You should come to the dental office least twice a year. Regular dental exams and cleaning visits are essential in preventing dental problems and maintaining the health of your teeth and gums. A good dental exam and cleaning involves quite a lot more than just checking for cavities and polishing your teeth.

Cavities (or caries) are one of the most common diseases in the human world. It is directly related to the presence of both the correct bacteria and sugar produce acid which leads to the breakdown of the enamel surface. Not all people will have a high concentration of the correct bacteria so some people are naturally more resistant to decay or cavities. Conversely, some people with high levels of the caries causing bacteria will be much more susceptible to caries despite maintaining good oral hygiene.

Decay or cavities can be identified by a dentist either visually or sometimes with x-ray radiographs. Radiographs are essential for detecting caries between the teeth. We try not to take x-rays often but regular radiographs will allow us to diagnose cavities while they are small versus when they have done extensive damage.

A crown or cap is an artificial tooth made of porcelain or metal and it covers the entire tooth. It will change the size, shape and color of the teeth and improve appearance. Teeth are crowned most often because there is little natural tooth structure remaining. A crown helps prevent this remaining tooth structure from fracturing.

Root canal treatment is needed if your teeth’s nerve is permanently damaged or infected. This treatment results in the elimination of infection and protection of the decontaminated tooth from future microbial invasion. Root canal treatment is done to eliminate pain and in most cases should not hurt during the procedure.

Periodontal or gum disease is often not something that you will not feel in the early stages but can be very serious leading to a loss of teeth in middle age. It is a chronic infection that is most often caused by the build up of dental plaque and it rarely shows symptoms before it is well advanced. Up to 80 percent of Canadians will be affected by gum disease at some point in their lives. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in Canada

Great teeth and gum care start at home. Brushing and flossing on a daily basis is the best way to take care of your teeth and gums on a continual basis. By keeping to a daily brushing and flossing you can minimize the risk of gingivitis or tooth decay.

One of the most prevalent disorders of childhood, childhood dental decay is caused by bacterial infection. Its prevalence is epidemic; in the US its rate is highest in minority and rural populations, at times infecting over 70% of the children.

To prevent childhood dental decay, don’t let your baby fall asleep with a bottle of juice or milk in his/her mouth. Also be sure and wipe the baby's teeth and gums with a clean, damp cloth after feeding. Preventing oral disease in children starts with good dental care habits. Children are really never too young to learn how to care for their teeth. Children should have their teeth brushed or be helped to brush their teeth at least twice a day.

Gingivitis is a condition caused when bacteria surrounds the teeth and enters the gums. The gums can become irritated, inflamed and often bleed. In order to prevent the condition from worsening, regular hygiene visits are highly recommended.

Sensitive teeth often come from the fact that your gums have slightly receded. This recession of the gum allows the underlying dentin to show through which allows water and food easier access to the sensitive nerve. There are a number of toothpastes, gels and even some dental procedures that can be applied to the area.

Of course. The teeth we have are for a lifetime. The longer that we can hold on to our own teeth, the better it is for our nutrition, appearance and general health. Besides regular check ups are much less expensive than extractions and dentures.

Dentures, also known as false teeth, are prosthetic devices constructed to replace missing teeth. Conventional dentures are removable, however there are many different denture designs, some which rely on bonding or clasping onto teeth or dental implants. If you have a partial denture, then you should try to hold onto your existing teeth that help “anchor” the denture in place so that you can avoid a complete denture. If you have complete dentures, you want to keep them in good repair. Proper eating habits are essential to maintain a good diet and good nutrition. In addition, advances in implant therapy are available to improve the fit of your existing dentures.

With many state-of-the-art dental treatments and prevention options available in dentistry today, there are fewer reasons for having to extract (remove) teeth. When something does go wrong with a tooth, we try to do everything possible to restore the tooth to its original function. Removing a tooth is the last option because we know that removal may lead to severe and costly dental and cosmetic problems if the tooth is not replaced.

Losing a tooth can be a very traumatic experience and it’s very unfortunate when it does happen. Injury, accident, fracture, severe dental decay, and gum disease are the major reasons for having to remove a tooth. If teeth are lost due to injury or have to be removed, it is imperative that they be replaced to avoid cosmetic and dental problems in the future.

When a tooth is lost, the jaw bone that helped to support that tooth begins to atrophy, causing the teeth on either side to shift or tip into the open space of the lost tooth. Also, the tooth above or below the open space will start to move towards the open space because there is no opposing tooth to bite on. These movements may create problems such as decay, gum disease, excessive wear on certain teeth, and TMJ (jaw joint) problems. These problems and movements do not result immediately, but will eventually appear, compromising your chewing abilities, the health of your bite, and the beauty of your smile.

Implants - Are a great way to replace one or more missing teeth. They may also be great to support ill fitting dentures. A dental implant is an artificial root that is surgically placed into the jaw bone to replace a missing tooth. An artificial tooth is placed on the implant, giving the appearance and feel of a natural tooth. Implants are very stable, durable, and are the most aesthetically pleasing tooth replacement option.

Fixed bridges - This type of bridge is generally made of porcelain or composite material and is anchored (cemented) permanently to a natural teeth adjacent to the missing tooth site. The benefit of this type of bridge is that it is fixed (not removable) and it is very sturdy. The disadvantage is that in order to create a fixed appliance, two healthy, natural teeth will have to be filed down and crowned (capped) to hold the bridge in place.

Dentures- This type of tooth replacement is used when most or all of the natural teeth are missing in one dental arch. Dentures are removable artificial teeth that are made to closely resemble the patients’ original teeth.

If you are missing teeth, ask us if they need replacement and what options are available to you. Together we will select the best replacement option for your particular case. Prevention and early treatment is always less involved and less costly than delaying treatment and allowing a serious problem to develop.

A dental implant is a small titanium screw that serves as the replacement for the root portion of a missing natural tooth. Dental implants can be placed in either the upper or lower jaws. Due to the biocompatible properties of titanium, a dental implant fuses with the bone and becomes a good anchor for the replacement tooth. Dental implants can be used in solutions for replacing single or multiple missing teeth.

There are a number of reasons why you should consider a dental implant:Without the root structure of a natural tooth present, the jawbone can shrink. This shrinkage will make your face look older than it is.
There are no loose parts to worry about losing. The dental implant is stable and comfortable. No adjustment is needed after placement. Normally, it will serve its owner for life.