Dental crowns are tooth shaped and are placed over a tooth to improve, restore or correct its size, shape, and appearance. Crowns are a very common dental restorative practice and are highly successful.  Your Westerville dentists can crown your teeth and restore them to their royal and natural state.

Dental crowns are needed for a number of reasons. Crowns can protect weak or decaying teeth or can hold a cracking tooth together. They can also be used to restore a broken tooth or build-up a worn down tooth.  Some teeth have experienced such severe decay that little natural tooth remains and a crown would be used to cover and support the remaining tooth. Crowns are also used as anchors to hold dental bridges in place and to cover dental implants. There are both medical and cosmetic reasons to consider crowns.

Crowns are typically made from metal, porcelain, resin or ceramic. Metals such as gold or nickel of have been used extensively in the past and are effective because it withstands biting and chewing and shows the most resistance to wearing down. Metal crowns seldom break or chip. The metallic color can be a major drawback and therefore is mainly used for crowns on teeth which are out of sight. Your dentist will suggest the best material to use in a crown for your teeth. It is mostly based on the individual case and personal preference.

Crowns can be temporary or permanent. Temporary crowns can be fabricated right in the office of your Westerville dental specialist but permanent crowns are produced in a dental laboratory. Many times patients are fitted with a temporary crown until a permanent crown can be made and installed. Preparing a tooth for a crown generally requires at least two visits. Call and make an appointment today and help your teeth feel royal.

Your Birmingham family dentist may recommend that you use dental sealants on your children’s teeth in order to try and prevent decay to their teeth as much as possible. Sealants are a clear layer of plastic that will be bonded to the top of your molars to try and keep plaque from starting to eat away at the small crevices that are on the top of your teeth. Since molars have so many peaks and valleys, having a sealant placed on top of them is a wonderful way to keep plaque from starting to eat away at your tooth’s sensitive enamel.

Dental sealants are typically applied to children’s teeth because they have yet to have cavities on the top of their teeth. The sealant is placed on the chewing surface and it is very thin so it will not impact the bite at all. The first molars will break in around the age of 6 and by the age of 12, all of the molars should be in and it is best to place the sealants on the teeth at this time. This will provide the molars with a  greater opportunity to stay healthy as it can keep the germs and bacteria from decaying the tooth.

A Birmingham Dental will be able to apply the sealants in a few minutes. It doesn’t require anesthesia and drilling of any kind, just cleaning of the teeth and then placing a special gel on top of it for a few seconds before the sealant will be painted to the top of the tooth. Then a dental light is used to bond the sealant to the tooth and to make it strong enough to protect the tooth from decay.

Sealants are very thin and you may be able to feel them with your tongue but they aren’t going to have any type of an impact on your bite and your retainers or braces if you have them.

Technically bruxism is both a sleep disorder and a dental issue. The action of grinding teeth is often times done while sleeping. Therefore it is considered a sleep disorder. However, the action of grinding results in damage to the structure of your teeth. Grinding is an oral para-functional activity. This grinding can happen at night, but also at napping. The type and intensity really is determined case by case.

What causes this disorder? Well there have been some say it is a chewing reflex. However, the specialists have proven that it is a habit. As with all habits, it can be changed. The professionals at Daly City Dental offices will help you or your family members change this habit.

Any habit can change with consistency and time. Bruxism is no different. Though, finding the trigger is important. Triggers can be anything from digestive ailments to anxiety. When you know what is causing the issue, it is easier to work with.

Sometimes it is hard to determine bruxism. The Dentists within the Daly City Dentist professions will ask about some symptoms to determine if you are dealing with bruxism. These symptoms can vary, but jaw pain, headaches and tooth wearing are some to be aware of.

There are also diagnostic tools available to check for bruxism. There tools are called EMG (electromyography) devices. They measure movement using adhesive electrodes or a headband that is attached. The measurements will show if there is clenching or grinding. However, even before these tests, it is more likely that a partner or family member will notice first.

Once it is determined that bruxism is the diagnosis, there are treatments that your family dentist will provide. This could be anything from relaxation exercises to mouth guards. We will find the answer together as a good night sleep and healthy teeth are our goal.

Trying to improve your smile? Has your stained teeth made it more difficult for you to open your mouth? You aren’t alone. So many people have lost their self-confidence for the simple reason that they have stained teeth. Teeth whitening procedures will allow your stained teeth to be restored to its original color. This will allow you to smile more freely and interact easily with other people knowing that you have nothing to worry about when you open your mouth. Teeth whitening is a kind of Walnut Creek cosmetic dentistry procedure. If you are thinking of having your teeth whiten, you can consult your doctor about your options.

Your teeth get stained through time because the enamel cracks open and allows for the accumulation of debris. The enamel is the part of your teeth that your see. The enamel is porcelain like and is crystalline, and cushions the dentin that is found in the inside of our teeth. Whenever we chew or we eat something acidic, the enamel has to take all the beating. The cracks that develop will allow debris to accumulate which forms into stains.

There are a number of factors that will exacerbate your stained teeth problem. Substances like red wine, coffee, tea and cola will stain your teeth as well as drugs that contain tetracycline. Your genes will also determine the natural whiteness of your teeth. Older people with extensive wear and tear are also expected to have more stained teeth.

You can opt to have an in-office or a take-home whitening procedure. The two processes make use of concentrated peroxide gel that is applied on the teeth. But for in-office procedures, the Walnut Creek dentist will administer the gel which is often more concentrated than the gel used for take-home whitening procedures that patients administer on their own. You may select one according to your preferences.