What You Didn’t Know About Tooth Extraction

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While tooth extraction isn’t the most popular form of dental procedure, it is more common than most people may realize. While taking care of your teeth is important to avoid tooth loss, some complications may arise that require treatment that surpasses restoration. For instance, if a tooth has experienced severe decay, it is no longer able to support itself, nor perform simple daily tasks and will require extraction. This typically occurs as a last resort and a tooth is damaged to the point where restoration will no longer be adequate. No matter the severity of damage or decay, it is important to assess the damages to determine a suitable treatment option, or if extraction will be necessary.

Why Are Teeth Extracted?

Tooth extraction can occur when a tooth suffers severe decay, and a restorative procedure will no longer suffice. This is generally when a tooth becomes damaged or diseased beyond the point of repair, causing a need for the tooth to be extracted. Other cases in which teeth may be extracted include:

Why You Should Replace Extracted Teeth

While losing a tooth during childhood wasn’t necessarily a threat to your dental health as a permanent tooth would grow into place, losing a tooth during adulthood can have serious consequences for your dental health. This is due to the fact that no other teeth will naturally fill the void of a missing tooth, and can lead to further dental complications. If up to three teeth are missing in a consecutive order, then a dental bridge may be placed; however, if multiple teeth become missing, then a more, in-depth procedure may be required in order to replace the missing teeth, along with repairing your smile back to its original entirety.

ABOUT YOUR GARY, IN DENTIST:

As a native of northwest Indiana, Nicholas Cain, DDS, is dedicated to providing excellent general, preventive, and family dentistry services to the community that raised him. To schedule your appointment, call Healthy Smiles today at 219-938-2637.

filed under: Dental Health, Tooth Extraction

What Can Restorative Dentistry Do For You?

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If your teeth have sustained damage as a result of decay from improper dental care, or have been broken due to a hit to the mouth, then you may require a restorative procedure. This type of procedure is used to repair damaged or decayed teeth in an attempt to restore a tooth’s structural integrity, allowing for a tooth, or teeth depending on how many are affected, to be able to perform daily tasks. If you are unsure about whether or not you may require a restorative procedure, it is advisable to consult with your dentist as they will assess potential damages and determine an appropriate treatment option.

Different Types of Restorative Procedures

There are multiple treatment options available when it comes to restoring your teeth and an appropriate option will be determined based on both the cause and severity of the occurring damage. Once the cause and severity of damage has been determined, a restoration will be selected and performed to repair missing teeth or part of a tooth’s structure. These procedures include:

No matter the procedure performed, all work to achieve the same goal, restore your smile back to its original wholeness and enable you to be able to perform simple daily tasks, such as chewing your food and speaking clearly.

Caring for A Restoration

Typically following any dental procedure, it is important to maintain proper dental care in order to maintain a healthy mouth, along with preventing infection or damage to repaired teeth. This can be achieved through properly brushing and flossing your teeth along with receiving routine dental checkups to ensure your teeth are thoroughly cleaned and harmful bacteria has been eliminated. If repaired teeth experience severe damage, it can render the procedure ineffective, thus requiring additional treatment. This may require the original repair to be removed and further treatment will be necessary.

ABOUT YOUR GARY, IN DENTIST:

As a native of northwest Indiana, Nicholas Cain, DDS, is dedicated to providing excellent general, preventive, and family dentistry services to the community that raised him. To schedule your appointment, call Healthy Smiles today at 219-938-2637.

filed under: Restorative Dentistry, Tooth Loss

How Sedation Dentistry Can Relieve Your Dental Anxiety

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For most patients, going to the dentist twice a year for a cleaning and check-up is a normal and routine activity. Some patients even find the process of leaning back in a chair while their teeth are cleaned to be relaxing. But there are many patients who feel differently: Some patients suffer from anxiety or fear of visiting the dentist, even for a routine cleaning or check-up. These feelings can range from anxiety to fear to phobia. If you’re nervous about dental visits, don’t let your anxiety hold you back from the care you need: Consider sedation dentistry. (more…)

filed under: Sedation Dentistry

4 Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments to Improve Your Smile

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Your smile communicates a lot about you: It shows your personality, signals your happiness, and hints at your health. What is your smile saying about you? If your teeth are stained, chipped, or damaged, your smile may be looking lackluster and causing you embarrassment. Of course, not everyone is born with perfectly uniform teeth, so you may be self-conscious about how your smile looks for that reason, too. An attractive smile makes you more approachable to others and boosts your inner confidence. Cosmetic dentistry treatments offer a solution to improve your smile. (more…)

filed under: Contouring and Bonding, Cosmetic Dentistry, dental bonding, porcelain veneers, teeth whitening

Anti-Aging Tips to Keep Your Teeth Looking Youthful

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Just as the rest of your body matures as you get older, your teeth also age over time and show signs of aging. You can counteract the natural signs of aging by practicing healthy habits and undergoing routine cosmetic dentistry treatments to keep your smile looking youthful. When your teeth are bright and healthy-looking, they reflect well on your overall health and appearance. Your smile is important; a dull, yellowed smile ages you. Preventive measures, like daily hygiene habits, twice-yearly dental cleanings and healthy diet, are great steps to keep your smile looking beautiful. (more…)

filed under: Contouring and Bonding, Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry, Preventive Dentistry

Simple Facts About Root Canals

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diagram for root canal therapyIrrational fear of the dentist, or of dental work in general, often stems from horror stories being told and exaggerated from many points of view. The reality is that dental work is usually painless, and can greatly improve your chances of keeping your teeth. Root canals are probably one of the most feared restorative procedures, and for no good reason! They are an excellent choice for curing a tooth infection, or other type of nerve damage, while keeping your main tooth structure intact. (more…)

filed under: Restorative Dentistry, root canal

The Battle Against Dental Plaque

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There are many factors that go into dental care, and maintaining a healthy mouth. Some things, like dental plaque, are easy to keep under control when proper hygiene techniques are practiced regularly. Ignoring early warning signs from your body can lead to severe oral diseases and expensive treatments to restore your smile. Dental plaque must be removed from your teeth every single day to prevent the buildup of a hard substance known as tartar, which if left untreated can wreak havoc on your teeth and gums. (more…)

filed under: Dental Hygiene, Preventive Dentistry

Is Your Preventive Care Routine Optimized?

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woman practicing good preventive dentistryEveryone knows that brushing and flossing are vital for maintaining good oral health, but are you actually performing these tasks correctly? By continuously performing hygiene techniques incorrectly, you could be causing more harm than good. You should regularly scrutinize your routine to determine if there is anything you could improve on, even if you think your techniques are perfect. Always follow your dentist’s advice on preventive care regimens to ensure your teeth and gums stay healthy for many years to come. (more…)

filed under: General Dentistry, Preventive Dentistry

What Can Porcelain Veneers Do to Improve Your Smile?

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improved smile with porcelain veneersUnless you are already looking for ways to improve your smile’s appearance, you may not realize how popular porcelain veneers have become. As one of the more versatile cosmetic dentistry enhancements, veneers are designed to address a multitude of issues and blemishes at once. They are also designed to closely imitate the natural look, color, texture, and shine of your healthy natural teeth, creating one of the most lifelike solutions to smile improvement. (more…)

filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, Patient Education

Is Gum Contouring For You?

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gingivaYou may have heard of cosmetic bonding and contouring regarding your teeth, but have you heard of gum contouring? Although you may not think so, your gums contribute to the esthetics of your smile. If your gums are too red, receding, or just plain unhealthy looking, your smile will be too. However, if your gums are pink, and firm, they are healthy and esthetically pleasing. Gum health is not the only issue that affects your smile. Some people have excessive gum tissue that covers too much of their teeth, making their teeth look too short. Do you have too much gum tissue? If so, gum contouring may be for you.

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filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, Patient Education