TEETH GRINDING (BRUXISM) CAN GIVE YOU A HEADACHE...

Does your wife or partner complain, every morning, about your teeth grinding or teeth clenching keeping her awake? The very fact that your wife complained about it keeping her awake made you aware about your habit. It is always the person sleeping at the side of you who will be able to tell you. This habit of grinding and clenching the teeth is known as bruxism.

Here, people with irregular or infrequent bruxism do not get affected as much. It does not really show the damage done to the jaws and teeth. It is those who are habitual grinders who get affected. In severe cases it can also damage one's jaw or hearing.

The question arises as to how would one know if he or she grinds or clenches their teeth (as not everyone has a wife or partner)? If detected how bruxism can be treated? It has been studied that some people make a noise when grinding their teeth thus making it detectable while some do not make a single sound making it hard to detect.

There are two ways one can know if they have bruxism, first is when your partner complains about it and second is when after a night's sleep you get up with an ache in your jaws or a slight, persistent headache. Whatever the case, a checkup by the dentist is pertinent.

Consequences of teeth grinding or clenching:

there are many outcomes to teeth grinding two of which are mentioned above:

* Severe toothache
* Sensitive to biting food
* Sensitive to hot or cold food
* In advanced cases the teeth can break or result in fractures
* Tooth loss

Precaution and treatment:

People visitng the dentist usually complain of severe toothache. To stop this toothache the very habit has to be put to an end. Otherwise there are other factors that could cause it and have to be contained:

* Lower stress and relax daily
* Reduce alcohol comsumption and intake of caffeine
* If grinding becomes a problem at night ask your dentist to recommend a nightguard
* If your dentist says it is caused becaue of irregular bite, he would suggest teeth alignment.

Veneers....

In dentistry, a veneer is a thin layer of restorative material placed over a tooth surface, either to improve the aesthetics of a tooth, or to protect a damaged tooth surface. There are two main types of material used to fabricate a veneer, composite and dental porcelain. A composite veneer may be directly placed (built-up in the mouth), or indirectly fabricated by a dental technician in a dental laboratory, and later bonded to the tooth, typically using a resin cement such as Panavia. In contrast, a porcelain veneer may only be indirectly fabricated.

HISTORY...

Veneers were invented by a California dentist name Charles Pincus. At the time, they fell off in a very short time as they were held on by denture adhesive. They were however, useful for temporarily changing the appearance of actors' teeth.

Research started in 1982 by Somonsen and Calamia revealed that porcelain could be etched with hydrofluoric acid and bond strengths could be achieved between composite resins and porcelain that were predicted to be able to hold porcelain veneers on to the surface of a tooth permanently. This was confirmed by Calamia in an article describing a technique for fabrication and placement of Etched Bonded Porcelain Veneers using a refractory model technique and Horn describing a platinum foil technique for veneer fabrication. Additional articles have proven the long-term reliability of this technique.

Today, with improved cements and bonding agents, they typically last 10-30years. They may have to be replaced in this time. The cost of veneers can vary depending on the experience and location of the dentist. In the US, costs range anywhere from $1,000 a tooth upwards to $2,500 a tooth as of 2009. Porcelain veneers are said to be somewhat more durable and less likely to stain than veneers made of composite.

INDICATIONS...

Veneers are an important tool for the cosmetic dentist. A dentist may use one veneer to restore a single tooth that may have been fractured or discolored, or multiple teeth to create a "Hollywood" type of makeover. Many people have small teeth resulting in spaces that may not be easily closed by orthodontics. Some people have worn away the edges of their teeth resulting in a prematurely aged appearance, while others may have malpositioned teeth that appear crooked. Multiple veneers can close these spaces, lengthen teeth that have been shortened by wear, provide a uniform color, shape and symmetry and make the teeth appear straight.

ALTERNATIVES...

In the past, the only way to correct dental imperfections was to cover the tooth with a crown. Today, in most cases there are several alternatives: crown, composite resin bonding or porcelain veneer or even cosmetic contouring or orthodontics.

SOME DENTAL PROBLEMS ARE EASY TO SEE!

One of the easiest problems to spot is a build-up of plaque. Plaque is the soft, sticky layer of bacteria which is constantly forming on the teeth. Usually it is invisible to the naked eye, but when a person is not brushing adequately, it can build up to where it appears to be a thick whitish coating on the teeth at the gum line. If not removed, it can lead to gum disease.

Another potential problem which is easy to spot is missing teeth. Many patients assume that if they are still able to eat, they are O.K.

But very often losing just one tooth can lead to the loss of support. Teeth begin to drift into the empty space causing a change in the bite. It also forces the remaing teeth to carry an additional load, sometimes past their ability to adapt. In most cases when even one tooth is lost, the remaing teeth suffer and are more likely to be lost as well.

Our focus is in the treatment of problems such as these. Call our office for the care you need.

DENTISTS MAY SAVE NOT JUST YOUR TEETH BUT YOUR LIFE!

It is well known that oral cancer is strongly associated with tobacco and alcohol consumption, together responsible for about 75% of oral cancer in the western world. As well, 90% of oral cancers occur in people over 45 years of age.

Dentists can, and do, play a major role in early detection of this fatal disease given the potential to serve as frontline advocates. Regular dental care can strongly influence the early diagnosis of oral cancer in its infancy.

Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world and is a devastating disease with terrible disfiguring consequences to the individual. Approximately 3,200 new oral cancers and 1,050 deaths from oral cancer are estimated to occur each year in Canada.

Dentists and Dental Hygienists routinely spot signs of cancer including lymphoma, leukemia, diabetes, Crohn's disease, gastrointestinal problems and heart disease along with a variety of rare skin and autoimmune disease in it's early stage.

The symptoms of lip and oral cancer are:

* A sore on the lip or in the mouth that doesn't heal
* A lump on the lip or in the mouth or throat
* A white or red patch on the gums, tongue or lining of the mouth
* Unusual bleeding, pain or numbness in the mouth
* Pain or difficulty swallowing or chewing
* Swelling of the jaw
* Pain in the ear
* Change in fit of dentures

A dentist or hygienist will be aware of any changes that are occuring in your body and are reacting in your mouth and because the mouth is so full of blood vessels and nerve endings, medical conditions can be seen by colour changes, small sores and change in the saliva.

If more people realized the consequences of not taking care of their teeth and gums, they would be calling the dentist tomorrow.

Periodontal disease - silent and deadly...

Periodontal disease can go on for years without pain and without detection unless specific examination procedures are performed. Visual oral examination by itself (even by a dentist) will not reliably detect periodontal disease until it has reached an advanced stage.

Early detection and adequate diagnosis require measurement of pockets (the crevice between the tooth and gum) with a periodontal probe. Effective prevention and treatment is available, but the damage caused as the disease progresses is irreversible.

Early detection and treatment is critical to prevent tooth loss and disfigurement. Although the procedure is simple, painless and requires only a few minutes, millions of adults have never had it done.

Signs of periodontal disease - bleeding gums, redness of gum tissue, swelling of gums around the teeth, breath odor, receding gums and mobility of teeth.