What are dental implants? Dental implants are small titanium posts that replace the roots of missing teeth (View Example). They are inserted into your jawbone during a minor surgical procedure that takes place in the dental office. After the implant has been placed in your jawbone, a completely lifelike

If you have never had a cavity, congratulations! If you have had one, you are not alone. About 78% of us have had at least one cavity by the time we reach age 17, according to a 2000 report by the U.S. Surgeon General. Fortunately there's a time-tested treatment for cavities: the dental filling. Fillings

When you think of dentures, you may picture a full set of upper and lower teeth, complete with pink gums... sitting in a glass full of water on the bedside table. But did you know that the word “dentures” is actually used to refer to several different types of prosthetic teeth? For example, there's

Fluoride is a mineral that is naturally present to some degree in both fresh and salt water sources. Its major dental benefit is that it is readily incorporated into the teeth's mineral structure, thereby making them stronger and more decay-resistant. Fluoride can even reverse tiny cavities that are

Fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral, is essential for proper tooth development and the prevention of tooth decay. In communities throughout the United States, tooth decay may still be a significant problem — but it is far less prevalent than it would have been, if not for the fluoridation of public

Geographic tongue is characterized by harmless lesions, or patches, that can suddenly materialize on the tongue's top surface. The condition gets its name from the physical appearance of the lesions, which resemble smooth, red islands, possibly rimmed with white. Their smoothness comes from the absence

If gum recession is affecting your health or your appearance, a procedure called gingival (gum) grafting may be recommended. Although it might sound scary, a variety of gum grafting procedures are routinely performed by periodontists (specialists in the area of gingival tissue), and by some general dentists

Some people feel self-conscious about smiling because they believe their gums are too prominent. Though we each have our own definition of what makes a smile beautiful — including how much gum is too much — a smile will usually be perceived as “gummy” when 4 millimeters (just over an eighth of

People don't generally think of a dentist as the healthcare professional to see for recurring headaches or migraines; yet dentists can play a role in diagnosing and even treating your condition. That's because quite often, recurring pain that is felt in the area of the temples on the sides of the head

Dental implants, which are made of a biocompatible titanium alloy, serve as substitutes for the roots of missing teeth. They are not visible because, just like natural tooth roots, they lie beneath the gum line. Only the lifelike dental crowns that are attached to them are visible to you or anyone else.

If you're like most people, you probably learned how to brush as a child… and chances are, you haven't thought about it much since then. That's understandable — but there may come a point when we find our oral hygiene techniques could use improvement. Here are a few tips on the proper way to brush

You always brush twice a day, avoid sugary snacks between meals, and go to the dentist regularly. Do you still have to floss your teeth? The short answer: Yes, at least once a day. Flossing is probably your single most important weapon against plaque, the clingy bacterial biofilm that sticks to the

Preserving natural teeth is a major goal of modern dentistry. But when a tooth is not salvageable and needs to be removed, it is now possible in many cases to replace it immediately with a dental implant. A dental implant is a small titanium post that substitutes for the root part of a natural tooth.

If you have lost teeth, replacing them with dental implants sooner rather than later is highly advisable. Replacing your teeth will enable you to eat the foods you love, speak with ease, and smile with confidence. Here is another important consideration: If you don't replace your teeth, you will start

What do you think of when you hear the word “dentures?” Is it a set of removable teeth that sits in a glass when not in use? That type of removable denture does still exist, but these days there's a far better alternative: Implant-supported fixed dentures. An implant-supported fixed denture is

Many individuals who have no teeth in one or both jaws find removable dentures an economical way to restore their smiles. Yet dentures are not always so easy to wear. Sometimes they slip when you try to eat or speak. It happens more often with a lower denture, which can easily become dislodged by the