EXPERT
Dr. Paul R. Brand, DDS
Dentist
Dr. Paul Brand is a Dentist practicing in Plymouth, NH. Dr. Brand specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating diseases and conditions associated with the mouth and overall dental health. Dentists are trained to carry out such treatment as professional cleaning, restorative, prosthodontic, and endodontic procedures, and performing examinations, among many others.
Dr. Paul R. Brand, DDS
- Plymouth, NH
- Accepting new patients
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How many times a day should I clean my dentures?
It's wise to clean them like you would your natural teeth, after meals, snacks, and at bedtime. Although you can no longer get decay or gum disease, the cleaner your dentures are, READ MORE
It's wise to clean them like you would your natural teeth, after meals, snacks, and at bedtime. Although you can no longer get decay or gum disease, the cleaner your dentures are, the less likely you'll get things like oral fungal infections, etc. Another thing to consider is leaving your dentures out at night to allow all the tissues in your mouth to recover from the pressure of the denture.
What kind of anesthesia is used for a root canal?
One of the strongest local anesthetics, articaine, is what a lot of us use to maximize comfort.
What is the treatment for gingivitis?
Gingivitis is treated every day by having a thorough prophylaxis (dental cleaning) and then doing a thorough flossing every day with brushing 2-3X/day. The flossing is critical READ MORE
Gingivitis is treated every day by having a thorough prophylaxis (dental cleaning) and then doing a thorough flossing every day with brushing 2-3X/day. The flossing is critical because brushing only cleans 60% of the teeth and whats in between and below the gum line is what causes the inflammation there called gingivitis. Make sure you go in regularly for the dental cleaning and exam because some of the soft plaque turns into hard tartar after awhile.
What causes sore gums under dentures?
Soreness under the denture base is usually from the lack of full support of the soft and hard tissues of the jaws. If it's an older denture, the bone, and gums "remodel", a natural READ MORE
Soreness under the denture base is usually from the lack of full support of the soft and hard tissues of the jaws. If it's an older denture, the bone, and gums "remodel", a natural process that happens after a period of time with the denture in place. It can sometimes be relined to create a surface that better fits with the mouth, or if it's really old, it may need to be replaced. There is a process dentists use to check the current fit of your denture, using a white paste that shows where the jaws have receded from the denture. Have your dentist do this procedure to check the fit and go from there.
Brackets
You didn't say whether it was taking you a long time to eat since your brackets went on, but you should take whatever time you need to eat comfortably and safely. If you're at READ MORE
You didn't say whether it was taking you a long time to eat since your brackets went on, but you should take whatever time you need to eat comfortably and safely. If you're at work and trying to eat quickly, then that's another issue, so there's that. Hopefully, you got some ortho wax to put over your brackets to protect your soft tissue until your mouth gets used to things - if not, it is available at drug stores, etc, and is really helpful if you're not already using it.
cold sores
Although it is possible to contract oral herpes by kissing or sharing a vape, the fact that your friend displayed no symptoms at the time means that your risk is relatively small. READ MORE
Although it is possible to contract oral herpes by kissing or sharing a vape, the fact that your friend displayed no symptoms at the time means that your risk is relatively small. There typically needs to be an active lesion for the virus to be spread. My wife grew up being kissed by her parents who periodically had cold sores and she never contracted it, so you can likely relax now.
How long is your mouth sore after getting dental implants?
The soreness from the surgical placement of dental implants is actually very limited, compared to the soreness of a tooth extraction or other surgical procedure. Most of my patients READ MORE
The soreness from the surgical placement of dental implants is actually very limited, compared to the soreness of a tooth extraction or other surgical procedure. Most of my patients reported that it was quite minor and my experience personally was also minimal with regard to pain.
Is Invisalign effective for crowded teeth?
Yes, Invisalign is very effective for aligning crowded teeth, but make sure you have good supervision with a highly qualified dentist monitoring and doing appropriate treatment READ MORE
Yes, Invisalign is very effective for aligning crowded teeth, but make sure you have good supervision with a highly qualified dentist monitoring and doing appropriate treatment to assist the aligner therapy. It works less well without that.
Can you get 3 implants at the same time?
The answer depends on the condition of the bone that will support the implants - if there is sufficient, good-quality bone present there is no reason not to place 3 implants at READ MORE
The answer depends on the condition of the bone that will support the implants - if there is sufficient, good-quality bone present there is no reason not to place 3 implants at the same time. Your practitioner can more effectively answer this, tho, and I would rely on that answer because it is he/she who makes that determination.
Do they take X-rays for cavities?
It's typically the other way around, in that we usually diagnose decay from the X-rays. The only other situation is when the decay is observed without the Xrays, in which case READ MORE
It's typically the other way around, in that we usually diagnose decay from the X-rays. The only other situation is when the decay is observed without the Xrays, in which case Xrays SHOULD be taken so it can be determined how extensive the decay is and whether it will be more complicated to restore without running into pulp/nerve damage, which complicates the process and makes it more difficult (as well as making it more costly).
Can a crown cause gum pain?
If you just had the crown procedure done yesterday, your gums could be sore from part of the process that involves packing a cord into the gum crevice to accomplish a good impression. READ MORE
If you just had the crown procedure done yesterday, your gums could be sore from part of the process that involves packing a cord into the gum crevice to accomplish a good impression. Use some warm salt water rinse 3x/day and take NSAIDS (Ibuprofen, naproxen, etc) to reduce the temporary inflammation and soreness. It should feel better in a few days or contact your dentist if it doesn't.
Is it painful to have a dental bridge removed?
Whether it's painful to have a dental bridge removed falls into the category of "depends" - if you trust your dentist (if you don't you should be finding another one) they will READ MORE
Whether it's painful to have a dental bridge removed falls into the category of "depends" - if you trust your dentist (if you don't you should be finding another one) they will typically use a local anesthetic if the removal could be uncomfortable.
Can you use mouthwash with Invisalign?
Yes, you can use mouthwash with Invisalign - just make sure you’re also effectively cleaning your teeth with good brushing and flossing.
What are the disadvantages of Invisalign?
The disadvantage of Invisalign is mainly that it's revocable, so the success of treatment depends a lot on the patient. Removable is also an advantage of Invisalign, though, because READ MORE
The disadvantage of Invisalign is mainly that it's revocable, so the success of treatment depends a lot on the patient. Removable is also an advantage of Invisalign, though, because you can clean your teeth normally before you put the aligners back in place. Fixed ortho (braces) are significantly problematic as far as cleaning your teeth because of this fact. Invisalign works great unless you aren't disciplined enough to wear them 22 hours a day.
What are the most natural looking dentures?
Since every denture has the possibility of being different (or "natural"), it's completely dependent on the dentist and lab technician. The most natural dentures we ever made for READ MORE
Since every denture has the possibility of being different (or "natural"), it's completely dependent on the dentist and lab technician. The most natural dentures we ever made for a patient were dentures that didn't have perfectly aligned teeth. Having said that, there are a lot of patients who express the desire to have a natural-looking denture, but when that option was presented, many patients declined and opted for the perfectly-aligned denture (I've never had perfect teeth before so now's my chance"). Figure out what you want and make sure your dentist provides you with what's called the "try-in" appt for your denture, where you get to view the set up when it's been waxed-in and not processed in acrylic yet. That allows any changes to be made easily, whereas changes after the dentures are processed, require a total remake of the denture.
Is floss with fluoride good?
Floss with fluoride is fine, just make sure you floss every day thoroughly, up and down the surface of the tooth after you get through the contact (the tight area between teeth). READ MORE
Floss with fluoride is fine, just make sure you floss every day thoroughly, up and down the surface of the tooth after you get through the contact (the tight area between teeth). Having fluoride is certainly helpful, but it's not the end-all, just flossing effectively every day is the best.
Can a dentist fill gaps between front teeth?
Yes, gaps in front teeth can certainly be filled by using composite bonding as long as the gap isn't so large that filling it would make your two front teeth huge. Ask your dentist READ MORE
Yes, gaps in front teeth can certainly be filled by using composite bonding as long as the gap isn't so large that filling it would make your two front teeth huge. Ask your dentist about your situation because each case can be different.
How long do fillings last on baby teeth?
It’s not typical to have to replace fillings on primary teeth but it does happen, especially if the child is a grinder or the bite arrangement is challenging. Normally they would READ MORE
It’s not typical to have to replace fillings on primary teeth but it does happen, especially if the child is a grinder or the bite arrangement is challenging. Normally they would last as long as the rest of the time til permanent teeth come in.
How many mm of gum recession is normal?
You didn't say how old you are, but age typically affects the level of gum attachment, as do other things such as bruxism (tooth grinding), occlusion (the arrangement of your teeth). READ MORE
You didn't say how old you are, but age typically affects the level of gum attachment, as do other things such as bruxism (tooth grinding), occlusion (the arrangement of your teeth). 3mm of recession isn't terrible as long as it's stable and any factors influencing it are addressed.
Is a root canal necessary before the dental bridge?
There are too many variables to answer this question without more information, but generally, a root canal is done because the pulp (where the blood supply and nerves are) is not READ MORE
There are too many variables to answer this question without more information, but generally, a root canal is done because the pulp (where the blood supply and nerves are) is not healthy or is infected. The process of doing a fixed bridge alone is not an indication for a root canal.
