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Teeth can often be whitened by the several new techniques of "bleaching" available today. The most common methods used are the "in-office" method where a strong bleaching agent is placed over the isolated teeth and a special light is used to assist the bleaching material lighten the teeth. This method is generally more controlled and probably better for people who have tetracycline stains or streaks on their teeth. The "at-home" technique involves making trays which fit into the mouth and these are then filled with bleaching materials. When worn for a few hours a day, noticeable results can be seen generally within a few days to a couple weeks. Results vary from individual to individual and it is probably best to check with your dentist to help decide which method works best for you. Some of the factors involved include the intensity of the stains, whether or not you have fillings or crowns on your front teeth as well as what may have caused the stains. |
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Braces are put on teeth to help correct rotated teeth, too large of spaces, crowding or misalignment of teeth. Newer techniques today allow for wire frames to be worn that can spread open the arch if it is too small, or pull one side of the jaw to correct for overlap on one side only. In addition, clear brackets and brackets that can be bonded inside the teeth are making braces a good option for many adults today. |
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A permanently cemented appliance that replaces missing teeth. The side teeth are called abutments and the missing replacement tooth is called a pontic. |
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This is the grinding and clenching of the teeth. Often associated with flattening of the teeth surfaces. |
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When the plaque hardens on your teeth, it gets calcified and is referred to as calculus. At this point, it cannot be removed simply with brushing. |
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The cuspids, the long pointy teeth that are the third tooth from the mid-line on each arch. They help tear food and typically have the longest roots of any of the teeth. |
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This is the dental term for a cavity (decay) on a tooth. |
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Composite or white plastic fillings, are used when aesthetics is a concern. The currently available materials used for composites are showing some very strong wear potential and while they may not be quite as hard as silver fillings on the chewing surfaces, they do excellently in the grooves, and dramatically lower the development of cavities. (Some insurance companies will pay for the less expensive amalgams instead of composite fillings.) They are glass filled resin fillings. The benefit if this type of filling is that it is more conservative and aesthetic than the silver fillings. |
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Crowns are placed over a tooth when a large portion of the tooth is lost to decay or has broken off. Usually when a filling is more than half of the size of the tooth, the tooth is weakened. If the filling would comprise a significant portion of the tooth, often the tooth can fracture under the stresses of chewing and therefore, placing a crown over the tooth protects the chewing surface and prevents that from happening. Crowns that are white are made of porcelain and are usually placed in areas of aesthetic concern. Gold crowns might be placed in the molar region or when there is heavy grinding that might damage the opposing teeth. |
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This is the scraping of the soft tissue areas to remove the bacteria deep under the gums. |
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These are the canines, or fangs. They are the third tooth from the midline. |
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