Please read below for information on common dental procedures - information and animations provided by Dr. Varley
You can practice good oral hygiene by brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between your teeth once a day with floss or another interdental cleaner, replacing your toothbrush every three or four months and by eating a balanced diet and limiting between-meal snacks.
Gum disease is an infection of the tissues that surround and support your teeth. It is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Because gum disease is usually painless, you may not know you have it. Also referred to as periodontal disease, gum disease is caused by plaque, the sticky film of bacteria that is constantly forming on our teeth.
Tooth decay left untreated is a progressive condition that can eventually lead to toothache and tooth loss. Decay can progress through the layers of tooth, destroying the structure, and irritating the nerve fibers in the pulp chamber.
Root Canal or Endodontic treatment is used to treat toothache by removing infected nerve tissue in teeth that can be restored with a crown when the treatment is completed.
When a tooth has a large filling, a crack, or is at risk of becoming unstable, but still has enough structure left to restore, sometimes a crown can be made to fit all the way around the visbile portion of the tooth, helping to restore it to form and function.