Tuesday 21 August 2012

Why are Hygiene Maintenance Appointments so Important?


Hygiene maintenance appointments are designed to promote good oral health in two ways. The first is the professional cleaning and care you receive to help keep your teeth and gums in optimal condition. The second is monitoring the condition of the many factors that contribute to oral health issues.
Maintenance appointments are especially important following any active treatment a patient may have undergone. For example, when a new patient has their first appointment with us, we thoroughly assess their gums (among many other things).  If they are diagnosed with gum or periodontal disease they’ll get a recommendation to treat the active disease.  Once the condition is treated and stable, a specific maintenance schedule is designed to maintain the improvement the active treatment obtained.
At your hygiene maintenance appointment, we update your health history, check your blood pressure, complete a brief oral cancer screening, and assess your teeth and gums for any issues.  Your teeth will then be cleaned, polished and flossed.  We also recommend a once yearly fluoride application for children and adults to help prevent cavities.
It’s the hygiene maintenance appointment that really allows us stay in control over your dental health. We can also advise you of any concerns and treat problems early while they are small and can be most successfully addressed.
If you’re due for an appointment, you can book one online by clicking here or by calling (905) 303-9355.

Tuesday 7 August 2012

Why Should I Worry About the Condition of My Back Teeth?


Most people care a lot about their smile and its appearance. As a dentist, I help a great many people attain a beautiful and sparkling smile, but what about the foundation of that smile?
The foundation of your smile depends on all of your teeth, and that includes the back or posterior teeth. Those teeth are responsible for much of the chewing you do, and for supporting your bite. They provide the vertical support necessary to keep your bite properly aligned, and your teeth straight.  This is called posterior support.
I often draw the analogy of a house to illustrate the purpose of good posterior support. Much like your smile, the house rests on a strong foundation, and if that foundation deteriorates, as it can in a number of ways, the entire house is likely to be severely damaged or collapse all-together. The same is true for your posterior teeth. In fact, your front teeth provide no support at all and they rely completely on the back teeth to keep them in the right position.  Without good posterior support, the front teeth are destined to “crash” into each other.
With the progressive loss of posterior support, there are serious consequences that will develop.  Chewing will become more difficult, and more stress will be put on the remaining teeth which will wear at a higher rate.  As loss of posterior support continues, the front teeth experience heavier pressure and start to chip, crack and break rather quickly.
To avoid the problems that can occur, keep your back teeth strong and healthy.  Be sure to restore weakened teeth early with crowns, replace missing back teeth, wear a grinding appliance if it’s been recommended and keep your gums healthy with great home care and regular checkups with your dental hygienist.
If you feel like you may have issues with posterior support or are unsure of the condition of your back teeth, give us a call to book a checkup. You can book an appointment at Forman Dental using our online appointment booking tool or by calling (905) 303-9355.