If you grind your teeth while you sleep, you may spend your morning trying to recover from – or at least tune out – the pain in your face and jaw. If your experience with this issue, known as bruxism, has also led to TMJ dysfunction, you can experience pain throughout your day. What you should know is that bruxism does more than just make you uncomfortable. You can damage teeth to the point where your dentist has to intervene and provide restorative care. If you do nothing about your condition, it can lead to serious complications, including tooth loss! A special mouth guard your dentist provides can stop you from damaging your teeth while you sleep. (more…)
Taking Dental Discomfort Seriously
Pay attention to a toothache – it could be a sign that you have a cavity that needs to be addressed. A cavity will not be painful the moment it forms. In fact, if you keep up with regular dental checkups, you could come in for an appointment and discover you had a cavity you were totally unaware of. However, without intervention, that cavity would keep spreading. Eventually, it would attack the interior of your tooth. Dental pain can also result from a habit of teeth grinding (also known as bruxism). Pain in your face, jaws, and teeth – particularly pain felt when you wake up – can indicate you are clenching your jaw while you sleep. Without intervention, this problem can do serious dental damage. (more…)
Why Support For A Tooth Is Needed After A Cavity
Cavity treatment requires you to remove decaying material from your tooth. Of course, this is not all that your dentist must do to effectively restore your oral health when you suffer tooth decay. A cavity’s damage is permanent, meaning without restorative dental work, your tooth will be missing important support. Your dentist will determine what sort of care you need based on the size of the cavity. Smaller cavities are typically addressed with a dental filling. If decay did more damage than a filling can repair, you should anticipate receiving a dental crown. (more…)
Are You Exposing Your Teeth To Unnecessary Cavity Risks?
How careful are you to avoid cavities? Are you confident that you are brushing and flossing effectively? What kind of harm could your diet be doing to your smile? Without routine preventive dental checkups, it can be hard for patients to know what kind of cavity risk they really face. Of course, these visits are more than just a chance to hear your dentist’s assessment of your smile. You also receive an important professional cleaning, and your dentist can arrange for restorative dental care if a problem is identified. These appointments certainly matter, but even with checkups, your best oral care involves good care at home. (more…)
Having A Dental Bridge Put In Place
Having a dental bridge put in place means enjoying a life-like answer to tooth loss, and addressing oral health complications stemming from tooth loss. With a pair of dental crowns – one on each side of your pontic – the bridge is locked into its appropriate spot. The pontic, or pontics, will look like natural teeth, and are built to last. Without the placement of a prosthetic, you may be self-conscious about how you look, and find it is harder to bite and chew normally. Once a secure prosthetic is provided, you can feel more like you have your full smile once again. (more…)
Recognizing The Value Of A Routine Dental Visit
Are you aware of why regular dental visits can be so crucial in your efforts to sustain good oral health? If you want to make sure to avoid problems like tooth decay, especially serious tooth decay, routine checkups are vital. The cleaning your teeth undergo during each of your appointments will protect you against harmful plaque and tartar. The removal of tartar is especially important, as the substance will resist at-home cleaning measures. Of course, the examination your dentist provides is also important to your overall care. These reviews can catch problems in earlier stages, ensuring the treatment you need is less involved than if you had left a problem to continue developing. (more…)
Can A Filling Do Enough To Support My Tooth After A Cavity?
A cavity will do damage to a tooth that needs to be addressed by your dentist. The first step in cavity treatment is to remove the decayed area, and stop it from continuing to spread. After this occurs, your dentist is tasked with addressing the loss of material, as the damage is irreversible. Not every tooth will gain the support it needs from a tooth filling. If the cavity was more consequential, the damage can simply be more than a filling is prepared to offset. However, if your dentist determines that it is appropriate, they can use a filling to act as a discreet, effective restoration. (more…)
