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Archive:
- 2019
- November (6)
- Be Alert to the Unintended Consequences of Cancer Treatment to Oral Health
- Treating a Young, Permanent Tooth Requires a Different Approach
- Keep Oral Care in Focus for a Family Member With Special Needs
- Share These Timely Dental Care Tips With Your College-Bound Son or Daughter
- More Than Indigestion: How Acid Reflux Could Harm Your Teeth
- Tooth Sensitivity Could Be a Sign of Deeper Problems
- October (6)
- Do a Little Extra Food Prep to Ease TMD Discomfort
- How to Lower Your Child's Tooth Decay Risk From Halloween Candy
- Make Your Baby as Comfortable as Possible During Teething
- That Scalded Feeling Isn't in Your Head - It Could Be Burning Mouth Syndrome
- Here's What You Can Do to Avoid Gum Disease
- Don't Panic Over Your Child's Teeth Grinding but Do Keep an Eye on It
- September (6)
- To Extract or not Extract? The Big Decision About Your Child's Wisdom Teeth
- Here's What you Need to Know about a Root Canal Treatment
- Don't Delay Seeing the Dentist If You Suspect Gum Recession
- Periodontal Maintenance Can Help You Avoid Another Episode of Gum Disease
- 3 Reasons to See a Pediatric Dentist
- Don't Let Gum Disease Cut Short Your Implant's Service Life
- August (6)
- That Toothache Might Not Be From Your Tooth: The Problem of Referred Pain
- 4 Serious Health Conditions That Gum Disease Might Make Worse
- Your Sinus Infection Might be a Sign of a Tooth Problem
- Don't Let Summer Heat Increase Your Risk of Dental Disease
- Make Sure Your Kids' Teeth Are Ready for School
- Oral Hygiene Might Be on the Decline With the Newest Adult Generation
- July (7)
- Taking a Trip Abroad? Do This to Protect Your Dental Health
- If Appropriate, Antibiotics before Implant Surgery Could Reduce Infection Risk
- Sealants Provide a Little Extra Protection for Children at High Risk for Decay
- How Dentists Provide Your Child the Benefit of X-Rays as Safely as Possible
- Transforming Your Smile with Veneers, Step by Step
- Floss First or Last? Here are Reasons for Either Approach
- Dentures with Implants Could Help You Avoid Bone Loss
- June (6)
- This Rare Tongue Condition Often Looks Worse than it Actually is
- Root Canals are a Safe Way to Save Teeth
- What You can Do to Stop Sugar from Harming Your Health
- Crown Lengthening Could Help with Treating Hard to Reach Cavities
- Jaw Joint Disorders may be Connected to Other Health Problems
- A Retainer-Like Device can Preserve the Space Left by a Lost Primary Tooth
- May (6)
- 3 Things You Can do to Help Promote Your Child's Dental Development
- Consider an Effective and Affordable RPD for Teeth Replacement
- 3 Tips for Successful, Safe Home Teeth Whitening
- Root Canal Therapy Might Just Save Your Tooth!
- Your Teenager not Ready for an Implant? Here's What We Can Do Instead
- Preserving the Pulp is Priority One with a Newly Erupted Permanent Tooth
- March (6)
- 3 Things You Should Know About Teeth Grinding
- 4 Things to Avoid if You Want to Support Your Child's Dental Development
- Here's How to Manage School Snacks and Your Child's Dental Health
- Catch Root Resorption Early for Best Chances of Saving Your Tooth
- A Child's Teeth Grinding is Normal - But You Should Still Keep an Eye on it
- You Don't Have to Live with a Gummy Smile. Here's How We Can Change it!
- February (6)
- 3 Reasons You Should Consider Tooth Whitening
- Your Toothache is Telling you Something's Wrong in Your Mouth
- You May Need Your Dentist's Help Easing the Pain of Severe Canker Sores
- 4 Tips to Prevent Childhood Tooth Decay
- Use the Same Prevention Strategy to Defeat Tooth Decay and Gum Disease
- 3 Reasons Why Your New Dentist Needs Your Treatment Records
- January (6)
- A New Veneer with Minimal or No Tooth Alteration
- How a New Approach to Treating Decay Could Benefit You
- 'Get Rid' of Those Unattractive Teeth with Porcelain Veneers
- 3 Things You Might Notice with Your Child's Teeth That Need a Dentist
- You may Need Orthodontic Treatment Before Obtaining Implants
- Porcelain Veneers Might not be the Best Option for Teenagers
- 2018
- December (6)
- Why the Treatment Model for Your Jaw Joint Disorder Matters
- Practice Daily Oral Hygiene to Prevent Calcified Plaque Formation
- Regardless of What You've Seen Online, Don't Fear a Root Canal Treatment
- Look at Your Options for Saving a Tooth First Before Replacing it
- Dental Visits are Key to Detecting Early Developing Tooth Decay
- 4 Reasons you may want Your Dentist to Whiten Your Teeth
- November (6)
- Dental Care is Difficult but not Impossible for a Special Needs Child
- Survey Says: They'd Rather Have a Root Canal
- Your Case of Gingivitis Could Develop into Something More Harmful
- This November, Become a Non-Smoker
- Dentures are Still a Viable Choice for Tooth Replacement
- Don't Ignore Sudden Tooth Pain - Your Teeth may be Telling you Something
- October (6)
- Try the Conservative Path to Jaw Pain Relief First
- Inflammation: the Link Between Gum Disease and Cardiovascular Disease
- How to Maximize Your Child's Dental Health Potential
- Don't Stress Over Your Child's Teeth Grinding Habit Unless it Persists
- 3 Factors That Could Affect the Success of a Root Canal Treatment
- Ease Your Child's Teething Discomfort with these Tips
- September (6)
- Simple or Surgical? Choosing the Right Kind of Tooth Extraction
- Not all Dental Crowns Share the Same Quality of Life-Likeness
- We can Build up Lost Bone Before Your Implant
- Treating Gum Disease around Tooth Roots is Hard - but Not Impossible
- 3 Ways to Take the Jitters Out of Dental Visits
- A Low Sugar, High Fiber Diet will Help Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthy
- August (6)
- Cosmetic Questions to Ask to Get You on the Right Path to a Better Smile
- World Cup Soccer Coach-Dentist Saves the Day!
- What to do if Your Child has a Toothache
- Be on the Alert for Gum Disease While Wearing Braces
- Veneers may Offer a Less Invasive Way to Transform Your Smile
- Recreational Marijuana Could Increase Your Risk of Gum Disease
- July (7)
- 4 Reasons why Quitting Chewing Tobacco is Good for Your Oral Health
- If at All Possible, Primary Teeth are Worth Saving
- Your Dental Care Efforts are Just as Important as Your Dentist's
- Know the Facts to Reduce Your Child's Teething Discomfort
- Get Your Vitamins the Natural Way for Optimum Dental Health
- Don't Delay Treatment of Gum Disease
- What You Should Know About Veneers for Teenagers
- June (6)
- 3 Types of Tooth Pain and What They Might be Telling You
- 3 Questions to Answer Before Your Smile Makeover
- Professional Whitening Offers an Effective Way to Restore Your Smile's Luster
- Gum Disease is Still a Threat to Your Dental Implants
- Saving a Diseased Primary Tooth Could Mean Better Oral Health Later in Life
- Winning the War on Gum Disease Requires Post-Treatment Vigilance
- March (5)
- Although a Challenge, Chronically Ill Children Need Tooth Decay Prevention
- Transform Your Smile with Porcelain Veneers
- 4 Things You Should be Doing Now for Your Baby's Long-Term Dental Health
- Topical Fluoride Adds Extra Protection against Tooth Decay
- 3 Tips for Helping Your Kids Develop Great Tooth-Friendly Habits
- 2017
- October (5)
- Monitoring Your Child's Thumb Sucking Could Help Avoid Future Bite Problems
- The Right Treatment for Your Child's Injured Tooth Increases its Survival
- Antibiotics Could Help Ensure your Implant Surgery is Successful
- 4 Reasons Why You May Need to See a Periodontist for Your Gum Disease
- These 3 Tasks Show How Saliva is Amazing
- May (5)
- Watch for These Developing Bite Problems with Your Child's Teeth
- Techniques for Keeping Impacted Canine Teeth from Spoiling Your Smile
- Consider Bone Health When Deciding Between Implants and Dentures
- Don't let Periodontal Disease Cause Your Gums to Recede
- New Saliva Test may Help Identify Oral Cancer Earlier
- April (5)
- A Healthy Diet is Your Best Source for Vitamins and Minerals
- Encourage Your College-Bound Child to Practice Good Oral Health Habits
- Pediatric Dentists Specialize in Dental Care for Children and Teens
- An Affordable RPD Could be the Answer to Your Missing Teeth Problems
- Safety is a Priority When Imaging Children's Teeth with X-Rays
- 2016
- November (5)
- Reduce Your Oral Cancer Risk with Better Diet and Lifestyle Choices
- Don't Let the Acid in Sports and Energy Drinks Ruin Your Tooth Enamel
- Inflammation is a Key Element in Both Oral and Systemic Diseases
- Don't Let an Eating Disorder Wreck Oral Health
- Effective Dental Care Depends First on Getting the Big Picture
- September (5)
- Implants can Support a Total Tooth Replacement Restoration
- Keeping up Good Hygiene Still a Necessity with Dental Implants
- Keep Your Saliva Flowing - Your Oral Health Depends on it
- Certain Mouth Rashes Don't Respond to Topical Steroid Treatments
- Effective Oral Hygiene is Key to Disease Prevention While Wearing Braces
- June (5)
- Dental Offices Hold to the Highest Standards to Protect Patients from Infection
- 4 Things You Should be Doing to Maintain a Healthy Mouth
- A Crown Could be the Answer to Preserving Your Damaged Tooth
- Teens Benefit Most from A Temporary Solution to Missing Teeth
- Keeping Gum Disease at Bay Could Help Your Overall Health
- March (5)
- Treating Small Enamel Cracks Could Help you Avoid a Dangerous Tooth Fracture
- Kids, Cats and Canines: Dental Development Through the Ages
- Surgically Accessing Sinuses can Help Grow New Bone for Implants
- Though not Always Seen, it's Still Important to Replace a Missing Back Tooth
- Advancing Gum Disease Requires Thorough Treatment to Control it
- 2015
- December (5)
- Five Facts about Bacteria
- Extracting Wisdom Teeth Now May Prevent Dental Problems Later
- Cosmetic Gum Surgery Can Restore Health as Well as Appearance to Gums
- Dental Amalgam Continues to be a Durable and Safe Tooth Filling
- Treating a Baby Tooth with Inner Decay can be Complicated - but Still Necessary
- August (5)
- Attention to Detail Crucial to a Beautiful Smile Supported by Dental Implants
- Air Abrasion Offers a More Pleasant Dental Office Experience than Drills
- Replacing a Back Tooth May Help You Avoid Future Dental Problems
- Conscious Sedation Eases Treatment Anxiety for Young Dental Patients
- Brushing and Flossing Hard to Do? Consider Your 'Power' Options
- 2014
- September (5)
- Making the Right Choices With Removable Partial Dentures
- Determining the Cause of Tooth Looseness Key to Effective Treatment
- Finding the Right Bacterial Balance for Optimum Oral Health
- Successful Outcomes With Dentures Depends on Attention to Detail
- Extend the Life of Your Dental Appliance With Proper Care
- 2013
- 2012
- August (8)
- Nine Things to Expect During Your Appointment with the Dental Hygienist
- Oral Health Tips for Special Needs Children
- Testing Your Knowledge on Caring for Your Dentures
- Understanding The Factors That Can Influence Dental Implant Success
- FAQ: What You Need to Know About Your Child's Baby Teeth
- Crowns: Do You Know Your Options?
- Cat Cora's 6 Ways to Keep Kids Off Junk Food
- Sinus Surgery — Creating Bone for Dental Implants “Out of Thin Air”
- 2011
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Categories:
My Blog
Posts for: March, 2015

Root canal, or endodontic (“endo” – inside; “dont” – tooth) treatment, is often wrongly perceived as a highly unpleasant experience and one that causes tremendous pain. However, the truth is that the procedure actually relieves the pain being caused by an infected and inflamed tooth pulp (inside of the tooth). Advances in dentistry have made treatment virtually pain free and it can be completed relatively quickly, usually in a single visit. Left untreated, infection can spread into the bone immediately around the tooth's root, so prompt attention is the best course of action.
If the term “root canal” still sends shivers down your spine, don't despair. Here is some information that should help put your mind at ease.
- Root canal treatment is necessary when deep decay or trauma has caused the inside (pulp) of the tooth to become inflamed or infected. Symptoms of infection can include sharp pain when biting down, lingering pain after consuming very hot or cold foods, a dull ache and feeling of pressure near the infected tooth, and tender gum tissue surrounding the infected tooth.
- After a local anesthetic is administered to numb the infected tooth and its surrounding area, we will make a small opening on the chewing surface of the tooth. This will allow us to remove dead and dying tissue from the pulp and to then clean and disinfect the root canals. Using small instruments, we will shape the canals and seal them with biocompatible filling materials.
- You may feel slight tenderness at the treated site for a few days, but this is quite manageable and can be relieved with over-the-counter (OTC) non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen. You should refrain from chewing on the treated tooth until your follow-up appointment. A crown or other restoration may be needed to protect the tooth and restore it to full function.
If you think you might be a candidate for a root canal treatment, schedule an appointment as soon as possible. If you would like to learn more about the process of root canal treatment, please read the Dear Doctor magazine article “Common Concerns About Root Canal Treatment.”

As a parent you’re concerned with a number of issues involving your child’s health, not the least of which involves their teeth. One of the most common is thumb-sucking.
While later thumb-sucking is a cause for concern, it’s quite normal and not viewed as harmful in infant’s and very young children. This universal habit is rooted in an infant swallowing pattern: all babies tend to push the tongue forward against the back of the teeth when they swallow, which allows them to form a seal while breast or bottle feeding. Infants and young children take comfort or experience a sense of security from sucking their thumb, which simulates infant feeding.
Soon after their primary teeth begin to erupt, the swallowing pattern changes and they begin to rest the tongue on the roof of the mouth just behind the front teeth when swallowing. For most children thumb sucking begins to fade as their swallowing pattern changes.
Some children, though, continue the habit longer even as their permanent teeth are beginning to come in. As they suck their thumb the tongue constantly rests between the front teeth, which over time may interfere with how they develop. This can cause an “open bite” in which the upper and lower teeth don’t meet properly, a problem that usually requires orthodontic treatment to correct it.
For this reason, dentists typically recommend encouraging children to stop thumb-sucking by age 3 (18-24 months to stop using a pacifier). The best approach is positive reinforcement — giving appropriate rewards over time for appropriate behavior: for example, praising them as a “big” boy or girl when they have gone a certain length of time without sucking their thumb or a pacifier. You should also use training or “Sippy” cups to help them transition from a bottle to a regular cup, which will further diminish the infant swallowing pattern and need for thumb-sucking.
Habits like thumb-sucking in young children should be kept in perspective: the habit really isn’t a problem unless it goes on too long. Gentle persuasion, along with other techniques we can help you with, is the best way to help your child eventually stop.
If you would like more information on thumb sucking, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Thumb Sucking in Children” and “How Thumb Sucking Affects the Bite.”

When he isn’t among the ten players vying for position on the basketball court, Cole Aldrich of the New York Knicks sometimes lets his dangle behind one ear. Mason Plumlee, who plays for the Brooklyn Nets, slips his snugly inside one of his socks during off times. Other players can be seen at timeouts gnawing on them nervously, or tucking them into spandex waistbands. But when the whistle blows, they go into the mouth before the players get on the court.
We’re talking about protective mouthguards, of course. According to a recent story in the New York Times, only a handful of basketball players wore them regularly a few years ago. Today, more and more are wearing them, both in practice and during games. What’s the reason for the change?
Partly, it’s the result of better design and improved construction; today’s mouthguards are more comfortable and better-fitting than ever. Part of it comes from mounting evidence that they work: Research studies have consistently demonstrated the benefits of wearing a mouthguard — not only to protect the teeth, but also to reduce the risk of concussion. And partly, it stems from the growing acceptance that safety is an important aspect of all athletic activity.
If the pros are doing it — shouldn’t you be too? While you may think that only contact sports (such as football) are risky, the fact is that “non-contact” sports like baseball and basketball account for the majority of dental injuries. In fact, the American Dental Association recommends you wear a mouthguard when you participate in activities like handball, soccer, surfing and weight lifting — as well as boxing, skydiving, martial arts and “extreme sports” — whatever that may mean to you.
What’s the best kind of mouthguard? It’s the one that you actually wear, of course! And the most comfortable and best-fitting mouthguard is the one that’s custom-made for you by your dentist. Sure, you can pick up an off-the-shelf mouthguard at a big box store; but it can’t offer you the same level of protection and comfort you’ll get from a mouthguard that is made from a model of your own teeth. Custom-made mouthguards from your dentist are reasonably priced — and by preventing dental trauma, they can save an untold amount of hurt… both to your body and to your pocketbook.
So take a tip from the pros: Get a custom-made mouthguard, and wear it every time you play. But when you’re done playing… how about putting it away in a case?
If you would like more information about custom-made athletic mouthguards, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “An Introduction to Sports Injuries & Dentistry” and “Athletic Mouthguards.”

As a new permanent tooth develops, the roots undergo a process of breakdown and growth. As older cells dissolve (a process called resorption), they’re replaced by newer cells laid down (deposition) as the jaw develops. Once the jaw development ends in early adulthood, root resorption normally stops. It’s a concern, then, if it continues.
Abnormal root resorption most often begins outside of the tooth and works its way in, beginning usually around the neck-like (or cervical) region of the tooth. Also known as external cervical resorption (ECR), the condition usually shows first as pink spots where the enamel is being undermined. As these spots continue to erode, they develop into cavity-like areas.
While its causes haven’t been fully confirmed, ECR has been linked to excessive pressure on teeth during orthodontic treatment, periodontal ligament trauma, teeth-grinding or other excessive force habits, and bleaching techniques performed inside a tooth. Fortunately, ECR is a rare occurrence, and most people who’ve had these problems won’t experience it.
When it does occur, though, it must be treated as quickly as possible because the damage can progress swiftly. Treatment depends on the size and location of the resorption: a small site can often be treated by surgically accessing the tooth through the gum tissue and removing the offending tissue cells. This is often followed with tooth-colored dental material that’s bonded to the tooth to replace lost structure.
A root canal treatment may be necessary if the damage has extended to the pulp, the tooth’s interior. However, there’s a point where the resorption becomes too extensive to save the tooth. In these cases, it may be necessary to remove the tooth and replace it with a dental implant or similar tooth restoration.
In its early stages, ECR may be difficult to detect, and even in cases where it’s been diagnosed more advanced diagnostics like a CBCT scanner may be needed to gauge the extent of damage. In any case, it’s important that you have your teeth examined on a regular basis, at least twice a year. In the rare chance you’ve developed ECR, the quicker it’s found and treatment begun, the better your chances of preserving the tooth.
If you would like more information on root resorption, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.