Why Do I Need a Crown?

Having a crown done is a very common practice in a dental office.  If it's your first you may have some questions.

The following are the most common reasons to crown a tooth:

• Cracked Tooth.  If a tooth is cracked, in order to keep that tooth together and keep that crack from spreading, a crown is placed over the top of the tooth.  The crack is still present but the tooth will no longer flex with chewing and temperature changes.  Keeping that crack right where it is, away from the nerve.
• If the Tooth has a Root Canal.  When you have a root canal, the nerve is removed and the tooth is now 'hallowed out'.  A hallow tooth is more at risk for cracking and breaking.  Since you no longer have a nerve in the tooth you can't feel if this is happening.  A crown, covering that tooth, protects it from breaking.
• Discolored or Misshapen Teeth.  For stains that won't whiten away or teeth that are a funny shape, a crown can make teeth more uniform in color and shape.
• A Lot of Decay.  A tooth with a lot of decay cannot support a filling.  You need a certain portion of natural tooth to support, not only a filling, but to withstand chewing forces.  If there isn't much healthy tooth left then your only option is to crown it, to avoid an extraction.
• Broken Tooth.  Same as a tooth with a lot of decay; if a large portion of the tooth is gone, it can't be filled.  Crowning is the only option to ensure longevity of that tooth.
• Wear.  Depending on how severe the wear is, in order to build it back up to where it was a crown is needed.

When doing a crown we can contour the tooth to fit ideally in your mouth.  We take into account what area is broken/decayed/worn to fit in with the surrounding teeth.  This can repair food catches, idealize contour of the tooth and reduce sensitivity to name a few.  Crowns are custom made to only fit that one tooth and provide you with a more predictable, attractive result.  Before crowns, a damaged tooth would have been pulled, now a crown allows you to keep a damaged tooth for a long time, often the rest of your life.  

A crown is nothing to be ashamed of.  In fact, you may not ever even notice them; they look and feel like a natural tooth.

Should I Cancel My Appointment if I'm Sick?

Cold and flu season is upon us.  We often get this question and there are things to consider.

• How sick are you?

We are working in your mouth.  Cold and flu germs are in your mouth.  We don't like getting sick either.  So if you are contagious: please stay home.  Not only is this a courtesy to us and our families, we also do not want our patients, some of whom are very young or elderly, getting sick either.

• Will you be able to lay back?

Often when congested or dealing with a sinus issue, laying back may make it hard to breathe.  Combined with us working in your mouth, may make breathing through your nose difficult.

• Do you have a bad cough?

When we do dental work, we need the tooth to be super dry.  In some cases, one drop of saliva could compromise the filling or crown.  If you need to cough or sneeze during a procedure, when we need things to dry, it could result in that crown or filling failing.

Generally, if you are calling to ask if you should cancel your appointment due to an illness, the answer is most likely, yes.  We understand! 

Do I Need My Wisdom Teeth Out?

It's a common misconception that all wisdom teeth need to be removed.  In fact, Dr. Scott still has all 4 of his wisdom teeth.  So we certainly do not remove wisdom teeth, unless there is a need.

Here are some of the things we consider when making the recommendation to remove wisdom teeth.

• On x-ray we can see that they are not coming in vertically.  Typically these types of wisdom teeth do not right themselves.
  
  
  
  
  
• Wisdom teeth are 1/2 way in.  This creates a gum flap.  This flap traps bacteria and food, which makes it impossible for you or your hygienist to remove that bacteria.  A cavity or gum disease in that area is likely.  This could also lead to pain and swelling.
  
  
• There is no room for them.  Wisdom teeth with no room to come in may cause damage to neighboring teeth.
  
• The wisdom teeth are in a tough place for you to clean.  This makes it more challenging to prevent decay, gum disease and bone loss.  This may impact the health of the tooth in front of it.

It is our job to explain to you the reasons for recommended treatment.  Through education, x-rays and photos, we can help you make the best decision for you in regards to your wisdom teeth.

Tips for Those with Braces

You just got your braces on.  Congratulations, you are on your way to creating a better aligned bite, easier to clean and straighter smile!  Now, having braces creates a new challenge in terms of keeping them clean and avoiding the dreaded post braces white spots.

Here are some of our best tips on how to keep your smile healthy.

1. Tooth Brush Two Stepper

I've seen A LOT of kids with braces and let's face it, kids have a tough time brushing without brackets.  Adding them throws them even more of a challenge.  The best brushing technique I've come across is a two-stepper.

Step 1:  Have them wet their brush and WITHOUT toothpaste brush the fronts of their gums and the backs of their gums.

Step 2: Put toothpaste on their brush and brush their teeth.

They'll brush longer and thus stimulate the gum tissue and remove more plaque.

      2.  Flossing

No way around it, flossing your braces is not the most fun thing to do.  Practice does make perfect, but be sure to check out the flossers designed for brackets to make it easier.

      3.  Christmas Trees or Proxy Brushes

These little tiny brushes, when used under the wire, can help fill the gap if you're not flossing.  They will not replace flossing.  But, they can remove stubborn food, plaque and surface stain that brushing misses.

       4.  Avoid Chewy and Sticky Food

Cavity bacteria thrive on sticky sugar.  Gummy bears, taffy and sugary gum are some of the worst offenders.  These types of food can also lead to brackets coming off.

       5.  Maintain Regular Dental Visits

This is the best way to prevent decay and/or find a cavity early, preventing larger problems.  It's also important to get that fluoride on the strengthen teeth and prevent cavities.  We can also review brushing and flossing.  Sometimes a friendly reminder from someone other than Mom and Dad can help motive a kiddo with braces.

Frequently Asked Questions

I don’t have insurance how much does it cost?

After a thorough examination of your teeth, we will give you the exact cost of treatment.  We also will provide information to enroll in our Smile Benefit Plan (SBP).  The SBP is a program we offer to patients without insurance.  This will provide a discount on fillings, crowns, whitening, etc.  The enrollment fee of $250 covers two cleanings, any x-rays and exams for a 12 month period.

My child’s adult tooth is coming in and she hasn’t lost her baby tooth yet, what should I do?

In a word: nothing.  While it can look odd, this is actually quite a common thing for kids.  Give it time, most likely the tooth will fall out on its own and if after 6 months or so Dr. Scott can help it out.   That baby tooth will not impact the way the permanent tooth comes in and will not make her permanent teeth come in crooked.

I was told I have a cavity, but it doesn’t hurt.  Do I really need a filling?

This is great news and means your cavity is not large.  A cavity will only hurt if it is so big, that it has gone into the nerve of the tooth.  By this time, to fix such a large cavity, you would need a root canal.  The fact that it doesn’t hurt is great and a small standard filling is all you need to fix the cavity and prevent a toothache. 

How do I get whiter teeth?

First make sure you’re brushing and flossing daily to prevent microbes and stain from darkening your teeth.  Next, get your teeth cleaned.  No whitening product can whiten through plaque and hard bacteria build up.  Our options in office: custom trays and whitening gel or KOR- a tray system that prevents any gel leakage and prescription strength gel.  You can also try Crest White Strips, but know that it may not brighten your teeth as well or take multiple kits to achieve the desired whiteness.

Do I have to floss?

We certainly will not lecture you on flossing.  It is your teeth and you don’t have to do anything.  But flossing is a great way to prevent cavities, bad breath and bleeding gums.  It also can save you a lot of money and prevent sensitivity to cleanings.  You only have to floss the teeth you want to keep!

Pregnant? It’s Still Important and Safe to See the Dentist.

Congratulations on your pregnancy!   Your overall health is important to you and your developing baby.  Dental health is connected to your overall health, which makes it important to continue visiting the dentist.

Please let us know that you are pregnant at your dental visit, but know, you and your baby are completely safe in the dental office.

• At Stadsklev Dental we practice universal precautions in terms of infection control every patient, every day, all day.  
• Anesthetic is completely safe to use while pregnant. 
• Fillings, root canals, crowns and extractions are all safe to have completed while pregnant.
• Necessary x-rays are safe to take while pregnant.  We have digital radiographs in our office, already reducing radiation exposure, but a lead apron can also be used.  If you are not having any dental concerns, yearly, routine x-rays will be put off until after your pregnancy.

How Might Pregnancy Affect My Mouth?

Most women will breeze by pregnancy with no dental concerns.  But the following are to be on the lookout for:

Pregnancy Gingivitis

Hormones can increase swelling, bleeding and soreness of the gums.  If you notice an increase in bleeding when brushing or flossing, schedule your routine cleaning and exam and we can evaluate your gum health.  You may require extra cleanings.

Increased Tooth Decay

While your baby is NOT ‘taking calcium from your teeth’ leading to decay, you may be more at risk for decay when pregnant. Morning sickness, sensitive gag reflex, acid reflux, cravings/changes in your diet can cause an increase in decay risk.

Pregnancy Tumor

Although rare, some women see a large, red, raw looking, overgrowth of gum tissue.  This type of ‘tumor’ is not cancerous and will likely go away after pregnancy.  It is due a combination of hormones and plaque bacteria.  Better home care and more dental cleanings can help alleviate discomfort.

Other tips

We find it easiest to schedule dental work in the 2^nd trimester.  Usually nausea has subsided and its easier to lay back.  However, if at any time you have a tooth ache, swelling, or something just doesn’t feel right please call us. 

3 Quick Dental Tips

1.       Practice makes perfect.  The more you brush and floss the better and more efficient you become.  So brush two times a day and floss one time a day.  In no time you’ll have your routine down to a little over 2 minutes.  These 2 minutes can save you a lot of time and money at the dental office.  Prevention is always easiest!

2.      Make it easy for you to remember.  Spend a lot of time in the car?  Stash a pack of flossers there.  Put a post-it-note on your mirror to floss.  Always watch the nightly news?  Put a container of floss by your remote.  

Any amount of flossing is beneficial.  Once a week is better than none at all!

3.      Troubled by stain?  Rinse your mouth out with water after: eating, smoking or drinking dark/sugary beverages.