Before beginning your dental care treatment, you must have a general perspective on various dental terms, treatments, and procedures. Following are some commonly asked questions relating to dentistry including smile makeovers, root canal therapy, TMJ disorder and treatment, etc. These will make you aware about general dentistry terms and treatments and will enable you to understand dental treatments and its procedures better.

Smile Makeovers

Q: How can fracture and chipped teeth be fixed?  

A: Veneers is one of the most common and aesthetic dental restoration treatments to recreate chipped or fractured teeth for a beautiful smile. It can also help in lightening dark or discolored teeth and straightening misaligned teeth without the need for braces. They are also used in closing gaps and increasing the size and length of teeth.

Q: What is Veneer?

A: Veneers is a thin layer of restorative material bonded over the tooth in order to improve the aesthetic look of the tooth or protect damaged tooth. Porcelain veneers are used to make cosmetic changes to discolored, chipped, or misaligned teeth. Basically, two kinds of materials are used in veneer treatments namely composite and porcelain. 

Popularly, porcelain veneers are used. They are indirectly fabricated, customized, and properly designed to give you the same shape, size, and color as natural shining tooth.

The composite veneers can be placed directly in the mouth or indirectly made in a dental lab which is later fixed on the tooth. The veneers treatment process will help you gain confidence by having shining teeth and a beautiful smile. 

Q: What are dental bridges?

A: Dental bridges are false tooth. It is also known as single-piece multiple unit fixed partial denture. It is recommended by the dentist if tooth has been extracted due to decay or has been broken in an accident. Then, the gap constructed is bridged using dental bridge.
Dental bridges are used to replace missing teeth in a patient’s mouth. A dental bridge involves two crowns and a false tooth "bridged" between them. The crowns on the adjacent teeth are use to give strength to the new tooth. The teeth used to support the bridge are called abutment.

Q: What are the types of bridges?

A: There are three types of dental bridges. According to the condition of patient’s teeth, a bridge can be chosen.

• Maryland Bridge: In this type, the false teeth is supported by small metal wings. This is very appropriate if the front teeth are missing.



• Fixed Bridge: In this type of bridging, the false tooth is supported by creating two crowns for the adjacent teeth on both sides of the false tooth. Dental implants can also be used to fix the dental bridges.



• Cantilever bridge: In this case the false tooth is supported by creating a crown for only one of the adjacent tooth.

Root Canal Therapy

Q: What is the dental pulp?

A: The soft thread-like tissue inside tooth which provides nutrients to the tooth is known as “dental pulp”. It moves from the crown of the tooth to the tip of the root and it contains lymph vessels, arteries, veins, and nerve fibers.

Q: What is a Root Canal Therapy?

A: Root Canal Therapy is a special dental procedure involving removal of the pulp as pulp tissue dies or gets infected. It is advisable to get it removed else you will have to lose the tooth.

Q:  What does root canal treatment involve?

A: The root canal treatment involves removal of the pulp and cleaning of the chamber. Then chamber is filled with dental material. To add strength as well as support to the tooth, a crown is placed over the tooth. This will help in saving the structure of the tooth.

Q: How long will the restored tooth last?

A:  If root canal treatment is well performed by a qualified dentist, then it may last lifelong. It is also important to take good care of your teeth and get it regularly checked.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder and Treatment

Q: What is Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorder?

A: Temporomandibular Joint, popularly known as TMJ, consists of muscles, ligaments, jaw-bone and lower jaw (mandible) with two joints. It is one of the most commonly used joint in human body. It helps us in making different movements including rotating and gliding action, used for chewing, yawning, swallowing, and talking. Any problem that prevents TMJ from working appropriately will result in “Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorder”.

Q:  What are the TMJ symptoms?

A: It is approximately calculated that 15% Americans suffer from TMJ disorder. Its symptoms include neck aches, sensitivity of the jaw, headaches, ear pain, dizziness, popping sound at the time of opening mouth and chronic facial tension.

Q: How can Temporomandibular Joint are treated?

A: Many diverse treatments can be helpful in treating TMJ disorder depending upon acuteness of the disease. In cases of mild TMJ disorder, your teeth-sized plastic guard is placed directly over your teeth.  This plastic mould is made from the mold of your teeth helps in resting of jaw which enables to cure the disorder. In acute TMJ disorder, surgery is necessary.

Periodontal Disease/Gum Disease

Q: What is Periodontal Disease? 

A: In English, Periodontal means surrounding the tooth. Under natural conditions healthy gum fits around each tooth. At the gum line and tooth intersection 3 millimeters or less v-shaped gap called “sulcus” is formed.
When the gap size increases due to infection in teeth supporting tissue, it results in periodontal disease. The gap area formed becomes leads to the growth of harmful bacterial infections causing damage to the bone and the tissue of the teeth. If they are not treated under medical conditions, it may lead to tooth removal.

Q: What are the causes of Periodontal Disease?

A: Some of the most significant causes of periodontal disease are:

• gums that bleed easily or that are red, swollen, or tender.
• gums that have pulled away from your teeth.
• pus between the teeth and gums.
• loose or separating teeth.
• change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite.
• change in the fit of partial dentures.

Q: What are the preventive measures that can be taken to prevent gum disease?

A: There are some preventive measures that can be taken in order to prevent gum disease are:

• Brush your teeth twice daily.
• Use floss to clean area between teeth.
• Quit smoking.
• Eat a balanced diet.
• For regular checkups, visit a dentist regularly.

Dental Filling

Q: What is dental filling?

A: Dental filling is a restorative treatment required when cavity is caused in tooth due to decay. It is the early stage treatment recommended by the dentist. In this inexpensive treatment, dentist removes the decayed tissue and fills it with dental material. There are basically two types of dental filling material, namely composite and amalgam. Both fillings last for 10 years, but composite fillings match with the color of your teeth and do not contain any hazardous material. It contains resin, glass particles, and a setting ingredient. It is also known as white tooth filling or tooth colored filling. Amalgam fillings are made of copper, mercury, tin and silver. Due to hazardous material in composite fillings, people prefer composite filling.

Ask about Dental Problems and Treatments
If you have any questions relating to dental problems and treatments, you are free to email us at askus@seattledentist.com. We will be glad to help you!