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 Periodontal or gum disease is an infection of the tissues that surround and support your teeth. It is a leading cause of tooth loss in American adults. When left on the teeth, plaque, the sticky film of bacteria that is brushed and flossed away with proper oral care, produces toxins that attack below the gum line in the sulcus (a shallow v-shaped crevice between the tooth and gums), causing the bond between teeth and gums to break down. In the early stage of gum disease (gingivitis), gums may become red and swollen and bleed easily; in the more advanced stage (periodontal disease), teeth can loosen and even fall out. Good oral hygiene and regular dental examinations are essential in prevention and early detection of gum disease – especially since you can have it without experiencing any warning signs.
Signs that you may have gum disease include:
- Gums that are red, swollen, tender, bleed easily or have pulled away from the teeth
- Persistent bad breath or bad taste
- Loose or separating teeth
- A change in the way your teeth fit together
- A change in the fit of partial dentures
Your risk of developing gum disease may relate to the following habits and conditions:
- Tobacco smoking or chewing
- Systemic diseases such as diabetes
- Medications such as steroids, anti-epilepsy drugs, cancer therapy drugs and calcium channel blockers
- Pregnancy or use of oral contraceptives
- Crooked teeth
- Worn bridges or fillings
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 Each of your teeth depends on the others to help you eat and speak. When one or more are damaged helath of the others can be threatned. It may become hard for you to chew, or the apperance of your smile may change. If you are having problems with one or more of your teeth, a crown can help you restore normal function.
A crown, sometimes reffered to as a "cap", is an artificial covering cemented over an existing tooth that has been specially prepared by your dentist (somewhat like a thimble over your finger). Your dentist may recommend a crown if your tooth is fractured has a larfe, old filling or is severly damaged by decay. Crowns can restore a tooth to its original shape, strengthen a tooth and improve yoru overall apperance. Crowning is a long term restorative procedure that can usually be completed in two appointments Crown are designed to look and feel like your natual teeth.
Benefit of crowns
- Repair chipped or fractured teeth
- Teeth can be lightend to any shade
- Fill gaps in teeth
- Restore and maintain your bite
- Improve your smile and chewing ability
- Last longer than other type of restoration
Types of Crowns
Metal Crowns- the classic metal dental crown is made of gold alloy. Dentists find gold to be very workable metal and one which fits very precisely. Gold also withstands biting and chewing and will not chip. Gold crowns are potentially the longest lasting type of crown. Over the years, a variety of mental alloys have been put to use in the making of crowns.
Porcelain Crowns- dental crowns that will show when you smile are usually made of porcelain or have a venner of porcelain on the surface to match your natural teeth. Porcealin crowns tend not to be as strong as other types of crowns. Because of this porcelain crowns are usually not placed on the back teeth. This type of crown can be more expensive than the alternatives.
Porcelain fused to metal crowns- these are a cross between metal and porcelain crowns. When they are made, the technician makes a shell of metal which covers your tooth. A veneer of porcelain is then fused over this metal. These crowns are good for front or back teeth and provide you with the strength of metal with the natural apperance of porcelain.
- Tobacco smoking or chewing
- Systemic diseases such as diabetes
- Medications such as steroids, anti-epilepsy drugs, cancer therapy drugs and calcium channel blockers
- Pregnancy or use of oral contraceptives
- Crooked teeth
- Worn bridges or fillings
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About Bruxism
About 15 percent of people have a habit of grinding their teeth or clenching their jaws, a condition called bruxism. Most people do it in their sleep, so it often goes undetected until a family members hears the grinding sounds or a dentist notices symptoms. If diagnosed early enough, bruxism can be treated before it causes damage to the teeth.
Causes of Tooth Grinding
In some cases, grinding occurs because the tip and botom teeth are not aligned properly. It may be a response to pain, such as a an earache, or the result of sleep disorder. Most often bruxism is related to stress. Alcohol and caffeine intake can aggravate the condition; cause more severe grinding or cleniching.
Effects of Bruxism
In many cases,bruxism doesnt cause any dmage. But if the grinding is severe though, it can
- Wear down tooth enamel
- Chip teeth
- Increase temperature sensitivity
- Erode gums and supporting bones
- Break fillings or other dental wotk
- Worsen temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction
- Result in cosmetic damage
Symptoms to look for
- Teeth grinding, often very loud, during sleep
- Jaw pain, headache or earache
- Frequently contraction of muscles on the side of the face
- Sensitive teeth
- teeth that look flat at the tips
- Abnormal alignment of teeth
many situations, dental implants can give back patients their confident smile. The benefits are improved esthetics, the ability to eat comfortably and a clean, healthy oral environment for the patient.
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TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders are a family of problems related to your complex jaw joint. If you have had symptoms like pain or a "clicking" sound, you'll be glad to know that these problems are more easily diagnosed and treated than they were in the past. Since some types of TMJ problems can lead to more serious conditions, early detection and treatment are important.
The causes of TMJ disorders are considered multi-factorial and may be related to the following:
- Trauma to the head or neck
- Oral habits such as clenching or grinding of the teeth
- Bad bite or missing teeth
- Arthritis
- Malalignment of the upper and lower jawbones
No one treatment can resolve TMJ disorders completely and treatment takes time to be effective. There are two basic types of treatment for TM Joint disorders: surgical and non-surgical, but it is generally agreed that in most cases the non-surgical approach should be taken first in an effort to restore comfort, and improve jaw function to an acceptable level.
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Bleaching products brighten teeth that have been stained or darkened by food, tobacco use, age, injury or other causes that cannot be corrected with regular brushing or professional cleaning. There are a variety of in-office and take-home whitening products to reduce or eliminate such stains. In-office bleaching, also called chairside bleaching, takes place over a series of one-hour appointments at your dentist’s office. First, your teeth will be examined and cleaned to make sure there are no cavities, loose fillings, gum problems or other issues that may be exacerbated by the bleaching process. You and your dentist will make a custom-fit mouthtray for your teeth. Then the bleaching gel, a hydrogen peroxide solution, is applied to your teeth in the tray, sometimes after another gel or rubber shield is fit over the gums to protect them. An ultraviolet light may be shone on the teeth to facilitate the process.
Advantages of in-office tooth whitening over take-home whitening include:
- Professional supervision.
- Fast.
- Safe and simple.
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We often recommend inlays to restore back teeth, because they are one of the highest quality options available. They preserve tooth structure, and are more durable than some of our other choices. Inlays are custom made to fit precisely between the cusps of your teeth.
Restoring your teeth with inlays takes several steps. We carefully prepare your teeth, then take an impression and send it to a dental laboratory. There, a model of your teeth is made and is used to create your inlay
from porcelain, gold or other alloys, or a combination, depending on your situation.
On your next visit, the inlays are placed in your teeth, and are adjusted for a precise fit. Once that's achieved, we cement the inlays, polish them, and again check the accuracy of your bite. Then, the appearance and function of your teeth will be restored!
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Dental x-rays provide valuable information because they allow your dentist to look at what is happening beneath the tissue in your mouth. X-rays let your dentist safely and accurately diagnose your oral condition, detect hidden abnormalities and provide an excellent baseline for long-term dental health.
As you know, x-rays are a common part of a dental visit, but did you know that a panoramic x-ray also enables your dentist to examine for diseases such as oral cancel, sinus infections, gum diseases and jaw joint pain? Many hidden diseases that go undetected for a long period of time can be caught at an early, treatable stage through panoramic x-ray diagnostics.
While a panoramic image does not eliminate the need for the smaller, detailed images of specific teeth obtained from traditional bitewing or pen-apical x-rays. it does provide a more comprehensive view to enhance your dentist's diagnostic evaluation of spatial relationships and tooth positions. In fact, panoramic x-rays provide as many as 50 distinct and relevant dental landmarks as well as revealing many pathological conditions. Clearly, this large clear panoramic view of the dental arch provides diagnostic Information that is lust not available in a traditional dental x-ray series.
Common applications and diagnostics include:
- Finding early signs of oral cancer
- Detecting non-malignant cysts and tumors
- Discover clogged carotid arteries
- Uncovering calcific stone in salivary glands
- Eruption or primary teeth
- Finding gum and bone disease and loss
- Viewing impacted wisdom teeth
- Diagnosing IMJ (jaw joint) disorders
- Orthodontics
- Dental implants
- Sinus infections
- Dentures
Because it can be considered an integral part of comprehensive oral healthcare, most insurance plans will regularly pay for panoramic x-rays. In addition because panoramic x-rays are considered a baseline for future comparison and long-term oral healthcare, they are usually recommended and reimbursed on a 3-5 year basis.
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