Joseph B. Wommack, DDS
| Subscribe | Unsubscribe | August 2008 |
Office News
Our goal is to develop a strong partnership with every patient. When you understand the importance of your dental health, we can help you maintain a healthy mouth, as well as treat the causes and symptoms of any dental condition.
We invite you to read our latest SmileLink newsletter and to check out our website often for new information, or contact our office with any questions or concerns. Working together, we can help you achieve a lifetime of healthy and attractive teeth and gums.
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SmileLink Articles |
Rubber Dam Protection
There is an odd-looking piece of equipment we sometimes use that works just like the trapeze artist‘s safety net. It is called a rubber dam. A rubber dam prevents small particles and other objects from falling into your mouth or throat while we are doing a procedure. We do not have to use a rubber dam for every procedure, but it is very helpful and sometimes necessary. For example, if we are using a bonding material (adhesive or cement), a rubber dam can prevent bits of bonding material from falling into your mouth. Bonding materials have a nasty taste, also; the rubber dam saves you from that unpleasant experience.
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Braces—Now You See Them, Now You Don't
Do you wish you could disappear when you walk into a room because you are ashamed of your teeth? Today, if you have invisible aligners, you can walk confidently into a room and have everyone notice your beautiful smile! Invisible braces are an amazing option to correct Mother Nature’s oversights. People often refer to them as invisible braces, but this is a popular misnomer. They are actually invisible aligner systems. Imagine yourself wearing clear mouthguard-type trays that gently guide your teeth into position. No more being called “metal-mouth,” no more railroad tracks or wires to be tightened, and no more flossing around and under braces.
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Tooth Fairy is BIG Business
Childhood is a time for believing in imaginary friends and fantastic beings such as the tooth fairy. Soon, children begin a phase in which they trade some childhood magic for something real as a signal that they are growing up. In many cultures this trade is a rite of passage that happens when a child loses a baby tooth. Believe it or not, the tooth fairy became associated with that rite of passage. There is not much reference to the magical connection between losing a tooth and a mystical being until about the eighteenth century. Then, in the late nineteenth century, the king of Spain asked a priest to write a story for the king’s young son who had just lost a tooth.
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Removing the Challenge of Braces
"Oh, my gosh—NOW what?" You planned on having challenges, but you knew they would be worth it to get that terrific smile you’ve always wanted. Your teeth are going to be picture-perfect straight, something you did not think you would ever experience. Your dentist and orthodontist decided that traditional-style braces were the best choice in your situation. With today’s modern techniques and materials, braces have opened doors that previously were shut.
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Pain Can Signal an Abscess
"My health is the main capital I have and I want to administer it intelligently." Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961)
Ernest Hemingway, one of the great American authors of the twentieth century, was ahead of his time when he recognized the connection between his health and his productivity.
When your body alerts you that something is wrong, do not ignore it. Even minor warnings should never be ignored. Your body is telling you something needs immediate attention. For example, perhaps you have a fever and a red and swollen gum. The area is extremely sensitive to touch, and you have a nasty taste in your mouth.
Those are symptoms you would likely have if you have an abscess. An abscess can be the result of a tooth that has died because of trauma or advanced periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is typically a painless, chronic infection unless it forms an abscess in your gum tissue.
An abscess can be painful. The pain is a by-product of a growing ball of pus that puts extreme pressure on your bone [Top image: an abscess, also called a gum boil or fistula]. To try to relieve the pressure from the infection, your body forces a passageway to the outside of your gum where it discharges the pus, so you notice a nasty taste.
If you have an abscess, especially one in your upper jawbone, it should never be ignored because bacteria can enter your brain. It can cause a stroke or uncontrolled swelling. Bacteria can also ente...