Show #411 Airing Sunday, 12/9/07
You may be young at heart, but what can you do if your teeth look like they're ready for retirement? Here to help us turn back the clock on our teeth is Dr. Steven Marsh.
Question:Besides painful cavities, what reasons do people go see a dentist?
Answer: They see that they are losing function with their teeth. It may become difficult to chew or bite with worn teeth, and may not look aesthetically pleasing. People want their teeth to look as good as they themselves feel. Luckily, today we are able to prepare teeth to function as we enter our middle and later years.
Question:Let's go through some of the ways we can preserve our teeth. First is to replace silver fillings.
Answer: Yes. Gold filling may be replaced for aesthetic reasons, but gold is still a great material for restoration. Silver, however, can leak and does not adhere to the tooth. This can cause more decay or cracks/fractures in the teeth.
People as young as 30 may still have silver fillings. Today, it can be replaced with composite material that looks natural and will not harm your teeth.
Question:Next, replacing lost teeth.
Answer: Replacing lost teeth helps to stabilize the mouth. It assists with function, and prevents teeth from shifting. If the bone in the jaw is healthy, implants can be used to replace the tooth. Bridgework can also be used.
Question:Sometimes color makes teeth look over. How can we correct that?
Answer: If color is the only issue, whitening methods can work. If there is also a fractioning of the teeth, porcelain veneers can help achieve a white, healthy-looking smile.
Question:What if we grind our teeth?
Answer: If you grind your teeth at night, you might try wearing a mouth guard. This can help protect your natural teeth; also, if you have had work done, this can protect your restoration as well.
Here is a case of someone who had terribly worn down her teeth. She was in fact quite young when she had reached this level of wear. The restoration helped preserve her teeth for years to come.
Question:I understand that sealants can help prevent decay?
Answer: Sealants are more for your viewers' children or grandchildren. If you have kids or grandkids between the ages of 6 and 12, you might ask if their dentist has mentioned dental sealants as a way to keep out decay.
Question:And finally, what about the importance of regularly seeing your dentist?
Answer: Prevention is still the best medicine. Seeing a dentist regularly can help you address a problem when it's small, before it snowballs into something major.
For example, I have a patient who for years overbrushed his teeth, causing large divots on several teeth that were otherwise healthy. I had said that we should address these divots, but he chose not to.
Recently, he came in with a fracture, and we could not save the tooth. Luckily, today we can restore the tooth with an implant, but it didn't need to get to this point. X-ray
If your smile could use a tune-up, give Dr. Marsh a call at the number that's next. My thanks to Dr. Steven Marsh.
