What Causes TMJ Disorders? If your jaw clicks when you chew, aches when you wake up, or feels tight and sore by the end of the day, you are far from alone. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, temporomandibular disorders, often shortened to TMD or TMJ, affect an estimated 5 to 12 percent of the general …
The Real Causes of Bad Breath, and How to Fix Them
How to Get Rid of Bad Breath for Good Almost everyone has worried about their breath at some point, whether it’s before a big meeting or right after lunch. But if bad breath keeps coming back no matter how often you brush, it may be a sign of something more than just your last meal. According to the Mayo Clinic, …
Are You Too Old for Dental Implants? What Seniors Should Know
Why Dental Implants Might Matter Even More as You Age It is one of the most common reasons older adults talk themselves out of dental implants before ever scheduling a consultation: the belief that they are simply too old for the procedure. According to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, that belief is a myth. The organization does not set …
Bleeding Gums? Here’s the Difference Between Gingivitis and Periodontitis
What Increases Your Risk of Gum Disease? If you’ve ever noticed your gums bleeding when you brush, you may have wondered whether that is something to worry about. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 47 percent of American adults, about 64.7 million people, have some form of gum disease, and that number climbs to over 70 …
Your Child’s First Dental Visit: What to Expect
Building Healthy Teeth Cleaning Habits That Last a Lifetime New parents have a long list of firsts to plan for, and it is easy for “first dental visit” to slip toward the bottom. But according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, children should see a dentist within six months of their first tooth coming in, and no later than …
7 Signs You Might Need a Root Canal (and What to Expect)
What to Expect During Root Canal Treatment Tooth pain has a way of showing up at the worst possible time, and it is tempting to hope it will simply go away on its own. Unfortunately, when the pain is coming from deep inside a tooth, waiting it out is rarely the right move. According to the American Association of Endodontists, …
Back-to-School Dental Checklist: Getting Your Kids’ Smiles Ready
Six Steps to a Healthy Smile Before the First Day of School As summer winds down and Central Virginia families start shopping for backpacks and notebooks, one item is easy to overlook on the back-to-school list: a dental checkup. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. children lose an estimated 34 million school hours every year because …
What’s the Difference Between Veneers and Crowns?
Coverage, Durability & Cost: How Veneers and Crowns Compare If you are unhappy with a chipped, stained, or damaged tooth, you have probably come across two common solutions: veneers and crowns. Both can transform a smile, but they work in very different ways, and choosing the wrong one can mean paying for a treatment that does not solve your actual …
How Long Does the Dental Implant Process Actually Take? A Realistic Timeline
Dental Implant Process Timeline: From Consultation to Final Crown One of the first questions patients ask when considering dental implants is how long the entire process will take. It is a fair question, and the honest answer is that it depends on your individual situation. Some patients complete treatment in a single day, while others need several months to achieve …
What to Expect at Your First Dental Implant Consultation
Dental Implant Consultation: 7 Steps From First Visit to Treatment Plan If you are missing one or more teeth, you are far from alone. According to the American College of Prosthodontists, roughly 120 million Americans are missing at least one tooth, and more than 36 million have lost all of their natural teeth. For many of these patients, dental implants …