What is Bruxism? Grinding of teeth, also known as Bruxism, occurs in children as well as adults. Grinding of teeth generally occurs during sleep. What if my Child is Grinding His or Her Teeth? Children often grind their teeth when their teeth are erupting. This is not uncommon, nor is it a problem if it is
What is Tongue Thrusting? Tongue thrusting is the abnormal habit of placing the tongue against the front teeth before and during the act of swallowing. During normal swallowing, the tongue should be placed on the roof of the mouth, not against the front teeth. Placing the tongue against the teeth develops the upper arch faster
Full Mouth Reconstruction is the optimal choice when several teeth are decayed or missing, affecting the occlusion (the way the teeth come together) and/or the appearance of the face. Full Mouth Reconstruction may involve bridges, veneers, and/or crowns. Most of the existing teeth require treatment in order to correct and restore balance to the occlusion
The muscles of the cheeks and lips are attached to the gums and tissue of the mouth by a piece of soft tissue called a frenum. Sometimes a frenum can be attached too high on the gums causing either recession or spaces between teeth. In addition, there is another frenum under the tongue. If this
Does Fluoride Really Make a Difference? In the past, cavities were a fact of life. But over the last several years tooth decay has been reduced dramatically due to fluoride. Fluoride is beneficial for adults as well as children. Research has shown that fluoride reduces cavities by up to 40% in children and 35% in
Why Do Children Suck Their Thumbs? Children suck on things because sucking is one of a baby’s natural instincts. Sucking makes them feel secure and content, and may induce drowsiness. Prolonged thumbsucking (or pacifier sucking) interferes with the proper growth of the mouth and the alignment of the teeth. This improper development, if not corrected,
When a primary tooth is lost prematurely the teeth can drift into the new space crowding out the permanent tooth that is supposed to erupt into that space in the future. A space maintainer keeps baby teeth from shifting into the space where the tooth was lost so the permanent tooth can erupt in its
After decay is removed from a tooth, something must be placed in that space to give strength back to the tooth. Fillings: Fillings are the most common restorative procedure. Inlays and onlays: In addition to fillings, lab fabricated inlays and onlays are sometimes used. Although many patients think of these as fillings as well, they are actually different since
Extraction is the complete removal of a primary or a permanent tooth. An Extraction can be surgical or non-surgical. This depends on the difficulty of the extraction and whether or not the tooth is impacted or erupted, and whether it has straight or curved roots. An Extraction may be done by our office or you
Hemisection
Hemisection This procedure involves removal of one-half of a tooth. The remaining half will be restored as a one-rooted tooth, and is usually attached or anchored to an adjacent tooth, for additional support and stability. Root Amputation Root amputation refers to the removal of one root in a multi-rooted tooth. These procedures may become options
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