A good-looking smile with perfectly straight teeth isn’t something we’re all born with. In fact, most people have teeth structures that aren’t perfectly symmetrical or inline. Traditional orthodontic methods utilized braces that require a lot of maintenance, regular orthodontic visits for adjustments, and give patients a “metal mouth” look that won’t go unnoticed. There is nothing wrong with traditional braces they do the job, but modern orthodontic dentistry has come a long way since 1997 when Align Technology came to be. Invisalign was quickly given FDA approval and is used by dentists across the USA and the globe to provide...
How Our Diets Affect Our Teeth and Why that is Important
Our teeth are resilient. Did you know teeth are firmer and denser than bone? But that doesn’t mean they are indestructible! Our diets affect our teeth from the moment we have grown them, both as baby teeth and permanent adult teeth. Certain foods and drinks will lead to tooth decay more quickly than others. So, understanding the relationship between our diet and our teeth is important for children and adults alike. Understanding Tooth Decay Tooth decay occurs when acids, sugar, and wear react with bacteria in our plaque. Sugars lead the mouth to produce acids which then “burn” or degrade...
Are you Missing Teeth? Is it Time for Dental Implant Surgery?
Having one or more missing teeth is stressful in more ways than one. First, there are the possible difficulties of chewing, drinking, speaking, and smiling. Second, there is the mental health toll of embarrassment and shame that comes from hiding your smile while avoiding face-to-face conversations. Third, there is a cost component to consider regarding your budget. If you’re missing one or more teeth and are tired of hiding your smile and avoiding certain foods, you’re likely ready for a dental implant. I’m Missing a Tooth Does it Warrant an Implant This is something you should discuss with your dentist...
Cracked Tooth Repairs Should Not be Left to Chance
Cracked teeth can happen throughout our lives for lots of different reasons. Whether from an injury, accident, or wear and tear, your experience can be one of a wide range of symptoms. Sensitivity to high and low temperatures, certain types of food, discomfort, acute pain, chronic pain, and more; can all stem from a chipped or cracked tooth that isn’t repaired. But what happens if you leave this untreated? Is there more potential harm that can arise from not treating a cracked or broken tooth? What are your treatment options? Let’s take a look. Cracked Teeth Start as Simple Discomfort...
When Minor Tooth Pain Leads to an Extraction
If you are experiencing tooth sensitivity, pain, or mild discomfort, it could be a sign of a more serious underlying oral problem. Whether it’s the start of a cavity or gum disease like Gingivitis, problems with your mouth and teeth should not be left to chance. Most problems can be easily cleared up with a dentist visit but if you don’t go to the dentist they can degrade into a true oral emergency. The end of the line for serious tooth pain is a tooth extraction, where the dentist will remove the problem tooth and root. This stops the pain...
Tooth Restoration Starts with a Dental Visit
Our teeth are one of the most used portions of our bodies. We use them every day to eat food, for speech, and when we smile. Most people don’t know that teeth are much stronger than the rest of our bone structure but are still prone to wear and tear over time. Cavities are only the beginning of oral issues and they can get painful and unsightly pretty quick. If you have poor dental hygiene you will likely run into all sorts of problems over time. The first step in tooth or teeth restoration is getting to the dentist and...
Good Dental Hygiene Prevents Cavities and Tooth Loss
Functioning healthy teeth are often taken for granted. Despite many parent’s best efforts, it can be hard to instill good dental hygiene habits in their children. “Brush twice a day for at least two minutes“, is the popular phrase, but try doing that with a 2, 4, and 6-year-old day in and day out and see how strict you are on those 2 minutes! If you don’t have good dental hygiene habits and don’t visit the dentist, you are at risk of bad breath and cavities. Those surely sound bad but are minimal in terms of costs, discomfort, oral pain,...
Understanding Dental Implant & Crown Differences
More often than not, repairing a missing or failing tooth usually has two options: a dental implant or a dental crown. What options your dentist recommends will depend on a few different factors surrounding the state of the tooth, the root, nerve, jaw bone, and sinus (for upper teeth). There are some key differences between the two your dentist will go over when discussing your treatment plan. Let’s have a look. Dental Implant vs. Dental Crown Both procedures leave the patient with a replaced and working tooth, but they are very different in achieving this. A dental implant is a...
I Have a Rotting Tooth, do I Need a Root Canal?
Issues with your teeth aren’t just an aesthetic problem. Teeth and your mouth play an important part in day-to-day life, from eating to talking, smiling, drinking, and more. But if you have a tooth that is starting to rot and is causing you a lot of pain, what should you do to remedy the situation? Leaving it alone will lead to increased pain and eventually a dead root nerve, chipped tooth, terrible sensitivity, and falling out teeth. Let’s take a look at what you should be doing if you have a bad toothache and a rotting tooth or teeth. Identifying...
Knowing When You’re Ready for Dental Implant Surgery
Let’s face it, many Americans skip or avoid dentist visits entirely for loads of reasons. High levels of dental anxiety, inconvenience, being scared of what the dentist will say, a lack of dental insurance, or any other reason. But over a long enough time frame, those missed dental appointments can quickly compound into real oral health problems. Cavities, gingivitis, and gum disease are just the start of problems that can arise with your teeth. If left untreated, these can lead to root canals, tooth extraction, splintered or cracked teeth, missing teeth, and a whole slew of other problems. Our teeth are...