Has it been a few years since you’ve seen a dentist? It’s OK. Really! Going to the dentist, no matter how long it’s been since your last checkup, should never be a discomforting or unnerving experience. My dental office in Buckhead will make sure you feel comfortable and at home from the moment you walk in the door. No matter what the reason may be for your lapse in treatment, there’s no time better than now to see a dentist and get checked out.

No Lectures, Please

No matter what age you are, getting lectured can be anything but fun. This is extremely true at the dentist’s office. We understand that life gets busy and things happen that prevent you from coming to the dentist, so our office is a lecture-free zone. We are here to help you not lecture you.

There are just a couple things you need to remember before you come to your first visit:

X-rays and Records
It never hurts to contact your previous dentist to obtain your dental health files. We know that this may be difficult due to circumstances out of your control, but it’s worth checking into before your visit. If you’re not able to get a copy of your records sent to us prior to your visit, don’t panic! We will gather all the information we need when you come to see us!

Questions and Concerns
Please make sure to bring a list of any questions or issues you may have.  We will get to know you and complete a thorough exam to learn together the present condition of your oral health.  We will help you understand your oral health and help facilitate a process for you to choose what you feel is best for you.

We know you and your smile will feel so much healthier following your visit. My Buckhead dental office is proud of you for making the commitment to your oral and overall health. Scheduling your appointment is easy. Just give us a call and we’ll take care of the rest!

Serving patients in Buckhead, Atlanta, and Sandy Springs  

Food is such an important part of our lives. Not only is it crucial for our health, it’s historically pretty important for our relationships too. We meet friends over dinner, we snack on the couch with loved ones while watching a movie, and we even join blind dates for a cup coffee. At our dental office in Buckhead, we understand the importance of food and really enjoying what you eat. But we also know how some foods can damage teeth. For this blog, we’ve compiled some of the top types of food that are the worst for teeth.  

• Biscotti – This Italian treat is known for its hard, crunchy texture which is why it’s usually eaten after being dunked in a beverage. However, this difficult to bite biscuit can cause cracks or chips if it’s too hard.

• Popcorn – A movie watching favorite, the dangers of popcorn lurks in the often unseen kernels. A quick, hard bite onto one of these hard kernels can chip teeth or destroy restorations.

• Pitted Treats – Snacks like olives sometimes contain a hidden pit. Again, like the culprits above, an accidental nibble of a pit can cause some serious tooth damage.

• Chewy Candy – Candy in general is typically bad news, but chewy ones can be the worst of all. Due its sticky nature, the sugar-loaded sweet is left clinging to teeth for prolonged periods of time and it can also dislodge fillings.

• Ice Cubes – These frozen cubes of water can be used to chill a beverage or even for an injury, but they shouldn’t be eaten. Hard ice can not only break teeth, they also create tiny cracks that leave the enamel open to bacteria and, in turn, cavities.

• Bones – While we don’t tend to choose bones to eat or to gnaw on, they are found in several foods. Some bones are easy to see and we can usually avoid those, but some bones aren’t noticed until it’s too late. Be cautious when eating stews, certain types of fish, or chicken.

While we’d love our patients to avoid these foods altogether in order to greatly reduce the risk of dental damage, we understand that’s unrealistic. Instead, we’d be happy if they just used a bit of caution while enjoying the treats above. More importantly, if something were to happen while eating, we want to encourage them to schedule an appointment at our dental office in Buckhead as soon as possible. The sooner we can evaluate and treat any damage, the less likely there will be additional issues.

Accepting patients from Buckhead, Atlanta, and Sandy Springs.

We have had patients ask us this question when we show them teeth that are beginning to chip.  The damage might be subtle now but it is a sign of bigger problems to come if the cause of the chipping is not addressed.  The bigger problem is it is a sign that the whole system of your joints, muscles, and teeth and not functioning in harmony.  You can’t talk, bite, or chew without moving your whole lower jaw.  Your lower jaw is part of your temporomandibular joint.  The whole system is ruled by your muscles.  So we can’t predictably fix any of your teeth without first knowing how the whole system of joints, muscles, and teeth are functioning.

When the system does not function in harmony, the following signs and symptoms appear:

• Worn, chipped, broken teeth
• Loose teeth
• Exposure of tooth layers and loss of enamel
• Tooth sensitivity
• Jaw pain
• Headache and facial pain
• Earache from joint damage or jaw muscle tension
• A scalloped tongue or irregular tongue edges
• Gum Recession

So while small chips, slightly mobile teeth, or a slight “tension headache” may not seem like a big deal, they are usually early warning signs of a bigger problem.  If this bigger problem is not addressed, then those “small chips” become broken teeth or teeth with significant wear that need restorative dentistry like crowns or veneers to replace the damage.  If the disharmony of the system is not addressed when those crowns or veneers are done, then they won’t last as long as they should either.  The slightly mobile teeth become loose teeth that lose bone and gum support around them.  The slight tension headache becomes more consistent headaches and muscle soreness… and so and so on.

So if you are experiencing any of these signs or symptoms or have had dentistry done that didn’t last as long as it should, come visit us at our Buckhead dental office.  We can complete a thorough exam and make sure your whole system is functioning the way it should.  If it is not, we can deal with things conservatively as opposed to having to do a bunch of dentistry in the future as things breakdown.

Welcoming patients from Buckhead, Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and Dunwoody.

Root canal — two simple words that can invoke a whole lot of apprehension and sometimes even fear. But the truth is, if you’re experiencing tooth pain so severe that a root canal is needed, the procedure actually relieves the pain. But how do you know if the pain you have is root canal worthy? My Buckhead dental office is here to provide you with some of the top signs.

Signs

• Tooth Pain. Obviously tooth pain is the first possible sign you may need a root canal. However, what makes root canal-needing pain different from other type of pain is that it gets worse when eating, biting down, or with any pressure.  Also the pain may wake you up at night or the tooth may just start hurting on its own.
• Sensitivity. A lot of people have sensitive teeth. And just because you may have some sensitivity, especially with hot or cold food and drinks, doesn’t necessarily mean you need a root canal. However, those who do need a root canal have sensitivity that doesn’t go away once the hot or cold element is removed. The sensitivity pain lingers around for awhile.
• Gum Inflammation. It’s not only the tooth that shows symptoms. The gums nearby the painful tooth may also show signs of a needed root canal. Usually, the gums are painful, swollen, and may have a small, raised bump on them.

How is a Root Canal Done?

If you identify with the symptoms above and you’ve realized a root canal may be what you need, you probably want to know what it involves. First, prior to getting started, your Buckhead dentist will numb the area to ease any discomfort. Once that is activated, the process can begin.

• Make a tiny hole. This hole allows access to the inside of the tooth where all the stuff is located that’s causing so much pain.
• Clean the pulp chamber. The pulp chamber is the space inside a tooth that contains canals. These canals are basically tubes where the nerves, pulp, and blood vessels are kept. During a root canal, all of the contents of the canals are removed, making it impossible for the tooth to feel any pain.
• Seal it up. Now that the canals are empty, it’s necessary to fill them up. The canals are filled to seal out any bacteria from getting back in the roots. These teeth usually need to be restored with a crown to prevent them from breaking as a tooth becomes more brittle after having a root canal.

Whenever someone experiences tooth pain, it’s a sign that something isn’t right, and it’s important to seek the advice and treatment of a dentist as soon as possible. If you’re having tooth pain, and especially if you think a root canal is what you need, call my dental office in Buckhead to schedule an appointment. We’ll evaluate what’s going on and work with you to determine best treatment to help relieve the pain.

Accepting patients from Buckhead, Atlanta, and Sandy Springs.