My teeth are very sensitive…

Do you love the cool feeling of an ice-cream cone on a hot summer day or a hot cup of chocolate on a cold winter day? BUT does that thought of something cold or hot make you cringe? Then you are one of those millions of people who have sensitive teeth. But does that mean, you could never enjoy that cold ice-cream or hot coffee? Absolutely not!

So what causes sensitive teeth? Your tooth is made of multiple layers – the top most layer is the enamel (above the gums) and cementum (below the gums). Underneath this layer is the Dentin. When enamel or cementum are worn out or damaged dentin is exposed causing teeth sensitivity.

Some of the most common causes of sensitive teeth are:

1. Decay
2. Recession or receding gums
3. Periodontal (gum) Disease
4. Fractured teeth
5. Old/Worn Fillings

The treatment for sensitive teeth will depend on the cause of the sensitivity. Here are a few treatment options:

1. Fluoride Gel: The application of fluoride-gel in office will reduce the transmission of cold/hot and also strengthen the enamel.
2. Sensitivity toothpaste: This toothpaste contains compounds that reduce the transmission of cold/hot; however a change can be noticed after several applications.
3. Surgical Gum Graft: If your gums have receded and your gum tissue has been pulled away from the root, then a gum graft can surgically replace the missing gum and reduce sensitivity by protecting the tooth.
4. Restoration: A crown, bonding or an inlay can be used to cover the areas of the tooth that have been damaged/exposed to decay.
5. Root Canal Treatment: If sensitivity is so severe and persistent that no other treatment options seem to work, then this treatment may be recommended.

Most of these issues can be prevented and handled in a timely manner by practicing proper oral hygiene and visiting your dentist regularly.

It is very important to take care of your dental health, no matter what age you are. However it becomes more important as you age. We all hear “ I am going to lose my teeth as I grow old”. That is so not true. Your teeth can grow old with you and can last you a lifetime.

As you age, your mouth changes. You will notice that your teeth are not as sensitive when you were a young adult. That’s because the nerves in your teeth become smaller. So, if you don’t visit your dentist regularly, problems may not be diagnosed until it is too late.You can stay healthy, look good and feel great and to your surprise, a healthy mouth makes a very big difference.

The following are a few tips to improve and maintain your oral health:

1. Brushing twice a day with soft bristle toothbrush. You can benefit from an electric toothbrush too.
2. Floss at least once a day to clean in between your teeth.
3. Most tap water contains fluoride which helps prevent tooth decay no matter how old you are. So drink tap water.
4. Quit smoking. Not only does it put you at risk for lung and various other cancers, it can also cause tooth decay, gum disease and even tooth loss.
If you wear any dentures or partial dentures, then remember to clean them daily. Also don’t forget to remove them at night.
Visit your dentist regularly.

Following simple little steps like healthy diet, regular visit to the dentist and healthy oral habits can help you have your teeth for a lifetime.

Call us today at 205.833.5405, let us help you with your precious teeth.

Did you know that a person will die every hour of every day from oral cancer? Oral Cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide.

Who is more prone to oral cancer?
Oral cancer usually occurs in people over the age of 40 at the time of diagnosis. However, these days it is occurring more frequently under that age due to the Human Papilloma Virus 16 (HPV16). This is the same virus that also causes Cervical Cancer. While men were 6 times more than women few decades ago, the ratio is more like 2 men for each woman.

What are the risk factors?
Though the actual cause of oral cancer is being still debated, there are certain activities that do raise the risk of developing oral cancer. These include heavy alcohol consumption, tobacco use (including smokeless tobacco), human papilloma virus and excessive sun exposure.

What are the possible signs and symptoms?
Oral cancer usually goes unnoticed in the initial stages as in many cases there is no associated pain. However some of the signs and symptoms are as follows:

1. An ulcer or sore on the lip or in the mouth that does not heal within 14 days.
2. A lump in the head, neck or mouth
3. A red or white patch on the lips or in the mouth
4. Unusual numbness or pain in the mouth
5. Difficulty chewing, swallowing or opening the mouth
6. Tooth loosening
7. Numbness in the face

How is Oral Cancer diagnosed?
At Comfort Plus, as part of providing best dental care to our patients, we are equipped with latest technology to screen Oral Cancer. Dr. Gutti will screen for oral cancer during regular dental examinations. Our practice uses Identafi Oral Cancer Screening System which uses Multi-Spectral Fluorescence and Reflectance technology to enhance visualization of oral tissue. This makes detection of abnormalities that are unseen by the naked eye possible. Identafi is quick and pain-free. The key to oral cancer like any other kind of cancer is EARLY DETECTION.

What is the treatment for oral cancer?
After a definitive diagnosis, oral cancer is usually treated with a multidisciplinary approach involving surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy. The patient may also need guidance from a nutritionist also during and after the treatment.

#oral-cancer-screening-birmingham-al

Do you have sleepless nights because of the snoring problems? Does your significant other constantly complain they cannot sleep due to your snoring? Sixty-two percent of American adults encounter sleep issues several times a week.

If you experience loud snoring accompanied by always feeling tired, high blood pressure and if someone has seen you stop breathing while you were sleeping, it is recommended that you undergo a sleep study to rule out a dangerous medical condition called sleep apnea. Your primary care physician can refer you to a sleep specialist. If a C-PAP machine is not deemed necessary, there are other options, including several types of dental snoring appliances.

One type of dental snoring appliances is called an EMA. The EMA has different strength elastic bands that you work through to gradually re-position the lower jaw forward. The gradual moving of the jaw is less stressful to the jaw muscles. This works to keep your airway open by re-positioning your jaw. An open airway allows more air-flow.

Another type of dental snoring appliance is called the TAP, abbreviated for Thornton Adjustable Positioner. The TAP appliance is based on the principle of CPR, an open airway with the tongue out of the way allows the patient to breathe more freely. The TAP holds your lower jaw forward, preventing your tongue and other soft tissues from blocking your airway. A restricted or collapsed airway will cause the oral soft tissues to vibrate, making the loud snoring sound.

Whichever dental snoring appliance is chosen to best suit your specific needs, a simple impression of your mouth and a few measurements will be taken at our office. All snoring appliances are custom-fit just for you. Then the impression is sent a lab to order your appliance. In a couple of weeks you will be fitted in the office with your new snoring appliance. It is important to wear your snoring appliance every. With continued use, snoring should be drastically reduced or eliminated. During the day, you should keep your snoring appliance in a container of water. Also be sure to brush the appliance daily to keep it free from odor and bacteria.

If you have questions/concerns about yourself or your loved one with sleep-related problems, please contact the office at 205.833.5405 to schedule an evaluation.

#snoring #sleepapnea

Partial Dentures:

Removable partial dentures usually consist of metal framework and replacement teeth are attached to the framework with pink or gum-colored plastic bases. They attach to your natural teeth either with precision attachments or metal clasps. Precision attachments are more esthetic than metal clasps as you can hardly see them and hence more expensive too.

Complete Dentures:

They are an option when the patients have lost all of their teeth. They have teeth fitted to a plastic base. There are 2 types of complete dentures

Conventional Dentures: They are made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissues has healed. The healing process may take several months and hence the entire process may take about 12-20 weeks.
Immediate Dentures: Unlike Conventional dentures, immediate dentures are made before the teeth are extracted and are placed in the mouth as soon as the teeth are extracted. Thus there is not a period when the patient is not without any teeth. As the bones and gums continue to heal after the extractions, one of the disadvantages of immediate denture is that they will need more adjustments.

Wearing a new partial or complete denture may feel awkward for the first few weeks and will need getting used to it. Your dentist will show you how to take your denture in and out as it requires some practice. You will also be given instructions of how to take care of them as the longevity of your denture will depend on its care. For more questions, please talk to your dentist.

In the previous blog we briefly discussed about the various options a patient has to replace missing teeth. In this blog we will elaborate on the fixed prosthetic options. To recap, fixed options are like the name describes “fixed” and cannot be taken in and out of the mouth by the patient. The two options are explained in detail below:

What is a dental bridge?

A bridge consists of placing a crown (“cap”) over the teeth next to your missing tooth. A false tooth (called a pontic) is fused to the crowns to replace any missing tooth. The crowns on healthy teeth hold the false tooth (pontic) in place hence closing the gap. Like crowns, bridges come in several different types, including porcelain to metal, all gold, or all porcelain.

Also like getting a crown, a bridge requires at least two dental visits. At your first appointment, the teeth surrounding your missing tooth are prepared, an impression is made, and you will be fitted with a temporary. Then our on-site dental lab will custom fabricate your bridge. At your seat appointment, the bridge is tried in and bite refined. Then the bridge is cemented with a special permanent dental “cement”. Our on-site dental lab is able to adjust shading and fit issues at your seat appointment, preventing you from having to wait for another appointment to complete treatment.

Once the bridge is placed, it cannot be taken out without the help of your dentist. After the bridge is cemented, your dentist will advise on proper care for the bridge and the teeth underneath it. In absence of good oral hygiene, the anchor teeth holding the bridge can get decay. Hence it is very important to maintain good oral hygiene.

What is a dental implant?

A dental implant is another option to replace missing teeth. Placing a dental implant involves an oral surgery procedure during which the implant is inserted into the jaw. The implant is made of a very bio-compatible material called titanium. It allows the formation of the bond between the bone and the implant itself.

The entire process of replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant may take anywhere from 4-12 months depending on various factors as determined by your surgeon. However the benefits of dental implants can be summarized as easier care, better nutrition and minimal impact to the surrounding teeth.

In the next series we will learn about the removable prosthetics.

Whether you just had a tooth removed or you lost teeth years ago, it is highly recommended you replace the gaps. In this two part blog series, you will discover the many different options for replacing your missing teeth.

“So what if I do not want to replace my missing teeth? They are in the back and do not show when I smile”. Not replacing missing teeth can lead to complications that could eventually make you lose even more teeth. The teeth opposite and surrounding the missing tooth over time will drift and tilt into the gap. This causes what is called super-eruption and tilting of teeth surrounding missing tooth. The result will be loss of function and possible further tooth loss.

Part 1: Fixed Prosthetics

As the name suggests, these prosthetics are “fixed” and cannot be taken in and out of the mouth. There are two options for replacing missing teeth with a fixed prosthetic. A fixed prosthetic is permanently cemented in your mouth and does not come out. The 2 kinds of fixed prosthetics are:

1. Dental Bridge
2. Dental Implants

Part 2: Removable Prosthetics

On the other hand, Removable prosthetics come in and out to be cleaned. The 2 different kinds of removable prosthetics available are dependent on how many teeth you are actually missing.

1. Removable Partial Denture – If you are missing few of your teeth
2. Complete Denture- If you are missing all of your upper/Lower teeth.

In the coming posts, we will learn more about each kind of tooth replacement options. Please ask your dentist about the best option available to you as they vary from one person to another.

Have you ever desired to get a more radiant smile without spending hours in the dental office or dealing with messy gels and trays at home? We have just the right solution for you. We now offer the new Sinsational Smile in-office teeth whitening. In just 20-30 short minutes, you can have whiter teeth. You now no longer have to wait for weeks nor have to suffer from post-op sensitivity. After the in-office procedure, you can maintain your whiter smile with a personal touch up kit at home.

Whitening your teeth is now EASY!

Call our office to learn more about this new revolutionary system.

Crowns cover your existing teeth, providing added strength. When are crowns needed? After a root canal, your tooth is left without a blood supply, making it brittle. Placing a crown will prevent breakage of the remaining tooth. Crowns are also often prescribed for teeth that have broken or have large existing fillings. The common term for a crown is “cap”.

Crowns come in several styles. Porcelain fused to metal is the most common type a crown and is referred to as a PFM. All gold crowns, called full cast gold, are often used on back teeth. An all porcelain crown is the best crown for a natural appearance, as PFM will have a gray line at the gumline from the underlying metal.

A crown requires two dental visits. The first is a preparation with impressions, shaping, and placing a temporary. The impressions are then sent to our on-site dental lab, where the process takes three weeks. The great thing about our on-site dental lab is if the shade or fit are not quite right at your seat appointment, instead of coming back for an additional appointment, the lab technician will usually be able to perfect your crown that day.

For more information on crowns, visit the ADA’s website at: http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/c/Crowns

#dentalcrown #dentalhealth

Dental problems? Stress can wreck havoc to our health, including our teeth!

Read this article from Delta Dental for more info: http://www.deltadentalins.com/oral_health/stressed_out.html

So what can we do to reduce stress? Take up a hobby. Hobbies come in many varieties based on your interests from reading, gardening to sky diving. The sky’s the limit, literally. And studies show that a hobby can reduce your stress level! Read more about reducing your stress with a hobby in this article from the Mayo Clinic’s website: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hobbies-and-stress/MY01157

Our Office Manager, Jackie, enjoys drawing, painting and making earrings. She has even turned her fun hobby of making earrings into a small business. You can see her earrings on her Facebook site Kingdom Creations Crafts at: https://www.facebook.com/KingdomCreationsCrafts

So who knows, you could reduce your stress to help improve your health and make alittle money doing it!

#stress #dentalpain #tmj #hobby #friday #dentistbirmingham