Frequently Asked Questions

At least twice a year, though we may recommend more frequent visits. A good exam and cleaning involves much more than checking for cavities and polishing. We also:

• Review your medical history: current conditions, new medications and illnesses give us insight into your overall and dental health.
• Review x-rays to detect decay, tumors, cysts and bone loss, and check tooth and root positions.
• Screen for oral cancer on your face, neck, lips, tongue, throat, tissues and gums.
• Check your gums and the bone around your teeth for gum disease.
• Check every tooth surface for decay, and look over your existing fillings and crowns.
• Remove tartar and plaque from above and below the gum line.
• Polish away stain and plaque that brushing leaves behind.
• Recommend home-care aids such as electric toothbrushes, cleaning aids, fluoride and rinses.
• Review your diet, which plays a big role in your dental health.

Yes, according to the general consensus. Amalgam is a blend of copper, silver, tin and zinc bound with mercury, and it has been used for more than 100 years. Some people worry that mercury vapor causes health problems, but the American Dental Association (ADA) states silver fillings are safe and studies have failed to link them to any medical disorder. The CDC, the World Health Organization and the FDA also support them as safe, durable and cost-effective.

The U.S. Public Health Service says the only reason to avoid them is an allergy to one of the components, and the ADA has had fewer than 100 reported cases out of millions of fillings. The ADA maintains that once mercury combines with the other metals it becomes inactive and safe. If you’d prefer an alternative, there are composite (tooth-colored), porcelain and gold fillings. About composite fillings

More than 75% of tooth decay starts in the deep grooves of the chewing surfaces, where toothbrush bristles can’t reach. A sealant is a thin plastic coating that smooths these grooves so they’re easy to keep clean.

• Children and teens: as soon as the six-year molars come in, and throughout the cavity-prone years of 6–16.
• Babies: occasionally, if baby teeth have deep grooves and the child is cavity-prone.
• Adults: decay-free teeth with deep grooves that are hard to clean.

Sealants take just minutes per tooth. Afterward, avoid chewing ice, hard candy, popcorn kernels and other hard or sticky foods. We check them at every checkup. About sealants

Professional whitening is a simple, non-invasive way to brighten natural enamel, and it works far better than over-the-counter products, which may not be ADA-approved. Teeth darken with age as enamel wears and the inside of the tooth darkens, and from smoking, coffee, tea, wine, some childhood medications (like tetracycline) and fluorosis.

We’ll check whether you’re a good candidate. Tetracycline and fluorosis stains can be hard to bleach, so veneers or crowns may be better. Whitening works only on natural enamel, so we replace any old fillings or crowns after whitening to match your new shade.

• At-home whitening: gel in custom trays, worn once or twice a day for about 15 minutes, for several weeks.
• In-office whitening: immediate results, sometimes over more than one 30–60 minute visit, with your gums protected.

Some temporary sensitivity is normal and usually fades within a few days to a week. Whitening isn’t permanent, so plan on a touch-up every few years. About teeth whitening

We do everything possible to save a tooth, because losing one can lead to serious, costly problems if it isn’t replaced. When a tooth is lost, the supporting bone shrinks and neighboring teeth tip and drift into the gap, which can eventually cause decay, gum disease, uneven wear and TMJ problems.

• Removable bridges: artificial teeth with metal clasps. The most economical option, but the clasps can be hard to hide.
• Fixed bridges: porcelain or composite teeth cemented to neighboring teeth. Sturdy and non-removable, but the two neighboring teeth need crowns.
• Dentures: removable teeth for when most or all teeth in an arch are missing.
• Implants: artificial roots placed in the jawbone that support a natural-looking tooth, or stabilize a denture. The most stable, durable and natural-looking option.

Ask us which option is best for you. Prevention and early treatment are always simpler and less costly than waiting. About dental implants

From a single tooth to a full smile makeover, cosmetic treatments can make a dramatic difference:

• Teeth whitening lightens teeth stained by age, food, drink and smoking.
• Composite (tooth-colored) fillings / bonding repair cavities and chipped, broken or discolored teeth, fill gaps and protect exposed roots.
• Porcelain veneers are thin, custom shells bonded to the front of teeth to cover damage, discoloration, poor shape or misalignment, removing far less tooth than a crown.
• Porcelain crowns cover and strengthen teeth with large or broken fillings or bad decay.
• Dental implants replace missing teeth and can anchor crowns, bridges and dentures.
• Orthodontics with less-visible braces, or clear removable aligners in some cases.

Explore cosmetic dentistry

Very thin, durable, stain-resistant porcelain shells custom-made to cover the front of your teeth. They can correct:

Veneers usually take two visits. We take an impression for a dental lab to craft each veneer for shape and color. With little or no anesthesia, we lightly buff the front of your teeth to make room, then bond the veneers in place. About LUMINEERS®

Everyone has bad breath sometimes, especially in the morning. In healthy people the main source is bacteria on the tongue, and simply brushing your tongue can cut bad breath by as much as 70%.

Common causes: morning dry mouth; foods like garlic and onions; poor oral hygiene; gum disease; cavities or poorly fitting appliances; dry mouth from medications or mouth breathing; tobacco; dieting (ketones); dehydration and skipped meals; and conditions such as diabetes, liver or kidney problems, sinus infections, bronchitis and pneumonia. A food diary can help pinpoint the cause.

Prevention:

• Brush twice a day with ADA-approved fluoride toothpaste, floss daily and clean your tongue. Replace your brush every 2–3 months, and clean dentures thoroughly.
• See us at least twice a year (more often if you’ve had gum disease).
• Quit smoking or chewing tobacco.
• Drink water often.
• Ask us about antiseptic rinses that kill the germs causing bad breath, not just mask it.

We can usually treat the cause. If your mouth is healthy and bad breath persists, we may refer you to your physician.

Four out of five people have gum disease and don’t know it, because early gum disease is usually painless. Regular checkups with periodontal exams are the best way to catch it.

Risk factors besides poor hygiene: tobacco; ill-fitting bridges, crowded teeth or defective fillings that trap plaque; medications such as steroids, cancer drugs, blood pressure medicines and oral contraceptives; hormone changes in pregnancy and puberty; diabetes, blood disorders and HIV/AIDS; and genetics.

Warning signs: red, puffy or bleeding gums; persistent bad breath; new spaces between teeth; loose teeth; pus around teeth and gums; receding gums; and tenderness. Learn about gum disease

Brush at least twice a day (especially before bed) and floss daily. Plaque forms continuously, and only regular brushing, flossing and other dental aids keep it under control.

• Brushing: angle a soft ADA-approved brush 45° to the gums and use small circles, always feeling the bristles on your gums. Brush every surface and your tongue. Electric toothbrushes are also recommended.
• Flossing: wrap 12–16 inches of floss around your middle fingers, ease it between teeth, curve it into a “C” around each tooth and under the gum line, and move it up and down.
• Rinsing: rinse with water after brushing and after meals if you can’t brush.

Step-by-step brushing and flossing

Your toothbrush can’t reach between your teeth, where decay and gum disease often start. Plaque left there releases acids that cause cavities and inflame the gums, then hardens into tartar that slowly destroys bone. That’s the beginning of gum disease. Daily flossing is the best way to clean between teeth and under the gum line. Floss holders help if regular floss is hard to use.

Research suggests there is. Gum disease is one of the most common infections, and studies suggest gum bacteria can enter the bloodstream and may:

• Contribute to heart disease
• Increase the risk of stroke
• Affect the health of people with diabetes or respiratory disease
• Increase the risk of a preterm, low-birth-weight baby

There’s more to learn, but infections in the mouth clearly affect the rest of the body. Regular checkups with a periodontal evaluation, good home care and a healthy diet all help. The mouth–body connection

More than 5 million teeth are knocked out every year, and acting quickly can save yours:

1. Hold the tooth by the crown (the chewing part), never the root.
2. Don’t scrub it or use soap or chemicals. Rinse gently with saliva or whole milk, or very gently with water.
3. Get to a dentist within 30 minutes. Call us at (812) 523-4545.

Getting it here: try to put it back in the socket and bite gently on gauze or a wet tea bag. If you can’t, keep it in a little saliva or whole milk, or under your tongue or between your lower lip and gums. Never carry it in a tissue or cloth. A “Save-A-Tooth” kit from the pharmacy is great for your first-aid kit.

Prevent injuries by wearing a mouthguard for sports, always wearing your seatbelt, avoiding fights and not chewing hard things like ice and popcorn kernels. More on dental emergencies

Straight teeth chew, bite and speak better, look great, and help prevent problems. Crooked teeth are harder to clean (raising the risk of gum disease), can throw off the jaw and lead to TMJ problems, stick out where they’re easily injured, and wear unevenly.

Teeth can be straightened with braces (fixed to the front or back of the teeth) or removable aligning trays for milder cases, replaced every few weeks. About orthodontics