How do I know I need a root canal?

How do I know I need a root canal?

Diagnosis of a root canal is based on signs and symptoms.

Signs include: decay to pulp and an apical lesion.

Symptoms are very subjective and depend on the patient.

Reversible pulpitis is transient sensitivity to cold. It can progress to irreversible pulpitis which include prolonged sensitivity to cold and to hot. This can progress to sensitivity to biting. Once you have irreversible pulpitis the nerve will ultimately become neurotic. NO dentist at any given time can tell you if your nerve is “healthy.” Absence of symptoms on any given time does not mean the nerve is “ok.” Just because a tooth with decay does not hurt doesn’t not mean the nerve is fine. There are channels in the dentin that connect to the nerve. We can place liners, sedatives to protect the nerve but sometimes the nerve will get sensitive and will need a root canal 

How to reduce morning breath?

Easy!
Make sure to brush and floss the night before, including your tongue 

Before & After

Full Mouth Rehabilitation using All-Porcelain Crowns enabled us to transform her bite & at the same time give her the smile of her dreams.

toothbrush

Orthodontic Treatment Before & After

Class 3 molar relationship with excessive overbite and overjet. Upper arch had 9 mm of spacing and lower arch  had 3 mm of spacing. Treatment time 2 yrs 7 mo.

Golden Retrievers from China

On July 3rd we received 2 golden retrievers from China, (Rescues from China's Meat Market). These dogs are amazing! After a 17 hr flight,(not including layovers) with little food and water, they are STILL bouncy balls of energy, full of love for humans  who they have no cause to trust. We are helped by our rescue partners in China. All of our cultures have barbaric traditions that inflict unimaginable cruelty on those that cannot defend themselves. This cannot continue in the name of tradition. Lets work together to abolish this horrific practice. 

Bruxism

Source: Pro Teeth Guard

Patient with 4 broken front teeth and an underbite. We opened the bite with posterior crowns, did crown lengthening on the front 4 teeth to obtain enough tooth axial wall length and to make the gumline as even as possible. We placed crowns on the front teeth for an improved smile.Our material of choice was lava for its strength (zirconia) and esthetics (feldspathic porcelain).

Patient with a 100% overbite causing severe wear of the inside surfaces of the upper front teeth and facial surfaces of the lower front teeth. Teeth grinding caused wear of the chewing surfaces of the posterior teeth.

Patient also has a gummy smile.

Solution:  We opened the bite with Lava crowns on posterior teeth reducing overbite to 60%, giving us enough space to restore upper and lower front teeth with lava crowns.  We also recontoured gingival tissue to reduce gingival display when smiling.  My material of choice was Lava for its strength (zirconia) & beauty

(feldspathic porcelain).

Porcelain Onlay

Existing large composite filling with wear and a mesial crack.

Restored with porcelain onlay. Requires minimal removal of tooth structure . A porcelain onlay looks very natural!

Menopause and Periodontal Disease

A new study published in Menopause, the journal of North American Menopause Society (NAMS) has found the same estrogen therapy used to treat osteoporosis may be effective in reducing periodontal diseases in post-menopausal women. Of the 492 post-menopausal Brazilian women in the study, 113 received a treatment of systematic estrogen alone or estrogen plus progestin, as well as calcium and vitamin D supplements for a 6-month period. The study reported the rate of occurrence of severe #periodontitis was 44% lower in the study’s osteoporosis-treatment group than those in the untreated group. The decline in estrogen levels during #menopause causes loss of bone mineral density which can result in #osteoporosis and affect the jaw, leading to an increased risk of periodontal diseases, according to NAMS.

www.menopause.org

How do I overcome dental anxiety?

 How do I overcome dental anxiety?

*Tell your dentist about your anxiety, they are here to help you, not judge you.

*Discuss your past negative experiences, it tells your dentist what not to do.

*Your dentist can give you a sedative to alleviate anxiety.

Did you know periodontal disease increases risk of Diabetes by 60%

staining of teeth

Things that cause extrinsic staining of teeth:

tea, coffee, soda, red wine & tobacco

heart

People with Periodontal Disease are more likely to die from heart disease or stroke!

What does a nightguard do for me?

 What does a nightguard do for me?

*Get a good night's sleep.

*Get rid of headaches.

*Get rid of jaw pain.

*Keeps me from damaging my teeth, crowns, dentures etc.

How do I know I need a nightguard?

   How do I know I need a nightguard? 

* You need a nightguard if you wake up with jaw pain.

*If you are chipping your teeth /crowns.

*If you are grinding or wearing away your teeth.

tension headache

Did you know 80% of all headaches are due to muscle tension.  A bad bite is a leading cause of a tension headache.  Dental signs of a tension headache are sore jaw muscles, teeth grinding, clicking, popping jaw joints. AACP

2016 Insurance Benefits

If you don’t use your insurance  or flex benefits  by the end of 2016 you lose it. So if you have any dental work you’ve put off, call us today so we can get you scheduled and you can take advantage of those benefits/ tax-free dollars you’ve set aside for your health.

Patient had anterior and posterior cross bite. Only way to correct this is, on a 30+yr old patient, is through jaw surgery. Patient did not want jaw surgery, therefore we did a combination of crowns and veneers to correct the posterior cross bite and to give the illusion of an anterior end to end bite. We chose Lava as material of choice due to durability and aesthetics.