Dear Doctor,
I have lost my four upper front teeth and would like to have them replaced with dental implants some day. In the meantime, I don’t want to use the type of partial denture known as a “flipper.” Is there something else I can use, at least temporarily?
Dear Doctor,
I just had my braces removed, and I noticed several white spots on my teeth near where the brackets were. What are they — and how can I get rid of them?
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/white-spot-on-braces.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2016-02-26 10:22:272016-02-26 10:36:16White Spots on Teeth During Orthodontic Treatment
Maintaining the Right Balance in the Fight Against Disease
Imagine a world without antibiotics: The cut on your finger might lead to serious infection; the simplest operation could be a perilous undertaking; there would be no effective cures for tuberculosis, cholera, strep throat or sexually transmitted disease; and bacterial meningitis in a child would likely be fatal. It may seem hard to believe, but a century ago — before antibiotic drugs became widely available — these risks were very real.
These omnipresent drugs have been hailed as one of the most significant medical achievements of the 20th Century. However, in recent years, a disturbing trend has been noted throughout the world: The life-saving drugs we once relied on are now less effective at fighting the organisms that cause disease.
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/too-much-anibiotics.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2016-02-22 22:04:232016-02-22 22:04:23Antibiotics: Use And Abuse
Replacing a missing tooth — particularly in a highly visible area of the mouth — can do a lot to restore your smile and self-confidence. Today’s options for tooth replacement include state-of-the-art dental implants; crown and bridgework; and removable partial dentures. However, sometimes orthodontic treatment is recommended before a tooth or teeth can be replaced. Why would this be necessary?
If a tooth has been missing for a while, the teeth that were on either side of it can gradually drift into the space it occupied — taking up the room for the replacement tooth. This necessitates moving the neighboring teeth back into correct position. In addition, teeth that are not properly aligned might require dental restorative work, such as capping (dental crowns), to camouflage their poor position or orientation before any new teeth are placed.
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/clear-aligners.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2016-02-18 03:06:502016-02-18 03:08:57Straightening a Smile Before Replacing Lost Teeth
Dear Doctor,
My 10-year-old sucked his thumb from birth until age 8. I’m wondering if this habit affected his bite because now his teeth don’t come together in the front and every time he swallows, his tongue moves forward. What can be done?
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/what-thumb-sucking-does-to-a-bite.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2016-02-13 04:33:582016-02-13 04:37:26How Thumb Sucking Affects The Bite
How muscles (frenums) cause separation of your front teeth
Dear Doctor,
I have a gap between my two front teeth. My dentist says my teeth are separated because of a muscle that runs down between them. I want to have the spaces closed but he says I will need surgery. Please explain further!
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/woman-with-gap-tooth.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2016-02-06 02:15:382016-02-06 02:38:43Space Between Front Teeth
Dear Doctor,
My 10-year old son knocked out one of his front teeth last year playing baseball. It was a good hour before our dentist put his tooth back into the socket. How long will the replanted tooth last?
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/knocked-out-tooth.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2016-02-03 05:13:062016-02-03 05:13:06Knocked Out Tooth
We all do, to some degree. In fact, it’s evolutionary. A sweet tooth served our hunting-and-gathering ancestors well. They knew that if they ate something sweet, it wouldn’t kill them; nothing in nature that tastes sweet is acutely poisonous. It’s ironic, because in the amounts we currently consume it, sugar is a chronic toxin and it is killing us — slowly. I’m not being overly dramatic here; I’m simply stating what scientific research, my own included, has made impossible to ignore.
We are in the midst of a nationwide health crisis, with implications for both dentistry and medicine. Dentists are seeing an increase in tooth decay — despite the addition of tooth-strengthening fluoride to most municipal water supplies. Physicians like myself are seeing many more obese children — some as young as six months old! Thirty years ago, 1 child out of 20 was obese. Today, it’s 1 in 5. Thirty years ago, there were zero children in America with type 2 diabetes. Today, there are 57,000.
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/hidden-danger-of-sugar.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2016-01-30 05:14:472016-01-30 05:15:13The Bitter Truth About Sugar
Dear Doctor,
My daughter is 15 years old and is just finishing wearing braces. She is missing two of her upper front teeth which never developed. The orthodontist made space to have them replaced, but now we’re told she has to wait 2 to 3 more years before she can have implants. She desperately wants her teeth replaced. Why can’t implants be done now?
Dear Alicia,
This is an important question and the current wisdom is not to have implants placed until jaw and facial growth are complete. Although it varies from person to person, growth of the jaws in most cases is not complete until late teens. Of course, we are faced with the dilemma of waiting for the optimal time to place implants so that they will succeed on the one hand, and respecting the psychological needs of a teenager missing front teeth on the other.
Flexible Partial Dentures
/in About Orthodontics, Cosmetic DentistryA Consultation with Dr. Richard Hyder | Article & Images Featured on Dear Doctor
Dear Doctor,
I have lost my four upper front teeth and would like to have them replaced with dental implants some day. In the meantime, I don’t want to use the type of partial denture known as a “flipper.” Is there something else I can use, at least temporarily?
Read more
Dental Implants & Smoking
/in Dental Education, OrthodonticsArticle by Richard Kraut, DDS | Featured on Dear Doctor
Dear Doctor,
I want to have some missing teeth replaced with dental implants, but my dentist said it could be slightly risky because I smoke. Why?
Read more
White Spots on Teeth During Orthodontic Treatment
/in All About Braces, Caring For Your Braces, Dental Education, General CareArticle Featured on Dear Doctor
Dear Doctor,
I just had my braces removed, and I noticed several white spots on my teeth near where the brackets were. What are they — and how can I get rid of them?
Read more
Antibiotics: Use And Abuse
/in General Care, Healthy LivingArticle By Dr. Ving J. Lee | Featured on Dear Doctor
Maintaining the Right Balance in the Fight Against Disease
Imagine a world without antibiotics: The cut on your finger might lead to serious infection; the simplest operation could be a perilous undertaking; there would be no effective cures for tuberculosis, cholera, strep throat or sexually transmitted disease; and bacterial meningitis in a child would likely be fatal. It may seem hard to believe, but a century ago — before antibiotic drugs became widely available — these risks were very real.
These omnipresent drugs have been hailed as one of the most significant medical achievements of the 20th Century. However, in recent years, a disturbing trend has been noted throughout the world: The life-saving drugs we once relied on are now less effective at fighting the organisms that cause disease.
Read more
Straightening a Smile Before Replacing Lost Teeth
/in Do I Need Braces?, Implants, InvisalignClear Aligners Can Offer Advantages Over Traditional Braces
By Dr. Robert Boyd | Article & Images Featured on Dear Doctor
Replacing a missing tooth — particularly in a highly visible area of the mouth — can do a lot to restore your smile and self-confidence. Today’s options for tooth replacement include state-of-the-art dental implants; crown and bridgework; and removable partial dentures. However, sometimes orthodontic treatment is recommended before a tooth or teeth can be replaced. Why would this be necessary?
If a tooth has been missing for a while, the teeth that were on either side of it can gradually drift into the space it occupied — taking up the room for the replacement tooth. This necessitates moving the neighboring teeth back into correct position. In addition, teeth that are not properly aligned might require dental restorative work, such as capping (dental crowns), to camouflage their poor position or orientation before any new teeth are placed.
Read more
How Thumb Sucking Affects The Bite
/in Orthodontics For ChildrenArticle Featured on Dear Doctor
Dear Doctor,
My 10-year-old sucked his thumb from birth until age 8. I’m wondering if this habit affected his bite because now his teeth don’t come together in the front and every time he swallows, his tongue moves forward. What can be done?
Read more
Space Between Front Teeth
/in Cosmetic DentistryArticle & Images Featured on Dear Doctor | A Consultation with Dr. Cary A. Shapoff
How muscles (frenums) cause separation of your front teeth
Dear Doctor,
I have a gap between my two front teeth. My dentist says my teeth are separated because of a muscle that runs down between them. I want to have the spaces closed but he says I will need surgery. Please explain further!
Read more
Knocked Out Tooth
/in Dental EducationArticle Featured on Dear Doctor
Dear Doctor,
My 10-year old son knocked out one of his front teeth last year playing baseball. It was a good hour before our dentist put his tooth back into the socket. How long will the replanted tooth last?
Read more
The Bitter Truth About Sugar
/in Dental Education, General Care, Healthy LivingHard to Resist, Tougher to Avoid — and Devastating to Our Health
By Dr. Robert H. Lustig | Article Featured on Dear Doctor
Do you enjoy the taste of sweet things?
We all do, to some degree. In fact, it’s evolutionary. A sweet tooth served our hunting-and-gathering ancestors well. They knew that if they ate something sweet, it wouldn’t kill them; nothing in nature that tastes sweet is acutely poisonous. It’s ironic, because in the amounts we currently consume it, sugar is a chronic toxin and it is killing us — slowly. I’m not being overly dramatic here; I’m simply stating what scientific research, my own included, has made impossible to ignore.
We are in the midst of a nationwide health crisis, with implications for both dentistry and medicine. Dentists are seeing an increase in tooth decay — despite the addition of tooth-strengthening fluoride to most municipal water supplies. Physicians like myself are seeing many more obese children — some as young as six months old! Thirty years ago, 1 child out of 20 was obese. Today, it’s 1 in 5. Thirty years ago, there were zero children in America with type 2 diabetes. Today, there are 57,000.
Read more
Teenagers & Dental Implants
/in Orthodontics For Adults, Orthodontics For ChildrenWhen is it the right time to use implants to replace missing teeth in a teenager?
A Consultation with Dr. Frank Celenza | Featured on Dear Doctor
Dear Doctor,
My daughter is 15 years old and is just finishing wearing braces. She is missing two of her upper front teeth which never developed. The orthodontist made space to have them replaced, but now we’re told she has to wait 2 to 3 more years before she can have implants. She desperately wants her teeth replaced. Why can’t implants be done now?
Dear Alicia,
This is an important question and the current wisdom is not to have implants placed until jaw and facial growth are complete. Although it varies from person to person, growth of the jaws in most cases is not complete until late teens. Of course, we are faced with the dilemma of waiting for the optimal time to place implants so that they will succeed on the one hand, and respecting the psychological needs of a teenager missing front teeth on the other.
Read more