What is a decayed tooth?
A decayed tooth is a tooth infected with microorganisms, which causes loss of minerals from the tooth structure and consequently causes a lot of pain at a later stage.
What is root canal treatment?
A tooth has a crown, which is seen from outside, and a root, which is embedded inside the bone. When the infection from the crown of the tooth reaches the root it causes inflammation at the root tip. In order to remove the infection from the root tip, root canal treatment is done. A hole is made in the crown of the tooth and various chemicals are passed till the root tip, to clean the infection. Then the root is filled with a special filling material and a filling is done on the top.
Why do my gums bleed?
Due to improper oral hygiene, lot of food accumulation takes place between the gums and the teeth. These irritate the gums and cause inflammation in that region, which leads to bleeding. Professional cleaning, followed by proper oral hygiene will avoid gum bleeding.
Why do my teeth get stained?
Stains can either be Extrinsic or Intrinsic. Common causes for extrinsic stains are smoking, tobacco chewing, pan chewing, excessive consumption of beverages like tea and coffee and many more. All these stains can be easily removed by professional cleaning done by a dentist. Tetracycline stains are a common example for intrinsic stains which are relatively difficult to remove.
When should a tooth be removed?
Dentistry has become so advanced that tooth removal is relatively done less in today’s dental practice. There are various procedures by which a natural tooth can be still retained in the oral cavity. Only In cases where tooth is extremely mobile & has lost its support it is removed. Otherwise tooth is removed in orthodontic treatment in order to create space for aligning the other teeth in the mouth and may also removed before any radiotherapy to the jaws in case of malignancies.
What is an orthodontic treatment? When should this be done?
Orthodontic treatment is done to align the teeth in a proper form, which improves the facial appearance and helps to maintain good oral hygiene. It is best to do it at an early age but now due to advances in dentistry it can be done at any age if the tooth support is strong.
What is a tooth crown or a cap? When is it done?
A tooth crown is a prosthesis which covers the entire tooth visible in the mouth. It is made of various materials like metal or ceramic. It is done in various cases like a tooth having multiple carious surfaces, to strengthen the tooth after doing root canal treatment and sometimes even for cosmetic purposes.
What is the difference between Scaling and Bleaching?
Scaling, which is done by the Dentist is the regular removal of stains and tartar from the tooth surface. Bleaching otherwise known as tooth whitening is a procedure done to improve the whiteness of the teeth and make it look better cosmetically.
What is the difference between a removable and fixed denture?
A removable denture is a prosthesis which replaces the missing teeth and which the patient is able to remove it and put it back into the mouth on his own. Though it is the most economical way of replacing the missing teeth, many find it bulky and uncomfortable. A fixed denture is a prosthesis which replaces missing teeth and is fixed inside the mouth using the support of adjacent teeth so that it cannot be removed by the patient and behaves like the natural teeth.
What are the recent advancements in dentistry?
This is indeed an era of remarkable advances in all medical fields. In dentistry Dental implants and Tooth Tattooing are few of the recent advances practiced widely today. Dental implants are used for replacing the missing tooth. Here a metal piece is placed into the jaw bone, surgically and the tooth is processed over it. Dental tattooing is done for cosmetic purposes where glittering stones are attached on the surface of the teeth which gives a sparkling smile.