Articles

Patient Education

Dental care and treatment can improve your smile and boost your self-confidence. Our highly experienced, board-certified dental professionals and compassionate staff make keeping healthy, attractive teeth for your lifetime a reality.

Dr. Trey's Children's Dentistry provides a full range of dental services including the following:

Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric dentistry is an area of dentistry that specializes in treating the oral healthcare needs of children. Pediatric dentists provide regular checkups, cleanings and fluoride treatments, and overall oral treatment and care for children's teeth. Pediatric dentists also commonly apply sealants to children's teeth to prevent cavities...

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Dental Sealants

Dental sealants are a very effective tool in the prevention of cavities. Dental sealants are a thin plastic film or coating that is applied to the surface of teeth. The sealant acts as a barrier between the tooth and food, bacteria and plaque; all of which can cause cavities. Sealants successfully prevent bacterial formation that causes tooth decay and other damage...

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Preventive Dentistry

Preventive dentistry helps patients avoid the costly and invasive procedures often needed to treat serious dental conditions. Maintaining dental health helps patients look and feel their best, and can have a positive effect on their overall health.

Preventing dental problems requires a lifelong commitment. To begin developing proper dental-hygiene habits, a child should visit a dentist shortly after the first teeth emerge. Parents also play an important role in helping their children develop and maintain good dental-hygiene habits...

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Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is a special procedure used to restore, reshape and rejuvenate teeth, improving both their function and appearance. Dentists apply a thin layer of tooth-colored plastic to the front of the tooth and sculpt it to perfect the patient's appearance. Dental bonding is used to repair chipped, cracked, broken, misshapen teeth or stained teeth or to fill in the spaces between teeth...

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Oral Hygiene

Proper oral hygiene is essential for healthy teeth and gums. People older than 35 lose more teeth from gum disease than from cavities. Gum disease (periodontal disease) is a broad term that encompasses several different gum conditions, including gingivitis and periodontitis. Many adults are affected at some point in their lives. The best way to prevent periodontal disease, as well as cavities, is through a regimen of thorough daily brushing and flossing...

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Cavities

Cavities are small holes in the teeth that form as a result of decay. During the decay process, the outer layers of the teeth, known as enamel and dentin, are worn away, leaving eroded areas called cavities.

Causes of Cavities

Cavities are caused by a buildup of bacteria, food particles and saliva which combine to form dental plaque, a film that coats the teeth. Since plaque is acidic, it can attack the tooth enamel, and then the dentin, causing decay which results in cavities. Regular tooth cleaning helps keep plaque away, but decay often occurs in the back teeth which are harder to clean...

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Dental Fillings

Dental tooth fillings are a restorative treatment, used to improve the appearance and functionality of teeth affected by damage or decay. The filling materials, which can be made from several different substances, help to even out tooth surfaces for more efficient biting and chewing. Dental fillings can last for many years and help keep the tooth looking and functioning at its best...

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Flouride

Fluoride is a natural substance that helps strengthen teeth and prevent decay in patients of all ages. Naturally, it is found in water sources and certain foods such as meat, fish and eggs. As a supplement it is available in toothpastes, vitamins, rinses and professional treatments from dentists. Sufficient fluoride treatment is most important for children, to ensure extra protection from cavities against their developing teeth...

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Mouth Guards

Mouth guards are customized devices worn over the teeth to protect them from injury. Unlike dental splints, which are orthodontic devices used to treat conditions such as teeth-grinding (bruxism), snoring or sleep apnea, mouth guards are used primarily to protect the teeth and braces during athletic or recreational activities. Effective mouth guards should be comfortable, durable, easy to clean, and allow the wearer to breathe and speak normally...

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Congenitally Missing Teeth

While many people lose teeth as a result of an injury or dental condition, some patients never develop certain teeth as a result of a congenital defect. Congenitally missing teeth can be classified into two different disorders: hypodontia (developmentally missing teeth) or oligodontia (congenital lack of more than six teeth). These conditions often occur concurrently with other conditions such as a cleft lip or palate, and certain skin, hair and nail defects. Patients with hypodontia and oligodontia are most often missing the wisdom teeth, second premolars and permanent upper second incisors...

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Crowding or Spacing of Teeth

Crowding or spacing of the teeth can result from an anatomical abnormality in jaw structure or from disparities between the upper and lower jaw during growth. It may also be caused by a traumatic injury affecting the jaw. An inconsistency between the length or width of the jaw can result in an imbalance of the facial bones, muscles and teeth. An orthodontist can reposition the jaw so that as growth continues, the bones and teeth align correctly. If the disparities are not addressed during childhood, they can result in major jaw issues that require orthognathic (jaw) surgery...

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Malocclusion

Malocclusion is a term that refers to an abnormal alignment of the upper and lower teeth. When the teeth are abnormally aligned, dental problems, such as difficulty biting or chewing can occur. Malocclusion may also result in an unnatural facial appearance, mouth breathing and speech problems. In severe cases, untreated malocclusion can lead to extreme stress and eventual damage to the affected teeth...

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Tooth Extraction

A tooth extraction, also known as exodontia, is one of the most common procedures performed at a dentist's office. The procedure involves removing or pulling a tooth. An extraction may be necessary if there is disease, trauma or overcrowding.

Causes for Tooth Extraction

Tooth extractions may be performed for the following reasons and/or to remove the following conditions: ...

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Dental Trauma

Dental trauma involves any kind of injury to the face, teeth, gums or jaw line. Patients may experience trauma as a result of a sports injury, motor vehicle accident, or other type of incident. Dental trauma can also occur from eating foods that are too hard or drinking liquids that are too hot. These injuries can range from facial cuts and lacerations to more serious problems such as broken teeth and fractures. Trauma is most common among children, and the most common type of injury is a fracture of the tooth crown...

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Dental X-Rays

Dental X-rays are a vital part of a dental examination There are two main types of dental X-rays: those taken with the X-ray film inside the mouth (intraoral) and those taken with the X-ray film outside the mouth (extraoral). Intraoral X-rays are the ones most commonly used. They provide detailed evidence of the growth of developing teeth, the health of tooth roots and surrounding bone, including the jaw. They also help the dentist zero in on any cavities. Extraoral X-rays, while they also show the teeth, primarily focus on the jaw and skull. They are therefore more helpful in diagnosing malocclusions, impacted teeth, and possible temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD)...

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Sedation-Dentistry

Many people experience anxiety about undergoing dental work or visiting the dentist at all, a fear known as dental phobia. It can keep them from seeking dental care, and may compromise their dental health. Dental phobia can be helped by sedation dentistry.

Sedation dentistry involves the use of medication to provide a relaxing and anxiety-free experience for people undergoing dental treatment. Although sometimes referred to as "sleep dentistry," most patients remain awake but feel sleepy. There are several different methods available to achieve varying degrees of sedation. Which method is used depends on the type of procedure and the preference of the patient...

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Teething

Teething is a milestone in a child's development, but a troubling time for both babies and parents. As the first teeth emerge, babies may experience pain and swelling of the gums. The first set of teeth, the central incisors, either upper or lower, usually appear between the ages of 4 and 7 months. The teething process can last until the child reaches 3 years of age...

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