EXPERT
Michael A. Conrad
Dentist
- Wescosville, Pennsylvania
- Temple University Dental School
- Accepting new patients
Acid Attack and the Reality of Tooth Decay
Teeth have one great weakness: acid. It eats away tooth structure. Where does acid come from? Our diets. Acidic foods and drinks directly affect and dissolve tooth enamel....
Are dentures toxic to the body?
Dr. Conrad
Are wisdom tooth abscesses very painful?
What happens if antibiotics don't work for a tooth infection?
Dr. Conrad (Dr. IAD):)
Is it normal for veneers to fall?
Dr. Conrad
What happens if you get a cavity with braces?
Dr. Conrad
Can you drink coffee after dental implant surgery?
Dr. Conrad
How long should dentures pain last?
Dr. Conrad
Will my dry socket go away on its own?
Michael A. Conrad, DDS, PC
Is Invisalign as good as normal braces?
What is most important is the person providing the diagnosis and treatment. I recommend going to this website from the AAO (American Association of Orthodontists) to read the positive and negatives about both options:
https://www3.aaoinfo.org/blog/braces-vs-clear-aligners/?gclid=CjwKCAjw9uKIBhA8EiwAYPUS3IwSM68plY5A8MzoAmZUmMqxmAvhP_RPXXWO3hx8xj7AxCvpPP1AexoCz6sQAvD_BwE*/
Michael A. Conrad, DDS, PC
Can I scrape plaque off my teeth?
How fast does tooth decay spread?
*1. Type of acid exposure **
*2. Duration of acid exposure **
*3. Frequency of exposure **
*4. Frequency of personal oral hygiene (brushing and flossing) **
*5. Efficiency of personal oral hygiene **
*6. Type of personal oral hygiene **
*7. Frequency of professional oral hygiene.*
Someone who brushes for 30 seconds 10 times a day, but never flosses may have a more rapid progression of tooth decay than someone who brushes 2 minutes or longer at least twice a day and also flosses. Someone who has a sugary diet throughout the day will have more rapid decay than someone who may not brush as well, but has virtually eliminated sweets and acidic food and drink. The secret to avoiding decay is *limiting* acid exposure, frequency, and duration, while *increasing* the frequency and efficiency of personal and professional oral hygiene, Some very small beginning cavities can actually be halted and sometimes reversed by proper care.
Michael A. Conrad, DDS, PC
What dentures are best for teeth?
Now, if you are talking about implant dentures, there are a few types to discuss. The first, best and most expensive and extensive are implant-supported, screw-attached dentures, most commonly called All-On-4 dentures. They are attached to a minimum of 4 implants and screwed in place. Only the dentist can remove them. The teeth can be in porcelain (zirconia) or acrylic. You can also have "Snap-in" implant dentures. They are more reasonably priced than the screw-in types, and are attached to posts that are part of the implants. Usually, those attachments are called "Locators." The dentures are removed by the patient regularly, but stay in without the need for adhesives. The attachments need routine maintenance, but it is minor and easy for the dental team.
Both types of implant dentures are much smaller appliances than their regular denture relatives, because there is no need to cover as much of the mouth for retention, since the screws or snaps provide that. So, while a conventional upper denture must cover the roof of the mouth for suction to keep it in place, that is not necessary with implant dentures.
Lots of options, and lots to think about. Conventional dentures are the cheapest, but they require covering more of the mouth. Implant-supported dentures are the most expensive, but are the most comfortable and easiest to tolerate. If you are a candidate for implants and have the financial means, they are often the best option.
Michael A. Conrad, DDS, PC
Is drinking hot water good for teeth?
Michael A. Conrad, DDS, PC
How long are you drowsy after dental anesthesia?
Michael A. Conrad, DDS, PC
Should you wet your toothbrush before brushing dentures?
Michael A. Conrad, DDS, PC
Is lemon bad for your teeth?
Can a toothache last for months?
will seek a path of least resistance to relieve the pressure. If there is not a sufficient opening in the crown of the tooth to relieve the pressure, the putrefied contents will escape at the end of the toot into the bone around the tooth, often forming a "bubble" of infection that grows between the tooth and the bone in the periodontal ligament that surrounds the tooth. That ligament attaches the tooth to the bone and contains the nerve fibers that feel pain, pressure, and some temperature. Now a second toothache begins, one that may be even more severe than the first. If it is an upper tooth, the infection can push into the sinuses. That can lead to a life-threatening condition. In some cases, the pain will stop, and again the patient will feel like everything has resolved. In that case, the pressure built up so much that it pushed out the side of the jaw through the bone and out into a swelling on the gums. It can look like a large pimple and is called a fistula. That will relieve the painful pressure, but now the infection is coming from the tooth into the bones and gums. The longer it lasts without treatment, the more possible it is that serious health conditions could arise - conditions that, in rare cases, may require hospitalization and could even result in death - all from a single tooth. Even if severe complications do not arise, the presence of continued infection will affect, infect, and often destroy bone surrounding the tooth, leaving poor chances for repair and reconstruction after treatment has been performed, be that root canal therapy or extraction. So, yes, a toothache can last for months, coming and going. All the while, jaw bone is being destroyed and chances are greater that more serious health problems can occur. A toothache is a serious warning sign that something is terribly wrong. Nothing good can come from an infection in the mouth that is close to the sinuses, the brain and vital nerves and blood vessels.
How can I speed up bone graft healing?
Michael A. Conrad, DDS, PC
Can you have tooth pain without an infection?
Tooth pain usually arises from trauma, inflammation or infection. You may also have pain to temperature, specifically, cold. If that goes away seconds after the tooth warms up, nothing is usually wrong, but it can be a major irritation that can last for years, making ice cream and cold drinks difficult to endure. That may be caused by pulp that is unusually close to the surface or even root exposure caused by gum recession.
Let's take a simple injury. You accidentally bang your front tooth on a glass or a bottle. The tooth may hurt for some time, because the trauma has caused inflammation to the supporting (periodontal) ligaments of the tooth, much like twisting your ankle. If that is all that is affected, it will heal.
But if there is inflammation in the pulp of the tooth- the nerve and blood vessels- that is a different story. The pulp just fits in the root canal with no room to spare, so if it gets severely inflamed and swells too much, it has no place to go. It essentially strangulates itself, beginning the process of dying. The pain from inflammation may eventually subside as the nerve finally dies, but a different pain will occur some time later. Then, the dead and dying tissue inside the tooth putrifies, forming pus, and pressure is generated. Once that pressure seeks the path of least resistance- the end of the root- that pus will begin to build up under the tooth causing bone and jaw pain. Often bacteria from the mouth can get involved and infection progresses.
The same thing can happen when a tooth is restored with a filling or crown. Tooth decay can cause severe inflammation in the pulp from the bacterial toxins, and the process of drilling out that decay or reshaping a tooth for a filling or crown can cause terminal inflammation of the pulp. Fixing a tooth can result in pain, and, ultimately, infection. That doesn't happen often, but it's always a possibility.
Generally speaking, if a tooth reacts severely to hot or cold, it is probably inflamed and may ultimately get infected- not like overall sensitivity to temperature changes with cold foods.
If a tooth hurts spontaneously and severely with no provocation (your typical "toothache"), it is almost certainly infected. The same is true of a tooth that hurts to pressure or biting.
So, when a tooth hurts, if you're lucky, it's nothing but an irritation. If you're not lucky, it is only the beginning of the process leading to more pain- and infection.
Michael A. Conrad, DDS, PC
How long does it take for jaw pain to go away after surgery?
Michael A. Conrad, DDS, PC