What applications does the Waterlase have in dentistry? The Waterlase is an all-tissue laser, meaning it targets all types of hard and soft tissues in the body. The most routine application is with cavities of all sizes, including small incipient…
Cavities in baby teeth progress faster and affect the nerve sooner than in permanent teeth. Long before a cavity becomes visible in a baby molar, it grows inside the dentin. Only when the overlying enamel collapses does a “hole” in…
The above photographs are real-life examples of bonded space maintainers from Dr. Sarkissian’s patients. A primary baby molar is extracted when infection from a deep cavity kills the nerve and shows up as a dark lesion under the root.…
(Section 1 of the Jaw Orthopedics Series) An important aspect of children’s dentition is identifying their dental and jaw growth patterns, especially during the rapid growth phase. Here we will concentrate on childhood sleep apnea and its relation to the…
Bruxism is the term describing nighttime tooth grinding or jaw clenching. It can cause tooth wear, gum recession, and morning headaches or muscle stiffness. Most of the time, we don’t realize we clench or grind at night. Jaw-joint symptoms will…
You probably do not remember when you grew your very first tooth, but if you are a parent you certainly remember the first tooth of your child. This tooth, and for that matter, the whole baby, developed from a single…
Any dental office with attention to the holistic nature of dental treatment will now offer an important adjunctive screening test, the Vizilite, to catch oral cancer as early as possible. An annual ViziLite Plus exam, after a conventional visual examination,…
Tongue thrusting can adversely affect the teeth and mouth. A person swallows from 1,200 to 2,000 times every 24 hours with about four pounds (1.8 kg) of pressure each time. If a person suffers from tongue thrusting, this continuous pressure tends…
A custom-made nightguard fits over the upper teeth at night and is primarily intended to protect against nighttime clenching and grinding (collectively called “bruxism”). They should be made of hard, durable, and biocompatible plastics, and should allow for an even…