Yes. Absolutely! Leaving your dentures in for too long without giving your tissues a break will cause you to have fungal and bacterial infections and even sores. It is healthy to remove them at night for cleaning and to give the tissues a break to "breath."

Absolutely, Invisalign is safe! BC you dont have wires and brackets, you are able to properly clean your teeth and gums and will not have the same food restrictions.

If the teeth surrounding that bridge are in good condition and strong enough to support the space of missing tooth a dental bridge may be a good option for missing tooth replacement. The downfall to having a bridge is that you will need to drill on the surrounding teeth- even if they are otherwise healthy. Flossing, caring and maintaining a bridge is more tedious than your natural tooth or a single tooth replacement such as an implant. If one of the teeth involved in the bridge becomes decayed or has other problems, you will need to replace the entire bridge.

There are many advantages of invisible braces such as Invisalign-no wires and brackets, ease of cleaning teeth, no food restrictions, and, of course, they are virtually invisible! However, they are not quicker than traditional braces but it’s actually comparable in time of the patient is compliant (wearing trays as frequently as recommended).

Some deep cleanings can be performed under heavy topical application(without a needle) placed below the gumline. Some more advanced cases may be completed with local anesthesia which is more profound and lasts longer.

See your dentist for proper diagnosis and treatment…

Tooth soreness is a good sign with Invisalign- it means your teeth are moving. The discomfort should dissipate after a few days but will likely happen with each change of your trays. Don't give up. The Invisalign process will be over before you know it. Good luck!

It is advised that you have the periodontal disease controlled and in a maintenance phase that is watched very closely before you start any kind of orthodontic treatment.

If the nerve layer of the tooth or the ligament surrounding the tooth has not be involved or bruised it should not hurt to have the tooth repaired. Your dentist should be able to determine that with a visual exam and an X-ray/ radiograph of the area/tooth.

In most situations it can be repaired but that also depends on the extent of the break and if you have new decay. That can best be evaluated by your dentist using a visual exam and X-rays!

Soft food diet is what is recommended. You should be careful about eating foods that have small seeds as they may get stuck in the socket and cause a problem. Also, it is advised that you avoid using a straw and avoid vigorous spitting. Hope this helps!

Invisalign can be a quick process if you are compliant. It is also easier to clean your teeth than traditional braces and does not have food restrictions.

Depends on the severity of the fracture. Is your nerve healthy from the fracture? Do you have pain? You will need a radiograph to confirm nerve health before a final diagnosis for repair is given. If the tooth is restorable and there IS nerve involvement, you may need a root canal. Other options for repair: 1) Bonding (white filling material sculpted to look like your tooth. This is a good option for younger patients who may need more treatment in the future. The downside is bonding will stain over time). 2) Conservative veneer - 2-step process that replaces the missing tooth structure with porcelain (a more lifelike material made by a lab). 3) Full coverage crown - used if you broke the tooth enough to need a root canal or to the point where a bonding may not hold on well bc too much tooth structure is gone. Good luck!

Gum swelling can be from a number of reasons including, but not limited to: 1) inflammation 2) infection 3) poor oral hygiene 4) hormones (fluctuation with monthly cycle and/or pregnancy) 5) adverse effects of medications. You may have a specific or unique reason. Please contact your dentist for examination to determine. Good luck.

Invisalign is sore because we are moving teeth. Your tooth is surrounded by a ligament that acts like a trampoline for a tooth. When you move teeth, you put pressure and/or stretch these ligaments to move the teeth. If your health history permits, tylenol will work well.

When the gums tighten back up and heal after root planing you can experience some gum recession. However, the recession that you have is actually good (compared to having inflamed and bleeding gums) because it will eliminate large pocket depths and make it easier for you to clean.

Yes, absolutely. Vigorous Spitting could actually put you at risk of dislodging the clot and causing dry socket or for more bleeding!

You do not NEED to have anesthesia to remove a cavity, but it may be quite uncomfortable if you decide you don't want to be numb. You will also need to stay very still, even with discomfort, to allow your dentist to do their best job for you. I have had people who could tolerate it, but they are few and far between.

Deep cleaning should only be recommended in the presence of active periodontal disease. Your dentist should take measurements of the pocketing around the teeth and document areas that bleed. Once you have been treated with deep cleanings, it will be recommended that you maintain your mouth health by having maintenance cleanings every 3-4 months. Staying very regular on your maintenance care will help avoid deep cleanings in the future. Missing maintenance visits will put you at risk for activating periodontal disease again and you may require deep cleanings again. Hope this helps!

If you plan to have an implant, you are much better off having the area bone grafted. It will prevent your bone from resorbing/shrinking. If your bone shrinks too much, you may not be a candidate for implant placement in the future.

The sooner you can treat decay, the better the prognosis. If you wait-you could risk needing a root canal or more involved procedures to save your tooth! The sooner the better!

Yes! You have several options. Bondings vs. porcelain options can be discussed with your dentist! How exciting!

Bleeding in your gums is usually a sign of inflammation and possibly gum disease. There are two types of gum diseases - Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and Periodontitis(gum inflammation accompanied by bone loss). Gum disease can be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe. Your dentist should use a small tooth ruler to check the space between the tooth and the gums. This is an exam (accompanied by X-rays) will help gather information for appropriate diagnosis of gum disease.

Yes! See a dentist right away to make sure you do not have an abscess. This can be dangerous for you and your baby.

This depends on the severity of your apnea. Consult your sleep doctor and your dentist to find out if this is the right choice for you.

Be sure to drink plenty of water. If you are on any medications you can speak with your primary care physician and find out if that may be one of the side effects of them. You can also use OTC biotene or oasis rinses.

It is important to incorporate flossing once a day. I recommend traditional floss since you can "hug" the crevices of the teeth and really remove the debris between them. Check out our facebook and/or website for videos on different flossing techniques around natural teeth, bridges, and implants. www.MyPlantationDentist.com

Root canal treatment can be sensitive from 6 months -1 year after being completed - this is completely NORMAL! If the area presents with swelling, I would recommend seeing your dentist immediately to rule out other pathology such as a gum infection or a root fracture.

That would depend on the age of your son. If the teeth are still forming, then calcium can affect the development. If the teeth are fully exfoliated and developed, the calcium will have less of an effect. But recognize that milk products are not the only source of calcium and if you are worried about your child’s intake, you should supplement with a multivitamin or other foods!

Congratulations on this huge step to better health! Chewing gum can actually be beneficial in many ways. It can remove difficult to remove food particles from the grooves on the biting surfaces of the teeth. I would recommend selecting a brand of gum that contains an ingredient called “Xylitol”. Oral bacteria can metabolize sugars into acidic byproducts that damage your teeth. Xylitol is the only sugar that cannot be metabolized by oral bacteria, further protecting your teeth from decay. The only downside to frequently chewing gum is that it exercises the grinding and clenching muscles and can increase damage from a grinding or clenching habit. All in all I would agree, it’s still better than your previous smoking habit! Congrats again!

Yes, it can spread to other teeth, your sinuses and other vital areas-that's why dental infections are so dangerous (and in extreme cases, deadly). It is important to have regular dental visits and have good home care. If the infection is very bad, your doctor may place you on an antibiotic to help control the infection before doing any treatment. It is also important for you to follow thru with the treatment even if you are not having pain because an infection will usually only respond to an antibiotic for a short time before it can become aggressive again and may not respond to antibiotics as well the second time around.

When you ONLY brush your teeth without flossing, you are only removing debris on the smooth surfaces of the teeth (cheek side, tongue side, and biting surfaces). The bristles of your tooth brush alone cannot get between the teeth. Flossing is a means of manipulating out debris BETWEEN the teeth that is missed when you brush only. It is recommended that you floss daily - my recommendation is to do it right before bed when you can remove the debris from your entire day before you go to sleep when the bacteria levels tend to be higher. There is, in fact, a technique to flossing. Please check out our website or facebook page for videos. www.MyPlantationDentist.com https://www.facebook.com/pg/MyPlantationDentist/videos/?ref=page_internal

I would recommend seeing your dentist. It needs to be diagnosed properly to allow for the appropriate therapy modality. - Dr. Finkelstein, Plantation, FL

Dental xrays are safe, in moderation, during pregnancy. Most dentists are using digital radiographic images now which have a much much LOWER radiation. Dental radiographs have very little scatter and are usually concentrated only in the area of the xray(towards your mouth). It has been said that you get more radiation walking to your car in the sun then you would from a digital image.

Carbohydrates are a big cause of plaque. They become very sticky with saliva and become difficult to remove with normal cleansing in the mouth. Stick to crunchy vegetables and cheese which help remove debris from teeth rather then stick to teeth! Hope this helps!

That depends on the complexity of the extractions and the anxiety level of the patient. Most general dentists will do simple extractions of teeth and the more advanced extractions will be seen by a specnkikialist. Also, the specialist has the equipment to sedate nervous patients and most general dentists do not. -Dr. Finkelstein

See a dentist right away.