Why Do My Teeth Hurt When I Run?
Hopefully you’re running because you enjoy the sport, and not, say, because you are being chased by a bear. The problem is, tooth pain can ruin any activity, including running. So why does tooth pain often come from running. Increased Sensitivity The most common reasons why your teeth might hurt while running is because your teeth are always at the edge of hurting, but you only push them over the edge when running. For example, your teeth might be sensitive to cold, but only when you’re out running in the morning, drawing cold air into your mouth, do you notice it. Or you might have a cavity that doesn’t normally cause you trouble, but when you run the jolts from your steps irritate it. This can also happen if you have a filling that is made of metal amalgam or composite and isn’t strong enough to protect your tooth nerve from the jolts. Fortunately, porcelain fillings can be used to protect your teeth. Increased blood flow can also cause marginal damage to cause more increased pain. As your blood starts pumping, areas of irritation or damage can make their presence known. Running and Teeth Clenching Another common cause of tooth pain is that you may be clenching your teeth while running. Setting your teeth is normal and essential to helping your body maximize its force potential during running. However, there is a point at which you might be biting down too hard, putting stress on your teeth, your jaw muscles, or other tissues. This causes your pain. How Running Can Damage Teeth Unfortunately, the running that may be good for the rest of your body can be hard on your teeth, and this may be to blame for the tooth pain you experience. In addition to jaw clenching that can lead to gradual wear, a recent study suggests that many runners experience serious damage to their teeth. Damage to teeth can be caused by highly acidic—and sugary–sports drinks that runners consume. Along with this type of drinks, runners often supplement with carbs as they work out, such as energy bars and gels. And after running for a while, even a runner’s saliva can become acidic, eroding the enamel of the teeth. If you’re a runner who is experiencing tooth pain, it’s important to get it checked out quickly to prevent the worsening of damage, find the true cause of pain, and stop it forever. Please contact Ascent Dental in the Cherry Creek area of Denver.
Can Cavities Go Unnoticed?
How To Tell If You Have a Cavity Cavities are always painful, right? This makes them easy to detect. If you don’t hurt, you don’t have a cavity. If only it were that simple . . . The truth is that cavities can be very difficult to detect, especially for you. You may not experience any pain from a cavity until the decay has penetrated deep into the tooth, close to or even into the nerve cavity, when it’s too late for a filling and they need to be treated with a root canal. Fortunately, dentists know where and how to look for cavities to try to find them before that’s necessary. Hidden Cavities You Can’t See Sometimes you may see a cavity developing in your mouth, but often cavities develop where you can’t see them. Cavities are actually most likely to develop where you have a hard time reaching when you brush, and if you can’t reach them, it’s a pretty good bet you can’t see them when you look in the mirror, either. Cavities often form on the back surfaces of teeth, on the rear teeth, sometimes on the sides, and at the gum line. If you’re not flossing, you’re more likely to experience cavities on the surfaces between teeth. Cavities may even form behind the tartar that builds up because you’re not successfully removing plaque from these areas and it calcifies as a result. Small Openings Reveal Big Cavities Another problem that makes it hard to detect cavities is that often a large cavity might have a small opening. This is pretty common. Bacteria create a tiny cavity, which provides them some shelter from saliva and tooth brushing. In here, the bacteria are freer to multiply and consume sugars, creating more acid, which can dissolve more of your tooth, creating a larger cavity inside the tooth. Detecting Hard-to-See Cavities Dentists have many skills and tools they can use to find your cavities. First, they can look where you can’t, and they examine every visible surface of the tooth. They can tell where you can’t reach when you’re brushing, and after the hygienist has removed the tartar from your teeth they have a clear view of these areas and can see any cavities that might be hidden there. Additional light, magnification, x-rays, and digital photography also give us a more complete view of your teeth. At Ascent Dental, we’ve even got another tool in our arsenal for finding cavities: the DiagnoDent. This light tool penetrates into the enamel and can detect areas that either conceal hidden cavities or have been softened by bacteria or other sources of acid in your mouth. This tool means that even though cavities are not as easy to find as you might think, we can detect 90% of them early, which means smaller fillings and better oral health for you. If you would like to learn whether you have any hidden cavities, please contact Ascent Dental in the Cherry Creek area of Denver today.
Is a Root Canal Painful?
Root canals are infamous. They are supposedly the benchmark for the most unpleasant experiences in life. When people want to say that an experience was really bad and excruciatingly painful, they will compare them to a root canal. You have to understand that the reputation of root canals goes back a long time, and has been passed down through our culture like a legend, and doesn’t reflect the reality of modern root canals. The first root canals were performed in the mid-eighteenth century, more than 100 years before modern dental anesthesia was demonstrated. A root canal involves the extraction of the nerve of the tooth, the part of the tooth that registers pain, so you can bet that if this procedure were performed without anesthesia you would feel a lot of pain. But that’s not how we do things today. Today, most people report that the pain of a root canal is far less than the pain they have been dealing with because of their infected tooth. Pain Control for Root Canals Today, we have many methods for effectively controlling pain during your root canal procedure. We can utilize topical anesthesia first so you don’t even feel the prick of the needle that injects anesthesia that can completely numb the area where the root canal is being performed. Nerve blocks can be used to numb an entire branch of your nerves to create a more widespread anesthesia effect. For people with extensive need for treatment or reasons why it might be beneficial, we can use general anesthesia to completely eliminate pain sensations during the root canal procedure. After your root canal, we have many options for pain medications, though most people don’t need it. With the tooth nerve gone, most of the potential for pain has been removed, and you’ll feel sensitivity related to the pressure on the tooth from removing enamel and entering the tooth interior. Lingering discomfort from a root canal may be no worse than that of getting a dental crown. Variables That Affect Your Level of Pain It’s important to remember that pain is subjective and varies greatly from person to person. Your level of discomfort will vary depending on: Personal sensitivity Your attitude to pain Your level of anxiety The structure of your tooth and the exact treatment needed To attempt to gauge your level of sensitivity, we will talk to you about your pain experiences during prior dental work. We will also talk to you during the procedure and adjust medication as necessary to achieve a minimum of discomfort. Don’t let fear keep you from getting necessary dental treatment. For more information about sedation dentistry in Denver, please contact Ascent Dental in Cherry Creek.
Treating White Spots on Teeth
Most of the time, we think of discolored teeth as being darkened by stains, but it’s actually very common for people to get discolored white spots on teeth. These are often early signs of decay. If properly cared for, they are not necessarily damaging, but many people find them unattractive and want to remove them to improve the appearance of their teeth. What Are White Spots on Teeth? White spots on teeth are demineralizations. This means that there is a defect in the enamel of the teeth, where some of the mineral content has been removed or hasn’t properly been built. Common causes of white spots include: Braces Oral decay Fluorosis Erosion Hypocalcification Tetracycline staining Trauma In some cases, demineralization may be a warning sign of poor oral hygiene, but in other cases, it may be unrelated. When this demineralization occurs, it changes the color and luster of tooth enamel. If you look closely, you will notice that the spots aren’t just a little whiter than the rest of your tooth—they reflect light differently, too. Treating White Spots First, we will talk about the causes of your white spots and determine whether changes to oral hygiene or lifestyle might be necessary to prevent future white spots. Next, we will discuss your treatment options. There are many ways to treat white spots. Sometimes tooth whitening can help your teeth blend in better with the white spots. Other times, the tooth might be damaged enough that it’s best to treat the white spot as the cavity it is, with a tooth-colored filling. We might try fluoride or amorphous calcium phosphate treatments to encourage remineralization of the white spots. A relatively new treatment for white spots was announced in 2009. Icon, short for infiltration concept, which allows resin—tooth-colored filling material–to be sucked into the tooth like water is sucked into a sponge. This resin is then hardened, creating a more uniform tooth appearance. If you are unhappy about white spots on your teeth, we can help. Please call (303) 975-6987 or email us for an appointment at Ascent Dental in the Cherry Creek area of Denver.
Dental Tips for Traveling
It’s important to continue to maintain your oral health even when traveling. Here are some tips to make sure you don’t run into dental trouble on your vacation. Before You Go Before traveling, especially if you’re traveling out of the country, get a dental checkup to make sure you won’t be facing any major problems while traveling. But don’t get your checkup right before you go. Give yourself a month before you go. This is sufficient to get most dental issues resolved before your trip. If you’re traveling outside the country, check on the state of dentistry and medicine in the area you’re visiting and whether it is recommended that you get care there if necessary. If you are traveling into the back country or to a place where dentistry may be more harmful than helpful, consider adding temporary dental cement to your first aid kit. This could help you manage a dental injury until you can get home and have your teeth treated. Pick up travel supplies to ensure you have all the tools for taking proper care of your oral health. Travel size toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental flossers are good supplies. Flossers are a little better than regular dental floss for travel because it’s easier to carry one around with you for use if you get something stuck in your teeth at a meal. While Traveling Maintain your typical oral hygiene routine while traveling. This is hard, we know, but you should try it anyway. Be aware of what you’re eating and drinking. It’s normal to drink more alcohol while traveling than at home. Make sure you’re staying hydrated so your body will continue to produce bacteria-fighting saliva. Also remember that wine is very acidic and can be damaging to teeth. Mixed drinks often contain sugar and acids, too. Beer is a better option. It’s not as acidic as wine or soda. Straight liquor with a water chaser is the best option. End every meal with water to rinse your teeth and prevent the growth of cavities. If You Have a Dental Emergency If you have a dental emergency, don’t panic. If you lose a filling, you can cover the area with dental cement. If you didn’t bring that, you can use wax. If you lose a dental crown, clean it out and clean the tooth where it goes. Make sure it is properly inserted, then, if you want, you can use temporary cement to hold it in place. If you crack a tooth, cover it with dental cement if you’re not in a place with good dental care, but see a dentist if you are. If you experience spontaneous or lasting tooth pain, you may have a dental emergency that needs treatment no matter what. If you have a fever, excessive bad breath, or the area around the tooth is red, swollen, and painful, you may have an abscessed tooth that could be life threatening. Ask at the hotel or a guide about getting the tooth taken care of. Hopefully, you won’t have any dental emergencies when traveling. As little as you may like the dentist at home, it’s much preferable to spending your vacation at the dentist’s office. If you are considering travel and want to schedule a checkup before you go, please contact Ascent Dental in the Cherry Creek area of Denver.
How to Treat Halitosis
Halitosis is the scientific name of bad breath. Bad breath is primarily caused by mouth bacteria. If you want, you could try to schedule an appointment with Hollywood’s Halitosis expert, who, apparently, charges nearly $3000 to analyze your breath and offer you solutions. However, proper oral hygiene, including regular dental visits, can limit halitosis. What Really Causes Halitosis Halitosis is due to the presence of anaerobic bacteria in the mouth. Anaerobic bacteria don’t breathe oxygen like you, I, and most animals on this planet. Instead, they process their food with sulfur. This means that, instead of exhaling odorless carbon dioxide, they excrete sulfur compounds with a terrible smell. Preventing Halitosis The key to preventing halitosis is to reduce the numbers of these anaerobic bacteria growing in your mouth. Oxygen is toxic to them, so they like to grow places where it’s hard for oxygen to reach them, between your teeth, around your gums, and especially below your gum line. Here’s how you can keep them under control: Thoroughly brush teeth, including around the gum-line. Remember, though, don’t be too aggressive, or you can irritate your gums. Floss daily. Make sure you’re getting down to and below the gum line and curving around each tooth. Make your regular oral hygiene and checkup visits to the dentist. Stay hydrated. Saliva is the number one inhibitor of all bacteria growth in the mouth, and if your mouth is dry, bacteria may grow more easily. This should significantly reduce your bad breath, though you may still experience it somewhat in the morning—saliva production reduces at night, allowing bacteria to grow. Still Have Bad Breath? If you still have halitosis after following the above steps, it may be a sign that you’re suffering from a potentially serious condition. You need to make a dental appointment to make sure you aren’t suffering from gum disease–an infection below the gum line that allows anaerobic bacteria to thrive—or an infected tooth—which may be full of anaerobic bacteria. If necessary, we can recommend gum disease treatment or a root canal to take care of these problems. Please contact Ascent Dental in the Cherry Creek area of Denver today for an appointment.
Is Teeth Whitening Safe?
Yes, teeth whitening is very safe, when performed in a controlled manner. For decades, dentists have studied the effects of teeth whitening on teeth, and we have come to the conclusion that teeth whitening is safe for teeth and gums. How Teeth Whitening Affects Your Teeth Teeth whitening typically uses carbamide peroxide, which breaks down into hydrogen peroxide in the mouth. This peroxide attacks the organic molecules that are staining your teeth. It can also penetrate into the pulp, the living material in the middle of your tooth, which can result in sensitivity to temperature changes. This sensitivity occurs for as much as 2/3 of people, and it can last for a few days after a whitening procedure. Some people may also experience irritation of the gums if the whitening compound touches them. Some studies have observed that whitening can potentially erode tooth enamel. The effect hasn’t been observed in all studies, so if it does exist, it is likely very minor, probably less than that seen from drinking a serving of soda. It also seems that your teeth are capable of quickly remineralizing your enamel, so if you balance your whitening with proper oral hygiene and care of your teeth, you can prevent any noticeable damage to your teeth. Safe Teeth Whitening If you want to whiten your teeth safely and effectively, the best way is to work with a dentist. Your dentist knows how to optimize the effectiveness of whiteners safely. Professional whiteners also contain compounds that can help protect your teeth from sensitivity. If you do use at-home teeth whiteners, only use them according to the directions. Never use multiple whitening systems at the same time. It’s especially important to tell your dentist if you’re also using an over-the-counter whitener. If you are looking for safe, effective teeth whitening in Denver, please contact Ascent Dental today.
Can You Fix A Broken Tooth?
Yes. Unlike a broken heart, there’s not one, but several solutions to a broken tooth, depending on how it is broken, and what your personal preferences are. In most cases, we can offer you your choice of solutions for your broken tooth. Minor Broken Tooth If your tooth is only broken a little, just a cosmetic chip, really, we can offer you a couple of good solutions. Dental bonding and porcelain veneers are both good solutions for a minor chipped tooth. Dental bonding is a quick solution and relatively inexpensive. It uses the same composite material we use for tooth-colored fillings to restore the broken part of the tooth. It can be completed in one visit and polished to look like your natural tooth material. Porcelain veneers are an even better solution for a minor chipped tooth. They are custom-crafted from highly durable porcelain, so they look more like natural tooth material and tend to last significantly longer than dental bonding. In the past, porcelain veneers had to be ordered from a dental lab, and you had to wait two weeks or more to get them, but with our CEREC system, we can make a porcelain veneer for a chipped tooth while you wait. Serious Broken Tooth If your tooth is broken so that it’s no longer structurally sound, we’ll probably want to repair it with a dental crown. The crown provides support and protection of your damaged tooth. Essentially, it gives it an entirely new surface, which can give you many years of good service from that tooth. These crowns can also be made with our CEREC system, so you can get your tooth repaired in one day. Sometimes a broken tooth can reveal extensive decay that may require a root canal. You might also require a root canal if you wait too long to have your broken tooth repaired. If you have a broken tooth and are looking for an experienced and compassionate dentist to fix it, please contact Ascent Dental in the Cherry Creek area of Denver today.
Does Everybody Need Their Wisdom Teeth Removed?
Although most people need their wisdom teeth removed, it’s not necessary for absolutely everyone. Often, though, because the problems that result can be serious, we may recommend removal of your wisdom teeth before we know for certain that there will be a problem. Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth? Wisdom teeth, technically called third molars, are a remnant of our evolutionary past when we ate much tougher, raw foods. These foods stimulated the growth of a larger jaw. They also wore down our teeth more so that replacements were necessary to allow our ancestors to be able to keep chewing their entire lives, perhaps an average of 35 years or so. Some individuals survived to an age of perhaps 50, but by this age they often had only one or two teeth left, so it’s just as well they got the extra ones! https://youtu.be/nkze74G_xd4 When we began cooking our food, we ate much softer foods as a result, and our jaws began to shrink. The so-called Magdalenian Girl, a skeleton that dates from 13,000-15,000 years ago represents the first known case of an impacted wisdom tooth. When to Extract Wisdom Teeth For some people, wisdom teeth come in fine, and there’s no need to worry about them. For other people, wisdom teeth may become impacted, which means that they hit up against the side of the second molar and get kind of stuck. As the wisdom tooth tries to force its way out, it can push against the other teeth, causing crowding and other orthodontic problems. It can also cause damage to the second molar, and, because it will be hard to clean (and make the second molar hard to clean), it can put you at additional risk of decay and may become infected. If your family has a history of impacted wisdom teeth, it might be best to remove them before they become impacted. We may also recommend removal if they look like they will become impacted. Or we may remove them if they are becoming impacted and causing symptoms. The right time to remove wisdom teeth depends on your situation. If you have concerns about your wisdom teeth and want to lean whether they should be extracted, please call (303) 975-6987 or contact Ascent Dental in the Cherry Creek area of Denver today.
What Are Teeth Made Of?
Teeth are actually not made of a single material. They are made of 4 distinct parts: enamel, dentin, pulp, and cementum, each with a precise function. Enamel Enamel is the outer layer of the tooth, the whitish colored smooth part we’re used to seeing. Tooth enamel is 96% mineral, primarily hydroxyapatite. Hydroxyapatite is a mineral made of calcium, phosphates, and hydroxide groups. This is strong and brittle, and gives the teeth their whiteness. Dentin Dentin is a less mineralized tissue under the enamel. It is more similar to bone, and has a pale yellowy color that can show through if your enamel gets thin. Dentin makes up most of the tooth. It has more toughness than the enamel and supports it, giving the teeth some flex. Dentin is only 70% mineral, and once cavities reach the dentin, they may progress quickly because of its lower mineral content. It has a great deal of collagen, which helps give it its flexibility and toughness. Dentin has tiny tubules that run through it to the border of the enamel or cementum. These are what convey heat and cold to the tooth pulp, causing tooth sensitivity. Cementum Cementum covers the roots of your teeth. It is even softer than either enamel or dentin, and is a rough material which serves as an anchor for the periodontal ligaments, which anchor the tooth in the jaw. Receding gums can expose cementum, and when this occurs, you can usually see the difference between it and the enamel above. Cementum is only 45% mineral, and has a significant water content (about 20%). Decay can progress quickly through cementum once it is exposed. Pulp The tooth pulp, also sometimes called the nerve of the tooth, is the soft interior of the tooth. The pulp contains cells that help generate the tooth during development, and the pulp also helps nourish tooth material. The pulp also has a blood supply. When bacteria reach the pulp, they can cause a serious infection that needs a root canal to treat or may require the extraction of the tooth to prevent bacteria from spreading through the body. Your teeth are a complicated, sophisticated system. They are well-designed for their job, and if you take care of them, they will take care of you. If you need help caring for your teeth, please call (303) 975-6987 or contact Ascent Dental in the Cherry Creek area of Denver today.
How Often Should I Change My Toothbrush?
The short answer is: more often. The American Dental Association recommends that you change your toothbrush 4 times a year (every three months), but most Americans only change their toothbrush once or twice a year. You should also change your toothbrush after suffering a bacterial illness. Why You Need to Change Your Toothbrush There are two main reasons why you should change your toothbrush. The first reason is that it becomes less effective. Bristles are designed so that they can effectively clean your teeth by properly rubbing up against your teeth and flexing to reach nooks and crannies around the gumline. As your toothbrush ages, its bristles lose effectiveness in these tasks, so you get less effective cleaning. This can increase your risk of gum disease and cavities. Another problem is that bacteria begins to build up on your toothbrush. Eventually, you will be reintroducing some amount of bacteria to your mouth every time you brush. It’s still a net benefit, but it diminishes. Care, Cleaning, and Special Circumstances In order to make sure your toothbrush lasts its full lifetime effectively, use the following care practices. Always brush gently. Brushing too hard not only irritates your gums (and can lead to receding gums), it can degrade your brush quicker. Rinse your brush thoroughly after use and let it air-dry upright. Be careful about using sterilizing methods on your brush. Some people recommend microwaving your brush, but this can damage the plastic and bristles. Chemical sterilizers should be ADA approved for the purpose. When traveling, cover your brush with a cover that allows air flow to dry it, and only use the cover when you’re actually traveling. Leave your brush uncovered at the hotel so it can get as dry as possible. Dispose of a brush after you have a bacterial infection. Otherwise, you could reinfect yourself. For more advice on oral care and a professional cleaning, please contact Ascent Dental in the Cherry Creek area of Denver.
Reasons Why Flossing Is Important
Flossing is essential to maintaining your oral and general health. If you don’t floss, you are much more likely to suffer not only dental problems, but also serious health conditions that are not just expensive to treat—they are life-threatening. Why You Should Floss Dental floss cleans the space between the teeth and along the gumline. If you don’t floss, these bacteria can build up and alter the environment. Both brushing and flossing are designed to remove bacterial plaque. Think of plaque like a bacteria city. It’s shelter and protection. Where there’s plaque, bacteria can grow safely. Imagine the difference between someone moving to Denver today as opposed to moving here 200 years ago when there were no houses. When there’s plaque surviving, the bacteria population can grow easily. If you remove all the plaque, bacteria has to live like pioneers in a harsh environment, which slows their growth. If you don’t remove plaque, it can grow like Denver does today: adding new suburbs every year. And one of the places those new “suburbs” goes is between your teeth and your gums. As bacteria colonize here, they can irritate your gums, causing them to be red, painful, and bleeding, this is gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease. As they grow, the acid they secrete will destroy your gums and separate them from your teeth. At this point, bacteria are not just in your gums, they’re entering your bloodstream and colonizing other places (including your coronary arteries, which leads to coronary artery disease and heart problems). At a certain point, your immune system becomes alarmed at the extent of the bacterial infection, and it calls in the “bulldozers” to tear down the bacteria cities. Unfortunately, these immune system bulldozers destroy not just bacteria, but also your natural tissues, too, especially your bones and the ligaments that secure your teeth, resulting in tooth loss. Flossing Is a Great Investment Above, we alluded to the role of gum infection, called periodontitis, in health conditions like coronary artery disease. This means that people with gum disease have higher medical costs than those without. How much higher? A new study shows that people who have other health conditions and are treated for gum disease have significantly lower annual medical costs than those who do not have their gum disease treated. The savings were about $2840 a year for diabetes, $5681 for cerebrovascular disease (blood vessel problems in the brain), $2433 for pregnancy, and $1090 for coronary artery disease. Preventing gum disease by flossing has minimal costs. If you use 18 inches of dental floss a day, you’ll use a little more than 4 44-yard rolls of dental floss. At a cost of $3.37 per each, your total flossing cost for the year is $14.07, which means flossing could have an ROI (return on investment) of more than 40,000%! Even if you add in the costs of dental cleanings, toothbrushes, and toothpaste, your annual ROI is at least 3-400% if you have coronary artery disease. And think about the savings if you never develop coronary artery disease! So, start flossing today, and if you are overdue for an appointment, please schedule one at Ascent Dental in the Cherry Creek area of Denver today.
Chipped Tooth or Broken Tooth
There are many potential causes for a chipped or broken tooth, such as a fall, a fight, or even something unexpected in your food. Of course, a chipped tooth is a cosmetic problem. It will make you self-conscious about your smile. But a chipped or broken tooth can also cause practical problems as well. The sharp edge on a chipped tooth can cut your tongue, which is painful and annoying. The chipped area can also be a place where food and bacterial plaque accumulate, which makes it a starting point for decay. And if the chip is also a serious crack, the result can be pain, as well as a dental infection with serious consequences, such as the loss of the tooth and worse. Fortunately, there are many potential treatments for a chipped tooth, and treatment is probably less expensive than you think. To have dentist Jeff Johnston evaluate your tooth and recommend the right treatment for you, please call (303) 975-6987 or email Ascent Dental in the Cherry Creek area of Denver for an appointment. Minor Chipped Tooth Treatment: Polishing and Bonding Sometimes a chipped tooth is so minor, you can’t even see it, but you can feel it. A sharp place on your tooth can be polished smooth for comfort. If you have suffered a chipped tooth that is primarily cosmetic, there are a couple of good treatments to restore your smile to its former appearance. Dental bonding uses the same material that we employ as white fillings to reshape your tooth. The material begins as putty, and is shaped into a natural, attractive form by Dr. Jeff. Then a curing light is used to make it hard enough to chew with. Finally, it’s polished to take on a luster like your natural tooth enamel. Dental bonding has many advantages. It’s the least expensive option, can be completed in just one visit, and when it’s polished it looks very natural and attractive. Dental bonding does have some limitations. First, the natural appearance depends on the artistry of the dentist performing your restoration. Evaluate a dentist’s before and after gallery before getting dental bonding. Dental bonding is also less durable than other treatment options. It can lose its polish, making it stand out, and it can become stained. Dental bonding also tends to have a shorter life than ceramic restorations. Minor Chipped Tooth Treatment: Porcelain Veneers A porcelain veneer is a thin façade of ceramic that is cemented to your tooth. It can reshape your tooth, not only correcting the chip but helping to fill in gaps and lengthening your tooth as well. To place a porcelain veneer, your tooth is prepared so that the veneer can fit on to create a smooth surface. In the past, all veneers had to be sent away to a lab for fabrication, but our CEREC system allows us to create a brand-new porcelain veneer in our office while you wait. Once it’s ready, the veneer is placed on your tooth to ensure proper fit. Then it is cemented in place and polished. Porcelain veneers are made of ceramic, so they have a luster very similar to your natural tooth enamel. They retain their polish well if properly cared for. And don’t let the name fool you: porcelain veneers are actually made of advanced ceramic compounds and they’re highly resilient. They can last for ten years or more. Cracked Tooth Treatment: Dental Crown If you went beyond a simple chip, but actually cracked or broke your tooth open in a way that exposes the pulp, or nerve, you need a dental restoration that will protect and reinforce that tooth. A dental crown fits completely over the tooth, giving it essentially an entirely new surface that protects and supports the damaged tooth within. Sometimes, we may determine that the pulp of your tooth has been compromised and that a cracked tooth may require an endodontic procedure (root canal) before the crown is placed. Like porcelain veneers, dental crowns can be made in our office using our CEREC machine. If you have damaged your tooth and want to learn which treatment is right for you, please contact Ascent Dental in the Cherry Creek area of Denver.
What Is an Abscessed Tooth?
In the US, there have been an increasing number of emergency room admissions and hospitalizations for an abscessed tooth and related complications. An abscessed tooth is a dangerous medical condition that can lead to life-threatening complications and needs to be immediately addressed. But what is an abscessed tooth? How do you recognize it? And how is it treated? An Abscessed Tooth Is an Infection You probably know that tooth decay, also known as cavities or dental caries, is caused by bacteria in your mouth that eat sugars and excrete acids. These acids etch away the surface of your tooth, your dental enamel. When there’s enough of these acids in one place, it creates a cavity. A cavity can shelter more bacteria, which then excrete more acid, enlarging the cavity. Eventually, a cavity will break through the tooth enamel and the dentin (the next layer of your tooth), into the tooth pulp, sometimes called the nerve. This is the living part of the tooth. When bacteria get inside your tooth, they are even more protected. They will feed on your tooth pulp, take nutrients from your blood supply, and grow. Once inside a tooth, bacteria can travel through the inside of the tooth root, through the root canals, into the jawbone, your sinuses, and other teeth. Symptoms of an Abscessed Tooth If you have developed an abscessed tooth, you may experience these symptoms: Sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages that causes lasting pain (a half hour or more) Touch sensitivity in teeth Tooth pain that doesn’t respond to over-the-counter medications or persists for days on end Repeated sinus infections Blisters or pimples on your gum Severe discoloration of a tooth Other times, you may not experience many symptoms at all. The best way to ensure the health of your teeth is to have regular visits to your dentist. How an Abscessed Tooth Is Treated An abscessed tooth is treated with a root canal or endodontic procedure. This involves removing the infected material within your tooth and replacing it with an inert substance that can work as a structural support but won’t get infected. Then the tooth is covered with a protective dental crown. If you suspect you may have an abscessed tooth that needs treating, please contact Ascent Dental in Denver today for an appointment.