Many diseases of the teeth and surrounding tissues cannot be seen when your dentist examines your mouth. An x-ray exam may reveal
* Periodontal diseaes
* Oral cancer
* small areas of decay in the teeth & under fillings
* bone disease
* abscesses or cysts
* signs of gum disease
* developmental and other defects
* signs of trauma
* positions of tooth roots & jaw bones
Dental x-ray exams use very low doses of radiation, making the risk of harmful effects very small. A full mouth series of x-rays have radiation levels equal to 2-3 days of naturally occurring background radiation or a 4 hour flight on an airplane.
It is possible to have periodontal disease without even knowing it, because it’s generally completely painless. This is why regular visits to the dentist for a cleaning & dental checkup are so important. It is estimated that as many as 90% of adults have at least some evidence of periodontal disease at one point or another in their lives. Most people don’t realize that it’s gum disease (and not tooth decay) that causes people to lose their teeth, in most cases. And it goes beyond that. Recent research has shown that periodontal disease is an important factor in your general health, being associated with heart disease, stroke, and several other serious diseases. For more information contact your dentist in San Ramon.
Several warning signs can signal a problem. If you notice any of the following, see your dentist:
* Bleeding gums
* Tender, swollen or red gums
* Gums that are pulled away from teeth
* Persistent bad breath
* Loose teeth
* A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
Dental health, your appearance and the propor functioning of your teeth and jaws are all important reasons for wearing a bridge. Your dental health may suffer when teeth are not replaced. Teeth were meant to compliment each other. When a tooth is lost, the nearby teeth may tilt toward the empty space, or the teeth in the opposite jaw may move up or down toward the space. This places unusual stress on both the teeth and the tissues in your mouth. A bridge also helps maintain the natural shape of your face, to prevent that sunken cheek appearance.
DO YOU HAVE A CRACKED TOOTH?
A tooth that is cracked can be painful. A crack can also lead to the disease of the tooth. How do you know if you have a cracked tooth? Look for these signs:
* You have sharp pain when biting down that quickly disappears.
* You have pain that comes & goes, but does not hurt all the time.
* You feel pain when eating or drinking.
* You may have no painat all.
HOW IS A CRACKED TOOTH TREATED?
Treatment depends on the size & location of the crack and the symptoms you are experiencing. Sometimes your dentist will recommend no treatment at all, since tiny cracks are common and usually do not cause problems.
Examples of treatment include:
* Repairing the tooth with filling material
* Placing a crown (cap) to protect the tooth from further damage
* Endodontic (root canal) treatment if pulp is involved
* Extracting the tooth if the tooth is severely cracked and cannot be saved
Many people grind and clench their teeth while sleeping. Most people are unaware that they are even doing it. While stress may enhance your periods of grinding or clenching, it is not the only cause. When there are irregularities in the chewing surfaces of your teeth, an automatic reflex occurs (grinding) to eliminate the high spots. You extend thousands of pounds of pressure through the muscles of the mouth and jaw to grind away your teeth in a never ending battle which does nothing but cause problems and pain. In most cases, the best solution is to wear a nightguard every night when you go to bed. There are several important reasons why store-bought nightguards are not recommended. Since they are self-made, they generally won’t fit perfectly. This puts excessive forces against certain teeth, and will cause them to move, just like an orthodontic appliance would. In addition, it is impossible to control the bite on a store-bought nightguard. Since bite inconsitencies are one of the main things that cause grinding, the problem can actually get worse. When we make a nightguard, we are very careful to provide a perfect bite against it. Over time, this should lessen the tendency for you to clench and grind your teeth.
A single tooth turns yellow because the living tissue inside the tooth has died. This could happen from a former deep cavity, or from a blow to the tooth, either of which could have happened years before. This situation might require treatment, but only if the tooth gets an abscess or causes you pain. These teeth can generally be whitened again, to exactly match the adjacent teeth. In fact, this is the easiest form of whitening we perform. It is called internal bleaching and is done right in the dental office in a few short, painless visits.
Dental anxiety is more common than you might think. For many, just one bad trip to the dentist may result in an extreme fear of ever having to visit the dentist again, even if it’s just for checkups or routine cleanings. For others, their anxiety may relate to an overall fear of the dentist in general, or maybe an overactive gag reflex. In any case, our office is proud to offer the benefit of sedation dentistry to San Ramon patients seeing Dr. Rosenthal.
Typically we choose oral sedation for our patients. With oral sedation, patients remain awake and are able to respond to commands, but do not feel or remember any pain. In some cases, the patient may be so relaxed that they may not be able to recall the experience at all, or may think that hours-long procedures only took minutes. Because it’s so easy, it is the preferred method of sedation dentistry available. Other forms of sedation dentistry include the use of nitrous oxide, and in extreme cases general anesthesia.
You may be a candidate for sedation dentistry if you:
Our team wants to make sure that every patient is as comfortable with their visit as possible. Dr. Rosenthal offers sedation dentistry in San Ramon to his patients to provide a comfortable, more relaxed experience. If you would like more information about sedation dentistry in San Ramon or are searching for a dentist in the San Ramon area, contact our office today!
As one of the few dentists in San Ramon offering Invisalign, Dr. Rosenthal and the rest of our skilled team often hear how much our patients love their beautiful, straight smiles! In today’s blog post, however, we want to discuss the many benefits of an Invisalign smile. It may surprise you to learn that much can be achieved in the way of advancing your oral and whole-body health with the use of Invisalign!
Straightening your teeth with Invisalign clear aligners at the office of Dr. Wesley Rosenthal in San Ramon offers the following benefits:
- A beautiful, vibrant, straight smile of course!
- Healthier gums. When your teeth are in proper alignment, this allows your gum tissue to function and be cleaned properly, leading to overall better health of your gums!
- A more comfortable bite. Though we often think of crooked teeth as being an aesthetic issue, the truth is that misaligned teeth do not function properly and can cause discomfort. By bringing your teeth into corrected alignment, painful jaw joints, soreness of chewing muscles, and even chronic headaches can be relieved.
- Teeth that function optimally. Dentists in San Ramon and beyond agree that straight teeth work better for chewing and speech!
If a straight, beautiful smile that is healthy too appeals to you, consider Invisalign from one of the few San Ramon dentists who provides this advanced service! Contact the office of Dr. Wesley Rosenthal today; we look forward to hearing from you!
Invisalign straightens your teeth without wires and brackets. A clear solution to a happier, healthier and straighter smile. With Invisalign you are able to brush and floss better than with conventional braces which can trap food, bacteria and plaque causing possible inflammation and decay. Invisalign offers a discrete method for correcting your smile! Contact our office for your complementary evaluation for Invisalign!
Dr. Wesley Rosenthal
925-837-8126
