Enamel Erosion and Fluoride

Tooth enamel is the semi-translucent, hard, outer layer of the teeth, and although it is the strongest substance in the human body, it is not impervious to everyday wear and tear or acid erosion. Tasked with protecting our teeth from the daily damage of biting and chewing, as well as from the temperature extremes of hot and cold foods, tooth enamel is important for keeping our teeth free of decay and pain. But if the enamel begins to erode, intervention is necessary for protecting your oral health.

Tooth enamel erosion can be caused by a number of factors, from drinking too many soft drinks or fruity juices to not cleaning your teeth often enough. Other contributing factors include eating lots of sour foods or candy, dry mouth, acid reflux disease, bulimia, teeth grinding, heaving drinking and even brushing teeth immediately after consuming acidic food or beverages. When the tooth enamel erodes, you may experience sensitive teeth, irregular or rough tooth edges, yellowed teeth and cupping or dents.

At our practice in Holmdel, NJ, Dr. Dipika Shah recommends fluoride treatment to strengthen teeth and prevent decay. Fluoride is a mineral found naturally in our water and many of our foods and can help remineralize tooth enamel that has eroded and protect it from acid in the future. Especially important to children between the ages of 6 and 16, fluoride treatment is a common part of dentistry. The mineral can be applied as a foam, gel or varnish and is a much stronger dose than found in toothpastes and mouthwashes.

To see if fluoride can help you, schedule an appointment at our practice by calling 732-264-8180. For more information, visit www.dentistnj.com. 

Air Abrasion in Holmdel, NJ: No Shots, No Drills

From using top-of-the-line technology for detecting tooth decay to performing dental procedures with tools that reduce pain, Dr. Dipika Shah consistently puts her patients’ dental experience and oral health first.

One way the dentist is able to enhance our patients’ dental care is with air abrasion  which can be used without the discomfort of drills or shots. With no vibrations, friction or heat, there is no jarring of sensitive nerves or anxiety, making procedures with air abrasion instruments virtually pain free.  The tool works by delivering a gentle stream of particles with forced air to remove decay quickly and gently.

Because it is quicker and does not require sedation, air abrasion allows more teeth to be worked on in one visit and with little to no side effects. This is much more convenient for both the dentist and the patient than traditional drills, and it allows you to have necessary dental work without cutting too much into your busy schedule. Additionally, air abrasion allows for more of the healthier tooth structure to be conserved when removing decay.

Dr. Shah consistently offers high-quality dental care to her patients in Holmdel, NJ, and air abrasion tools are one of the ways she provides it.  To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180. For more information, please visit www.dentistnj.com.

Wisdom Teeth Extractions with Dr. Dipika Shah

While many patients do not experience problems with their wisdom teeth when they begin to emerge between the ages of 17 and 25, many others find that theirs must be removed. Wisdom teeth are usually removed because they become impacted, which means that the tooth does not have enough room to come in straight through the gums and instead emerges at an angle. This can cause pain, damage to the jaw and a more crooked smile due to crowding. Additionally, the site of impaction can become a bacterial hotspot since impacted wisdom teeth are hard to clean.

If your mouth does not have enough room for your wisdom teeth to come in, a wisdom tooth extraction is necessary, and at our office in Homdel, NJ, Dr. Dipika Shah can determine whether a wisdom tooth extraction is the best course of action for you.

Wisdom teeth extractions can range from removing a single tooth to removing all four teeth at once. Dr. Shah will let you know what she thinks is best for you. For the procedure, she will use either a local anesthetic to numb the area or a general anesthetic to sedate you while the teeth are extracted. The tooth will then be accessed through an incision in the gums and wiggled until it is loose enough to be lifted out. If the tooth is too deeply embedded to be removed this way, it will be broken up into pieces before being removed.

Whether you are already feeling pain due to impacted wisdom teeth or have not yet felt them come in, we can determine if your wisdom teeth will cause problems for you. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180. For more information, visit www.dentistnj.com.

Dental Bonding in Holmdel, NJ

Dental bonding is one of the easiest and most affordable dental procedures used for repairing teeth and enhancing the aesthetics of your smile. By bonding a tooth-colored resin to the patient’s teeth, Dr. Dipika Shah can correct smiles with unevenly-shaped, chipped or discolored teeth, prevent further enamel erosion and even fill cavities seamlessly and without the need for amalgam. If you’re looking to improve the health and look of your smile in Holmdel, NJ, come to our office!

Unlike other cosmetic dental procedures, bonding can usually be accomplished in a single visit to our office and doesn’t require enamel to be removed as veneers do. Bonding usually only requires light abrasion and an application of adhesive gel, which helps the resin adhere to the teeth. If being used as an alternative to amalgam fillings, tooth decay will also be removed in preparation for the filling.
 

Once your teeth are prepared, Dr. Shah will select the right color resin for your smile and apply the putty-like substance to your tooth or teeth. The resin is then molded and smoothed until it is in the desired shape and then hardened with an LED light. After it has been hardened, the dentist will trim and shape it even further, polishing the resin until it shines like a natural tooth. Altogether, the procedure usually takes between 30 minutes to an hour for each tooth.

If you’re unhappy with your smile but unwilling to go as far as veneers, bonding can be used to improve your teeth effectively, quickly and affordably. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180. For more information, please visit www.dentistnj.com.