Q: Which type of toothbrush should I use?
A: The brand of the toothbrush is not as critical as the type of bristle and the size of the head. A soft toothbrush with a small head is recommended because medium and hard brushes tend to cause irritation and contribute to recession of the gums, and a small head allows you to get around each tooth more completely and is less likely to injure your gums. It's unnecessary to "scrub" the teeth.

Q: Is one brand of toothpaste better than others?
A: Generally, no. However, it's advisable to use a fluoride containing toothpaste to decrease the incidence of dental decay. We recommend our patients use what tastes good to them as long as it contains fluoride and is ADA approved.

Q: How often should I floss?
A: Flossing of the teeth once per day helps to prevent cavities from forming between the teeth where your toothbrush can't reach. Flossing is necessary to prevent gingivitis 35% percent of the tooth's surface is missed by brushing alone.

Q: What's the difference between a "crown" and a "cap"?
A: These are restorations to repair a severely broken tooth by covering all or most of the tooth after removing old fillings, fractured tooth structure, and all decay. The restoration material is made of gold, porcelain, composites, or even stainless steel. Dentists refer to all of these restorations as "crowns". However, patients often refer to the tooth-colour ones as "caps" and the gold or stainless steel ones as "crowns".

Q: What's the difference between a "bridge" and a "partial denture"?
A: Both bridges and partial dentures replace missing teeth. A bridge is permanently attached to abutment teeth or, in some cases, implants. A partial denture is attached by clasps to the teeth and is easily removed by the patient. Patients are usually more satisfied with bridges than with partial dentures.

Q: What about "silver" fillings versus "white" fillings?
A: Although the U.S. Public Health Service issued a report in 1993 stating there is no health reason not to use amalgam (silver fillings), more patients today are requesting "white" or tooth-colour composite fillings. We also prefer tooth-colour fillings because they "bond" to the tooth structure and therefore help strengthen a tooth weakened by decay. Composite fillings are also usually less sensitive to temperature, and more aesthetically pleasing to most patients. However, "white" fillings cannot be used in every situation, and if a tooth is very badly broken-down, a crown will usually be necessary and provide better overall satisfaction for the patient.

Q: Do I need to have a root canal just because I have to have a crown?
A: No. While most teeth which have had root canal treatments do need crowns to strengthen the teeth and to return the teeth to normal form and function, not every tooth needing a crown also needs to have a root canal.

Q: What is the difference between DDS and DMD?
A: The Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) and the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degrees are essentially the same degrees. Most dental schools award the DDS degree; however, the education is the same to obtain a DMD degree.

Q: How effective are over-the-counter teeth whitening products?
A: There are many solutions to whiten your teeth from home that can be purchased from your dentist or over-the-counter. Bleaching solutions contain peroxide which actually bleaches the tooth enamel. These whitening products typically rely on carbamide peroxide as the bleaching agent usually available in stores containing different concentrations from 7% to 11%. Although many teeth whitening products have proven to lighten tooth colour, only dentist-dispensed home-use 10%-35% carbamide peroxide tray-applied gels carry the ADA Seal. The carbamide peroxide used during a whitening treatment combined with a ultra violet light contains a percentage ranging 35%-40%. This treatment provides the best result and lasts the longest ; however; this can these results can only be achived dental office is combined with a ultra violet light providing the best results If you encounter sensitivity during treatment, consult your dentist about the side effects of whitening treatment. If using over the counter products follow directions carefully over bleaching or bleaching too frequently can damage teeth they may become chalky or brittle.