Archives for March 2014

• If you are thirsty, have some water first.

When our teeth erupt, they have deep groves in them. The fissures provide hiding places for the bacteria in our mouth, which first stick to the tooth and then produce acids that form holes in the tooth. The saliva and the brush don’t reach the bacteria in these fissures. Here is a short video demonstrating the fissures.
In order to prevent the bacteria from reaching and establishing themselves in the fissures, we can seal them with a plastic material, a fissure sealant. This should be done as soon as the tooth is out of the gum since the bacteria may rapidly reach the fissure (image A)and start making holes, as seen in image B.
Over time due to the changes in the mouth, the fissure sealant may become undermined by bacteria. Most of the fissure sealants are white opaque and do not allow an inspection of the fissures. We are using a newly developed fissure sealant that is clear and releases fluoride to further arrest any possible bacterial invasion and provide the best care for our patients.

Children and adults with autistic spectrum disorders(ASD) have special needs when they come to the dentist. We care for them and find helping them a rewarding experience.

“Molar Hypomineralization”, is the name for various defects in the primary and adult molars. Other  descriptions include “hypoplastic,” “hypomineralized,” “non-fluoride hypomineralized” or “cheese” molars. However the incisors may be affected at times which has created the commonly used term molar incisor hypopla-sia (MIH) . Recent research shows that it has become a widespread problem .

Teeth which are  heavily restored, cracked, broken teeth or teeth after root canal treatment lack a large part of their structure and their integrity is compromised. Unlike a broken bone, the fracture in a cracked tooth will not heal. In spite of treatment, some cracks may continue to progress and the missing tooth material which has been lost to decay will not grow back.

In order to enable eligible children under the CDBS(Child Dental Benefit Schedule) to enjoy our high standard of care we decided to provide bulk billed treatments.

During pregnancy , the body undergoes many changes. The hormonal changes combined with less than perfect oral hygiene may cause a gum disease.The gum disease during pregnancy can affect the progression of the pregnancy, the fetus or cause fertility complications . Therefore, it is the doctor’s recommendation to keep a good oral hygiene and to go to the dentist before and during pregnancy to examine the condition of your teeth and gums and receive treatment when necessary.