Chicago Dentist

The occurrence of oral cancer is more common than one might think.  In fact, it’s as common as leukemia and claims more lives each year than either melanoma or cervical cancer.  That is why the American Cancer Society recommends oral cancer screening as a part of routine cancer-related check-ups.  However, doctors don’t examine individuals for oral cancer, dentists do.

There are several warning signs of oral cancer.  Some examples are listed below:

A sore that bleeds easily or doesn’t heal;
A color change of any oral tissues;
A lump or thickening or oral tissues;
A white patch, red spot or small sore;
Pain, tenderness or numbness anywhere in the mouth or on the lips;
Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving the tongue or jaw; and
A change in the way your teeth fit together.

Here is the very good news.  Most oral cancers can be prevented by avoiding the risk factors.  Listed below are some of the rick factors to avoid:

Tobacco use in any form;
Alcohol use combined with smoking;
Prolonged exposure to the sun;
More likely to strike after the age of 40;
More than 25% of oral cancers occur in people who do not smoke and have no other risk factors;
Pre-cancerous spots can develop into cancer if not detected early and removed.

In addition, according to the American Cancer Society, eating a healthy, balanced diet of ant least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily may provided some protection against oral cancer. 

Lip cancers can be prevented by avoiding unprotected sun exposure, as well as pipe and cigar tobacco.  In order to detect oral cancer at any early, curable stage, your dentist should examine the lips, tongue and mouth for any abnormal changes during a six month examination.  Prevention is so important that oral self-examination between dental visits is recommended.  Whether you notice something unusual or whether the dentist detects something during an examination, the good news is that most of the spots are harmless.  The problem is that harmful spots look identical to those that are harmless.  Only specialized lab testing can tell them apart.  If you notice anything unusual, do not delay.  For your peace of mind, you should schedule a complete dental exam.  Find a local dentist who is aware of and active in the screening for oral cancers.  A dentist is not just available to work with teeth.  A dentist is looking to all areas of the mouth to make sure that the patient remains healthy. 
 

The human maxilla is formed by two bones, the maxilla proper and the premaxilla.  The two maxillae for the bulk of the upper jaw and the major portion of the hard palate and help to form the floor of the orbit and the sides and base of the nasal cavity.  They contain the 10 maxillary primary teeth initially and later the 16 permanent teeth in the alveolar process.
The mandible is a bilateral bone structure that forms the lower jaw.  It is a horseshoe-shaped bone attached to the skull on either side by a nonbony union called the temporomandibular joint.  It is the heaviest and strongest bone in the head.  The mandible is composed of a body, the horizontal portion, and rami, the vertical parts.  The coronoid process and condyle make up the superior border of each ramus.  The mandible initially contains the 10 primary teeth and later the 16 mandibular permanent teeth in the alveolar process.
The maxillary and mandibular bones consist of about 65% inorganic and 35% organic material.  The inorganic portion is hydroxyapatite, and the organic part is primarily collagen.

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If your teeth are damaged or decayed, there is an option to restore health and beauty to your smile.

Dental inlays and onlays are restorations used to repair rear teeth that have mild to moderate tooth decay; they are also used to restore teeth that are fractured or cracked if the damage to them is not severe enough to warrant a dental crown. Inlays and onlays are usually made from porcelain, composite resin and sometimes gold. Inlays and onlays are often used to replace metal fillings for those who desire a more natural-looking smile.

Inlays

Restore Teeth with Inlays and Onlays | Best Syndication

Aesthetic dentistry is one of the fastest growing trends in healthcare today. Patients are realizing that they no longer have to live with unsightly gaps or missing teeth, stained teeth or ugly silver-mercury fillings. The advancements in dentistry have nearly eliminated the use of metal of any kind in restoring teeth. Instead, patients can expect natural, tooth colored restorations, smooth, white porcelain veneers and crowns, and a more beautiful end result that will last for years to come.

The difference between cosmetic and aesthetic dentistry — VAGazette.com

As with the other aspects of the clinical examination, soft tissue evaluation requires a systematic approach.  Start in one area of the mount and follow a routing pattern of visual examination and palpitation of the cheeks, mucosa, lips, lingual and facial alveolar bone, palate, tonsillar areas, tongue, and floor of the mouth.  Palpate the masticatory muscles for pain or tenderness.  Examine for abnormalities in the submandibular glands and nodes and in the face and neck.  A thorough evaluation of these structures is necessary before operative care is initiated.  It is unprofessional and extremely negligent to plan restorative procedures for a patient while a life-threatening disease process is left undiagnosed because of lack of thoroughness.

Abrasive Instruments constitute the second major category of rotary dental cutting instruments.  Of these, the type of greatest clinical importance is the diamond instrument because of its long life and great effectiveness in cutting enamel and dentin.

The heads of abrasive instruments consists of small, angular particles of a hard substance held in a matrix of softer material.  These instruments cut as separated locations where points of the hard particles protruding from the matrix are brought in contact with the tooth.  This distribution of the cutting action to a large number of isolated points rather than its concentration along a continuous edge is the basic distinction between bladed and abrasive instruments.

The difference in design caused definite differences in the mechanisms by which the two types of instruments cut and in the applications for which they are best suited.  Abrasive instruments enjoy the greatest relative advantage in comparison with burs when brittle materials are cut or when they are used in the medium speed range.

Neuromuscular dentistry works with the jaw joints and their related soft tissue to create optimal alignment of your bite. Many people in the United States suffer from the effects of TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder) and are never aware of it. Often the disease, which is a misaligned jaw joint, goes unnoticed and untreated, resulting in needless suffering for many years.

Press Release - What is Neuromuscular Dentistry?

Using home tooth-whitening kits can pose a serious health risk, dentists have warned. Men and women are turning to the kits, which can cost as little as £8.99, instead of paying up to £550 for professional treatment. But many contain dangerously high levels of bleach, according to the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. And poorly-designed moulds can cause the chemicals to leak. EU recommendations state that levels of hydrogen peroxide - an active ingredient - should not exceed 6 per cent. The chemical, which is also used to dye hair blond, can burn the mouth and make gums blister. Websites are selling kits containing almost twice the EU level. Some also contain acids which erode the teeth, staining them even more. Cosmetic dentist Tif Qureshi said leakage of chemicals from cheap kits can also make the teeth highly sensitive. The process involves biting pliable trays to make a mould of the teeth, which is then filled with the whitening gel and put back in the mouth. Dentists use similar kits, but the moulds are custom-built so the chemicals do not spill out. More than a quarter of Britons have had cosmetic dental work, according to the academy.

Using home tooth-whitening kits can damage your health, dentists warn | the Daily Mail

Does the appearance of your smile or the color of your teeth embarrass you? Do you ever smile with your mouth closed? Have you ever grown a mustache to hide your smile? If you answered yes to any of these questions you are a candidate for cosmetic dentistry. In fact, anyone who is unhappy with the appearance of his or her smile is a good candidate for cosmetic dentistry. Today’s advanced cosmetic procedures can transform any smile into the smile you’ve always dreamed of. Cosmetic dentistry is dental treatment that improves the appearance and condition of your smile.

Noblesville News - Cosmetic dentistry can improve your smile and your confidence

The application of porcelain veneers has become one of the most popular and attractive techniques a cosmetic dentist uses create a more beautiful smile. Porcelain veneers are actually ultra-thin shells of ceramic material that are bonded to the front of your teeth. Placing veneers is a fairly simple procedure that requires little or no anesthesia and is the ideal choice for improving the appearance of the front of your teeth.

Fixing the Damage

When staining agents such as certain dark beverages, food, and cigarettes discolor teeth, porcelain veneers are the choice to brighten teeth and improve your smile. They are highly resistant to staining and can achieve a very strong bond to the teeth underneath easily surpassing other restorative dental options.

Discolored Teeth? Porcelain Veneers May be the Answer | Best Syndication

Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
GERD is a backflow of acid from the stomach into the throat, or esophagus. Most people suffer heartburn every once in a while, usually after a big meal. But if that uncomfortable burning sensation occurs more than once a twice a week, you could have GERD. It can cause tooth erosion from the digestive acids entering the mouth. Often the ailments can be addressed by lifestyle changes, including smaller meals. Often it requires medication, and sometimes even surgery.
Ten Medical Ailments You Never Knew Your Dentist Could Diagnose…and Possibly Cure!

Call it the “forgotten cancer.” We all know about mammograms, Pap smears and colonoscopies as early-detection procedures. But what about oral cancer? Most oral cancers are not detected until their later stages, when it almost always is too late. Each year, oral cancer kills more people in this country than melanoma or cervical cancer. One American dies every hour from oral cancer, a death rate that has remained virtually unchanged for more than 40 years. While smoking, alcohol and chewing tobacco long have been considered the culprits in cases of oral cancer, the American Dental Association now reports that 27 percent of its victims don’t smoke, drink or chew.
THE SILENT KILLER | Home News Tribune Online

Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums surrounding the teeth. Gingivitis is one of many periodontal diseases that affect the health of the periodontium (those tissues that surround the teeth and include the gums, soft tissues, and bone). Periodontal diseases are often classified according to their severity. They range from mild gingivitis, to more severe periodontitis, and finally acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, which can be life threatening.

Gingivitis

How can I “snack smart” to protect myself from tooth decay?

Before you start munching on a snack, ask yourself what’s in the food you’ve chosen. Is it loaded with sugar? If it is, think again. Another choicewould be better for your teeth. And keep in mind that certain kinds of sweets can do more damage than others. Gooey or chewy sweets spend more time sticking to the surface of your teeth. Because sticky snacks stay in your mouth longer than foods that you quickly chew and swallow, they give your teeth a longer sugar bath.

You should also think about when and how often you eat snacks. Do you nibble on sugary snacks many times throughout the day, or do you usually just havedessert after dinner? Damaging acids form in your mouth every time you eat a sugary snack. The acids continue to affect your teeth for at least 20 minutes before they are neutralized and can’t do any more harm. So, the more times you eat sugary snacks during the day, the more often you feed bacteria the fuel they need to cause tooth decay.

If you eat sweets, it’s best to eat them as dessert after a main meal instead of several times a day between meals. Whenever you eat sweets — in anymeal or snack — brush your teeth well with a fluoride toothpaste afterward.

When you’re deciding about snacks, think about:

• the number of times a day you eat sugary snacks
• how long the sugary food stays in your mouth
• the texture of the sugary food (chewy? sticky?)

If you snack after school, before bedtime, or other times during the day, choose something without a lot of sugar or fat. There are lots of tasty, filling snacks that are less harmful to your teeth — and the rest of your body — than foods loaded with sugars and low in nutritional value. Snack smart!

Low-fat choices like raw vegetables, fresh fruits, or whole-grain crackers or bread are smart choices. Eating the right foods can help protect you from tooth decay and other diseases. Next time you reach for a snack, pick a food from the list inside or make up your own menu of non-sugary, low-fat snack foods from the basic food groups.

Snack Smart for Healthy Teeth

Dental X-rays are pictures of the teeth, bones, and soft tissues around them to help find problems with the teeth, mouth, and jaw.   X-ray pictures can show cavities, hidden dental structures (such as wisdom teeth), and bone loss that cannot be seen during a visual examination. Dental X-rays may also be done as follow-up after dental treatments.

Dental X-rays

Have you heard the saying, “Ignore your teeth and they’ll go away”? It’s not a pretty thought, but it is a very true one. Our teeth and gums require daily attention, and letting your home care or dental visit routines slip can have a dramatic effect on the longevity of your teeth and the overall health of your mouth. Here, we take a look at the reasons people end up with major dental work and/or missing teeth, and help you prevent tooth decay, damage and loss through effective cleaning.
Press Release - Teeth Cleaning