Did you know there are five distinct stages of tooth decay? And, that in the first stage of decay, you can actually take steps to reverse the progression of the disease? Indeed, it’s true. In the first stage of decay, whether you’re a child or an adult, the application of fluoride via fluoride treatments, your toothpaste and even the local water supply can stop a cavity from penetrating through the enamel and reaching its second stage. Even the saliva in your mouth and the foods you eat help to re-mineralize a tooth in jeopardy. But that’s just the first stage! What about the rest? Understanding how a cavity progresses can assist you in preventing each successive stage from occurring. There’s always a lot going on in that mouth!
The answer is YES! And we're coming close to making every injection tolerable, and most of them painless. How? The key is in something called the gate control theory. CrossKeys Dental has recently begun to employ a device that puts this theory to work, with the hope of making the fear of a shot in the dentist's office a thing of the past!
Your teeth go through a lot. Like any machine, wear and tear needs to be considered. Imagine the stress that chewing muscles alone (for decades!) put on your teeth! Generally, we put anywhere between 16 and 34 lbs of force on our teeth when chewing our food. Some people can apply up to 160 lbs of force (1). Imagine then how much force we apply when grinding or clenching. Studies have recorded forces nearing 275 lbs with a single clench. Could you imagine having to offer a warranty for this machine? How in the world do our teeth withstand these forces without failing? The answer: sometimes they don’t…
Over the last several years you may have noticed many news stories regarding the impact of prescription pain killers in America. Dr. DuPre՛ and I, along with all licensed dental practitioners in New York State, were recently required to take course on the effects of opioids. The problem has become very real...
Every tooth has a root canal. That is the name of the tiny canal that runs through the center of each tooth's root. This "tube" houses the pulp, which is the soft tissue inside of the tooth that includes nerves and blood vessels. When there is a problem with the pulp, your dentist will perform endodontic treatment, otherwise known as root canal therapy (RCT)...
