People need to replace their natural teeth for numerous reasons. The more common ones are that the tooth was too broken and/or decayed to fix, lost due to gum infection, or lost due to an accident. Another scenario is that the adult tooth just never developed – the worst days for me are when I have to tell a parent that one or more of their child’s adult teeth will never grow in.

Thankfully, there are options for replacing a missing adult tooth. You may have read about implants and bridges in the Cosmetic Dentistry section. These are wonderful ways to replace teeth and will give you the feeling that you have your own natural teeth again.

Some people need a quicker replacement or an alternative that better fits their budget. Dentures might be the answer. Dentures can replace a single tooth, multiple teeth, or all of them. They come in many styles – too many to list and describe here – but I would be happy to help narrow down the many choices based upon your needs when you are in for your next exam.

The term “root canal” actually refers to the natural cavity in the center of the tooth. Root canals are not as scary or as painful as they used to be. The practice of treating the nerve of a tooth is actually called endodontics, and this practice has advanced technologically along with the other areas of dentistry. Remember, your comfort and care are our prime concerns.

An endodontic procedure is performed when a tooth is infected or badly decayed. During the procedure, the nerve inside the tooth is removed and the inner tooth is cleaned and then sealed. This is the only method available to save a tooth that is in this condition. Pulling the tooth is an option, but in most cases, the dentist’s primary goal is to save as many natural teeth as possible. This is the optimal solution when treating infections and tooth decay. Otherwise, the surrounding tissues may become infected, causing abscesses.

Pediatric dentistry is the area of dentistry that focuses on the dental needs of infants, children, and adolescents. It includes all preventive, therapeutic, and primary care of the child’s oral health. The American Pediatric Dental Association recommends that parents start bringing their children with them for dental visits at age 1 or sooner if the child gets their first tooth. There are several reasons for this:

• To begin teaching the child that the dentist’s office can be a positive experience

• To begin tracking the development and growth of the child’s teeth

• For early detection of developmental problems that may interfere with speech and hearing

• To identify possible problems leading to issues with posture

• To identify possible problems that may lead to concerns with the development of the child’s facial structure

Even though this is listed last, it is always where my exams begin, and it carries through the exam to the end. It starts with a thorough review of your health history including diagnosed medical ailments, medications, supplements, and operations. It is part of the other assessments, as well – looking for clues of undiagnosed ailments or the risk factors for developing them. Some of the many health ailments that show up in the mouth are:

• Cardiovascular disease

• Nutritional deficiencies

• Sleep breathing disorders

• Diabetes

• Postural issues

• Sinus disorders

Many medications and herbal supplements can have a negative effect on the saliva content and flow rate. Since saliva is the body’s defense against cavities and gum infections, even small changes can have a profound effect.

In my 30+ years of being a dentist, I have helped to save countless lives by learning beyond my dental school education. I have learned what to look for, to take the time to properly assess all aspects of a person, and then to be able to either treat things here at my office or to point the person in the proper direction for further help.

The occlusal assessment deals with how your teeth function as a unit. Just like a good auto mechanic can tell how your car is working by listening to the engine and looking at the wear on the tires, a good dentist can obtain a wealth of information about the body through the many clues the mouth holds. I look not only at the wear patterns of the teeth, but the motion and function of the jaw joint.

It is not hard to imagine that two things hitting or rubbing against each other will wear over time. The enamel on the teeth is the hardest substance in the human body, and it should take a long time to wear away. Years ago, some people were told that they just had “soft teeth” as a reason their teeth showed excessive wear. We now know that is not true. Other than the rare genetic disorder, amelogenesis imperfecta, everyone’s enamel is the same. What differs is our saliva, diet, ability to properly breathe through the nose, trauma, and environmental issues.

When the teeth wear, it can lead to sensitivities to temperatures or sweets and can even lead to cavities. It can also result in the destruction of the bone around the tooth, which can lead to tooth pain and, eventually, loss. As the teeth wear down, there is a change in pressures at the jaw joints that can cause a multitude of issues such as headaches and fatigue.

As with all wear and tear problems, early detection and intervention can prevent other more serious problems down the road. Like they say, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Cancer of the head and neck is number six on the list of the most common cancers in the US. Unfortunately, it has the lowest five-year survival rate of those six. As with all cancers, early detection is the key to better long-term outcomes. The oral cancer assessment only takes a few minutes. To minimize your oral cancer risk, it is best to avoid the behaviors that lead to cancer’s formation in the first place. Tobacco use, especially chewing tobacco, is the number one risk factor for developing oral and other cancers. Chewing tobacco’s long contact time with the tissues of the mouth is what makes it the greatest risk for oral cancer. Excessive alcohol use is another risk factor. If you are routinely consuming more than one serving of alcohol per day, you are increasing your risk.

Cavities are caused by a particular type of bacteria. But there is another group of bacteria that live your mouth that do not cause cavities – their favorite food is your jaw bone. They will first start to grow in the film of food that collects at the gum line during a meal. If the food is not cleaned away, they will work to get under the gums and separate them from your teeth, eventually working through them to get to your jaw bone. As they work under the gums, they help to promote the formation of tartar. Tartar, technically called “calculus”, is a hard substance that forms first at and then below the gum line. It acts as a seal so the bacteria can work without being disturbed. It takes a couple of months to form and harden, but once it does, a professional is needed to remove it.

Infections such as this are totally painless, that is until it is too late. As they eat the bone, the tooth loses its foundation and starts to become loose. It eventually becomes so loose that it hurts to bite on it, and the only thing that can be done at that point is to remove the tooth. Throughout this process, the body has been desperately trying to keep the infection contained to just the area around the tooth. Research has shown that this kind of infection also increases a person’s risk for developing blood clots that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. There are many other health problems that can arise from these infections, too, such as diabetes, intestinal disorders, and low-weight, pre-term births. I am sure this list will grow over time.

By the way, the use of tobacco speeds up the process of the bacteria separating the gums from the teeth and the hardening of the tartar. That is why smokers rarely go to the grave with all their teeth, unless they die young.

Cavities are holes in the teeth caused by a group of bacteria that initially feed on the sugars and starches in the foods that we eat and drink. They convert those foods to acid which eats away at the tooth’s enamel – the hard outer layer of the tooth. Once past the enamel and into the next layer, the dentin, it is a quicker journey to the center of the tooth where the nerve and blood vessels are. From there, they can get anywhere in the body.

Pain is a strange thing when it comes to teeth. I have had people who claimed they had pain in the tooth when there was only a small hole that was still just in the enamel. While others have had the nerve sticking out of the tooth and claimed that they never had any pain. For most, pain comes somewhere in between. People who choose to wait until there is pain before calling a dentist usually end up needing to have significantly more work done to fix the problem. It usually ends up costing quite a bit more, too.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of cavities due to the constant sipping of drinks. Almost every drink is acidic, even bottled water. While the drink is in the mouth, it is maintaining the mouth’s environment in an acidic state. Once it is swallowed, it takes the average person’s mouth 15 minutes to neutralize the acid. It starts all over again if another sip is taken. With some people’s habits, the mouth never gets the chance to recover. If a starchy food is eaten at the same time, it is an even harder battle for the mouth.

Perhaps your embarrassment over your smile does not stem from a problem with your teeth. Instead, you dread the need for flashing your pearly whites because you feel like your smile consists of all gums. There is help available for this dental imperfection, as well. We offer laser gum treatments to correct a gummy smile and help you find that beautiful grin underneath.

The line of a person’s smile, or the teeth that show when you smile, is formed by different factors. These include:

• Facial muscles

• Amount of gum tissue

• Size and shape of your teeth

• Size and shape of your lips

The optimal smile line reveals the least amount of gum tissue. The contours of your gums should balance well and be in harmony with your upper lip.

Orthodontics is the treatment of malocclusion (improper bite) in children, teens, and adults. Treatment usually begins when a person is in their preteen or early teen years, as early intervention has been shown to give better results and require less total treatment time. If a problem is discovered before it causes further issues, it can be fixed while the teeth and jaw are growing into their permanent positions. I am able to treat anyone who suffers from malocclusion issues by employing the most efficient orthodontic procedures available to meet each individual’s needs.

You see celebrities flash their bright smiles all the time. Do you find yourself wondering how they got them to look that way? You probably suspect they have had some form of cosmetic dental work performed, and they have. What you don’t realize is that many of them have had porcelain veneers placed and that you could do the same. I offer multiple types of veneers that will best suit the needs of each person. Some of the issues that veneers can help with are:

• Alignment

• Color

• Gaps

• Shape

• Size

Dentures are rarely a person’s first choice when it comes to replacing missing teeth or improving their cosmetics, but for some, it is their only choice or the best choice for their situation. My goal is to make every set of dentures look as natural as possible while considering input from the person who will be receiving them. A typical set of dentures, made the way dentists are taught to make then in dental school, will have the teeth set over the already receded jaw bones, making a person look as old or even older than they really are. This worsens over time as the jaw bones continue to recede. I set the teeth where they would have been if the person never lost their teeth. This can take 10-15 years off their appearance, especially if the person has had dentures before.

A dental crown is a type of restoration that is created to cover your whole tooth. It is a tooth cap that is used to cover the tooth and restore strength, shape and size. Older crowns required a large portion of metal in them in order to maintain their strength. Thankfully, this no longer has to be the case. The type of crown that I use depends on the needs of the particular area is it to be used. Sometimes we can even conserve portions of sound healthy tooth structure with ceramic inlays or onlays. That is why I prefer the term custom ceramic restorations when I discuss dental crowns.

People choose to have, or need to have, custom ceramic restorations placed for many reasons. Some of these reasons may include:

• Restoration of a broken or worn tooth

• Protection of a weak, broken or cracked tooth

• Covering and supporting a tooth that is mostly filling

• Holding a dental bridge in place

• Covering a dental implant

• Covering badly discolored and misshapen teeth

Some of the most basic dental needs that cosmetic dentistry guests often have are the restoration of problem teeth that have been damaged or the replacement of old, silver-mercury metal fillings with new, tooth-colored ones. This is where dental bonding and white fillings combined with the advanced skills of an experienced cosmetic dentist come into play. It is much quicker and easier to slap in a silver-mercury filling than a tooth colored one, especially in the back teeth. I have not placed a silver-mercury filling since 1990 and continue to refine my skills with advanced, hands-on courses to make sure my skills stay on the cutting edge. I am a member of the International Association of Mercury-Safe Dentists, and I am very aware of the possibility of metal allergies among my patients. That is why I use metal only when necessary, and even then I use only high noble metals.

There are probably just as many reasons for wanting to undergo some form of teeth whitening as there are ways to accomplish it. The methods available to you change and improve as dental technology continues to advance. We strive to offer treatments that will, above all, provide you with optimal results while protecting your teeth from harm.

For teeth whitening, we get the best results using the Kör Whitening System – a strong whitening solution approved only for use under a dentist’s supervision with a unique chemical activator that also contains ingredients that can reduce your sensitivity. There are basically three types of treatments: in-office, where we do the work for you in about an hour; take home kits, where you wear custom-made trays at home and get the same results in about one month; or a combination of the in-office and home treatments, used for cases of severe stains.