Dr. Richard Raymond Pence, DDS MAGD

4-6 months

I would wait until you have your retainers, which can serve as “whitening trays.” That method will whiten rapidly, and you’ll need to wear retainers anyway. As far as toothpaste, be sure you have 1. The ADA seal on the box and 2. Make sure it has fluoride. You’re more susceptible to decay when you have braces, and the fluoride will help prevent it.

This question is like asking the best medication for a splinter in your finger. Getting rid of the cause gets rid of the problem. Take out the splinter, clean wound = healing. In your mouth, thorough cleaning by dental hygienist and having her show you how to keep calculus, plaque, and biofilm off your teeth = healing. Medication, such as prescription mouthwash (Perioguard), can speed the healing, but isn’t essential.

In our profession, a "dental bridge" is non-removable and replaces one or more missing teeth. I have 2 of those myself and eat whatever I want (but carefully clean them). Some people call "Removable Partial Dentures" a bridge, and those are usually made with plastic, and are much less sturdy.

When you have a choice to replace a missing tooth, I would think like this: 1st choice: Implant (this is good choice if the neighboring teeth are in good shape). It is the closest to having your missing tooth back. Most "natural." 2nd choice: Fixed Bridge (you have to crown the adjacent teeth). 3rd choice: Removable Partial denture (most uncomfortable, but least expensive).

Best = Implanted tooth. Next Best = Fixed Bridge (crowns on adjacent teeth hold in the missing tooth...not removable). Cheapest = removable tooth (removable partial denture with wire clasps holding onto neighbor teeth).

The strongest way to fix a cracked tooth is with a "crown," which covers the remaining tooth and can look very natural.

Bacteria cause the swelling normally. If you leave plaque & biofilm on your teeth, in places your brush cannot reach, then you can get "gingivitis" or inflammation of the gums. Hormonal changes, like pregnancy can make it worse. Having a good cleaning by your dental hygienist or periodontist can remove the calculus, plaque, and biofilm on your teeth, but be sure to have them show you how to clean the places you are now missing when you clean your teeth.

Yes, most modern crowns are as strong as natural enamel of teeth. I've had some crowns in my mouth for over 40 years and I love crunching nuts and popcorn.Some crown materials, made from the most beautiful and lifelike materials (normally used for front teeth only) are only slightly less strong. But do a nice job and last a very long time.

Teeth hurt when they are moved, either with braces or Invisalign. I had braces as an adult, and my teeth were sore and sensitive to cold things. You'll find that whenever you go to the next aligner, you'll have the same sensation, and it tapers off over time until the next one. Usually mildly annoying, not terrible. The soreness, aches mean it is working!

I'm a dentist who also has bone loss. I don't want any more bone loss, so I floss after eating (3x/day)If you floss once per day, usually before bed, you can slow down the bone loss. Use only UNwaxed floss, like POH brand, as waxed floss slides over the biofilm on your teeth. Biofilm (like egg yolk on a plate) is where the bacteria lives. Flossing is not just for getting food out from between teeth. Biofilm is the danger!

When I had a root canal on one of my molars, it didn't feel normal for 6 months. The root canal filling stops the cause of the pain (bacteria in the dying nerve of the tooth), but doesn't help the bacteria out in the bone surrounding the root of the tooth (the bacteria there came out of the tooth root. The body's immune system can take care of the infection in the bone, but it's a slow process (like ants taking away a sandpile). If a crown was recommended for the tooth and that hasn't been finished, the tooth can be susceptible to fracture, which can
also cause pain to biting/touching...your dentist can check for fracture, if the crown has not been done (front teeth do not always have to have crowns done, as they are not subjected to as much force as your back teeth).

How long for all the infection to disappear depends on your immune system. If the infection got out into your jawbones, where there is less blood supply, it takes longer. It is like ants taking away a sandpile.

AIM is the least costly toothpaste that had fairly low abrasiveness, but cleans well (if you can still find it). Always use toothpaste with low abrasiveness.

The problem people sometimes get after wisdom tooth removal is not "abscess," but called "Dry Socket" and is caused by the patient pulling out the healing blood clot, which forms over the socket in the bone left by the removed tooth. The bone of the socket gets infected and painful. I caution my patients to "baby the area" not to brush there, not to eat there, not to smoke, swish, or suck through a straw for 3 days after the extraction. If you do any of these, you can pull off the blood clot that forms over the socket and which prevents the bone
infection. If you do get a dry socket, you can go back to the dentist and have them clean out the area and put in soothing paste or medication until the area can heal correctly.

Possible, but not likely. Orthodontists make sure they move correctly, so you'll like the way they look.

If the implant was just placed, it normally takes 3-4 months to fully integrate with the bone of the jaw. I've had several of them. I usually avoid chewing anything hard, like nuts, ice, etc., because you can interfere with the bone integration and you can lose the implant. I gently brush the top area with a soft brush.

If your partial denture covers the palate (roof of your mouth), it can affect your speech. Some sounds can be altered by the distance between the upper teeth and the lower teeth & tongue. Your dentist may be able to suggest exercises to help pronounce "F", "V", "S" sounds. I tell my patients to sing in the shower (although when I tried that, it made my wife cry).

The only way to accurately answer your question is to get a sample of the infection and test it.another concern is to know whether you have taken antibiotics in the past, and how often...if often, then you will probably have bacteria that are resistant to the normal antibiotics. The best thing to do is to get rid of the cause of the infection. Taking antibiotics without taking care of the cause is like having an infection from a deep splinter, and taking antibiotics for it without taking care of the splinter. Get rid of the cause, then the infection goes away.
If the cause is a deep cavity that has not been repaired, and the tooth starts to hurt, due to the cavity getting into the nerve of the tooth, then you can have the infection cleaned out of the tooth by an Endodontist, and the pain will go away. Take antibiotic for the infection instead without either extracting the tooth or having an Endodontist fix it, means that the infection & pain will just come back. Fix the cause, not just the symptoms! If you take antibiotics without fixing the cause and then do it again when you've stopped the antibiotics and the infection comes back, it's a waste of time and builds up resistant bacteria in your body so that if you ever really needed some antibiotics for a disease, they wouldn't help.

Some people have room in their jaws for the wisdom teeth. If you're one of those, and can keep your wisdom teeth, then just have the cavity fixed, as the wisdom tooth may become very important later in your life. If your teeth are crowded, with little room for the wisdom teeth, it can be removed.