Common Dental Concerns - And How Your Dentist Can Help!
If you have a question or concern about your dental health, the first thing you should do is contact your dentist. We are here to help! While we approach every case based on that patient’s individual needs, listed below are some of the questions we frequently hear.
What should I do if I chipped my tooth?
If you notice a chip in one of your teeth, contact your dentist. We will ask if there is any pain or bleeding associated with the chip, which tooth chipped and how much of the tooth is missing. We will then schedule an appointment to determine the severity and make sure the tooth isn’t cracked beyond the chipped area.
At your appointment we will diagnose the cause of the crack and restore it using biomimetic restorative dentistry, so you can expect the restoration to last. If your tooth was already restored biomimetically with composite, a chip into the composite is easy to fix and normal. Composite is designed to be flexible like your natural tooth (biomimetic!) and may wear and chip over time, but thankfully it is easy to repair with no impact to your healthy tooth structure.
Why does my tooth hurt?
Tooth pain, whether sporadic, constant or while chewing, is not normal and should be treated. Contact your dentist so we can help. A few common causes of pain are an infection of your tooth’s nerve, a crack in your tooth, a poorly bonded restoration that has a gap underneath or inflammation of the surrounding gums. When scheduling your appointment we will ask about the severity (i.e. on a scale of one to five), frequency or cause (e.g. when eating certain foods or drinking cold beverages) and type (i.e. dull or sharp). Based on this we can schedule your appointment to help address your concerns.
I don’t like how my teeth look. What is the best way to fix this?
Having a smile you love doesn’t have to come at the expense of your dental health. Thanks to advances in adhesive dentistry, patients can have minimally invasive cosmetic dental treatments that create the smile they want without harming their healthy tooth structure. At your next cleaning and check-up, you can discuss your dental goals with Dr. Alleman, who can walk you through options for changing your smile.
My crown fell off. Can it be repaired?
If you have a traditional crown that fell off, contact your doctor immediately. Teeth that have been crowned using traditional methods have lost essential tooth structure and are more susceptible to severe decay and cracks. While the tooth cannot be restored to mimic a natural tooth, biomimetic techniques can still help prevent future decay and ensure your new crown stays bonded.
Why are my teeth sensitive?
Similarly to tooth pain, tooth sensitivity can be caused by a number of factors including decay, cracks, receding gums, worn enamel and exposed root dentin. Ensure you are brushing gently and flossing daily to prevent some causes of sensitivity, but also discuss your sensitivity with your doctor. Try to identify if it occurs when eating certain foods or drinking cold beverages and which teeth are affected. This will help diagnose the cause of your symptoms.
You might still have questions.
How is biomimetic dentistry different? Short answer: by mimicking a natural tooth, we are able to solve the problems with traditional dentistry of symptomatic restorations that only last a few years. Read more about biomimetic dentistry to see how it is different from traditional practices.
I am unable to travel to Utah for treatment. Is there a biomimetic dentist near me?
Dr. David Alleman and Dr. Davey Alleman have trained hundreds of doctors around the world to practice the same way we do here in Provo, UT, so there may be a biomimetic dentist in your area. View our alumni map to see the doctors we have trained.
We’ll write about these topics and more in future blog posts, or we’re happy to talk about the work we do any time. Reach out at office@allemancenter.com or (801) 717-9860 any time, or ask Dr. Alleman at your next appointment.
