An examination is necessary to prevent and detect diseases within the oral cavity. Following are a few of the reasons for regular dental visits:

Detecting tooth decay in an early stage can prevent more extensive procedures to save a tooth. It also will prevent the resulting pain and discomfort of neglect.

A large percentage of the population is affected with periodontal disease. Early detection and treatment can prevent irreversible damage to the bone and gums.

All patients are screened for oral cancer. Early detection of a precancerous condition can be life saving.

Smile enhancing procedures can be discussed. Because of the many advances in dental materials and technology, stained, chipped, and misshapen teeth can be corrected with bonding, veneers, recontouring, bleaching, and other procedures

If dentures are worn, it is important to check the supporting mouth structures and the fit of the prosthesis.

A regular professional cleaning will remove accumulated stains and calculus from the teeth, keeping one's smile looking great and helping prevent periodontal disease.

Home care will be reviewed and recommendations will be made for ways to facilitate an optimal prevention program.

The answer to this question depends on the reason you would like to replace your amalgam fillings. If you have a medical condition or illness and feel that you would have an overnight cure or resolution of your disease by replacing your fillings, the answer would be no. The Food and Drug Administration has concluded that amalgam causes no demonstrated clinical harm to patients and that removing amalgam will not prevent adverse health effects or reverse the course of existing diseases. On the other hand, if your fillings detract from your smile and are visible, replacing them with a bonded tooth-colored composite filling can enhance your appearance. The answer would then be yes. If an old filling needs to be redone or a new cavity needs to be filled, an alternative to amalgam, such as composite, is a viable option.

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X-rays are used to find conditions that are not visible in a visual examination. The information that they provide is essential for good oral health and making and confirming a diagnosis. Treating and observing conditions that are discovered at an early stage prevent more serious damage from occuring.

Following are some of the uses of x-rays:

Observing the developing permanent teeth and noting any abnormalities or missing teeth.

Noting extra teeth which can cause damage to the developing permanent teeth.

Decay developing between the teeth can be found and treated at an early stage before more serious damage is done.

Decay under old fillings can be discovered and treated before damage to the dental pulp occurs.

An abscess can form at the end of the root of a tooth. Sometimes this condition is painful, but often there are no symptoms. Treating this condition can save the tooth.

Bone loss around the teeth is a sign of periodontal disease. X-rays are an important part of diagnosis and treatment.

Information about the shape of the roots is important to know when endodontic treatment is performed.

Discovering broken and retained root fragments that can lead to infections.

Early detection of benign and malignant tumors can lead to successfull treatment.

Discovering impacted teeth, paricularly third molars, and making a decision to remove them or not.

You should talk about the upcoming visit in a positive, matter-of-fact way. A visit to the dentist can be a pleasant adventure for your child. Make the dental visit an enjoyable outing. Don't let the child know of your own anxiety or fears of dentistry if you have any. Don't use a dental visit as punishment or discuss the visit in terms of pain or other negative images. For example, don't say, "This won't hurt," or "The dentist won't hurt you." It's ok to reward your child if he or she behaves well at the dental visit, but don't use bribery. Children generally believe bribes are related to negative experiences.

Early dental visits can reinforce a positive experience for the child, leading to a lifetime of healthy teeth. At a first visit the teeth and gums will be examined for decay, proper alignment, and other problems. The teeth will be cleaned and fluoride applied. Home care skills will be discussed to help the teeth stay strong and healthy.

The primary teeth (the first set) are very important for the future development of the permanent teeth. They maintain the space that is needed so that the permanent teeth can errupt in a normal alignment. Healthy primary teeth are also needed to chew food comfortably, speak clearly, and for an attractive smile.

Some patients ask me if their child should visit during the parent's dental visit. If the parent is a relaxed and confident patient, and if the treatment is simple and short, this may well be a good idea.

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Good oral hygiene is especially important during pregnancy because some dental disorders can be exaggerated during pregnancy.

The hormonal changes during pregnancy can exacerbate the way the gingival tissues (gums) react to dental plaque--the cause of periodontal disease. It is the plaque and not the hormonal changes that can cause periodontal disease. Prevention is even more important during pregnancy to prevent these problems from occuring. If your prevention program is good to begin with, pregnancy should not have a negative impact on the gingival tissues.

The old adage that you will lose a tooth for each child is just an "old wives tale." Decay, like periodontal disease, is caused by dental plaque. If your diet and home care are good your teeth will remain healthy during pregnancy. A change in your diet, such as consuming more sugary food and frequent snacking, can have a deleterious effect on your teeth. If you find yourself doing either one of those things, increasing the frequency of plaque removal would be beneficial. In addition, the calcium that your developing baby needs is provided by your diet; if that is insufficient, the calcium will be removed from the stores in your bones, not your teeth. Tooth structure is not removed during pregnancy.

Regular dental recall visits should continue during pregnancy to help maintain a healthy oral environment.

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There are many options and varying results depending on several factors: 1. The cause of the discoloration--2. Your expectations--3. Economic considerations.

If the discoloration is due to discolored fillings in your front teeth, a resolution could be as simple as replacing the discolored fillings with bonded composite fillings. If you feel your teeth are too dark, bleaching them is a non-invasive, conservative treatment that will lighten and brighten your smile. Bleaching can be utilized to lighten all of the front teeth, or if only one tooth has darkened, bleaching can often be utilized to bring a darkened tooth back into harmony with the rest of the dentition.

If your teeth are chipped or misshapen, porcelain veneers are among the most esthetic treatments available. Placing porcelain veneers on teeth can transform a smile into a thing of beauty. Bonding is often employed to repair a fractured front tooth or to cover discolored or malformed tooth enamel. A very pleasing result can often be achieved with this conservative treatment option.

If the discoloration is caused by large fillings and/or a large part of the tooth is broken, a porcelain crown can restore both a natural and pleasing look, while also restoring the structural integrity of the tooth.

A technique called microabrasion can achieve an effective resolution of an esthetic problem in selected cases. If the discoloration is located in the superficial surface of the enamel, the use of an abrasive compound to slowly remove the discolored enamel can restore a pleasing smile.

There are many techniques in modern dentistry that can be utilized to improve and repair your smile. Today you do not have to be self-conscious and unhappy about the way your teeth look.

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If you live in an area where the water system is fluoridated, you don't need to use a fluoride supplement. If you live in a community without fluoridated water, supplements should be used. You can find the fluoride content in your water supply by contacting your water company.

When teeth are developing in a growing child, fluoride (either as supplements or from the water) will be incorporated in the forming tooth structure, making it stronger and more resistant to decay. Studies have shown that people who have ingested fluoride from birth have had substantially fewer cavities than those who haven't. Fluoride is a safe and effective public health measure in the fight against cavities. Fluoride supplements need to be prescribed by a dentist or physician. They can be taken in liquid or tablet form. They are often taken in combination with a multiple vitamin.

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Replacing missing teeth is important to keep your mouth functioning properly. When a tooth is lost the teeth near the space can shift and tilt into the empty space. A tooth in the opposite jaw can errupt up or down into the missing space. The shifting of teeth will place excessive stresses on the other teeth in your mouth and your gums. Teeth that have tilted are more difficult to clean, making them more prone to decay and periodontal disease; which in turn can lead to further problems and the loss of more teeth, resulting in more extensive treatment.

Replacing missing teeth improves your appearance. The loss of back teeth can cause your cheeks and lips to sink in, giving your face an older look. Having a visible missing tooth replaced will give you a more pleasing smile. Your teeth are important for proper speech, since they help make many of the sounds needed in speaking.

You can restore your oral health and smile by having missing teeth replaced with a bridge or with implants.

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The first consideration in toothpaste selection is to use an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste. There are other ingredients that are placed in various brands of toothpaste; following is a guide to some of these toothpaste ingredients and what they do:

Tartar-Control Toothpastes: These toothpastes help to prevent the formation of tartar or calculus from forming on the teeth. The active ingredient is usually pyrophosphate.The use of these toothpastes will not remove tartar. Only a professional cleaning can do that.

Baking Soda: Many people think that baking soda helps to fight gum disease. In reality it hasn't been shown to have any effect on periodontal disease. If you like the taste and feel of these types of toothpaste then by all means use them.

Desensitizing Toothpastes: The ADA recognizes two ingredients as effective in reducing discomfort associated with sensitive teeth: strontium chloride and potassium nitrate. These ingredients block the tube-like channels that pass through teeth and connect to nerves. When these tubes are exposed, hot, cold, and acidic foods stimulate the nerves, causing sensitivity. Desensitizing toothpastes take a couple of weeks of use before they will cause a reduction in sensitivity. If you have sensitive teeth, using one of these products in place of your regular toothpaste might result in less sensitive and more comfortable teeth.

Abrasives: Toothpastes contain a mild abrasive, usually silica, to remove plaque. The abrasives in toothpaste will not cause enamel to wear away.

There are other ingredients that make various claims of efficacy, such as aloe vera and sanguinaria, that are placed in toothpastes. One should use the ADA Seal of Acceptance as a guide in deciding whether to purchase products with these ingredients.

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