Every time you go to your dentist, they take pains to help ensure you’re healthy. One quiet service they provide is scanning their patient’s oral cavities for cancer. Oral cancer occurs in many forms and is treatable if caught early. For this reason, checking for this disease is an important part of every dental visit.
Several indicators are on your dentist’s watchlist as they perform a standard dental exam. Oral cancer can appear in your throat, cheeks, tongue, and gums. Any of the membranes within your mouth can be a place where this condition can form. Signs of discoloration are one of the earliest indicators your dentist is on the watch for. However, lesions that aren’t healing properly, polyps, and other sores can also indicate something is amiss. When oral cancer is suspected, your dentist may request one of the following tests:
In addition to the above tests, your dentist may order CAT scans, MRIs, or additional x-rays to reach a conclusive diagnosis. The information these tests provide can help direct your medical providers toward effective treatment options. These tests will reveal the aggressiveness of cancer, the degree to which it has progressed, and how far it may have spread.
If you find yourself worrying about the presence of oral cancer, reach out to your dentist or primary care provider. These cancers are those that can be effectively treated in their earliest stages. As a result, you must remain vigilant about their presence. Your dentist or primary care physician will address any concerns you have, and tests will be done to determine if there’s any need to worry. If oral cancer is detected, they’ll coordinate in developing a treatment plan with you that will give you the greatest chance of becoming a cancer survivor.
Modern dentistry has made loads of progress over the last ten years. For cosmetic dentists, more smiles are becoming seamless in their appearance with the help of dental restorative materials. People with cavities, gum disease, crooked teeth, and discoloration can quickly get treatment from their dentists for their health and well-being. Using a combination of skills and techniques, cosmetic dentists can match tooth shades to the shade of your smile, making all restorative procedures appear flawless. Tooth reshaping is just one aspect of dentistry that’s less often talked about, and we’re here to provide some essential insight into what it means and how it’s done.
Tooth reshaping methods have significantly expanded over the last few years, with many cosmetic dentists working with valuable tools of their trade to provide their patients with immeasurable results. People seeking cosmetic treatments often look to restore their smile to its natural appearance because, in most cases, people are faced with constant issues with their oral health. Problems such as misshapen teeth, dental decay, chipped teeth, and gummy smiles pervade everyone, and while many of these problems are cosmetic, these issues can easily fall into the realm of oral disease.
Tooth reshaping is just one of the many ways that cosmetic dentists can work to correct those issues. Tooth reshaping uses bonding materials to contour the teeth, removing signs of unevenness, chips and cracks, and minor signs of misalignment. This procedure works as a cost-effective option for people looking to restore the appearance of their teeth without the significant investments involved with other treatments, including dental implants and crowns. While this procedure is normally used for those with mild cases of trauma and after-brace treatment, it’s a simple and easy method of correcting minor imperfections through the following ways:
Oral diseases and dental trauma needs to be corrected and prevented at all costs. Still, regardless of the underlying causes of those issues, dentists all over working with cosmetic treatment options can help provide their patients with the support and services they need to maintain proper hygiene and have a healthy smile.
We all know that childhood is an important developmental period. During this time, we are making emotional, physical, and mental advances that will impact us throughout the rest of our lives. Our mental and emotional development will aid us in our approach to the world. Our physical development can have an impact on our health as adults. One area of development that is essential is our dental health. Even though our primary teeth will pass as we get older, they play an important role here. They impact the development of our jaw, impacting our adult smiles’ appearance and health. This makes caring for them essential to our oral health throughout our lives.
To experience good oral health for our entire lives has to start with taking care of our teeth as children. This starts with a comprehensive oral hygiene routine that includes flossing, brushing, and using mouthwash. While these steps can help keep tooth decay at bay, it’s essential to know how to identify it in case it begins to appear.
The first step of tooth decay is the appearance of white blemishes on the surface of our teeth. These white blemishes indicate areas where the enamel has begun to soften. This softening results from demineralization and makes those areas vulnerable to the onset of decay. There are restorative steps we can take to help stop decay in its tracks. We must do it, as there is no way to restore lost enamel. When the only damage is white spot lesions, there are things we can do to address it.
Even with these options, a consistent oral hygiene routine is the most effective tool in your toolkit. However, you must teach your children to brush their teeth properly. Visits to the dentist can help you identify problem areas and take steps to correct your children’s brushing habits.
While tooth decay and white spot lesions are among the most common oral health concerns, gum disease is second. You can identify gum disease by looking for puffy, irritated gums. They’ll often be red and tend to bleed when brushed. Early in the development of gum disease, it can be fairly easy to correct. When it advances to periodontitis, there is a greater cause for concern. Consult your dentist for proper steps to take to manage it.
There has been a growing dedication to patient education in the annals of the medical industry. The idea that the patient should merely trust to doctor to know what’s best for their health has passed. Today’s patients are active in their healthcare, wanting to understand the treatments and how they may help. Medical professionals have discovered that an involved patient aids the treatment and results in greater satisfaction. Dentistry is among those industries that have seen the benefit of patients being active in their care.
Traditional braces most often come to mind when thinking of orthodontic appliances. They are three components that work together to produce the desired results. While they have been a central part of orthodontic care for generations, patients often don’t understand how they work. The principles that drive traditional braces are relatively simple. Their components apply pressure to the teeth precisely, adjusting them into a final position and restoring proper occlusion or bite. The jawbone softens and hardens throughout the process, allowing the teeth to move and securing them in place.
There are three physical parts involved in this process, including:
These components are placed and adjusted using the skill of the dentist. In addition to the jawbone responding to treatment, so does the periodontal membrane. This membrane covers the jawbone beneath the gums and aids in securing the teeth in place. It too will adjust to the pressure applied before strengthening to hold them in place.
Your dentist will always be willing to discuss your oral health details with you. They’ll detail the procedure and how the body responds to the treatment. They’ll let you know what to expect in the process. It’s important to take an active role in your healthcare, so don’t hesitate to ask them any questions you may have.
As we age, some changes inevitably happen with our teeth. Aging brings out a variety of oral health concerns, but with consistent and proper care, many people can maintain their smiles for life. A good, healthy smile starts with oral hygiene, but there are more ways that your oral health can be taken care of, and that’s through visiting your dentist to address your health concerns. But often, one of the biggest mistakes often made is avoiding our dentists or being negligent with our oral health. Here’s why we emphasize the importance of maintaining our oral health and what you can do to take care of it.
While there’s no presently available way to eliminate all factors involved with aging, many of the age-related concerns we face with our oral health can be avoided. Although our oral health does decline as we get older, one of the problems faced by seniors and receiving oral care is the lack of access to essential resources, including information about dental treatment options for seniors. Leaving poor oral health in place can only worsen the conditions faced and create long-term problems that can impact your quality of life.
However, there are key changes that occur as we age that partake greatly in our oral health and how oral health conditions form. These changes include:
Many of these issues commonly contribute to poor enamel strength, tooth decay, and other health problems. Alongside this, factors such as dementia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and poor nutrition can affect your ability to engage and interact with your oral health. But through receiving dental care, many of these problems can be treated and managed. Finding resources for treatments such as bridges, dental implants, and cosmetic bonding procedures can help address concerns you experience while aging, and if you struggle to find ways to treat your oral health, speaking with your primary dentist can be helpful as they can provide payment alternatives and financing plans to give you the treatments you need. For more information, contact your dental provider to learn more about how to care for your oral health.
Every medical provider enters their field with one goal driving them. That goal is the desire to help their patients by delivering the best care possible. What this means can change from field to field. In the dental field, it means more than maintaining good oral health. It also means ensuring their results are attractive, resilient, and affordable. One way they reach this goal is by ensuring that they’re using the most effective tools and materials available to them. One such piece of equipment is Cone-Beam Computer Tomography or CBCT. This digital imaging device produces results that are far better than previous technologies, and it’s changing how endodontic care is performed.
Root canal treatments, or RCTs, are the most well-known endodontic procedures. While this procedure has become fairly routine, it remains challenging to perform. The narrowness and twisting natures of the titular root canals made it difficult to ensure they had eliminated the infection. Some of these canals were so narrow they were challenging to impossible to identify with the naked eye. Even the magnifying technology before modern innovations had difficulty finding all the hidden canals. CBCT technology has changed all that.
CBCT technology uses a new form of imaging known as digital imaging. Digital imaging has been around for the past couple of decades. However, CBCT represents a leap forward in imaging technology. Quick, easy, and painless, this device takes hundreds of pictures in a few seconds. Thanks to the swing arm to which it’s attached, it’s able to take numerous angles throughout the process. The result is a comprehensive 3D view of the oral cavity in a high-detail. Through this new imaging process, dentists can better identify concerns in the tooth, including root canals that would have formerly been missed.
CBCT Technology provides:
In addition to the CBCT technology, another device has been introduced. This device makes it possible to take a full mouth scan to create an impression. Previously, impressions involved the use of messy alginates. The impressions produced using this new technology are of higher quality, result in better fits, and involve less mess and discomfort for the patient.
Your dentist is always watching for the latest technology to improve their care standard. While not every innovation will make it into their office, the ones that do make a difference. Speak to your dental provider to learn about the equipment they’re using. They’ll help you understand how it’s improving your care and your future plans. Call and schedule your next bi-annual appointment today!
A trip to the dentist can be a terrifying experience for those with dental anxiety. Those suffering from this condition can become nervous at the mere mention of dental care. When it comes to an actual visit, the fear can be paralyzing. The severity of response varies from patient to patient and on the treatment being performed. Introducing the dental laser has made receiving dental care more pleasant for everyone. Those with dental anxiety may benefit most from the traditional rotary drill passing from daily use in more dental clinics.
Even for those without dental anxiety, knowing they need to be treated using a dental drill can be worrisome. The reason for this anxiousness is due, in part, to the signature traits of this tool. Its high-pitched whine can excruciate the ear, and the vibrations it causes during use can be uncomfortable even under sedation. Those with dental anxiety have reported that the shrill sound of the drill alone can be enough to cause a panic attack. This means that going to see the dentist can be a harrowing experience, even if they aren’t the ones being treated.
These traits have made the dental laser such an amazing innovation in the dental industry. The laser is nearly silent, emitting a soft pulsing sound during operation. This sound has been reported as being soothing to the patient. Even those with dental anxiety have stated that this sound helps ease some of their anxiety. There are also no vibrations with the dental laser, meaning that the entire operation is free from pain and sensation. You can find a list of the benefits of this tool below:
The dental laser has also been used for cosmetic procedures, which is where it got its start. Over time the tool was refined and improved for use in other treatment types. Today it’s used to eliminate gum disease and dental decay. It can accomplish these tasks quickly, quietly, and with better results.
Every year we see how dental technology is improving the way that dentists provide treatment for their patients. Dental lasers can reduce the amount of time needed to perform complicated procedures thanks to their precise nature. They can get into areas that you may otherwise miss and automatically cauterize treatment areas as they eliminate decay. This all contributes to shorter recovery times, reduced discomfort, and a limited chance of complications with procedures performed in this way. Reach out to your dental provider to determine what services they offer at their clinic that are enhanced by dental laser treatments. Call and schedule your consultation today.
Of all the reasons people visit their dentists, only preventative care beats cosmetic treatments. As the access to low-cost cosmetic treatments become available, more patients are opting to take advantage of them each year. In addition to being more affordable, more effective approaches to cosmetic dentistry are available. Even more important is the fact that more conservative treatments are coming onto the market. These treatments don’t involve complicated methods or the removal of any healthy tissue. This means that the appearance of your teeth is improved without impacting the lasting health of your smile.
So what, exactly, is conservative care? Conservative dental treatments improve the overall appearance of our teeth without damaging tissue. This is an important distinction in this approach to cosmetic care. Previous popular methods of addressing aesthetic concerns included various types of veneer. These veneers required various amounts of enamel to be removed from the surface of the teeth. Once your dentist removes this tissue, the veneers will be applied to the newly created space. While incredibly effective, these veneers were invasive, temporary, and had the possibility of causing harm or sensitivity to the treated teeth. There are three common kinds of conservative cosmetic dentistry, none of which require tissue removal.
These three cosmetic dental treatments stand as the most popular approaches to improving the appearance of our smile.
Your dentist is the best resource for determining which conservative treatments can address your aesthetic dental needs. Schedule a dental appointment with them today to get a consultation.
When it comes to restoring and preserving teeth, root canals have been a standard of care for decades. Over the years there have been numerous improvements in the overall process to make it faster and more effective than ever. Unfortunately root canals have a reputation as a painful, almost torturous experience that they don’t deserve. Modern techniques have made this a straightforward process that is relatively painless. They provide important benefits to the patient in the form of reduced pain and preservation of healthy tissue overall. New technologies have played an important role in the shifting nature of endodontic care. We’re going to explore how in the following article.
One essential development that has utterly changed how endodontic treatment plans are developed is Cone-Beam Computer Tomography, or CBCT. For decades X-ray technology remained largely unchanged aside from improvements in clarity and reduced radiation used. CBCT has been the first major revolution in dental imaging in many years. The difference between the old techniques and modern technology is notable. Rather than taking multiple images one at a time using uncomfortable bite trays, hundreds of images are taken in a matter of moments. These images are then compiled into a composite 3D image that can be viewed with special software. There are many benefits to CBCT technology, including:
The improved quality of CBCT images ensure that your dentist is able to develop a treatment plan quickly and efficiently. The 3D models provide an unprecedented ability view the pathologies within the oral cavity and create treatment plans that can properly address them.
High Tech Magnification is an important tool in modern root canals. This process makes it possible to identify minute features in the tooth being treated. Certain forms of damage, such as hairline fractures, and previously hidden areas of the tooth can now be seen. This allows the dentist to ensure that all oral health concerns within the tooth are addressed.
Another important tool is the intraoral camera. This camera makes it possible to produce a high-quality 3D image of the soft tissues within the oral cavity. Using these images your dentist can identify problems with the oral mucosa, the tongue, palate, and other structures.
Any dentist can perform endodontic care and make use of these technologies. They’re becoming a standard part of many offices selection of processes. It’s important to understand what technologies your dentist has available and how they’re utilized in your procedures. There’s nothing more important you can do as part of your oral health care than to be an active patient. Educating yourself on the procedures, the techniques they use, and the tools and equipment they utilize are all part of that. Call and schedule an appointment with them to learn more today.
There are aspects of orthodontic treatment that some patients have found intimidating. As time has passed, new orthodontic methods and treatments have been introduced to address these aspects. These advances have made orthodontic care more accessible to patients everywhere. Even those with dental anxiety tend to find these approaches more palatable. With modern processes, discomfort following orthodontic care is remarkably rare. If discomfort does appear after treatment, it generally lasts no more than 14 days. It was remarkably easy to manage during that time using the following methods.
The mild discomfort after orthodontic care is mostly caused by inflammation and soreness. In most cases, no treatment needs to be done due to the mild nature of this discomfort. However, some patients may desire a method of addressing this experience. Below are some of the most common methods used to help these patients.
These are all ways of managing minor orthodontic pain.
One Final Comment on Orthodontic Pain
You need to be certain that you inform your dentist if you experience significant discomfort after your treatment. While most discomfort you’ll experience will be mild, it can still indicate greater problems. Don’t take chances with your care; check-in with your dentist frequently throughout the treatment period.