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Possible Misconceptions
Quadrant dentistry will create a better
result both in appearance and function
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Because of finances, many patients
opt to have work done in areas that only need immediate
attention and then slowly work at improving other teeth
that are less of an emergency down the road. Financially
this is certainly the easiest but will not create the
best result with regards to your health. By restoring
quadrants in the mouth it is easier to control the health
of the gum tissue and the proper bite relationship and
how that relates to the TMJ. Although piecing treatment
produced a fine result, when it is done at once often
leads to better control of aesthetics. This is due to
the fact that the porcelain comes from the same lot of
material and will thus match better. |
Significant pain in a tooth needs to be addressed even
if the pain goes away after a few days
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Many times when there is substantial
pain in a tooth or an area it implies that the health
of the tooth is being compromised. The pulp of the tooth
contains all of the nerves and blood vessels that nourish
the tooth. Should a crack or cavity form that reach the
pulp of the tooth it will eventually die and from there
the pulp of the tooth will breakdown and may go on to
form an abscess. An abscess is a buildup of bacteria and
their byproducts at the base of the tooth. Subsequent
destruction of bone occurs in this area if left untreated.
This condition can be hazardous to ones health and in
extreme cases can be fatal. For your own comfort and safety
it is important to have the pain/problem assessed and
treated before it becomes a significant problem. |
Tooth whitening will leave fillings and crowns unchanged
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Tooth whitening has become very
common now in the United States and we offer whitening
services in our office for you, should you have an interest.
Using particular tooth whitening system whether from our
office or over the counter should whiten your teeth to
varying degrees. Before you start, it is important to
know if you have any tooth colored fillings or crowns
in the front of your mouth where it is noticeable because,
they will not whiten with the rest of your teeth and will
need to be replaced for the optimal result. |
Hard toothbrushes can be detrimental over a long period
of time
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One would think that by using
a hard bristle tooth brush that they would better remove
plaque and debris but it actually causes more harm. These
types of brushes can actually cause harm to the gum tissue.
Therefore, we recommend soft bristle toothbrushes at our
office. |
Tooth loss will lead to bone loss in the jaw
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An interrelationship exists
between the teeth and the bone in the jaw. The bone holds
the teeth in place while the presence and micro-movements
of the teeth creates stimulation, which causes the bone
to remain and in some cases grow. Individuals that do
a significant amount of clenching and grinding of their
teeth will have excess bone to support them. Conversely,
when a permanent tooth is extracted or lost, the bone
will recede and eventually compromise the teeth around
it. This receded area is weakened and leaves the jaw more
susceptible to fracture. In the case of a denture patient
that has no teeth the entire jaw will slowly become smaller
and smaller. Dentures may have to be relined or remade
over a period of time as the bone support is lost. |
Absence of decay does not imply healthy gums
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The bacterium that causes tooth
cavities or carries is entirely different from those that
cause gum disease or perioidontitis. Because a person
has a beautiful cavity free smile does not mean they have
a completely healthy oral environment. They need to be
caring for their gums as well as the teeth by brushing
and flossing regularly. |
Gum recession leads to bone loss and eventually tooth
loss
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Gum recession as a result of
plaque and gingivitis will form a pocket between the gum
and the teeth. As the gum attachment recedes down the
tooth from bacterial deposits the bone recedes as well.
Without proper bone support the teeth loose their support
and may become loose and eventually lost. |
Tooth extraction will lead to drifting teeth
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After a tooth is removed the
teeth on either side will tip in towards each other. The
tooth or teeth that oppose the extraction site will erupt
to fill the void. This often leads to damaging forces
to the tipping teeth as well as long term problems with
the surrounding gum tissue. This is why it is important
to protect and keep teeth in the mouth. |
TMJ
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Patients and dentists alike
often refer to a problem in the Temporomandibular Joint
by saying you have TMJ. If you have a problem with the
joint it is actually called TMD or Temporomandibular Disorder.
By saying someone has TMJ is simply naming the joint.
The proper name for the problem in the jaw joint is TMD.
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Fillings will eventually fail or leak
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Fillings are not always a long
term treatment. Two factors that will greatly affect the
longevity of any filling are the size of the filling and
susceptibility to decay. Therefore the larger the filling
in a patient with other areas of decay will generally
need to have these filling replaced more often. Conversely
the smaller the fillings are in a patient with very little
decay the longer they tend to last. Each time a filling
is replaced the existing decay is removed and the filling
becomes larger and larger. An alternative to very large
fillings are gold onlays; they adhere to the tooth better
and tend not to leak as quickly, thus preserving your
tooth structure longer. If a filling gets above a certain
size the tooth becomes at risk for fracture because of
limited supporting natural tooth structure, we will recommend
a crown to be placed. A crown holds the tooth together
as well as seal out decay at or just below the gum tissue.
Even with a crown one must still take care of their teeth
because the tooth is still susceptible to forming decay.
Crowns are much better long term solution to decay and
mechanical stability. |
Relapsed Orthodontics can be more that just an
esthetic problem
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If you experience a drastic
change in the appearance of your smile after orthodontics
and are fairly faithful in wearing your retainers or retention
devices we strongly recommend that you see your dentist
for a consult about the health of your Temporomandibular
joint (TMJ) because the changes can be more significant
than just how your smile looks. |
A jaw that stopped clicking just got much worse and
needs immidiate attention
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Inside the Temporomandibular
Joint (TMJ) there are no nerves or blood vessels so when
damage occurs there is often no associated pain. A clicking
joint is caused when the disk that your jaw rests on has
been partially or entirely torn free from the bone. The
vast majority of these cases will heal favorably and the
click will slowly get more subtle with time. For a case
where there is a significant click that is existing in
the TMJ and it suddenly stops you should seek immediate
dental attention. |
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If you have any questions, comments or suggestions regarding
our practice you may reach our office by phone at (207) 873-2073
or fax at (207) 873-0697.
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