When you were a youngster, did you ever get a black eye, chip a tooth or bruise your cheek? If so, you may have experienced a case (let's hope, a mild one!) of facial trauma. In many situations, however, facial trauma can be severe. Among its major causes are auto accidents, sports injuries, work-related

When accidents happen, our oral and maxillofacial surgeons are here to help. Facial trauma refers to any unexpected force to the face that results in any injury to the teeth, bones, or soft-tissue of the face. These injuries can affect vital functions, like breathing through the nose or blinking, and

If you have never had a cavity, congratulations! If you have had one, you are not alone. About 78% of us have had at least one cavity by the time we reach age 17, according to a 2000 report by the U.S. Surgeon General. Fortunately there's a time-tested treatment for cavities: the dental filling. Fillings

The bacteria in plaque produce acids that erode tooth enamel, eventually creating a hole, or cavity, in the tooth surface. Left untreated, this decay can spread to the interior of the tooth, and might lead to the need for a crown, a root canal, or even extraction. When caught early, your dentist can

Fluoride is a mineral that is naturally present to some degree in both fresh and salt water sources. Its major dental benefit is that it is readily incorporated into the teeth's mineral structure, thereby making them stronger and more decay-resistant. Fluoride can even reverse tiny cavities that are

Fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral, is essential for proper tooth development and the prevention of tooth decay. In communities throughout the United States, tooth decay may still be a significant problem — but it is far less prevalent than it would have been, if not for the fluoridation of public

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that strengthens tooth enamel and helps prevent tooth decay. We can get these benefits from fluoridated drinking water and by using over-the-counter fluoride toothpastes and rinses. For superior protection against cavities, your dentist might recommend a professional

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral essential for proper tooth development. Benefits of fluoride: Strengthens tooth enamel, by capturing minerals in saliva and forcing them into the tooth’s makeup Inhibits bacterial metabolism, slowing down the growth of bacteria and their reducing their acidic

Geographic tongue is characterized by harmless lesions, or patches, that can suddenly materialize on the tongue's top surface. The condition gets its name from the physical appearance of the lesions, which resemble smooth, red islands, possibly rimmed with white. Their smoothness comes from the absence

Geographic tongue, also called benign migratory glossitis, is an inflammatory condition in which red patches appear on your tongue resembling continents on a globe. The patches can appear on the top and sides of your tongue and sometimes other parts of your mouth. The shape and location of the patches

The tissues of the gums, tongue, or cheek lining are vulnerable to accidents like sports injuries, bites, or scalding liquids. If you have an injury to the soft tissue of your mouth, you should: Rinse out your mouth with salt water Remove any visible debris Contain bleeding by pressing a clean, damp

If gum recession is affecting your health or your appearance, a procedure called gingival (gum) grafting may be recommended. Although it might sound scary, a variety of gum grafting procedures are routinely performed by periodontists (specialists in the area of gingival tissue), and by some general dentists

If your dentist has detected that your gums have receded substantially, you may be referred to a periodontist for a gum graft. Gum recession occurs when the tissue surrounding each tooth pulls away, exposing more of the tooth or the tooth root. This exposure can cause significant damage to the supporting

When dental emergencies and pain occur, our attention is often focused on diseases and injuries related to the teeth. However, it's important to remember that the soft tissues of the mouth — the gums, tongue, lips and cheek lining — may also be affected. While they are tough enough to stand up to

Some people feel self-conscious about smiling because they believe their gums are too prominent. Though we each have our own definition of what makes a smile beautiful — including how much gum is too much — a smile will usually be perceived as “gummy” when 4 millimeters (just over an eighth of

People don't generally think of a dentist as the healthcare professional to see for recurring headaches or migraines; yet dentists can play a role in diagnosing and even treating your condition. That's because quite often, recurring pain that is felt in the area of the temples on the sides of the head

If you have lost any of your teeth, you no doubt realize there are consequences to living without them: Your smile may not look the way you want it to; eating, speaking and intimacy may be more difficult; and your self-confidence may fade. Though serious, these are not the only impacts. There are hidden

If you're like most people, you probably learned how to brush as a child… and chances are, you haven't thought about it much since then. That's understandable — but there may come a point when we find our oral hygiene techniques could use improvement. Here are a few tips on the proper way to brush

You always brush twice a day, avoid sugary snacks between meals, and go to the dentist regularly. Do you still have to floss your teeth? The short answer: Yes, at least once a day. Flossing is probably your single most important weapon against plaque, the clingy bacterial biofilm that sticks to the surfaces

It’s no secret that the best way to prevent oral decay and disease is by maintaining a strict oral hygiene routine every day. Brushing and flossing go hand in hand; you shouldn’t do one without the other. Brushing your teeth is an excellent way to remove food debris and flossing allows you to get

Cavities are small in size but can cause big problems. In the form of little holes in your teeth, they develop when acid attacks your tooth enamel, the essential protective covering for your teeth. The acid may come either from your diet or certain oral bacteria that flourish when poor oral hygiene is

An implant can lose attachment to the bone, even after it has successfully fused to it. Here are two ways your implant could lose attachment to the bone, and what you can do keep your implants intact: Poor oral hygiene It’s especially important to brush and floss, and schedule regular dental cleanings

If you are missing an entire arch of teeth due to injury or disease, whether it’s your lower or upper arch, it is possible to replace that arch with implant dentures. Implant-supported dentures are dentures fixed to the gums by mini implants. For patients with an uncomfortable or loose-fitting denture,

There are times when a tooth suffers damage (from decay, for example) that is too extensive to be treated with a simple filling — but not extensive enough to need a full-coverage crown. In these cases, the best option for restoring the tooth may be an inlay or onlay. Both inlays and onlays are considered

Inlays and onlays are indirect restorations used to repair molars and premolars damaged by decay or trauma. Inlays and onlays fit more securely and last longer than fillings, strengthen compromised teeth, and preserve more natural tooth structure than crowns. An inlay is used to restore the center of

Almost everyone understands the importance of regular brushing and flossing to their oral health. You've heard it many times before, at office visits and checkups: Proper oral hygiene is your first line of defense against tooth decay and gum disease. Yet, while most of us brush regularly, many people

Twice a year when you visit your dentist for a checkup and professional cleaning, you are probably given instructions on proper oral hygiene. This will include brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day, using a toothpaste containing fluoride, and using a soft bristled toothbrush. Toothbrushes

The intra-oral camera is a valuable tool dental professionals can use to help you understand your examination, diagnosis and treatment. This small, handheld video camera is about the same size as a dental mirror (or an oversized pen) and comes with a disposable plastic sheath for contamination prevention.

Slightly bigger than a pen, an intraoral camera is an innovative tool that can take up-close pictures of teeth, gums, and other hard-to-reach places in the mouth. Intraoral cameras can help dentists detect dental issues like tooth decay, periodontal disease, and oral cancers. Benefits of using an intraoral

When you hear the word “orthodontics,” what comes to mind? Probably a young teenager whose teeth are covered by a latticework of metal. There are indeed many orthodontic patients who fit that description. However, there now exists an increasingly popular alternative to traditional metal braces: Invisalign®

There's a new technology that's (literally) putting a smile on plenty of young faces: A system of clear, removable aligners made especially for teens called Invisalign Teen®! If you (or a teenager you know) are a candidate for this treatment, you might find it's the best fit for your lifestyle: It lets

Laser technology is becoming quite commonplace in a wide variety of areas throughout the healthcare industry; but did you know that it can now be used to detect tooth decay? Today, using a small, handheld device, it is possible to detect tooth decay that is not yet visible and would otherwise be undiagnosed

Using lasers, dentists can detect tooth decay that is not yet visible and would otherwise be undiagnosed using traditional methods. Laser cavity detection is based on the fact that healthy tooth structure reflects light, or “fluoresces,” differently than does decayed tooth structure. Teeth with decay

They are inside your laptop computer and your DVD player, present on the factory floor and the supermarket checkout line. And now, lasers are finding increasing use in dentistry. Someday soon, you may have a routine dental procedure performed with the aid of a powerful, yet highly controllable beam of