Dr. Carrol Fenn, D.D.S.

Normally, I suggest that patients remove their elastic bands when eating food & replace them when finished. It’s okay to wear elastics when eating if you prefer. It is just a little restrictive.
Occasionally, the elastic band may break, especially if worn during eating. If that happens, then you can replace them after eating.
Good luck with your orthodontic journey.

Sincerely,

Carrol Fenn, DDS

There are various reasons for needing braces. The most common is the desire to straighten malpositioned or crooked teeth. You state that your teeth are straight. Are your upper & lower jaws misaligned? Do your teeth not mesh together properly? Do you have temporomandibular joint dysfunction? What problem do you feel exists & why do you feel that you need braces? I recommend that you see an orthodontist to have your bite & jaw function evaluated.

Sincerely,

Carrol Fenn, DDS

Yes, tooth bonding can be redone. The remnants of the old bonding is usually removed, then the tooth is conditioned and a new bonding is placed.

Carrol Fenn, DDS

It’s best to see a dentist as soon as possible after breaking your tooth. The urgency depends upon the extent of the break. If the break only involves the enamel then leaving it untreated can cause sensitivity & the chipped area could also decay. If the break extends into the dentin then the likelihood of sensitivity is greater. Treatment by the dentist involves bonding composite to repair & restore the fractured area of the tooth. The dentist will also monitor the tooth over time to see if the trauma that caused the broken tooth did in fact damage the blood supply to the tooth. The tooth may turn dark & require a root canal. If the break extends into the pulp (& you see a red area in the middle of the tooth) then you need to see a dentist as soon as possible. The dentist may try a pulp cap, but usually you need a root canal to clean out the pulp & seal the tooth. Then the tooth will require a crown. If you don’t see a dentist & your pulp chamber is exposed, then the infection can cause a severe infection & pain. I don’t want to scare you, but the infection can extend into your brain or into your body (a systemic infection). The results can actually be life-threatening. In summary, it’s best & safest to see a dentist as soon as possible if you break your tooth.
Good luck.

Dr. Fenn

Teeth will start to shift as soon as the braces and wires are placed. Tooth movement continues throughout treatment and usually requires multiple adjustments to be done by the orthodontist. The time required to complete your tooth alignment depends on the severity of your problem as well as the compliance of the patient. The improvement in your smile is definitely worth the time, effort, and money.

Dr. Carrol Fenn

Brushing your teeth three times a day is great. But you must brush properly with a soft bristle toothbrush in a proper manner. Do NOT scrub your teeth and do NOT use a hard bristle toothbrush because that could cause damage to your enamel and your gingiva. Remember to floss your teeth at least daily! If you aren’t certain about proper toothbrushing techniques, please ask your dentist or hygienist to demonstrate them to you.

Dr. Fenn

Yes, dental decay can form under the crowns of a bridge. You must continue to have dental checkups. The dentist will check your crowns to be certain that there are no leaking margins. If leaking margins exist, the crown will have to be recemented or possibly replaced. At the same visit, the dentist will check your entire dentition for decay & periodontal disease. Then, the dentist will give you a treatment plan to take care of your needs.

Sincerely,

Dr. Fenn

You have several options when replacing a missing tooth.
1-Fixed replacement:
i) an “implant & crown” to replace the missing tooth is preferred as long as the bone is healthy enough for the surgical placement of the implant . ( The preferred choice )
ii) a fixed bridge which involves the placement of a crown on the adjacent teeth in front & behind the missing tooth plus a Pontic to replace the missing tooth .
2-Removable appliance -
- a partial denture with a false tooth placed on a metal or plastic framework.
Speak with your dentist . Your actual choices based on your bone health , dental needs & finances will be discussed .
Good luck.
Carrol Fenn DDS

It’s best to see your dentist to determine the cause for the crown coming off.

1) It may be that the cement holding the crown became weak & if so, then the crown will be recemented.
2) Or your tooth under the crown may have decayed or
3) The core of the prepared crown may have broken.

Any defects must be fixed before recementing the crown - it is important that the crown be recemented properly without any voids in the marginal seal to prevent leakage & future decay under the crown.

Brush your teeth at least twice a day. A manual toothbrush is good, but an electric brush is more effective.

As a parent, you are responsible to care for your child’s teeth. You must teach your children how to brush their teeth properly & then check to see that they are doing it. You may also have to brush their teeth for them. Your child should have their first pediatric dental consultation around the age of two. Then routine dental exams & cleanings should occur every 6 months. Pediatric dentists spend an additional two to three years after their general dental training specializing in the growth & development of children. They have learned how to restore pediatric decay using advanced pediatric behavioral management. They learn some orthodontic techniques as well. It is important to care for your child’s primary teeth to prevent dental decay. Untreated dental decay can lead to severe health consequences, pain, &, in rare instances, death. Primary teeth are important for chewing food properly & speaking properly. They hold the space for the developing permanent teeth & help guide the eruption path of the secondary teeth. If primary teeth are lost prematurely, then a holding appliance is frequently required.

Carrol Fenn, DDS

A missing tooth can cause many problems if not replaced:

1) A missing tooth is esthetically unpleasing & tends to make you look older.
2) Depending on its location a missing tooth can cause your cheek to cave inwards in that area.
3) The teeth that are adjacent to a missing tooth often start to shift into the empty area. These teeth when tipped can cause periodontal problem areas in the bone.
4) As the adjacent teeth shift, then the next teeth also tend to shift creating a mouth full of spaces.
5) The opposing tooth will tend to grow down or up (depending on which arch the missing tooth is in)until that tooth touches one of the other teeth. This will cause a problem with your occlusion & pose problems when you finally decide that you want to replace the missing tooth. There won’t be enough room to place a normal-sized replacement tooth.
6) When one tooth hangs down below the rest of the teeth, your smile will be uneven & not attractive.

You should always try to replace a missing tooth if possible with either an implant & crown (preferred) or a bridge or a removable partial denture.

Carrol Fenn, DDS

Yes, you are able to have teeth fixed at any age. The treatment plan depends on the actual cause of your “buck teeth,” also called “excess overbite”:

1) Your upper teeth may be flared out with lots of spacing present. If that is the case, then closing those spaces in a certain way will correct your problem.
2) Your problem may be caused by a dental problem requiring us to move the teeth in each jaw in a certain way to correct the excess overbite. You may or may not require extractions.
3) You may have a true jaw discrepancy. Your upper jaw may be too big OR your lower jaw may be too small. Each problem requires a different solution.

The best thing for you to do is visit the orthodontist (a specialist in orthodontics) and have a complete examination performed. Orthodontic records (X-rays, photos, impressions, or scans) will probably suggested to receive an exact diagnosis & a treatment plan. You will probably be given some different options of treatment.
Good luck achieving a beautiful smile. It’s definitely worth the time & finances that you will invest.

There can be many causes for a white coating on your tongue. The simplest is the presence of food & bacteria trapped in between inflamed & swollen tongue papillae. It is usually caused by poor oral hygiene. Therefore, brush your tongue with a soft tooth brush & use a tongue scraper. Drink more water or fluids & reduce alcohol consumption. If this does not remove or improve the white coating on your tongue, then make an appointment to see your dentist. They will rule out the various other possible causes of your while tongue. It might be something minor, but if it does not heal within 2 weeks of increased brushing & oral hygiene, then seek the advice of a dentist to be certain that it isn’t more serious & require medication. Examples of possible causes are:

1) An oral fungal infection such as Candida, requiring an anti-fungal medicine
2) Oral leukoplakia
3) Lichen planus - may require a steroid spray
4) Oral injury
5) Syphilis - antibiotic such as penicillin if you aren’t allergic to it
6) Cancer
7) Many other oral problems

There are many factors to consider:

1) Does your wisdom tooth have enough room to erupt completely or will it remain partially impacted? Many people do not have enough room for a wisdom tooth to fully erupt.
2) Is there an eruption cyst involved?
3) Will it be easy to keep clean?
4) Is there decay present?
5) Once erupted, will it occlude with a tooth in the opposing arch? If the opposing tooth is completely missing, then you risk over-eruption of the existing wisdom tooth.
6) If you are dealing with a lower wisdom tooth, are it’s roots wrapped around the inferior dental nerve?

You can see by the answer that an X-ray or at least a physical exam is required to determine the need for extraction. Please see a dentist to have an X-ray taken to determine the need for an extraction.

Sincerely,

Carrol Fenn, DDS

Congratulations on brushing your teeth at least twice a day. There are additional improvements that you should make:
(1) Floss your teeth DAILY.
(2) Use a Waterpik water flosser at least once daily. It's an easy, but effective way to improve cleaning your teeth & improve your gingival health.
(3) Rinse with full-strength Listerine for 1-2 minutes after completing your oral hygiene regime. Listerine helps to kill the bacteria that cause gingival inflammation & infections.

There is no harm in rinsing with a fluoride mouth wash twice a day. If you are very cavity prone or have braces it would provide extra protection from decay.

How many hours per day do you actually wear the retainer.? Perhaps increasing your hours of wear will correct your problem . Does your retainer fit loosely ? Or is part of the retainer broken? A loose or broken retainer may not hold the teeth effectively . Your orthodontist can easily tighten or repair most types of retainers .