Les leçons de l'art dentaire: 8 nov. 2011

11/08/2011

Treating Infected Gums – Top Signs Yours Are Infected

Do you have infected gums? Did you know that most people – even people with excellent looking teeth – have infected gums? That's because every day thousands of bacteria are trying to infiltrate our mouths. They do so by feeding on the sugars that we ingest and by forming a thin bio film on our teeth called plaque.

Plaque makes it even easier for bacteria to infect the gums because it is constantly present on the gum lining and tissues. Over time, plaque can harden into tartar, making it even easier for infected gums to thrive in our mouths.

Bacteria favor the pockets of the gums, where they will set up shop and cause infected gums and gum pockets, also called gingivitis, which is the early stages of periodontal disease, the leading cause of tooth decay and tooth loss worldwide.

When infected gums are left untreated, they can contribute to loose teeth, tooth loss, gum lesions and boils, toothaches, bleeding gums and more. Learn some of the top signs and symptoms of infected gums so that you can best protect your oral health and smile.

Top Signs & Symptoms That You Have Infected Gums According to the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, pain is not generally a factor with early stages of gum disease or infected gums; one of the main reasons that people do not realize that they have infected gums.

The key signs of infected gums include: gums bleeding when you brush or floss them, separating gum tissues from the teeth, loose teeth, pus draining from the gums, inflamed gums, red gums and swollen gums are key signs that you need to see your dentist as soon as you can to have them conduct an oral examine for infected gums.

Treatment for Infected Gums The most common treatment for infected gums is root scaling and planning (cleanings and deep oral cleanings). These treatments are designed to remove the bio film buildup of tartar and plaque as well as quell the bacterial infections in the pockets of the gums that are contributing to infected gums.

The goal of these treatments is to reduce these elements and eradicate or reduce the infections in the pockets of the gum so that the gums can heal. In some cases of infected gums, antibiotics and other medications may be prescribed to aid a patient in treating infected gums.

Surgery for Infected Gums Sometimes surgery may be necessary for treating infected gums. One type of surgery is a surgical cleaning, where a dentist cuts open the gum flaps so that they can treat the infected gum pockets (mostly in cases of very deep pockets of infected gums that are deeper than 6 mm and that are hard to reach with oral cleanings).

In the cases of a receding gum line from infected gums, gum skin graft surgery may be required to repair the gum lining. In other cases of infected teeth, root canal therapy or tooth extraction may be required

Preventing Gum Decay (Gum Disease)

Gum decay is better known by most people as gum disease. Gum disease and gum decay are basically the same things: they represent the gums being perpetually attacked by bacteria and germs, and ultimately becoming infected and decaying. The early signs of gum decay are called gingivitis, which if left untreated can rapidly progress into periodontitis.

Gum decay is something that should be taken very seriously, because the lining of gums can easily become infected with bacteria if tartar and plaque (biofilm) on the teeth is not removed daily and treated annually with cleanings at your dentist's office.

When the gums become infected they form gum pockets, which are pockets of infection that cause the gums to detach from the teeth and that can attack the teeth, the bones, the jaw and the gums, ultimately causing gum decay, tooth decay and tooth loss.

Who Gets Gum Decay? Gum decay is perhaps the most common disease in the world. As a matter of fact, about eight out of ten people will suffer from gum decay during their lifetime. Experts say that about eighty percent of all people already do suffer from gum decay. Needless to say, it's so common that gum disease is considered to be the most common and prevalent of all disease worldwide during the present day, which is a shockingly alarming statistic.

How Can You Prevent Gum decay? It's unanimously agreed upon that prevention is the best method of treating gum decay, although those who suffer from gum decay do have conventional treatment options. Experts suggest that you only eat products that contain natural sugars, like Xylitol, which is a naturally occurring sugar in the body that does not promote gum decay or tooth decay. One should avoid eating processed foods that contain pesticides and avoid junk foods at all costs, which can disrupt the body's natural balance.

An active lifestyle and a well balanced and healthy diet in combination with a strong oral hygiene regiment – i.e., brushing, flossing, tongue scraping, mouth rinsing daily – is a strong method of prevention. Additionally, natural supplements that contain antioxidants like vitamin C, bioflavonoids and Coq10 can help promote excellent gum health and prevent gum decay.

Treatment Options for Gum Decay Your dentist may prescribe more frequent oral cleanings, deep cleanings or a full mouth debridement for treating gum decay You may need surgical debridement where the gum flaps are folded and a deep cleaning is surgically administered Laser gum cleaning is becoming increasingly popular but is limited in where you can find it Prescription products like antibiotics and toothpastes may be prescribed to reduce bacterial growth Gum skin graft surgery may be required for gum decay where the gums have recessed too far

Smart Tips on Preventing Dental Diseases

There are several different types of dental diseases that can really contribute to poor oral health and a decline in overall health, too. While the most common type of dental diseases is gingivitis, this is just an early stage of periodontitis, and if left untreated it can rapidly progress into something far more serious.

Learn more about the different types of dental diseases, and some smart tips that you can implement right now so that you can avoid ever contracting them, and so that you can enjoy a healthy and happy smile.

Common Types of Dental Diseases Gingivitis is a mild and rather common form of dental diseases that is estimated to affect nearly 80% of all people on the planet. It is not usually accompanied by any pain, making it hard for people who suffer from it to detect it. It is accompanied by bleeding gums and sensitive gums, but can be corrected with simple dental procedures and proper daily oral hygiene.

More complex dental disease includes advanced gingivitis, which can lead to periodontitis if left untreated and unchecked. This is where the gums are attacked by bacteria and toxins, forming pockets on the gums and causing them to separate from the teeth as the bacteria attack the bones and the supportive tissues, ultimately contributing to tooth decay and tooth loss. Aggressive periodontitis is an aggressive form of dental diseases that is characterized by amilial aggregation and bone decay or destruction.

Chronic periodontitis is the most common form, characterized by gingival recession and bone decay, pocket formation on the gums and chronic inflammation.

Necrotizing periodontal disease is one of the rarer dental diseases and results in, "necrosis of gingival tissues, periodontal ligament and alveolar bone," according to Perio.org. It's more common in persons who suffer from autoimmune diseases and disorders.

Smart Tips on Preventing Dental Diseases There are ways to go about preventing different dental diseases. Your first step is found in proper daily oral health care and a strict regiment that includes seeing your dentist at least one time every six months.

What follows are some smart tips on how to avoid contracting dental diseases.

Brush your teeth daily and in between meals for about two minutes each time; try using a sonic rotary toothbrush that is clinically proven to remove more plaque than a manual toothbrush

Floss your teeth – look for organic floss that contains antibacterial oils like tea tree oil so that you can more effectively remove tartar and plaque and combat bacteria

Use an antiseptic mouthwash daily, natural products are great, and you can find ones that contain potent antimicrobial essential oils and antioxidants like Coq10 that promote excellent oral health

Avoid consuming too much sugar and eat a balanced and healthy diet

See your dentist every six months for a full checkup and cleaning to detect Dental Diseases and treat them early or to prevent them from occurring

Getting Screened for Gum Cancer & How to Prevent It

According to recent studies that were conducted by the American Cancer Society, men are about fifty percent more likely to get oral cancer and gum cancer than women are. Men who are over the age of 50 years old are the most at risk. During the year of 2008, medical records show that more than 35,000 people in the United States were diagnosed with oral cancer.

There were numerous causes of it; the most common included the following: Usage of tobacco products; cigarettes, pipes, tobacco, cigars and chewing tobacco Chronic usage or abuse of alcoholic beverages Overexposure to the harmful UV rays that are emitted by the sun History of cancer or cancers in the family line

Gum cancer is defined by leading medical experts at WebMD.com as an, "uncontrollable growth of cells that invade and cause damage to surrounding tissue. Oral cancer [gum cancer] appears as a growth or sore in the mouth that does not go away. Oral cancer, which includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx."

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If it is not treated early or detected early by a dentist or a doctor, the survival rate rapidly declines. It is detected by a full examination of the mouth and the surrounding organs, like the neck, glands and face. If abnormalities are detected, a culture or sample may be taken to be analyzed, and further tests may be required in order to adequately and accurately determine a diagnoses of oral cancer or gum cancer.

Getting Screened for Gum Cancer You usually will get screened for oral cancer and gum cancer by your dentist during your checkup. They will check for abnormal lumps and tissues in your mouth and on your gums, as well as check your neck and glands for lumps or abnormalities.

They will look for sores, lesions, growths and lumps that can indicate the signs of oral cancer or gum cancer. If they suspect that you may have something irregular, they will advise you of what tests are required to determine if any abnormalities found may indicate that you have oral cancer, and will then advise you on your treatment options.

Preventing Gum Cancer: Simple Tips The best method of preventing oral cancer and gum cancer is to avoid doing anything that can contribute to it. Don't use any tobacco products or smoking products, as these contain toxins that contribute to the formation of oral cancers and gum cancer

Key Causes of Swollen and Sore Gums

he last thing that anybody wants to have to deal with is swollen and sore gums. It can cause much unnecessary pain and discomfort, and sore swollen gums can actually be caused by a variety of different reasons, too. If you notice that your gums are abnormally swollen or sore, this could be just a minor irritation or it could be the signs of something more serious, like a decline in oral health and or the onset or early stages of gum disease. The best way to prevent swollen teeth gums is by taking excellent care of your mouth on a daily basis.

Preventing Swollen and Sore Gums By taking proper care of your mouth, you can best prevent sore swollen gums. A good oral hygiene regiment involves brushing and flossing your teeth every day and in between meals to dislodge food particles and to prevent gum swelling, infection, gum disease and tooth decay. You should also be rinsing your mouth with a potent mouthwash to kill any lingering bacteria and brushing or scraping your tongue daily as well. Make sure to see your dentist for regular checkups to ensure optimal oral health, as most dental problems start off as minor and can more easily be treated during the early stages.

Top Causes of Sore Swollen Gums There are some top leading causes of swollen and sore gums, and the following list should serve to better apprise you of what these causes are. These are just some general causes, and don't cover all of known causes, but they are amongst the most common of them. Ill fitting dentures can scrape the gums and cause swollen sore gums Braces or improperly fitted braces are key causes of sore gums and gum swelling A vitamin C deficiency is a known cause of swollen gums and sore gums, and is also called scurvy by doctors Improper daily oral hygiene is a key contributor Not seeing your dentist for regular visits can leave gums untreated, causing infection and swelling Lack of proper vitamins and minerals, aside from vitamin C, and lack of important bioflavonoids can cause sore swollen gums Abuse of alcohol, smoking or drug abuse Autoimmune diseases Spicy foods, hot foods and cold foods can irritate the gums Viral, bacterial or fungal infections Infected teeth, infected gums, gum boils and gum blisters

Generally, most instances of swollen and sore gums can be prevented by adhering to a strict oral hygiene routine. Chronic and persistent swollen sore gums can be the signs of something more serious. If you ever have any questions about your gums or oral health, see your dentist right away so that you can gain expert diagnoses and treatment.

Finding the right dentist for cosmetic surgery

Your teeth are one of your most prominent characteristics. After all, it's right there each time you open your mouth. When you need to get some work done on your teeth, especially if it is cosmetic surgery of any sort, getting the right dentists would be the most important task on hand. It is very important that you go to a recommended dentist simply because damage once done to your teeth cannot always be repaired. This could mean that you are stuck with a deformity for the rest of your life.

The first step is to decide on the kind of procedures you need to be conducted on your teeth. Dental alignments, implants and the like will completely alter the way your face looks and you should be sure that you have a competent dentist working your teeth. Look through recommendations and make appointments with a few dentists. Look into their credentials and speak to them on the kind of processes you are looking for. If they are able to put you at ease and explain the pros and cons of the procedures you are referring to, you can be sure that their primary concern is about their patients. They may even suggest other procedures that are not so complicated. Ask them for their entire price package and what it includes. A good dentist is one who can be upfront with costs.

Ask the same questions to the few dentists that you meet. You can decide on the dentist who was able to put you at ease the most. Also make it a point to ask for before and after snaps of patients the dentist may have worked on. This will give you a better idea on their finishing and the quality of their work. If it is a single procedure that you are looking for, then you can ask friends, neighbors and even your family physician on the right kind of dentist to go to.

After you have chosen a dentist, make sure that you visit him a couple of times before the actual procedure is conducted. This will help you get comfortable with him. It will also give the dentist a chance to evaluate your dental work and chart out a course of treatment that is best suited to your particular case.

And before you finally settle down in the chair for the treatment, make sure that you weigh all the pros and cons of your decision. Only when you are thoroughly sure of what you want to do should you go ahead it with it.

The Marketing Opportunities Offered To The Recent Dentist

The modern dentist lives in the world full of advertising, from the boards at the side of the street to the backs of buses, and still on the radio. But, many dentists simply don't make the best use of this marketing space in order to promote their own websites, and in fact they regularly not succeed to market their practice at all, relying on word of mouth, or perhaps an advert in the back of the local newspaper. In the modern world, this is simply not good enough to make sure that you just get the most number of customers likely, and however practices typically miss the dental advertising possibilities which would make a difference to their finances. There are many different marketing opportunities that dental practices want to concentrate on.

1) Traditional

This can be the most basic type of advertising, and has been done since the eighteenth century, with dentists promoting themselves in the local area through flyers, coupon deals, papers pushed through the doors on housing estates, and also sometimes full-page advertisements taken out in the phone book. This is essential level marketing for dentist practices, and however it is rare to view the advertising being done anywhere however at this local level. But, with the advent of recent technology, there are a lot of good things that you can do so as to promote your dental practice.

2) Websites

A good technique of accelerating awareness of your dental advertising is by putting it onto the internet. Everyone can have a website these days, and dentists, with a business to run, must not overlook this chance. Most marketing for dentist websites could be done at a very fundamental level, with SEO keywords. But, your website needs to be high-quality so as to encourage people to visit the site again, so you might want to employ a website developer to get the site up and running.

3) Social Media

When it comes to dental advertising, the power of social media should constantly be remembered. Whether you are considering blogging or using Facebook, the dentist practice can promote their business through these websites. By blogging, you may connect customers to new treatments, or advances in technology that could benefit them, and the same is true for a few kinds of Facebook page, that again clients can 'friend' in order to stay in contact.

4) Mobile Technology

This is another technique which could allow you to contact clients, and is becoming an increasingly common form of dental advertising, since it not only lets the consumer read your website (modified for mobile viewing), but also permits you to contact the patient regarding treatment dates, or annual check-ups, encouraging return visits.

Make Use Of Internet To Market Dental Services

The internet is an often over-looked source getting cinema tickets, thus dentists will have to keep up with the trend by using the chances for internet dental marketing as they become available. As few dental practices have already got websites, and these are running and appear to be attracting a continuing level of traffic, the dentists supervising these services will need to take the next step, and start employing social media strategies to bring consumers to their business.

Social media can really help with dental internet marketing, because it provides the dentist a means to reach not only current clients, but to bring in new patients from the adjoining area.

If you are fascinated by social media by now, but are unsure where to start, then the fundamental levels for entry include setting up a blog, a Facebook page, and even creating a Twitter account. Keeping these three social media sites running is simply as important to your practice as is setting up the internet dental marketing on your homepage.

The cause that social media is so important to bringing in new customers is since it helps your ranking and position in search engine results. Thus if you are one of a number of dentists who function in San Francisco area, then you need to have not only a website, but even several Facebook pages (including a community), plus a blog. These should have the keywords in promoting your dental practice in San Francisco, which the search engine bots will then choose up. The more keywords mentioned with views and links back to different pages, the more probable you are to have a high ranking in the search results.

If your website link is not on the first page due to your dental internet marketing, then you need to create a blog, Facebook and Twitter (and you may also have YouTube and different social media sites active). These will show up along with your website link, boosting it up the page and even dragging in the social media links, thus now you may have four or five of the top ten places and this is down to internet dental marketing. By building, and most importantly maintaining a social media centre for your dental practice, you can begin to push out other dental businesses with websites, maintaining the top spots for yourself.

Market Dental Services And Its Strategies

There are a number of several methods to make sure that your dental services are efficiently marketed. Every dental practice, irrespective of how small the community, requires to have an effective strategy in place, as well as dependable dental marketing concepts which will allow you to reach out to most of the people in the community and tell them regarding different services you offer, and also the treatments you can offer. Yet large and bustling dental practices want to have some variety of strategy in place in order to bring in the maximum range of clients possible. If you are not efficiently marketing your practice, then you could be efficiently depriving yourself of a number of patients, and a great deal of money.

Like all good dental marketing ideas, using local marketing methods could be a tried and tested means of getting more people through your doors. You may begin with a voucher, and in fact many marketing dental consultant specialists would be in a position to give you good recommendation regarding what kind of treatments will be offered on coupons. For instance, a check-up, or a filling, which may bring customers back to your door for follow-up treatments, are both great items to offer on a coupon. However, these might not always be the solution to bringing in long-term clients.

Different forms of local advertising include putting your practice into the business section of the local paper, or maybe having your practice name and details read out on the radio. These dental marketing ideas could be very expensive, but they would permit you to get a small range of extra clients into your business. If you may think of a new angle, like treating children, or managing head and neck pain through dental correction, then it could be worth using these kinds of marketing.

However, another good way of marketing your dental practice, and one that has become more popular in recent years, is by the internet. Dentists, like everyone else, could have a profile on Facebook, and they could even blog about their clinic and practices, maybe mentioning new treatments or promoting offers.

A dental website is one among the most latest of dental marketing ideas, however it is more effective, and likely to produce customers who want to remain with the practice. Encourage these clients, and regular customers, to like your Facebook page or Blogger account, so that you may inform them of any changes in treatments, or something fascinating within the local area which impacts your dental practices. Through using the internet as a point of contact, you can not only bring in new customers, but also keep longer-term clients by remaining in communication with them.

Get More Patients With Internet And Mobile Marketing

As technology increases, many dental practices are being left behind. This can be a great pity, because internet, social media and mobile marketing techniques are all ways that a dental practice can increase the amount of clients and patients returning through its doors. With the general public increasingly using mobiles and tablet computers to organize every moment of their every day lives, you must be using these modes of communication to find different consumers who will be curious about having medication in your practice. A dental marketing plan will help you to focus on employing such different technologies to bring in a lot of people to your practice.

The most necessary thing that you can learn is how to deal with Search Engine Optimization, or SEO. This is the method of implanting keywords into posts, which is words and phrases that are probably to be employed by purchasers searching for a dentist in your area. So if you have a dental practice in San Francisco, you may put "Dentist San Francisco" into your article some times, or utilise the specific area that you work in. The basics of SEO are simple, but if you need anything much complicated similar to this, then you may need to examine dentist advertising methods which would be useful to your practice.

You may then take your marketing onto sites such as Facebook and Twitter, where your keywords will put you top on a search engine's results rankings, and possible consumers will also be able to add you to their friends or watch list, creating a link that isn't part of the traditional dentist-client relationship.

From this basis, you may then move on to more advanced dentist marketing methods. Ensure that you regularly update your Facebook pages, or use your blog to connect to your Facebook, as this would ensure that you just get a regular update that pushes your pages to the front of your 'friends' pages.

Another alternative for dental advertising is through mobile marketing. This can be modern technology to be developed by advertisers, and is intended to be seen by people who utilise their mobile to interrelate with the internet. For instance, you might select to use dental marketing through QR Code, a bar code advert on posters or in the practice that users take a photograph of, and then use this to permit them to visit your website. This is a difficult practice which needs some specialist help to get right, however, as you may need to know how to set up the barcode, connect it to your internet, and then print it on paper or plastic in order to get it noticed

Ways To Use The Internet For Dental Marketing

Dental marketing is important for each dentist who runs their own practice. Without these skills, you may find yourself coming second best to a competitor in the local area. Most dentists are very busy trying to learn the modern treatments for patients to spend a lot of time to target marketing dental practice and dental care, and so they usually fall behind. However, by studying the 3 major methods in which you can advertise yourself through the internet, you may soon be ready to combat the difficulties of advertising yourself to new customers, and also make yourself more available to your past patients, who might want to take up a number of your new treatments. Latest dentists would usually try marketing dental practice treatments on their website, instead of marketing it through a lot of traditional methods, as the take-up rate is that much higher.

The most important factor that you may do is set up a website. Clients like a place to come and look around before they opt for a new dentist, and so dental websites help you to promote your practice to potential patients. With a website, you may also be able to direct current patients to your web address, and take them to look around and comment.

Authentic patient comments can often be a sensible way of marketing dental practice, and assist to convince the potential patient that you are a sensible dentist, and are not likely to scare them. You may need to learn how to put SEO on your dental websites so as to draw customers in.

Once you have put up the website, you should then think about social media. Sites such as Twitter and Facebook have become increasingly common way of advertising a new practice, whether dental or other medical services, so getting on this bandwagon can help you to promote yourself. Additionally, you ought to link your dental websites to your Facebook page, as this will create interest from each Facebook and Website viewers, gathering more traffic for your site.

Finally, you must think about mobile marketing. Marketing your website through mobile WAP services are one option, but you can even persuade people to go to your practice by using QR Codes. This enables you to build a barcode that, when scanned, can direct the mobile to your website. Hand out the website on fliers and user it on posters, and soon people with the right mobile technology will be visiting your website, and probably becoming new customers through this way of advertising, being attracted by your use of mobile technology

How Marketing Strategies Sell Dentistry?

Within the past, the dentist did not really need to advertise his wares to the community. Several local dentists just waited for people to come in off the street, or to book an appointment by the telephone. Such clients hadn't come far, and many would live within walking distance, or maybe a brief car journey. But, those times are now past, and the advent of dentist internet marketing has given the public a wider selection over which dental practice they join, and who they decide to have as their dentist. This means that so as to keep bringing patients into your practice, it is very important to get some type of dentistry marketing strategy.

Many dentistry schools have not trained much in the means of business skills, therefore a newly capable dentist may be coming to the actual world of dental practices with no view of what to expect. Of course, most dentists will have no idea of what an effective dentistry marketing plan would look like. However, unless they discover the ropes quickly, these dentists would be under-promoting their own business, and this can cause financial failure. The majority of dentists choose a combination of local marketing strategies, and a broader dentist internet marketing plan. The latter is usually handled through a consultant who knows exactly how to promote the dentists. However, both types of dentistry marketing are essential in order to bring in new customers, and also to keep the customers you already have.

Marketing may be a difficult business which cannot be defined in a some paragraphs. People could study marketing to a post-graduate level. This is the extent of marketing that you will really need in order to properly run all the different varieties of marketing strategy you can apply and choose which is the best one for your particular area.

For instance, one marketing strategy, like flyers in local area, may target 100 clients, but just have an uptake percentage of around 30-40%, depending upon how many already have a dentist, and of these, only one or two percent might become actual clients of the practice. Dentist marketing could calculate how many real patients you can expect to gain and use this to create the most effective strategy for your own practice.

Creating a range of dentist internet marketing and local dentistry advertising can ensure that you get the best exposure for the money you invest, but this can be one thing that would want to be mentioned with an professional, as marketing can take so many different forms that it is unlikely a professional dentist may evaluate them all.

Wearing a mouthguard is vital

More than 40 sports have been identified where wearing a mouthguard would provide protection, and reduce the severity of dental injuries.

The Australian Dental Association recommends only professionally made mouthguards be used. This means the mouthguard must be custom-made for each person. It should also be used at training, and checked each year by your dentist to make sure it retains its original fit, comfort and protective ability.

Generally, mouth guards cover your upper teeth only, but in some instances (such as if you wear braces or another fixed dental appliance on your lower jaw), your dentist will make a mouth guard for the lower teeth as well. Your dentist can suggest the best mouth guard for you. An effective mouth guard should be comfortable, resist tears, be durable and easy to clean, and should not restrict your breathing or speech.

If you grind your teeth at night, a special mouth guard-type of dental appliance -- called a nocturnal bite plate or bite splint -- may be created to prevent tooth damage.

Custom-made mouthguards can be made by your dentist. A mould or impression is taken of your teeth, which is then used to construct a plaster model. The mouthguard is then moulded over this model.

There have been rapid advances in mouthguard design and technology in the last 10 years. The use of plastics which can be exposed to high temperatures and pressures has led to a new generation of professionally made mouthguards.

The custom-made mouthguard is built in layers to ensure improved protection, reduced thickness and a more comfortable fit. Two visits to your dentist are required, one for the mould taking, and a second visit for fitting and mouthguard.

Because the custom-made mouthguard fits perfectly around the teeth, the wearer can concentrate on the sport they are playing. The teeth and surrounding soft tissues are protected against impact, removing any concerns the wearer has about possible dental injury.

It is recommended children aged under 14 wear a simpler custom-made mouthguard because they have a lower body mass and there is less energy on impact. As children mature, the risk of injury increases requiring a higher standard of design and construction.

Those who compete at the top levels of sport require an elite design of mouthguard to provide necessary protection where not only broken teeth but fractured jaws are a real possibility. There is also evidence that custom-made mouthguards are effective against concussion resulting from a blow to the chin.

The custom-made mouthguard should be stored in a clean, strong and sealable plastic container; and kept away from sunlight and heat.

Protecting your Teeth Dental Crowns

Tooth care has become convenient and well within the realms of possibility, with so many techniques and devices available today to help prevent problems, protect the tooth, and provide replenishment if tooth gets worn out. The days of dentures are being replaced by efforts to keep the original teeth in place, prolonging their longevity. Dental crowns come under such a category, where week teeth are protected using teeth shaped structures, which act as caps over the teeth. Dental crown protects the tooth from further damage and prevents complications from developing. Dental crowns are used to prevent the teeth from cracking, in improving their health and appearances.

There are various applications of dental crowns, right from restorative purposes to cosmetic designs that are made to provide a polished appearance to damaged teeth. Dental crowns are used to protect weak teeth that may be in the risk of cracking or falling apart, in holding them together in place, or they could be used to restore severely worn out teeth. In some cases of cavity formation, the decay may be so intense and extensive that there may not be much tooth left, which could warrant a filling. In such instances, dental crowns are used to support such weak teeth, where filling may be out of question. Dental crowns are also used in tandem with other arrangements, such as dental bridges, where the bridge is held together with the help of a dental crown. There are also other cosmetic purposes of dental crowns, as in covering up teeth that are severely discoloured or have a bad shape, or to provide additional cover for dental implants.

Dental crowns could be of many ingredients, ranging from metal, porcelain blended with metal, resin, or ceramic. The process of preparing dental crowns would normally be done in two stages. In the first stage, the dentist would decide on the dental crowns, their sizes and the types, based on the dental problem and the dental structure. It could be done with the help of X-Rays, which would help in identifying the gravity of the problem In the event of dental decay, which could necessitate a root canal treatment before the dental crowns are done. It is after the reshaping of the teeth is done and the condition of the teeth are ascertained, that measurements are taken for dental crowns. While the first visit could involve the making of temporary crowns to protect the teeth that have been attended to, permanent dental crowns are then made to order and fixed during the second stage of consultation.