Our experienced and friendly staff will make you feel welcomed. During your comprehensive exam, in addition to your teeth we check your tongue, lips, and cheeks for oral cancer. If you have problems with your jaw or grinding your teeth, we are able to provide information and products that can help. We also check for gum disease. Left untreated, gum disease can cause unsightly, painful, and even irreversible damage to your teeth.

At your first visit, your doctor will meet with you to review your past medical and dental history, discuss any concerns you have, and assess your personal risk factors for dental disease. Then the doctor will conduct a thorough visual examination of your teeth and gums. X-rays and any other diagnostic procedures will then be performed.

The medical term for teeth grinding is bruxism, and it can occur day or night.  Many people do not even know they grind their teeth at night until a spouse or dentist makes them aware of it.  A dentist will notice that the teeth have considerable wear, or have other damage like chips and cracks.  Other symptoms include jaw or or facial muscle pain, headaches, and sensitive teeth.

The cause of bruxism is not well understood.  Researches speculate it may be caused by a number of reasons such as stress, suppressed anger or aggression, or poor jaw alignment.  It may be an uncommon side effect of some medications, or it may be a complication of a disorder like Huntington’s or Parkinson’s disease.

The wear and tear grinding does to your teeth is a cause for concern.  In serious cases, it can lead to chronic pain or  TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders.

In many cases, no treatment is needed since it may not be bad enough to damage your teeth or cause pain.  Children typically outgrow bruxism without any treatment.  For those who do need treatment, likely therapies include stress management, dental guard or splint, and behavior therapy.

Since stress can trigger grinding or make it worse, taking steps to reduce stress and to learn strategies of coping with stress are key to ending the behavior.  Relaxation exercises and meditation practice are common remedies included in treatment.

Mouth guards are available over the counter and are the least expensive option for a dental appliance.  Another option is to get a custom fit guard made from your dentist.  These will be more comfortable, and are less likely to move or come out during night time griding.  Splints are another option and are usually made of hard acrylic.  Depending on the office, these might be made at your  dentist or they might have to be made in a laboratory and shipped back to you.

Behavior therapy is the practice of a new habit.   This will involve making a concious effort to relax your jaw, resting your tongue on the roof of your mouth with teeth apart.  Biofeedback is a helpful tool when learning this type of new behavior.  Biofeedback will connect electrical sensors to partsof your body to monitor and give you information about your body’s responses.    In this case, the sensors will be on your face, jaw, or head and will give a beep to let you know when the muscles are contracting and you need to relax them.

While bruxism is not usually a serious problem, for some it warrants some intervention to preserve healthy teeth and jaw.

Understanding what dental filling materials are available and the pros and cons  of each of those is important to making decisions about your dental health.

Cavities

Bacteria in the mouth produce acids that attack your teeth by dissolving the enamel on your teeth and causing a hole, known as a cavity.    A filling is what is put into that hole after a dentist removes the decay.

Silver and Gold
Silver fillings used to be the leading element that was put into cavities throughout North America and Canada. With the research of dentists across the globe and with the ability of silver to contain mercury there have been concerns about these types of filling.  Most dentist believe these filling to be safe base on the studies which show that silver fillings have no evidence of increased risk for birth defects or life-threatening illnesses and not a single case of mercury poisoning by a silver filling has been reported.

Amalgam Silver
Amalgam silver has a very small amount of mercury in its composition and is  harmless to humans. These  fillings are very durable and good for large cavities.    There still remains the population of people who go to the dentist who prefer not to have metals in their mouth at all. For these individuals there are plenty of composite fillings which are now some of the most popular for use in dentist offices.

Composite Materials
Composite fillings are tooth-colored materials that can be matched to an individuals natural tooth color making them nearly invisible. However, a drawback to composite fillings are that are not as last long as silver fillings and are prone to frequent leaks.

When is it time for my child’s first dental visit?

Before the age of 1, feel free to bring your child in to see us without charge.  We’ll do a brief examination, give you pointers, and demonstrate how to take care of baby’s teeth. We’ll also start to get your baby comfortable with our office for future visits.  A pleasant, comfortable first visit builds trust and helps put the child at ease during future visits.

How Can I Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Tooth decay in infants can be minimized or totally prevented by not allowing sleeping infants to breast or bottle-feed. Infants who need a bottle to comfortably fall asleep should be given a water-filled bottle or a pacifier. Our office is dedicated to fighting baby bottle tooth decay. Let us know if you notice any signs of decay or anything unusual in your child’s mouth.

A toothbrush with soft bristles and a small head, especially one designed for infants, is the best choice for infants. Brushing at least once a day, at bedtime, will help remove plaque bacteria that can lead to decay.

Can thumbsucking be harmful for my child’s teeth?

Thumb and pacifier sucking habits that go on for a long period of time can unfortunately create crowded, crooked teeth, or even bite problems. If your child is still sucking her or his thumbs or fingers when the permanent teeth arrive, we may recommend some corrective action, just as a mouth appliance. The good news is that most children stop these habits on their own.

When should my child start using toothpaste?

Go ahead and avoid fluoridated toothpaste until age 3. Earlier than that, clean your child’s teeth with water and a soft-bristled toothbrush. After age 3, parents should supervise brushing. Use no more than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and be very careful to try to make sure children do not swallow excess toothpaste.

When do the first teeth start to erupt?

At about 6 months, the two lower front teeth (central incisors) will erupt, followed shortly by the two upper central incisors. The remainder of the baby teeth appear during the next 18 to 24 months but not necessarily in an orderly sequence from front to back. At 2 to 3 years, all of these 20 primary teeth should be present.

How can I help my child through the teething stage?

Sore gums when teeth erupt are part of the normal eruption process. The discomfort is eased for some children by use of a teething biscuit, a piece of toast or a frozen teething ring. Your pharmacy should also have medications that can be rubbed on the gums to reduce the discomfort.

If my child gets a cavity in a baby tooth, should it still be filled?

Primary, or “baby,” teeth are important for many reasons. Not only do they help children speak clearly and chew naturally, they also aid in forming a path that permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to erupt. Some of them are necessary until a child is 12 years old or longer. Pain, infection of the gums and jaws, impairment of general health and premature loss of teeth are just a few of the problems that can happen when baby teeth are neglected. Also, because tooth decay is really an infection and will spread, decay on baby teeth can cause decay on permanent teeth. Proper care of baby teeth is instrumental in enhancing the health of the your child.

A wide variety of cosmetic options are available from your Rochester MN dentist.   If you live in Rochester MN and have you thought “Could my smile be brighter?”, or “Can I possibly  get my discolored (or misshaped or chipped or crooked) teeth to look good?” you may be looking for a cosmetic dentist.

Thanks to the wonders of modern cosmetic dentistry, the answer is very likely to be a resounding YES and the bonus is it’s  surprisingly affordable.

You may be able to spruce your smile up with one  of the vast array of cosmetic dental procedures available these days.

• Bleaching lightens teeth that have been stained or discolored by food and age, or darkened as a result of injury. There are two ways to professionally bleach teeth. Your dentist can apply a bleaching solution to one or more of your teeth per visit, over the course of several appointments. Or you can be fitted with a custom-made bleaching tray that you wear for a couple of hours every night at home under a dentist’s guidance. This process can take anywhere from one to six weeks.

• Orthodontic treatment, such as less visible and more effective brackets and wires, now make straightening crooked teeth more palatable for many adults. How long you’ll have to wear them depends on the severity of your problem, the health of your teeth, gums and supporting bone, and your age.
• Bonding involves applying a tooth-colored plastic putty called composite resin to the surface of your chipped, broken or discolored teeth. The composite resin can also fill in gaps between your teeth and protect roots that are exposed due to gum recession. The entire procedure is virtually painless and is usually completed in one visit. However, complex cases may require several appointments.
• Porcelain veneers are thin, custom-made, tooth-colored shells that cover the front of your teeth. Once applied, they correct or camouflage misaligned, poorly shaped, damaged, or discolored teeth. The process of applying veneers usually involves two visits to your dentist.
• Enamel shaping or cosmetic recontouring is a procedure for teeth which are a bit overcrowded or uneven.   For instance, if one of your teeth looks much longer than the rest, some enamel can be removed and your tooth can be reshaped. The process is usually quick and painless.
• Dental implants are artificial teeth that are attached directly into your jaw and can be used to replace a lost or broken tooth.  They’re much more secure and natural looking than dentures or bridgework, but they can be expensive and the entire process can be quite lengthy.

If you’re feeling somewhat self-conscious about your teeth, talk to your Rochester MN dentist about these cosmetic dentistry options.

Did you know that close to 70% of adults have some form of gum disease and most people don’t even know they have it.  Consequences of gum disease are serious, but it can be prevented and even reversed.

Early stage gum disease is called gingivitis and is fairly common.  The symptoms of the  first stage is usually include swelling,  tenderness, and  bleeding of  the gums.  Only the gums are involved at this stage, but left unchecked the tissues surrounding them begin break down.

The more serious classification of gum diseaseis called periodontitis.  This   involves the attachment fibers and the supporting bone that holds the teeth in the mouth in addition to the soft gum tissue.   Studies have linked it to heart disease, stroke and complications of pregnancy as well as tooth and bone loss.
According to a recent study, almost 30% of the population may be genetically susceptible to gum disease.  There are also some harmful habits that facilitate the accumulation of tartar. Those include smoking, excessive drinking of hard alcohol, and using some per-oral drugs etc.
Smokers are at least twice as likely to get some kind of gum disease.
Teenagers, pregnant women and women in menopause are at a higher risk
as well. There are many other conditions that can contribute to this
illness, such as high exposure to metals, radiation, poorly fitted fillings.
So even when your dental hygenien habits are good, seeing your dentist is the only way to remove the tartar buildup.

Bacteria in your mouth feed on left over food particles.  The bacteria leave behind an acid by-product which can destroys tooth enamel and contributes to cavities. The left over food and bacteria make a soft and sticky substance called plaque.  Plaque can be removed by daily brushing and flossing.

In the case of poor brushing, the left over food and bacteria can harden and become tartar.  This can no longer be removed by brushing and a trip to the dental hygenist is the only way to take care of it.

If not removed, the plaque leads to gum disease and cavities.  Even very small amounts of tartar can be a real problem to your gums.  The tartar, or calculus, that forms below the gum line causes pockets to form.   These pockets can continue to grow and infection can spread into surrounding tissues until they destabaiize the structure that holds your tooth in place.

Since you can’t see the calculus below the gum line, visiting your dentist is very important even when you think your teeth look great.  Treatment such
as scaling and root planing involve the removal of the irritants and
bacterial deposits that have built up above and below the gum line
in the periodontal pockets. Scaling and root planing is done in two
to four visits, most of the time.
Dental professionals measure periodontal disease using a tool called
a periodontal probe. Eventual tooth loss is likely over the years in
patients with disease who have pockets 5 mm or deeper around their
teeth.   If your dental visits do not include a regular measurement and
recording process you should ask for it or switch dental providers.

Yes is our short answer.  Use one, either will clean your teeth and gums if used properly.  But I bet you weren’t looking for a yes/no answer

The manual classic toothbrush still works great and is the least expensive, most accessible tool available to improve your dental health.   It generally provides the most gentle and least pressure to cleaning leaving your tooth enamel unharmed.

On the other hand, many people do not use the correct circular or sweeping motion required with a manual toothbrush for the most effective cleaning.  An electric toothbrush with rotating-oscillating bristles will out perform manual cleaning in many cases.  People with arthritis and other manual dexterity problems are recommended to use an electric toothbrush.

More important than the type of toothbrush you use, is the frequency and the amount of time you spend brushing your teeth.  So in the spirit of Nike  – Just Do It.