Beyond Brushing: Modern Dentistry’s Role in Lifelong Oral Health

Oral health is the state of the mouth, teeth and orofacial structures that enables an individual to function properly. It is important to the general well-being and helps individuals achieve their fullest potential. Preventive dentistry includes brushing twice a day with a soft bristled toothbrush and toothpaste that contains fluoride, flossing daily and regular dental visits. Learn more about preventive dental care at https://aghbashian.com/. It can also be impacted by diet, tobacco use and certain lifestyle choices such as bruxism (teeth grinding).

Underneath the white enamel and hard dentin of your teeth is a soft core known as dental pulp, which contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. Pulp extends from the crown of a tooth to the root in the jaw bone.

When a tooth’s soft tissue becomes inflamed or infected–often as the result of deep decay, repeated dental procedures on a tooth, a crack or faulty crown–it requires a root canal. This procedure, also called endodontic treatment, cleans the infected tissue and disinfects the space, then fills it with a rubberlike material to seal it.

Thanks to modern anesthesia, a root canal is no more painful than getting a regular filling. You may feel pressure or mild soreness afterward, but this should go away quickly with over-the-counter painkillers.

Fillings

A dental filling is a restorative treatment for tooth decay or minor fractures. Using anesthetic, we drill away the damaged portion of the tooth and fill the hole with composite resin or dental glass ionomer to restore the shape and function of your tooth. You may experience sensitivity after getting your filling, but this usually subsides as the tooth acclimates to the new material. Regular brushing and flossing along with regular dental visits are essential to prolong the life of your filling.

A dental filling is one of the simplest and most common procedures performed by our dentists. It’s also a great preventive measure to help protect your teeth from decay and to avoid the need for more extensive dental work in the future.

Crowns

Crowns, also known as “caps,” help strengthen teeth weakened by decay, cracks and other conditions. They also can cover cosmetic concerns like chips, cracks and tooth discoloration.

A crown usually takes two visits. At the first appointment, your dentist will prepare the tooth by filing it down and making an impression. They will then place a temporary crown while the permanent crown is being made.

Dental crowns are crafted from a variety of materials. Metal crowns, for instance, are durable and good for back molars. Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are a good option for front teeth because they blend in and look natural. All-porcelain and all-ceramic crowns are more aesthetically pleasing, though they’re not as strong.

Bridges

Dental bridges are an efficient way to replace missing teeth. They restore chewing and speech function, prevent adjacent teeth from shifting, distribute forces evenly, and help maintain the shape of your face and jaw.

Traditional bridges consist of an artificial tooth or teeth anchored to natural tooth crowns on either side of the gap created by missing teeth. Your dentist will reshape the abutment teeth, take dental impressions and send them to a lab for fabrication. Then, at your follow-up visit, the final bridge is bonded to the abutment teeth.

Veneers

Veneers are thin, natural-looking covers for your teeth that transform your smile. They can fix gaps, chips and stains to reveal a more confident you.

Getting veneers is typically a two visit process with little to no anesthesia needed. First, your dentist will prepare the teeth by lightly buffing and shaping them to create a space for the veneers.

Then they will make a mold or impression of your teeth so the dental lab can design your veneers for a flawless look. The team at Aghbashian Dental has been applying composite and porcelain veneers for years to help patients achieve their dream smile.