Signs That You Should Visit a Root Canal Dentist

Many patients are unsure if they need to see a root canal dentist but are concerned about the health of their teeth or are experiencing tooth pain.  It is important to keep in mind that most dentists can perform a root canal but by visiting a specialist, your level of care can improve.  As with any medical procedure, when you see an expert there is less of a chance that there will be complications, the procedure is done faster, and discomfort is minimized.  As they say, practice makes perfect, and the same holds true for dentistry.

There are some signs you can watch for that will give you a good indication that it is time to schedule an appointment.

• Tooth pain that won't go away.  It is common to have tooth pain from time to time.  In fact, if you experience pain - brush and floss your teeth.  Sometimes food is stuck in there without you realizing it and simply flossing can make the pain go away after a few minutes.  If the pain is persistent and gets worse when you bite down, this is a sign that you need to call a root canal dentist. 
• Your tooth is darkening.  Teeth become stained but when they do it is typically a yellowish color.  If your tooth gets dark all of a sudden, that is a sign of a major infection and warrants an office visit. 
• Breath that smells really bad!  Everyone can experience bad breath after eating strong smelling cheese or garlic fries – that's normal.  If, however, your breath smells terrible after brushing and flossing and continues to smell bad – that is typically a sign of an infection or a lot of bacteria in your mouth.  When you visit the dentist, we can remove that bacteria and look for signs of infection in order to remove it.
• Sensitivity to hot and cold.  If your tooth is infected, it will likely become more sensitive.  If you eat an ice cream and your tooth hurts once; that isn't a cause for concern.  Teeth, like any area of the body, can be sensitive from time to time.  If, however, this happens on a regular basis with hot, cold or both, you should schedule an appointment to have your teeth examined. 

A root canal dentist can identify any infected teeth and remove the infection. This is important because when a root canal is completed correctly, it makes it possible for your natural tooth to be saved instead of needing to be pulled.  In this scenario, the dental pulp (soft center of the tooth) is what becomes infected.  The dentist removes this area of the tooth and will often remove the roots as well.  Once your adult teeth are in place, the roots are no longer necessary.  Removing them won't impact the long-term functionality of your tooth but if they are infected, they must be removed in order to prevent the infection from spreading into your jaw.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule a dental exam right away.

Dentist  >  Family Dentist

A Cosmetic Dentist Shares Alternatives to Braces

If you would like to improve your teeth, our cosmetic dentist office can provide you with quality alternatives to straightening treatments like braces. Our cosmetic dentistry practices involve the use of quality materials with skilled hands, and our experienced dentists can inform you on the best treatment options for your particular wants. To learn more about how a visit to our office can improve your smile dramatically, continue reading.

Dental/Porcelain Veneers

When patients visit our office with the hope of improving their teeth, we can offer them many improvement options. Some patients prefer to avoid straightening treatments like braces at all costs. If this is the case, dental veneers are an excellent alternative. Porcelain veneers, also called dental veneers, are wafer-thin, hard shells of porcelain permanently bonded to the fronts of teeth that are crooked, discolored, chipped, misaligned, or have spacing issues. Dental veneers are incredibly resilient to staining, comfortable in your mouth, and long-lasting. Since they are firmly attached to your teeth, they are very strong, grounded, and durable.

Veneers can be compared to crowns, except they cover only the visible portion of your tooth rather than the entire thing, which requires less dental drilling on your natural enamel. They improve your teeth's appearance by straightening, lengthening, or whitening your smile. A small amount of your tooth structure will be removed to allow the veneers to adhere closely and comfortably. They can provide you with the biggest improvement for a small amount of dental work and an affordable price.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is also be used to improve shaping and spacing issues that would otherwise be treated by braces. With bonding, a dentist will use a resin material to cover imperfections and fill in spaces. The bonding is hardened so it will remain in place and become durable. This is a conservative option if you are considering improving your dental imperfections. It can be completed in one quick appointment. Dental bonding is best when used on smaller-scale improvements.

Teeth Shaping/Contouring

Our teeth shaping and contouring procedures can be used to correct minor imperfections like one or two crowded or overlapping teeth. We use our sculpting tools to gently remove bits of enamel, then shape and polish the areas that have been worked on after we have sealed any vulnerable portions in order to protect them from decay.

Each of these cosmetic dentist procedures results in a beautifully improved smile. If you would like a complete smile makeover, we can also combine these treatments in order to completely transform your teeth. In addition to these procedures, we offer restorative treatments if you need improvements due to missing teeth or periodontal disease damages. Whatever your cosmetic dentistry needs are, we can help. Visit our office for more information about what we can do for your individual needs.

Veneers Dentist  >  Oral Surgery

Dental Implants Are a Permanent Alternative to Dentures

If you are wearing dentures, dental implants are an alternative solution that look and feel like natural teeth. While dentures are practical and provide patients with the appearance of a full set of teeth, they never feel quite natural. Implants, on the other hand, feel the same as the rest of your teeth so there is no way to tell which teeth are natural and which teeth are replacements.

Over seventy percent of adults over the age of sixty-five experience some form of tooth loss. Even young adults suffer from this age old problem, with around thirty percent of those over thirty five suffering from tooth loss. If this happens to you, it is important to decide how you want to replace the missing tooth. An experienced cosmetic dentist can help you to determine which solution will best fit with your lifestyle and the goals you have for your appearance.

Dental implants are ideal for people that have an active lifestyle and don't want their teeth to slow them down. Once the implant is installed, patients can eat all of their favorite foods, speak normally, and care for the implant as they do the rest of their teeth. This is a brush and go solution because as long as remember to practice good oral hygiene at home, along with visiting the dentist twice a year, you will never have to think about your replacement tooth again.

How the Process Works

In order to receive dental implants, you need to schedule a consultation with an experienced dentist. Our staff are experts at using this technology and able to determine if your gums and jawbone are in good enough health to schedule the procedure. If they are not, there are specific dental treatments that can get them ready. During your examination, a mold will be taken of your mouth so that the lab can create a synthetic tooth, or teeth, that is the right size and shape to blend in with your other natural teeth. If you want to have your teeth whitened now is an excellent time to do so because the synthetic tooth will be made to match your natural ones.

The first step in the procedure is to have a titanium post implanted under the surface of your gums. This piece will be secured to your jawbone and eventually the two will fuse together, creating an extremely durable synthetic root system. An abutment will be attached at the surface of your gums. Once the gums are healed the new tooth will be attached and put into position. This allows a cosmetic dentist to create a perfectly straight beautiful smile that looks and feels amazing. The entire process takes several months since your gums and bone need to heal after the implant procedure. During that time, you may want to wear temporary or immediate dentures so that no one will know that you don't have a full set of teeth. To learn more about the process or to schedule an examination, call today.

Teeth Whitening  >  Redwood City Dentist

Cosmetic Dentist Procedures That Will Make You Smile

If you have teeth you are unhappy with, modern cosmetic dentists make it easier than ever before to attain the smile you have always wanted. If you need a self-confidence boost, want a more attractive smile, or are concerned about health risks due to crowded teeth, we can help. We provide a variety of cosmetic dentistry procedures with the ability to improve your teeth. Learn more about the services we offer and how we can give you your best smile.

Teeth Whitening:

We offer in-office and at-home whitening solutions that range in effectiveness and simplicity. We have options that can suit any budget while still providing you with whiter teeth by eliminating stains and discoloration. A simple teeth whitening cosmetic dentists can provide you with surprising results.

Dental Bonding:

If you have chipped or cracked teeth or a single discolored tooth, we can provide you with dental bonding, which covers injured teeth and imperfections with a malleable solution that is permanently hardened after being placed in the correct area. This option will quickly and easily fix small dental imperfections.

Dental Contouring:

Dental contouring can be employed to align and reshape crooked or misshapen teeth. We will gently buff areas of each tooth to create a more attractively shaped structure.
White Fillings: If you have metallic fillings and would like a tooth-colored update, we can remove your dated fillings and replace them with a more attractive option. Our white fillings will blend in with your tooth color perfectly and look natural when you smile.
Dental Veneers: Our veneers are thin, porcelain shells bonded to the fronts of your teeth. They effectively cover discolored, misshapen, and oddly spaced teeth and also improve the look of jagged or chipped teeth edges. Veneers are customized for your individual needs and attractively cover dental flaws, improving your appearance drastically.

Dental Implants:

If you have missing teeth, you should consider receiving our dental implants instead of getting traditional dentures. Dental implants last forever, look and feel more natural, and are created to match surrounding teeth. Our implants are planted into your jawbone for a permanent foundation.
Dental Bridges: If you don't want a removable dental replacement, but prefer to avoid the cost and procedure of dental implants, dental bridges are an excellent option. A fabricated tooth is held in a gap by two crowns placed over abutment teeth. This is a more permanent option than dentures and provides a natural looking replacement.

These are only a few of our most common cosmetic dentists can improve the appearance and health of your teeth. Most of our treatments are minimally invasive and do not cause discomfort during or after the process. We use appropriate anesthetics as needed to offer you the most comfortable visit possible. You will be pleased with your improved smile and quick results. Our quality materials, products, and procedures provide long-lasting and beautiful teeth resilient to staining and wear.

Pediatric Dentistry  >  Veneers Dentist

Learn About Professional Teeth Whitening Brands

If you want information on professional teeth whitening brands, we encourage you to call and schedule an appointment. Things are changing all the time with companies releasing new and improved products. Visiting our office allows us to provide you with the latest updates. Still, there are a few things you should know about whitening your teeth before you do so.

The Process

When you whiten your teeth, you can do so using an at-home whitening kit or with laser whitening. We recommend using the at-home kit. Regardless of how you whiten your teeth, the solution will typically contain some level of peroxide. The type of peroxide in the solution and its chemical makeup, in general, will influence how effective it is for whitening teeth. Most products you buy in the store will only remove the surface stains on your teeth. While they will make your teeth look better, they will not turn yellow teeth bright white. On the other hand, a professional-grade whitening solution penetrates the enamel and begins the process of oxidization. This is where the molecules inside your teeth begin to reflect less light and appear colorless. Your smile will look bright white as a result, and your teeth will no longer be yellow. This is the type of solution we use in our office.

The Application

When comparing professional teeth whitening brands, you should also consider how the solution is applied to the teeth. Some whitening kits have you brush on the solution using a pen, but the results from this are not significant because the solution will not remain on your teeth long enough. Whitening strips are a better option, but they can still slip out of place, and many people find them to be inconvenient. We recommend you use a kit that uses whitening trays. This way, a solution is placed in the trays for you to then secure around your teeth and wear for thirty minutes or so. The only challenge with this option is that if you buy a kit from the store, the trays will not be designed for your teeth, but for anyone who buys the products. This creates a risk of leakage or the trays slipping out of place. For this reason, we suggest you use professional teeth whitening brands sold by our office. We will begin by having you come in for an appointment, where we make an impression of your teeth. Using that impression, we will then create customized trays designed to fit you perfectly. As a result, the whitening solution will remain in place, not leak out, and the process will be entirely comfortable. Simultaneously, since the solution is professional-grade, you will see the best possible results.

Dentist  >  Oral Surgery

I Need an Emergency Dentist Near Me. Can You Help?

If you have thought, I need an emergency dentist near me, you have already taken the first step toward getting the care you need. Most people do not consider an emergency dentist until they wake up with a sudden toothache or chip a tooth during a weekend softball game. Once the discomfort starts or the damage has been done, it is difficult to think clearly, and most people end up visiting the emergency room as a result. While they can help to stop the bleeding or give you pain medication, they are not trained in how to treat or restore teeth we are. As such, we highly recommend you add our phone number to your contacts and call us in an emergency situation.

We are available to treat you outside normal business hours, so you do not need to live with discomfort. This can help you to get past your situation and back to your normal routine in a hurry. While we welcome your calls, we also want to encourage you to take steps to avoid an emergency in the first place. While most people think of our services after a major, traumatic event like a car wreck, we have found that routine activities are often what lead to a dental emergency. With that in mind, here are a few habits you should avoid.

Opening things with your teeth. We have gotten many calls from people saying, "I need an emergency dentist near me to treat my chipped tooth." Many of these calls come after someone tried to open a bag with their teeth. While your teeth are strong, they have been designed to chew food. You can prevent discomfort and save yourself time by grabbing scissors instead.

Not wearing a mouthguard. Many teeth are damaged while playing sports. A mouthguard is the only real way to protect them, because the guard acts like a barrier, keeping your teeth in place and protected. Otherwise, a flying elbow or runaway ball could knock out an unsuspecting tooth.

Grinding your teeth. This can create the need for an emergency dentist for several reasons. Grinding can cause your natural teeth and restorations to become cracked or chipped. It can also lead to TMJ symptoms like a sore jaw. If you wake up with headaches or jaw and face pain and do not treat the condition, you could wake up unable to open your mouth at all. This will not happen right away, but over time, it is possible. We recommend wearing a night guard to prevent grinding and avoid this possibility.

Chewing on ice. If you have ever bitten down on ice and felt immediate pain, you could have chipped your tooth or worn away the enamel on them. Ice is hard and dangerous for your teeth. Many people have called saying, "I need an emergency dentist near me," after cracking a tooth. This routine activity needs to be avoided.

Regardless of why your tooth hurts or becomes damaged, we can solve the problem and help you to feel better again.

Teeth Whitening  >  Pediatric Dentistry

Keep Your Kids Healthy With Help From a Pediatric Dentistry

The biggest challenge a pediatric dentistry faces does not come in the form of cavities, but in parents who do not realize how prevalent pediatric dental disease is. When you start to look at the number of children who have a pediatric dental disease, also known as childhood tooth decay, it is quite alarming. Over 25 percent of children between the ages two and five experience tooth decay, and when you look at data for children between the ages of 12 and 15, that number jumps to 50 percent. Essentially, this means that one in two preteens and young teens have tooth decay. Childhood tooth decay is a problem far more prevalent than other diseases we pay more attention to, like asthma and hay fever. Comparatively, five children will have tooth decay versus asthma, and seven will have tooth decay versus hay fever. If you were to ask a pediatric dentistry, you would find that most of this decay sets in at an early age, mostly because parents do not bring their children in for early childhood checkups with the dentist like they do with a pediatrician. Eighty-nine percent of children will have seen their pediatrician before their second birthday while only 1.5 percent of children in the same age category will have seen a pediatric dentistry. Part of the reason for this problem is that over 20 million children in the US do not have the proper dental coverage, leading to parents who simply are unable bring their children in to see their dentist.

For a pediatric dentist, it can be slightly frustrating to see children who are not receiving the care they need at an early age. This is because early prevention will not only save your children discomfort, but it is also far more cost-effective. For every $1 you spend with your pediatric dentist on preventative medicine, studies have shown you can save up to $50 on future emergency dental situations and the need for restorative procedures. Unfortunately, children also lose a great deal of productivity due to their needing to have restorations and finding themselves in emergency dental situations. In fact, over 2.26 million school days will be missed each year by children spending time in the dentist chair for non-maintenance related care. This is extremely unfortunate since it doesn't take much for you to keep your children out of this kind of situation. Simple rules like the 2-2-2 rule can help your child avoid future problems.

The 2-2-2 rule consists of three simple steps. Step one is to make sure your child is brushing their teeth at least twice per day. This is a standard rule for anyone brushing your teeth, and one all children should be taught how to follow. In addition, you must make sure your children are brushing their teeth for at least two minutes to get them properly clean. Finally, you must take your child in to see their pediatric dentist at least twice per year.

Dentist  >  Root Canal Dentist