Are You a Nighttime Grinder? This Post is for You!

What is the difference between a night guard made in the dental office vs. one I buy at the pharmacy?

For starters an office made guard is a lot less bulky, lower profile and is custom fit to only your teeth.  This guard, unlike a rubber one, is hard acrylic and is like an ice skating rink for the teeth.  A soft pharmacy guard, will lock your teeth in place and transfer the grinding pressure to your temporomandibular joint.  With an office made guard your teeth and jaw can move freely and comfortably.

4 Reasons Your Braces are Still On

1.   Compliance isn't happening at home.
Treatment drastically slows down if your not:  wearing your rubber bands, coming in for your adjustments on time or if you're breaking brackets and wires frequently.

2. Your bite still needs correcting.
The front teeth may look perfectly straight, but the primary focus of braces is to pull your teeth in the correct position so you can bite and chew.  These changes may go unnoticed by yo

u but if a tooth is even a few millimeters out of position, over time, it can create uneven wear.  This results in, shortening of teeth, cracking of teeth and even chipping or breaking.

3. You're an Adult
Braces on adults take longer because the bone supporting the teeth isn't as responsive to change as when you were younger and still growing.

4.  Your teeth and bite need a lot of correcting.
Cross-bites, over-bites, under-bites and severe crowding take longer to correct and straighten out.

The fastest way to get your braces off is controlling what you can: wear your rubber bands, brush your teeth and come in for your appointments.  The rest we will take care of and communicate with you if there a any delays in treatment.

The First Steps in Orthodontic Treatment

Straight teeth not only look great, but they will allow your teeth to wear properly, make your teeth easier to clean, provide you with healthier gums and decrease headaches and jaw pain, to name a few.  We take steps not only in children, but in adults, to explain what we are seeing in your mouth and explain why braces or Invisalign may benefit you.

Dr. Scott does both braces and Invisalign in our office.  To determine the best course of treatment for you, we first do a "records" appointment.  At this appointment we take photographs of your teeth, your bite and how that all impacts your facial features, profile, etc.  Next, we take impression of your teeth and create models.  We also take radiographs to determine what your skeletal make up is (underbite, overbite, etc.) and what angle your teeth are coming in and what angle your roots are positioned. There is a fee for this appointment, but that does not commit you to further orthodontic treatment. 

After gathering all the information, it is then Dr. Scott will make a treatment recommendations, determine approximate length of treatment, any complications that could arise and cost of treatment.  This is the consultation appointment and is designed to provide answers to all questions and we ask that a parent be present with their child.

After the consult appointment, orthodontic treatment will begin!

4 Tips to Help with Jaw Soreness

Treat it like a sprained ankle
~Rest the joint. Avoid chewy foods: gums, bagels, pizza crusts, etc.
~Use heat and ice compresses on the joint.
~Take NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen), which can help reduce swelling and pain.

Get a night guard
~If you find that you are clenching and grinding at night a guard can help relieve stress on the jaw joint.

Put your tongue to the roof of your mouth

~If you catch yourself clenching or grinding during the day, the simple act of placing your tongue to the roof of your mouth will make you aware of it and provide separation of your teeth.

Massage
~Massaging the muscles around the jaw will increase blood flow to the area and loosen tight muscles surrounding the jaw joint.

Best Tooth Paste for Gums

Do you have bleeding gums, gingivitis or periodontal (gum) disease?  These are the best tooth pastes on the market for you!

I Was Told My Tooth is Cracked. What Now?

Cracked teeth are fairly common and most often fixable.  Some teeth have been in your mouth since you were 6 years old and have been through some wear and tear.

Most common causes of a cracked tooth:

• Clenching and Grinding
• Large silver fillings
• Older fillings
• Root canalled teeth

How do I know if I have a cracked tooth?

• You or your dental professional can see it.  At our office we will take a photograph of the crack, so you can see what we see.
• You have off and on biting sensitivity. 
• Sensitivity to hot and/or cold
• Gum swelling
• A "line" of stain 

How is a cracked tooth treated?

• If a crack is superficial (simple) and not causing any pain, removing the crack and placing a filling can be done.
• If a crack is large (complex) and symptomatic, the best treatment is a crown.  A crown is placed over the top of the tooth to prevent the crack from spreading and progressing.  Eating and drinking will cause flexure of the tooth.  A crown prevents that flexure, keeping that crack right where it is.

What happens if I leave a crack and do nothing?

• Much like a crack on the sidewalk it will spread.  The larger the crack the more symptoms and pain you can have, as the crack gets closer to the nerve.
• The crack can cause the tooth to split in two.  Often this will result in needed the tooth extracted.

5 Ways Vaping Impacts Your Mouth.

1. Contains harmful chemicals like diethylene glycol- found in Antifreeze, lead and chromium.

2. When inhaling the hottest and most potent part of the vape is right away, that which happens in the mouth. As a result, cells in your mouth change, in a negative way.

3. Liquid Nicotine constricts important blood flow to your teeth and tissues. It’s like applying a tourniquet to each tooth. Healthy blood flow is important to keep your teeth.

4. Vaping dries out your mouth. This is causing bad breath and decay.

5. Vaping is a stimulant and can cause clenching, grinding and jaw pain.

Are Dental X-Ray's Necessary?

 A lot of patients ask this question.  Often they explain that they are not in any pain, are concerned about cost or incurring unnecessary radiation exposure.  We are a full service dental office and owe it to our patients to obtain a complete dental picture.  We want to make sure each patient get the dental care they need and deserve.  X-Rays are a necessary part of that picture.  Without them, we could be missing underlying dental issues.

I'm not in any pain.
Super!  That meas they cavity likely hasn't reached the nerve space.  With an x-ray we can determine how deep the cavity is, what type and size of filling you need and how soon it needs to be done to avoid dental pain or abscess.

I'm concerned with the cost of x-rays.
Vaild.  X-Rays cost money.  So do fillings, crowns and root canals.  Fillings are far cheaper than a crown and cheaper yet than a root canal.  By using x-rays we can diagnose a small cavity and place a small filling.  This will cost less than waiting 'until next time" to take x-rays.  Cavities will grow and spread over time.

I'm worried about radiation exposure.
We take radiation exposure seriously.  Digital x-rays generate way less radiation than past x-ray technology.  In fact, dental x-rays produce less radiation than an average person receives on an average day from environmental radiation; less than riding on a plane, less than being outside for 15 minutes.
We take into account individual patient needs.  Those that have never had a cavity and healthy bone support, don't need x-rays as often as those with active gum disease or high cavity rates.

If you have any questions about x-rays, please don't hesitate to ask!

In the picture above, the teeth in the mouth look healthy and cavity free.  The x-ray shows a cavity between the teeth.  

Gum Disease and Alzheimer's.

We all know it's important to have healthy gums and now a new study has linked gum disease to Alzheimers.

Read more below Then floss!

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/01/gum-disease-causing-bacteria-could-spur-alzheimer-s

The Importance of Baby Teeth

Baby teeth are important to your child's dental health and development. They are essential for chewing, speaking, smiling and are needed to hold the space for the permanent tooth to come in. Think of the baby tooth as a puppet string, guiding each adult tooth.

Baby teeth are needed, and shouldn't be pulled, just because they aren't permanent.