Our practice emphasis is on total preventive care for our patients. Total care begins with regular hygiene visits, regular check-ups and education on continued home oral health routines. There are other preventative therapies that we believe in and often recommend. We feel strongly that preventing dental disease is much better, easier, and less expensive that reversing the effects it has on your teeth and mouth.

Regular Prophylaxis

Most people should schedule have a dental cleaning every 6 months. During this visit, one of our dental hygienists will remove plaque and calculus from your teeth, especially from places where your brush can’t reach, such as underneath the gum line and in-between teeth. We will then clean your teeth and apply fluoride to help protect your teeth once you leave the office.
Fluoride is an important advancement in dental and oral health. Studies consistently show that a moderate but consistent exposure of teeth to fluoride helps strengthen and rebuild tooth structure, and helps prevent future decay. Often your insurance company will not cover the cost of the fluoride treatment if you are an adult. However Dr Milne believes in the effectiveness of fluoride and will cover the cost of the treatment if your insurance will not.

If you are due for a dental cleaning, please call our office to schedule an appointment.

Sealants

The grooves and depressions that form the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are extremely difficult (if not impossible) to clean of bacteria and food. As the bacteria reacts with the food, acids form and break down the tooth enamel, causing cavities.

Tooth sealants protect these susceptible areas by sealing the grooves and depressions, preventing bacteria and food particles from residing in these areas and making the surface of the tooth more easy to clean. Sealant material is a resin typically applied to the back teeth, molars and premolars and areas prone to cavities. It lasts for several years but needs to be checked during regular appointments.

Periodontal Therapy and Maintenance

The term “periodontal” means “around the tooth.” Therefore, periodontal disease affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth. Gum, or periodontal, disease is a result of inflammation created by irritants under your gums and can result in tooth loss and bone damage. The infection starts when the gums become inflamed due to bacteria in plaque, a sticky, colorless film that forms on your teeth. While this is often the main cause of periodontal disease, other factors can also be attributed to affecting the health of the gums and bone, including:

• Smoking or Tobacco Use
• Stress
• Genetics
• Pregnancy
• Medications
• Diabetes
• Poor Nutrition

Periodontal disease comes in many forms. Gingivitis is perhaps the mildest form of gum disease. While the gums become red, swollen and bleed easily, there is very little to no discomfort associated at this stage of the disease. If left untreated, gingivitis can progress into periodontitis which is a loss of bone around your teeth. Treatment for periodontitis usually requires more frequent visits to the dental hygienist to keep your bone levels stable and healthy. The unfortunate consequence of untreated periodontitis is ultimately so much bone is lost around teeth they can become loose and fall out. Additionally, modern medical research has found a clear connection between people with periodontal disease and the development of cardiovascular disease. Regular cleanings and examinations are a very simple way to avoid the loss of support for your teeth and keep your mouth healthy

There are different types of teeth cleanings, depending on how healthy your gums are.

No Gum Disease – This is the best and what you should aim for at each teeth cleaning. There’s no bleeding when the dentist flosses your gums or or uses the probe to measure pockets around your teeth.  It is infinitely easier (and healthier) to maintain good health and prevent disease than it is to become unhealthy and have to seek treatment. Ask Dr. Milne or the hygienist how to maintain this good health. You will still need regular teeth cleanings, but in exceptional cases, you might be able to get a cleaning once per year, and this is perfectly fine.

Having no gum disease for a lifetime will reduce your risk of heart disease, dementia. If you have diabetes, it will reduce complications. The reduced inflammation in your body will make you better at fighting infection and maybe even make it easier to lose weight. Keep up the good work!

Gingivitis – Gingivitis is very common. Around 80% of people in the United States have gingivitis.  If you have gingivitis, your gums bleed when you floss them or when the dentist measures your pockets. There might be some redness along the edge of the gum where it meets the tooth.  Gingivitis means your gums are reacting to some irritation. It can be plaque, food particles, bacterial infection, or a foreign object.  Healthy gums don’t bleed when touched.

If you see signs of gingivitis you’ll need to be doing better at home with flossing and brushing and you might need to increase your frequency. Ask Dr. Milne or the hygienist for a demo of proper brushing and flossing technique. You might also need different instruments.

Early Periodontitis – At this stage, you’ve had gingivitis for some time and it has progressed to something more serious. Dr. Milne or our hygienist might tell you that you are developing pockets around your teeth. Your gums typically will bleed when flossed or probed.

Minor gum recession is also common at this stage. Gum recession is when gums pull down, away from the tooth, after healing from inflammation. Receding gums aren’t pretty and can lead to tooth sensitivity because the root of the tooth starts to become exposed as the gum pulls down. Gum recession is 100% irreversible. It’s permanent and only surgery can replace what was lost.

Early periodontitis is the beginning of a very dangerous path. If you’re at this stage, Dr. Milne may recommend a deep cleaning in isolated areas, called scaling and root planing.  Root planing may be required at this stage because there’s so much tartar buildup that brushing and flossing on your own will be inadequate. With this much tartar buildup, it’s impossible to clean down to the surface of the tooth — until it’s removed by a professional in a deep cleaning. Scaling and root planing is done in quarters of your mouth — upper right, upper left, lower right, and lower left. You may need a deep cleaning in one, two, three, or all four of these quadrants.

This procedure gives you the chance to prevent the tartar from building up and taking hold again. This is why follow through is critical after the deep cleaning.

Moderate to Severe Periodontitis – At this stage, you also have deeper pockets and bleeding gums. As the severity increases, it gets more and more difficult to get healthy again. In these severe stages of periodontitis, you begin to tempt your fate with a point of no return — as in, the point where your gums will no longer respond to treatment. Surgery is frequently required in these stages.  Often you have developed loose teeth that we may not be able to save.

You’ll need multiple scaling and root planing appointments. In very severe cases Dr. Milne may recommend a referral to a periodontist as well, who specializes in these more advanced and serious stages of gum disease.

After your root planing procedures, your follow through at home with proper brushing and flossing is imperative to be able to manage the disease. Everything that was done will be reversed without taking care of your teeth every day consistently.

The treatment guidelines above are for gum disease that is caused by plaque. But gum disease can also occur due to hormonal changes from a pregnancy, medications you’re taking, grinding your teeth, or having large restorations on your teeth.

A filling is a way to restore a tooth damaged by decay back to its normal function and shape. By closing off spaces where bacteria can enter, a filling also helps prevent further decay. Materials used for fillings usually include composite resin (tooth-colored fillings), and a amalgam alloy (a combination of silver, copper, tin, mercury and sometimes zinc).

Which Type of Filling is Best?

No one type of filling is best for everyone. What’s right for you will be determined by the extent of the repair, whether you have allergies to certain materials, where in your mouth the filling is needed, if the area is able to be isolated to stay dry and free of blood during the procedure, and the cost. Considerations for different materials include:

• Amalgam (silver) fillings are resistant to wear and relatively inexpensive. They are a very good option for areas that can not be isolated well. However, due to their dark color, they are more noticeable than porcelain or composite restorations and are not usually used in very visible areas, such as front teeth.
• Composite resins (tooth colored fillings) are very durable types of plastics that are matched to be the same color as your teeth and therefore used where a natural appearance is desired. The ingredients are mixed and placed directly into the cavity, where they harden. Composites may not be the ideal material for large fillings as they may chip or wear over time. They can also become stained and may not last as long as other types of fillings.

What Happens When You get a Filling?

If you and Dr Milne decide to put in a filling, he will first remove the infected tooth material and clean the affected area. The cleaned-out cavity will then be filled with any of the variety of materials described above.

How Do I Know if I Need a Filling?

During a checkup,Dr. Milne will use a small mirror to examine the surfaces of each tooth. He will also X-ray your entire mouth or a section of it. Whatever Dr Milne finds on any part of the examination will be explained to you and he will discuss your options for treatment.  Dr Milne encourages you to ask lots of questions and discuss the findings and the way forward to better oral health.  The type of treatment you choose with Dr Milne will depend on the extent of damage caused by decay, the treatment options, and ultimately how you want your teeth to look and feel.  Dr Milne believes in a team treatment philosophy, and you are the most important part of the team.

We love working with your kids! We have a lot of kids of our own, we’re all family people, so your kids will have the best care possible, like they were our own family. Don’t hesitate to bring your little ones in for any of our services or with you when you have an appointment.  Having as many positive experiences in the dental office as possible is an important way to develop good oral health care habits for your children.

It is recommended that you develop a dental home for all your kids.  A place that knows them and their individual oral health circumstances.  Helping your kids start a good relationship with health care providers will allow them to be willing and comfortable when treatment is needed.

Dr Milne will see kids as soon as they start teething.  Most of the time these early visits are at no cost and are a great way to introduce your child to the dental office setting and get used to having someone look at their mouth.  For early visits our goal is first and foremost to build a relationship with each child.  We want these events to be ALL POSITIVE.  If they are comfortable and happy our goal will be to try to see all of their teeth, have the child let us brush their teeth, and apply fluoride (starting about 3).  Unless we are concerned about a specific area, we typically will try and do a first xray examination at age 5.  This is when we use images that are able to see in between teeth for the first time and ensure those surfaces that we cant see with a  visual examination are healthy. Our next milestone will be at age 8 when we take our first panoramic xray.  This image is important at this time to allow us to see that all permanent teeth are developing appropriately.  Some decisions and treatment with braces are best made at this early stage.

Occasionally kids do require treatment and can be anxious or nervous about it.  Dr Milne will do everything he can to make the experience a good one.  Cartoons to watch during treatment, positive message during the appointment and lots of explanation will often allow very difficult procedures to be done on most kids.  If a child is particularly anxious, we can use “laughing gas” and oxygen to help relax patients during treatment.  Very rarely, a patient will not be comfortable despite our best efforts.  In those rare times, we will refer that patient to a specialist who can completely sedate them to get the necessary work done.

Dr Milne strongly believes that dental appointments need to be positive experiences.  He does not restrain or allow parents to restrain children to accomplish dental procedures in the office.  These traumatic events can lead to patients developing strong phobias in the future and limit a person’s ability to be good dental patients as adults.  Highly anxious patients are better served by sedation and then consistently having good experiences for cleanings and check ups will reduce the need for sedatives in the future.

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth — to cover the tooth and restore its shape and size, add strength, and improve its appearance. The crown, when cemented into place, fully encases the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line.

What Types of Crowns Are Available?

Permanent crowns can be made from metal (such as gold or another alloy), porcelain-fused-to-metal, or ceramic and porcelain.

• Metals used in crowns include gold alloy, other alloys (for example, palladium), or a base-metal alloy (for example, nickel or chromium). Compared with some other crown types, less tooth structure needs to be removed with metal crowns, and tooth wear to opposing teeth is kept to a minimum. Metal crowns withstand biting and chewing forces well and probably last the longest in terms of wear. Also, metal crowns rarely chip or break. The metallic color is the main drawback. Metal crowns are a good choice for out-of-sight molars or if someone grinds their teeth.
• Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns can be color matched to your adjacent teeth (unlike the metallic crowns). However, more wear on the opposing teeth occurs with this crown type compared with metal crowns. The crown’s porcelain portion may also be prone to chip or break. Next to all-ceramic crowns, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns look most like normal teeth. However, sometimes the metal underlying the crown’s porcelain can show through as a dark line, especially at the gum line and even more so if your gums recede. These crowns can be a good choice for front or back teeth particularly if the edges of the crown needs to be placed deeper below your gum line.
• All-ceramic or all-porcelain dental crowns provide better natural color match than any other crown type and may be more suitable for people with metal allergies. With so many advances being made with this type of crown, it is the most common crown placed.  An increase in strength of these materials and more demands from patients to not want gold teeth have driven this major change to our treatment decisions. All-ceramic crowns are a good choice for most areas of your mouth.
• Temporary versus permanent. Temporary crowns can be made in our office, whereas permanent crowns are made in a dental laboratory. Temporary crowns are usually made of acrylic and can be used as a temporary restoration until a permanent crown is constructed by a lab.

What Steps Are Involved in Preparing a Tooth for a Crown?

Preparing a tooth for a crown usually requires two visits to our office — the first step involves examining and preparing the tooth, the second visit involves placement of the permanent crown.

First Visit: Examining and preparing the tooth.

At the first visit in preparation for a crown, Dr. Milne may take a few X-rays to check the roots of the tooth receiving the crown and surrounding bone. If the tooth has extensive decay or if there is a risk of infection or injury to the tooth’s pulp, a root canal treatment may first be performed.

Before the process of making a crown begins, Dr. Milne will anesthetize (numb) the tooth and the gum tissue around the tooth. Next, the tooth receiving the crown is prepared down along the chewing surface and sides to make room for the crown. The amount removed depends on the type of crown used (for instance, all-metal crowns are thinner and require less tooth structure removal than all-porcelain or porcelain-fused-to-metal ones). If, on the other hand, a large area of the tooth is missing (due to decay or damage), Dr. Milne will use filling material to “build up” the tooth to support the crown.

An impression will be made of the prepared tooth and set to the dental lab for fabrication.  Dr. Milne is a firm believer in utilizing dental laboratories and the value they provide as experts and artists.  While this is seen as an extra step in the process, Dr. Milne is willing to keep this step to ensure your crown is built to exact tolerances and will last as long as possible.

Finally, a temporary crown will be made for you in our office until your permanent crown is completed.

Second Visit: Cementing Permanent Crown.

Once your crown is custom made by the laboratory, we will remove your temporary crown and permanently place your new crown.  It will function like your natural tooth.  Increased care will be needed to keep your new crown strong and healthy, especially the area where your tooth and crown meet.  Usually, no anesthetic is necessary to complete this step of the crown.

Why Is a Dental Crown Needed?

A dental crown may be needed in the following situations:

• To protect a weak tooth (for instance, from decay) from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth
• To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down
• To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn’t a lot of tooth left
• To hold a dental bridge in place
• To cover misshapened or severely discolored teeth
• To cover a dental implant

A bridge is made up of two or more crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap — these two or more anchoring teeth are called abutment teeth — and a false tooth/teeth in between. These false teeth are called pontics and can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials. Dental bridges are supported by natural teeth or implants.

What Types of Dental Bridges Are Available?

There are three main types of dental bridges:

• Traditional bridges involve creating a crown for the tooth or implant on either side of the missing tooth, with a pontic in between. Traditional bridges are the most common type of bridge and are made of either porcelain fused to metal or ceramics.
• Cantilever bridges are used when there are adjacent teeth on only one side of the missing tooth or teeth. This is not very common any more and is not recommended in the back of the mouth where it can put too much force on other teeth and damage them.
• Maryland bonded bridges (also called a resin-bonded bridge or a Maryland bridge) are made of porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, or plastic teeth and gums supported by a metal or porcelain framework. Metal or porcelain wings on each side of the bridge are bonded to your existing teeth.

What Is the Process for Getting a Dental Bridge?

During the first visit for getting a dental bridge, the abutment teeth are prepared. Preparation involves recontouring these teeth by removing a portion of enamel to allow room for a crown to be placed over them. Next, impressions of the teeth are made, which serve as a model from which the bridge, pontic, and crowns will be made by a dental lab. Your dentist will make a temporary bridge to wear to protect the exposed teeth and gums while the bridge is being made.

During the second visit, your temporary bridge will be removed and the new porcelain or metal bridge will be checked and adjusted, as necessary, to achieve a proper fit. Multiple visits may be required to check the fit of the framework and bite. This is dependent on each individual’s case. After the fit and function is verified, the bridge is cemented into place.

Tooth Removal (Extraction)

A tooth extraction, or exodontia, is the removal of a tooth. Reasons for a tooth extraction include decayed or broken teeth. They may also be removed to make room for other teeth during orthodontic treatment. Throughout history, tooth removal has been used to treat a variety of illnesses before the discovery of antibiotics as chronic tooth infections were linked to a number of ailments. There are two main types of tooth extractions: simple extractions and surgical extractions. Simple extractions are performed on visible teeth in the mouth under local anesthesia. The tooth is loosened from its socket and then removed with dental forceps. Surgical extraction is a more complicated procedure done on teeth that have broken under the gum line, have not fully erupted, or when a tooth needs to be removed in multiple pieces. Find out more about tooth extractions and removal, postoperative care, and potential complications.

What to Expect With Tooth Extraction

Dentists and oral surgeons (dentists with special training to perform surgery) perform tooth extractions. Before pulling the tooth, your dentist will give you an injection of a local anesthetic to numb the area where the tooth will be removed. If you are having more than one tooth pulled or if a tooth is impacted, your dentist may use recommend being sedated for the procedure. This will prevent pain throughout your body and make you sleep through the procedure.

If the tooth is impacted, the dentist will cut away gum and bone tissue that cover the tooth and then, using forceps, grasp the tooth and gently rock it back and forth to loosen it from the jaw bone and ligaments that hold it in place. Sometimes, a hard-to-pull tooth must be removed in pieces.

Once the tooth has been pulled, a blood clot usually forms in the socket. The dentist will pack a gauze pad into the socket and have you bite down on it to help stop the bleeding. Sometimes the dentist will place a few stitches — usually self-dissolving — to close the gum edges over the extraction site.

Sometimes, the blood clot in the socket breaks loose, exposing the bone in the socket. This is a painful condition called dry socket. If this happens, your dentist will likely place a sedative dressing over the socket for a few days to protect it as a new clot forms.

A dental implant is an artificial tooth. Your dentist may suggest it if a permanent tooth fell out from an injury or was taken out because of bad tooth decay.

Implants are natural-looking, can provide support for dentures, and do not affect the teeth bordering them. But after you have an implant, you may need to have more surgery in the future so that the implant stays in place in your jawbone. Talk to your dentist about the pros and cons of this treatment option.

After your tooth has been removed:

• Your dentist, or surgeon will place a biocompatible post into your bone. The post functions as the tooth root and is made from metals such as titanium. Your new tooth will attach to the post. It takes 3 to 6 months for the bone to grow around the post and hold it in place.
• When the post is well attached to the bone, your dentist will cement the artificial tooth (crown) to the implant.

You may have swelling or tenderness or both for a few days after the surgery, and your dentist may give you pain medicine. Your dentist may also suggest that you eat only soft foods for a period of time.

After you have an implant, it stays in. You do not have to remove it for cleaning.

It is just as important to brush and floss implants as it is with natural teeth. If bacteria build up on implants, you can end up with gum disease and bone loss.

What are the advantages of a dental implant?

• Improved appearance. Dental implants look and feel the closest to having your own teeth. And because they are designed to fuse with bone, they become permanent.
• Improved speech. With poor-fitting dentures, the teeth can slip within the mouth causing you to mumble or slur your words. Dental implants allow you to speak without the worry that teeth might slip.
• Improved comfort. Because they become part of you, implants eliminate the discomfort of removable dentures.
• Easier eating. Sliding dentures can make chewing difficult. Dental implants function like your own teeth, allowing you to eat your favorite foods with confidence and without pain.
• Improved self-esteem. Dental implants can give you back your smile and help you feel better about yourself.
• Improved oral health. Dental implants don’t require reducing other teeth, as a tooth-supported bridge does. Because nearby teeth are not altered to support the implant, more of your own teeth are left intact, improving long-term oral health. Individual implants also allow easier access between teeth, improving oral hygiene.
• Durability. Implants are very durable and will last many years. With good care, many implants last a lifetime.
• Convenience. Removable dentures are just that; removable. Dental implants eliminate the embarrassing inconvenience of removing dentures, as well as the need for messy adhesives to keep them in place.

Teeth Whitening and Bleaching

Want a brighter smile? When it comes to tooth-whitening, you’ve got two options: in-office-based teeth bleaching, or at-home care.

Generally, the longer you keep a stronger solution on your teeth, the whiter your teeth become. However, the higher the percentage of the whitening solution, the shorter it should be applied to the teeth. Keeping the gel on longer will increase tooth sensitivity.

There are pros and cons to each option, but before you try at-home tooth-bleaching kits, be sure to talk to your dentist. Not everyone will see good results. Bleaching will not whiten porcelain crowns or composite tooth-colored bondings.

In-Office Tooth Whitening

Teeth whitening done by your dentist can get teeth brighter faster. The bleaching solution is usually much stronger than at-home kits. Also, heat, light, or a combination of the two may be used to speed and intensify the whitening process.

The most dramatic results usually take several 30- to 60-minute in-office visits. The cost of in-office tooth whitening varies, but can range from $500 to $1,000.

At-Home Teeth Bleaching Options

There are many choices for bleaching teeth at home, the most common include:

• Tooth whitening strips and gels. Applied directly to the teeth with a brush or a thin strip, these peroxide-based tooth bleaching products usually need to be applied once or twice a day for 10 to 14 days. Results can last four or more months.
• Tray-based tooth bleaching systems. With this teeth whitening option, a mouth guard-like tray is filled with a peroxide-based bleaching gel or paste and placed over the teeth for one to several hours a day for up to four weeks. You can buy tray-based tooth whitening systems over-the-counter or have one custom-fitted by your dentist. The cost can range from $150 to $600.
• Tooth whitening toothpastes. Because they’re mildly abrasive, every toothpaste helps remove stains from teeth. Whitening toothpastes, however, also contain chemicals or polishing agents that help scrub stains from teeth without the aid of a bleaching agent. Tooth-whitening toothpastes are relatively inexpensive and brighten teeth by about one shade. Some whitening toothpastes contain peroxides, but they aren’t left on the teeth long enough to have a whitening benefit.

Keeping Teeth White

Whether you use an at-home tooth-whitening system, or have your teeth bleached by a dentist, you can help maintain the results by flossing and brushing daily. Also, avoid acidic and tannin-rich foods and beverages such as:

• Black teas and coffee
• White and red wine
• Sports drinks
• Carbonated beverages (dark and light-colored sodas)
• Berries and other strongly-colored foods
• Sauces (soy, tomato, curries)

Have a dental emergency? We can help! Just give us a call on our office line and we’ll do what we can to work through your emergency as fast as we can! There’s no reason for you to continue to sit in pain while waiting two weeks to see a dentist. Give us a call today!

Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Your dentist or an oral and maxillofacial surgeon can remove (extract) a wisdom tooth. Before removing a wisdom tooth, your dentist will give you a local anesthetic to numb the area where the tooth will be removed. Sedation may be used, especially if several or all of your wisdom teeth will be removed at the same time. A general anesthetic prevents pain in the whole body and will cause you to sleep through the procedure. Your dentist will probably recommend that you don’t eat or drink after midnight on the night before surgery so that you are prepared for the anesthetic.

To remove the wisdom tooth, your dentist will open up the gum tissue over the tooth and take out any bone that is covering the tooth. He or she will separate the tissue connecting the tooth to the bone and then remove the tooth. Sometimes the dentist will cut the tooth into smaller pieces to make it easier to remove.

After the tooth is removed, you may need stitches. Some stitches dissolve over time and some have to be removed after a few days. Your dentist will tell you whether your stitches need to be removed. A folded cotton gauze pad placed over the wound will help stop the bleeding.

What To Expect After Surgery

In most cases, the recovery period lasts only a few days. Take painkillers as prescribed by your dentist or oral surgeon. The following tips will help speed your recovery.

• Bite gently on the gauze pad periodically, and change pads as they become soaked with blood. Call your dentist or oral surgeon if you still have bleeding 24 hours after your surgery.
• While your mouth is numb, be careful not to bite the inside of your cheek or lip, or your tongue.
• Do not lie flat. This may prolong bleeding. Prop up your head with pillows.
• Try using an ice pack on the outside of your cheek. Apply for 15 to 20 minutes at a time for the first 24 hours. You can use moist heat—such as a washcloth soaked in warm water and wrung out—for the following 2 or 3 days.
• Relax after surgery. Physical activity may increase bleeding.
• Eat soft foods, such as gelatin, pudding, or a thin soup. Gradually add solid foods to your diet as healing progresses.
• Do not use a straw for the first few days. Sucking on a straw can loosen the blood clot and delay healing.
• After the first day, gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water several times a day to reduce swelling and relieve pain. You can make your own salt water by mixing 1 tsp (5 g) of salt in a medium-sized glass [8 fl oz (240 mL)] of warm water.
• Do not smoke for at least 72 hours after your surgery. The sucking motion can loosen the clot and delay healing. Also, smoking decreases the blood supply and can bring germs and contaminants to the surgery area.
• Avoid rubbing the area with your tongue or touching it with your fingers.
• Continue to brush your teeth and tongue carefully.
• Your dentist will remove the stitches after a few days, if needed.

Why Wisdom Teeth Are Removed

A wisdom tooth is extracted to correct an actual problem or to prevent problems that may come up in the future. Some of the problems that can occur when wisdom teeth come in are:

• Your jaw may not be large enough for them, and they may become impacted and unable to break through your gums.
• Your wisdom teeth may break partway through your gums, causing a flap of gum tissue to grow over them. Food and germs can get trapped under the flap and cause your gums to become red, swollen, and painful. These are signs of infection.
• More serious problems can develop from impacted teeth, such as infection, damage to other teeth and bone, or a cyst.
• One or more of your wisdom teeth may come in at an awkward angle, with the top of the tooth facing forward, backward, or to either side.

Root Canal (Endodontic Treatment)

Root canal or endodontic treatment—treatment done to the inside of the tooth—is necessary when the pulp becomes inflamed or infected. The inflammation or infection can have a variety of causes: deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the tooth, faulty crowns, or a crack or chip in the tooth. In addition, trauma to a tooth may cause pulp damage even if the tooth has no visible chips or cracks. If pulp inflammation or infection is left untreated, it can cause pain or lead to an abscess.

During root canal or endodontic treatment, the inflamed or infected pulp is removed and the inside of the tooth is carefully cleaned and disinfected, then filled and sealed with a rubber-like material called gutta-percha. Afterwards, the tooth is restored with a crown or filling for protection. After restoration, the tooth continues to function like any other tooth.

Endodontic treatment helps you maintain your natural smile, continue eating the foods you love and limits the need for ongoing dental work. With proper care, most teeth that have had root canal treatment can last a lifetime.