If you deal with regular heartburn or acid reflux, you are probably focused on the discomfort in your chest and throat. What often gets overlooked is what that stomach acid is doing to your teeth every time it makes its way up into your mouth. At Forest Smiles in Forest, Virginia, Dr. Shane Claiborne, Dr. Emma Schmidt, and Dr. Maysa …
How to Treat (and Prevent) Canker Sores
If you have ever bitten the inside of your cheek and then noticed a small, painful sore show up a day or two later, you have likely experienced a canker sore. These small mouth ulcers are common and usually harmless, but they can make eating, talking, and even brushing your teeth uncomfortable until they heal. At Forest Smiles in Forest, …
Dental Crowns: What You Need to Know
If your dentist has recommended a crown, it is natural to have questions before moving forward. How long will it actually last? Will the procedure hurt? Is it the same thing as a cap? Below, we answer the questions patients ask most about dental crowns, using guidance from the Cleveland Clinic. At Forest Smiles in Forest, Virginia, Dr. Shane Claiborne, …
Teeth Whitening: Frequently Asked Questions
A brighter smile is one of the most requested changes in cosmetic dentistry, but it also comes with a lot of questions. Is it safe? Will it hurt? Why do some whitening treatments seem to work better than others? Below, we answer the questions patients ask most, using guidance from the American Dental Association and the Cleveland Clinic. At Forest …
TMJ Disorders Explained: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
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 …
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 …
Dental Implants: What’s the Real 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 …