by Dr. Adkins | Jul 7, 2017 | Blog, Dental Topics, Uncategorized
If you’re looking to improve both your oral health and your smile, a dental crown or a bridge may be recommended. They both improve the functionality and appearance of teeth, providing many health and cosmetic benefits to patients.
What are crowns?
These are basically caps that are placed over existing teeth. They restore the size, shape and strength of your tooth and make it look natural and appealing in your smile. Crowns can be made of various materials including ceramic, resin, plastic, stainless steel or metal alloys. A combination of materials may even be used to achieve ideal strength and appearance.
When are crowns recommended?
There are a number of reasons that dentists install crowns. They may protect a weak tooth, save a cracked tooth, restore a worn or broken tooth, hide a badly discolored or crooked tooth, hold a bridge, cover an implant, or aid in completing a cosmetic dental procedure.
What does the crown procedure involve?
A crown installation typically requires three dental visits. Initially, the dentist examines the tooth to advise the best material. On the second visit, the tooth is prepared and an impression is made for creating the crown in a dental lab, and a temporary crown is placed. The final visit involves replacing the temporary crown with the final one.
What are bridges?
These restorations consist of two crowns that are joined together by a tooth. Bridges replace missing teeth by relying on adjacent teeth for support. They are made out of the same types of materials as crowns.
When are bridges recommended?
Bridges are most often a solution for replacing a few teeth, especially on just one side of the mouth. They are only successful when neighboring teeth are strong and offer excellent bone support.
What is the bridge procedure?
While two crowns and a missing tooth are fabricated in a dental lab, teeth adjacent to the gap are trimmed and prepared for crowns. When the restoration is ready, the pieces will be joined in the mouth to create a bridge to be held in place by the crowns on both sides of the artificial tooth.
We treat patients from McDonough and the surrounding area
by Dr. Adkins | Jun 28, 2017 | Blog, Dental Topics, Uncategorized
Dentures dentist in McDonough
Your dentist may suggest dentures when you are missing teeth. There are two main types of dentures available: complete or partial. As their names suggest, complete dentures are appropriate when all teeth are gone and partial dentures when some real teeth are still in the mouth.
Complete dentures
There are two kinds of complete dentures that your dentist may offer. Conventional dentures are ready to be placed up to twelve weeks after your teeth have been removed and the gums have begun healing. You will be without teeth during that time until the conventional dentures are ready. Immediate dentures are prepared prior to the teeth being removed so that they can be worn as soon as teeth are gone. Because gums and bones may change during the healing period, immediate dentures require more adjustments to ensure proper fit throughout the process. Some dentists consider immediate dentures as a temporary restoration until conventional dentures are ready.
Partial dentures
Typically consisting of artificial teeth attached to a pink-colored plastic base and sometimes connected with a metal framework, partial dentures are used when one or more real teeth are still in position. These can be used as a partial tooth replacement solution for either the upper or lower jaw. If the restoration is cemented into position, it’s called a fixed bridge. This option may be used to replace one or more missing teeth by implementing crowns on the teeth adjacent to the space and attaching artificial teeth. Since partial dentures fill in spaces left by missing teeth, one of the benefits is that your remaining teeth don’t move out of place.
Wearing dentures
You might feel awkward at first, whether you’re wearing complete or partial dentures. It takes a few weeks to adjust to eating and speaking. If any gum tenderness doesn’t resolve quickly or becomes severe, contact your dentist. It is normal for your complete or partial dentures to need to be relined or remade as time progresses, or sometimes only the base needs to be remade. Regular dental checkups are important to maintain high-quality dentures and good oral health.
Schedule your appointment at our McDonough dental office
by Dr. Adkins | Jun 21, 2017 | Blog, Dental Topics, Uncategorized
Dentist in McDonough that treats wisdom teeth
Wisdom teeth, your third set of molars, are named that because they are the final teeth to erupt. They usually come in between ages 17 to 25, and are located in the very back of your mouth on the top and bottom. Your dentist will examine you to find out if your wisdom teeth are properly positioned and healthy. If they aren’t, your dentist will recommend removal.
How do you know wisdom teeth should be removed?
Some of the signs there is a problem with your wisdom teeth include pain, infection, cysts, gum disease, damage to nearby teeth, and tooth decay. If you experience any of these symptoms, see your dentist for an examination.
What are impacted wisdom teeth?
Sometimes your teeth just don’t have room to grow in properly. They can erupt at angles within your jaw, sometimes even horizontally. If wisdom teeth aren’t able to erupt normally they can become trapped, or impacted, inside your jaw. Symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth are pain, infection, and swelling. When teeth are impacted, they can lead to serious problems. Many dentists want to avoid impacted teeth and therefore remove your wisdom teeth before they erupt or grow too big.
Are there less obvious reasons to remove wisdom teeth?
It’s not always clear when these teeth way in the back of your mouth are causing problems, or might in the future. Many dentists remove them in teens or young adults so they don’t cause problems later, or become too firmly planted in the jaw. Also, sometimes wisdom teeth are removed as part of orthodontic, periodontal, or restorative treatment plans.
What happens if I don’t have them removed?
Some dentists prefer to wait and see what happens with time to your wisdom teeth. Make sure you continue to have these teeth monitored, because the risk of problems doesn’t go away with age. Removing wisdom teeth isn’t always necessary, because if there’s room in your mouth and they come in properly, they work just like any other teeth. The key is to watch them to make sure problems don’t arise in the future.
We treat patients from McDonough and the surrounding area
by Dr. Adkins | Jun 14, 2017 | Blog, Dental Topics, Uncategorized
Root Canal Dentist in McDonough
If you ask most people, they would rather do just about anything than get a root canal. The truth is root canal therapy actually alleviates pain and restores the health of a damaged tooth. With modern sedation options, patients remain calm and relaxed during the procedure.
To understand how a root canal works, it helps to look at the anatomy of a tooth. Your teeth contain a hard outer shell called enamel, a layer of dentin, and a soft nerve center referred to as pulp. This tissue, made up of nerves and blood vessels, keeps the tooth healthy, ensuring blood flow and providing vital nutrients.
When a tooth experiences severe trauma or develops deep decay, the pulp can sustain damage and die. Often, pressure and infection will build up inside the tooth. To save the tooth, your dentist may recommend a root canal, which can be performed in one appointment.
Signs you may need a root canal:
- A lingering toothache
- Blood or pus surrounding the tooth
- Pain during chewing
- Swelling in the gums or nearby tissue
- Sensitivity to hot or cold
For a root canal, the dentist will numb the tooth and then clean out the infection. Next, the doctor will sterilize the inside area and seal off the tooth to prevent future problems. After a root canal, the tooth will usually require a crown for a complete restoration. Most people actually feel better after root canal therapy. In fact, many patients only need over-the-counter pain relievers for mild soreness.
If you live in the McDonough area, contact us today
by Dr. Adkins | Jun 7, 2017 | Blog, Dental Topics, Uncategorized
In recent years, dentists and oral health professionals have thought that 3 out of 4 American adults, or roughly 75 percent, have some level of gum disease. A new survey indicates that those estimates are low. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and the American Academy of Periodontology, the actual numbers may be 50 percent higher. If correct, these numbers suggest gum disease is a much larger problem in this country.
Also referred to as periodontal disease, gum disease is mainly caused by plaque, the sticky substance that forms on your teeth. Plaque can harden into tartar, which irritates the gums and causes pockets of infection to form between your gums and teeth. Other factors like genetics, stress, lifestyle choices, and certain medications can also increase your chances of developing gum disease. Because the symptoms start out mild, usually red or bleeding gums, many people don’t realize they have this condition. Without treatment, periodontal disease can lead to gum recession and tooth loss.
In the past few years, gum disease has also been linked to other health problems. Research has found a connection between periodontal disease and chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. Pregnant women with untreated gum disease have a greater risk of pre-term labor and low-birth weight babies.
To decrease your risk of gum disease and protect your smile, follow these tips:
- Clean teeth at least twice a day with a soft-bristle toothbrush
- Floss regularly
- Schedule routine checkups with your dentist
- Contact your doctor right away if you have swollen or bleeding gums
Schedule your appointment at our McDonough dental office
by Dr. Adkins | May 18, 2017 | Blog, Dental Topics, Uncategorized
Are you looking for quick and noticeable results in brightening your smile? You’ve probably heard about visiting a dental professional for teeth whitening, but you might not have realized that often the procedure is performed using laser technology.
Laser teeth whitening is considered to be the wave of the future for transforming smiles from dull to beautiful in only an hour. Most patients can expect their teeth to lighten somewhere between 5 and 10 shades. Approved by the FDA in 1996, it is a popular service that many dentists offer.
Lasers were introduced as a method for teeth whitening in response to patient dissatisfaction with traditional bleaching methods, which can produce pain and inflammation. Some patients find bleaching too uncomfortable to withstand in an effort to brighten their smiles. Instead, lasers focus on a very precise area so that side effects common to other methods may be avoided.
Another appealing characteristic to laser whitening is that it speeds up the process. Most other methods take a couple of weeks up to months to achieve desired results, while laser whitening is performed in a single office visit. Dramatic results are possible in just one hour. A portion of that time doesn’t even involve the use of lasers, but taking time to protect the soft tissues of the mouth to avoid potential side effects.
The most common type of laser technology used for teeth whitening is the argon laser. Chemicals are placed on the teeth and then laser light is administered to enhance the chemical reaction and color change. After whitening, the dentist usually treats the teeth with fluoride to provide a brighter shine and strengthen the teeth.
After laser teeth whitening, it’s up to the patient to help ensure long-lasting results. Avoiding common items that stain teeth, such as coffee, soda, tobacco, dark sauces and more is advised. Some dentists provide a take-home kit including a customized tray and special gel to help maintain the new whiter smile. Laser whitening is a process that many patients rave about because of the minimal hassles and outstanding results.
If you need a dentist in McDonough, contact us today
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