To be in peak health, a person needs to have little to no worries when it comes to their bodily needs. To achieve such a feat, it’s essential for us to carefully assess our bodies by parts before considering it as a whole.
Plenty of people are capable of doing so, but many also often neglect one key detail about their health: their dental needs. It is neglect in such a way that we grew up being taught that regular brushing and flossing are enough to keep our dental health in good standing. That may be true in some instances, but we still need to visit our dentists occasionally for checkups. Failing to do so can lead to problems that may need the following procedures to be fixed.
Bonding
When left unchecked by a professional, we unknowingly allow plaque to build up in our mouths — a possibility despite our constant brushing and flossing. That can then lead to said plaque buildup breaking down the enamel of our teeth, leaving them vulnerable to decay. If a person’s teeth have reached this terrible state, the dentist can recommend bonding to help with the problem.
Bonding is the process of using a type of plastic called resin to fill the cavities, thus restoring decayed teeth. The resin is the same shade as the tooth, so it blends in well. The material is also hardened by the use of ultraviolet light or laser. Afterward, the dentist will polish and shape the resin to make it look natural.
Aside from tooth decay, bonding can help fix teeth gaps, discoloration, and even fractures. The procedure doesn’t only work on adults, but on children as well since the resin can be replaced as teeth grow.
Teeth Extraction
There are some instances where bonding may not be enough or not suitable for the problem at hand. Dentists will look into other procedures, like extraction, to remedy the said problem. That is especially true for wisdom teeth, the third molars that grow in when we’re in our late teens or early twenties.
Sometimes, there isn’t enough space in our mouth to accommodate extra teeth. As a result, wisdom teeth can come out impacted and affect the condition of our other teeth. They have to be removed to avoid additional dental problems. Some cases also deal with jaw damage due to the cysts that can potentially form around wisdom teeth.
Regardless of our location, be it in Richmond, Indiana or other places, we can approach a reputable dentist and find out if we’ll need wisdom teeth removal. It isn’t common, and some people have mouths that can accommodate an extra set of molars.
Root Canals
A chipped or cracked tooth, when not bonded immediately, can cause more problems in the long run. For example, it can happen in the form of an infection. An infected tooth can hurt in several ways, one of which is through sharp pain upon pressure. Another is sensitivity to extreme temperatures.
It is an extreme case where the doctor will need to perform a root canal procedure to remove the infected tooth pulp or nerve. After it’s been removed, the inside of the tooth is then cleaned, filled, and sealed — the process ultimately saving the teeth from extraction.
All these procedures don’t mean that we can neglect routine dental hygiene, though. These circumstances are more of a warning that the lack of assistance from a proper dentist may lead to unfortunate events.