My Blog
Archive:
- 2018
- July (7)
- Need an Effective but Affordable Tooth Replacement? Look at a Flexible RPD
- Don't Take a Vacation From Oral Hygiene This Summer!
- Keep Alert for this Extreme Form of Gingivitis
- Signs You May Need a Root Canal
- The Importance of Baby Teeth
- What You Can Do to Support Your Child's Dental Development
- What's So Special About Dental Implants?
- June (6)
- Make Efforts to Protect Your Teeth from Disease While Wearing Braces
- Pediatric Dentists Specialize in Dental Care for Children and Teens
- 3 Areas to Watch to Avoid Excessive Tooth Wear
- Bone Grafting Might be Necessary Before You Obtain an Implant
- Gum Disease is Still a Threat to Your Dental Implants
- RPDs Offer Another Tooth Replacement Option for those on a Tight Budget
- May (7)
- Taking the Right Steps to Prevent Early Tooth Decay in Children
- Mouthguards Reduce Risk of Concussion as well as Dental Injuries
- Your Denture Options
- Bone Loss at the Roots can Put Your Tooth in Danger of Loss
- 3 Possible Timing Scenarios for Getting Your New Implant
- Stop Gum Disease Before it Becomes a Major Health Issue
- 4 Things You Should Focus on During Pregnancy for Optimal Dental Health
- April (6)
- Not Crazy about Flossing? Try a Water Flosser
- Don't Let Sports or Energy Drinks Rob you of Your Teeth's Enamel
- Stay Ahead of Gum Disease Re-Infection with Periodontal Maintenance
- Bad Breath in Children
- Instill Good Dental Habits in Your Child as Early as Possible
- Advances in Porcelain Veneers Improve Both Strength and Appearance
- February (5)
- Children with Chronic Health Conditions may Need Extra Dental Care
- Dentures Require Planning and Attention to Detail to Look Natural
- You may Need Orthodontic Work Before Getting a Dental Implant
- We can Rid You of that Lump in Your Mouth you Keep Biting
- Find out What Kind of Tooth Staining you Have Before Seeking a Solution
- 2017
- November (5)
- Paying Attention to Certain Factors Helps Ensure Successful Implant Outcomes
- Tooth Decay can be Less of a Problem with Minimally Invasive Dentistry
- How Effective is Your Oral Hygiene? Find Out with a Plaque Disclosing Agent
- Support Your Child's Dental Development with Preventive Care
- Treating Gum Disease Important to Saving the Underlying Bone
- July (6)
- The Simple Bitewing X-Ray is a Game Changer for Maintaining Dental Health
- Porcelain Veneers: A Less Invasive Way to Transform Your Smile
- 5 Things you can do to Improve Your Child's Future Dental Health
- Loose Adult Teeth Require Immediate Attention and Treatment
- The Benefits Of Dental Crowns
- You Don't have to Suffer from Irritating Canker Sores
- May (5)
- Protect Your Child's Long-Term Dental Health with Regular Office Visits
- Could Dentures Be Right for Me?
- Get a Dental Exam as Soon as Possible if you Suspect Gum Disease
- Look at Your Options for Saving a Tooth First Before Replacing it
- Artificial Sweeteners are By and Large a Safe Alternative to Sugar
- March (6)
- Attention to Detail Crucial to a Beautiful Smile Supported by Dental Implants
- Your Case of Gingivitis Could Develop into Something More Harmful
- Why Are Porcelain Veneers Effective?
- Be Sure to have These 3 Essentials Covered Beforehand for Veneer Success
- Conscious Sedation can Help Ease Your Child's Dental Visit Anxiety
- All Gum Disease Treatments Have the Same Goal - Removing Bacterial Plaque
- 2016
- November (6)
- Start Early with Your Baby's Dental Care
- Ensure the Best Outcome with the Right Care for a Teen's Missing Tooth
- Dental Implants can Replace Your Whole Tooth, Not Just What You See
- Reduce Your Oral Cancer Risk with Better Diet and Lifestyle Choices
- Teaching Your Child Good Oral Hygiene Habits
- Follow These Common Sense Steps When Your Child has a Toothache
- July (5)
- Though not Always Seen, it's Still Important to Replace a Missing Back Tooth
- 4 Reasons Saving Your Child's Decayed Baby Tooth is a Good Idea
- Antibiotic Resistance Requires Action - and a Change of Attitude
- Thumb Sucking And Your Child's Developing Smile
- Winning the War on Gum Disease Requires Post-Treatment Vigilance
- March (6)
- 4 Advantages to Using Composite Resins for Restoring Teeth
- Persistent Jaw Pain After an Injury Needs Immediate Attention
- Watch for these 4 Signs of Gum Disease
- Support Your Child's Teeth Development with Proper Hygiene and Dental Care
- 3 Ways Your Dental Hygienist Improves Your Oral Health
- The Benefits of Dental Implants
- 2015
- December (5)
- Sleep Apnea and Behavioral Problems in Children: How Your Dentist Can Help
- Did You Know? February Is National Children's Dental Health Month!
- Replacing a Back Tooth May Help You Avoid Future Dental Problems
- Is Dental Treatment Safe During Pregnancy?
- Treating Dry Mouth is Important for Maintaining Good Oral Health
- 2014
- September (6)
- New Partial Dentures More Comfortable and Durable Than Older Models
- New Guidelines Issued for Administering Antibiotics Before a Dental Procedure
- Bone Grafting can put Implants Back on Your Options List
- 5 Oral Health Care Tips To Remember This Summer
- Removing Bacterial Plaque is Critical to Halting Advancing Gum Disease
- Early Detection is Critical to Surviving Oral Cancer
- August (5)
- Our Arsenal of Weapons in the War Against Gum Disease
- Overcome Oral Cancer With Screenings and Lifestyle Changes
- Taking Precautions Before, During and After Implants Will Help Ensure Success
- Home vs. Professional Teeth Whitening - Weighing Your Options
- Preserving or Restoring Teeth - Both Paths Lead to Better Oral Health
- 2013
- October (6)
- Health Risks of Oral Piercings
- Cancer Treatment and Oral Health: What You Should Know
- Treating Thumb Sucking Now Could Reduce Orthodontic Treatment Later
- Patients in Syracuse Seek Veneers to Mask Dental Blemishes
- Loose Teeth - A Sign of Trouble That Requires Quick Action
- Implant Overdentures: a Marriage of Options for Lower Jaw Tooth Replacement
- 2012
- August (7)
- Can Thumb Sucking Harm Your Child's Teeth?
- Testing Your Knowledge: Do Your Children Have Good Oral Health?
- Enhance Your Smile Through Teeth Whitening
- How Do Dental Implants Help Preserve Your Youthful Appearance?
- Are Dental Implants Okay For Teenagers?
- Questions You Should Ask Before Getting Porcelain Veneers
- Your Dentist May Be Able To Help You Stop Snoring
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Dentist Blog
Over a lifetime, teeth can endure temperatures ranging from freezing to near boiling, biting forces of as much as 150 pounds per square inch and a hostile environment teeming with bacteria. Yet they can still remain healthy for decades.
But while they’re rugged, they’re not indestructible — they can incur serious damage from tooth decay or periodontal (gum) disease, two of the most prevalent oral infections. If that happens, you could be faced with the choice of removing the tooth or trying to save it.
Because today’s restorations like dental implants are quite durable and amazingly life-like, it might seem the decision is a no-brainer — just rid your mouth of the troubled tooth and replace it. But from a long-term health perspective, it’s usually better for your gums, other teeth and mouth structures to try to save it.
How we do that depends on the disease and degree of damage. Tooth decay, for example, starts when high levels of acid soften the minerals in the outer enamel. This creates a hole, or cavity, that we typically treat first by filling with metal amalgam or, increasingly, composite resins color-matched to the tooth.
If decay has invaded the pulp (the innermost layer of the tooth), you’ll need a root canal treatment. This procedure removes infected material from the pulp and replaces the empty chamber and the root canals with a special filling to guard against another infection. We then cap the tooth with a life-like crown for added protection.
Gum disease, on the other hand, is caused by dental plaque (a thin film of bacteria and food particles on tooth surfaces), and requires a different approach. Here, the strategy is to remove all of the plaque and calculus (hardened plaque deposits) we can find with special hand instruments or ultrasonic equipment, and often over several sessions. If the infection extends deeper or has created deep pockets of disease between the teeth and gums, surgery or more advanced techniques may be necessary.
Though effective, some of these treatments can be costly and time-consuming; the tooth itself may be beyond repair. Your best move is to first undergo a complete dental examination. From there, we can give you your best options for dealing with a problem tooth.
If you would like more information on the best treatment approach for your teeth, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Save a Tooth or Get an Implant?”
Unlike the months on either side, August isn't known for major holidays. But it does have one cause for celebration: National Fresh Breath Day! True, this observance will probably never achieve big-time recognition. Yet everyone would agree that fresh breath is something to appreciate! Unfortunately, bad breath is a persistent problem for many people. The first step in treating it is to identify the cause. Here are 5 common causes of bad breath:
1. Poor oral hygiene. Certain types of oral bacteria cause bad breath, and the mouth provides a perfect environment for them—especially when dental plaque and food debris is not well cleansed. So to keep your breath fresh, maintain a diligent oral hygiene routine. This includes brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing at least once a day. For an extra-clean mouth, use a tongue scraper—a plastic tool about the size of a toothbrush that's available in most drug stores. This will remove bacteria and food debris from your tongue for extra freshness.
2. Oral diseases. Bad odors in your mouth may also be caused by infections—which is what tooth decay and gum disease actually are. Sometimes old fillings wear out, allowing bacteria to re-infect a tooth that was once treated for decay. Other signs of these common oral diseases include tooth pain and bleeding or puffy gums. If you notice any of these, don't ignore it—make a dental appointment today!
3. Diet. Smelly foods will give you smelly breath; it's that simple. And the odors may linger after you have eaten them. When onion, garlic and other pungent foods are digested, their odor-producing substances enter your bloodstream and proceed to your lungs—which can affect how your breath smells. If you suspect your dietary habits are causing bad breath, try eliminating certain foods (at least temporarily) and see if that helps.
4. Dry mouth. Saliva helps cleanse your mouth, so reduced saliva flow can lead to bad breath. This accounts for "morning breath," which is caused when the mouth dries out during sleep (especially if you are a mouth-breather). However, some people don't produce enough saliva throughout the day. Sometimes it's just that they don't drink enough water. But a very common cause of chronic dry mouth is regular use of medications, both prescription and over-the-counter. If you notice that medication is drying out your mouth, let your doctor know. And stay hydrated!
5. Smoking. Given that smoking increases your risk for many serious diseases, including oral cancer, the fact that it can lead to bad breath seems almost trivial. Still, it's worth noting that smoking causes mouth odor both directly and indirectly by reducing the flow of saliva and promoting gum disease. In fact, tobacco in all forms is a hazard to your health.
If you'd like more information on bad breath, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Warning Signs of Periodontal (Gum) Disease” and “Dry Mouth.”
White, translucent teeth are the hallmark of a beautiful smile. But with age or the foods we eat our teeth’s natural brightness can dim to a dingy yellow.
If this is your case, you may be able to benefit from teeth whitening techniques that brighten up your less than “pearly whites.” A teeth whitening treatment from time to time could put the dazzle back in both your smile and your self-confidence.
Here, then, are 3 reasons for considering tooth whitening to improve your smile.
You might be able to do it yourself. There are a number of home whitening options (including whitening strips) that are safe and effective to use at home. But there are a couple caveats: because your dentist can use stronger bleaching solutions they may be able to perform the procedure in less time and with longer lasting results than a home kit. Also, some forms of staining originate inside a tooth—a home kit won’t help with that kind of discoloration.
It’s safe and relatively inexpensive. Home bleaching solutions aren’t strong enough to be harmful (unless you disregard the product directions) and are usually not very costly. Your dentist uses stronger solutions but with the training and curing equipment to minimize any risk to your teeth. And compared to other cosmetic treatments, dental office teeth whitening is still a relatively inexpensive option.
Dental office whitening can be more comprehensive and precise. Another reason to opt for your dentist to whiten your teeth is the wide range of discoloration they can alleviate. They have clinical techniques for alleviating internal tooth staining, and could even combine these with treatments for external staining. Your dentist can also help you achieve the exact degree of whiteness you desire—from a more subtle, natural shade to “Hollywood Bright.”
Whitening isn’t permanent—but with a thorough application and avoiding foods and habits that contribute to staining, professional whitening effects can last up to two years. If you’re interested, see your dentist for a full dental examination for any issues that might interfere with the whitening process. From there, you’re not far from a brighter and more attractive smile.
If you would like more information on teeth whitening and other dental cosmetic enhancements, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Teeth Whitening: Brighter, Lighter, Whiter….”
Tooth decay is one of the most common diseases in the world, nearly as prevalent as the common cold. It’s also one of the two major dental diseases—the other being periodontal (gum) disease—most responsible for tooth and bone loss.
Tooth decay begins with high levels of acid, the byproduct of oral bacteria feeding on food remnants like sugar. Acid can erode tooth enamel, leading to a cavity that will require removal of decayed material around it and then a filling.
Sometimes, though, decay can spread deeper into the tooth reaching all the way to its core: the pulp with its bundle of nerves and blood vessels. From there it can travel through the root canals to the bone. The continuing damage could eventually lead to the loss of the infected tooth.
If decay reaches the tooth interior, the best course of action is usually a root canal treatment. In this procedure we access the pulp through the crown, the visible part of the tooth, to remove all of the diseased and dead tissue in the pulp chamber.
We then reshape it and the root canals to receive a filling. The filling is normally a substance called gutta percha that’s easily manipulated to conform to the shape of the root canals and pulp chamber. After filling we seal the access hole and later cap the tooth with a crown to protect it from re-infection.
Root canal treatments have literally saved millions of teeth. Unfortunately, they’ve gained an undeserved reputation for pain. But root canals don’t cause pain—they relieve the pain caused by tooth decay. More importantly, your tooth can gain a new lease on life.
But we’ll need to act promptly. If you experience any kind of tooth pain (even if it goes away) you should see us as soon as possible for an examination. Depending on the level of decay and the type of tooth involved, we may be able to perform the procedure in our office. Some cases, though, may have complications that require the skills, procedures and equipment of an endodontist, a specialist in root canal treatment.
So, don’t delay and allow tooth decay to go too far. Your tooth’s survival could hang in the balance.
If you would like more information on tooth decay treatment, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor article “Root Canal Treatment: What You Need to Know.”
People with missing teeth have more replacement options than ever before, including the ever popular but often more expensive dental implant. But there has also been an expansion of choice on the more affordable side of dental restorations. The flexible removable partial denture (RPD) is one such choice.
Though RPDs have been around for some time, the newer flexible RPD offers some advantages over the more rigid traditional RPD. They’re made of a kind of nylon that’s pliable but also strong and durable. This material is thermoplastic, meaning when heated it can be injected into molds based on a patient’s individual mouth to form an accurate denture base. The gum-colored base can also be formed to cover any receded areas of the gums, which can greatly improve smile appearance.
Older versions of RPDs are made of rigid acrylic plastic that stay in place in the mouth with metal clasps that attach to remaining teeth. The flexible RPD, on the other hand, is secured with finger-like nylon extensions that fit and hold in the natural teeth’s concavities near the gum line. This, along with its relatively light weight, offers a more comfortable fit.
But aside from these benefits, flexible RPDs do have a few drawbacks. Although fracture-resistant, they’re not easy to repair or reline to readjust the fit to accommodate mouth changes. They can stain (though not as much as a traditional RPD), so they require diligent cleaning and maintenance.
We consider the whole category of RPDs as “temporary” restorations, meaning they’re intended as a transitional phase between tooth loss and a permanent restoration like a natural tooth-supported fixed bridge or dental implants. For some, however, the flexible RPD might be a more long-term solution. As mentioned before, to extend their life as much as possible they should be removed daily and cleaned thoroughly. And like any form of denture, they should not be worn overnight.
In either case, flexible RPDs offer an effective way to restore not only dental function diminished by missing teeth but an improved appearance as well. With careful maintenance, they could serve you well for some time to come.
If you would like more information on flexible partial dentures, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Flexible Partial Dentures: An Aesthetic Way to Replace Teeth Temporarily.”
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