Center for Contemporary Dentistry Blog

When you bite down do you feel a sharp pain? It quickly disappears and perhaps you ignore it. You avoid certain foods or chew on one side of your mouth. Does this sound familiar? You may have a cracked tooth!

A cracked tooth hurts because the pressure of biting causes the crack to open. When you stop biting, the pressure is released and a sharp pain results as the crack quickly closes.

Even though the crack may be microscopic and may not show on an x-ray, when it opens, the pulp inside the tooth becomes irritated. The pulp is a soft tissue that contains the tooth’s nerves and blood vessels. If the crack irritates the pulp, the tooth may become sensitive to temperature extremes. If the pulp becomes damaged or diseased root canal treatment may be necessary to save the tooth.

The American Dental Association recommends that bitewing (cavity detecting) radiographs be taken once a year and a full mouth series to be taken every three years.

Many diseases of the teeth and surrounding tissues can not be seen when your dentist examines your mouth clinically. Radiographs can reveal the presence of small cavities between the teeth, infections in the bone, abscesses, cysts, developmental abnormalities and some types of tumors. A failure to diagnose and treat these conditions before obvious signs and symptoms have developed can threaten your oral and general health.

Finding and treating dental problems at an early stage can save time, money and unnecessary discomfort!

Dental radiographs are only taken when absolutely necessary and with the use of modern digital imaging, the amount of radiation received is miniscule. Only a small part of the body is exposed and the risk of harmful effects from dental radiographs is extremely small.

There is at present no proof of such effects from doses commonly employed in dental practice… Recent analyses suggest that the cancer risk to a patient from a dental radiographic examination is of the order of one in a million!

The VELscope is the first adjunctive device cleared by the FDA to help clinicians detect cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions and other lesions that might not be apparent to the naked eye.

VELscope is our standard of care for oral cancer screening. We find that using Velscope along with a standard oral cancer examination improves the ability to identify suspicious areas at their earliest stages.

Early detection of pre-cancerous tissue can minimize or eliminate the potentially disfiguring effects of oral cancer and possibly save your life. If the cancer is found early, before it has spread to other tissues, the cure rate is nearly 90%.

The Velscope exam will be offered to you annually.

Periodontal Disease is an inflammatory and infectious disease affecting the gums and supporting tissues of the teeth. If left untreated it can worsen in time, which may lead to bone loss and premature tooth loss. In the early stages of periodontal disease, your gums may become red or swollen, and may even bleed. In time, your gums separate from your teeth and deep spaces called pockets form. Bacteria then collect in these pockets, and their toxins cause inflammation of the gums which destroys the bone that anchors your teeth.

Periodontal disease develops when a sticky film of bacteria, called plaque, is allowed to build up on the teeth. In most cases, periodontal disease can be prevented with good daily oral hygiene and regular professional care. Plaque that is not removed regularly can harden into a rough porous deposit called tarter or calculus. Tarter and calculus only can be removed when your teeth are professionally cleaned in the dental office.

It is possible to have periodontal disease and have no warning signs. However, if you notice any of the following signs you may have periodontal disease and should call our office immediately.

Spring is in the AIR!  Brighten your smile with ZOOM!

The Zoom! Chairside Whitening System is a scientifically advanced tooth whitening procedure that’s safe, effective and very fast.  The convenience of Zoom! in comparison to days of wearing trays or strips, makes it the perfect choice for the busy individual and is ideal for anyone looking for immediate results!