Author: harmonydentaltx_admin

Root canal therapy is one of the most common dental procedures performed each year, and yet many people have no idea how a root canal works. This can be intimidating, especially if you need the procedure yourself! Here are the 3 stages of root canal therapy and what you can expect from each.

1. The Root Canal

First, your dentist will provide the actual root canal procedure. This involves drilling into your tooth to clear away the infected tissue inside. You’ll be given an anesthetic so you won’t feel a thing while this is going on. Once your dentist is finished, the newly-formed hole is filled with a putty-like substance to keep bacteria out and restore some of the integrity of the tooth.

2. Rebuilding Your Tooth

The newly-cured tooth is not strong enough to function on its own. After your root canal procedure, you will be fitted with a crown that will cover the injured tooth and protect it from further damage. You might be fitted with a temporary crown while your permanent crown is made, and your dentist will then seal the permanent crown over your tooth to restore its appearance and function.

3. Restoring Your Oral Health

The last step in the process is evaluating your oral health routine so you won’t need another root canal in the future. Your dentist will let you know any areas for improvement that he or she notices, and you’re free to ask any questions you might have. Going forward, it’s important that you keep your crown clean and thoroughly brush and floss the area so that you can avoid serious oral health problems down the line.

Root canals have a bad reputation, but they’re an extremely common procedure that can completely restore an injured tooth. If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment for a root canal, give one of Harmony Dental’s local offices a call today!

How much attention do you pay to your tongue? Most people don’t think much about their tongue (quite a few even skip brushing it!) but believe it or not, your tongue can provide quite a bit of insight into both your oral and general health. Want to know 6 secrets your tongue can reveal about you? 

1. Burning Sensation

“Burning tongue syndrome” is a condition most commonly found in women. However, anyone can experience it. Most commonly caused due to a hormonal change/imbalance, the burning sensation can lead to extreme discomfort. Allergies to dental care products such as toothpaste may also cause a burning sensation, look for products which do not contain sodium lauryl sulfate.

2. Red Lumps

Long-term red lumps located on the tongue (not to be confused with canker sores) could actually be a sign of tongue cancer. Tobacco use along with the HPV virus are the most common causes. If you notice long-term red bumps on your tongue, visit your doctor immediately.

3. Bright Red Tongue

A bright red, smooth tongue could indicate you have a vitamin deficiency. The most common deficiencies that cause a bright red tongue are iron and B12. It is caused by a lack of papillae on the tongue and is most often experienced by vegetarians. Taking vitamins can help, so talk to your doctor.

4. Brown/Black Fuzz

Everyone’s tongue is covered by papillae (small bumps which grow throughout life). When you don’t practice proper dental care, these papillae can become overgrown and attract bacteria. Discoloration may also occur due to food, tobacco and certain beverages.

5. Cottage Cheese

Thrush (an oral yeast infection) can give the tongue a lumpy, cottage cheese appearance. Often due to a weakened immune system or the overuse of antibiotics, the elderly, children and immunocompromised patients are often most affected. Seek medical attention if you think you may have thrush.

6. Wrinkles/Tears

Much like the rest of our body, over time our tongue ages. This can result in wrinkles or tears in the tongue, which are not a serious threat. However, proper dental care should be practiced in order to reduce the risk of these wrinkles and/or tears from becoming infected.

Sometimes dental issues pop up, even when we take good care of our teeth. Such oral health problems may present no symptoms; others appear as slight pain or tooth sensitivity. Still, other mouth conditions may have you rushing to the ER or emergency dentist.

Common Dental Problems

The simplest way to avoid dental problems is to care for your teeth properly every day, keep up with routine check-ups and follow your dentist’s instructions. Regular professional teeth cleanings and comprehensive exams are necessary to maintain optimal oral health.

The nine most common oral health issues can sneak up on you without warning, so be aware of the following mouth conditions:

• • Gum Disease: The early stage is called gingivitis. When plaque and tartar accumulate on teeth and beneath the gum line, this is gum disease. As the bacteria buildup worsens and inflammation develops, the condition can progress to periodontal disease. At this advanced stage, both tooth loss and bone loss may result if left untreated.
  • Missing Teeth: Tooth loss occurs due to injury, disease, or severe bacterial damage. Some people may live with missing teeth, not realizing how much the gaps affect mouth function and facial structure. Today, there are many tooth replacement options available.
  • Sensitivity: Tooth sensitivity can be caused by age, smoking, damage to the enamel, the foods you eat, how hard you brush your teeth, and other reasons.

Dry Mouth: Anyone is susceptible to dry mouth, it is caused by age, medications and other factors. It can be bothersome, and it can affect your oral health. Saliva is important for controlling mouth bacteria.

• Bad Breath: It can be unpleasant, and the butt of many jokes, but foul breath can also indicate an underlying health problem. Certain cancers, acid reflux, and some digestive issues show bad breath symptoms. If you have good daily oral hygiene habits and can’t rid yourself of mouth odor, contact your dentist.
• Tooth Decay: Decay and cavities develop when bacteria break down enamel. You may notice brown, black or gray spots on the tooth surface, experience an increase in sensitivity and/or bad breath.
• Oral Cancer: Although very scary, mouth cancer is treatable when discovered early. This is why routine dental exams are so important. Patients with a higher risk of developing oral cancer are tobacco users, those diagnosed with HPV, and excessive alcohol consumers, but anyone can develop the disease.
• Mouth Sores: Blemishes can appear either inside or outside of the oral cavity. This includes the lips and cheeks. Canker sores are typically not serious or contagious, as they are not caused by a virus. Cold sores are contagious clusters of red blisters that form beneath the nose or on the lips. Most mouth sores can be successfully treated with over-the-counter medications. But if you experience pain, if the blemish lasts for over 10 days, or if you have never had mouth sores before, see your dentist.
• Root Infection: When bacteria or infection reaches the soft pulp housed in a tooth root, that is a root infection. This can be caused by trauma, a cracked tooth, or a deep cavity. Root canal therapy will clean out the infection and fill in the empty space to prevent further damage.

If you believe you may have any of these dental problems, contact us at Harmony Dental to schedule an appointment for treatment.

Someone getting their wisdom teeth removed is such a common procedure these days that it just seems like a part of growing up. But have you ever stopped to think about what they are even doing there in the first place? What is their purpose?

A common thought is that those wisdom teeth are remnants of an ancient era. Our ancient human ancestors had a diet consisting of fibrous plants and raw meat that required more grinding, hence these extra teeth. Since we eat softer foods now and also have smaller jaws, this third molar does not always fit.

Removing Wisdom Teeth

Between ages 17 and 21, most wisdom teeth start to break the gum. They, unfortunately, do not always come in as expected. Wisdom teeth are often removed for a number of reasons, such as:

• They can cause damage to nearby teeth since there is not enough space for the new teeth.
• They can come in incorrectly, leading to difficult to clean areas and trapped food and bacteria.
• Impacted wisdom teeth get trapped under the gums in the jaw, which can cause damage to nearby teeth.

Sometimes, the wisdom teeth do come in properly, and you will not have to get them removed. If they fit properly in the jaw and don’t create difficult to clean areas, then you have gained some extra teeth for chewing!

We want what’s best for your smile, so we treat every case special and uniquely. You can be sure that each wisdom teeth removal will be handled professionally.

Tips If You Get Your Wisdom Teeth Removed:

• Get plenty of rest
• Drink a lot of water, avoid alcohol, hot beverages, and caffeine
• Eat soft foods such as yogurt, applesauce, and everyone’s favorite…ice cream!
• After two days, introduce broth-based soups
• Avoid foods that are hard or chewy for at least one to two weeks

Advancements in dental technology allow for the usage of other tools besides metal braces to correct a faulty smile. Some people feel dread at the thought of getting braces installed on their teeth. The thought of being different, or having an even uglier smile before it’s corrected can be too much. Invisalign offers a more attractive alternative to braces. Invisalign is essentially a pair of clear aligners that are meant to align your teeth to correct their bite and give you a beautiful smile.

About Invisalign

A dentist in Pearland, TX can install these clear aligners in a quick orthodontic treatment that involves x-rays and photographs of your current teeth. A series of clear aligners will be personally made just for you. These aligners border invisible, are made from BPA-free plastic, and since they are made just for you, they fit perfectly and comfortably.

This comfortable fit is important because you will be wearing Invisalign almost 24 hours a day. You simply remove them during meals while you are eating or snacking, brushing or flossing your teeth, or for a special occasion. This flexibility is a huge benefit over braces, completely cutting out the annoying fact that food gets caught in them on a daily basis.

If you have braces, you are instructed to avoid anything hard or sticky that could pull them loose or damage them. Food stuck under braces can also cause significant problems to your oral health including tooth decay and gum disease. Thankfully, these plastic aligners offered by Invisalign can be removed before any meal or snack. That means you don’t need to change your diet whatsoever. Also, since you remove them before brushing your teeth, you don’t need to worry about changing your brushing techniques to remove food stuck under your braces.

Benefits of Invisalign

Invisalign aligners offer the following benefits:

• Oral health becomes much easier to maintain
• The aligners are almost invisible, meaning you won’t notice them like braces
• You don’t have to change your diet
• You don’t have to change your oral health routine.

These benefits are more than enough for most people to prefer Invisalign over traditional braces. If you want to make an appointment, you can be helped by your local dentist in Pearland, TX.

If you haven’t had one in a while, getting a dental exam could seem daunting. Many people in America today don’t think that they aren’t necessary, but regular dental exams are important when it comes to your oral hygiene and preventing tooth decay. Your local dentist has your best health in mind and having a regular dentist visit can prevent infections and even oral cancer.

During a typical exam, the dentist will clean your teeth and check your mouth for cavities, plaque, and gum disease. They will evaluate your risk of developing dangerous diseases such as oral cancer. Sometime before or after checking your teeth and mouth, your dentist or hygienist will typically question you about your diet and oral habits. They may ask you how much sugar you typically consume, how often you brush and floss your teeth, and similar questions. This helps them determine the reason for any dental decay.

It is also likely that they will demonstrate proper brushing and flossing techniques along with giving you a complimentary toothbrush, floss, toothpaste, or mouthwash. The dentist isn’t there to berate you, scare you, or scold you. They only ask you questions about your habits and give you suggestions so that you will know how best to take care of your mouth which will lead to better overall health.

A dental exam may include more intensive procedures such as a dental x-ray, or dental impressions. This may be because you have a jaw misalignment, or your teeth are arranged in a way that can be damaging, or to see how far along your wisdom teeth may be. These dental impressions or x rays may be necessary to begin a process that will end with a better smile and better health.

If you have missing teeth, there are several options available for improving your smile. One highly effective and popular solution is dental implants, which consist of metal posts or frames positioned into the jawbone with replacement teeth placed onto the posts. This procedure provides you with a restoration comparable to your natural teeth in terms of both usage and aesthetics.

Benefits of Dental Implants

• • Broader usage of teeth.-While bridges, crowns, and dentures may work effectively to replace teeth, they have the drawback of slipping and shifting and thus preventing the full enjoyment of certain kinds of foods. Dental implants, on the other hand, are much more stable and therefore allow the patient to eat and speak with confidence
  • Do not depend on natural teeth.-Because bridges and crowns are placed on natural teeth, those teeth must be shaped or ground down, potentially weakening them in the long run. Dental implants are fused directly into the jawbone, which is a much more solid foundation and preserves the structure of the remaining natural teeth.
  • One or all teeth can be replaced.-The longer the range of missing teeth is, the longer the implant will be. That means that fewer implants are needed – a full set of teeth can be replaced with just four strategically-placed implants.
  • Can last for years.-While other dental devices may require the occasional replacement, dental implants are built to last and, with the proper care, can last a lifetime.

Dental Implant Procedure

Before beginning the procedure for placing dental implants, your dentist will make sure that you have adequate bone to support the implants, as well as healthy gums. Once this is assured, the process will take several months, starting with making an incision in the gum line in the site of the missing tooth. The bone is then prepared for the implant, which is screwed into place. The gum tissue will then be stitched closed and left alone for approximately four months to give the bone time to fuse with the implant. Once this process is complete, the artificial tooth/teeth are attached to the implant.

With proper placement and care, you should be able to get years of usage with your implants, without the worry of cavities or tooth decay.