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Frequently
Asked Questions:
Tid-bits
Do you know where your cavities are? Locating hidden decay before it destroys tooth structure (from the inside out) is a major goal for modern dentistry. The widespread use of fluoride supplements in dental materials, toothpastes and drinking water has made tooth surfaces harder and more resistant to decay. However, diagnosing cavities beneath the hard surfaces is more challenging because the disease process can start through microscopic defects in the hard surface enamel and can readily spread into the softer tooth structure beneath the surface. X-ray and probing with an explorer are limited in detecting sub surface decay, particularly when the decay is in its early stages ... read more Additional oral health resources: Oral Health Information from American Dental Association (link will open in new window) Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: Chronic bleeding
anywhere in
your body is not normal. In the mouth, it is a sign of
unhealthy
gum tissue. When gums bleed, that means bacteria in the mouth
can
enter the bloodstream. Research has shown that these bacteria
contribute to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and pre-term low
birth-weight babies. Inhaling bacteria from the mouth and
throat
can lead to pneumonia. It is also a risk for those who are
already compromised by diabetes, respiratory disease, or
osteoporosis. It is therefore very important to control the
damage caused by the bacteria by routine dental cleanings and proper
home dental care.
return to FAQ's ... There are various
ways to get a
whiter smile. For some patients bleaching may be sufficient,
either in-office and/or professional at home bleaching. Most
patients see a 5-10 shade difference. Enamel varies
tremendously
from patient to patient and therefore predicting the results can be
difficult. Some patients have more needs to achieve that
beautiful, white smile they desire. Due to multiple fillings,
rotated teeth, worn teeth, crack lines, and variations in enamel, some
patients need other options. Veneers, which are thin pieces
of
porcelain, or crowns, where porcelain covers the whole tooth, may be
the optimal solution for that whiter, more stable smile.
return to FAQ's ...
Much of dental
disease is
painless until the late stages. Dentistry has developed and
used
many techniques to prevent painful disease. X-rays, laser
sensors
such as the Diagnodent, and the dentist’s clinical knowledge
spot
the very early stages of decay, fractures, and other disease.
Therefore, small areas of tooth decay or decalcification can be
arrested from spreading into deeper parts of the tooth, before any pain
begins. Once pain has occurred, the bacteria have encroached
on
the nerve inside the tooth. This leads to a more involved
care
that is needed. Sometimes a dentist may urge a patient to replace an
old filling even though no pain is associated with the tooth.
Many older fillings have broken or corroded edges, crack lines where
leakage can occur. Leakage can lead to decay underneath the
filling. Do yourself a favor and take care of the little
problems.
return to FAQ's ...
Once a physician has
ruled out
certain diseases, and the discomfort continues, the right dentist may
help. Tension headaches are due to muscle pain in the head
and
neck region. These muscles are involved in chewing.
The
chewing mechanism involves not only the teeth and the jaw, but also
muscles as high as your temple area and neck. Frequently, the
way
your teeth are positioned can lead to extra stresses on teeth and the
muscles which move your jaw. Many patients have found
significant
relief with proper treatment.
return to FAQ's ... There are many
people who fear
a dental visit because of bad experiences in childhood.
Dentistry
has changed in many ways to make the dental visit as pain-free and
pleasant as possible. There are certain procedures that do
not
require anesthesia. For example, small cavities can be
cleaned
with an air-abrasion unit where anesthesia is generally not
required. I have found that most patients tolerate
a very
gentle, progressive approach to anesthesia very well.
return to FAQ's ...
Good oral hygiene,
which
includes brushing, flossing, as well as cleaning the tongue are
important steps to a good breath. There are times however
where a
person has gum disease . Some of the bacteria which cause gum
disease also create a particularly unpleasant odor. They hide
in
the space between teeth and gums (sulcus), therefore a mouth rinse will
not get rid of them permanently. The bacteria need to be
eliminated with a deep cleaning and antibiotics to cure the bad
breath. Once the active bacterial infection is addressed, the
odor of the breath should improve tremendously.
return to FAQ's ... Although a child has
never had
cavities, the risks may still be present. A young child is
vulnerable as they are still in a learning process of oral hygiene and
good dietary habits. Young adults are also at risk as habits
change when they transition first from home to college life
and
later to independence. As teeth develop, deep grooves are
normally present. Majority of these grooves are deep and
extremely narrow; too narrow for toothbrush bristles to cleanse the
areas properly. Despite good oral hygiene, these grooves
(called
fissures) are a perfect environment for plaque development because they
tend to trap food and bacteria. These areas are therefore
prone
to cavities and account for over 50% of cavities among
children.
A sealant is an adhesive material that bonds with the tooth to provide
a physical barrier so that food and bacteria do not trap in these
grooves. Sealants have been proven to be an excellent way to
prevent decay. This preventive measure is painless,
non-invasive
as well as less costly than a filling. It is a very wise
investment in your child’s oral health.
return to FAQ's ... Teeth
are very important for appearance, speech, and chewing. Baby
teeth are no different. A child’s teeth shape not
only
their appearance but also their ability to speak and chew. Even though
these teeth are not permanent, some baby teeth need to function in the
mouth for 10 years. The primary molars for example, are in a
child’s mouth from approximately 2 to 12 years of age. Tooth
decay occurs much faster in children than in adults. Once
bacteria has entered the tooth, it can spread to the nerve causing pain
to a child. It can also cause an infection in the bone
(abscess),
which can have serious consequences. It can also affect the
permanent teeth underneath. Losing baby teeth prematurely,
can
cause altered eruption patterns which need to be monitored and
sometimes treated by an orthodontist. It is therefore very
important to take care of baby teeth.
return to FAQ's ... During a smile consultation, the patients rate their
own smile first and alert the dentist of their concerns and desires. At times,
the patient isn’t aware of certain esthetic deficiencies while others have an
unrealistic expectation of how their smile could look. Effective communication between the dentist
and the patient is the first key step to a smile consultation. Then the teeth
and gums are evaluated for health.
Other aspects of a smile, such as wear, spacing, crowding, shade, rotations,
staining, cracks, chips, and length of teeth, are evaluated. The amount of gums showing during a smile
and the evenness of planes are checked. The way the teeth come together is also a key step in a smile
analysis. Impressions of the teeth are
made, so that the teeth and the way they fit together (occlude) can be further
studied and evaluated. At the following
visit, the dentist describes possible options for smile enhancement. Most patients find that a smile consultation
is an informative and fun experience.
return to FAQ's ... Replacing a missing tooth is important to the
overall health of your mouth, because a cascade of undesirable events occurs
once a tooth is lost. Teeth are held in
a specific position in your mouth due to pressure from adjacent teeth, opposing
teeth, the tongue and cheeks. Once a
back tooth is lost, the adjacent and opposing teeth no longer have the same
support. This leads to drifting and
tilting of adjacent teeth into the space as well as over-eruption (as if the
tooth keeps growing) of the opposing tooth.
The over-eruption leads to unevenness among the teeth, which in turn
leads to trapping of debris despite one’s best effort at brushing and flossing.
The tilting and drifting of adjacent teeth cause gum pocket formation, which
are abnormal narrow clefts between the gum and tooth root. Once gum pockets get above 4mm, one can
almost never keep them clean. Unclean
teeth usually cause inflammation of the surrounding gums and the teeth decay
more readily. The ultimate effect is decay as well as periodontal disease
leading to further tooth loss. Replacing
a missing tooth keeps the teeth in place and therefore is a great step to
keeping your mouth healthy and beautiful for a lifetime.
return to FAQ's ... Bleaching systems vary in the chemicals used, in
concentration levels, and the activation systems of these chemicals. There are various in-office bleaching
systems as well as the professional at-home bleaching systems. In-office bleaching usually involves a one
hour appointment where either a light activated or a chemically activated gel
is placed on the teeth. This process is
done in approximately 20 minute intervals and repeated several times. The advantage of this method is that the
results are seen right away. This process may need to be repeated after some
time, depending on how quickly the teeth rebound to a darker shade. Another
method is professional at-home bleaching. With this system, impressions are
taken of the patient’s teeth and stone models are made. Then a dental technician custom makes trays
to fit the patient’s teeth precisely.
The patient wears these trays with the bleaching gels for a couple of
hours a day or overnight. Usually a one
to two week course is needed to obtain the desired results. The advantage of this method is that the
trays are custom fit, the patient can bleach all their teeth at once, and can
choose the pace at which the teeth are bleached. Also, a booster bleaching down the road is very simple. Non-professional bleaching systems are not
customized and frequently have lower concentration of active ingredients as
compared to the professional systems.
return to FAQ's ... There are several reasons why a tooth may need a
crown. If an original silver filling is
fairly large, the tooth is weakened as only a shell of the tooth is remaining. This
hollow shell is at risk for fracture. Silver fillings do not bond to the tooth and therefore act as a
wedge which can split the tooth. Over time, the tooth is heavily stressed by
chewing and part of the tooth can fracture.
Sometimes the fracture can extend to the live structure of the tooth or,
even worse, below the level of the bone which holds it in the jaw. One measure to help prevent a fracture is to
place a crown on the tooth. The crown
holds the remaining tooth together by encompassing it. This procedure helps to ensure that the
tooth stays intact long-term.
return to FAQ's ... The diet varieties of soft drinks
have less sugar content than non-diet. Therefore it is a much
better alternative when it comes to the decay process. However,
the diet soft drinks have a lot of acidity, which can also contribute
to enamel breakdown (demineralization) especially at the gumline.
This can also create cavities and decay. The most important
aspect of this dilemma is the frequency of soft drink consumption.
Drinks of high sugar content should be consumed in moderation at
mealtimes only. The body then needs 2-3 hours break to
re-buffer thepH of the saliva in the mouth and prevent the demineralization..
It is very difficult to predict
how long a restoration will last as it is in an environment with
multiple factors. The dietary, oral hygiene, and
clenching/grinding habits are major factors in the longevity of a
restoration. If the tooth along with a restoration is being
stressed by excessive forces, the restoration can fail more
quickly. I have seen some excellent restorations last in the
mouth 2years and then be undermined by decay due to high risk
factors. I have also seen them last 20 years in people who have
low caries risk factors and even longer
if the bite forces are well balanced among the teeth. It is very important to have the fillings checked every six months to prolong the life of the restorations. Under normal circumstances, the
teeth are not damaged during the whitening process. However, if
someone whitens too much, the teeth can be translucent in appearance
and look unattractive. It is not something that can be
reversed. It is therefore very important to have a dentistmonitor one's whitening to avoid excessive whitening.
According to the law that went
into effect on July 1, 2005, all Illinois children in kindergarten,
2nd, and 6th grades need dental exam. Children in these grades
must have their dental examination performed by a dentist by May 15th
of the end of their school year, or they must present proof to the
school that one is scheduled in the next 60 days. Non-compliance
to this law may result in withholding of child's report card by the
school. However, a waiver may be submitted on behalf of a child
if the parent or guardian can show an undue burden or a lack of access
to a dentist. This law is applicable to all public, private and
parochial schools in the state of Illinois.
return to FAQ's ...
You should consider dental insurance as a small
bonus to help cover dental expenses rather than full coverage for all treatment
needed. Many insurance plans state that
you are covered at a certain percentage based on an allowable amount. In many cases, the amount your plan pays
depends on the amount your employer paid for the plan. Dental fees are based on the quality of
care, materials, and service you receive at a particular office.
return to FAQ's ... CAVITIES |
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The Oaks Dental Center, Ltd. • 8600 U.S. Highway 14, Suite 203 • Crystal Lake, IL 60012 Phone: 815-356-0033 • Fax: 815-356-0035 |