the interior of your tooth. If you have an infection that reaches your pulp, you can develop issues due to bacteria infecting your tooth’s living tissue. At this stage, your dentist needs to perform a root canal. However, if you put a stop to your cavity sooner, you can have treatment and only require a dental filling. If you want to avoid letting a cavity grow severe, make sure you have regular dental checkups. That way, you have a regular close review of your teeth from your dentist, who can recommend treatment early. (more…)
Quiz: Addressing Cosmetic Issues With Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers offer you the opportunity to see your smile improve to a remarkable degree. These thin porcelain wafers, customized for your teeth, are able to address many flaws. You can cover up misshapen or damaged teeth, and improve your smile’s color. Veneers can even be used to address intrinsic discoloration, an issue that professional whitening treatments are not equipped to remedy. You should know that veneers are permanently placed – your teeth are actually altered in order to properly receive them. While they are impressively durable, and able to resist stains, you still need to exercise caution in order to preserve their quality appearance. (more…)
3 Harmful Issues Your Dentist Can Identify During A Checkup
A checkup with your dentist will hopefully only consist of a dental cleaning and review, with an assurance from your dentist that everything is in order. Unfortunately, some appointments can lead to the discovery of a problem that needs to be addressed. If this occurs, your dentist can alert you to what is wrong, and discuss the appropriate restorative dental treatment. It is important to recognize that without the appropriate care, an issue can grow in severity, leading to complications that can further harm your smile. (more…)
A Take-Home Whitening Treatment From Your Dentist
Your dentist can provide you with a whitening treatment that surpasses the effectiveness of whitening products you can pick up at the store and take home. What you might not realize is that you can still enjoy professional whitening results through at-home treatment, thanks to your dentist. Patients looking to take care of stubborn, embarrassing stains in their enamel have a choice between an in-office and at-home treatment. Your choice between the two is a matter of what makes sense for your personal schedule. Many people like being able to come away with dramatically whiter teeth after just one trip to their dentist’s office. However, for many others, taking home a professional whitening kit and performing the treatments at home is the preferable approach. (more…)
Using Dental Sedation During Your Treatment
Are you feeling ill at ease about an upcoming dental procedure that you require? You should know that your dentist can help combat your feelings of anxiety with dental sedation. Dental sedation can help patients with different needs, in different circumstances. You can receive nitrous oxide during a more involved restorative dental treatment, to alleviate discomfort. For some patients, even relatively minor care will call for some measure of sedation. If your anxiety level is more significant, you can require an oral sedative. Addressing concerns with your dentist can help them identify how to best help you deal with discomfort. (more…)
Regaining A Healthy, Happy Smile After A Dental Emergency
It takes time for a cavity to develop, but a physical injury can leave you with a dental problem that happens practically in an instant. If you suffer a dental emergency, your dentist can help you – you may schedule your routine checkups months in advance, but your dentist can make time to see you for an urgent matter. Emergency care can involve addressing an avulsed (“knocked out”) or significantly injured tooth, though persistent tooth pain can also be considered an emergency matter, too. If you worry that your injury or incident will leave your smile with a hard-to-ignore flaw, you should know that cosmetic care provided by your dentist can cover up noticeable damage. (more…)
Directly Addressing Dental Flaws With Bonding And Contouring
Taking direct action against dental flaws can lead to big positive changes to your smile. You might be surprised at how your dentist can pinpoint problems, and how soon you can have your desired improvements. In a bonding and contouring treatment, your dentist can make corrections to certain teeth that stand out because of flaws. Contouring can help bring down the size of a tooth that is simply too large, or correct for jaggedness, or minor chipping. Dental bonding involves the use of natural-looking composite resin, which can act as a cover for chips and cracks. It can also help for discoloration, or for teeth that are too small. (more…)