If your tooth cracks or fractures, or if it develops a cavity and needs a filling or root canal treatment, then you may need a dental crown to restore it. A dental crown is a manmade replica of the top portion of your tooth, or the natural crown, and caps the tooth to protect it when it’s damaged or treated for disease. While they excel at restoring the appearance and function of your teeth, the most important benefit for many patients is how much trouble dental crowns can prevent them from experiencing in the future. (more…)
What Does “Oral-Systemic Health” Mean?
The confidence you feel when your smile’s appearance is flawless is only one reason why excellent dental health should be a priority. Other reasons include avoiding issues like severe toothaches, destructive cavities, progressive gum disease, and in many cases, increased risks of chronic systemic health conditions. Known as oral-systemic health, the connection between your smile and the rest of your body is a significant one, especially since it can provide a pathway for dental diseases to affect other systems in your body. (more…)
More than Teeth Cleaning at Your Dental Checkup
When you think of regular dental care, your first thought may be of your dentist or hygienist cheerfully cleaning and polishing your teeth. However, that’s only one half of a complete checkup and cleaning appointment. The other half (your checkup) involves a detailed inspection of your teeth, gums, and oral tissues to determine if any issues exist. As the cornerstone of excellent dental health, your routine dental visits are about more than just cleaning your teeth; it’s about preserving your whole smile by optimizing your dental health care. (more…)
Can Your Dentist Help You Fight Oral Cancer?
Your dentist does more than just help you prevent and treat common dental issues, like cavities and gum disease. Through regular dental examinations, he can also help you keep a close eye on other oral health developments, including increased risks of oral cancer. During every checkup and cleaning appointment, your dentist will perform a comprehensive screening to detect and fight oral cancer early. These screenings can significantly tip the balance in your favor if oral cancer develops. (more…)
Diagnosing Your Dental Emergency
Dental emergencies can sometimes be scary. By their very nature, emergencies occur without warning, so even excellent dental health may not prevent an accident from damaging your teeth. They cannot heal themselves like other parts of your body (such as your bones), so any damage they incur must be addressed quickly to prevent further damage or infection. To save a compromised tooth, your dentist will first have to diagnose your dental emergency. Then, he can prescribe an appropriate treatment plan to restore the damage and alleviate your discomfort. (more…)
The Keys to Successful Cavity Prevention
Until you develop one, a cavity may not seem like a serious issue. However, once it forms, the discomfort in your tooth will grow increasingly worse until treated, and the longer you hesitate, the more extensive treatment you’ll need. The good news is that nearly everyone can successfully prevent cavity development and the discomfort it can cause. All it takes is consistently good hygiene, regular dental care, and a decent understanding of how cavities develop. (more…)
What TMJ Disorder Feels Like
Your smile’s appearance is an important aspect of your dental health, as are the health of your teeth and the integrity of your gum tissues. However, the way your bite functions is also a vital part of your oral health, and patients who experience TMJ disorder often experience difficulty opening and closing their mouths. Because of the complexity of your jaw’s joints, muscles, and nerves, TMJ disorder can also result in a number of other chronic symptoms, including headaches, migraines, jaw and facial pain, and more. (more…)
Designing Your Full-Mouth Rehabilitation
The term, “full-mouth rehabilitation,” can seem like a complex procedure, but the truth is that everyone’s treatment plan is different. Depending on your needs, rehabilitating your smile can be as simple as treating a cavity, or as comprehensive as replacing lost teeth and their roots. The goal of full-mouth rehabilitation is to return your smile to an optimal state of health, function, and beauty. Therefore, designing your full-mouth rehabilitation is a personal process where you and your dentist work together to determine the best course of treatment. (more…)
Gingivitis vs. Gum Disease: Is There a Difference?
Though gum disease and gingivitis are often used interchangeably, the two terms describe different stages of the same condition. Gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease, is a warning sign, and it may be your last chance to reverse the condition and prevent subsequent dental damage. Once it becomes gum disease, your condition cannot be reversed, and you will need to undergo continuous periodontal maintenance to keep the disease and its symptoms at bay. (more…)
Is It Too Late to Save My Loose Tooth?
When healthy, your teeth have a very slight give due to the flexibility of the periodontal tissues that support their roots. This gives them just enough wiggle room to properly absorb the most intense of your bite’s pressure. When a tooth is noticeably loose, however, it can no longer function properly, and in many cases, it could be at a high risk of being lost completely. The good news is that it may not be too late to save your loose tooth. If you schedule a visit with your dentist as soon as possible, then he can diagnose why your tooth is loose and prescribe an appropriate treatment plan. (more…)
