2650 Lake Sahara Dr. Suite 160,
Las Vegas, NV 89117 | 702 734 0776
Cavities are caused by a bacterial infection on the teeth known as "caries". Dental caries is the #1 childhood disease, five times more prevalent than #1, which is asthma. This infection in children is primarily caused by:
Our office utilizes Caries Risk Assessment protocols, products and systems from http://www.carifree.com We thank them for their educational resources found in this article and the links below!
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A New York University nursing-dental research team has discovered that 90% of those that have Periodontal Gum Disease are also at risk of Diabetes. ScienceDaily has an interesting write up. According to Dr. Strauss from the American Diabetes Association in 2007 5.7 million Americans went undiagnosed. In the near future, part of your exam may include a blood sugar screening.
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Tooth Decay-Why Are Teeth Still Decaying from Douglas Sandquist on Vimeo.
Tooth Decay is a caused by bacteria. Certain bacteria produce an acid when they consume sugar. This acid is what etches the teeth and causes carious lesions in the teeth. These bacteria thrive in an acidic oral environment, so the treatment of tooth decay involves neutralizing the pH in the mouth and eliminating the bacteria that produce the most acid.
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Over time Silver Mercury fillings will break down, start leaking and often fall apart. When they fall apart they usually reveal tooth decay and other stuff. When fillings this size fall apart there isn’t much tooth left, which often require a crown or cap to cover the whole entire tooth. Fortunately, today there are options to restore these teeth without having to cover the whole entire tooth, just the necessary areas. These teeth are great areas to use a restoration called an “Onlay”, which replaces only a portion of the tooth. An Onlay, can be created out of Gold, Ceramic, and Composite materials. Here’s a couple of Onlays completed with Composite material.
This is the Before Image: Note the broken filling on the tooth on the right!
We completed the restoration on the right tooth about 2 months ago and were treating the middle tooth today.
An Image of both restorations completed. A Nice Result.
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Just found an article today from Realage.com about the importance of healthy teeth!
The Economy has affected everyone, every dollar matters.
Some have decided to save money and not get their teeth cleaned.
Along with Daily brushing and flossing… Regular professional cleanings monitor gum disease and reduce bacteria that causes it.
The bacteria that causes gum disease also causes inflammation of the blood vessels.
This has been linked to Heart Disease, Stroke, etc.
The dollars spent getting professional cleanings will improve your general health.
We understand that many don’t like getting their teeth cleaned, sometimes it hurts, sometimes the teeth are sensitive after, there are lots of ways to easily reduce pain during your cleanings, often without an injection and even help with the sensitivity after. It’s too important for your general health to let it go.
Call today, 702 734 0776
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A recent study in the Annals of Neurology, the official journal of the American Neurological Association. The results showed “a significant association between periodontal bone loss and the incidence of stroke or TIA, independent of cardiovascular risk factors. This association was much stronger among men younger than 65 years old”. Link to news article
According to the study, it appears that the link between stroke and gum disease is related to bone loss, not probing depths alone, especially bone loss that occurs at an early age. This research provides evidence that a healthy mouth leads to a healthy body. Regular visits with the hygienist will reduce the risk of bone loss associated with gum disease. If you haven’t seen the hygienist in awhile it might be worth a phone call for an appointment, it could literally save your life!
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Recently, we did an email interview with Dr. Scott Biggs, an Endodontist(a dental specialist that treats the pulp or nerve of teeth).
1. Why are toothaches so painful?
A toothache can many times be one of the most painful experiences one will experience in their lifetime. The source of such pain can be very complex. Inside the tooth (the pulp), where nerves and blood vessels reside, is a closed and non-expandable area. When the pulp is inflamed due to cavities, bacteria, etc., the tissue becomes engorged yet has nowhere to go. Thus, the nerves are in essence crushed causing constant stimulation of the nerve causing the pain of a toothache.
2. What is the cause of the usual toothache pain?
Toothache pain can be caused by a variety of factors. The most common cause would be a cavity. The bacteria from the cavity causes inflammation of the pulp inside the tooth causing the pain. Cracks or fractures of a tooth can also introduce bacteria into the pulp causing the same problems. Many times after routine fillings or other dental work, teeth can become sensitive to temperature changes for a period of time. This is usually temporary. Other causes of tooth pain or perceived tooth pain, are high fillings, exposed root surfaces, gum disease, temporomandibular joint disorders, cardiac problems (angina), sinus problems, earaches and other atypical facial pain.
3. Why does a toothache wake you up at night?
When the pulp of the tooth is inflamed and is not treated, a pulp can become irreversibly damaged and degenerate. The most common symptoms associated with this degeneration, are sharp lingering pain to cold or hot and spontaneous pain. Normally a nerve sends a signal to the brain when it has been stimulated telling the brain it feels pain. When a nerve degenerates it will sometimes send signals to the brain without being stimulated. This unstimulated signal causes the spontaneous pain that will wake you up at night.
4. Why does the pain hurt like the dickens for days then just goes away?
When a pulp has completely degenerated to a point where there is no longer vitality in the tooth, the tooth is called necrotic. Many times at this point the severe pain that was experienced previously will go away. Unfortunately this is usually short lived. The pain will almost always return eventually, but this time as a dull aching, throbbing type of pain.
Thank you to Dr. Biggs for this very informative article.
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In a previous post Are Your Teeth Sensitive to Cold, we discussed what causes cold sensitivity in teeth and discussed 7 things that cause it. The first approach to dealing with teeth that are cold sensitivity is to try and figure out what’s causing it.
Do you frequently drink regular and/or diet soda?
If so, choose a non carbonated drink or water
Energy drinks?
Reduce the number of drinks daily and drink them with food.
Do you clench or grind your teeth?
Maybe a night guard is needed to protect the teeth during nighttime grinding.
Use Tartar Control or Whitening Toothpastes?
Choose a regular toothpaste instead without the tartar control or whitening agents.
Do you use a hard Toothbrush?
Everybody should be using soft bristled toothbrushes today, but there are some that still feel their teeth won’t get clean unless they use a hard brush. Hard bristled brushes work very well at removing tooth structure as well as plaque.
Usually by removing the cause of the sensitivity, the sensitivity will subside over time, but in some cases it is necessary to intervene. The treatment options for sensitivity are all based around filling up the microscopic tubes in the tooth root that communicate with the nerve of the tooth. Fortunately there are quite a few options. It’s always a good idea to discuss any long term sensitivity with your dentist or dental hygienist. If at any time you experience sensitivity to cold that doesn’t go away immediately when the cold is gone this could be the starting of a tooth ache, which could lead to a root canal. Please call 702 734 0776 or send a quick note to info@sandquistdds.com with questions or to schedule an appintment. You can always reach us on Twitter: @sandquistdds
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Recently, we conducted an email interview with Dr. David Trylovich, a Periodontist in Las Vegas,NV(His Website: http://www.lvperio.com) on the topic of Gummy Smiles. Most people have never heard of what a Gummy Smile is so we decided to interview the expert!
What is a Gummy Smile?
A gummy smile is when you smile and gum tissue is visible above the teeth. The more gum tissue you show the gummier your smile. It is normal to show about 1-2 mm of gum tissue above the teeth. There are several things that can result in a gummy smile, they include: a long upper jaw, hyperactive lip muscles, short upper lip, or excess gum tissue covering the teeth. We will only be discussing the excess gum tissue covering the teeth. Your dentist or periodontist can tell you what is the cause of your gummy smile.
How do I know I have a Gummy Smile?
If you show more than 2-3 mm of gum tissue above the teeth then you have a gummy smile. However, the most important thing to evaluate is the shape and length of your teeth. The average front tooth length is 10 millimeters or just less than 1/2 inch. If you have a gummy smile due to excess gum tissue covering your teeth then you likely have front teeth that are short and square shaped. If so, you are an excellent candidate for a gum lift procedure which will correct your gummy smile and improve the appearance of your teeth.
Are Gummy Smiles Common?
Yes, 14% of people have a gummy smile.
What can be done for a Gummy Smile?
If you have excess gum tissue as the cause of your gummy smile then a quick fix is all you need. You can eliminate your gummy smile and improve your smile in one simple appointment. A minor surgical procedure can give you a beautiful smile. Most people require no additional treatment to their teeth other than the simple removal of excess gum tissue. However, some may require cosmetic bonding, veneers, or crowns to give them the ideal smile.
Won’t bleaching or Veneers fix my smile all by themselves?
Bleaching or veneers will improve the appearance of your teeth but will you will still have short teeth and show excess gum tissue when you smile. Your periodontist will discuss with your dentist what is necessary to give you the best looking smile.
Is a Gummy Smile bad?
No, usually a gummy smile is just a cosmetic concern. If you have a gummy smile, you probably think you were just born with short teeth. Actually, you likely just have excess gum tissue covering the white part (enamel) of your teeth.
What is involved in treating a gummy smile?
A simple two hour surgical procedure will usually eliminate your gummy smile. You will have some minor soreness for a few days after the procedure and will be on a pasta or fish consistency diet for the first week. Most clients return to work on the day following their surgery.
Where can I see before and after photos of gummy smiles?
You can check out the Before and After Gallery at http://www.lvperio.com.
How much does it cost to be evaluated for a gummy smile?
We do complimentary examinations for gummy smiles so it cost you nothing to find out if you have a gummy smile and if so what can be done to fix it.
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A question came through Twitter asking What Causes Teeth Grinding or Gnashing of Teeth?
This is a commonly asked question in most dental offices, but the answer is often challenging. While there’s been lots of research done on the subject of tooth grinding and tooth clenching, so far we really don’t know why it occurs but let’s explore what we do know.
Tooth Clenching is the squeezing of the teeth together straight up and down with various amounts of pressure.
Tooth Bruxism is grinding of the teeth from side to side along with up and down pressure.
Bruxism or Clenching commonly occurs during sleep and is commonly referred to as “Sleep Bruxism” and occurs even virtually every human. The difference between people that suffer from Bruxism and those that don’t is the quantity of the bruxism bursts. In most studies the control group(those that don’t suffer from Bruxism) exhibit roughly 2 bruxism episodes per hour, while those with Bruxism exhibit 6 or more bruxism episodes per hour. We don’t know why non-bruxers, “Grind” their teeth during sleep patterns. We also don’t know why a true bruxers grind their teeth more.
Tooth Grinding can also occur during the day, this can occur during a stressful part of the day, i.e. driving in traffic or a tough day at work. Problems with the way your teeth come together can also lead to tooth grinding. If there is an area that comes together before the others, this can lead to tooth grinding, as a response to the high spot.
In subsequent articles we’ll discuss the effects and possible treatment options for tooth grinding. Tooth Grinding can be devastating to the teeth, leading to destruction of the hardest substance in the body, your tooth enamel.
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Creating Smiles
for You!
