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Posts for category: Dental Procedures

A Bonded Retainer Might be a Better Choice After Braces

By David Van Appledorn, DDS, PC
February 15, 2019
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: bonded retainer  
ABondedRetainerMightbeaBetterChoiceAfterBraces

The braces are finally off! But to keep your new, straighter smile you'll need to wear a retainer for some time. That's because the same structural mechanism used to move your teeth could undo what we've just accomplished.

That mechanism resides in an elastic tissue called the periodontal ligament that lies between the teeth and the bone and attaches to both with tiny fibers. While the ligament holds the teeth securely in place, it also allows for slight movement in response to bite changes. Braces "pull" the teeth in the desired new direction, and the ligament responds.

But with that pressure gone after the braces' removal, a kind of "muscle memory" can set in that moves the teeth back towards their original positions. A retainer, a dental appliance worn on the teeth, exerts just enough pressure to "retain" or keep the teeth from regressing.

Retainers are effective, but the most common type has a feature that poses potential problems: it can be removed by the wearer. Because of this, less disciplined patients might be tempted not to wear their retainer as directed. There's also a higher risk of losing one and incurring additional cost to replace it.

But there is another type, the bonded retainer, which stays permanently in the mouth until removed by an orthodontist. It's composed of a thin piece of metal that's firmly attached to the back of the teeth with dental composite material. Not only does a bonded retainer solve the problems mentioned before, it also can't be seen from the outside like a removable retainer.

A bonded retainer does have one disadvantage: because it can't be removed, it can obstruct the teeth during brushing and flossing and require more effort. You won't have as much difficulty with a removable retainer keeping teeth and gums clean. You can overcome this disadvantage, though, with specialized tools like a water flosser or a floss threader to make hygiene easier.

To choose which type of retainer is best for you or your family member, have a talk with your orthodontist. And if you choose a bonded retainer and later have it removed, be sure to switch immediately to a removable one if your orthodontist advises. With either retainer, you'll be able to preserve that hard-earned smile for years to come.

If you would like more information on bonded retainers, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Bonded Retainers: What are the Pros and Cons.”

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Why Alfonso Ribeiro Is Grateful for Root Canal Treatment

By David Van Appledorn, DDS, PC
January 26, 2019
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: celebrity smiles   root canal treatment  
WhyAlfonsoRibeiroIsGratefulforRootCanalTreatment

As the host of America's Funniest Home Videos on ABC TV, Alfonso Ribeiro has witnessed plenty of unintentional physical comedy…or, as he puts it in an interview with Dear Doctor–Dentistry & Oral Health magazine, "When people do stuff and you're like, 'Dude, you just hurt yourself for no reason!'" So when he had his own dental dilemma, Alfonso was determined not to let it turn onto an "epic fail."

The television personality was in his thirties when a painful tooth infection flared up. Instead of ignoring the problem, he took care of it by visiting his dentist, who recommended a root canal procedure. "It's not like you wake up and go, 'Yay, I'm going to have my root canal today!'" he joked. "But once it's done, you couldn't be happier because the pain is gone and you're just smiling because you're no longer in pain!"

Alfonso's experience echoes that of many other people. The root canal procedure is designed to save an infected tooth that otherwise would probably be lost. The infection may start when harmful bacteria from the mouth create a small hole (called a cavity) in the tooth's surface. If left untreated, the decay bacteria continue to eat away at the tooth's structure. Eventually, they can reach the soft pulp tissue, which extends through branching spaces deep inside the tooth called root canals.

Once infection gets a foothold there, it's time for root canal treatment! In this procedure, the area is first numbed; next, a small hole is made in the tooth to give access to the pulp, which contains nerves and blood vessels. The diseased tissue is then carefully removed with tiny instruments, and the canals are disinfected to prevent bacteria from spreading. Finally, the tooth is sealed up to prevent re-infection. Following treatment, a crown (cap) is usually required to restore the tooth's full function and appearance.

Root canal treatment sometimes gets a bad rap from people who are unfamiliar with it, or have come across misinformation on the internet. The truth is, a root canal doesn't cause pain: It relieves pain! The alternatives—having the tooth pulled or leaving the infection untreated—are often much worse.

Having a tooth extracted and replaced can be costly and time consuming…yet a missing tooth that isn't replaced can cause problems for your oral health, nutrition and self-esteem. And an untreated infection doesn't just go away on its own—it continues to smolder in your body, potentially causing serious problems. So if you need a root canal, don't delay!

If you would like additional information on root canal treatment, please contact us or schedule a consultation. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “A Step-By-Step Guide to Root Canal Treatment” and “Root Canal Treatment: What You Need to Know.”

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Bobby Bones Dances His Way to Dental Damage

By David Van Appledorn, DDS, PC
December 17, 2018
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: celebrity smiles   dental injury  
BobbyBonesDancesHisWaytoDentalDamage

The long-running hit show Dancing with the Stars has had its share of memorable moments, including a wedding proposal, a wardrobe malfunction, and lots of sharp dance moves. But just recently, one DWTS contestant had the bad luck of taking an elbow to the mouth on two separate occasions—one of which resulted in some serious dental damage.

Nationally syndicated radio personality Bobby Bones received the accidental blows while practicing with his partner, professional dancer Sharna Burgess. “I got hit really hard,” he said. “There was blood and a tooth. [My partner] was doing what she was supposed to do, and my face was not doing what it was supposed to do.”

Accidents like this can happen at any time—especially when people take part in activities where there’s a risk of dental trauma. Fortunately, dentists have many ways to treat oral injuries and restore damaged teeth. How do we do it?

It all depends on how much of the tooth is missing, whether the damage extends to the soft tissue in the tooth’s pulp, and whether the tooth’s roots are intact. If the roots are broken or seriously damaged, the tooth may need to be extracted (removed). It can then generally be replaced with a dental bridge or a state-of-the-art dental implant.

If the roots are healthy but the pulp is exposed, the tooth may become infected—a painful and potentially serious condition. A root canal is needed. In this procedure, the infected pulp tissue is removed and the “canals” (hollow spaces deep inside the tooth) are disinfected and sealed up. The tooth is then restored: A crown (cap) is generally used to replace the visible part above the gum line. A timely root canal procedure can often save a tooth that would otherwise be lost.

For moderate cracks and chips, dental veneers may be an option. Veneers are wafer-thin shells made of translucent material that go over the front surfaces of teeth. Custom-made from a model of your smile, veneers are securely cemented on to give you a restoration that looks natural and lasts for a long time.

It’s often possible to fix minor chips with dental bonding—and this type of restoration can frequently be done in just one office visit. In this procedure, layers of tooth-colored resin are applied to fill in the parts of the tooth that are missing, and then hardened by a special light. While it may not be as long-lasting as some other restoration methods, bonding is a relatively simple and inexpensive technique that can produce good results.

If you would like more information about emergency dental treatment, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor articles “The Field-Side Guide to Dental Injuries” and “Knocked Out Tooth.”

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Orthodontists Anticipate Future Facial Growth When Treating Poor Bites

By David Van Appledorn, DDS, PC
December 07, 2018
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: orthodontic treatment  
OrthodontistsAnticipateFutureFacialGrowthWhenTreatingPoorBites

Moving teeth to better positions through orthodontics not only improves dental function and health, it can vastly improve your appearance. But to achieve a result that continues to be attractive as you age requires thorough planning and forethought.

That’s because your body continues to change all during life. While the most accelerated growth happens in childhood and adolescence, even older adults continue to change, especially in their facial features. A good deal of research has helped identify and catalog these changes, which orthodontists now incorporate into their corrective treatments for poor bites (malocclusions).

For example, the lips grow until they reach their maximum thickness in girls usually around age 14 and boys age 16. But researchers have also found lip thickness gradually diminishes for most people beginning in their late teens until about age 80. In other words, the appearance of your lips in your elderly years will be vastly different than in your teens. The same holds true for other facial features: our facial profile flattens as the nose becomes longer and more pronounced while the lower part of the face shortens.

Using this knowledge of the effects of aging on the face, orthodontists now attempt to anticipate “where” the facial features will be decades down the road. This projection can help them design a treatment plan that takes advantage of these projected changes.

For example, orthodontists may begin treatment before a patient’s teenage years with techniques that serve to guide jaw growth. Keeping that development on track will help if or when braces may be needed a few years later. Guiding jaw growth will help shorten the distance of where a patient is in their orofacial development and where they should be later in life with normal development.

Orthodontists aren’t predictors of the future. But armed with an understanding of the aging process, they can help patients head in the right direction to produce a smile and facial appearance that will endure well into later life.

If you would like more information on moving teeth to achieve a more attractive appearance, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Understanding Aging Makes Beauty Timeless.”

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Understanding the Aging Process Leads to More Effective Orthodontics

By David Van Appledorn, DDS, PC
October 18, 2018
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: orthodontics  
UnderstandingtheAgingProcessLeadstoMoreEffectiveOrthodontics

If you’ve ever looked at younger photos of yourself, you’re sure to notice differences with your present appearance. Of course, your basic features might appear much the same. But maybe your lips seemed a little thicker back then, or your nose a bit less prominent.

This is because your facial features don’t stop growing when you reach adulthood—they continue to change throughout your life. For example, lips reach their maximum thickness by around age 14 for girls or age 16 for boys; they’ll remain at that level of thickness for a few years before gradually thinning throughout adulthood. The nose will also continue to grow, becoming more prominent especially as changes in the lower part of the face can make the chin appear shorter.

Although each of us ages at different rates and in different ways, these general physical trends are somewhat predictable. That’s why we can use the knowledge of how our facial physiology changes with age to fine tune orthodontic or other cosmetic dental treatments. The most optimum approach is to consider treatment in the early stages of bite development during childhood or early adolescence.

This means we’re doing more than correcting a patient’s current bite: we’re also taking into account how tooth movement now might affect the jaw and facial structures later in life. By incorporating our understanding of age-related changes into our treatment we might be able to provide some hedge against the effects of aging.

This approach starts with early comprehensive dental care, preferably before a child’s first birthday, and an orthodontic evaluation at around age 6 to assess bite development. It may also be necessary to initiate interceptive treatment at an early age to lessen or even eliminate a growing bite problem to help ease the extent of future treatment. And if a bite requires correction, early evaluation can help create a timetable for effective treatment in later years.

Taking this approach can correct problems now affecting both dental health and appearance. But by acknowledging the aging process in our treatments, we can build the foundation for a beautiful smile well into the future.

If you would like more information on keeping an attractive smile throughout your life, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.

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Older Posts Dental Procedures (62)
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Archive:

  • 2019
      • February (2)
        • A Bonded Retainer Might be a Better Choice After Braces
        • National Children's Dental Health Month Highlights Importance of Baby Teeth
      • January (3)
        • Why Alfonso Ribeiro Is Grateful for Root Canal Treatment
        • Your Regular Dental Visits Might Change if You've had Gum Disease
        • Stay Hydrated in Winter for Better Year-Round Oral Hygiene
  • 2018
      • December (3)
        • Less-Invasive Pulp Capping Could Save Your Tooth
        • Bobby Bones Dances His Way to Dental Damage
        • Orthodontists Anticipate Future Facial Growth When Treating Poor Bites
      • November (3)
        • TMD and Fibromyalgia Could Share Links in Chronic Pain
        • Don't Let GERD Ruin Your Teeth's Health
        • Steely Dan Founder's Death Highlights Importance of Early Cancer Detection
      • October (3)
        • How to Maximize Your Child's Dental Health Potential
        • Understanding the Aging Process Leads to More Effective Orthodontics
        • 4 Signs Your Child May Have a Poor Bite
      • September (3)
        • In Today's NFL, Oral Hygiene Takes Center Stage
        • A Bonded Retainer Might Work for You after Orthodontic Treatment
        • Why Smoking and Dental Implants Don't Mix
      • August (3)
        • 'Tooth in One Day' Procedures Require Special Attention for Success
        • Julianne Hough Shares a Video - and a Song - After Wisdom Teeth Come Out
        • How to Treat the Problem of Teeth that Never Developed
      • July (3)
        • How to Reduce Tooth White Spots While Wearing Braces
        • Teenagers with Missing Teeth Usually Need a Temporary Restoration
        • A Royal Fix
      • June (3)
        • That Odd Looking Sore in Your Mouth is No Cause for Alarm
        • Gum Disease is Still a Threat to Your Dental Implants
        • The Right Treatment for Your Child's Injured Tooth Increases its Survival
      • May (4)
        • A Different Kind of "Chip Shot" for Pro Golfer Danielle Kang
        • Root Canal Awareness Week: A Time to Learn How Teeth Are Saved
        • See How Well You're Removing Daily Plaque with a Plaque Disclosing Agent
        • Your Child Isn't in Danger from X-Rays Thanks to the ALARA Principle
      • April (2)
        • 2.6 Million Fans 'Like' Justin Bieber's Chipped Tooth
        • 3 Situations for Seeing a Periodontist
      • March (3)
        • 3 Tips for Helping Your Kids Develop Great Tooth-Friendly Habits
        • A "No-Prep" Veneer Could Eliminate the Need to Remove Tooth Enamel
        • Skater Adam Rippon's World-Class Smile
      • February (2)
        • Cracked Mouth Corners can be Irritating - Here's How to Treat Them
        • Why a Bonded Retainer Might be a Better Choice After Braces
      • January (2)
        • Root Decay in Your Later Years Could Endanger Your Teeth
        • Expert Advice: Vivica A. Fox on Kissing and Oral health
  • 2017
      • December (2)
        • Have a Loose Tooth? You'll Need This Two-Phase Treatment to Save It
        • Certain People may Benefit from Antibiotics Before Implant Surgery
      • November (2)
        • Your Age Won't Necessarily Decide Against Straightening Your Smile
        • Game, Set, Match: Milos Raonic Says A Mouthguard Helps Him Win
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        • Increase Bone Mass for Dental Implants through Grafting
        • These 3 Tasks Show How Saliva is Amazing
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        • Take Proactive Steps to Protect Your Oral Health During Cancer Treatment
        • Fifth Harmony's Camila Cabello Chips a Tooth, but Concert Still "Worth It"
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        • The 3 Top Causes for Tooth Sensitivity
        • Why Big Bang Theory Actress Mayim Bialik Couldn't Have Braces
        • A 4-Step Process for Achieving Your Highest Oral Health Possible
      • July (2)
        • Even Celebrities Like Jennifer Lawrence Aren't Immune From Bad Breath!
        • Professional Whitening Offers an Effective Way to Restore Your Smile's Luster
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        • Jamie Foxx Chips a Tooth - This Time by Accident!
        • Braces Take Advantage of Teeth's Natural Ability to Move
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        • How Kathy Bates Retains Her Movie-Star Smile
        • Children with Chronic Health Conditions may Need Extra Dental Care
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        • (Don't) Break It Like Beckham
        • Facial Nerve Pain can be Managed with Effective Treatment
      • March (2)
        • Life Is Sometimes a Grind for Brooke Shields
        • Safety is a Priority When Imaging Children's Teeth with X-Rays
      • February (3)
        • Noah Galloway's Dentally Dangerous Dancing
        • A Partial Denture Can Restore a Smile Marred by a Few Missing Teeth
        • Johnny's Teeth Aren't Rotten Any More
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        • A Retainer Helps You Keep Your New Smile After Braces
        • Any Time, Any Place: Cam Newton's Guide to Flossing
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        • Simplify Your Toothpaste Purchase by Looking for These Ingredients
        • Vivica's Veneers: the Making of a Hollywood Smile
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        • Extracting Certain Teeth can Boost Orthodontic Effectiveness
        • Dental Crowns for the King of Magic
        • Answering Your Questions about Your Upcoming Teeth Whitening
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        • Chrissy Teigen's Teeth-Grinding Troubles
        • Treating Gum Disease Important to Saving the Underlying Bone
      • September (2)
        • Dental Magic Transforms Smiles
        • Grafting can Help Regenerate Gum Tissue Lost Through Recession
      • August (2)
        • Kathy Bates Plays It Smart With Professional Teeth Whitening
        • Winning the War on Gum Disease Requires Post-Treatment Vigilance
      • July (3)
        • Jimmy Fallon Can’t Catch a Break - Except in His Tooth
        • Don't Forget Hidden Fluoride Sources Your Family Could be Ingesting
        • Sofia Vergara: 'Obsessed' With Oral Hygiene
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        • Antibiotic Resistance Requires Action - and a Change of Attitude
        • Dr. Travis Stork: Don't Ignore Bleeding Gums
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        • Your Case of Gingivitis Could Develop into Something More Harmful
        • Ariana Grande Breaks Free - of Her Wisdom Teeth
      • April (2)
        • There's a Good Reason for Adults to Consider Orthodontics - Better Oral Health
        • Master Illusionist Benefits from the Magic of Orthodontics
      • March (2)
        • A Retainer-Like Device can Preserve the Space Left by a Lost Primary Tooth
        • Tom Hanks' Abscessed Tooth Gets Cast Away
      • February (1)
        • While Usually Benign, Lichen Planus Lesions Should Still be Examined
      • January (3)
        • The Laser Revolution is Changing the Dental Healthcare
        • Jason Derulo's Ideal Match
        • Anchorage Devices Provide More Accuracy, Less Treatment Time for Braces
  • 2015
      • December (2)
        • Actor David Ramsey Discusses Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
        • There may be more to that Toothache that Suddenly Stops Aching
      • November (2)
        • Giancarlo Stanton Gets Major-League Mouth Protection
        • Crown Differences Could Ultimately Affect Your Cost
      • October (2)
        • New Front Teeth for a Teenaged David Duchovny
        • Don't Panic! Take Methodical Approach to Help Your Child Stop Thumb Sucking
      • September (2)
        • Spice Up Your Teeth
        • Know the Risks and Benefits for Same-Day Tooth Replacement
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        • America's (Dentists) Got Talent - for Fixing Damaged or Missing Teeth!
        • Some Birth Control Drugs Could Increase Risk of Gum Disease
      • July (3)
        • A Toothless Tiger?
        • Crown Lengthening Opens up New Teeth Restoration Possibilities
        • Beyonce Makes Flossing a Family Affair
      • June (2)
        • An Early Orthodontic Evaluation May Alert to Developing Bite Problems
        • Neil Patrick Harris: What the Oscars Host Treasures Most
      • May (2)
        • Setting the Record Straight on Root Canal Treatments
        • Nancy O'Dell on Making Oral Hygiene Fun for Kids
      • April (2)
        • Irritating Cold Sore Outbreaks can be Controlled Through Medication
        • Hilary Duff's Chipped Front Teeth Repaired with Veneers
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        • Work With Your Child's School to Encourage Healthy Snack Foods
        • Eden Sher and the Lost Retainer
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        • Customized Temporary Crowns let you 'Rehearse' Your Future Smile
        • No "Glee" in Tooth Grinding
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