Treatment of Misaligned Teeth: Misaligned teeth can cause dentist issues beyond the appearance of your smile. Orthodontic treatments such as braces can help align the teeth. A person with severe misalignment or decay may need surgery.

Treatment of Gum Recession: If you have receding gums, your dentist may perform scaling and root planing procedures to remove plaque beneath the gum line (typically called a deep cleaning). Sometimes, the person may need surgery to graft healthy gum tissue onto areas of the severe recession.

Tooth Decay Treatment: When treating tooth decay, your dentist may remove the decayed area of the tooth and insert a dental filling. If the decay is severe, more intensive treatment may be necessary, such as a root canal, a crown, or a tooth extraction. One way to avoid or reduce your risks of having tooth decay is by having good at-home dental care habits and by visiting your family dentist regularly. 

You increase your risk of gum disease and tooth decay if you have misaligned or crowded teeth. Both of these dental issues can expose the roots of your teeth. You can reduce your risk of tooth root exposure by maintaining good dental care habits at home and visiting your dentist for proper preventive dental care at least twice a year if advised by your dentist.

Tooth Decay It is important to take care of any signs of tooth decay ASAP. Untreated tooth decay can lead to tooth-root exposures. In most cases, this happens slowly over time. Therefore you can avoid tooth root exposures by taking care of tooth decay (cavities) immediately. As tooth decay eats through the protective enamel coating of your tooth, you may have increased sensitivity or pain. Eventually, the root may become visible, especially if the decay is so advanced that the tooth breaks.

What are receding gums?

Receding gums is when your gums pull away from your teeth or draw downward, exposing parts of the tooth that your gums would typically conceal. Severe reducing gums issues may expose your tooth roots. Exposed tooth roots may also cause your teeth to become more sensitive or painful. Some of the factors that can increase your risk of receding gums can include:

• Gum disease
• Brushing too hard
• Aging
• Smoking/Chewing Tobacco
• Badly fitting dentures
• Damage from surgery or injury
• Genetic predispositions

Injury to the mouth may cause an exposed tooth root, such as if you break or move your teeth during an injury; this can cause the roots to become visible. For example, a blow to the face may cause a tooth to shift in the gums, exposing its root.

It is essential to know that an exposed root may not be visible depending on the location of the affected tooth. Such as, if the tooth with an exposed root is in the back of your mouth, you may not notice what is going on, but you may certainly feel the symptoms of an exposed root. However, you maybe be able to see an exposed root if

• Damage to the gums exposes the deeper structures of the tooth.
• The top of the tooth has broken off, leaving the root visible.
• The tooth is beginning to rotate, loosen, or fall out.

A person with an exposed root may also experience the following:

• Pain when brushing the teeth
• Bleeding gums
• Changes to the shape of the gums or teeth
• Tooth sensitivity to hot/cold and sweet foods or drinks.

You only see about half of your tooth as the rest sits below your gumline and anchors the tooth into your jawbone. The part that is not visible is called your tooth root. All your teeth have a least one root but some of your teeth have two to three roots. When exposed to the air, your tooth root can become damaged and cause pain.

The American Association moves to develop a unified system to verify coverage and obtain cost estimates in real time. Requests for proposals were sent to vendors the week of Jan. 4 to collaborate on a solution. The ADA wants to identify a solution to the problems dentists currently face regarding eligibility and benefits verification by assessing the feasibility of implementing a system to allow dental insurance companies to provide dentists with accurate information regarding a patient’s dental benefits through an online portal or app. Source: ADA

When searching for a dental office, finding one that puts in a little extra is great. Sure it is not easy to make a phone call to do a follow up with a patient after providing dental care services beyond basic care. But when you find one that does is nice knowing that they care about how their patients are doing after dental treatment.

When shopping for dental insurance, some plans offer vision insurance with their plan or at a lower cost. Our website provides both vision and dental insurance plans stand-alone and together. Call our office if you like to know more about our dental and vision plans we have to offer at 310-534-3444 M-F 8 am-4 pm

When looking for a dental provider, you may want to find an office that is a multi-specialist family dental practice. Family dentist can are able to address many dental issues you may have. However, there are times when you may need to see a specialist. Going to a dental office with not only your family dentist but a specialist, you can see a specialist when needed and still go to the same location. It also makes it so you do not have to search out a specialist if the need arises

Your Child’s First Dental Appointment.

Your child’s first dental appointment can be exciting, but many parents are still determining what to expect. The dental office will gather information from you to choose your child’s dental needs. At that point, the dentist will do X-rays and a complete oral exam to determine what course of dental treatment may be required. The dentist will also go over the proper preventive dental care that is needed from home in order to maintain your child good oral health care.

You may have a deductible if you have an indemnity dental insurance plan or a PPO dental insurance plan. The deductible is what is changed by the insurance plan before they pay for claims. The dollar amount of the deductible can vary, but it usually is around $50 per person per year. Sometimes if there is no deductible, there is an office co-pay at each dental visit. Ensure you check with your dental plan to be fully aware of your coverage.

Before buying a dental insurance plan, it helps to know your dental care needs.

Some people do not receive dental insurance benefits from their employers. For them, they have to buy their dental insurance plan. Buying a dental insurance plan will often get put off until more significant dental issues need to be addressed.

When that happens, you are left to find a dental insurance plan that can help immediately, even though many plans may have waiting periods. Another area for improvement is whether or not the dental plan you buy will cover the dental care services you may need and to what extent. See a dentist for a consult and treatment plan before purchasing dental insurance. That way, you can shop for the best dental insurance plan that provides coverage for the dental care services suggested to you. Otherwise, try buying a dental insurance plan that fits what your feel is your current dental needs the best.

Avoid Plaque Build-up. 

Plaque Build-up is easy to avoid. One of the best is by brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day every day. Brushing your teeth helps to remove plaque from the tooth surfaces. Flossing will help remove plaque and food bits between your teeth and gums. Flossing is also essential to prevent gum disease. Doing one without the other only gets the job half done and does not protect your teeth as needed. You will also want to see a dentist regularly for dental checkups and cleanings.

What is Dental Plaque, and Why is it Bad?

Plaque is a sticky layer of material containing bacteria that accumulates on teeth. Many foods eaten can cause the bacteria in your mouth to produce acids. Sugary foods are primary sources of plaque.

However, other foods you might not realize can also cause plaque, such as Starches like bread, crackers, and cereal. Plaque produces substances that irritate the gums, making them red, sensitive, and susceptible to bleeding, which can lead to gum disease.

If the gums are not treated, the bone around the teeth can be destroyed, and teeth may become loose or have to be removed.

Heart disease claims at least 250000 lives each year. Many adults know that heart disease is the number one killer of Americans. However, according to a consumer survey by the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), 60 percent of the people surveyed did not know that a sore or painful jaw is one warning sign that may indicate an impending heart attack.