Causes of Gap Teeth

Of all the cosmetic issues people have with their teeth, a gap-toothed grin is one of the most common. Regardless of whether it’s causing a patient to whistle unintentionally or just looks awkward, we at Downtown Dental in Chicago can help fix it, but it will help if we know what’s causing it.

The Invisalign series of invisible aligners is ideal for cosmetic orthodontic work. If the teeth are somewhat jumbled but there are no major rearrangements or reshaping of the maxillary bone to be done, our Invisalign providers can bring teeth together, closing the gap. If there’s hardly any misalignment at all, veneers could be used to fill in the space.

However, if the gap accompanied an overbite that formed in response to patient behavior, the behavior must be stopped for treatment to work. Some people push their tongues against their teeth when they swallow. This problem requires attention from an ear, nose, and throat specialist. Other people suck their thumbs, which could be a psychological issue. Sometimes, a gap between the top front teeth is caused by the labial frenum, which is the vertical strip of tissue that connects the lip to the skull. In these cases, the frenum is surgically reduced in size.

Downtown Dental LLC operates at 25 E Washington St, Suite 1921, Chicago, Illinois, 60602. To schedule an appointment, call 312-782-8862 or visit Downtown-Dental.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Electric Toothbrushes

We’re always happy to see that our patients at Downtown Dental are brushing their teeth well! Sometimes, if people are having difficulty, they may benefit from switching to an electric toothbrush, but there are several important factors to consider when making the choice.

Electric toothbrushes are able to make thousands of times as many brushstrokes per minute as the manual kind. Clinical trials have not yet found them to be more effective than properly-used manual toothbrushes, but lots of people misuse manual toothbrushes. Examples of that would include failing to brush for the full two minutes and by failing to brush on every tooth surface.

Some electric toothbrushes come with apps to encourage patient compliance. These include games for children that reward them for brushing, as well as timers and trackers of which tooth surfaces the patient missed and warnings if the patient is brushing too hard. An electric toothbrush is an expensive initial investment, but for a patient who has difficulty moving their hands or isn’t getting good results with a manual toothbrush, it may be worthwhile.

Downtown Dental LLC operates at 25 E Washington St, Suite 1921, Chicago, Illinois, 60602. To schedule an appointment, call 312-782-8862 or visit Downtown-Dental.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Pain around Fillings

Patients with cavities at Downtown Dental LLC in Chicago are assured of getting high-quality fillings. But no filling lasts forever, which is why we want our patients to understand when they need to come in for a replacement.

Sometimes a filling can be made poorly and interfere with a patient’s bite or contribute to decay. A high filling is one which rises high enough to prevent the patient from comfortably closing their bite. A filling can also not be totally flush with the seal holding it in, leaving a gap for decay-causing bacteria to enter. There are also cases in which the decay went deeper than was thought or started again after the filling’s placement.

We don’t expect this to happen with any of our fillings, but the seal holding it in will only last for about ten years. After that, the filling may come loose or a gap may open. Replacing the filling is an easy process in which it and any new decayed material is removed and sealed over with another filling or a partial crown. Our advanced imaging technology allows us to determine exactly how deep the decay goes.

Downtown Dental LLC operates at 25 E Washington St, Suite 1921, Chicago, Illinois, 60602. To schedule an appointment, call 312-782-8862 or visit Downtown-Dental.com and fill out a contact form.