Dental FAQs
Take a few moments to browse through some common dental FAQs which will help you to learn more about maintaining your oral hygiene.
Q: What type of toothbrush should I be using?
Q: Is one toothpaste better than the rest?
Q: What's the difference between a "bridge" and a "partial bridge?"
Q: What's the difference between white fillings and silver fillings?
Q: Do I need to have a root canal just because I have to have a crown?
A: What type of toothbrush should I be using?
The brand of the toothbrush you are using isn't nearly as critical as the size of the toothbrush head or the type of bristles it may have. Our family dentist in Lilburn recommends that you and your family use a soft toothbrush that has a small head. It's been researched and proven that medium and hard toothbrush bristles can cause painful gum irritation. A toothbrush with a small head will allow you to get into all the areas of your mouth easily, including areas behind your molar teeth. Our family dentist in Lilburn recommends that you brush your teeth at least two times per day and come see us routinely for your dental checkup.
A: Is one toothpaste better than the rest?
Not really. However, our family dentist recommends that you use a toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride has been proven to prevent tooth decay. You should use a toothpaste that tastes good to you and is also approved by the American Dental Association (ADA).
A: How often should I be flossing?
Our family dentists in Lilburn recommend that you floss your teeth at least one time per day. Dental flossing helps to prevent cavities from forming between the crevices of your teeth. This is a very sensitive area that you can't necessarily reach with a toothbrush, so it's important that you floss regularly so you can get any stuck food out.
A: What's the difference between a "crown" and a "cap?"
Dental crowns are used to repair a severely broken or damaged tooth. The dental crown covers the entire tooth surface after all old fillings are completely removed. Dental crowns can be made of porcelain, gold, stainless steel, or other composites. Family dentists often refer to dental crowns as dental restorations. Our patients seem to refer to natural-color dental crowns as being caps.
A: What's the difference between a "bridge" and a "partial bridge?"
Bridges and partial bridges help to replace missing teeth in the mouth. Bridges are permanently secured to surrounding teeth or to any dental implants. Partial bridges are attached to nearby teeth using special clasps and can be easily removed. Typically, our patients are more satisfied with bridges than partial bridges.
A: What's the difference between white fillings and silver fillings?
Many of our patients at our family dental office in Lilburn request white, natural tooth-colored fillings. Our family dentist in Lilburn also prefers using natural tooth-colored fillings because they bond much more securely with the tooth's structure and can even strengthen the tooth itself. However, white fillings can't be used with all types of fillings. Sometimes, severely damaged teeth need to have a dental crown placed over them rather than having the tooth filled. Generally, a dental crown would be needed in a case like this.
A: Do I need to have a root canal just because I have to have a crown?
Not necessarily. Many root canals in Lilburn will require a dental crown once the procedure is over to help strengthen the surface of the tooth that was worked on, but not every tooth requiring a dental crown needs to have a root canal.
A: If my family dentist determines that I need a scaling and planing procedure, could I just receive regular prophylaxis instead?
Prophylaxis is what is also referred to as a routine dental cleaning in Lilburn. Routine dental cleanings are performed on patients at our family dentist office who have fairly good and stable oral health with no major gum problems. Scaling and planing procedures are generally performed on individuals who have reoccurring gum problems or a family history of gum-related issues. Scaling and planing is a deep cleaning dental procedure which can clean below the gum line.