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May 27, 2013

Wisdom teeth (third molars) are the last of the molars to erupt. These are the back teeth on both sides of the upper and lower dental arches that usually appear in late teens or early twenties.

There are patients that will never get wisdom teeth; there are others that don’t get all four and there is a percentage that will grow more than four wisdom teeth. Whatever category you fall into, one commonality is that these teeth are often problematic, and many patients are faced with having them removed.

By the time you are ready for the third molars to come in, there may not be enough jaw space to accommodate them coming in straight. Consequently, they may grow sideways into the jaw or erupt crooked. Many young adults are faced with their extraction to accommodate orthodontic treatment.  Prevention is the optimum offense, but if an abscess occurs in a third molar, follow your dentist’s advice to deal with the infection, and follow up with recommended treatment in an effort to avoid additional dental complications.

For patients that get their wisdom teeth, and do not opt for their removal because they do not pose any immediate or perceived problem, there is always the possibility of having to deal with infection in one or several of these teeth. Due to their location, flossing and brushing these teeth may not be very easy, especially if they are crowded or crooked. This provides the ideal condition for dental decay.

An abscess is basically an infection that occurs when there is a breach to a tooth that allows bacteria to enter.  A pocket of pus forms at the base of the root of the tooth; this is the abscess.

Patients faced with an infection of one of their permanent teeth would require a root canal to save the tooth. But since the wisdom tooth is considered non-essential, treating with an antibiotic to heal the infection is an option. But once the infection has subsided, removing the wisdom tooth may be the best option for avoiding future problems.

A hairline fracture or any breach of the dental enamel, like gum disease, trauma, or dental decay can result in an abscess. Any discomfort or pressure felt around a tooth should sound the alarm and result in a visit to the dentist.

Prevention is the optimum offense, but if an abscess occurs in a third molar, follow your dentist’s advice to deal with the infection, and follow up with recommended treatment in an effort to avoid additional dental complications.

If you suspect you might have an abscessed wisdom tooth, contact our dental team at The Dental Place and schedule an appointment today.

May 16, 2013

Dentures are often the best way for a patient to restore their ability to eat, speak and smile without feeling self-conscious after experiencing tooth loss.

Unfortunately, with tooth loss, the patient will experience bone atrophy resulting in the gum tissue changing over time. When this happens, the denture might not fit like it did when it was new.

When these dental changes occur, the denture might start to rub where it never did before resulting in sore spots. Thankfully, there is a way to make the denture comfortable and functional again. A denture that is ill fitting can be relined, often in the course of one day.

The patient has an appointment with the dentist early in the day. The denture is removed, the plastic trimmed down and a material is spread over the denture and it is replaced in the mouth forming a new impression that will allow the lab to recreate the lining to ensure a more proper fit.

This type of reline is referred to as a hard reline. The patient will return to the dentist later that day to be fitted with their “new” relined denture.

A soft reline is used when the patient is dealing with problem areas that are sore. A “temporary” softer material provides more cushion so these areas can heal before pursuing a permanent, hard reline.

A reline is not to be confused with using a denture paste to keep the denture from slipping; however, if you are faced with resorting to these products to feel comfortable and confident with your denture, maybe it is time to visit the dentist to see if a reline would be beneficial.

Dentures are wonderful inventions that go back many, many years. Over time there have been significant improvements, and dentures of today appear as lifelike as biological teeth. But in addition to being aesthetically pleasing, they must be comfortable and functional to fill the need for which they are intended.

So if you have a complete denture that doesn’t feel quite right, is putting pressure where it never did before, or is causing difficulty in word pronunciation, it is time to visit your dentist. Perhaps you need a new denture, or your current denture just needs a reline.

Having teeth that feel and look good can be attained with a great fitting, quality denture. Contact our skilled dental team at 972-264-5795 to schedule an appointment today.

May 4, 2013

The root canal of a tooth is located below gum level. This canal inside the root of the tooth holds the nerve, pulp, and blood that allow the tooth to discern temperature.

Once a permanent tooth erupts (pushes through the gums), the nerve in the root canal no longer serves a useful purpose. There is good news and bad news … the good news is that a tooth can survive very well without the contents in the canal. The bad news is if infection occurs, a root canal to remove the nerve, pulp and blood will be required to save the tooth.

Infection occurs when bacteria permeates the protective enamel that covers the tooth. This can happen if a tooth is chipped, decay is present, a previous filling cracks, or a tooth is fractured. Even a hairline fracture that you cannot see may not produce any immediate signs, but infection can be forming. 

Prevention is the optimum way to prevent the need for a root canal, but if required a root canal can save your tooth.

Eventually, there are symptoms that will trigger the need to visit the dentist if you are dealing with an infection within the root canal.

  • Sensitivity to hot or cold worsens, and the discomfort lingers
  • There is toothache when chewing
  • Unexplained sores or blisters on the gum tissue appear
  • Swelling occurs

Unfortunately, if the infection has advanced to form an abscess (a pocket of pus located at the base of the root), prompt treatment is required to prevent the infection from spreading to other parts of the body.

The root canal has a negative reputation as a horrible experience. But the procedure is simple and starts with a dental x-ray taken to identify the number of canals on the tooth to be treated. It is critical that all canals be treated because if one is missed, the root canal therapy may fail and require additional treatment.

The tooth is walled off with a rubber dam and an entry point is drilled into the tooth. Instrumentation and technique make the process quick and painless as the canals’ contents are removed. The final steps involve flushing the canals, treating as needed, and filling the vacated canals to provide tooth stability. The point of entry is then sealed with a restoration chosen based on which tooth was treated.

Prevention is the optimum way to prevent the need for a root canal, but if required a root canal can save your tooth. Contact our experienced team at The Dental Place to make an appointment today.