Winter is almost here, and sports activities can find a way to bring a dental emergency into your life during the busy holiday season. Whether you are skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, swimming, or surfing, accidents can happen. It can mean running into a tree while sledding, falling on your face at an ice skating rink, or knocking a tooth out on your surfboard. Your mouth can sustain a dental emergency all year round!

Protecting Your Smile

Whether you are out having fun hitting the snow-covered hills, playing hockey with friends, or even celebrating the season with friends, you usually are not thinking about how you can prevent a dental emergency. It’s what you can do beforehand that will really count! Protecting your smile is as easy as wearing the right gear for your recreational activity, whether that’s a mouthguard, face cage, or helmet.

So, what happens when the unthinkable happens? Seeking help right away can help stop your oral pain and lower the risk of having permanent oral damage. During business hours, calling our office is simple, but what if you have an accident on a holiday, weekend, or in the middle of the night that can’t wait? It might require seeking help at an emergency room. But first, let’s look at what constitutes a dental emergency.

Do You Have A Dental Emergency in Bakersfield, CA?

Some emergencies can wait until the next morning, but others could result in the loss of an adult tooth if treatment is not sought immediately. Ask yourself the following to make that assessment:

• Do you have severe pain along with bleeding?
• Do you have a partially dislodged or knocked-out adult tooth?
• Do you have a loose permanent tooth (but no pain)?
• Do you have an oral abscess or infection combined with swelling in the mouth or face?
• Do you have a severely bitten tongue or lip?
• Do you have a cracked or broken tooth?
• Have you lost a dental crown or filling?
• Do you have an object stuck between your teeth that shouldn’t be?
• Have you broken your jaw from trauma/injury?

Please call us right away if you have any of those conditions, and if you can’t reach us for emergency dental care, visiting the ER is your next best option.

What Is It Not a Dental Emergency?

The easiest question you can ask yourself here is, “Can you wait to see your dentist in the next day or so?” It means that a chipped tooth that isn’t causing you pain can be delayed, but a chipped or cracked tooth that hurts or has sharp bits that hurt cannot wait. Sometimes, even a painful toothache can safely wait if it is not accompanied by an abscess or facial swelling, bumps on your gum tissue, or a rising fever. Losing a filling or crown can typically wait several days if necessary.

It’s important to stay calm. Knowing what to do beforehand can help facilitate that needed self-control, especially when pain is combined with stress, making it harder to think clearly. When should you visit an emergency room if you can’t reach our dentist?

When to Visit Your Nearest Emergency Room

• You’ve sustained an injury to your head or eye
• You’ve suffered a concussion and are experiencing confusion
• You’ve broken a bone or dislocated a joint in your jaw
• You have a cut or facial laceration likely to require multiple stitches

When it comes to your oral health, remember to never ignore dental injuries, illnesses, or conditions. Sometimes a problem can wait until you see your dentist, but many times, early intervention is necessary. When in doubt, contact our office to make sure! And if you can’t reach us after hours, please seek help at your local ER.

In between dental visits, stay on top of your oral hygiene habits to help keep your teeth and gums healthy and strong throughout the year. And if you are participating in recreational activities this winter, wear a mouthguard and helmet as needed. Speak to our team about what you can do today to prevent a dental accident. Your smile deserves your best care!

When it comes to your smile, taking care of your teeth is an investment in your oral health that pays many dividends. With tooth loss, missing teeth can affect you in multiple ways. Even losing just one tooth can cause problems. Some of that is emotional, as people often feel self-conscious and embarrassed to smile if a prominent tooth is missing, but losing a tooth can also impact your oral health.

What Causes Tooth Loss?

Replacing a missing tooth early on is important, and it’s not just about how you look. It also impacts your mouth, jaw, and body as they work together to keep you functioning. Anyone can lose teeth, not just the elderly. It often happens gradually, starting when you are younger and worsening over time if left untreated or if no changes are made. There are a variety of reasons that a tooth may be lost, including:

• Tooth decay
• Gum disease
• Dental injury
• Family history/genetics
• Poor diet
• Lax oral hygiene

What Happens When a Tooth Is Lost?

Each tooth is a placeholder and exists for a reason. When you lose one tooth, the rest of your teeth must work harder, placing stress on them and wearing them out sooner. As the remaining teeth shift to fill the tooth gap, it can make cleaning between them much more difficult because you can’t get in to remove harmful plaque and developing tartar. The extra space left behind from the missing tooth tends to harbor bacteria that can spread to nearby teeth. Proper brushing and flossing are essential to prevent gum disease that could lead to more tooth loss.

If a tooth is lost, you may find yourself experiencing the following:

• An altered bite alignment as the upper and lower jaws don’t meet correctly, causing problems with your jaw joint and tooth sensitivity.
• The jawbone deteriorates when the tooth root structure is gone, leaving your facial profile sunken and misshapen.
• Losing teeth can impact your diet, making it difficult to eat healthy foods when it hurts to chew and causing problems digesting your food if you’re unable to break down the foods more with your mouth.
• Pronunciation is affected, leading to slurred words, lisping, or spitting when talking.
• You can have lower confidence because of problems such as incorrect speech, chewing, and appearance.

Why Choose Dental Implants?

If you have lost one or more teeth, it is important to replace them for your dental and general health. Common tooth replacement options include a fixed dental bridge, removable partial dentures, and dental implants. Thanks to advances in dentistry, dental implants are considered the gold standard for tooth replacement. In particular, implants are rooted in the jaw, preserving jawbone health by replacing the lost tooth root.

Dental implants are the only tooth replacement option that replaces and integrates the tooth root. While dental bridges and dentures can give you a beautiful smile, your jawbone will keep deteriorating and will require adjustment or replacement in the years ahead. This is where dental implants shine, as they maintain jawbone health along with your youthful appearance by preventing the facial sagging effect that can occur with other dental options.

Dental Implants Benefits:

• They are the most stable tooth replacement because they are anchored into the jawbone.
• Won’t shift around in the mouth or fall out.
• Don’t require daily attachment with a dental adhesive like dentures do.
• Your diet stays the same with 100% bite capacity.
• Dental implants don’t require a change in brushing and flossing.
• Look and feel natural in your mouth.
• Don’t take time getting used to them, since they look, feel, and function like your own teeth.

Implants Are a Three-Part Restoration

1. A biocompatible titanium post is placed into the jawbone (acting as a tooth root for stability).
2. An abutment piece is attached to the top of the post (acting as a connector).
3. It is then topped with a dental crown, dental bridge, or denture for optimal security.

As you can see, dental implants are most like your natural teeth. If you want help replacing the missing teeth in your smile, dental implants are a proven dental restoration that can have you speaking, eating, and looking your best once again. Contact us to learn more!

If you have recently learned that you have a badly broken, damaged, or infected tooth, our dentist may recommend having a dental crown placed. A crown, or tooth-shaped “cap,” is a fixed prosthetic cemented onto a tooth to restore its appearance, form, and function, as well as strengthen the tooth. Dental crowns cover a tooth’s entire surface, and when treatment is completed, it will look like your surrounding teeth.

When Crowns Are Used

While dental veneers are used to correct small chips or cracks in the teeth and a dental implant is used to replace a missing tooth, dental crowns are used for fixing teeth with severe decay or a dental filling that is compromised and doesn’t protect the tooth anymore.

Crowns are also placed after a root canal, wisdom tooth extraction or to secure a dental bridge restoration by anchoring the adjacent natural teeth. When a dental crown is used after a root canal, it gives extra support to the tooth and lessens the risk of retreatment.

Dental Crown Materials

There are various types of dental crown materials. The sealing ability is dependent on the filling materials used and the quality of the tooth that is used.

• Ceramic crowns: These are popular as they blend in with the surrounding natural teeth and are highly resistant to wear.
• Crowns made from porcelain fused to metal: These are highly durable and offer a strong seal because of their attachment to the metal.
• Crowns made of gold alloys: These are made of a blend of gold, copper, and other metals, ensuring a strong bond to the tooth that cannot fracture or wear away the tooth.
• Crowns made of base metal alloys: These are strongly resistant to corrosion and are very strong in general. They require the least amount of healthy tooth removal before placement.

The Making of Your Crown

Unless you are having a crown made on the same day, the making of a dental crown typically requires two visits. The tooth will need to be reduced in size so the crown will fit correctly, and then an impression will be made of the crown. While waiting for your crown to be made, a temporary crown is put in place. When the dental crown is ready, at your follow-up visit, the crown will be cemented onto the affected tooth.

Caring For Your Crown

Since your crown is created to blend into your smile naturally, people around you will likely not even notice you have had a tooth replacement done. If you take good care of your crown by practicing consistent, daily oral hygiene habits, you can avoid the crown becoming loose or falling out. Brushing and flossing twice a day, along with regular professional dental cleanings and checkups, can keep your teeth (particularly the back molars) healthy and strong so your crown can last a lifetime!

If you would like to know if a crown is right for you, contact us to schedule a consultation with our dentist. We will be happy to help you and your smile today!

We learn at a young age that brushing and flossing are vital to keeping your smile healthy. We need to continue these daily habits in our ongoing quest to maintain healthy smiles for strong teeth and gums. Seeing Dr. Arthur Huang regularly for professional cleanings and checkups at least twice a year is another habit you should incorporate. Together with our dental team, you are creating an optimal oral environment for a lifetime of smiles in great condition.

What Happens During a Dental Checkup?

Professional dental cleanings are typically recommended twice a year, but if you are in treatment for dental illnesses or are at high risk for disease – such as gum disease – you may need to come in more frequently. Of course, dental cleanings are just one aspect of these visits. Our dentist will also conduct an oral exam, which may include taking dental X-rays to assess the condition of your teeth, jaw and gums.

We will be looking for signs of tooth decay, gum disease and oral cancer. If this is your first visit, we will want to know about your health history, the medications you take, and any current allergies or past adverse reactions to medications. And if you have dental anxiety that kept you from seeing your dentist before, please let us know so we can discuss ways to minimize your discomfort and help you feel more relaxed and comfortable during your time with us. We are happy to work with you to make your experience safe, relaxing and convenient for you.

Professional Dental Cleanings

Regular professional dental cleanings remove calcified plaque, known as tartar, that accumulates in the hard-to-clean areas of the mouth. These are not easily accessible by your daily brushing and flossing efforts. To do this, our dentist or hygienist may use a special dental instrument – either a hand scaler or an ultrasonic dental instrument – to remove tartar from around and below the gum line. Once this calcified plaque has been removed, your teeth will be polished with a mildly abrasive paste to remove any remaining plaque and tooth stains. After a final floss and evaluation from our experienced team, we will send you on your way.

If you run your tongue along your tooth surfaces, you should be able to feel the clean, smooth surface of the enamel. When the surface is smooth, it is harder for plaque to attach. We will also be happy to review any hygiene issues you may be experiencing and go over brushing and flossing techniques to help you better care for your teeth at home. We will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have concerning your oral care.

Schedule Your Next Checkup

If you would like to know more about how dental checkups can help your oral health, contact our office to schedule your next exam! Our goal is to help you attain your best smile and have a great dental experience!

Not all damaged teeth are guaranteed to end up on the extraction table. Even if you have suffered extensive damage to a tooth and have an infected pulp that must be removed, it may be possible for root canal therapy to remove the pulp and still save the tooth. Here are some basic facts to remember about root canals.

Root Canal Facts

• Oral accidents and injuries can arise at any time and leave your teeth broken, shattered, and damaged. If an oral accident has occurred and the tooth’s pulp has been damaged, the pulp will need to be removed during root canal therapy.
• Not all damage that occurs to your tooth enamel is noticeable, as there may have been microscopic damage to your tooth enamel through which bacteria can leak into the root of a tooth.
• If dental erosion has occurred to the point that a cavity is present, the pulp of a tooth will be vulnerable. Even a pulp infection is enough to damage a tooth, so it is essential to make sure a dental filling is placed on a cavity before the pulp is damaged.
• If you have repeated dental restorations on a tooth, the tooth may be at risk of having a very thin layer of tooth enamel, which makes it vulnerable to pulp damage.

If you need an oral exam for root canal therapy, contact us to schedule an appointment with Arthur Huang, DDS, at our Bakersfield, California, dental office.

Do you know the important differences between full and partial dentures? Our team is happy to review both versions for optimal tooth replacement to help you better understand how they can restore your smile. Below, we will review the main types of dentures, which are full and partial dentures, and the benefits they have to offer.

What Are Dentures?

Dentures replace missing teeth in your smile to keep other teeth from changing their position. Dentures are customized for your mouth to fit comfortably and can be removed for cleaning. Today’s dentures are more natural-looking than ever so that your appearance and smile remain natural. Without dentures, missing teeth can cause the facial muscles to droop, and you may appear to age prematurely. Dentures also help you chew comfortably and speak clearly again when they restore missing teeth in your smile.

Full Dentures

Full dentures are designed to offer full tooth replacement by filling a full arch of missing teeth with a beautiful and natural-looking appliance. To place full dentures, it may be necessary to perform a tooth extraction to make space for this appliance if there are still teeth lingering in your smile. The conventional denture is made after your teeth have been extracted and after the gum tissue has started healing. These are typically ready to be worn about eight to 12 weeks after your teeth are removed. Your oral appliance is placed over your gums and held securely using suction to attach to the roof of your mouth. Full dentures are removable and can be taken out at night and for cleanings.

Partial Dentures

If you have a few missing teeth in a row, partial dentures can restore your beautiful smile. This removable oral appliance is used to fill the gap from missing teeth so that you can have a beautiful and functional smile again. These partial appliances clasp to the neighboring teeth in your smile to help you speak, smile and chew properly. These replacement teeth are attached to a colored plastic base that looks like your natural gums. If you have a fixed bridge to replace one or more of your teeth, crowns are placed on the teeth that border the space with artificial teeth and are cemented into place.

Implant-Supported Dentures

In addition to full and partial dentures, there is a third option for some. Implant-supported dentures are overdentures that are attached to dental implants for support and are most often made for the lower jaw. These are often done if there are no teeth in the jaw, but there is sufficient jawbone material to support implants. These have special attachments that snap them onto the implant.

No matter which type of denture you wear, you want to take good care of your oral health to keep your gum tissue healthy by practicing good oral hygiene habits. You will also want to make sure you see our dentist regularly to make sure your dentures fit correctly, are comfortable, and that your gums are healthy.

Both full and partial dentures can be very functional and make excellent choices when it comes to tooth loss and tooth replacement. If you would like to learn more about your options for the types of dentures, contact Valley Grace Dental today for a consultation with our team!