There are times when a tooth is so damaged from decay, trauma, or cracking that a filling isn’t the best choice. In these cases, a dental crown may be recommended for long-term tooth health. If a tooth is missing completely, your dentist may suggest a dental bridge to fill the gap between two bordering teeth.
Dental crowns, or “caps,” completely cover and protect your damaged tooth. It is bonded in place, giving you a stable, strong, and attractive alternative for your original tooth. Because it is customized for you using impressions your dentist makes of your teeth, it is a perfect match in size, shape, and position to your natural tooth.
Dental crowns can be the perfect solution to a severely damaged tooth. You won’t need to worry about pain, tooth stability, or your appearance when you choose a dental crown. Depending on what material is used, your crown can look as natural as your own tooth.
Dental bridges are designed to span a gap caused by a missing tooth. Having a gap in your smile can affect you in more ways than just cosmetics. Chewing and talking can become problematic as teeth adjacent to the gap begin to shift, leaving the potential for gum disease or jaw issues.
Dental bridges literally bridge the gap between two teeth. They are cemented onto the pair of teeth that border the empty space vacated by one or more missing teeth. The bordering teeth act as anchors for the bridge, and are trimmed down to hold a dental crown. Between the two crowns is a replacement tooth, customized for you by your dentist. Once the bridge is in place, you will regain the ability to smile freely while the bridge maintains the shape of your face and lips. You will speak more clearly and be able to eat a greater variety of foods. A dental crown also protects your healthy teeth from issues related to bite alignment.
Dental crowns and dental bridges are excellent choices for overall dental health, and can last a lifetime. To prevent damage to your dental work, avoid chewing things like ice or hard candy. It is also important to maintain regular dental checkups.
We offer dental crowns at our Ottawa dental office
If you’ve visited the oral care section at the drugstore lately, you’ve seen the big selection of products available to help whiten your teeth. Or, maybe you’ve noticed advertisements for professional whitening techniques to really zap the stains off your teeth. But have you wondered if the old-fashioned remedy of using baking soda on your teeth really works to regain your pearly whites?
Since as early as the eighteenth century, baking soda has been used to whiten teeth. Its most common uses are for baking to make cakes rise, and household cleaning because it helps remove stains. Somewhere through the years, people figured out that it could also be used to whiten teeth.
There are several advantages to whitening your teeth with baking soda. First, it’s inexpensive and you probably already have a box in your pantry. It does a good job in getting rid of teeth stains from things like coffee, red wine, tea, and smoking. Furthermore, baking soda reduces plaque buildup on your teeth. Because plaque has a role in discoloring your teeth, baking soda can help to whiten them by removing the plaque.
Keep in mind, however, that baking soda isn’t always the best answer. It’s possible for it to remove more than just plaque and stains from your teeth. Baking soda is very abrasive and might remove enamel from your teeth if you use it too often. Don’t apply baking soda directly on your teeth any more than once weekly. Another option instead of using it “raw” on your teeth is choosing a whitening toothpaste that contains baking soda.
There are few things more irritating than having a painful, swollen sore in your mouth. It bothers you while eating, talking, and even just sitting around. There are a number of types of mouth sores with different causes. Some are infections from bacteria, viruses, or fungus. Or they can be a result of an ill-fitting denture, broken tooth or filling, or loose orthodontic wire. Mouth sores can also be a symptom of a medical condition. Here are some details about common mouth sores.
Canker sore
These small sores occur inside your mouth, and are white or gray with a red outline. They aren’t contagious, but are recurring and can happen one-at-a-time or several at once. Experts believe that lowered immune systems, bacteria, or viruses are risk factors. Canker sores often heal by themselves in about a week, and topical anesthetics or antibacterial mouthwashes may provide relief.
Cold sore
Also called fever blisters, these sores occur outside of your mouth around your lips, nose, or chin. These blisters filled with fluid are caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1, and are extremely contagious. Once you have been infected with the herpes virus, it remains in your body and occasionally flares up. Cold sores usually heal in about a week on their own. Topical anesthetics may help, and your dentist might prescribe antiviral medications to reduce outbreaks.
Candidiasis
Also called oral thrush, candidiasis is a result of the yeast Candida albicans reproducing in large quantities. It usually happens to those with weakened immune systems, and is common with people wearing dentures or with dry mouth syndrome. Candidiasis is also linked to taking antibiotics. Controlling candidiasis is done by preventing or controlling the cause of the outbreak. Ask your dentist for advice.
Leukoplakia
Common with tobacco users, leukoplakia are thick white patches on the inside of your cheeks, gums, or tongue. In addition to tobacco use, they can also be caused by ill-fitting dentures or continual chewing on the inside of your cheek. Leukoplakia is linked with oral cancer, so your dentist may advise a biopsy if the patch looks suspicious.
It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. Often, advertising for cosmetic dentistry focuses on women. Photos in magazines and on Web sites show attractive females with gorgeous smiles. Although these campaigns often target women, men can benefit from cosmetic dentistry too.
Professionally and personally, men have just as many reasons as women do to look their best. Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you. Having a vibrant, white smile can create a perception of self-assurance, intelligence, and warmth. Men who have cosmetic dental enhancements can enjoy the benefits of looking younger and feeling more confident.
Though you can opt for a total smile makeover, you don’t have to change everything to update your appearance. For a minimal investment, teeth whitening can make you look years younger. If you want to straighten teeth, talk with your dentist about Invisalign clear braces. Porcelain veneers can cover imperfections on front teeth and reveal a gorgeous, new image.
Not only can rejuvenating your smile boost your confidence, but it can also improve your oral health. Crooked teeth are actually harder to clean, which can lead to gum disease or decay. As well, small cavities can lead to the need for crowns or root canals if left untreated.
To enhance your smile, first find a cosmetic dentist you can trust. Talk with friends, relatives, and colleagues to get recommendations. Once you find the right person, schedule a consultation so that you can meet with the doctor and share your ideas. Why wait any longer to enjoy a sensational smile?
You no longer have to suffer through the embarrassment or difficulties of having gaps in your smile due to missing teeth. Dentists are able to restore smiles using dental bridges, which replace your missing tooth or teeth in a completely natural looking and comfortable way. If you have gaps in your smile from losing teeth to infection, decay, or trauma, it’s time to learn how to bridge those gaps.
What is a bridge?
A dental bridge does exactly what it conjures up in your mind; it bridges the gap where a tooth or teeth are missing. The bridge consists of two caps (also called crowns) and a false tooth. The bridge is permanently placed next to teeth on both sides of the artificial tooth. Once in place, the bridge allows you to eat, speak, and look as if you have natural teeth.
Are there different kinds?
There are three primary types of bridges:
• Traditional bridges, made of porcelain, are fixed in place so that they cannot be removed from your mouth.
• Cantilever bridges are used when there is only one natural tooth next to the gap in your mouth.
• Maryland bonded bridges, or resin-bonded bridges, are mostly used for missing front teeth. They are ideal when the surrounding teeth are healthy and strong.
How can it benefit me?
In addition to the obvious advantage of making your smile look more attractive, dental bridges can also help you eat more efficiently and comfortably. Your speech will likely improve, and your bite may also be corrected. With proper oral hygiene, bridges help lower your risk of gum disease and prevent teeth from moving into the gaps that were there before. The bridge process itself usually only requires two dental visits, and is less invasive than some other procedures.
