Dental Videos

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Bad Breath

 

Bad breath can be embarrassing and unpleasant, but in most cases it is easily treated. Bad breath (halitosis) affects almost everyone at some point in their lives. The most common causes of bad breath are the food you eat, as well as a build up of bacteria in your mouth.

Food particles that remain in your mouth after eating can collect bacteria on your teeth, tongue, and gums. This can cause an unpleasant odour. Regular (at least twice daily) brushing and flossing can lessen the amount of bacteria and eliminate odour.

Other causes of bad breath include smoking, dieting, hormonal changes, certain diseases, some medications. Sometimes, bad breath is a sign of infection or disease.

Good oral health is important to reducing or eliminating bad breath. Your dentist can help determine a cause for chronic bad breath. Regular dental visits, with a cleaning and checkup can also keep bacteria at bay and help you develop a solid oral health routine.

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Bonding & Veneers

Bonding

Also known as bonded restoration, is a painless way to make minor repairs to teeth. Bonding uses tooth-coloured material, called composite resin. Composite resin is used on a broken or chipped tooth to restore its size and shape. Bonding can also be applied over a stained tooth to make it match the colour of other teeth. Both bonding and veneers can improve your smile and give you more confidence.

 

 

Veneers

Veneers are very thin shells that are attached to the entire front part of teeth. Veneers can make teeth look better by changing their colour, shape, angle or spacing. They are often made of porcelain or composite resin. Porcelain veneers are generally stronger and last longer than composite resin veneers. Porcelain veneers also provide better aesthetic results very similar to natural teeth in terms of colour and shape, and do not change colour or stain over time. Generally, porcelain veneers take at least two visits to apply and composite resin veneers can be done in one visit.

Porcelain veneers and bonded teeth can sometimes be chipped when biting or tearing into hard or chewy foods. Also, constantly grinding or clenching the teeth may cause bonding or veneers to chip or break. Once a veneer chips or peels off, or if a cavity forms under the veneer, the veneer must be redone. The other option is to put a crown on the tooth.

To learn more about bonding & veneers or any other cosmetic treatments, consult your dentist.

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Child’s Dental Health

 

Recent studies have shown that by the age of three, a child is already at risk of having cavities which can be caused by something as innocent as putting a baby to sleep with a bottle of juice or milk. At your child’s first dental visit, along with taking our first look at your child’s oral condition, we are largely focused on the parents and helping them to establish a good oral hygiene program and diet for the child. We believe that a child should have his or her first dental visit by the age of 2.

It is a little known fact that a child’s primary teeth are vital to the long-term health of their permanent adult teeth. The premature loss of primary teeth as a result of accidents or decay can cause serious problems, including poorly spaced and crooked adult teeth. As a result, it is just as important to care for a child’s baby teeth as it is for the adult teeth that follow.

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Chipped Teeth

 

Chipped teeth should always be evaluated by a dentist to ensure the damage is assessed correctly. Depending on the size and location of the chip, there are a number of solutions available:

• Enamel Shaping – A reshaping of the tooth to smooth out small chips.

• Bonding – A quick solution for small chips that can be done in one visit. The dentist bonds a tooth-colored resin to the chipped area to mask the chip.

• Veneers – Custom-made porcelain veneers are fitted to your teeth to cover imperfections, including chips. Crowns would be used for larger chips.

• Crowns – Crowns cover the chewing surface of a tooth and are best suited to chips in the molars. Like veneers, they are custom-fitted to your teeth.

Talk to us today about the best option for natural-looking repairs of your chipped teeth.

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Cleaning

A professional cleaning is the only way to remove tartar and plaque buildup from teeth. Plaque is an invisible film that occurs naturally in your mouth and sticks to your teeth. It contains bacteria (germs) and forms on your teeth every day. If plaque is not removed daily by brushing and flossing, it hardens into tartar. If tartar is not removed, it builds up around your teeth and under your gum lines, making it impossible to properly clean your teeth of plaque. Over time, plaque buildup can eventually lead to gum disease. The main steps in a cleaning are scaling and polishing. Scaling removes tartar and cleans the surfaces of the teeth. This treatment also removes bacteria (germs) and helps the gums to heal and reattach to the teeth.

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Cold Sores and Canker Sores

Cold sores are small, red blisters that appear near the lips, on the lips or in the mouth. They’re usually caused by the herpes simplex virus. The virus lies dormant in the central nervous system until it is reactivated by stress, sunlight, sunburn, fever, or local skin trauma. When reactivated, the virus travels down the nerves to the skin where it causes painful blisters around the lips, or in the mouth.

Cold sore blisters usually heal in a week by themselves. Over-the-counter topical anesthetics can provide some relief. Your dentist may prescribe antiviral drugs to reduce these kinds of viral infections.

Canker sores are small ulcers with a white or gray base and red border. They are frequently painful and sensitive and are usually found on the tongue, the inside lining of the lips and cheeks and at the base of gums. Canker sores are very common and often reoccur. They usually heal in a week or two. Since canker sores are an open wound they are prone to bacterial infection and irritation which would delay healing. It is therefore important to have good oral hygiene and avoid hot or spicy foods to minimize further irritation. Mild mouth washes such as salt water or non-alcoholic mouth washes may aid in oral hygiene and increase comfort. Over-the-counter topical ointments can also provide relief.

To reduce the frequency of outbreaks it is recommended to use a soft toothbrush, avoid spicy and hard foods, reduce your daily stress and maintain a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

Canker sores occur inside the mouth, and cold sores usually occur outside the mouth.

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Cosmetic Dentistry

 

Providing people with a means of achieving their best smile is what Cosmetic Dentistry is all about.

More and more people today are booking appointments with our dental office, not because they are having dental problems, but because they want to smile more confidently. In many cases, these smiles begin with teeth that are crooked, stained, chipped or missing all together. From simple teeth whitening to full smile reconstruction, the end result in most cases is a healthy, attractive looking smile that provides a greater sense of self-confidence and enjoyment of life.

If you feel self-conscious about the appearance of your teeth, ask us about what specific treatments in cosmetic dentistry would benefit you.

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Cracked Teeth

 

 

 

Cracked teeth show a variety of symptoms, including erratic pain when chewing, possibly with release of biting pressure, or pain when your tooth is exposed to temperature extremes.

There are many different types of cracked teeth. The treatment and outcome for your tooth depends on the type, location, and extent of the crack.

The treatment you receive for your cracked tooth is important because it will relieve pain and reduce the likelihood that the crack will worsen. Once treated, most cracked teeth continue to function and provide years of comfortable chewing.

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Crown & Bridge

 

A dental crown is a custom-designed, tooth-shaped restoration that is fitted over the prepared surface of a damaged tooth to recapture the appearance and function of the tooth. A bridge is used to replace one or more missing teeth and is usually attached securely to the existing teeth on either side of the gap. Recent developments in dental techniques and materials have allowed dentists to provide crown and bridge restorations that are virtually indistinguishable from a person’s natural teeth in both form and function.

If you suffer from lost teeth or teeth that are badly damaged by decay or accident, crowns or bridges may be able to repair their appearance and preserve their function.

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Dental Implants

 

Dental Implants are part of a tooth replacement treatment. They are virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth. These implants are metal posts or frames, usually made of titanium, that are surgically placed under your gums. They then fuse to the bone of your jaw and act as roots. Replacement teeth, called crowns and made of porcelain, are then attached to the implant They will fit securely to your gums because they are held in place by bone, allowing them to look and function just like natural teeth.

Once the implants are in place, your dentist will typically wait a few months to proceed with crowns – temporary appliances are available for you to wear while you wait.

Give us a call today to set up an appointment to find out if dental implants are right for you.

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Dentures

Dentures are artificial replacement of your natural teeth and gums. Dentures are considered removable prosthesis. There are two types: partial and complete. Partial denture are made up of one or more artificial teeth held in place by clasps that fit onto nearby natural teeth. You can take the partial denture out yourself for cleaning at night. Complete dentures are most often referred to as “false teeth”. They are used when all natural teeth are missing. Complete dentures are also removable as they are held in place by suction.

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Diabetes and Oral Health

Diabetes is a disease of the pancreas that leads to an elevation of blood sugar. There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 usually occurs in people under 30. The body is not producing insulin and daily injections are required. This type of diabetes cannot be prevented. In type 2, not enough insulin is produced or the body cannot use insulin properly. The risk of diabetes increases with age, inactivity and increased body weight. It can be controlled by diet and/or drug intervention and physical activity.

People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing gum diseases and oral infections. Oral conditions that may appear with diabetes include thrush, dry mouth and oral infections. Regular dental checkups are necessary to find problems early when treatment can be most effective. People with diabetes should have regular dental checkups. Daily oral hygiene is essential for anyone diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

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Dry Mouth

Dry mouth is the feeling that there is not enough saliva in the mouth. When the glands in the mouth that make saliva are not working properly, there may not be enough saliva to keep the mouth wet. There are several causes for dry mouth including:

• Side effects of some medicines

• Disease

• Radiation therapy

• Chemotherapy

• Nerve damage

Saliva is important for your oral health since it protects teeth from decay and prevents infection by controlling bacteria and fungi in the mouth. Below are some recommendations for dry mouth:

• Gently brush your teeth at least twice a day.

• Floss your teeth every day.

• Use toothpaste with fluoride in it

• Avoid sticky, sugary foods. If you do eat them, brush immediately afterwards.

• Visit the dentist for regular check-ups

Dry mouth treatment will depend on what is causing the problem. A physician and dentist can determine what is causing it and treatment options.

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Fluoride Therapy

Fluoride is a natural mineral that hardens and protects teeth by neutralizing the acid that causes decay. Fluoride can help prevent tooth decay and even help your teeth rebuild areas of decay in both children and adults. Fluoride also reduces tooth sensitivity in adults and adolescents. Professional fluoride products such as gels and rinses prescribed by the dentist are more powerful than the fluoride purchased over the counter. On the other hand, too much exposure to fluoride can result in a condition with white lines or spots on teeth and can also make you very ill. To find out if you and your family are getting enough fluoride, consult your hygienist or dentist.

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Gum Treatment

Surgery is needed if the tissue around your teeth is still unhealthy after scaling and root planning with or without medication. Most surgical gum treatments can be done in the dental office and may involve lifting back the gums and removing the tartar. In some cases, diseased tissue is removed and the bone tissue is smoothed. The gums are then sewn back into place. Surgery will stop the gum disease from spreading an also control the bacterial growth. Your dentist will tell you if a surgical treatment is necessary.

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Invisalign

Once considered only for teens, orthodontic treatments are now being used by an increasing number of adults who want to correct their misaligned teeth. And with innovations like Invisalign®, it is easier than ever to straighten crooked teeth.

Why should you consider orthodontics? Crowded or crooked teeth are hard to clean, making them more vulnerable to decay. Overbites and underbites can cause discomfort and jaw pain. Gaps and crowding can also diminish the appearance of your smile. Hatamian Dentistry is pleased to offer Invisalign® – clear, removable aligners that gradually shift your teeth into place. Invisalign aligners are custom-fitted to your teeth to offer you an effective and comfortable option for straightening your teeth. To learn more about solutions for your crowded or misaligned teeth, contact our office and speak to a member of our team.

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Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide is a sedative gas (commonly called “laughing gas”) that you inhale through a small mask over your nose. It is a conscious anaesthetic, so you are awake and can communicate throughout the dental procedure. It’s one of the safest forms of sedation available today. Nitrous oxide is mixed with oxygen so that you have an ample supply of oxygen at all times. The relaxed and disassociated feeling disappears soon after the gas is turned off. You can drive back to your home or office right away.

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Oral Cancer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oral cancer is a serious but treatable disease. If detected early, oral cancer, which includes tongue, lip, and mouth cancer, have an 80 to 90 percent survival rate. Regular dental checkups are vital in screening for and identifying oral cancers.

While some people are at higher risk, oral cancer can affect anyone at any age. Disease symptoms include white or red patches or lumps in the mouth, or on the lips, as well as loose teeth, aching jaw, difficulty swallowing, mouth sores that refuse to heal, and unexplained gum bleeding.

Dentists look for signs of oral cancer as part of a regular dental exam. They check the roof, back, and floor of your mouth, along with your teeth, gums, tongue, and cheeks. The tongue exam may also include a gentle tug to check both sides and underneath.

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Oral Sedation

This type of sedation is induced by taking sedative pills. The pills must be prescribed by the dentist and are taken on the recommendation of your dentist. The pills are usually taken the night before and also one to two hours prior to your dental appointment to provide a comfortable sedative effect. It is a conscious sedation, so you are awake and can communicate throughout the dental treatment. Unlike nitrous oxide sedation, the drowsiness effect of oral sedation tends to last, and therefore you will need someone to accompany you home. You cannot drive or go back to work after oral sedation.

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Pregnancy and Dental Care

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pregnancy can be a wonderful time, filled with joy and excitement. Unfortunately, it can also be quite a frustrating time, especially if you are experiencing dental problems throughout your pregnancy. Pregnant women are actually more prone to dental complications and it is important to get these complications treated effectively. There are a variety of dental problems that women are more prone to experience during pregnancy. These issues include periodontal disease and pregnancy gingivitis.

It is important to get proper dental care during pregnancy. Regular dental checkups and good hygiene practices at home can keep your teeth and gums free of tartar and plaque, and help to prevent or reduce the effects of pregnancy gingivitis and periodontal disease.

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Root Canal

Deep cavities and cracks in teeth can allow bacteria to enter the pulp that nourishes the teeth, leading to irritation and infection. Eventually, the pulp may die, threatening the health of the surrounding tooth. In cases like these, your dentist will try to save the natural tooth with a root canal treatment.

At each check-up your dentist looks for possible signs of infection. If root canal treatment is necessary, your dentist can perform the procedure. It is important that you receive treatment as soon as possible to prevent further infection and possible tooth loss.

Root canal treatments remove the dead or infected pulp through a small opening in the tooth. The root canals are sealed to prevent bacteria from reaching the bone, and the opening in the tooth is sealed with a filling or crown.

With a root canal you can keep your natural teeth and avoid a costly tooth replacement. Speak to one of our team members to learn more.

Professional dental care, and regular checkups are the most effective way to detect oral cancer and save your life.

 

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