A root canal is a procedure done by an experienced dentist or an endodontist, a specialist at saving natural teeth. During root canal therapy, damaged or infected nerve tissue is removed from the center of the tooth, enabling the patient to keep their natural tooth and avoid an extraction. Root canal therapy can...
Your child is all set to get their braces and begin straightening their teeth—but now that the appointment day is approaching, you’re having some anxiety about what the experience will be like for your child and what to expect. Even if your orthodontist has prepared you for your child’s appointment, the following...
Dental anesthesia certainly has its uses—it helps prevent patients from experiencing discomfort during their visit and allows dentists to provide necessary treatment. However, it’s understandable that some patients would want to avoid dental anesthesia. Many patients would prefer to avoid having an anesthetic injected into their mouth while some patients...
Your child’s baby teeth are essential to their adult smile. Baby teeth help guide permanent teeth into place, so losing a baby tooth early can impact your child’s future smile. Caring for primary teeth until they naturally fall out can help your child have the best chance for a healthy smile. Children...
Of course you want your teeth to look as bright as possible. Whiter teeth give the appearance of health and youth as well as boosting your confidence, so it’s understandable that white teeth would be a priority! But what happens when you want a professional teeth whitening but you have dental implants or...
Teeth grinding is a dangerous habit that can wear down teeth, cause gum inflammation, and can even cause tooth fractures. Bruxism—the technical term for teeth grinding—is damaging for people of any age. Kids are particularly susceptible to damage from teeth grinding because their permanent teeth are still forming. If your child is grinding...
Menopause is the start of hormone changes that end a woman’s menstrual cycle and her fertility. Menopause can begin as early as the 40s, although the specific age that menopause happens will vary from woman to woman. Hormone changes—namely decreasing estrogen—in the body can impact a woman’s entire body, including the oral cavity....
With over 47% of adult Americans having gum disease, it’s important to know your risk for this oral health condition. Gum disease has the potential to ruin your smile if left untreated. Gum disease can cause the ligaments that hold teeth in place to weaken, therefore causing loose teeth. In fact, gum disease...
A dry socket is a complication of tooth extraction—typically wisdom tooth removal—that only occurs in up to 5% of patients after their procedure. Dry socket happens when the blood clot that normally forms over the areas of extraction is somehow dislodged or never properly forms in the first place. When the blood...
A dental abscess is the result of an infected tooth or may be the result of severe gum disease. The abscess itself—which is a swollen area typically filled with pus—forms at the root of the tooth that’s infected. A dental abscess is usually painful and will require treatment as soon as possible. But...
