What Causes Tooth Infection

Tooth infections involve invasion of bacteria into the pulp inside teeth. When the tissue that normally protects the pulp is broken, these bacteria can enter and create severe pain and serious complications. Understanding the causes is helpful for recognizing when a visit to our San Francisco dentist is warranted.

The damage to tooth structure that comes before infection can occur quickly or over time. With physical trauma, such as from accidents, the damage may be virtually instant or develop rapidly along a fracture. Long-term untreated decay is slower but very common. Left alone, cavities can eventually reach the pulp.

Root canal therapy or surgery is the standard method of treating tooth infections. In rare cases, infections can re-occur after this treatment, particularly if the infected tissue is not completely removed or if the tooth is not properly protected afterwards. In such cases, our San Francisco endodontist may recommend re-treatment.

Done correctly, root canal treatment can give patients decades more comfort, performance and aesthetic enjoyment from their natural teeth. Modern techniques and anesthesia make root canal an easy procedure for patients to tolerate. At a consultation with the dentist, patients can learn more about what causes tooth infections and how treatment is performed.

What is Considered a Dental Emergency?

A dental emergency can occur suddenly but have lasting consequences for sufferers. Fortunately, timely treatment can often eliminate or at least minimize the effects of these incidents. Here is a look at examples of emergencies for which you should immediately contact our dentist in San Francisco.

Among the most common dental emergencies is intense tooth pain. In many cases, this signifies that an infection is present inside of a tooth, placing patients at risk of tooth loss and potentially systemic infections. Tooth damage, whether it involves cracking or complete breakage, is also an emergency. Gum injuries, particularly when swelling is present, should also be treated right away.

A dental emergency is also present when teeth or restorations are knocked out or lost. Treated quickly, knocked-out teeth may be able to be re-seated for the continued comfort and appearance of patients. If fillings, crowns, inlays or onlays come loose, their fast replacement is vital to avoid pain, decay and other complications.

If you experience a dental emergency in San Francisco, you should contact our dentist right away to schedule an appointment and get instructions on what to do in the meantime. Making your dental emergency a priority can help you avoid tooth loss, serious complications and potentially expensive restorations later.

Purpose of Full Mouth Reconstruction

The purpose of a full-mouth reconstruction is to rebuild all of the teeth in the mouth and restore the health of the various oral structures. Our dentist in Los Angeles may recommend a full mouth reconstruction after a dental accident, widespread decay or advanced periodontitis. If you are a candidate for a full mouth reconstruction, here is what you can expect.

1.    Periodontal treatments
Healthy gums are crucial to the long-term success of a full mouth reconstruction. If you have advanced periodontitis, we may recommend surgical procedures to improve your gum health and antimicrobial treatments or periodontal maintenance to help keep them healthy.

2.    Dental surgery or extractions
Gum grafts, bone grafts, guided tissue regeneration, extractions and guided tissue regeneration may be needed to ensure a strong, healthy foundation for your new smile.

3.    Restorations
Each damaged or diseased tooth will need to be restored using a dental filling, inlay, onlay or dental crown. We can also restore missing teeth with dental implants or bridges.

4.    Orthodontic treatment
Jaws that do not align properly or teeth that are crooked or improperly spaced will need to undergo orthodontic treatment to improve dental health and ensure long-term satisfaction with your smile.

5.    Cosmetic treatments
While full mouth reconstructions are largely focused on dental health, we consider the aesthetics of your smile as well. We may recommend tooth bleaching, dental veneers, dental bonding or other procedures to perfect and enhance every millimeter of your smile.

Call us today to learn more about full mouth reconstructions or to schedule an appointment with our expert in full mouth reconstruction in Los Angeles.

What Could Cause Jaw Pain?

The jaw is a complex joint, and pain in this area can be caused by several different things. If you are suffering jaw pain, our dentist in Huntington Beach may recommend an evaluation to determine the source of the problem before creating your treatment plan.

Pain that radiates to the ear, neck or shoulders or tenderness and aching in the face may signal TMJ disorder. This occurs when the joint is injured or has other problems interfering with its proper function. Treating TMJ disorder will generally alleviate the pain and discomfort associated with the disease.

Deep, throbbing pain that seems to be in the jawbone or at the base of the teeth may indicate an infection or abscess. An infected or abscessed tooth occurs as a result of deep decay and can lead to pain that radiates from the tooth and into the jawbone. A root canal treatment is a common treatment for this kind of infection and will resolve the pain.

Occasionally, other things can lead to jaw pain, including arthritis and trigeminal neuralgia. If your jaw pain is accompanied by shortness of breath, pain in the arm, nausea, sweating, dizziness, fatigue or vomiting, it could be a symptom of a heart attack and should be evaluated immediately.

Call us today to learn more about what causes jaw pain or to schedule your appointment with our expert in treatment of jaw pain in Huntington Beach.

Dentists Specializing in Invisalign

If you require orthodontic work to be done, you may be interested in pursuing treatment with Invisalign. It is important to realize that Invisalign is not available at every dentist office, though. In fact, special training is required in order for a dentist to be able to offer Invisalign as one of their services.

During your Invisalign consultation, the dentist must first evaluate you to make sure that you are a good candidate for Invisalign. While Invisalign is able to treat a wide range of orthodontic issues, in some cases it may not be recommended. The dentist will then be required to take detailed imaging of your mouth and face. The dentist will have to take X-rays, pictures, impressions of your teeth, and also an impression of your bite. Using this information, they will come up with a detailed treatment plan. Every single movement of your teeth will be plotted out and explained to you. The dentist will then send these detailed records to the Invisalign laboratories where your aligners will be designed. If a dentist builds enough experience as an Invisalign provider, they can be designated a Premier Preferred or Elite Preferred provider.

If you are interested in pursuing orthodontic treatment with Invisalign, contact our Invisalign specialist in Beverly Hills to schedule a consultation.

Pros and Cons of Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is the application of custom-tinted composite resin to teeth and hardening it. This treatment is useful for numerous cosmetic goals, including concealing tooth damage or stains and reshaping or building up misshapen or broken teeth. Like other treatments, bonding has both pros and cons.

Bonding Pros

The speed with which bonding can be done is a major advantage, letting patients gain results in just a single short visit to our West Hollywood cosmetic dentist. Bonding is also inexpensive compared to many other cosmetic options. The procedure works for concealing not only chips and cracks but also stains, both internal and external. Finally, a lack of invasiveness makes bonding very tolerable.

Bonding Cons

The composite material used in bonding can become discolored over time, especially with exposure to substances like coffee, tea, wine and tobacco. It also may last only a few years before requiring replacement. While bonding works for many stains, it may be less effective than veneers or crowns for some cases of heavy discoloration.

Patients can help their bonding results last longer by avoiding staining foods and habits and taking care to brush and floss every day and get regular check-ups. By scheduling a consultation with our expert in dental bonding in West Hollywood, patients can find out if this procedure can deliver the results they seek.

Dental Crowns and Their Advantages

Dental crowns are designed to either cover a tooth that has been damaged or to fit over a dental implant that has been used to replace a missing tooth. They can be made of porcelain, porcelain-fused-to-metal, or composite resin.

Dental crowns offer several distinct advantages. If you have had a root canal treatment to save a tooth that has been badly injured by decay or trauma, it is restored with a crown after the treatment has been completed by our dentist in LA. A crown will provide the treated tooth with the strength necessary to survive. Crowns not only give the tooth added support, but they also serve as a protection against plaque and further decay. In the case of somebody who has lost a tooth or several teeth, crowns that have been affixed to dental implants restore the natural look, function, and feel of the missing tooth. Since they look like your natural teeth, they are very effective at restoring confidence back in your smile.

A common complaint about dentures is that they are uncomfortable and make eating and speaking difficult. These issues are eliminated when you opt to have your teeth restored through crowns affixed to dental implants. They are also much more natural-looking than dentures.

If you are looking to protect or restore a tooth, contact our expert in dental crowns in Los Angeles to set up a consultation.

The Difference Dental Implants Make

If you are missing a tooth, it is very important to have it replaced. A dental implant is by far your best option for replacing it. There are several reasons that this is true.

When you lose a tooth, your body reacts by starting to absorb the jaw bone that is located below the missing tooth. If this is allowed to occur, it will actually cause your face to sink in. Furthermore, your other teeth may try compensating for the additional space by starting to shift. A dental implant is the only way to stop this process from occurring. This is because a dental implant is drilled directly into your jawbone. It will take your jawbone around six months to fuse with the implant, but once it does, it will keep your jaw bone stimulated and prevent further bone loss.

A dental implant will allow you to eat and speak as you normally would. It will also restore the aesthetics to your smile and give your face a fuller volume. Check out some dental implants before and after photos online to see how dramatic the results can be.

If you are looking to replace your missing teeth with dental implants, contact our dental implant doctor to set up a consultation.

Cosmetic Purposes of Dental Fillings

It used to be that if you had a cavity that needed to be filled, your only real options were silver amalgam or gold fillings. Gold fillings tend to be expensive, and many people do not care for silver amalgam fillings because of the mercury that is contained within them. At this point, there is a more cosmetically pleasing option for dental fillings called composite resin fillings.

Composite resin fillings are tooth-colored, so nobody will even know you ever had a cavity when you smile. Many patients who were fit with silver amalgam fillings in previous years will actually go to our cosmetic dentist in Los Angeles just to have them replaced with composite fillings. While composite fillings are not quite as strong as metal fillings, they often times create a better seal when placed. In addition to filling cavities, composite fillings can also be used in some cases to fix teeth that have suffered minor levels of damage.

It is important to remember that in order for any dental filling to be effective, a certain amount of healthy tooth must still remain. If too much of the tooth has been damaged to allow for a composite filling, there are tooth-colored inlays and onlays made out of porcelain that can be used to treat the tooth instead.

If you have any additional questions about composite fillings, contact our expert in dental fillings in Los Angeles to set up an appointment.