Q: Which type of toothbrush should I use?
A: The brand of the toothbrush is not as critical as the type of bristle and the size of the head. A soft toothbrush with a small head is recommended because medium and hard brushes tend to cause irritation and contribute to recession of the gums, and a small head allows you to get around each tooth more completely and is less likely to injure your gums. It's unnecessary to "scrub" the teeth as long as you are brushing at least twice a day and visiting your dentist at least twice a year for cleanings.

Q: Is one toothpaste better than others?
A: Generally, no. However, it's advisable to use a fluoride containing toothpaste to decrease the incidence of dental decay. We recommend our patients use pastes that contain calcium and few other ingrediants since man ycan be irritating.

Q: How often should I floss?
A: Flossing of the teeth once per day helps to prevent cavities from forming between the teeth where your toothbrush can't reach. Flossing also helps to keep your gums healthy.

 Q: What's the difference between a "crown" and a "cap"?
A: These are restorations to repair a severely broken tooth by covering all or most of the tooth after removing old fillings, fractured tooth structure, and all decay.  The restoration material is made of gold, porcelain, composites, or even stainless steel. Dentists refer to all of these restorations as "crowns". However, patients often refer to the tooth-colored ones as "caps" and the gold or stainless steel ones as "crowns".

Q: What is an onlay and why would my dentist recommend one over a crown?     

A: Both restorations will cover the biting surface and protect the tooth from fracture while restoring the tooth to function but a crown removes much more of your natural tooth than an onlay.  Onlays are most often fabricated from a high noble yellow gold so therefore would be used in the back of the mouth where esthetics are not as much of a concern.  Onlays, since they are a one piece cast metal restoration, have much fewer failures than a crown.  Crowns often will need a buildup consisting of composite, a bonding agent and sometimes pins or posts creating many areas for stress failure.  Porcelain crowns are actually glass and they too can fracture if a patient is a grinder or clencher.  Of course, when esthetics are important, we do all porcelain crowns, laminates and onlays which look great.  See the Smile Gallery.

Q: What's the difference between a "bridge" and a "partial denture"?
A: Both bridges and partial dentures replace missing teeth. A bridge is permanently attached to abutment teeth or, in some cases, implants. A partial denture is attached by clasps to the teeth and is easily removed by the patient. Patients are usually more satisfied with fixed bridges than with removable partial dentures.  Implants are yet another option to replace missing teeth, they preserve your bone and have a great track record dating back 50 years although they may seem like a new treatment.

Q: What about "mercury,silver" fillings versus "white" fillings?
A: Although the U.S. Public Health Service issued a report in 1993 stating there is no health reason not to use amalgam (silver fillings), we feel strongly that they continually release mercury which is a known nuerotoxin.   We have not used mercury in over 8 years and only restore teeth with "white" or tooth-colored composite fillings. We also prefer tooth-colored fillings because they "bond" to the tooth structure and therefore help strengthen a tooth weakened by decay.

Q: Do I need to have a root canal just because I have to have a crown?
A: No. Most, but not all teeth, which have had root canal treatments.  Crowns protect the teeth from fracture and possible loss, as well as to return the teeth to normal form and function.  Conversly, not every tooth needing a crown will also need to have a root canal.