Resources - Cosmo Dentistry

When Is A Tooth Extraction Necessary?

What is the difference between a minor toothache and advanced tooth decay? One is treatable with some good home care and maybe a filling, while the other, most likely requires a tooth extraction. As a dental patient, it can often be difficult to discern when you can rescue a tooth and when it is better to extract it and get a replacement.

The best way to know when a tooth extraction is necessary is to see your dentist and to get your teeth professionally examined. However, if you’re simply exploring the possibilities online, here are some common instances in which people usually need to get a tooth pulled.

1. After an Accident

Unexpected accidents or sports injuries can cause a healthy tooth to suddenly become loose or fall out. While there is a possibility to save a healthy tooth by re-attaching it and performing a root canal, if you wait too long, you will need to remove the tooth altogether.

Therefore, if your efforts to preserve your tooth fail and your damaged tooth dies, you will have to extract it and get a replacement. Dental implants or bridges are excellent options that can restore the functionality of the tooth that you lost.

2. Wisdom Teeth

Adults often get an extra set of molars called wisdom teeth. They can start to come forth in one’s late teens or young adulthood. Though some people can live with their extra molars and experience no complications, there are instances in which the teeth are impacted or emerge improperly. These kinds of wisdom teeth often require extraction as they pose health risks like pericoronitis and chronic bad breath.

3. Tooth Decay

When the center of your teeth, which is called the pulp, gets infected, your dentist can sometimes save the tooth with a root canal. However, severe decay makes it nearly impossible to preserve the natural tooth. In this case, extracting the tooth and replacing it with a bridge or dental implant will greatly improve the quality of your smile.

4. Gum Disease

Your gums are extremely important for your oral health. If they aren’t healthy, your teeth won’t do well either. If you have advanced gum disease in which the gum’s ligaments and your jaw bone are infected, your teeth may not be able to stay properly anchored.

Your first line of defense is to fight the infection with antibiotics and to try and preserve your teeth. However, if your teeth can’t stay anchored, it’s best to remove the teeth, treat the infection, then replace your lost teeth with dental implants or dentures.

5. Impacted tooth

Not just wisdom teeth can erupt improperly. Sometimes, regular teeth can also partially emerge, causing bacteria and debris to get trapped between your teeth and gums. Impacted teeth are a risk because they increase your chances of getting gum disease or harmful infections. Extracting the problem tooth will help the situation.

6. To Prevent Overcrowding

Sometimes your jaw may not be large enough to accommodate all the teeth that are coming in. Also, if a patient is undergoing orthodontic treatment, pulling a few teeth to prevent overcrowding as the braces do their work is essential. To get the best alignment, it may be necessary to pull a few teeth.

Types of extractions

If your dentist decides that you need to get your tooth pulled, there are two possible ways to extract it:

Simple extraction

This is the less complicated and quicker option. Simple extractions are performed on fully erupted teeth that are completely visible to the naked eye. You can be in and out of the office quickly because your dentist will only need to use local anesthesia.

Surgical extraction

This option is necessary for partially erupted or impacted teeth. Surgical extraction is the safer option for teeth that can’t easily be extracted through normal means. General anesthesia is sometimes required for this procedure to keep the patient as comfortable as possible. The recovery time after this kind of extraction takes longer compared to a simple extraction.

Tooth Extraction in Houston

If you think you may need to have your tooth pulled, you should get the expert advice from a dentist first. Come and visit our practice for a consultation to find out the best way to take to care of your smile.

5 Signs You Grind Your Teeth

Many people wonder if they talk in their sleep, but did you know that it’s also possible to grind your teeth at night? Tooth grinding, which is also known as bruxism, is a common condition that involves the grinding, gnashing, or clenching of your teeth while sleeping. You can also grind your teeth while you’re awake, but if you want to know if you do it in your sleep, here are 5 common signs.

1. Your Partner Hears You

The easiest way to find out if you’re a nocturnal teeth grinder is to receive feedback from your better half. Does your partner complain about intermittent grinding sounds coming from you in the middle of the night? Bruxism can create sounds that can disturb your partner’s sleep.

However, you should keep in mind that only severe cases of teeth grinding will produce noises loud enough to disturb people sleeping in the same room as you. Sometimes, mild to moderate cases can go undetected during the night, but you will experience other side effects that can give you clues.

2. You Feel Pain

Grinding your teeth often results in painful side effects that occur in the head and jaw area. Here are some examples of what you can experience:

Soreness in your jaw, neck, or face
Sensitive teeth
Toothaches
Dull headaches that originate from your temples
Rawness from chewing the inside of your cheek
Earaches

If you’re experiencing isolated cases of these symptoms, they may be unrelated to tooth grinding. However, if you’re feeling a combination of these painful symptoms, the signs may be pointing to bruxism. However, the only way to truly know if you’re grinding your teeth is to get a qualified physician to examine your mouth and jaw.

3. Interrupted Sleep

The act of tooth grinding can also wake you up, just like snoring can when it is loud enough. If you are waking up at night more often but you can’t figure out why grinding your teeth may be the cause.

4. Worn Down Teeth

Tooth grinding can wear down the enamel and flatten your teeth. Extreme and prolonged cases of bruxism can also result in loose and chipped teeth that require dental interventions.

5. You Have TMJ Complications

Severe tooth grinding can affect your temporomandibular joints (TMJs), which are located just in front of your ears. One tell-tale sign is hearing a “click” when you open or close your mouth. In severe cases, your TMJs may become inflamed and feel painful. It’s also possible to feel “full” around your ears or develop tinnitus, or ringing in your ears.

How to Treat Bruxism

If you think that you may be grinding your teeth at night, don’t worry: tooth grinding is treatable! There are both preventative measures you can take and practical medical advice you need to follow that can guide you on the road to recovery.

Reduce your stress – Increased levels of anxiety are linked to more tooth grinding. Try to take some time out for yourself daily to exercise, eat well, and practice self-care so that you can lower the feelings of stress and anxiety that cause you to grind your teeth.
Get a mouth guard – This is the next line of defense you should take against tooth grinding. Your dentist can give you a custom-made mouth guard that you can wear every night to prevent your teeth from wearing against each other.
Check your medications – Sometimes bruxism is a side effect to medications, especially psychiatric ones. Before you make any adjustments to your dosage or type of medications you take, you need to see your doctor.
Reduce your exposure to substances that promote tooth grinding – It’s possible to decrease your body’s urge to grind teeth by reducing your caffeine and alcohol intake. It’s also imperative that you quit any recreational drugs as they can promote tooth grinding.

Mouth Guards in Houston

If you would like a dentist to check your teeth for the common signs of tooth grinding, schedule an appointment today.

5 Benefits Of Flossing Your Teeth

Maintaining healthy teeth and gums doesn’t require a secret method. When it comes to your oral health, maintaining a solid home care routine is essential to get fresh breath, white teeth, and healthy gums. Flossing your teeth daily is one part of the equation. Coupled with brushing your teeth and tongue, it’s a tried and true way to keep your teeth white, healthy, and clean. Here are 5 benefits of flossing your teeth.

#1: It gets you that “deep clean” feeling

While brushing your teeth can remove the majority of plaque on your teeth, it can’t target the debris between them. By flossing at least once daily, you can remove harmful bacteria and food from hard-to-reach places. When left unattended, this plaque between your teeth can cause bad breath, cavities, tooth decay, and unsightly stains. While brushing makes it a challenge to reach these places, floss can remove debris in these areas to give you the feeling of a 100% clean mouth.

#2: Flossing makes your teeth whiter

Though you can cosmetically whiten stained teeth, you need a consistent home care regimen that will keep your teeth clean and healthy. The spots between your teeth can develop some stubborn stains that will be difficult for whitening rays to remove if you don’t attend to them regularly. Quick fixes will make your teeth look good, but flossing daily will help your teeth look even better.

#3: It makes your gums healthier

While flossing gives your mouth that finishing touch it needs to feel truly clean, it also gets the plaque off the part of your gums that your toothbrush can’t reach. This decreases your chance of contracting gingivitis or gum disease, which is both painful and makes your gums deteriorate. The more plaque you remove from your gums, the healthier your mouth is going to be in general.

#4: You’re preventing bigger problems

Did you know that your oral health is closely tied to your total health? By neglecting your teeth and gums, you can develop gum disease, which increases your risk for heart disease and diabetes. To get this benefit, you need to make sure that you floss at least once a day.

#5: You Have Plenty of Flossing Options

Traditional unwaxed floss can feel abrasive and uncomfortable. However, new and improved versions come in the form of waxed string or ribbons, which make the experience more comfortable and smooth.

Sometimes, people avoid flossing because they don’t like the mechanics of traditional floss. It can get messy and complicated to reach your back molars as well. This is why manufacturers have created new types of floss that allow us to keep our fingers clean. These convenient flossers come in the form of tensed string that is supported by a plastic handle. These products make it easy and quick to floss your teeth accurately and efficiently while keeping your fingers clean.

You can also try automatic flossers that do the job for you, which takes the effort out of your daily cleaning routine! All you have to do is place the device near your teeth. The automatic flosser will detect your teeth and send the filament between them, executing a perfect flossing technique each time.

Patients with braces should also rest assured that they can continue to floss by using special tools that allow them to navigate their brackets and wires safely. It’s also important to mention that individuals with braces shouldn’t use unwaxed floss because the filaments can get stuck in their mouth.

Note: A WaterPik greatly helps the tooth cleaning process but isn’t a true substitute for real floss, plus floss is super cheap!

Dental Care in Houston

To bring out the most in your smile, flossing daily is key. You should also incorporate regular dental checkups and cleanings into the equation. Contact us to schedule a free consultation or an appointment today!

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