Dr. Paul R Brand DDS?

Dr. Paul R Brand DDS

Dentist

13 Town West Rd Plymouth NH, 03264 Show map

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About

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.

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Dr. Paul R Brand DDS

Dr. Paul R Brand DDS's Expert Contributions

My Answers

What are the disadvantages of dental bridges?
Make sure you’ve discussed replacing the tooth with an implant-supported crown before you decide to do a bridge, because the fate of the replaced tooth in the bridge is dependent on the other teeth that support it - if you develop a problem with one of the supporting teeth in the future, such as decay, it can threaten the entire bridge if it’s serious enough. READ MORE
Is it possible to have a cavity without tooth pain?
Decay rarely becomes symptomatic until the decay starts to damage the pulp (nerve), so if you don’t have a current exam and X-rays, you risk having considerable damage occur before you’re aware of it. Darkness inside the teeth can indicate significant decay but it needs to be examined to diagnose it properly. Not only does it cost a lot more to have that situation resolved, it can compromise your health by creating a nasty facial infection if the decay isn’t treated soon. Having regular visits to your dentist will prevent problems like this from becoming serious. READ MORE
Is a dry socket an infection?
If you have a dry socket, the actual diagnosis is alveolitis, which is an inflamed socket that is a borderline infection - you may or may not need antibiotics, depending on whether the risk of infection extends beyond the socket itself - you should be examined by the dentist who took the tooth out to determine if antibiotics are appropriate. READ MORE
Do dental sealants need to be reapplied?
Dental sealants are an excellent way to protect the biting surfaces of teeth where there are multiple pits and grooves which are harder to keep clean. They can last for years, but unfortunately, some patients have a tendency to lose them due to stresses of clenching and grinding or chewing on destructive things like ice or other very hard substances. We see them last anywhere from a few years to sometimes a decade in some patients. I wish they had been available when I was a child! It is a worthwhile service in the majority of patients, and I would not hesitate to place them on my child (we put them on both of our children’s teeth - they are now young adults and most of them are still in service) READ MORE
Why is my tooth discolored after treatment?
Your tooth didn't discolor because it had root canal treatment, it discolored because when the pulp (nerve chamber) dies and requires root canal therapy, the blood vessels in the pulp die, too. When all this happens, the blood in those vessels leaks out like when you get a bruise on your skin from some trauma - this darkened blood seeps into the pores of the tooth and the color "bleeds" into the entire tooth. The good news is that you can frequently whiten the tooth and reduce the darkness, as long as it's done individually, instead of whitening all your teeth at once. READ MORE
What are the natural ways to deal with tooth sensitivity?
If your sensitivity is not due to pathology (for example, a tooth that is becoming infected), you could try using toothpaste for sensitive teeth, which takes about three weeks to become noticeably effective. But otherwise, if it's possibly a tooth becoming diseased and needing a root canal, there are no natural remedies to this problem - it must be treated to go away. If you start using the TP for sensitive teeth, and the problem persists, you should see your dentist and avoid a terrible emergency when you're going through childbirth. READ MORE
What are the most visible signs and symptoms of a gum disease?
Gum disease is a big umbrella of different manifestations, but the largest number of issues stem from what is called periodontal disease - that is the disease characterized by gum inflammation and potential loss of supporting tissue and bone surrounding the teeth. It is unavoidable if someone is not getting regular professional care at a good dentist, because there is a limit to what we can remove with toothbrushing and flossing. What happens is that the soft bacterial plaque that forms every day, starts to calcify and turn into tartar which is not removable at home. It must be done by the hygienist under the auspices of the dentist, usually 2-4 times a year, depending on the patient's condition. It is possible to keep your teeth for your entire life if you combine good professional care on a regular basis with good home care (frequent brushing and daily, effective flossing). Without professional care, even good home care isn't enough to ward off problems over the long haul. READ MORE
Can a tooth abscess be seen on an X-ray?
Diagnosing an abscess is almost always dependent on both clinical signs and symptoms in addition to X-ray findings - sometimes the X-ray doesn't show absolutely definitively that there's an abscess, but there may be substantive signs/symptoms that are clearly indicative of an abscessed tooth. It frequently takes all of our diagnostic tools to be 100% accurate with a diagnosis. READ MORE
How can flossing help in maintaining the health of teeth and gums?
Yes, you've read the correct information on flossing, because brushing only reaches part of the bacterial film on the teeth known as plaque - flossing reaches the other parts that would go untouched by brushing alone. You need to have regular appts at the dentist for having a professional cleaning done, in order to remove the buildup that ISN'T removable with floss, usually every few months (3-6 typically, depending on the patient). Then, your flossing will be more effective because the surfaces aren't covered with the hardened form of plaque, or calculus, which people call tartar. READ MORE
I am a diabetic and my gums have been bleeding. Is there something to be concerned about?
You didn't say whether you were in active care with a dentist, but if you're not you should run, not walk, to get into good, regular dental care. Diabetes has a significant impact on your oral health, and periodontal (gum) disease is extremely related to keeping inflammation to a minimum by having professional care in addition to doing fastidious home care to keep disease at bay. Diabetics are able to keep their teeth for whole lives if they are disciplined about staying current with dental care and practicing good home care (really effective brushing and flossing), but those who go without dental care run the risk of progressive periodontal disease, leading to poor prognosis for oral health, which can also complicate diabetes. READ MORE
How can I stop pushing on my front teeth when I swallow?
The only reason your tongue would be a problem for your front teeth would be if you don't keep your mouth closed with lips together most of the time - when you swallow, it's normal for your tongue to posture forward during the swallow - this force is counteracted by the opposing force that the lips provide to the teeth from the front as long as you typically have your lips and mouth closed, so there's usually not any movement of the teeth forward. Do you still wear your retainers from your previous orthodontics? If not, you should have your dentist evaluate whether you should be in retainers to help preserve the alignment you had after your braces. We always recommend retainers to be worn indefinitely after orthodontics, every night to prevent relapse. READ MORE
What are the most visible signs and symptoms of a gum disease?
Since oral diseases are quite varied and can be anything from simple gingivitis to complex oral cancers, the best way to avoid unexpected problems is to keep up regular maintenance hygiene and exam appts with a good general dentist - we are trained to diagnose and treat oral conditions and diseases which can be difficult for the average person to detect. READ MORE
Skin is shedding on the inside of my mouth (my cheeks). Is this normal?
Very possible, it is your toothpaste - because it's the easiest thing to try, just switch to another toothpaste and see if the condition improves. If not, then see your dentist to have it diagnosed. READ MORE