Smile Studio- Did you know

….not everyone has to have their wisdom teeth removed. Those of us with smaller jaws may need to if they cause problems like headaches but “let sleeping dogs lie”. Other very fortunate people have less than 4 wisdom teeth – anything from 3 to none at all!

…quite a few dental traits are inherited from our parents.  For example – teeth may be missing; all or some of the teeth may have enamel imperfections that allow decay to start more easily; the tendency to get periodontal disease (inflammation and infection in the soft tissues around the teeth), etc

….it is possible to over-brush ones teeth? We see enamel destruction due to toothbrush “abrasion” often, particularly on the “corners” near the eye teeth. One would never set out to produce the result seen in the picture below but after many years of scrubbing away, this is what results.

….our teeth are made up of a hard outer shell (enamel) over softer dentine. Once decay has penetrated through the enamel shell it spreads very rapidly. So if you feel a twinge, come in and have it checked before extensive work is required.

….those little white marks on some teeth are misalignments of the crystals in the enamel.

….our fees for dental work, for example fillings, depend on the size of the restoration. If you imagine the visible portions of your teeth as cubes, a filling may cover one or more surfaces of that cube. The bigger the filling, or the more surfaces affected, the higher the fee.

…we call each of the sides of the “cube” by its own name to prevent confusion. Buccal is the side against the cheek. Palatal is the side next to the palate (or on the lower jaw – Lingual, next to the tongue). Mesial is the side facing the front and Distal is the side facing the back of the mouth, or throat.