Leave Dental Work to the Pros

Seeing the benefits of having dental professionals work on your teeth is not exactly rocket science. After all, if you’re already afraid of your dentist, why would you let anyone less qualified handle your teeth, right? Unfortunately, many people would do exactly this.

Procedures like teeth whitening should only be left to the likes of a trusted dentist as they have undergone the proper training and education, as well as acquired professional licenses and years of medical experience under their belt. Ruling otherwise would set a bad precedent and would only put the safety of patients on the line.

People can be assured that having only dentists whiten and clean their teeth means that they are always in safe hands. A professional dentist understands the science and physiology of the oral cavity and of the human head. Their services, after all, are offered not only for aesthetic purposes, but to improve oral health as well.

As a branch of medicine, it involves making sure that every patient is safe and would get the best medical attention possible. The public should only let those that passed the rigors of dental school and accompanying licensure exams do work on their teeth, gums, and the entirety of the mouth. This is a practice that cannot be part of the commercial activities of any ordinary business.

Tips on Maintaining Dental Crowns

Crowns or caps are tooth-shaped covers placed over teeth that are badly damaged. One of the reasons why people have caps installed is because a tooth has been so severely damaged that a regular tooth filling will no longer suffice. They are also used to improve a tooth’s appearance and used to cover misshapen or badly discolored teeth.

Crowns can be made of metal, zirconia, porcelain fused to metal or zirconia or ceramic. Like any other dental fixture, crowns need to be cleaned regularly. Every Daytona Beach dentist would agree that the key to maintaining a crown is in remembering these basic steps.

When Is Dental Crown Recommended?

Extraction is not always the remedy for an increasingly painful tooth decay. In cases where the root of a decaying tooth is still intact and functional, a dentist would normally look for other options to prevent the decay from spreading while keeping the tooth. He or she might recommend tooth filling.

Then again, a dental filling’s effectiveness is limited by the severity of the tooth decay. If almost half of the tooth has been damaged, dental fillings may no longer be viable. Extensive damage would require more fillings, which might go below the gum line, damaging the tooth’s structural integrity. What a dentist could recommend, instead, is dental crown installation.

A dental crown is a restorative device used to replace the portion of a tooth that is lost to decay or trauma. Also known as a dental cap, it is usually made of porcelain to closely mimic real tooth. Besides stopping tooth decay, a dental crown may also be used to cap a broken or discolored tooth.

The crown can serve to protect the broken tooth from elements that can trigger sensitivity, and to conceal stains and discolorations. Most porcelain crowns can be colored to match the rest of the teeth while hiding imperfections.

The Importance of Regular Dental Check-ups

People tend to wince when they think of going to the dentist. Scheduling regular visits to one, however, is important for the sake of your dental health. Here’s a few things that dentists check for during check-ups:

• Gum Examination. Your gums are the foundation of your teeth, and having healthy gums ensures that they are in good health. Gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis can irretrievably damage how well your teeth are held in place. They also irritate gum tissue, which can be very painful.
• Loose and damaged teeth. The primary focus of your dental examination. Sometimes people do not notice that cavities have started to damage them, and catching cavities early can help prevent further pain down the line. Loose teeth can be signs of your gums weakening or new teeth starting to grow; both instances would be better with advance warning.
• Tongue. Often ignored, your tongue is still part of your oral health. A thorough check-up will include it.
• Checking on Braces and others. Many people make use of dental appliances these days. They all need to be taken care of, be they fillings or braces. A check-up will be the right time to see if they need replacement or adjustment.
• Cleaning. After all the checking, dentists usually clean your teeth afterwards. This is more thorough than your daily brushing and can help remove any stubborn plaque deposits.

Gear up for the Wisdom Tooth Extraction

It is an accepted fact among dental practitioners that permanent teeth will move into various degrees of alignment as they erupt during the formative years. However, one class of teeth is not that “cooperative” in moving into position: the wisdom teeth. A cone-beam or X-ray scan at your local dentist may reveal that the wisdom teeth erupted at odd angles in relation to the rest of the teeth. The data may recommend an extraction at the earliest opportunity, but how do you even prepare for it?

You have the leeway to ask your dentist about several items before committing to the procedure. For instance, you must find out if the professional will extract just one subject tooth or all the wisdom teeth, incurring a risk of nerve damage, and whether general or local anesthetics will be used. You may be advised to fast the night before the operation, as well as to avoid certain medications.

Have a loved one accompany you to and from the practice on the day of the operation. You may need some cold packs ready as soon as you are discharged. You should buy the most effective painkiller medication available over the counter, even if your dentist might not prescribe anything. Designate a rest area at home and take a few days off work.

Taking a wisdom tooth out will be vital if you’ve had problems with brushing. It will certainly prevent any impact damage. 

The Purpose of Dental Prosthetics

Over the years, various improvements to the quality of dental prosthetics have made it possible to solve a wide range of dental concerns. Typically made of artificial resins, ceramics, wires, and even metals, dental prosthetics fulfill a primarily aesthetic function. For instance, people troubled by their poorly spaced or missing teeth as well as hollow dental cavities can regain their beautiful smiles and confidence by means of custom-fitted dental appliances.

Meanwhile, uneven tooth structures that arise from decay, traumatic fractures, natural tooth gaps, or misalignments can cause abrasions to form on tooth surfaces. By making teeth uniformly shaped and whole, and by enabling optimal dental alignment, prosthetics help preserve tooth enamel from abrasion. Dental crowns, orthodontic appliances, and even implants can address such deformities and thereby protect tooth enamel.

Why Replace Missing Teeth with Dental Implants

Tooth loss is an undesirable experience. It can take away a person’s confidence to face and smile at other people. Even worse, it may affect that person’s speech and eating abilities. Fortunately, there are ways to restore the smile and oral functions of tooth loss sufferers.

reviously, tooth loss can only be fixed by installing dentures, which are removable prosthetic teeth that fill toothless gaps. However, due to their lack of permanence and the way they are attached to the gums, these prosthetic devices cannot provide long term and sufficient teeth restoration solutions. Eventually, dentures will need to be replaced or readjusted; otherwise, they may also cause gum diseases.

A History and a Look at the Future of Cone Beam Imaging

Cone beam imaging is relatively new to dentistry, but the technology is already making an impact on the practice. At its core, cone beam imaging allows dentists to take more detailed images of their patients’ teeth or jaws than via regular CT scans. Dentists, in turn, can make a more accurate diagnosis of their patients’ condition and plan better their care.

Essentially, cone beam imaging is a more advanced form of CT scanning. According to an article in The Dentistry iQ Network, cone beam imaging evolved from the work of Sir Godfrey Newbold Hounsfield, who invented CT technology in the 1970’s. After cone beam made its introduction in the European market in 1996, it reached the U.S. market in 2001.

Let a Dentist Zap All the Pain Away

Sometimes, people experience complex oral health issues that cause a lot of discomfort and severe pain. These conditions may require surgery or other intensive treatments, which may be painful and demand extended periods of time. Thankfully, patients may no longer need to go through all those agonizing moments if they opt for a dentist who offers laser treatments.

Through laser technology, dentists can perform a number of dental procedures, including the most complex ones, at a much faster rate. While it has generally been used to treat gum disease by reshaping gums and removing bacteria, it can also be used to remove lesions caused by canker sores. Moreover, despite increasing the dentist’s efficiency, laser technology does not compromise results and even ensures the accuracy of the procedure.