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Here Are Some More Reasons Regular Dental Care Is Needed

In addition to preventing dental problems, effective hygiene practices will build up your confidence and self-assurance. There is a scientifically proven connection between happiness and having a healthy smile. Regular dental exams are important, as it’s easier and less costly to correct problems if they are detected early. In this short article, we’re going to present you with several reasons for scheduling an appointment with a great dentist.

Dentists who are qualified in cosmetic procedures make time to converse with their patients about their daily lives as well as their hopes for the treatment results. Advice will probably be offered for just about any continuing care that can be needed that may differ from normal hygiene practices. These questions and practices are important for the beneficial outcome of the dental procedure and positive long-term effects.

If you desire correction to your teeth and smile, take the time to do your research and find the right cosmetic dentist for the job. Ensure the dentist you choose is accredited in cosmetic dentistry, and then talk with her about bleaching, implants, veneers, or other cosmetic procedures. It’s not unusual for dentists with a general dentistry practice to do some cosmetic dentistry as well. If your dentist doesn’t typically perform cosmetic procedures, request her recommendation for a cosmetic dentist.

One of the top reasons you need to see a reliable dentist is because there’s a lot of time put into acquiring their education, and they are still in the process of educating themselves to stay up to date with the latest in dentistry technology. If you need to become a licensed dentist in the U. S. , you need to enroll in dental school that the state recognizes and you’ll have to complete dental school with at least a bachelor’s degree. In addition, every dentist must work under qualified, experienced dental professionals and pass several tests in order to become a licensed dentist. With regards to getting the quality administrations that you require, search out a good dental practitioner who has the right scholastic capabilities and abilities.

Pay regular visits to your dentist – it can help you keep a bright, shiny smile. General health problems really are a complication of dental health issues. Make sure to go to your dentist regularly, because only then will you be in the position to track your dental health properly. If a dentist is knowledgeable, they are going to advise you on how to protect your teeth from dental issues.

Your dentist’s assistant or oral hygienist typically cleans plaque and tartar from your teeth. Your teeth are then polished to avoid build up of plaque. A study of flossing and brushing procedures is completed to be certain the actions are being performed appropriately. Consistent examinations and cleanings go far in keeping your teeth and gums from basic issues.

Contact our Boise dental office today at 208-853-2221.

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Repairing A Broken, Chipped, Or Malformed Tooth

End The Embarrassment Of A Single Unsightly Tooth

Have you ever thought, “I love my smile, but I hate that one tooth!”

Having one problem tooth can make you feel like your years of dental visits and good hygiene don’t mean a thing. All people see is that one bad tooth that calls attention to itself.

If this is a problem you are familiar with, we have good news. A damaged or malformed tooth does not have to stay that way. There are easy, fast solutions available that can quickly make your smile more symmetrical and attractive.

Chipped And Broken Teeth

As we age, tooth enamel becomes more brittle. Biting and chewing on hard foods that once were no problem may unexpectedly break a tooth and hit you with a case of dental anxiety: Are all my teeth going to start breaking? Am I starting to fall apart? Is this how it starts? Am I on a fast road to dentures?

Panic attacks aside, having a broken or chipped tooth is bad for many reasons. It can detract from your confidence in your appearance and in your ability to bite and chew your food. It can also weaken the tooth and make it more vulnerable to decay and infection. Teeth suddenly breaking may feel like a serious catastrophe, but it’s actually very common for adults to sustain this type of damage. In many cases, the tooth can be restored with a dental crown. These tooth-shaped protective caps give you a durable artificial tooth that will harmonize with your smile and give you a reliable biting or chewing surface for years to come. Crowns are typically made of strong dental porcelain, metal, or porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM). Unlike your natural teeth, crowns do not stain like natural enamel, nor are they susceptible to cavities.

Porcelain veneers are another option for correcting a damaged tooth. These ultra-thin ceramic shells fit over the front of a tooth, to create a brand-new surface for the world to see. They are every bit as durable as dental crowns, but do not encircle the whole tooth.

When you come to Maple Grove Dentistry, Dr. Russell Jensen will examine your tooth and suggest one of these treatments, based on the condition of the tooth and the extent of the damage.

Malformed Teeth

Teeth that naturally look a little different from their peers offer their own unique frustrations. The tooth may be too short, have an unusually ridged edge, or may be significantly smaller than your other teeth. Individual teeth can also appear to be a darker color than your other teeth. In all these cases, a dental crown or porcelain veneer can be crafted to match the surrounding teeth and hide the natural appearance of the malformed tooth.

About Dental Crowns And Veneers

Dental crowns and porcelain veneers are considered a permanent treatment for teeth. In order to be permanently affixed to your tooth, a small amount of enamel must be resurfaced. This means that once you get a crown or veneer, you won’t be able to go back to not having one, as the treated enamel may be sensitive and will be more vulnerable to damage.

Crowns and veneers typically take two dental appointments. At the first appointment, Dr. Jensen will conduct the examination, take x-rays, and resurface the tooth enamel. He will also take a dental impression, which will be used to create the restoration in an off-site laboratory. A temporary crown or veneer will be affixed to the tooth before you go home. After one-to-two weeks, the permanent crown or veneer will be ready and we will call you in for the second appointment.

You Can Fix That Tooth!

If you have a broken, chipped, or malformed tooth, you may feel like hiding your smile—but that’s no way to live. Your smile is the most basic way you reach out to others in the world; it tells people you are open, friendly, and ready to interact. When you are embarrassed about an aspect of your smile, you might spend a lot of effort trying to hide the problem, but we want you to know that am easy solution is in reach.

To make an appointment at Maple Grove Dentistry, call 208-853-2221 to reach our Boise, ID dental office.

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What To Do If You Knock Out A Tooth?

So you’re playing baseball and your teeth catch the ball before your glove does. Or maybe you tripped over a tree root and your teeth caught your fall. Our teeth are always trying to help, but sometimes they do too much and can get caught on the wrong side of an accident.  If that’s the case, don’t worry. We can help!

In the event, you knock a tooth or teeth out (also called tooth avulsion) remain calm. There is a good chance we can save the tooth so that you can keep it, but you will have to act quickly and carefully.

If your tooth is knocked out the blood vessels and nerves that were connected to the tooth have been separated and cannot be repaired. At some point, the tooth will require a root canal but the bone can reattach to the root so that you can keep the tooth.  The younger you are the more likely the bone is to heal around the tooth.  Primary or ‘baby’ teeth cannot and should not be saved but happily, an adult tooth will replace it.

What to do

If you lost a tooth or teeth it is important to contact your dentist as soon as possible after the tooth has been knocked out.  You can call our office at 208-853-2221, or if it’s after office hours, give Dr. Jensen a call on his cell phone at 801-592-5695.  Be very careful while handling the tooth to prevent additional damage.

Follow these recommendations to increase the chances of saving your tooth:

  • Be gentle with the tooth. The root and the tissue attached to it are very delicate and can easily be injured. Try to handle only the top, white part of the tooth and leave the root alone.
  • If the tooth is dirty it can be rinsed off with milk. If milk is not available, water can also be used. Do not scrub the tooth clean with a brush or wipe, as doing so can damage the root.
  • Keep the tooth damp. If the tooth dries out the root will be damaged, and it will not reattach to the bone. The tooth can be kept moist by putting it in a glass of milk. If milk is not available the tooth can also be stored in your mouth so that your saliva will keep it wet. Sometimes younger children can accidentally swallow the tooth so placing it in their mouth is not advised. If a young child has lost a tooth have them spit into a cup and place the tooth in the saliva. As a last resort water may also be used; however, the previously mentioned methods will generally yield a better result.
  • If you are able you can try to put the tooth back in its socket. A lot of times it will slide in. When doing this make sure the front part is facing forward. Do not be forceful as you can damage the bone. If it does not go in easily keep it moist until you can come in and see us.

What We’ll Do

Again, give us a call as soon as you lose your tooth because minimizing the time the tooth is out of your mouth is critical.  When you get to the office, we will take an x-ray to evaluate the bone around the socket.  Dr. Jensen will then rinse the socket with saline and place the tooth back in the socket if you have not already done so. Ideally, the tooth should be re-implanted as soon as possible. We see the best results when this is done within an hour of the accident.

Depending on how long the tooth has been out of the mouth a root canal may be done at the time you come in or we may wait and re-evaluate things at a future appointment.  Dr. Jensen will then splint the tooth to the teeth on either side so it will not move. Limiting movement of this tooth is important so the bone can reattach to the root. Usually, this takes 3-4 weeks as long as there was not significant damage to the bone, which can then require additional repair time.

Healing will be monitored at regular intervals to determine if the bone has successfully reattached to the bone. This is normally done in 3-6 months. As long as there is no issues or infection, the next check will be done at your next appointment.

We know it’s a bad day if you lose your front tooth, but fortunately, if proper precautions are taken there is a good chance we can put it back and you can keep it for years to come.

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Dental Crowns For A Gorgeous Grin

At Maple Grove Dentistry, we treat patients with many types of dental problems. From filling cavities to performing root canal treatments, Dr. Russell Jensen can perform any dental procedure you need.

For patients with cracked, broken, or severely decayed teeth, this typically entails the placing of dental crowns.

The placement of dental crowns, one of the most common dental procedures performed today, has helped many patients restore beauty to their damaged smiles.

When consulting with patients who require crowns, Dr. Jensen usually recommends white porcelain dental crowns, as they provide the most natural, lifelike restoration available.

To learn more about dental crowns and how they can improve your smile, contact our Boise, ID dental office today at (208) 853-2221 and schedule a consultation with Dr. Jensen.

About Dental Crowns

Dental crowns protect teeth damaged by severe decay, fractures, and breaks from incurring further damage, while restoring a natural, healthy look to your smile. The doctor can use them to replace large fillings when the tooth doesn’t have enough structure remaining to support a new filling.

Crowns provide support for dental bridges needed when patients have lost one or more teeth. The doctor also often uses crowns to cover the site of a root canal therapy procedure.

Dr. Jensen places dental crowns over damaged teeth, which he prepares by removing a small amount of their enamel layer. The crowns are bonded in place to provide stability and structure to the damaged tooth. The doctor may also place a crown as a restoration for a dental implant, to replace missing the missing tooth and its root.

Technicians in a U.S.-based dental lab fabricate these custom designed shells to achieve a permanent, snug fit over severely damaged teeth. We can create crowns from porcelain, metal, or porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM). Dr. Jensen recommends porcelain crowns for your front teeth, because they look the most natural.

Types Of Crowns Available

Dr. Jensen will design your dental crown from one of several materials. If you have difficulty deciding which type of crown works best for you, the doctor will happily go over the pros and cons of each to help you with your decision. Your dental crown options include:

Metal Crowns

Traditionally constructed out of gold, platinum, silver or other metals, these crowns were once the standard. They provide great durability and withstand most biting and chewing forces without chipping or breaking. They also allow for more of the tooth’s original structure to remain than other crowns. Aesthetically, however, metal crowns prove inferior to all other materials, as they cause dark spots to appear on an otherwise bright smile. While most dentists placed nothing but metal crowns for over a hundred years, they mostly use them only for repairing teeth in the back of the mouth now, if at all.

Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns

PFM crowns have become very popular in recent years. They have an aesthetically pleasing appearance and great durability. The most popular material for crowns next to ceramic, PFM crowns provide structure and strength that most other materials lack. Some patients, however, may experience trouble with these crowns wearing down opposing teeth more than other types of crowns. The doctor can match the porcelain color to the patient’s natural teeth, making the crown virtually indistinguishable from the rest of the teeth. As patients age, however, their gums start receding, and a dark line where the metal and porcelain meet may become visible at the gum line.

Porcelain Crowns

The most cosmetically pleasing of all crowns, Dr. Jensen designs porcelain crowns to provide the most lifelike restoration available. The material used for these crowns, which the doctor can match to the color of your natural teeth, mimics the translucence and natural reflectivity of tooth enamel, giving them the most natural appearance. Porcelain crowns provide resistance to stains, so you should not need whitening treatments to keep them looking clean and white. If you plan to have your teeth whitened, Dr. Jensen will typically suggest doing so before having a dental crown placed, as it will resist the whitening treatment as well.

Placing A Traditional Dental Crown

The process of placing a ceramic crown typically requires two visits to our office. You will start the first visit by having a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Jensen. The doctor will review your medical and dental history and perform a complete examination of your mouth to ensure that you don’t have any other issues he needs to address before placing your crown.

The doctor will polish the damaged tooth and prepare it to receive the crown by removing a minimal amount of enamel; just enough to make room for the thin shell. Once he finishes preparing the tooth, the doctor will make impressions of it and the area surrounding it.

He will forward the impressions, along with any necessary shading information, to an offsite U.S.-based dental lab, where a certified technician will hand craft your crown and shade it to match your natural tooth color.

Dr. Jensen will provide you with a temporary crown to wear while your permanent restoration is created. While wearing the temporary crown, you will need to avoid hard or sticky foods that could dislodge the crown or cause it to break. You will need to do your best to keep chewing to the side of your mouth without the crown. Also, when flossing, instead of lifting the dental floss from between your teeth, try sliding it out. This will decrease the likelihood of accidentally pulling the crown out.

When we receive your permanent crown, usually around two weeks later, you will return to our office to have the crown permanently placed. Dr. Jensen will remove the temporary crown and replace it with your new permanent restoration, checking for a good fit and testing for proper occlusion.

When he feels everything fits correctly, the doctor will use a strong, but safe dental adhesive to permanently bond your new crown to the tooth. With proper care and regular dental visits, your ceramic crown can last up to 15 years before it needs replacing.

Placing A Crown To Restore A Dental Implant

If you have lost one or more teeth due to decay, gum disease, or facial trauma, Dr. Jensen will surgically place tiny posts of titanium called dental implants in your jaw to replace the missing tooth roots. As they heal, the implants will fuse with the bone in your jaw, providing a sturdy anchor for a restoration. The doctor has several restoration options for these implants, including dental crowns.

This procedure typically requires two surgeries. The doctor will place the implants during the first surgery, and will send his design of your crown to a reputable offsite lab, where technicians will fabricate your crown while the implants heal.

Then three to six months later, when the implants have fully healed, you will return to our office to have the implants surgically exposed from underneath the gums. The doctor will attach small connectors, called abutments to the head of each implant.

He will then attach the crown to the abutment, bonding it in place. Implant-supported dental crowns provide a very life-like restoration in both appearance and function.

Call Us Today

Dr. Jensen places dental crowns to restore functionality and beauty to our patients’ smiles. If you would like to learn more about dental crowns and the benefits they can provide you, call our Boise, ID, dental office today at (208) 853-2221 and schedule a consultation with Dr. Jensen.