Introducing a New Face to Our Plano Dental Office
We would like you to meet Jane! She is joining Dentistry for Adults and will be working in the front office with Joyce. Angie is looking to spend more time with her family, while the children are still at home.
Jane, our new office manager, considers herself a native Texan, having lived in Plano for over twenty years. She is a registered dental hygienist. Jane and her husband, a faculty member at Baylor College of Dentistry, are parents of four children and grandparents to three beautiful grandchildren. In her spare time, Jane enjoys reading, swimming, and babysitting the grandkids. She is excited to join the Dentistry for Adults family.
Welcome, Jane! You will love our patients!
Is Green Tea good for my oral health?
GREEN TEA was the subject of recent research in Japan that was reported in the April 2010 Journal of Preventive Medicine. The study found that drinking at least one cup of green tea per day significantly decreased the risk of tooth loss in Japanese adults between 40 and 64 years of age. Green tea contains caffeine. If you are limiting caffeine, a green tea extract is available that is very low in caffeine.
Please feel free to share this information if you think there is an interest, or give us a call!
Signs of endodontic disease
What are the most common symptoms of endodontic (root canal) disease?”
Endodontic disease can manifest itself with a wide variety and combination of symptoms. Common symptoms of endodontic disease include:
- Lingering sensitivity to cold liquids.
- Lingering sensitivity to hot liquids.
- Sensitivity to sweets.
- Pain to biting pressure.
- Pain that is referred from a tooth to another area, such as the neck, temple, or the ear.
- Spontaneous toothache, such as that experienced while reading a magazine, watching television, etc.
- Constant or intermittent pain.
- Severe pain.
- Throbbing pain.
- Pain that may occur in response to atmospheric pressure changes, such as when flying or scuba diving.
- Pain that may occur in response to postural changes, such as when going from a standing to a reclining position.
- Swelling.
If you have any of these symptoms, it would be wise to visit us at Dentistry For Adults because you might have root canal disease or another dental problem. Some of these symptoms may also be attributable to decay, defective fillings, periodontal diseases, cracked teeth, or other tooth or bite-related problems. On other occasions, the symptoms may even be caused by disorders that are not related to the teeth.
For more information about how we at Dentistry For Adults can help you with your root canal problems, call us at (972) 981-8653, we will be happy to talk with you.
Reasons For A Root Canal
Many people flinch when their dentists tell them they need root canal therapy. While dentists are sympathetic to fears of pain, at Dentistry For Adults we also want you to know that root canal therapy has three purposes:
- Stop the toothache
- Prevent bacteria and pain from spreading into the jaw
- Maintain the original tooth instead of replacing it with a denture or bridge.
The root canal is actually a channel that runs from the root of the tooth, which connects to the bone, up to the top surface of the tooth. The canal contains blood vessels, nerves, and the complex cells that make up the living tissue inside the tooth. This lifeline inside the tooth is called the pulp.
When a tooth is decayed or cracked, bacteria can get to the pulp. The acid from the bacteria irritates the pulp and it becomes inflamed; it’s the same process you watch when other parts of your body become infected. When the pulp tissue becomes inflamed, it’s harder for blood to flow to the tissue, and the resulting pressure creates pain inside your tooth.
For more information about how we at Dentistry For Adults can help you with your root canal problems, call us at (972) 981-8653, we will be happy to talk with you.
Root Canal Procedure
A root canal procedure limits the infection and keeps it from destroying the tooth. During the root canal treatment procedure, the dentist removes the inflamed or infected tissue, carefully cleans, disinfects, and shapes the root canal space inside the tooth, and then fills and seals this space.
It may take one or more appointments to complete the procedure. A protective restoration should be placed after root canal treatment has been completed in order to restore the tooth to function and help prevent tooth fracture.
At Dentistry For Adults we think of a root canal as washing the invasive bacteria out of the root, filling it with a biocompatible material that soothes the area, then sealing it back up again. Top it off with a solid filling or a crown, and you’re as good as new. That means you get to keep your tooth. And that’s a good thing.
For more information about how we at Dentistry For Adults can help you with your root canal problems, call us at (972) 981-8653, we will be happy to talk with you.
Sedation dentistry information
You are given a small pill to take an hour prior to your dental appointment. Your companion will accompany you to the office. By the time you arrive you will be very drowsy.
When you arrive in our office, you will be escorted into the comfort room, covered with a thick, warm blanket and placed on a monitor to watch your vital signs. After you are comfortable the experienced clinical team at Dentistry For Adults will take care of your dental needs.
When your treatment is completed your companion will return you home to finish your comfortable, relaxing day.
For more information about sedation dentistry in Plano, contact the team at (972) 981-8653 today.
Which Dentures are right for you?
“What are dentures?”
Dentures are removable prosthetic devices designed to replace missing teeth.
“What are partial dentures?”
Partial dentures are dentures that replace only a few missing teeth.
“What are complete dentures?”
Complete dentures are dentures that replace a complete set of missing teeth.
“What is the difference between conventional dentures and immediate dentures?”
Conventional dentures are dentures that are made and placed after the remaining teeth are removed and the tissues have healed. Immediate dentures are dentures that are placed immediately after the removal of the remaining teeth.
“What is an over-denture?”
An over-denture is a denture that fits over a small number of remaining natural teeth or implants.
For more information about how we at Dentistry For Adults can help you with denture problems, call us at (972) 981-8653, we will be happy to talk with you.
Plaque build-up
One of the easiest problems to spot is a build-up of plaque. Plaque is the soft, sticky layer of bacteria, which is constantly forming on the teeth.
Usually it is invisible to the naked eye, but when a person is not brushing adequately, it can build up to where it appears to be a thick whitish coating on the teeth at the gum line. If not removed, it can lead to gum disease.
Another potential problem, which is easy to spot, is missing teeth. Many patients we see assume that if they are still able to eat, they are O.K.
But very often, losing just one tooth can lead to the loss of support, and teeth begin to drift into the empty space, causing a change in the bite. It also forces the remaining teeth to carry an additional load, sometimes past their ability to adapt. In most cases, when even one tooth is lost, the remaining teeth suffer and are more likely to be lost as well.
At Dentistry For Adults our focus is in the treatment of problems such as these. Call our office at (972) 981-8653 for the care you need.
Cavities – Dental decay
Fluoride has been a great benefit to patients of all ages in helping prevent dental decay. Regular brushing and flossing lowers the chance of developing “cavities.”
At Dentistry For Adults we know that the most decay-prone areas of teeth are the grooves and depressions on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, which require further preventive care.
To prevent decay, a plastic-like coating called a sealant should be painted on the chewing surfaces of all the back teeth. Studies have shown that sealants can reduce tooth decay by as much as 90% to 100% in the Plano area and nation wide.
The American Dental Association recommends that sealants be placed as soon as the first adult back teeth come in at age 6 or 7. Sealants should continue to be used as each adult back tooth comes into the mouth. All back teeth that need to be sealed are present by age 13. Sealant application is simple, fast, and painless.
Please call Dentistry For Adults with any questions you may have about the benefits using a sealant in preventing dental decay.
Tooth decay prevention
Dr. Paul F. Williams
Fluoride, in proper dosage, has been shown to significantly reduce dental decay. When fluoridated water has less than the ideal amount or is not available, fluoride supplements are recommended. (A call to your local water district is all that is necessary to determine whether your water has fluoride or not.)
When supplements are needed, the administration of fluoride supplements should begin shortly after birth and continue through the time of eruption of the second permanent molars (approx. 12 years of age).
Regular dental check-ups at Dentistry For Adults should begin no later than 18 months of age.
If you have any questions or need more information, don’t hesitate to contact our office at (972) 981-865
