Am I a good candidate for sleep apnea dentistry?
Am I a good candidate for sleep apnea dentistry? Patients who suffer from snoring and sleep problems due to sleep apnea may seek a more comfortable and less invasive solution than CPAP treatments, and many turn to sleep apnea dental care for effective therapies, like oral appliances. Oral appliances may be a treatment option for patients who have mild to moderate sleep apnea and whose symptoms are caused by a repetitive airway obstruction, such as excess throat tissue, an enlarged uvula, swollen tonsils or a large tongue. Before electing to pursue oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea, patients should complete a comprehensive evaluation with a sleep specialist who has been board certified. An overnight sleep study can determine the problem’s severity while...
Am I a good candidate for dental veneers?
Dental veneers are a popular and effective solution for many kinds of problems affecting the teeth. You may be considering veneers to brighten and whiten discolored or stained teeth, transform crooked or chipped teeth or make your smile look more balanced. Veneers are a great treatment for these and other issues. People who are good candidates for dental veneers have generally good dental health. The thin porcelain shells can be used to correct a variety of minor to moderate issues, like small stains, chips or spaces between the teeth. Dental veneers may not be the best treatment option for people with gum disease, including gingivitis, severe misalignment, tooth decay or major cracks because the veneers must be adhered to healthy teeth. People who clench or grind...
Am I a good candidate for a smile makeover?
A smile makeover can completely transform your smile, boost your confidence and even improve your oral health. If you are considering a smile makeover, ask yourself these questions: Do you smile with your mouth closed in pictures? Does your smile make you feel self-conscious? Is your laughter inhibited by your smile? Would you feel more self-assured and confident if your smile was straighter, whiter or more balanced? Are you dedicated to keeping your new smile healthy? If the answer is “yes” to any of these questions, a smile makeover may be the treatment plan for you. People who suffer from chipped, broken, cracked, missing, stained, misaligned or uneven teeth are great candidates for the procedure. A complete smile makeover can address all these issues and...
Am I a good candidate for dental implants?
Dental implants are often an aesthetically pleasing, durable and effective solution for restoring the oral health of people who have lost teeth due to trauma or decay. The custom-made implants not only restore the function and look of a smile, but they can also reduce the risk of further tooth loss by stopping the remaining natural teeth from shifting toward the missing tooth’s space and causing a misaligned bite. Dental implants also do not require removing or changing the neighboring teeth, allowing patients to keep their healthy teeth intact. A good candidate for dental implants is in good overall health and has healthy gums. People who seek dental implants to replace missing or damaged teeth also should have strong bone density in the jaw. Bone density...
What are my dental treatment options for broken teeth repair?
The enamel that blankets teeth is one of the body’s most mineralized and hard tissues, but its strength can be challenged by falling, biting down on a hard object or other trauma. Luckily, chipped or broken teeth can be repaired by a variety of techniques and treatments. Your Alexandria dentist can recommend the best treatment for your broken teeth based on your dental history, aesthetic preferences and the degree of the chip or break. Dental bondings or fillings are often used to repair small breaks or chips. Fillings are visible in the mouth, so they are more commonly used on teeth that cannot be seen through a smile. Bondings are a great solution for small chips on front teeth because the bonding material is made of a composite resin the color of teeth....
Root Canal Treatment : What is Root Canal Surgery?
Sometimes root canal treatment may not be appropriate, when this is the case a procedure known as an apicoectomy or more commonly known as root surgery is performed to help eliminate infection. The procedure is done in our office with local anesthesia and is usually completed within one hour. Most patients undergoing this routine root surgery can often return to work the same day. During the procedure the doctor will make a small incision into the gum tissue to expose the bone. Once this is done a small access window is made into the bone to expose the tip of the root. In most cases 3-4 millimeters of the root end is removed to eliminate the trapped bacteria in the small accessory canals or the delta of the root system. Often a retro-fill material is placed into...