Answers to Your Questions

Today everyone wants a beautiful smile. When a person feels and looks good, they have a strong self image. People who feel good about themselves interact positively with family, friends and business contacts. A beautiful, confident smile plays a signific ant role in your self image. Advances in modem dentistry make it easy to restore a life-like beauty to teeth that are stained, chipped, crooked, missing or separated by a wide space.

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The tooth structure that you see when you look at a natural tooth is the enamel. Enamel covers what is called the clinical crown of a tooth, which is the part of the tooth that is above the gumline. Sometimes, the clinical crown is weakened or damaged by decay, fractures or chips, large fillings or root canal therapy. Because of this damage, it may become necessary to restore your tooth with a crown (also called a cap). A crown covers and restores the clinical crown of a tooth to its original shape and fu nction.

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A bridge is a fixed (cemented in place) dental appliance that is used to replace one or more missing teeth. Replacing missing teeth with a bridge restores your normal bite and prevents a number of serious additional problems from developing.

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Bonding is the artistic placement of a tooth-colored plastic material to front teeth to enhance their color, shape or length. You can have one tooth re-created with bonding, or we can transform your entire smile! And the effects are not merely cosmetic. Bonding protects your teeth from additional wear and damage.

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It's traumatic to break a front tooth, but today a broken tooth can be restored to nearly new condition, function and appearance, thanks to new bonding techniques and materials.

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Composites are fillings that are designed to match the color of your teeth. They may be used to restore a decayed tooth or repair a defect. Although they are often used on the front teeth where a natural appearance is important, they may be used on a bac k tooth when the restoration is small, or in cases when it may be visible.

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Only your dental professional can tell for sure. In general, people with healthy teeth who have brown, orange, or yellow stains are ideal candidates.

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Home whitening is a bleaching process that lightens discoloration and stains. Your teeth darken over time, as minerals penetrate the enamel. This darkening can be caused by aging, staining substances such as coffee, colas, or tobacco, tetracycline, exces s fluoride intake while the teeth were forming, or tooth nerve degeneration.

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There are many causes of tooth discoloration; substances like coffee, cola, and smoking. Some medications and aging can also cause your teeth to stain over time. Your dentist can determine the source of your discoloration, then recommend the best whiteni ng system for you.

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Nitrous oxide, also known as "laughing gas," is used for its calming effect. It's a colorless, almost odorless gas that is combined with oxygen, then administered to you through a small mask that covers your nose.

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Once you have experienced sedation dentistry, you will probably never fear going to the dentist again. If you have a great deal of anxiety about going to the dentist, sedation dentistry could be right for you. Dr. Sorenson is a leading sedation dentist in Midlothian, and is well-trained and experienced in sedation dentistry. He has provided safe oral se dation techniques to his patients for over 20 years.

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Candidates for sedation dentistry include those who have high fear, traumatic dental experiences in the past, ..

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You are given a small pill to take an hour prior to your dental appointment. Your companion will accompany you to the office. By the time you arrive, you will be very drowsy...

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Do You Have Senitive Teeth? If your teeth become sensitive to brushing, flossing, heat, cold or certain foods, the discomfort can interfere with your enjoyment of daily activities. You may have a common problem called dentin hypersensitivity, or "sensitive" teeth.

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Dental fillings (restoration) may last many years before they need replacing. However, constant pressure from chewing, grinding and clenching may cause a filling to wear away, chip, crack or even fall out.

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Fluoride is a highly effective part of your tooth decay prevention program, no matter what your age. When children are young and their teeth are forming, fluoride joins with the enamel surface and makes it harder and more resistant to decay. For adults, fluoride can repair an early cavity - even before it's become visible in the mouth - by rebuilding the enamel layer of the teeth. And in older adults, fluoride can help to solve the problem of root decay or root sensitivity.

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Bruxism is the clenching or grinding of your teeth while you are asleep. It's is not just an annoyance; it exerts thousands of pounds of pressure on the biting surfaces of the teeth, which can lead to jaw pain and damage to your teeth, as well as to the surrounding bone, gums, and jaw joint.

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As soon as your baby's teeth first appear, you should begin cleaning them with a soft infant toothbrush, using water only. No toothpaste is needed until your child is two or three years old. Clean all sides of the teeth as well as the surface of the gums .

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The hard tissue laser is an exciting new technology that we can use to remove old fillings, repair cavities, and prepare teeth for bonding. When we use lasers, we can often avoid the use of needles, so you don't have to endure that uncomfortable "fat lip " feeling after your treatment.

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Microdentistry is a new, alternative approach to traditional dentistry that uses new instruments and techniques

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The soft tissue laser is an exciting new technology that we can use in a wide range of procedures to treat your gums and other soft tissues within your mouth.

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Air abrasion is a relatively new process in which a fine, pressurized stream of non-toxic aluminum oxide powder is used to remove small amounts of decay from the tooth's outer enamel layer. Used in place of the traditional handpiece (drill), air abrasion virtually eliminates the discomfort often associated with preparing and filling cavities.

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If you have tender, swollen gums that bleed when you brush or floss, your diet may be to blame. A study published in the August, 2000 issue of the Journal of Periodontology found that people who don't get at least 60 milligrams of vitamin C per day (the minimum daily amount recommended for adults over age 15) have higher rates of periodontal disease than those who get less than this amount.

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TMD, or "Temporomandibular disorder," refers to not one condition, but a group of conditions that affect the temporomandibular joint (the TMJ). The symptoms, often painful, arise when there is a conflict between the biting surfaces of the teeth, the musc les in the jaw, and the jaw joint. For most people, TMD causes only occasional discomfort that will subside with little or no treatment. However, for a small percentage of people, TMD causes significant, life-disturbing, long-term symptoms.

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Plaque, that sticky film of food and bacteria that's constantly forming on your teeth, contributes to the formation of cavities, periodontal (gum) disease and bad breath. This is hazardous not only to your oral health, but to your overall health as we ll , as many recent studies have shown. That's why it's vital that you work to minimize the plaque that exists in your mouth.

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Injuries to the mouth and face are the #1 sports trauma, and a dental injury is painful, costly, and permanent. Fortunately, many mouth injuries can be prevented by wearing an athletic mouth protector - also called a mouthguard. A mouthguard is a soft pl a stic appliance that fits over the teeth. When a properly designed mouthguard is worn, the lips, cheek, tongue and jaws are protected, as well as the teeth. The American Dental Association estimates that mouthguards prevent 200,000 injuries each year in hi gh school and college sports alone.

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An adequate calcium intake can play a role in maintaining healthy gums by strengthening the underlying jaw bone. Yet, nearly 75% of women don't get enough calcium each day, and over 50% don't get even half the recommended daily allowance, according to st udies by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sadly, because there are no immediate, obvious symptoms of calcium deficiency, many women don't realize they're short on this vital nutrient until later years, when they develop gum disease and osteoporosis.

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If you're lactose intolerant, you're probably all too familiar with the "intestinal distress" (abdominal cramping and bloating, gas, and/or diarrhea) you suffer each time you consume milk or some other dairy product. These unpleasant symptoms are caused by your body's inability to properly digest milk sugar (lactose). So it's likely that you steer clear of these calcium-rich foods, and risk a deficiency of this mineral that's so vital to your overall well being as well as your dental health.

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Taking Care of Teeth, Gums, and Tongue If you haven't been in the habit of flossing, it may feel a bit clumsy at first. If you haven't been in the habit of flossing, it may feel a bit clumsy at first. Here are some helpful tips:

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When you visit us for your professional cleanings, we are always happy to teach you brushing techniques that will remove the maximum amount of plaque from your teeth. Here are some tips to serve as a reminder and to make your brushing sessions even more productive.

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Sealants are a white or colorless plastic coating that is applied to the biting surfaces of back teeth to prevent tooth decay. Sealants offer a great deal of protection against decay by acting as a protective barrier against the bacteria in plaque, the s t icky, invisible film that forms constantly on your teeth. The bacteria in plaque turn the sugar and starch in your food into a destructive acid that attacks your teeth for 20 minutes or more each time you eat. Repeated attacks can break down the enamel of your teeth and cause cavities.

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Diagnosing periodontal disease . You may have periodontal (gum) disease and not even realize it. That's because periodontal disease is usually not painful, especially in its early stages. To check for signs and symptoms of periodontal disease, we perfor m a thorough periodontal examination.

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Anyone can be affected by bad breath (also called "halitosis"). It's estimated that at any given time, about 50 percent of the population has bad breath. Cupping your hands over your mouth and sniffing the air that you breath out won't tell you if your breath is bad. The offending odor comes from the back of your mouth, and is only forced out when you speak.

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It's normal to be concerned about your breath, but it's not normal to have consistently bad breath. Here are some things you can do to keep bad breath to a minimum:

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Teeth need each other for support. When a tooth is lost, the biting forces change on the teeth next to the space, and they begin to shift. When an opposing tooth no longer has anything to bite against, it begins to slowly extrude out o f the socket. You may eventually end up losing that tooth, too. As your bite changes, it becomes increasingly difficult to chew your food. This change in your bite can also cause damage to your jaw-joint (the TMJ). It's also much harder to clean that have shifted, so harmful plaque and bacteria accumulate in these new, hard-to-reach places. This can result in cavities, gum (periodontal) disease, and permanent bone loss. Bridges correct these problems by filling in the space left by missing or extracted teeth, stabilizing your bite and remaining teeth.

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The tooth structure that you see when you look at a natural tooth is the enamel. Enamel covers the clinical crown of a tooth, which is the part of the tooth that is above the gumline. Sometimes, the clinical crown is weakened or damaged by decay, fractures or chips, large fillings or root canal therapy. Because of this damage, it may become necessary to restore your tooth with a crown (also called a cap). A crown covers and restores the clinical crown of a tooth to its original shape and function. Crowns may be made of metal, porcelain bonded to a metal base, or entirely out of porcelain.

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A bridge replaces one or more missing teeth and enables you to avoid a chain reaction of problems that could later affect your entire mouth. Teeth need each other for support. When teeth are lost, the biting force changes on the teeth next to the empty space, and they begin to shift out of position. When a tooth in the opposite arch no longer has something to chew against, it begins to slowly "grow" out of the socket, creating additional problems that could eventually cause you to lose the tooth.

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Knocked-Out Tooth: Hold the tooth by the crown, and rinse off the root of the tooth if it's dirty. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If it's possible, gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket. If that isn't possible, put the tooth in a cup of m ilk or water and get to the dentist as quickly as possible. Don't forget to take the tooth with you!

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If you have a lower denture, you probably know how hard it can be to eat comfortably. This discomfort is due to the fact that when lower teeth are lost, the bone in the jaw continually recedes. Over time, this causes a lower denture to become loose and f loppy.

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Implants are surgically placed titanium cylinders that serve as artificial tooth roots in the bone of your jaw. Often, implants are an excellent option for replacing one or a few missing teeth - a problem that affects millions of people. Why are implants often a good choice for tooth replacement?

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Whenever you lose teeth, bone tissue surrounding the empty area continually dissolves. In time, this gives your mouth an aged appearance as your lips collapse against the receding jaw bone. Dentures do nothing to stop this degradation of your jaw.

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Porcelain veneers are thin shells made of porcelain that are custom crafted in a dental laboratory. They are bonded to the fronts and biting edges of your teeth. Veneers are translucent and extremely natural-looking. They effectively close gaps between t he teeth, and restore and protect worn, chipped or misshapen teeth. Veneers are also great for whitening permanently stained teeth, or teeth that have darkened naturally with age.

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Partial dentures are removable dental appliances used to replace missing teeth. They use natural teeth for support, with clasps that attach to the remaining teeth for retention. Partial dentures can be used on the upper or lower arches.

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Sometimes, people believe that their dental problems will be over if they have their teeth removed and get dentures. But, as denture wearers will tell you, this marks the beginning of many new and different problems.

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We are recommending a root canal to help save your damaged tooth. The pulp, which is the soft tissue in the middle of your tooth that contains nerves, blood and lymph vessels, has become diseased and injured and cannot heal itself.

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First, we'll give you local anesthetic so the entire procedure will be comfortable for you. Once you are thoroughly numb, we will place a rubber dam around the tooth that we are going to treat. This isolates it from the rest of your mouth, and keeps it d ry and accessible to us. A rubber dam also prevents debris from falling to the back of your throat.

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If you're an adult, chances are you may have gingivitis--an early reversible stage of gum disease. Twenty-five percent of all adults may have some degree of gingivitis, and many don't even now it. With gingivitis your gums may become red, swollen, and bl eed easily.

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Having diabetes puts you at higher risk for oral infections and gum disease (also called periodontal disease). Why? Because diabetes weakens your mouth's natural ability to fight off germs, including the plaque bacteria that cause gum disease. Harmful ba c teria in your mouth thrive on glucose, the kind of sugar that's linked to diabetes. When diabetes isn't properly controlled, high glucose levels in the mouth promote the growth of this bacteria and can lead to tooth decay and periodontal disease, accordin g to the American Diabetes Association.

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Wondering why you're constantly suffering from pneumonia or bronchitis? The answer may be hiding in your gums. Scientists have discovered a link between periodontal (gum) disease and respiratory infections. In fact, if you suffer from periodontal disease , you may be breathing bacteria into your lungs every day from the infection in your gums.

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Mothers with severe periodontal disease are seven times more likely to deliver pre-term, low-birth weight babies, according to a study of 124 pregnant women conducted at the University of North Carolina and published in 1996 in the Journal of Periodontol ogy.

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You probably learned to clean your teeth when you were a child. The techniques and tools that were effective then are not sufficient to maintain your teeth and gums now that they have been damaged by periodontal disease.

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Periodontal disease is an infection of the teeth and gums, as well as the bone that surrounds the teeth. If left untreated, it causes supporting bone to be lost from around the teeth. Periodontal disease is the number one cause of tooth loss in the U.S. today. There are three stages to periodontal disease -gingivitis, periodontitis, and advanced periodontitis.

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Periodontal disease is an infection that attacks the gums and bone surrounding the teeth. Plaque, a sticky, colorless film of food and bacteria, forms constantly on teeth. If not removed, plaque hardens to become calculus (or tartar) in as little as 24 h ours.

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Periodontal disease is an infection of the teeth, as well as the gums and bone that surround the teeth. It's caused by specific bacteria that live in the deepening space between the teeth and gums, called a pocket. The bacteria that cause periodontal dis ease trigger the body's immune system to produce enzymes. It's these enzymes that actually cause bone to be lost.

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Periodontal disease is an infection of the teeth, gums and the bone that surround the teeth. If left untreated, it causes supporting bone to be lost around the teeth. Periodontal disease is the number one cause of tooth loss in the U.S. today. There are three stages to periodontal disease, gingivitis, periodontitis, and advanced periodontitis.

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Since early detection is so important, check your mouth when brushing and flossing. If, at any time, you notice any changes in the appearance of your mouth or any of these signs and symptoms contact your dentist at once:

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Infective endocarditis is a rare, life-threatening disease that inflames the interior lining of your heart. Bacteria from plaque - Streptococcus sanguis - causes the disease when it enters your bloodstream and adheres to damaged heart tissues or va lves. Because infective endocarditis is such a serious condition, prevention is vital.

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You may have periodontal (gum) disease and not even realize it. That's because periodontal disease is usually not painful, especially in its early stages. To check for signs and symptoms of periodontal disease, we perform a thorough periodontal examinati on, which includes the use of a periodontal probe and X-rays.

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