Posts Tagged ‘wisdom teeth’

Crooked teeth in the front of the mouth can be embarrassing and difficult to keep clean.   A person’s smile is the first thing noticed by others when they first meet or talk to another.

Lower teeth crowding is a normal part of late growth process of the lower jaw.  As the lower jaw grows until the 40′s the lower teeth are crowded out because they are locked in by the upper teeth overlap.  We normally see crowding of persons in their adult hood.   Many people think this is due to the wisdom teeth putting pressure on all of the teeth.  This has been dis-proven in many studies.

The upper teeth can become crowded if the teeth are too large for the size of the jawbone.  The teeth will tend to go where they are pushed on.  This pressure is usually from the lips pushing in and the tongue pushing out.  If one of these is greater than the other the teeth will be pushed out and the stronger force will win.

Crooked teeth present a number of problems:

• Aesthetics-They look bad since the size of the teeth look altered as they are crowded into a smaller space than there is room for
• Gum disease-Teeth that are crooked are difficult to clean and therefore periodontal disease is more likely to take place in these difficult to keep clean areas.
• Cavities- Teeth that are crowded are difficult to keep clean and are more prone to decay.

So back the the question–How can i fix my crooked teeth in Macomb coutny-  There are a few options to consider:

1. Braces will most conservatively straighten them up.  By applying a constant force to straighten the crooked teeth and making the teeth thinner to fit into the smaller arc.  This is accomplished by “stripping” the enamel between the teeth.
2. Dental porcelain veneers- Are used to straighten the teeth.  The thin shells of porcelain work best on upper teeth considering that they can be made to widen the arch and giving a very attractive smile.
3. Bonding- If the lower teeth are stained they can have composite bonding on them since this only adds to the surface of the teeth.
4. Bleaching-This makes the teeth whiter and more attractive.

Call our Shelby dental office at (586)247-3500 for a free consultation appointment or visit our website at www.TheGentleDentist.com Our dental office is located in Shelby Township, Michigan – Macomb County.  We provide dental care to the communities of Shelby, Washington Twp., Macomb Township, Sterling Heights, Warren, Utica, Clinton Township, Rochester Hills and beyond.

Dr. Antolak excels in patient comfort and helps provide comprehensive treatment to their patients.  We provide Implant placement and restorations,  Cosmetic dentistry including bleaching, porcelain veneers and bonding and general dentistry for the family.  We are happy you have an interest in the dental practice and give us a call.

Wisdom teeth are the third molars and usually appear between the ages of 17 and 25. They are commonly extracted when they affect other teeth—Most people have four wisdom teeth, but it is possible to have more or fewer.

They are generally thought to be called wisdom teeth because they appear so late—much later than the other teeth, at an age where people are arguably wiser than as a child, when the other teeth erupt.

A wisdom tooth is extracted to correct an actual problem or to prevent problems that may come up in the future. Wisdom teeth are extracted for two general reasons: either the wisdom teeth have already become impacted, or the wisdom teeth could potentially become problematic if not extracted. Potential problems caused by the presence of properly grown-in wisdom teeth include infections caused by food particles easily trapped in the jaw area behind the wisdom teeth where regular brushing and flossing is difficult and ineffective. Such infections may be frequent, and cause considerable pain and medical danger. Also, it is a wise choice to have them removed if undergoing extensive orthodontic work because once the teeth have come in they could inflict some damage on expensive straightening.

The decision to have your wisdom teeth extracted should be one from an informed position between you and your dentist. Potential complications from surgical extractions include:

· Numbness- This can take place if the nerve is contacted or damaged during the extraction. Permanent numbness of the lip is extremely rare; most of the numb cases return to normal after a couple of months of nerve healing.

· Dry Socket- this is not an infection, but when the blood clot at the extraction site is dislodged or fails to form. This intense pain is usually felt 3-6 days after the procedure. Treatment is done by placing a medicine soaked gauze in the site to reduce the pain until a new clot slowly forms.

· Swelling-This usually maximizes at day 3. Swelling is reduced by applying ice on the side of the face directly after the procedure and for the rest of the day of surgery. Rotate the ice 30 minutes on each side of the face. At day 2-6 use salt water ½ tsp. salt to a glass of warm water 4 times per day. Allow the solution to penetrate into the surgical area to rinse food debris away.

Bleeding-After the teeth are extracted gauze pads should be placed at the extraction sites, and then should be bitten down on with firm and even pressure for the first day. Bleeding and oozing can last a couple of days. If bleeding continues to be a problem, a wet tea bag can be used to enhance clotting.

We at The Gentle Dentist in Shelby Township, Michigan have found that during stressful times when the immune system is functioning at a low level is when wisdom teeth can become the most noticeable. It is recommended that the wisdom teeth be examined for removal when the patient can take off a couple of days to recover from the surgery. If you have any questions please call us at 586-247-3500 or visit our website at www.TheGentleDentist.com .