We always encourage patients to learn more about third molars since they can affect different smiles in a variety of ways. If you are unfamiliar with this term, let us give you a hint – it is synonymous with “wisdom teeth.” Perhaps you have some that have grown in successfully – or, maybe you aren’t even sure what to make of them because as far as you know, you never grew any. Rather than continuing to wonder about this sometimes-mysterious part of your smile, we invite you to have your questions answered with the following information that is often helpful to our patients:
Learn More About Sedation Options
If you have ever hesitated to schedule dental care, you may have already learned a thing or two about the benefits of sedation dentistry. You probably know that it is appropriate for a wide variety of concerns, including dental anxiety, a severe gag reflex, or the need to undergo a lot of dental work within one sitting. Sedation is also appropriate for a variety of treatments, from something as simple as a dental cleaning to something more complex like root canal therapy. If sedation sounds like something that may improve your experience, you may wish to know more about your particular options. Consider the following breakdown:
Exercising for Healthier Teeth
You use your teeth more than any other part of your body, and yet you might not realize that, like the rest of your body, they too can benefit from a regular exercise routine. Besides working your teeth out when you bite and chew your food, exercising in general helps your body better fight many of the mechanisms that lead to dental health issues. In addition to good hygiene and routine dental care, we also advise sticking to a healthy diet and exercise routine to maximize your dental health. (more…)
Why We Lose “Permanent” Teeth
Ideally, tooth loss should only happen once in life—when you’re baby teeth fall out to make room for their permanent replacements. The reality, however, is that a large majority of adults will lose at least one permanent tooth in their adulthood, and unfortunately, it will not grow back. The fact that they are often referred to as “permanent” may seem confusing given how frequently they are lost. Yet, the truth is that your adult teeth should last for life, or be replaced as soon as possible if they don’t. (more…)
Boost Your Power Over Gum Disease
For gum disease to develop and mature into a serious problem, you don’t have to really do much. In fact, even if you actively try to prevent it, it can still form and threaten your oral health if you aren’t consistently careful. By doing nothing, or not doing enough, you can allow the mechanisms behind gum disease to gain enough control to cause serious damage to your oral health. Fortunately, with the right knowledge and diligent care, you can boost and prolong your power over gum disease to avoid the need for extensive periodontal treatment or oral surgery. (more…)
How to Stop Facial Collapse Following Tooth Loss
The reason why restorative and oral surgery procedures are often necessary is because, in most cases, damage to your teeth and oral structures is permanent. Sometimes, the effects of an issue can continue long after you’ve treated it. For instance, tooth loss can affect the health of your jawbone and remaining teeth even if you replace them with a dental bridge or denture. The loss of the roots, which once rested in your jawbone, can lead to a condition known as facial collapse, wherein your jawbone loses density and shrinks, causing the structures around your smile to “sink.” (more…)
Learning How to Cavity-Proof Your Smile
If you’ve ever had a cavity, you know the appeal of never having another one again. Hopefully, yours needed no more than a filling to cover the small hole caused by tooth decay, but many people require a root canal procedure or even tooth extraction. Tooth decay prevention is rather limited to brushing, flossing, and dental checkups and cleanings, and for the most part these measures suffice when adhered to diligently. However, we all slack in our daily hygiene routines now and then, and often that slacking leads us from prevention to repair. Yet, experts believe that dynamic may change with the discovery of a molecule that can drastically reduce the prevalence of tooth decay and cavities. (more…)
Why a Tooth Abscess Means Serious Trouble
A tooth abscess, or small pocket of infection, results when a tooth or other dental infection is allowed to become serious. It is also a common cause for some of the more severe forms of discomfort. Unlike many other causes of toothaches, however, dental pain is not the only problem that an abscess can generate. To help you understand the need for immediate treatment, we explore why a tooth abscess means serious trouble for your oral health, even beyond the infected tooth. (more…)
Understanding the Need for Jawbone Grafting
Your general dentist may be able to detect when something is off with your jawbone. For instance, if it’s crooked or malformed, it can affect your bite, which will also affect the health of your teeth. However, when your jawbone requires correction, surgery is typically needed, which requires the expertise of a skilled oral surgeon. To help you understand the process, and why it may be necessary to save your smile, we answer a few common questions about jawbone grafting, and the benefits you can expect afterwards. (more…)
Interesting Facts About the Tongue
Is your tongue a muscle, or an organ? As one of the major components of your oral cavity, the human tongue holds many mysteries—some simply interesting, and some that hold significant implications for your oral and overall health. Today, we examine a few fun facts about your tongue, including how it can warn you of oral health trouble. (more…)
