Dr. Felipe Arruda Falcao, D.D.S, M.S.

Cavities range in depth and width. It has several factors playing a role in a doctor's decision to get it filled. The tooth also has basically 3 layers: outer enamel, core dentin, and inner pulp (nerve). If the cavity is shallow and in the enamel layer only, given you have low tendency to develop cavities, the doctor may choose to give you some oral hygiene instructions and some specific products for your needs to try and stop that cavity from getting bigger. However, if the cavity has reached the junction with the dentin core, then it's beyond what you can do to stop it so in this case, YES, it has to be filled immediately. I strongly suggest a consult with a professional with some radiographs (X-rays) to confirm the urgency of treatment.

Usually, the term ceramics is used for the restorations made in the lab like crowns, bridges, and veneers. Fillings are composite materials with some ceramic particles in it. It's applied directly into the tooth and molded and shaped to look and feel like a tooth. Yes, they are worth it. We now have filling materials with great qualities similar to the tooth. If applied following manufacturer's guidelines, it can last several years. You should expect some wear and staining over time, but that doesn't necessarily means it needs replacement.

If your gingiva recedes, your roots become exposed. You are likely to have some sensitivity to almost anything. It can be caused by aggressive brushing, aging, periodontal disease, a bad bite, and crowded teeth. Also, be aware that the root of your teeth, when exposed, becomes 60% more likely to have cavities since they don't have the enamel layer to protect them. In this case, your oral hygiene and some fluoride products should be used routinely. In the event the gingiva recedes "too much," we assume the bone that supports your tooth in the socket is also receding. Treatment consists from a simple change in oral hygiene products against sensitive teeth to gingival graft surgery to replace the portion of the receded area and provide root coverage again. A consult with a hygienist and dentist is strongly recommended to help you diagnose the cause of your receding gingiva and provide the best treatment.

Porcelain veneers when done well are supposed to be just another layer on your teeth and you shouldn't need to avoid anything that you were not already avoiding with your own teeth. However there are exceptions. Depending on your bite, on how much porcelain was added to the length of your teeth, on how much tooth structure is missing to support the porcelain and the retention or bond of the veneer on the teeth, the usual recommendations are to avoid biting hard foods with your front teeth. An example would be biting on an apple. It would be best to ask your own dentist who placed them since it may vary per case and even per tooth on the same patient. The oral hygiene with brushing, flossing and using mouthwash should remain the same.

Dentures are replacing missing teeth. We have to take into consideration the position of your teeth when fabricating a denture. The length of the teeth, the angle, how they bite the opposing teeth, the way the tongue hits them when talking all play a role in our speech. If not positioned correctly then some phonetics may cause a lisp. This is fixable and should be addressed with your dentist. The denture is usually sent back to the lab and the teeth replaced into a more favorable position.

One of the great advantages of Invisalign is the fact you can remove the aligners and have no wires when brushing and flossing your teeth. It is recommended at least 2x a year. The frequency however is dependent on your ability to keep a good oral hygiene at home. Your Dentist/Hygienist should recommend an additional cleaning per year if they feel necessary. Keep in mind you should also be cleaning your aligners. You can use your toothbrush and toothpaste to brush them as well. There are some aligner cleaning products available for purchase. Brushing your teeth and the aligners after every meal is the ideal.

Every time you loose a tooth the other ones will try to rearrange and fill the gap left. This will cause teeth to shift with no real guidance and most likely will cause you to have other issues like a bad bite (malocclusion), jaw pain, sensitive teeth, bone loss and eventually other teeth will need work or be removed. My suggestion is for you to seek professional help and find out what are your options to replace the missing tooth. Placing an implant or a bridge or a partial denture are viable options. Only your dentist will be able to decide which one is best for your case after a clinical and X-ray exam (radiographs).

This is not uncommon. Please visit your dentist again. Most likely he/she will just need to make some adjustments to your bite. Usually the sensitivity to pressure comes from one or more sites on the surface of the
filling hitting too high and causing some slight inflammation (similar to bruise) on the tooth making it very sensitive. It can be often associated with cold sensitivity as well. Worse case scenario you need to replace the
filling. In the meantime avoid hard or chewy foods. Hope you feel better soon!

Your dentist can contact your physician or OB/GYN and communicate what kind of treatment you require. The physician will then let him know what type anesthetic, medications, and procedures are okay to perform given your conditions and/or risk. Usually, emergencies like your case are dealt with removing the cause of the pain, and after delivery, you return to complete the procedure.

Usually nowadays a root canal treatment can be performed in one appointment. It will vary depending on the current condition of the tooth and your health. Sometimes when the infection is severe, a medication is placed inside the root and you return for a second or even a third appointment until the infection is under control or stable for your dentist to finalize the treatment. Usually in this case an antibiotic is given to take as well.

First check the adjacent structures like your lips, gums and other teeth to make sure no other damage occurred. Second try to find the other half to the tooth and keep it hydrated in water, milk, saline...
Seek professional help. An exam will be necessary with radiographs (X-Rays) to assess the damage. The fix can be just bond the other half back on or build the tooth back with bonded composite (tooth colored material used in filings), a porcelain veneer or even a crown. Most importantly is to test the tooth vitality to verify you won't need a root canal. Know that whenever a tooth receive trauma there is an increase chance of the tooth become darker. In this case a porcelain veneer or crown should mask the tooth color. There is also the possibility of tooth whitening. All these options to be determined by a Dentist. Hope this helps!

That's a tough questions. It varies per case. A root canal is in most cases performed to remove the pain. Sometimes you may not need any painkiller. Most dentists prescribe based on the tooth condition, diagnosis, and complexity of the root canal treatment performed. In most simple cases, some discomfort may be experienced, but only the patient's pain threshold will dictate whether they need or not any painkiller. The painkillers most commonly prescribed are NSAIDs and/or narcotics. These are to be taken usually for no longer than a week period. Your doctor will prescribe according to your specific case. Some even ask the patient to take some medications prior to the appointment.
Hope this helps!

Yes. Once their teeth erupted they are already likely to get cavities. Make an effort to create a habit of brushing morning and evening. It's not too early to take her to your dentist. The Hygienists are great in educating the parents on what to do, how and when. One major concern is when most kids are given milk before bedtime and fall asleep without brushing their teeth. This can yield a condition named "Baby Bottle Decay" where teeth get rampant decay from the sugar acting on their teeth all night long and for several nights. Their teeth get decayed fast and to a point where the dentist is most times left with no choice but to place stainless steel crowns or even extract those teeth leading to some developmental issues. Hope this helps!