Tips for longer life of your new dental restorations

Now you are home from the dentist and the freezing is out. You keep looking in the mirror and seeing your new smile. Your tongue doesn't quite recognize the change just yet. Don't expect your newly restored teeth to quickly feel like they have been there all your life. Give them a chance. Your tongue, cheeks, lips and brain need time to adjust to a new situation. It generally takes a week or two. This is especially true if you have had a drastic change, such as closing large spaces. Remember the way it felt as a child to lose a tooth and how your tongue kept creeping over to feel the gap or even when the new tooth started to erupt. Relax and get you mind off your mouth! You can become accustomed to almost anything new.

Are teeth that contain fillings matched with other teeth so they are unnoticed?

Tooth-coloured front fillings may have matched beautifully when they were put in, but they usually only look good for three to five years. Certain foods stain but especially coffee, tea and smoking, cause the fillings to discolour and may require more professional cleaning or more frequent replacement. Later, crowning may be necessary to not only restore, but change the shapes of your teeth for a more attractive smile.

How to Save a Knocked-out Tooth

The handy reference of steps to be taken when you lose a tooth is outlined below by the American Association of Endodontists.

1. Pick up the tooth gently, being extra careful to handle it by its crown and not by its roots.

2. Gently remove any debris from the tooth. Look for fractures in the roots. If there are none, carefully replace it in its socket, or keep the tooth moist in a cup of water or glass of milk, or if no water or milk is available, place the tooth in the mouth next to the cheek.

3. Do not attempt to clean the tooth with hard scrubbing or cleaning agents. You could destroy vital nerve tissue.

4. See a dentist immediately, preferably within thirty minutes of the accident.

Are new crowns better?

If you've been avoiding having your teeth crowned because you don't like the little metal line that sometimes shows at the gum line - there is good news! Dentists now are able to use "state of the art" "no metal" crowns. These all porcelain crowns can be very natural and kind to the gum tissue. The dentist and assistant will want to match the surrounding teeth to make it look the most natural. The key is to find a dentist who is skilled and works with a well trained lab. This will mean the difference between a "chiclet" crown and a blended, natural crown.