Mouth Guards

At Greenville Family Dentistry we want adults and children who are active in sports to know they may be overlooking an important safety precaution.  Athletes participating in any contact sport are advised to wear some kind of mouth protection, and as you and your family sign up for sports this season we are here to give you that protection. A mouth guard helps prevent damage to the teeth and jaw, and injuries to the cheeks, tongue, and lips.

You can find generic mouth guards in most sporting goods stores, but not in many sizes. These mouth guards often end up feeling uncomfortable, which leads to child and teenage athletes in particular not wearing the protection at all.  An ill-fitting or bulky mouth guard can even interrupt breathing and speaking. Have your dentist perform a custom mouth guard fitting and get a mouth guard made of thin, hard plastic that protects your teeth and still fits comfortably.  Mouth guards can also be fit over braces, preventing brackets from rubbing the inside of the mouth. This is an easy precaution to take for athletes, and you can go right back to playing your best!

Dr. Christopher Emuedue operates Greenville Family Dentistry at 7215 I-30, Suite B, Greenville, Texas, 75402. To schedule an appointment, call 903-455-6701 or visit GreenvilleFamilyDentistryTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

Periodontal Splinting

Greenville Family Dentistry’s Dr. Christopher Emuedue is experienced in many kinds of restorations for his patients’ damaged teeth and gums. But what happens when teeth are loose enough to cause problems, but the doctor or patient doesn’t want to extract them? One solution is a periodontal splint, which distributes bite force across multiple teeth, sparing the loose one.

Usually, when we speak of weak teeth, we are actually talking about weak gum tissue. The splint is a permanent fixture in the mouth which provides an alternative anchor, stretching across the backs of the incisors. It is made out of a porous fiber which is dipped in resin. While older splints required lots of resin, the modern ones only create a small ridge, minimizing the unusual feeling of something being permanently stuck to the teeth.

During the application process, the gums are shielded with a gel inserted between each tooth. The teeth are etched with a mild acid to provide them with more surface area for the resin to grip to. This is the same type of acid used when orthodontists attach brackets to the front of the teeth, and shouldn’t result in prolonged sensitivity. Though a splint can’t reverse periodontal disease, it can mitigate a patient’s fears of tooth loss.

Dr. Christopher Emuedue operates Greenville Family Dentistry at 7215 I-30, Suite B, Greenville, Texas, 75402. To schedule an appointment, call 903-455-6701 or visit GreenvilleFamilyDentistryTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Effects of Thumb Sucking

While running the Greenville Family Dentistry office, Dr. Christopher Emuedue is happy to advise new parents on how to care for their baby’s oral health. Thumb sucking is a common behavior in toddlers, and parents often worry about whether it’s a problem.

Usually, children’s skull bones are flexible enough for changes in shape resulting from thumb sucking during their early years to resolve themselves. However, if thumb sucking (or pacifier sucking) persists after the age of five, when children start losing their baby teeth, it can endanger their oral health. Misaligned jaws, misshapen mouth cavities, and misaligned teeth are all known to be caused by thumb sucking at a late age.

Sometimes when they are discouraged from thumb sucking, children will develop a habit of thrusting their tongues against their front teeth, instead. This is equally problematic. While there are orthodontic devices which can discourage these behaviors, because they may result from anxiety, it is best to try to get the child to understand the reason for the dentist’s concern and to participate in breaking their bad habits.

Dr. Christopher Emuedue operates Greenville Family Dentistry at 7215 I-30, Suite B, Greenville, Texas, 75402. To schedule an appointment, call 903-455-6701 or visit GreenvilleFamilyDentistryTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Panorex Imaging

Dr. Christopher Emuedue maintains a high-tech office at Greenville Family Dentistry. Among his most important diagnostic tools, and the one likely to make the biggest impression on patients, is the Panorex imaging machine. This instrument is used to take digital x-rays what show a 360⁰ view of a patient’s jaws.

As with traditional photo x-rays, patients are advised to wear leather aprons and remove metal objects. However, the imaging process only takes about twenty seconds and the patients don’t need to hold photographic film in their mouths. The will still have to bite on a bite blocker to keep their jaws aligned and place their chins on a ledge, but the process is far more comfortable than the old-fashioned way.

The resulting digital image can be used with dental software for purposes such as predicting tooth migration. But it is also advantageous for providing much more detail about the current state of a patient’s mouth. Besides monitoring the eruption of canines and wisdom teeth, x-ray images can be used to detect infected tooth roots, supervise the integration of implants into bone, and generally ensure that the bone tissue in a patient’s mouth and jaw is in working order.

Dr. Christopher Emuedue operates Greenville Family Dentistry at 7215 I-30, Suite B, Greenville, Texas, 75402. To schedule an appointment, call 903-455-6701 or visit GreenvilleFamilyDentistryTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

How to Care for Dentures

At Greenville Family Dentistry, we work hard to maintain our relationships with patients who wear dentures. Getting an artificial set of teeth does not end a person’s need for dental care, but it does change their oral hygiene routine.

Teeth naturally produce their own protective film that allows them to withstand the minerals in toothpaste which scrub away tartar. But dentures are much more delicate. They should only be brushed with specially-designed toothpaste and must be brushed all over, not just on the prosthetic teeth. While their dentures are out for the night, patients should continue brushing their gums and tongues using a soft-bristled toothbrush.

There are cleaning solutions available for dentures to soak in overnight, although room-temperature water will do. The important thing is that dentures be kept moist. Patients must be cautious, however, not to use hot water. The soft material of the prosthetic soft palette and gums can easily warp when overheated and will require professional attention to repair. It is likely that patients will need to have their dentures refitted over time, but they should not attempt to reshape them on their own.

Dr. Christopher Emuedue operates Greenville Family Dentistry at 7215 I-30, Suite B, Greenville, Texas, 75402. To schedule an appointment, call 903-455-6701 or visit GreenvilleFamilyDentistryTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Gingivitis Risk Factors

Gingivitis is a common and mild form of gum disease that causes inflammation of your gums. Because gingivitis can be mild, you may not be aware that you have the condition. However, it’s important to take gingivitis seriously and treat it promptly. The most common cause of gingivitis is poor oral hygiene. If you are not maintaining a proper oral hygiene routine, Dr. Christopher Emuedue of Greenville Family Dentistry is here to help by providing you with routine dental cleanings.

Gingivitis commonly occurs because of films of bacteria that accumulate on the teeth (plaque). Gingivitis is a non-destructive type of periodontal disease, which means that it can be prevented. Generally, gingivitis resolves with good oral hygiene – longer and more frequent brushing, as well as flossing. If the condition is left untreated, gum disease can spread and affect tissue, teeth, and bones, leading to periodontitis which can eventually lead to tooth loss.

If you notice a bit of blood in the sink, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.greenvillefamilydentistrytx.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Christopher Emuedue at Greenville Family Dentistry in Greenville, TX, call 903-455-6701.

Dental Procedures for Saving Rotten Teeth

Saving your smile is our top priority here at Greenville Family Dentistry, which is why we offer a variety of restorative services to protect what is left of teeth that have become decayed or rotten. Tooth decay is damage that occurs when germs (bacteria) in your mouth make acids that eat away at a tooth. If not treated, tooth decay can cause pain, infection, and tooth loss. Here at the office, a number of procedures for rotten teeth are used depending on the extent of the decay.

• Root Canal – A root canal treats rotting teeth with extensive decay. If a dental cavity progresses through the dentin and into the pulp – the center of the tooth containing nerves and blood vessels – the nerves in the teeth become infected and a root canal is needed to remove the affected tissue.

• Tooth Extractions – If tooth decay or damage extends to the pulp, bacteria in the mouth can enter the pulp, leading to infection. If the infection is so severe that antibiotics or a root canal cannot cure it, extraction may be needed to prevent the spread of infection.

These are just a couple of restorative dental procedures, if you would like to explore other restorative dental options, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.greenvillefamilydentistrytx.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Christopher Emuedue at Greenville Family Dentistry in Greenville, TX, call 903-455-6701.