Why Dental Bonding Is More Convenient for Younger Patients

In our office, we provide dental bonding as a solution or a variety of problems that can occur with the teeth.  As a local family dentist office, we are committed to helping your family to remain in the best possible oral health.  In order to achieve this goal, we would prefer to clean and examine your teeth at least twice a year.  This way we can remove plaque and tartar, treat oral health problems, and help your teeth to remain healthy.  This is critical because healthy teeth are strong teeth, and if your teeth are infected, it will be that much easier for them to become chipped, cracked, or otherwise damaged.

If, however, you do damage a tooth, we have several ways to restore it including bonding.  It is incredibly common for both children and adults to damage their teeth.  Many adults do so while playing sports or even in a car wreck.  Children can also damage their teeth while playing sports or, most commonly, when playing with their friends on the playground.  Their simple and innocent behavior often leads to damage due to how aggressively they tend to move around.

When a child's tooth becomes damaged, we must determine whether or not it should be saved.  If it is a baby tooth and likely to fall out in short order, we may not want to do a major restorative procedure.  However, if we anticipate them keeping their tooth for a while or if it is a permanent tooth (as is the case with adult damage), then it is important to save it.  We have several methods of doing so including dental veneers and dental crowns.  In young patients, however, dental bonding is often the easiest and least invasive method of doing so.

Whether your child damages a tooth or you do, it is important to know your options for restoring it.  The reason that dental bonding is so popular is that it doesn't require any preparation and the process can be completed a single sitting.  If, for example, your tooth becomes chipped, a tooth colored material can be shaped around your tooth to restore the chipped area.  It is pliable enough to be moved and shaped until your tooth looks perfect.  Once done, it is hardened with a special light in order to form a hard chewing surface. Your once damaged tooth will then be restored and look natural since the material will be matched in shade to your existing tooth.

The process of dental bonding is more convenient than dental veneers simply because the enamel on your tooth can remain intact.  Therefore, no preparation is required.  Simultaneously, a veneer is created in the dental lab after an impression is taken of your teeth. This makes it a two-step process for restoring a tooth. While the results are beautiful and natural looking, getting a veneer requires more commitment on behalf of the patient than it does to undergo a bonding procedure.  For this reason, we find that bonding is a viable solution for busy adults and younger patients.

Dentist  >  Dental Fillings

Periodontics Can Help Your Gums Look and Feel Better

Periodontics is the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of periodontal disease, which is the inflammation and infection of the gums, ligaments and bones which support the teeth. As a general dentist, we treat both gums and teeth in order to ensure that you have the highest chance of retaining all or the majority of your natural teeth as you age. We work on all of the structures that are behind the scenes, ensuring that your mouth is healthy, that your teeth are perfect, and you have a bright and radiant smile. Besides working with the roots, gums, bone, and ligaments, we also specialize in dental implants in the event that you do experience tooth loss.  This is one of the most effective ways to replace teeth that have either fallen out or need to be replaced.

We also work with many different ailments that affect the mouth. Periodontal diseases range from simple inflammation of the gums to serious infections that can severely damage the gums and even cause tooth loss. Typically, gum disease starts with relatively minor symptoms.  The gums may be slightly sensitive, bleed while brushing, or appear to be red and inflamed. This stage is commonly referred to as gingivitis and is easily treated.  By simply performing a deep cleaning and removing plaque and tartar from under the gum line, we can help the gums to heal.  Typically, after this cleaning they will regain their natural appearance and won't cause further discomfort.  In our dentist office, we prefer to treat the disease at this stage because it prevents our patients from feeling further discomfort.

During regular dental exams, we will let you know if you may have gum disease.  If caught early enough, we will perform a deep cleaning, and that will be all that is needed.  However, if the disease has advanced, the treatment options become more intense.  With periodontics, gum disease can be treated when the gums have already started to recede.  This is a common symptom of the disease and fairly easy to recognize.  When you are brushing your teeth or smiling, pay attention to your gums and look to see if they appear to be shorter and your teeth appear to be longer.  This is the most common and obvious sign of gum recession.  As the gums continue to pull away from the tooth, pockets can be formed in the gum tissue.  This is particularly dangerous because bacteria can gather there and form acid which attacks the exposed tooth structure and roots.  When this form of gum disease is left untreated, it can lead to bone loss as the acid wears away the tooth structure.  This is why people that suffer from gum disease often experience tooth loss as they age.

We can treat the condition using various periodontics procedures.  In the case of receding gums, a gum graft may be necessary to seal up the pocket and secure the gums back around the tooth.  This procedure will prevent the bone loss that could otherwise occur.  Once done, patients typically report feeling far more comfortable while eating and drinking as well.

In periodontics, there are also procedures that are more cosmetic in nature. For example, a periodontist can reshape gums that are too large for the teeth. Our priority, however, is oral health and our gum treatments focus around health concerns.  We understand that without healthy gums, your teeth cannot remain healthy and strong as you age.  To that end, we recommend scheduling teeth cleanings for at least twice a year so that we can remove bacteria and plaque from your teeth and gums.  If we notice any signs of gum disease, we will recommend treating it right away before you experience any further discomfort or irritation.

Dental Crowns  >  Dental Veneers