The questions patients ask most at the chair, answered plainly — from which toothbrush to buy to what actually separates a crown from a cap. If your question is not here, call (203) 961-8140 and ask.
The habits between visits matter as much as the visits themselves. Three questions cover most of it.
The brand of the toothbrush is not as critical as the type of bristle and the size of the head. A soft toothbrush with a small head is recommended — medium and hard brushes tend to cause irritation and contribute to recession of the gums, and a small head lets you get around each tooth more completely and is less likely to injure your gums.
It is unnecessary to “scrub” the teeth as long as you are brushing at least twice a day and visiting your dentist at least twice a year for cleanings.
Generally, no. However, it is advisable to use a fluoride-containing toothpaste to decrease the incidence of dental decay. We recommend our patients use what tastes good to them — as long as it contains fluoride.
Flossing once per day helps prevent cavities from forming between the teeth, where your toothbrush can’t reach. Flossing also helps keep your gums healthy.
Restorative dentistry has its own vocabulary. These four answers untangle the terms patients mix up most — and what each choice means for your tooth.
These are restorations that repair a severely broken tooth by covering all or most of the tooth after removing old fillings, fractured tooth structure, and all decay. The restoration material may be gold, porcelain, composite, or even stainless steel.
Dentists refer to all of these restorations as “crowns.” Patients, however, often call the tooth-colored ones “caps” and the gold or stainless steel ones “crowns.” They are the same thing.
Both bridges and partial dentures replace missing teeth. A bridge is permanently attached to abutment teeth or, in some cases, implants. A partial denture is attached by clasps to the teeth and is easily removed by the patient. Patients are usually more satisfied with bridges than with partial dentures.
You can read more about both options on the dental implants and dentures pages.
Although the U.S. Public Health Service issued a report in 1993 stating there is no health reason not to use amalgam (silver fillings), more patients today are requesting “white” or tooth-colored composite fillings. We also prefer tooth-colored fillings because they bond to the tooth structure and therefore help strengthen a tooth weakened by decay. White fillings are also usually less sensitive to temperature, and they look better.
However, white fillings cannot be used in every situation — if a tooth is very badly broken down, a crown will usually be necessary and will provide better overall satisfaction for the patient.
No. While most teeth that have had root canal treatment do need crowns to strengthen the teeth and return them to normal form and function, not every tooth needing a crown also needs a root canal.
One doctor, one office on Summer Street, and a front desk that answers. Call and we will find a time that works.