An estimated four million Americans, mainly young adults ages 15 to 20, have their wisdom teeth pulled each year. While we spend our lives taking care of our teeth so that they remain in our mouths, why are we willingly removing them out of our mouths?
Truth be told, there is some debate among some dental professionals as to who should have their wisdom teeth pulled and when this procedure should be done. But despite the controversy, the reason that so many dentists recommend pulling wisdom teeth is to prevent future problems.
Leaving them in the mouth increases the likelihood of infection, gum disease, tooth bone loss and in some rare cases, the development of cysts or tumors. In fact, according to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), nearly 30 percent of wisdom teeth have cavities and about 25 percent have inflammation that signals gum disease.
As the wisdom teeth grow, the jaw may not be large enough to support them, they may grow crookedly or they may break through the gums, causing a flap of gum tissue to grow over them.
All of these reasons increase risk of dental complications.
If you have been recommended to have your wisdom teeth pulled, talk to your doctor about your concerns.
For more information on this topic or any dental related procedure check out our website at Livonia Dental Care. If you have any questions, or a dental emergency, you can reach Dr. Jay at Livonia Dental Care at 734-427-7555. "Like" us on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
What to Look For in a Dentist
Did you know that there are more than 165,000 dentists in the U.S.? That is a lot of teeth cleaning. And when it comes to your health, you want to make sure that you are receiving the best care, especially when it comes to the health of your teeth.
Here are three important questions to ask your dentist.
1.) What does your dentist do to keep up with the ever-changing world of dentistry? Your dentist should clock about 100 hours annually in what is called, continuing dental education. By taking part of dental conferences and specialized trainings, he or she is staying on top of the latest research and medical breakthroughs in the dental field and passing that up-to-date information and services along to his patients.
2.) Does your dentist use the latest technology? Cutting-edge technology offers the patient the latest in quality dental services and it may also provide them with a virtually pain-free dental procedure. Ask if your dentist uses Digital x-rays, Ultrasonic Cleaning and CEREC, an efficient and effective machine that creates crowns, veneers and onlays.
3.) Does your dentist use mercury? Even though the American Dental Association and the FDA support mercury fillings, many dentists and patients are more comfortable with using composite fillings. So do your own research and talk to your dentist about his or her mercury use.
While there are many other necessary questions to ask your dentist, these three are very important ones.
Check back with us again where we’ll have more tips and advice to help you choose the right dentist.
For more information on this topic or any dental related procedure check out our website at Livonia Dental Care. If you have any questions, or a dental emergency, you can reach Dr. Jay at Livonia Dental Care at 734-427-7555. "Like" us on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.
Here are three important questions to ask your dentist.
1.) What does your dentist do to keep up with the ever-changing world of dentistry? Your dentist should clock about 100 hours annually in what is called, continuing dental education. By taking part of dental conferences and specialized trainings, he or she is staying on top of the latest research and medical breakthroughs in the dental field and passing that up-to-date information and services along to his patients.
2.) Does your dentist use the latest technology? Cutting-edge technology offers the patient the latest in quality dental services and it may also provide them with a virtually pain-free dental procedure. Ask if your dentist uses Digital x-rays, Ultrasonic Cleaning and CEREC, an efficient and effective machine that creates crowns, veneers and onlays.
3.) Does your dentist use mercury? Even though the American Dental Association and the FDA support mercury fillings, many dentists and patients are more comfortable with using composite fillings. So do your own research and talk to your dentist about his or her mercury use.
While there are many other necessary questions to ask your dentist, these three are very important ones.
Check back with us again where we’ll have more tips and advice to help you choose the right dentist.
For more information on this topic or any dental related procedure check out our website at Livonia Dental Care. If you have any questions, or a dental emergency, you can reach Dr. Jay at Livonia Dental Care at 734-427-7555. "Like" us on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Pain-Free Root Canals
Most of us hear the two words, “root canal,” and immediately we start to feel pain. But dental root canals have come a long way in recent years. In fact, nowadays having a root canal can be a virtually painless procedure.
A root canal is a treatment that repairs a tooth that is very decayed or severely infected. Unlike general anesthesia where a patient is completely unconscious, asleep, and unable to respond, patients under Conscious Sedation are able to respond to conversations and breathe on their own. This kind of sedation helps to make a once painful procedure like a root canal, a comfortable and pain-free experience.
After the root canal, any sensitivity felt is temporary and can be relieved by taking an over-the-counter pain reliever until any inflammation goes away, which should be in just a few days.
Talk to your dentist about using conscious sedation for your next root canal.
For more information on this topic or any dental related procedure check out our website at Livonia Dental Care. If you have any questions, or a dental emergency, you can reach Dr. Jay at Livonia Dental Care at 734-427-7555. "Like" us on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.
A root canal is a treatment that repairs a tooth that is very decayed or severely infected. Unlike general anesthesia where a patient is completely unconscious, asleep, and unable to respond, patients under Conscious Sedation are able to respond to conversations and breathe on their own. This kind of sedation helps to make a once painful procedure like a root canal, a comfortable and pain-free experience.
After the root canal, any sensitivity felt is temporary and can be relieved by taking an over-the-counter pain reliever until any inflammation goes away, which should be in just a few days.
Talk to your dentist about using conscious sedation for your next root canal.
For more information on this topic or any dental related procedure check out our website at Livonia Dental Care. If you have any questions, or a dental emergency, you can reach Dr. Jay at Livonia Dental Care at 734-427-7555. "Like" us on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.
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