Information About Root Canals

A root canal is a dental procedure that all of us are familiar with.  Root canals are something we all dread, although when someone else is getting the procedure most of us find it to be somewhat amusing.  When someone asks for a root canal on the other hand, most of us, including dentists, find it to be very absurd to say the least.

Although many aren’t aware of this, root canals have been around for many generations.  Many years ago, ancient civilizations used this method to save teeth that would have been lost otherwise.  These civilizations offered root canals to those such as queens, kings, pharaohs, and the rich.  The teeth from peasants were normally extracted then sold to aristocrats.

Many years ago, doctors believed that worms were the reason for tooth decay.  They also believed that there were many ways to kill the worms, including rinsing the mouth in one’s own urine both day and night.  Although this is sick to say the least, this remedy was discarded in 1728, proven to be non effective and replaced by other more suitable treatment.  As time passed, doctors proved that the best way to stop the pain was to clean and remove the nerve and pulp of the tooth.

Root canals are a very common procedure these days, as they help to save the tooth by removing the dead or dying pulp.  The pulp exists inside of the tooth, and can spread to abscess if it isn’t taken care of.  The tissue in the pulp is kept alive by the blood vessels that come from the tip of the root and travel along the root canal into the tooth.

Decay is the main reason for pulp in the tooth dying.  Once the decay has reached the pulp, it will keep eating away until the pulp has died.  Once it dies, the toxins from the decay will be released into the root tip and make it’s way into the jawbone.  If not taken care of properly, the jawbone can become infected, which can lead to death in rare cases.

To fix this problem, the dentist will need to perform a root canal.  During the procedure, he will numb the area then drill a hole into the tooth.  Using various tools and equipment, he will go down inside of the tooth and scrape away the nerves and dead pulp.  This is a very effective procedure, although very time consuming as well. In most cases, a root canal can take several hours, although it is the only way to stop the dying pulp and save the tooth.  Even though it may take a long time – it is more than worth it when it saves your tooth from being extracted.

Getting Over Your Fear Of The Dentist

Dental anxiety or fearing the dentist is a problem that many people have, and something that is somewhat difficult to overcome.  This fear normally prevents rational people from visiting the dentist and maintaining the health of their teeth.  The key to keeping your teeth healthy is to prevent problems before they start.  Those who suffer from dental anxiety will try to avoid going to the dentist, which results in problems.

When someone who suffers from dental anxiety finally goes to the dentist, they normally find that even the smallest of problems can turn serious and require a lot of work and intervention from the dentist.  Even though you may not realize it, regular cleaning visits to your dentist is the best way to keep your teeth healthy, and prevent problems such as decay and cavities.

You can use several techniques to overcome dental anxiety.  Some of the techniques require mild sedatives, also referred to as sedation.  Sedation is a way to relax, given by breathing or IV (Intra Vein) through a vein in your arm.  Sedation will help you to calm down, although you will normally be awake to answer questions or talk to your dentist.

Some people who suffer from dental anxiety have had bad experiences.  Any type of negative dental experience will normally result in emotional scarring and last for years.  Anything that results in negative feelings for the patient will normally cause them to feel in a negative way toward the entire dental profession.  Although all dentists aren’t bad – a negative experience will certainly make a patient feel that way.

When you look fora dentist, you should always ask your family and friends who they use, and who they recommend.  When you visit a dentist, you shouldn’t hesitate to ask him any questions that come to mind, so you can be more relaxed.  You should always keep in mind that you are customer, and the dentist is the one who needs to make you feel relaxed.  Never should you feel intimidated, as the best dentists will do everything they can to establish a sense of trust.

Establishing trust is very important with the patient/dentist relationship.  You’ll be going to your dentist on a frequent basis, so you’ll want to be sure that you can trust him.  When you go to your dentist for the first time, you should let him know about your dental anxiety.  If he isn’t willing to talk about it with you or do things to help you relax, you should look into a new dentist.

You can always tell who the better dentists are by the type of facilities they have.  Dentists who have  a lot of customers or nice offices, have established themselves and proved that they are indeed the best.  If a dentist has a lot of customers, it lets you know that he has them for a reason.  People that are satisfied with a dentist, normally return.

If you suffer from dental anxiety, you should always let your dentist know in advance.  This way, he work with you to overcome your fear.  Over time, you’ll find that you can overcome your fear and establish a great relationship with your dentist.  You can get over your fear of dentists, no matter how bad your fear may be.  It will take you some time, although your dentist should be willing to work with you.  Before you know it, you’ll be over your fear and more than willing to go to your dentist.

Dental Extractions

Dental Extractions

Dental extractions are among the easiest and best ways to get relief from a toothache.  As the name implies, an extraction involves removing the tooth.  If your pulp has died or the tooth has become severely infected, extraction may be your only route.  Depending on the tooth, the dentist can do either a simple extraction or a more complicated extraction.

Simple extractions
These types of extractions, the simple extractions, are the most common in the world of dentistry.  During a simple extraction, the dentist will remove the tooth by loosening the gums around the socket.  He will grasp the tooth with forceps and move it from side to side until he can get it to break free from the socket and remove it.

The teeth are held to the bone by a thin piece of soft tissue.  This soft tissue is known as the periodontal ligament.  The dentist uses this tissue to remove the tooth.  As you may know, the key to removing a tooth by pulling is to rock the tooth from side to side, which enlarges the socket in the bone and breaks the ligament that helps to hold the tooth in place.

Simple extractions, also known as pulling, don’t take long to complete.  The dentist will numb you before he starts, so you won’t feel anything.  Depending on the tooth, pulling it will normally take just a few minutes after you have been numbed with local anesthesia.  Once completed, the dentist will place gauze in your mouth to bite on and you will be free to go.

Complex extractions
As we all know, not all teeth can be pulled.  Sometimes, the tooth will be so decayed or broken off that the dentist will have nothing to grasp above the gum line.  In cases such as this, the dentist will need to perform a more complicated extraction, which involves getting the tooth out below the gum line, as he won’t be able to use the standard method of pulling and rocking.

These types of extractions involve the dentist making an incision in the gums around the tooth, and raising the flap he cut to expose the bone.  Once he has exposed the bone, there may be enough of the tooth exposed for the dentist to grab and remove it using the pulling method.  In most cases however, the tooth will be embedded in the bone, meaning that the dentist will be unable to pull the tooth out.

With teeth that are imbedded in the bone, the dentist will need to use a drill and chip away at the bone to get to the tooth.  This is known as cutting the tooth out, and happens to be very common with impacted teeth or teeth that are severely decayed.  Once the dentist has cut his way to the tooth and removed it, he will sew back the flap of skin that he cut to get to the tooth.  The flap of skin and the socket will heal over time – providing you take care of it.

Dental extractions are very common, and happen on a daily basis for dentists.  Oral surgeons are the best for extractions, as extractions are all they do.  All types of extractions, even the most complex, will take time to heal.  As long as you take care of your extraction site, you’ll avoid common pitfalls such as dry sockets and other mishaps.  Although they can be painful once the procedure is over – you’ll eventually start to feel a lot better once you have had the tooth or teeth removed.

Dental Emergencies

As we all know, toothaches and any type of oral injury can be extremely painful and should be seen by a dentist immediately.  Dental emergencies should be seen immediately by a dentist, day or night. These emergencies include broken teeth, teeth that have been knocked out, or teeth that have been forced out of the socket.  With some emergencies, the cheeks, lips, or gums will have cuts or abrasions on them from where the teeth come out of the socket.

If you’ve had a tooth recently knocked out, the first thing you should do is look for that tooth.  When you’ve found the tooth, gently scrub it to get rid of any dirt or debris.  Once you have cleaned it, you should place it back in your mouth between the cheek and gums.  Whatever you do, you should never try to put it back in the socket.  If you can make it to the dentist in time, he may be able to put the tooth back in place.

If you’ve had a tooth come out of place, you can normally reposition it with your fingers.  You shouldn’t use a lot of force, simply because it could damage the tooth.  You shouldn’t force the tooth into place, rather try and jiggle it around.  You can also use moist tissue to hold the tooth in place, until you can get to a dentist.

If you’ve got a fractured tooth, the treatment will all depend upon how bad the booth has been fractured.  No matter how light the fracture may be, it is very important that you get to a dentist as soon as you can.  Minor fractures aren’t that bad, as they can normally be smoothed out using sandpaper.  Sometimes, the tooth can also be restored with a composite.  Either way, you’ll need to make sure that you use extreme caution with the tooth for the next few days.

The more moderate fractures, normally include damage to the dentin, pulp, and even the enamel.  These fractures can be nothing to worry about at times, yet painful with other cases.  Providing the pulp hasn’t been damaged, your dentist will be able to restore the full shape and function to the fractured tooth.  In cases where pulp damage has occurred, the dentist may need to do a root canal or other type of serious surgery to repair the tooth.

Whenever you encounter a dental emergency, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact a dentist immediately.  Your dentist will be able to assist you, fix the problem, and stop the pain.  Dental emergencies can happen at any time, so you should always the emergency number of a dentist who will be there at a moments notice.  Tooth pain can be very excruciating – and you’ll obviously want to get the problem fixed immediately.

Dealing With Infections

Once a tooth has been extracted, bacteria will still be alive in the mouth, even more so with those who have bad oral hygiene.  Infections are very common following extractions.  Depending on how bad the tooth was that the dentist removed, he may prescribe you some antibiotics to take that will greatly reduce your risk of getting an infection.  In some cases though, even antibiotics can’t prevent an infection.

If you go to the dentist before the extraction experienced swelling of the face, swollen gums, pain in your teeth under light pressure, or bleeding around the extraction site, then you may already have an infection.  If you indeed have an infection before you get the tooth treated, the dentist will prescribe you antibiotics to use following treatment.  If you have a really bad abscess, you’ll need to use antibiotics to treat the infection before the dentist will remove the tooth.

In some cases, people develop an infection after the extraction, even though they may not have been infected beforehand.  The reason for this, is bacteria.  Following an extraction, bacteria will be more alive in the mouth than ever before.  With the extraction site being exposed, the bacteria will be able to get into the site.  This can lead to an infection due to the site being exposed and the fact that you are unable to use mouthwash or brush during the first 24 – 48 hours.  Not being able to sterilize your mouth means that you are unable to kills the germs responsible for bacteria.

After extractions, the first sign of infection is renewed bleeding.  This normally occurs around 48 hours after the extraction.  Even though it normally isn’t severe, you should still call your dentist and make an appointment to be seen.  Your dentist will be able to stop the bleeding and give you some antibiotics and other prescriptions that will fix the problem.

Some dentists prefer to give patients antibiotics before they will do any type of extraction.  Although you may not have an abscess, most dentists prefer to get rid of the infection before they start doing their work.  They do this because they know the local anesthesia won’t work all that good with infections, and it may take them a lot of work and a lot of medicine to numb the area that you have the infection in.

In the event that the tooth has to be removed and the dentist simply cannot wait a few days, it is possible to get you numbed.  Although it will take quite a bit of medicine to numb the area, it can be done.  Sometimes, dentists will choose to use an IV sedation or laughing gas, in the event that local numbing doesn’t help.  An IV sedation will normally put you to sleep or knock you out, so that the dentist can remove the tooth that is causing you so much trouble.

Even though infections can cause a lot of pain and need to be dealt with immediately, you may not have to take antibiotics once the dentist has extracted the tooth.  If your mouth is clean and you don’t have a lot of germs, you can normally heal the would by taking care of it.  Rinsing your mouth out with salt water for the first few days will keep the extraction site clean.  As long as you take care of the extraction site and do what your dentist tells you, you shouldn’t have any further problems with the extraction site or the infection.

Dealing With Cracked Teeth

Also known as the third set of molars, the wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth in the mouth to erupt, which normally happens around the ages of 17 – 25. For many years, there has been a lot of controversy as to the need to remove these teeth.  If the teeth don’t cause any harm or pain, they are normally fine to stay in place.  If they present a bad position or cause you a lot of pain or discomfort, they will need to be removed.

When the wisdom teeth first come in, they will sometimes be impacted.  Impacted teeth will normally need to be extracted.  Sometimes they can be pulled, although in most cases they need to be cut out by a qualified surgeon.  When the time comes to have your wisdom teeth extracted, you’ll need to go to an oral surgeon and have a consultation first.

During the consultation, you’ll take a few x-rays that will let the surgeon know how bad your wisdom teeth are.  He will go over the results with you, take a look in your mouth, then tell you what options you have.  If he is going to pull or cut out your teeth, you’ll have the option of using local anaesthesia or going with an IV sedation.  An IV sedation is the preferred way to have wisdom teeth extracted, as you’ll be so relaxed you won’t know what is going on.  If you decide to just use local anaesthesia, which is numbing, you’ll be fully aware of the procedure.  You’ll also hear the popping and cracking involved, which can make you feel quite uncomfortable.

Depending on the shape, size, and the formation of the wisdom teeth, the removal process can vary from easy to hard.  If the root tips have managed to wrap themselves around the bone, the removal process can be very time consuming and quite painful.  Once the extractions have been completed, there is normally little to no swelling involved.  Your dentist will prescribe you some pain medicine, which you should use as soon as you arrive home.  If you are going to use IV sedation, you’ll need to someone to accompany you, as you won’t be able to drive home.

After the removal of your wisdom teeth, your dentist will go over what you need to do to ensure the proper healing of your gums and mouth.  Normally, he will give you information to go over, to make sure that you experience no problems in the healing process.  Someone will need to be with you for the first 24 hours, to make sure that you ok.  You won’t be able to eat certain foods for the first 48 hours, which is to be expected.  Once you get your wisdom teeth removed through – you’ll notice a big improvement in your mouth – and your health.

Crowns And Bridging

A root canal is a dental procedure that all of us are familiar with. Root canals are something we all dread, although when someone else is getting the procedure most of us find it to be somewhat amusing.  When someone asks for a root canal on the other hand, most of us, including dentists, find it to be very absurd to say the least.

Although many aren’t aware of this, root canals have been around for many generations.  Many years ago, ancient civilizations used this method to save teeth that would have been lost otherwise.  These civilizations offered root canals to those such as queens, kings, pharaohs, and the rich.  The teeth from peasants were normally extracted then sold to aristocrats.

Many years ago, doctors believed that worms were the reason for tooth decay.  They also believed that there were many ways to kill the worms, including rinsing the mouth in one’s own urine both day and night.  Although this is sick to say the least, this remedy was discarded in 1728, proven to be non effective and replaced by other more suitable treatment.  As time passed, doctors proved that the best way to stop the pain was to clean and remove the nerve and pulp of the tooth.

Root canals are a very common procedure these days, as they help to save the tooth by removing the dead or dying pulp.  The pulp exists inside of the tooth, and can spread to abscess if it isn’t taken care of.  The tissue in the pulp is kept alive by the blood vessels that come from the tip of the root and travel along the root canal into the tooth.

Decay is the main reason for pulp in the tooth dying.  Once the decay has reached the pulp, it will keep eating away until the pulp has died.  Once it dies, the toxins from the decay will be released into the root tip and make it’s way into the jawbone.  If not taken care of properly, the jawbone can become infected, which can lead to death in rare cases.

To fix this problem, the dentist will need to perform a root canal.  During the procedure, he will numb the area then drill a hole into the tooth.  Using various tools and equipment, he will go down inside of the tooth and scrape away the nerves and dead pulp.  This is a very effective procedure, although very time consuming as well. In most cases, a root canal can take several hours, although it is the only way to stop the dying pulp and save the tooth.  Even though it may take a long time – it is more than worth it when it saves your tooth from being extracted.

Causes Of Toothaches

When it comes to toothaches, there are many different things that can cause a toothache.  A toothache can come at any given time, even though you may not expect it.  The pain can be unbearable at times, and you’ll do practically anything you can to make the pain stop.  When a toothache first comes on, many of us start to wonder what caused it to happen.

Some of the main causes of toothaches include decay, a fracture in the teeth, and cavities.  A crack in the tooth is also a cause, although it can be difficult to diagnose, as cracks will normally appear to be invisible to the naked eye and x-rays.  Cracks can make your tooth feel as if it is exploding, as they expose the dentin and nerves to the air and anything else you put in your mouth.  If you don’t get them fixed, they will get worse, possibly leading to your tooth breaking off at the gums.

Pulp irritation is another cause of toothaches, as it occurs after dental treatment.  No matter how well your filling or crown was done, the materials that were used to fix the tooth can end up causing pain later on down the road.  There really is nothing you can do, as crowns can sometimes come off or the filling can sometimes come out.  If this happens, all you can really do is go back to the dentist to get the problem fixed.

If you have an exposed root or nerve, it can also be the cause of your toothache.  This normally happens due to rough brushing, receding the gums and exposing the root.  If the root is exposed, the air or liquid you drink can trigger a toothache.  To prevent this from happening, use care when you brush and never try to tear your gums apart thinking it will get your teeth cleaner.

If you use tobacco products, you’ll more than likely get toothaches on a frequent basis.  Chewing tobacco is a common contributor to toothaches and tooth pain, as the tobacco will eat away at your teeth until there is nothing left.  It doesn’t take long for it to happen either, especially if you have been chewing for a long time.  Smoking can trigger toothaches as well, as the smoke is bad for your teeth and eats away at them as well.

Even though there are many causes to toothaches, there are things you can do to stop and pain and prevent toothaches.  You should always brush your teeth on a daily basis, and go to the dentist for your regular checkups.  If you get a toothache you should always go to the dentist and get the tooth fixed.  The dentist may be able to catch it early enough to save the tooth – which will prevent you from having to get it pulled and save you a lot of money – and pain in the long run.

A Look At Gingivitis And Periodontal Disease

Gum disease, also known as gingivitis, is a serious condition that will normally result in tooth loss.  With adults, gingivitis and periodontal disease are the most common forms of gum disease.  To prevent both types of gum disease, you should always brush your teeth and remove as much plaque as possible.  If you allow the plaque to build up, gum disease will normally be the result.

Gingivitis is known as inflammation in the tissues of the gums.  If plaque and tartar build up along the gum line, the gums will eventually get swollen and irritated.  Over time, the gums will get very tender and start to appear puffy. When you brush your teeth, you’ll notice that your gums have become very sore and they will start to bleed with little to no pressure.  If you notice blood when brushing, chances are you have gingivitis.  Anytime you brush your teeth or floss, there shouldn’t be any sign of blood.

During this stage of gingivitis, there is no loss of bone structure. You can help to prevent gingivitis though, through flossing and brushing a few times a day.  If you have gingivitis and you don’t do something about it, it could lead to periodontal disease.  Those who don’t treat gingivitis or those who keep poor oral hygiene habits, will normally end up with periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is a condition in which the bone and surrounding structures are destroyed.  Even though this form of mouth disease cannot be reversed, you can put a stop to it’s progression by going to your dentist on a regular basis and brushing your teeth a few times day.  Periodontal disease is a serious condition, which is why you should always try to stop the progression or even better – never let your gums and teeth get this bad.

If you don’t do something about the progression of periodontal disease, the condition will continue to get worse. During the early stages of the disease, you’ll notice that your gums appear to be bright red, and very sore.  This is due to the plaque building up below the gum line. When left untreated, the plaque and tartar that is below the gums will continue to eat at the teeth.

Keep in mind that plaque doesn’t need to be visible or detected in order for periodontal disease to be diagnosed.  To determine if you have periodontal disease, you’ll need to have your dentist examine you on a regular basis.  Your dentist can perform tests on your gums and your teeth, to determine if you have it.  If you do have periodontal disease, your dentist can tell you how to stop the progression and prevent things from getting any worse than they already are.

Both periodontal disease and gingivitis aren’t normally painful and both tend to progress in a slow fashion.  Although you may not be aware that you have either of the two at first, the symptoms and signs will start to show in the later stages.  Once the later stages have started to progress, you’ll normally end up losing the tooth.

To be on the safe side and protect your teeth and your gums, you should always go to the dentist for your regular checkups and cleaning.  If you catch it in time, your dentist will be able to help you treat the earlier stages of gum disease.  You don’t want to wait until it is too late, as the more advanced stages of gum disease can completely destroy your teeth and gums – and there will be little to nothing that you can do about it.

A Look At Flossing

Along with brushing your teeth, you should also be flossing on a daily basis.  Flossing will remove plaque and debris in areas that your toothbrush isn’t able to reach.  A buildup of plaque can lead to gum disease or tooth decay, which is why flossing is very important.  If you floss immediately after brushing, you’ll notice that your gums and teeth will be much healthier.

When you look at dental floss, you’ll notice there are two types – nylon and single filament.  You can get nylon either waxed or un-waxed, in several different flavors.  Nylon floss is made up of several strands of nylon material, meaning that it can shred, tear, or snag between the teeth if it gets caught on sharp teeth.  Even though the single filament floss is more expensive than nylon, it will slide easily between teeth, even tight areas and spaces.  Unlike nylon, single filament is impossible to shred or tear.

No matter which type of floss you choose, as long you floss regularly, it will remove debris from your teeth and gums.  If you’ve never tried flossing before, you will probably be amazed at just how much debris and food particles it can remove.  Flossing is recommended by dentists everywhere, as it can reach places that even the smallest of toothbrushes can’t.  Food and debris will build up between your teeth, which makes dental flossing very important.

The main problem many people have against flossing is the fact that it can result in bleeding of the gums.  Anytime you floss and get between your teeth and around your gums, the floss will rub against your gums, resulting in bleeding.  Many people take this the wrong way, and immediately stop flossing, usually for good.  Bleeding is very common, and should be expected with flossing.

When you brush your teeth, you miss a lot of food particles and debris that continues to build up in your mouth.  No toothbrush is designed to get every area of your mouth, as all of them miss hard to reach places.  With the areas missed by the toothbrush, the debris and plaque will continue to build up until they eventually result in a cavity or decay.  To get this debris and plaque before it builds up into something more serious, you’ll need to floss.

If you’ve been afraid to try flossing due to the bleeding, you should really get over that fear and floss after you brush.  To keep your teeth and gums healthy, you’ll to brush and floss your teeth.  Regular checkups with your dentist will help as well, although it is up to you to continue your regular maintenance at home with flossing and brushing.  If you floss on a daily basis – you’ll quickly realize just how clean your teeth and gums will be.