TMJ disorder, or temporomandibular joint disorder, isn’t as well-known as tooth decay and gum disease (the most common chronic dental health concerns). However, when it develops, the pain and discomfort can affect much more than just your teeth or gums. TMJs describe the two large joints that allow your lower jaw to move. A disorder in one or both of these joints can lead to trouble with your jaw’s movement, aggravation to your jaw’s nerves, and a host of chronic, increasingly worse aches and pains. (more…)
Facts You Should Know if You Grind Your Teeth
Grinding your teeth may not seem like one of the most worrisome dental issues, but for patients with bruxism, it could be an immediate threat to the health and integrity of their teeth. Constant teeth-grinding, especially if it occurs in your sleep, can systemically wear down the surfaces of your teeth, making them weak and increasing your risk of other dental health concerns. If you experience bruxism, then your dentist can help you understand the dangers of teeth-grinding and how to stop so you can protect your smile. (more…)
3 Tips to Avoid Gum Disease
Dental health care typically focuses on prevention. When healthy, your teeth and gums are well-equipped to fight the harmful oral bacteria that lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Therefore, preventive care typically means making sure your teeth and gums are healthy enough for the fight. For instance, avoiding the serious consequences of gum disease, such as tooth loss, can often be as simple as minimizing the oral bacteria that your gums are exposed to with consistently good hygiene and regular preventive care at your dentist’s office. (more…)
Cosmetic Dentistry’s Answer to a Gummy Smile
Cosmetic dentistry’s purpose is to help everyone take pride in the health and appearance of their smiles. With a wealth of personalized treatment options, even severe tooth blemishes can be corrected. However, if your smile concerns involve your gums and not your teeth, then you might not be sure how cosmetic dentistry can help. With artistic gum contouring, we can help patients with uneven gum tissues, or gums that cover too much tooth structure—conditions that are often known as a gummy smile. (more…)
Questions About Cosmetic Veneers
If you aren’t completely happy with your smile’s appearance, then your dentist can recommend one or more of a variety of cosmetic treatments to improve it. In many cases, porcelain veneers offer the optimal solution because of their lifelike appearance, and because they can address the most severe cosmetic blemishes in a single procedure. To find out if veneers are your best option, your dentist will first perform a comprehensive examination to diagnose the nature and extent of your smile’s concerns. Also, to answer any questions you may have about how cosmetic veneers can improve your smile. (more…)
Can Tooth Bonding Fix That?
Even when your tooth’s cosmetic blemish seems serious, it may not require extensive treatment to correct. For instance, rather than placing a dental crown or porcelain veneer on the tooth, which requires modifying your tooth’s structure, your dentist may be able to correct your tooth with more conservative tooth bonding. Using tooth-colored composite resin, your dentist can rebuild worn down tooth structure or correct a variety of other cosmetic blemishes to improve your smile with minimal changes to your tooth structure. (more…)
How to Guarantee that Your Teeth-Whitening Works
Teeth stains may be common, but that doesn’t mean you have to tolerate their presence. In fact, erasing teeth stains is simple enough that many companies provide over-the-counter (OTC) products designed specifically to do so. However, OTC bleaching products are not as effective as professional treatment, and in many cases, they fail to make a noticeable impact on the most common teeth stains. To guarantee that it works, your best option is to visit your dentist and opt for professional teeth-whitening treatment. (more…)
Know More About the Importance of Dental Implants
There’s more to tooth loss than what’s immediately obvious. The gap in your smile may prompt you to seek an adequate replacement as soon as possible. But, without knowing the consequences of tooth loss, you may not realize which option is best for the long-term health of your smile. After a consultation and a thorough examination, your dentist may recommend replacing your lost teeth with dental implants. With the addition of dental implant posts, your replacement teeth can enjoy the stability of teeth anchored by roots. (more…)
Bridges and Partials (When a Full Denture Is Too Much)
Tooth loss has been a problem for as long as people have had teeth, and much of dentistry’s history involves finding how to prevent tooth loss, or replace teeth that are lost. At one time, dentures were the only way to restore a smile that suffered tooth loss. Today, however, modern dentistry offers a variety of prostheses that can help patients who’ve lost one, several, or all of their teeth regain their full, beautiful smiles. For instance, a dental bridge can replace a single lost tooth, or a few lost teeth in a row. Partial dentures, which are a modified version of traditional dentures, can replace several teeth that are lost, but not in an adjacent pattern. (more…)
Treating Your Toothache as an Emergency
When you think of a toothache, you may automatically envision debilitating discomfort that forces you to visit your dentist as soon as possible. However, even slight sensitivity can be classified as a toothache, and in most cases, it indicates an issue that may progressively grow worse if not treated immediately. Even though it may not seem like one at first, you should treat your toothache as an emergency and call your dentist’s office to schedule an examination as soon as you notice it. (more…)
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