A dental bridge is a process which is used to replace missing teeth. There are many problems associated with missing teeth such, change in occlusion (bite), shifting of the teeth, temporomandibular joint disorder, speech impediments, an increased risk for periodontal disease and a greater chance of tooth decay.

Bridges are fixed to the natural teeth surrounding the empty space. These teeth, called abutments, provide anchors for the bridge. The abutment teeth may need to be contoured to create a little more space in which to fit the bridge. The amount and type of reduction done to the abutment teeth varies slightly with the different materials used.

Types of dental bridges available

Important steps to maintaining your bridges

Benefits include: smile restoration; maintaining facial structure; restoring the ability to properly chew and speak; preventing remaining teeth from drifting out of position; distributing the forces in your bite properly by replacing missing teeth.

How long do dental bridges last?

Bridges can last 5 to 7 years and even longer. With good oral hygiene and regular prophylaxis, it is not unusual for a fixed bridge to last more than 10 years.

Need to find a dentist? Let ToothTourism.com do the work for you. Our Canadian medical professionals have traveled the globe to meet English speaking board-certified dentists who welcome the dental tourist (that's you!)




Contact http://www.toothtourism.com today for more information on how you can find affordable dental treatments abroad. To speak with a Tooth Tourism representative call (toll free): 1-800-644-9124, Mon - Fri, 9am-5pm PST.

It is better to floss and then brush. When you floss, some plaque falls onto your teeth. That means that you can brush it off afterwards with your toothbrush.

You need to floss once-twice a day if you want to have good oral hygiene (the basic recommendation is to floss once a day and brush twice a day). Brushing alone does not clean between your teeth. The reason you want to do it every day is that bacteria begins to colonize and start damaging your teeth within 24 hours.

Rinse your mouth after flossing to spit out the bacteria and food particles.
Flossing is your best weapon again gingivitis and periodontal disease which are the main causes of tooth loss.

• - A good tip is to establish a regular routine and time for flossing so you don't forget
  
• - If you're only brushing, and not flossing, you're only cleaning 60% of your teeth.
  
• - Flossing helps to remove plaque from in between your teeth. Brushing only cleans three fourths of your teeth's surfaces. That means if you brush and don't floss it's like not cleaning seven of your teeth!
  
• - Flossing cleans the areas your toothbrush can not reach - the tooth surfaces between your teeth.

Need to find a dentist? Let ToothTourism.com do the work for you. Our Canadian medical professionals have traveled the globe to meet English speaking board-certified dentists who welcome the dental tourist (that's you!)




Contact http://www.toothtourism.com today for more information on how you can find affordable dental treatments abroad. To speak with a Tooth Tourism representative call (toll free): 1-800-644-9124, Mon - Fri, 9am-5pm PST.

Contouring is a procedure which can be easily performed without using injection. It is the simplest way to recover the look of your teeth. Dental contouring is a procedure to correct curved teeth, cracked teeth, and overlap teeth. During the procedure, your teeth become smooth and polished.

The effects of this procedure is not only easy and stable but also helps you in reshaping your teeth to give you a beautiful, straight smile. It is commonly used to modify the length, shape and position of your teeth.

Dental contouring can even act as an alternative for braces under certain circumstances. A few millimeters of reduction of tooth-colored laminate can create a beautiful smile when performed by a cosmetic dentist.

If your teeth are crowded, have fractures, decreased overlap or grooves in the enamel, this procedure should be discussed with your dentist.

Need to find a dentist? Let ToothTourism.com do the work for you. Our Canadian medical professionals have traveled the globe to meet English speaking board-certified dentists who welcome the dental tourist (that's you!)

Contact http://www.toothtourism.com today for more information on how you can find affordable dental treatments abroad. To speak with a Tooth Tourism representative call (toll free): 1-800-644-9124, Mon - Fri, 9am-5pm PST.

What is a gingivectomy?

A gingivectomy is commonly performed to remove diseased gum tissue, but this is just one type of procedure associated with this surgery. Sometimes a minor gingivectomy is performed to allow for more space in the placement of a crown or implant. Additionally, a gingivectomy can also be performed for cosmetic reasons.

How is a gingivectomy performed?

A local anesthetic is applied and one or more small incisions are made to allow part of the gum to be pulled back, like a flap. This allows the dentist to see the tooth and the bone as well as the surrounding gums. If gum tissue is removed, this is called gingival curettage. The dentist may also decide the tooth requires some type of dental work such as a filling.

The excess or diseased gum tissue is removed, the gum is sewn or sutured together, and a putty-type dressing is applied to cover the gum and prevent infection. Pain medication is usually given, and antibiotics can be prescribed if further infection is a concern. Healing can take a few weeks.

How to prevent gum disease

• Brush your teeth properly twice a day. Brushing your teeth thoroughly removes plaque from the surface before it hardens into calculus.



• Use a fluoride toothpaste. Using a toothpaste with fluoride helps to prevent decay.



• Floss your teeth daily. Flossing is the only way to remove plaque from in between your teeth that a toothbrush can't reach.



• Use a mouth rinse. An antimicrobial mouth rinse can provide extra help in controlling plaque.



• Visit your dentist for regular check ups. Visiting your dentist on a regular basis is the best way to make sure that your teeth and gums stay healthy.

Need to find a dentist? Let ToothTourism.com do the work for you. Our Canadian medical professionals have traveled the globe to meet English speaking board-certified dentists who welcome the dental tourist (that's you!)


Contact http://www.toothtourism.com today for more information on how you can find affordable dental treatments abroad. To speak with a Tooth Tourism representative call (toll free): 1-800-644-9124, Mon - Fri, 9am-5pm PST.

A crown is like a cup that covers the portion of a tooth which is at and above the gum line. Once it is glued on, the dental crown becomes the tooth's new outer surface. Dental crowns are sometimes called "dental caps" or "tooth caps."

Dental crowns are custom-fit to your teeth. The shape and size of the crown is based on molds of your teeth taken by the dentist. The molds are used by dental technicians, or the equivalent, to make your crowns.

Crowns are needed when a tooth is generally broken down and fillings can not suffice to alleviate the problem. The crown holds the tooth together to seal in the cracks and prevent the tooth from further cracking. It can be also used to support a large filling, attach a bridge, guard weak teeth from fracturing, restore fractured teeth, cover up badly shaped or discolored teeth, and protect a root-canal filled tooth.

Crowns can be prefabricated or made in a laboratory. Prefabricated crowns are made of plastic or stainless steel and can be used as a temporary restoration until a permanent crown is manufactured. In some cases, prefabricated crowns can be used as a permanent restoration.

Types of Dental Crowns

• A telescopic crown builds up a tooth to be the height of its neighbours. Some dentists charge less for this type of crown.
  
  
• A temporary crown is a plastic casing placed on an implant or in other cases where a permanent crown cannot yet be placed. A temporary crown provides aesthetics, helps prevent infection, and allows chewing.
  
  
• An implant crown takes more work. When a crown is placed on top of an implant, the entire enamel "tooth" is created which takes more time and more materials. Some dentists charge more for this type of crown.

Crowns can be made from a variety of materials:

Porcelain crowns, also referred to as ceramic crowns, are the most "lifelike" type. However, a 100% porcelain crown may be chipped more easily, and may also be translucent or allow light through. Porcelain can be placed over metal for added support and less translucence. 100% porcelain sometimes costs more.

Metal crowns are usually made from a gold alloy or other metal alloy. Some metals are tolerated better by our bodies, and some are not. Metal crowns are not "lifelike" so are not as popular as they once were, but metal can add underlying support to a porcelain crown.

Composite crowns are usually made from an acrylic or a resin material. These are less expensive but not as lifelike. They may also stain more easily.

Need to find a dentist? Let Tooth Tourism.com do the work for you. Our Canadian medical professionals have traveled the globe to meet English speaking board-certified dentists who welcome the dental tourist (that's you!)

Contact http://www.toothtourism.com today for more information on how you can find affordable dental treatments abroad. To speak with a Tooth Tourism representative call (toll free): 1-800-644-9124, Mon - Fri, 9am-5pm PST.

A toothache is an aching pain in or around a tooth. Quite often, toothaches are caused by problems in the tooth or jaw, such as cavities, gum disease, growing wisdom teeth, a cracked tooth, infected dental pulp, jaw disease, or exposed tooth root.

Home Remedies for Toothache

• Chewing cloves or rubbing clove oil on the infected tooth.
  
• Mix a solution of salt, rinse your mouth as per your requirements.
  
• Drink wheat grass juice, it is an excellent mouthwash for tooth decay and a natural toothache medicine.
  
• Drops of vanilla extract on the affected tooth are an effective remedy.
  
• Oil of oregano applied to the painful tooth is also effective.
  
• Chewing raw onion or peppermint for a few minutes can also be helpful to eliminate toothache.
  
• Ice is a one of the best toothache killers. When you have a toothache chew a piece of ice on the aching side of the mouth, although in the case of cavity this may make it hurt more!

Need to find a dentist? Let Tooth Tourism.com do the work for you. Our Canadian medical professionals have traveled the globe to meet English speaking board-certified dentists who welcome the dental tourist (that's you!)


Contact http://www.toothtourism.com today for more information on how you can find affordable dental treatments abroad. To speak with a Tooth Tourism representative call (toll free): 1-800-644-9124, Mon - Fri, 9am-5pm PST.

Xerostomia, commonly known as "dry mouth", is the irregular decrease of saliva due to medication and/or disease. Dry mouth due to lack of saliva can be a serious medical problem. Decreased salivation can make swallowing difficult, decrease taste sensation, and promote tooth decay.

Causes and Symptoms

Dry mouth can be caused by:

• Medications, both prescription and non prescription medicine
  
• HIV infection
  
• Diabetes
  
• Chronic and progressive inflammation of skeletal muscles
  
• Infections of the salivary glands
  
• Blockage of the salivary ducts

Treatment of Xerostomia

If dry mouth is caused by medicine, the medicine should be changed. If dry mouth is caused by blockage of the salivary ducts, the cause of the blockage should be investigated.

When systemic diseases, such as diabetes and anemia, are brought under control dry mouth problems may decrease. Dry mouth caused by the aging process or radiation therapy for cancer can be treated by such oral medications as pilocarpine (Salagen).

Drugs that are given to increase the flow of saliva are known as sialogogues.

Things you can do at home for treating dry mouth:

• Wash mouth with water frequently
  
• Use saliva substitute
  
• Apply lip moisturizer often
  
• Avoid mouthwashes with an alcohol base
  
• Avoid lemon glycerin swabs as they may contribute to dryness
  
• Drink plenty of liquids, at least 8-12 glasses of fluid a day
  
• Limit coffee and tea intake
  
• Eat a soft, high-protein, moist diet
  
• Avoid acidic foods and juices
  
• Avoid sodas that are fizzy

Need to find a dentist? Let Tooth Tourism.com do the work for you. Our Canadian medical professionals have traveled the globe to meet English speaking board-certified dentists who welcome the dental tourist (that's you!)

Contact http://www.toothtourism.com today for more information on how you can find affordable dental treatments abroad. To speak with a Tooth Tourism representative call (toll free): 1-800-644-9124, Mon - Fri, 9am-5pm PST.