Do you often wake up with a headache, sore teeth, or an achy jaw? Do you ever notice that you clench your jaw throughout the day? If you said yes to either of these questions, you may be grinding your teeth. Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, usually occurs while you are sleeping. Bruxism can cause damage to your teeth and increase your risk of tooth decay. It can lead to frequent headaches. Bruxism can also increase your risk of developing temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. TMJ disorder can lead to jaw popping, pain, and lockjaw. Treating teeth grinding is important to prevent these types of issues from causing oral health problems.
4 Benefits Of Dental Implants
When you lose a tooth, you may feel embarrassed about your appearance. We understand, and have treatment options available to help rebuild smiles. We can replace a tooth, often with a unique and long-lasting prosthetic. What benefits will dental implants offer your smile?
Reasons An Extraction May Be Needed
Many major dental procedures, like a dental extraction, can often be prevented by maintaining good oral health or by treating problems early. A common reason for a necessary dental extraction is severe decay or infection. Both of which can be detected early enough to treat and sometimes reverse, especially if you maintain your regular dental visits. An extraction may be necessary if a tooth has been damaged to the point of no return. If a tooth was damaged in an accident or injury, it is not something that can be treated with good oral health. However, some tooth damage can be the result of cavities, bruxism, or other treatable situations. (more…)
Halloween Tips For A Healthy Smile
Since September, the Halloween candy and decoration aisles have been in the drug stores and grocery stores. Your kids have probably been bringing candy home from school with them. Your office may be filled with bowls of candy. Since this is the last week before Halloween, there is probably even more candy everywhere. How do you keep these treats from tricking your teeth? How do keep smiles healthy even with all this sugary temptation running amok. Moderation is an important part of keeping smiles healthy. Complete deprivation usually does not work and often leads to hiding a candy habit from everyone else. We have created a list of tips to keep you and your family’s smiles healthy this Halloween. (more…)
An Oral Hygiene Routine At Bedtime
The shortest distance between two spots is a straight line. The straight line to a healthy mouth is strong oral hygiene. Strong oral hygiene includes a daily routine of brushing and flossing at least twice a day, drinking plenty of water, making healthy food and drink choices, and visiting your dentist at least every six months for both an exam and a cleaning. While not every problem that may arise in your oral health can be prevented by a good oral hygiene routine, many can. A good bedtime routine is an essential part of any good oral hygiene regimen. (more…)
Reasons To Replace A Missing Tooth
Losing a tooth as an adult does not come with the joy or money from a tooth fairy’s visit. Losing a tooth as an adult can be traumatic and lead to some serious consequences. Tooth loss as an adult can be caused from injury, severe decay or damage, gum disease, or a wisdom tooth extraction. In a situation like a wisdom tooth extraction, there is no need to replace the missing tooth. However, in most other instances of losing a permanent adult tooth, replacement is important. A visible front tooth may feel more important to you to replace, but any missing adult tooth can lead to difficulties in your smile and functions of your mouth. Replacing your tooth can restore your abilities and decrease your risk of bone loss. (more…)
Can I Get A Crown In One Visit?
The short answer to the question, “can I get a crown in one visit?,” is yes. Traditional crowns can take one to two weeks to be created because an off-site lab would create the crown. With this traditional process, your dentist would take a mold of your tooth and mouth to be sent off to a third party lab to sculpt the permanent crown. In the meantime, your dentist would fit you with a temporary crown until your permanent crown was ready. You would go back to the office after those weeks of wearing a temporary to be fitted with your permanent crown. Advanced technology allows for the crown to be created at your dentist’s office during your same visit. (more…)
Why Do I Need Root Canal Treatment?
Tooth decay does not stop progressing until it is treated. It may start out as tiny white spots on the enamel of your tooth. If noticed by your dentist, a thorough cleaning may treat and reverse the decay. If not, the decay will continue to progress until it erodes through the enamel of the tooth creating a cavity. A small, early cavity may not cause you any pain, and may go unnoticed if not for regular visits to your dentist. If it is noticed, your dentist may treat and stop the cavity with a filling. If the decay continues to progress, it may reach the inner pulp of the tooth requiring root canal treatment to stop it. (more…)
A Filling To The Rescue
Despite our best efforts to maintain our oral health, cavities can still happen. Tooth decay can be caused for reasons other than sugary snacks and a lax in oral hygiene. Teeth grinding can cause tiny fractures in the teeth that can leave sneaky spots for bacteria to attack the enamel. Misaligned teeth can create nooks and crannies that make it hard for brushing and flossing to be effective. Even genetics can cause one person to be more susceptible to tooth decay than another. No matter the cause, when a cavity happens, it is very important for it to be treated. A filling is usually the first course of action. (more…)
Is Invisalign Right For Me?
Malocclusion is the misalignment of teeth in your mouth. This can lead to a dysfunction in your bite, higher risk for tooth decay and gum disease, headaches, and more. Typically, traditional orthodontic treatment relies upon metal braces to realign the bite and the teeth, but Invisalign® is a more discreet option. Invisalign® is a system with clear, BPA-free, custom-made aligners that gently reposition your teeth. Adults with misalignment issues in their smile tend to opt for Invisalign® because they are less noticeable and less impactful on their lifestyle than traditional metal-bracket braces. (more…)