General dentistry is a branch of medicine concerned with the overall health mouth, especially of the teeth and gums. Most people consider visits to the dentist an important factor in their overall health. Check ups, hygienic cleaning and annual inspections are usually a typical part of most people’s lives. Cosmetic dentists are fully capable of practicing general dentistry and provide the added benefit of providing care with aesthetic appearances in mind.

Cosmetic procedures cannot be performed until necessary general dentistry procedures are complete and your mouth gets a clean bill of health. Instead of going to a traditional dentist for basic dental care and then finding a qualified cosmetic dentist, you can get all your care at one place. Cosmetic dentists are dental specialists that have up to four additional years of training for cosmetic procedures. Since their overarching goal is to provide you with a brilliant new smile, all the care you receive is aimed at achieving that objective.

Taking Care of Basic Oral Hygiene

Cosmetic dentists are fully capable of helping you maintain and treat basic dental problems including:

• Cavities
• Gum disease
• Cleaning

After annual check-ups, the most common general dentistry procedures are concerned with treating dental caries, or cavities. Cavities develop when enamel becomes compromised due to inconsistent brushing and oral hygiene practices. Many traditional dentists still fill cavities with metal fillings, but cosmetic dentists usually have the resources to provide non-metal fillings that are just as effective and can be matched to the color of your teeth to maintain a brighter and whiter smile.

Improper brushing and poor dental hygiene also lead to gum disease, or gingivitis and eventually periodontitis. Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissue that supports your teeth. Gum disease first grows in the sulcus, the v-shaped crevice between the teeth and the gums. If left untreated, gingivitis can develop into periodontitis, which actually infects the bone of the tooth. Treatment of gum disease is another general dentistry practice performed by cosmetic dentists.

Other General Dentistry Procedures

Missing teeth, whether due to trauma or untreated disease, can be replaced with a variety of dental implants. Traditional dentists frequently have to send out the tooth impressions to outside laboratories to be fabricated. Cosmetic dentists, especially those trained at the prestigious Las Vegas Institute have their appliances made at LVI approved labs, providing the best quality available and improving the turn around time for dental implants, crowns, and other dental appliances.

Sedation Dentistry

Fear of pain or of dentists offices in general often keep people who need general dentistry care from the office. Few people like to wait in a busy dentist’s office and wait patiently for their turn to sit in an uncomfortable chair for generally unpleasant cleanings and tooth repair. Sedation dentistry is a new technique employed by many cosmetic dentists to help alleviate the pain and therefore the fear of going to the dentist for necessary care.

One of the added benefits of finding a cosmetic dentist is the fact that he or she can create an overall plan for your oral treatment. All of your dental care takes your appearance into consideration.  A cosmetic dentist can see to all your general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry needs.

Please visit www.drpaulmathew.com for cosmetic and general dentistry in Salem.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/dental-care-articles/general-dentistry-in-new-hampshire-1156999.html

Editor-in-Chief, Judy J. Johnson, DDS                                                                                  

Aesthetic Considerations in Periodontics

Periodontics, also referred to as Periodontology, is the study of the structure of the teeth along with the diseases and conditions that affect them. Periodontal disease, more commonly known as gum disease, can be caused by a series of events within the mouth, all of which lead to periodontal disease. 

The Problem is Gum Disease

Gum disease is typically caused by bacterial infection of the soft tissues and bone which support the teeth. Eventually, the disease will cause the bone and teeth to be destroyed. When destruction occurs, the individual will experience tooth loss.

No matter which stage of periodontal disease the patient is in, treatment will improve the individual’s gums and making them healthier. The type of treatment an individual receives varies according to the stage of gum disease they are in.

Treatment to Conquer Gum Disease

Typically, the goal of periodontal treatment is to eliminate any bacterial infections that the patient may be experiencing, which may be causing gum disease. Treatment also controls the inflammatory process destroying the tissues that anchor the teeth to the jawbone. It also creates a healthy periodontal environment, making it easy for the patient and the dentist to maintain.

Damage Done

Gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease and if interrupted, it can be stopped without permanent damage to the tissue or bone. A dentist with no special or additional training should be able to effectively treat gingivitis in the office. If gingivitis develops into a more advanced stage of gum disease, damage can occur. The patient’s structures, which anchor the teeth into the jawbone, are in jeopardy of becoming damaged. A very advanced stage is referred to as periodontitis. This stage requires very aggressive treatment and the patient will likely be referred to a periodontist, who is a specially trained gum specialist.

Esthetics Affected

In periodontic treatment, there are many different aesthetics to be considered. Even if there is no bacterial infection, gums may recede or shrink. Improper brushing is probably the main cause of gum recession. Individuals who use a hard or medium bristled brush may be wearing away their gums.  Using too much force during brushing may also wear the gums away with time. 

Receding Gums

When an individual’s gums recede, the roots of the teeth will eventually be exposed.  When this happens, the outcome is that the individual’s teeth will become sensitive to hot and cold temperatures.  Individuals who experience significant amounts of gum recession are at a higher risk for developing root cavities. 

Gummy Smile

For patients who have what is referred to as a “gummy smile”, their teeth may look very small in comparison to their gums, which will have the appearance of being too big for their mouth.  Some medicines may cause overgrowth of gum tissues (such as phenytoin, cyclosporine and nifedipine).  A periodontist can remove excess gum tissue with a procedure that’s called gingivectomy. 

Crown Lengthening

When bone tissue or gum is removed, the procedure is referred to as crown lengthening.  This procedure is necessary when a tooth needs to be fixed.  Sometimes, not enough of the tooth will stick out above the gum to support a filling or a crown.  This procedure is necessary when a tooth breaks off at the gum line or when a crown or filling falls out.

Grafts

Soft-tissue grafts can also be very beneficial to the aesthetic look of an individual.  Periodontal disease, physical mouth trauma, such as brushing too hard or too often with a firm bristled brush. The position of the tooth or gum tissue that is too thin may benefit from a soft-tissue graft. 

Some of the tooth will be exposed when gums recess severely.  Again, this will cause the tooth to become extremely sensitive to hot and cold temperatures and these teeth are more prone to tooth decay.  Often times, people do not like the way their mouths look when this happens.

A soft-tissue graft is used to add more tissue and can help to prevent further recession, to cover the exposed root, stop the tooth sensitivity and to improve the overall look of the teeth.  For individuals who have naturally thin gums, they are more likely to have a problem with gum recession at some point in their life and may need a soft-tissue graft to remedy the situation. 

There are three different types of soft-tissue grafts:  free gingival grafts, connective-tissue grafts and pedicle grafts.  A free gingival graft is typically used for people who naturally have too little gum tissue around their teeth and need to have their gums enlarged. 

A connective-tissue graft is most commonly used for treating root exposure.  A pedicle graft can be done in certain cases, but not all cases.  There must be a tooth next to the tooth which is being treated, which has enough gum tissue to “share”.  A pedicle graft uses the flap of tissue from the gum of one tooth to fix a tooth next to it that is experiencing recession.

Read More About Dental Health from Esthetic Considerations in Periodontics Reference Links:

• Inflammation:  Connection the Mouth and Body
  •  via http://www.perio.org/consumer/inflammation.htm
    • (American Academy of Periodontology)
• Periodontal Procedures
  • via http://www.perio.org/consumer/procedures.htm
    • (American Academy of Periodontology)
• Periodontal Gum Diseases
  • via http://www.ada.org/public/topics/periodontal_diseases.asp
    • (American Dental Association)

Editor-in-Chief, Judy Johnson D.D.S. oversees all articles produced by Smile MD. She is a member of The New York Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Patients reference versions of dental articles and instantly schedule comprehensive online appointments with this New York Cosmetic Dentist at her Midtown Manhattan dental practice on http://www.smilemd.com.

Neville Coward is CEO of Smile MD.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/dental-care-articles/aesthetic-considerations-in-periodontics-987301.html

As any pregnant girl will tell you, pregnancy certainly does take its toll on your body. Few ladies realize just how bad it can be, till they find themselves pregnant. Sure, you hear about morning illness, heartburn, and fatigue, but do you know that you are at more risk for dental problems during pregnancy, especially gum disease? Of course, it is all blamed on hormones, which may be the case, but if you haven?t always sorted your teeth or seen the dentist as you need to, you definitely wish to rectify that before you get pregnant if you can, or take additional care to see the dentist and care for your teeth during your pregnancy. Gum disease if left untreated can cause all sorts of issues, and even lead you to lose your teeth, so it is not something to take for granted.

Basically, there are times in your life when you’ll be at an increased risk for developing gum disease, and pregnancy is an example of those times, but in the end, it all comes down to dental care. If you allow plaque and bacteria to sit in your mouth, on your teeth, and between your gums, then you’ll probably at some point end up with gum illness. To prevent gum illness, brush your pearly whites properly at least two times each day, floss, and see your dentist regularly, particularly during pregnancy, when you’re at an increased risk.

Some researches have proved a link between gum disease and poor dental cleanliness with early work and very low birth- weights.

Make sure that you alert your dentist to the fact that you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, and how far along you are. Your dentist will also have to know what medications that you could be taking and will then do a complete exam, to see what dental care if any you want. It may be a simple cleaning, or you will need antibiotics if you already are showing some of the appearances of gingivitis, it all relies on you. Your dentist will make absolutely sure that no procedures or medications are given that would probably harm your baby.

Another way to prevent gum disease during pregnancy is to make sure that you eat a healthful diet, and keep away from sweet, sweet foods as much as humanly possible. Your baby doesn?t need all that additional sugar, and your teeth and gums don?t either.

No matter how terrible your pregnancy might be taking it?s toll on the way you feel, don?t neglect your dental health, it is important for you and your baby! Learn more about Pregnancy dental care

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Find more helpful articles from Pierre at www.topic.ws or www.how-to-info.info

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/dental-care-articles/gum-illness-additional-dental-care-is-required-during-pregnancy–960113.html