When Dental Bonding Breaks

Dental bonding is beneficial for teeth that have been chipped, fractured, discolored or decayed. With proper oral hygiene, dental bonding can keep your smile looking bright for up to ten years. In the case of dental trauma, or eating too much of acidic foods, however, dental bonding may break. If you’ve completed a dental bonding procedure in the past and begin to notice a crack, visit Dr. Michael Eisenbrock of Bensalem Family Dentistry before it falls out completely.  

It’s important to remember that dental bonding is not as strong as tooth’s natural enamel. Because dental bonding doesn’t provide the same strength as tooth enamel, it’s important to avoid bad habits that might make the composite resin crack. Additionally, be conscious of eating too many acidic foods, as this can damage bonding over time. Additionally, be conscious of eating too many acidic foods, as this can damage bonding over time. Bonding shouldn’t break, as long as you are taking proper care of your oral health.

If you have questions or concerns regarding dental bonding or breakage, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.bensalemfamilydentistry.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Michael Eisenbrock, DDS at Bensalem Family Dentistry in Bensalem, PA, call us at 215-638-9952.

Hookah Tobacco and Teeth

If you are a lover of water pipes, also known as hookahs, and have been told that they aren’t as bad as cigarettes, Dr. Michael Eisenbrock, DDS of Bensalem Family Dentistry is sorry for being the bearer of bad news –you’ve been misinformed. Studies show that water pipe smoking is just as harmful as cigarettes if not more.

Hookah tobacco (shisha) is a combination of tobacco, sweetener, and fruit. Many believe that shisha is safer to smoke because it is filtered through water before being inhaled. Though it does not leave you smelling like an ashtray, it has similar health risks associated with smoking cigarettes. Smokers increase their risk of developing dry mouth, bad breath, and especially, oral cancer. The best thing you can do for your oral health is to kick the habit altogether.

If you have questions or concerns regarding how smoking affects your oral health, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.bensalemfamilydentistry.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Michael Eisenbrock, DDS at Bensalem Family Dentistry in Bensalem, PA, call us at 215-638-9952.

Products for Cleaning a Fixed Bridge

Those tools we give our orthodontic patients aren’t just for braces. Many patients at Bensalem Family Dentistry have benefitted from fixed bridges, but in order for their new teeth to last a life time, patients have to know how to clean them. Fortunately, there are several commonly-available items that can help.

A threader is a big loop with a pointy end which is used to draw floss in the same way a needle draws thread. Many people first learn to use it to floss around orthodontic wiring, but it also works with bridges. The patient only needs to draw the floss through the gap between the bridge and the gum line, and then they can clean the bridge and the sides of the pontic teeth. If the bridge is supported by implants, they may also be able to slide a proxy brush through the gap. Also known as Christmas tree brushes, proxy brushes are small, conical brushes which can dislodge bits of food debris.

There are also more specialized products available. Some floss manufacturers produce floss with stiffened tips which can be pushed through a bridge gap, and makers of electric tooth brushes make adjustable heads for their instruments which can clean the tips of implants. There are all sorts of options for people with bridges to maintain their oral health.

Dr. Michael Eisenbrock runs Bensalem Family Dentistry at 3554 Hulmeville Road, Suite 111, Bensalem, Pennsylvania, 19020. To schedule an appointment, call 215-874-4042 or visit BensalemDentistry.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Intrinsic Stains

We treat all sorts of cosmetic problems at Bensalem Dentistry, including stains which can’t be removed with regular bleaching. Although most stains on the teeth are due to extrinsic factors, such as smoking or a lifetime of coffee, and some discoloration is due to natural wear to the enamel, there are also stains that are intrinsic to the tooth. These can be covered, but they sometimes indicate an issue that is more than just cosmetic.

The easy intrinsic stains to treat are those which are caused by the tooth having been exposed to dark molecules during its formation. Tetracycline antibiotics and excessive amounts of fluoride can cause a tooth to be black or purplish from its first appearance. But if a formally white tooth turns black, it could be because its pulp has become inflamed from trauma or infection. This will result in a serious tooth ache if we do not perform a root canal, and an infection could spread to the patient’s blood stream or cause a facial abscess. Once the root canal is complete, we can cover the tooth with a veneer or a new crown.

Dr. Michael Eisenbrock runs Bensalem Family Dentistry at 3554 Hulmeville Road, Suite 111, Bensalem, Pennsylvania, 19020. To schedule an appointment, call 215-874-4042 or visit BensalemDentistry.com and fill out a contact sheet.