Tags

The dentist has told you that you need a root canal treatment, and you may feel a bit scared, especially if they didn’t do a good job explaining what this entails. You may have heard rumours, or checked on the internet, and have seen that this procedure has a reputation of being painful and “bad”. While it is true that this is a more complicated procedure than a filling or a cleaning session, it is not “bad” at all; millions of people undergo this treatment daily, and it is one of the most routine procedures of conservative dentistry. Here is everything you need to know, so that you can prepare yourself for this procedure.

My teeth are constantly getting infected, and I have had root canals and crowns on most of my teeth. I come from a country where there is no fluoridation in the tap water, and my mother had terrible teeth, too, so I am not surprised. When I went to the dentist, he told me that the cause of my problems is that I have bruxism. I have never heard of this before in my life, and when he explained to me what it was, I thought it a little bit strange. He also asked me if I get headaches and neck aches, and I told him yes, I am an adult. This is a natural part of life, everyone has back and neck pain above forty! I would like a second opinion, could you please help me out with this?

“I have been suffering from throat and sinus infections for years now, and even antibiotic treatments have only offered temporary relief. I had to use Biopatox again after a 2 week hiatus, because symptoms returned. Besides these annoying infections, I also have gum disease, as my gums are in serious recession. I have turned to holistic medicine, but these only alleviate the symptoms for a short time. I recently read somewhere that a crown or an amalgam filling can cause these symptoms. I this true? If this is the case, where can I go and get myself checked out to see if I have a problem? If I am allergic, can I get some kind of support for getting new crowns? I humbly wait your reply; Sz. Henrietta”

Clear aligners are a great tool of adult orthodontics. They are nearly invisible, can be taken out, are easy to clean and are reportedly more comfortable than their traditional counterparts. But this does not mean that there are never any difficulties around this product. Here are some things are never talked about with Invisalign®, the leading brand of clear aligners, but that affect patient satisfaction.

One of the first questions that patients ask (if not before, then definitely after the braces go on), is how long the braces will stay on? There is not one correct answer for this question as so many factors tie in to shaping your treatment time. But there are a couple of guidelines that make it possible to guess, roughly, how much time you are going to spend in braces.

Orthodontic treatment solves health and even emotional problems; it gives back the ability to smile, it boosts confidence, and is altogether good for the person’s wellbeing.

A root canal treatment is a rather drastic attempt to save an infected or thoroughly decayed tooth.

“My top right molar has been acting up for over a year now. It was first sensitive to cold, but then I used special toothpaste and this stopped, but recently it has started to hurt when I bite. I haven’t been able to chew with the left half of my teeth for months now. It does not otherwise hurt, has no visible cavities, and is not particularly sensitive, either. The tooth has been filled before, and I have gotten an antibiotic root filling, and the tooth has received fluoride treatment as well. I had it x-rayed and there is no sign of an infection or cavitation anywhere.

“Dear doctor! I cannot find the price for a whitening session on your website. I have heard a lot of negative things about at home whitening kits, though. Which one would you recommend? And what do you think of tooth whitening procedures that are done in malls? Aren’t those dangerous? Thank you in advance,"

“My daughter is sixteen, and she had her braces removed a year and a half ago. We noticed that her teeth become more yellowish near the gums on her upper jaw. Our orthodontist even gave us a hard time about her oral hygiene. We got a retainer after her treatment. I took her to my dentist afterwards, to see if anything could be done to stop or reverse this discoloration. My dentist, who is always extremely helpful, told me much to my surprise that he cannot help us at all, because the child had lost enamel. He also told us that these teeth are much likelier to develop caries, and once they develop them, he can make them whiter, but not before. Am I at fault, did we neglect to do something? How can I whiten her teeth without more serious interventions?