Dr. Fred Stalley, D.D.S.

Oh,Please do not even think of BRACES in this day and age. Braces are archaic, tortious, barbaric, and can cause permanent damage to the roots of your teeth. They are not cosmetic, and uncomfortable in your mouth. When compared to invisalign the treatment time is more, and they are more costly. Invisalign has come a long way in the last 10+ years. They can treat almost every orthodontic problem, are more comfortable to wear, and are cosmetic-- people don't even know you are wearing them. Invisalign wins hands down over braces.

Dentures themselves do not change your face shape. they can actually help maintain the shape of your face. They help correct the natural biologic phenomena that happens to everyone who loses a tooth but especially to those who lose all of their teeth. When a tooth is lost, the jaw bone collapses. If you lose all of your teeth the face caves in because the bone shrinks - the jaw becomes thinner and therefore the face appears to have collapsed as well. Dentures can restore what is lost so the appearance of your face is preserved.

Do you find that you are grinding your teeth? Has someone told you they can hear you grinding your teeth. If the answer is yes, then you should have a custom night guard made. Also if you wake up with sore teeth or jaw muscles then most likely you are grinding your teeth and you would need a night guard.

There are two main ways your root canned tooth could get infected. First if the tooth does not have a filling or a crown covering up the root canal procedure, then the bacteria can re-enter your tooth and eventurally cause an infection athe the end of the root. Second, unlike our simple idea of a root canal, the nerve inside your tooth is not just one long nerve inside each root. It has many branches that even the best technology of today cannot be discoverd. Given this fact, we try to remove all of the nerve tissue inside the root canal and stop up the canal with rubber much like a cork stops up a bottle. The trick here is the removal of all of the nerve tissue inside the root. If any is left behind then it can decompose into pus and this bacteria can go out the end of the root and cause a mostly unknown and undetected infection until it is discovered by an xray or thru the eventual pain you will eventually have. The more experienced the dentist has and with the use of technology, the more likely all of the nerve tissue will be removed to the extent you will not get your root canaled tooth infected.

GET IT FIXED BEFORE IT: 1. BREAKS MORE BEYOND SAVING IT, 2. GET'S THE NERVE INVOLVED COSTING YOU EVEN MORE MONEY FOR A ROOT CANAL PROCEDURE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.
By fixed, I mean -- get it crowned to help hold the tooth together. and prevent decay getting to the nerve of your tooth.

Here is the simple long term answer. First get all the stains professional removed by a dental hygienist. Second, Have your dentist make a "PerioProtect" tray ( google it). Then use it daily. Now you can smoke or drink coffee and your teeth will not become stained. There are other added benefits to "PerioProtect" First it is designed to push low concentration of Hydrogen Perioxide ( a natural chemical your body makes) under your gums to get your gums remarkably healthy and prevent the bacteria under your gums from spreading throughout your body causing know systemic problems. Second the continued use of "PerioProtect" will BLEACH your teeth preventing them from ever being stained thru coffee,tea, smoke etc. Third, you will have the most beautiful white smile. PerioProtect is the best invention I have seen in my 40+ years as a dentist!

Go see a dentist.

The simple answer is NO! It will only get worse and cost more money in the long run ---- if at that time someone can still save the tooth from being removed.

Yes, extremely safe. However, if you are still concerned, --- then seek out a dentist that uses a laser called Solea. This is the only laser on the market that can CUT TEETH AND GUMS WITHOUT THE NEED FOR DENTAL ANESTHESIA. It is ideal for children.

Normally, fillings do not fall out, especially the newer tooth colored fillings. Normally a filling is placed and bonded inside a hole, which is the result of removing decay inside a tooth. Those fillings last the longest. However, because this material is cosmetically similar in color to teeth, it is used in areas that typically we have never placed fillings before. For example, we use the material to layer on the outside of a tooth to change the color of the tooth, as well as repair the edges of your front teeth. There is nothing holding this filling in place other than the strength of the bond between the tooth enamel and the filling material. Therefore, these fillings can chip or break off when the tooth flexes or pressure is applied to the edge. A similar situation also happens to fillings that are bonded to the root of teeth to cover recession or decay, only these fillings are notorious for debonding. Why? They de-bond because the bond strength to the root is 5 times less that the bond strength to the enamel of the tooth.

Yes, Advil is one of three over-the-counter pain medications that is very effective for minor to moderate dental tooth pain. The others are extra strength Tylenol and Ibuprofen. Studies have shown the most effective regime would be alternating between extra strength Tylenol (500mg) and ibuprofen(400mg, i.e., 2x200mg tablets). However, do not exceed the maximin daily dose of 4 g of Tylenol and 3.2 g of ibuprofen a day. Therefore, alternating (i.e., not taking both pills together) every 2 hours between Tylenol and Ibuprofen would be less than the daily maximum for either drug. This dosage is for adults. As with any drug, there are contraindications and warnings. People with liver, kidney, asthma, and bleeding problems should not follow these recommendations. The best course of action is to always see your dentist as soon as possible to alleviate the cause of your discomfort and pain.