Diseases/Problems

Dental diseases and problems

Cavities

Bacteria are always present in our bodies, and in particular, in our mouths. Some of these bacteria are harmless or even beneficial, but many of them are not.

Some bacteria can attach themselves to the enamel of your teeth, and if they are not brushed, flossed or removed some other way, they can grow in large numbers to form a colony. As further bacteria and protein from your saliva attach to the bacteria on the enamel of your teeth, they form plaque, which can cause cavities.

The bacteria that form together to become plaque use sugar as a form of energy. They multiply faster and the plaque grows in size and thickness. Some of the bacteria use the sugar to create a stronger bond with the tooth enamel and make it more difficult to get rid of them.

As plaque forms on your teeth, and doesn't get washed away by saliva or brushed away by your toothbrush, it eats up sugar and produces acid.. This acid is produced inside the plaque and can't be easily washed away by your saliva. The acid dissolves the minerals that make your tooth enamel hard. The surface of the enamel becomes porous—tiny holes appear. After a while, the acid causes the tiny holes in the enamel to get bigger until until they form a single larger hole. This is a cavity. It's important to see your dentist before a cavity forms so that the plaque you can't reach with your toothbrush or floss can be removed.

The frequency that sugar is in your mouth is the most important factor in causing tooth decay. Every time you eat something sweet that contains sugar, from the time you start to the time you finish the sugary snack, the plaque on your teeth produces acids. The acids continue to be produced for 20 minutes after the snack has been consumed.

For example, let’s say you split a chocolate bar into four pieces. It is better to eat all four pieces at once and have one twenty minute acid attack on your teeth than it is to eat one piece every hour and have four twenty minute acid attacks for a total of 80 minutes of acid exposure.

It is a treat to have sugary snacks, and let’s face it; we are all going to get them throughout our lives. However, we should try to reduce the frequency of such treats to try and maintain the integrity of the enamel in our teeth as best we can.

You don't feel the acid attacking the enamel, beacuse the nerves in the tooth lie deeper than the enamel layer. However, once the acid begins to create a cavity and attacks the dentin under the enamel, the nerve fibers begin to send out a message that something is wrong. But by then, you have tooth decay. That's why it's important to have regular, preventive dental check-ups. Don't wait until it hurts!

http://www.medicalconsumerguide.com/dental/dental_cavity.html

http://www.dentistry.com/sayno.asp

Fillings

Quite simply, a filling is a metallic or ceramic-based patch used to fill a cavity in your tooth. It commonly involves: freezing, so you don’t feel pain; removing the decayed portion of the tooth; and then patching the cavity with the filling material.

There are new equipment and procedures, such as air abrasion, that can sometimes eliminate the need for drills and freezing. However, these techniques generally depend on catching cavities in the earliest stages of decay.

http://your-doctor.com/patient_info/dental_info/dental_disorders/fillings.html

Periodontal Diseases (Gum Disease)

Periodontal (gum) diseases, including gingivitis and periodontitis, are serious infections that, left untreated, can lead to tooth loss. Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth.

Periodontal diseases range from simple inflammation gums to more serious conditions that result in major damage to the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth. In the worst cases, you can lose your teeth.

Gum disease is a significant health threat. Research points to possible health effects of periodontal diseases that go well beyond your mouth. Whether it is stopped, slowed, or gets worse depends a great deal on how well you care for your teeth and gums every day, from this point forward. Unfortunately, once you are diagnosed with periodontal disease, you always have the condition and you can merely control it by brushing, flossing and having your teeth professionally “cleaned” (scaled and root planing.)

http://www.perio.org/consumer/2a.html

http://www.ada.org/public/faq/gums.htmlon procedure

http://www.caesy.com/presentation.htm

Orthodontics

Having straight teeth is important. Teeth that are crooked or out of place (misaligned) affect the way a person chews and talks and how their smile looks. Teeth that are properly spaced are more difficult to clean properly.. In some cases, crooked teeth can affect the way the jaws line up and can cause pain and discomfort.

One method to correct this is to have Orthodontic treatment (or braces and retainers as they are sometimes called).

Orthodontic treatment works by exerting a gentle pressure over time to straighten teeth that are growing, or have already grown out of place.

Braces have three basic parts

Brackets - brackets that are attached to each tooth
Bonding or band - the material that attaches the bracket to the tooth
Arch Wire - a thin metal wire that runs from bracket to bracket

Braces have come a long way from the "train track" look of years ago. Today, many orthodontic patients get braces that attach to the backs of the teeth, or use transparent brackets.

A retainer is a custom-made, removable appliance that helps keep teeth in their new, straightened position after braces have been removed. Retainers can also be used for limited treatment of minor orthodontic problems.

http://www.smiles4ever.com/orthodontics.htm

http://www.aaortho.org/aaortho/braces/about/

Crowns

A crown is a restoration, usually made of ceramic or gold, that covers, or "caps," a tooth to restore it to its normal shape and size. Crowns strengthen and improve the appearance and function of a tooth. Crowns are necessary when a tooth is generally broken down and fillings won't solve the problem. If a tooth is cracked, a crown holds the tooth together to seal the cracks so the damage doesn't get worse. Crowns are also used to support a large filling when there isn't enough of the tooth remaining, to attach a bridge, to protect weak teeth from fracturing, to restore fractured teeth, or to cover badly shaped or discoloured teeth.

http://www.robinspool.co.uk/crown.htm

http://www.dentistry.com/corner8_crowns.asp

http://www.agd.org/consumer/topics/crowns/main.html

Bridges

When a permanent tooth has been lost, a bridge is made between the teeth on either side to fill in the missing tooth. In order to construct a bridge, there must be a tooth on either side of the missing tooth. The bridge requires the creation of a crown on each of the adjacent teeth that is joined in the middle by the replacement for the missing tooth.

http://www.wilsondentalclinic.com/BridgeTreatment.htm

http://www.1stdentalimplants.com/artman/publish/article_35.shtml

Roots Canals

Underneath your tooth's outer enamel and within the dentin is an area of soft tissue called the pulp. The pulp contains the tooth's nerves, veins, arteries and lymph vessels. Root canals are very small, thin divisions that branch off from the top pulp chamber down to the tip of the root. A tooth has at least one but rarely more than four root canals.

The pulp can become infected due to a deep cavity, fractures, or an injury due to trauma that allows bacteria to seep in. Eventually it can die. Damaged or dead pulp causes increased blood flow and cellular activity, and pressure cannot be relieved from inside the tooth. Pain in the tooth is commonly felt when biting down, chewing, or applying hot or cold foods and drinks.

Without treatment, the infection spreads. Bone around the tooth begins to degenerate, and the tooth may fall out. Pain usually worsens until one is forced to seek emergency dental attention. The only alternative is usually extraction of the tooth, which can cause surrounding teeth to shift crookedly, resulting in a bad bite. Though an extraction is cheaper, the space left behind will require an implant or a bridge, which can be more expensive than root canal therapy. If you have the choice, it's always best to keep your original teeth.

http://www.medbroadcast.com/health_topics/root_canal/index.shtml

http://www.1strootcanal.com/artman/publish/article_44.shtml

http://www.agd.org/consumer/topics/rootcanaltherapy/main.html

Cosmetic Dentistry

Sometimes called aesthetic dentistry, cosmetic dentistry can be described as any one or more dental treatments that improve the beauty of your smile. “Bonding”, bleaching and veneering are all procedures that fall under the umbrella of cosmetic dentistry.

At Pure Dental we use the Rembrandt One-Hour Whitening Smile Program.

http://www.cosmeticdentistryfyi.com/

Implants

Dental implants are medically pure titanium devices that are placed into the jawbone. They act as an anchor to provide a solid base for artificial tooth replacement. Implants can secure from one tooth (crown) to several teeth, replacing ore helping to secure a full upper or lower denture.

http://www.denturist.bc.ca/dentures-on-implants.htm

http://www.cda-adc.ca/english/your_oral_health/caring_teeth/dental_care_seniors/false_teeth.asp