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| FAQs - General and Cosmetic Dentistry |
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 Maintaining Dental Health
- Maintaining dental health has two main components - at-home dental hygiene and professional cleanings and examinations. Simple maintenance of your dental health can prevent complications such as tooth loss, as well as the need for restorative or cosmetic dentistry in the future.
How can I prevent tooth decay and gum disease?
- Good oral hygiene starts at home, though it needs to be supplemented by regular visits to dentist. Steps you can take to prevent tooth decay and gum disease include:
Thorough brushing
- Brush at least twice daily. This helps prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and the need for costly cosmetic or restorative dentistry in the future. Replace your brush every two to three months.
Proper flossing
- Flossing is crucial to the health of your teeth and gums and the prevention of gum disease.
Regular dental visits
- Regular dental visits, along with a thorough home care regimen, are key to a lifetime of good oral health.
How does fluoride help prevent tooth decay?
- Fluoride helps reverse and prevent tooth decay in three ways:
1. Promoting Tooth Remineralization
2. Helping Teeth Become More Resistant to Tooth Decay
Fluoride actually strengthens teeth, giving them natural protection against future tooth decay.
3. Inhibiting Oral Bacteria's Ability to Create Tooth-Attacking Acids
What are the stages of gum disease? How is gum disease treated?
- Gum disease has several stages. The initial stage is called gingivitis and is an infection of the gingival (gum tissue). In this stage, gums become red, swollen, and prone to bleeding. The underlying bone is unaffected. In later stages, however, gum disease can lead to bone loss and the loosening or even loss of teeth.
Gum disease treatment varies according to the stage of the disease. At its mildest stages, gingivitis can be treated by clearing plaque and tartar deposits from the gum pockets. Severe gum disease, on the other hand, might require treatment that includes bone and gum grafts.
What causes sensitive teeth?
- Sensitive teeth can be caused by a range of factors. The porous part of the tooth, called dentin, is the region that registers pain, and dentin can become exposed due to:
• Fractured or chipped teeth
• Teeth injured by clenching or grinding
• Receding gums caused by gum disease or improper brushing
How can sensitive teeth be managed?
- Pain from sensitive teeth often comes and goes, but if you experience constant pain, you may have a more serious problem.
There are many effective treatments for sensitive teeth, including:
• A soft-bristle toothbrush to prevent gum irritation
• Toothpaste designed to insulate the nerve that registers pain
What are the causes of bruxism (teeth grinding)?
- Teeth grinding can be caused by a range of factors; often, both emotional and physical factors are involved. Causal factors can include stress, sleep disorders, an abnormal bite, and crooked or missing teeth.
How can bruxism be treated?
- Treatment methods may include:
• Relaxation techniques if stress is at the root of the problem
• Physical therapy
• Muscle relaxants
• A plastic tooth guard to wear at night during sleep
How do I keep my child's teeth healthy?
- Following a few simple guidelines can help keep your child's teeth strong and beautiful for life:
Start oral care early
- Oral care should start soon after your child is born. After feeding, clean your child's gums using gauze or a clean, damp cloth. As soon as your child's teeth appear - as soon as four months after birth - they should be brushed. Each day, brush your child's teeth with a soft, wet toothbrush and a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
Prevent nursing-bottle mouth
- Nursing-bottle mouth, also known as baby-bottle tooth decay or baby-bottle syndrome, can cause a baby's front teeth to rapidly decay, which can lead to a lifetime of dental difficulties. Preventing nursing bottle mouth is easy: If you give your baby a bottle at nap or bed time, simply fill it with plain water rather than formula, milk, or juice-never let your child fall asleep with a bottle filled with a liquid other than water In addition, check your child for brown spots near the gums because they are a warning sign for tooth decay.
Take your child to the dentist
- General, preventative dentistry should start early. A child's first dental visit should take place at 6 to 12 months after birth. Regular fluoride treatments, administered by a dentist, are especially helpful in strengthening enamel and arresting tooth decay for children.
Take advantage of dental sealants
- Dental sealants are a popular and effective way to protect your child's teeth against cavities.
What are dental sealants?
- Dental sealants are a plastic coating painted on the grooved, hard-to-reach surfaces of the back teeth. Pits and fissures on these surfaces are particularly susceptible to tooth decay. Dental sealants can be used to seal out cavity-causing bacteria from damaging the teeth.
Cosmetic Dentistry
- Cosmetic dentistry is more popular than ever before, and for good reason. Today's cosmetic dentistry techniques yield impressive, long-lasting results.
How does professional teeth whitening work? Is it safe?
- Teeth whitening is a conservative method for completely making over your smile.
Chairside teeth whitening procedures are performed with a specially formulated peroxide gel that allows oxygen to permeate your tooth enamel, lifting stains. The structure of your tooth enamel is not affected. The most common side effect is temporary tooth sensitivity.
My teeth are crooked! What are my options?
- If you have crooked teeth and would like to achieve a more beautiful smile you may require braces. Dentist will diagnose your specific issues and recommend a course of treatment.
Do you offer tooth-colored fillings? Can they replace my old metal fillings?
- In addition to filling new cavities, these beautiful restorations can replace old metal fillings that have blackened, fractured, popped out, or that simply take away from the beauty of your smile.
Replace Missing Teeth
If I am missing one or more teeth, what are my options?
- Patients today have an array of options for replacing missing teeth. Dental bridges , dentures , and dental implants all have their advantages and disadvantages, though modern cosmetic and restorative dentistry has come to favor dental implants because they look and function just like real teeth and require no special care.
Who is a good candidate for dental implants?
- Nearly anyone who is missing one or more teeth, and desires a superior, long-lasting aesthetic result is a good candidate for dental implants. However, patients must have enough bone to support and stabilize the implant. Some individuals who have suffered bone loss as a result of gum disease or another condition may need bone grafting before a dental implant can be placed successfully.
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