Dentistry

Endodontic Treatments (Root Canals)

When the inside of your tooth becomes infects or inflamed, we may use endodontic treatment or root canal therapy to save the tooth. We begin this treatment by examining and radiographing the problemed tooth. We give you a local anesthetic and once your tooth is numb, we place a sheet over the region to keep saliva from seeping into your tooth during the treatment. After, we make an opening in the top of your tooth to treat the infected area. Once we clean out the pulp chamber and root canal, we clean and fill it with a biocompatible material. A gutta-percha is combined with an adhesive cement to fully seal the root canal. We generally place a temporary filling until we bond a permanent crown to your tooth. The crown will allow your tooth to function as usual. If the tooth is weak, we’ll put a post inside to give it support. Opposed to popular belief, root canal treatments aren't any more painful than having a tooth filled. 

Crowns

Crowns are a cosmetic and preventative dentistry treatment option to shield your teeth from plaque, cavities, and other harmful bacteria. Made from a combination of materials like porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, metal, or resin, there are many types and each serves a unique function. They are generally placed on your back teeth to keep food from getting stuck in the deep crevices of your chewing surfaces. Crowns are utilized to fasten a bridge or complete a dental implant. Crowns also serve a cosmetic purpose as they can be placed on a tooth to better match the shape, size, and color of your other natural teeth. If you have any exposed teeth, we will put a temporary crown on before placing your permanent one. 

Treatment for TMJ

Your temporomandibular joint, commonly known as TMJ is the jaw joint that allows back and forth movement. Located by your ear, it joins the lower jaw to the skull. When you experience pain or discomfort in your TMJ, it is known temporomandibular disorder or TMD. Unfortunately, TMD and stress go hand-in-hand and affect many Americans. Individuals unknowingly clench or grind their teeth when they’re stressed and at night while they sleep. This clenching pressure weakens cartilage and stresses the muscles that allow you to open and close your mouth.

Common signs of TMD include retreating gums, headaches, clicking or cracking noises when you open or close your mouth. Dr. Heath and his staff highly recommend a night guard for patients suffering from TMD. The night guard is worn at night and keeps patients from putting excessive pressure on their jaw and grinding their teeth. 

Extractions

Some teeth have been so badly damaged and are past the point of restoration and must be extracted. If a patient has severe periodontal disease or tooth decay, was in a car accident, has an extra tooth or cyst, it's likely we will have to extract the problemed tooth and/or teeth. Our most common extraction is wisdom teeth removal. Dr. Heath has over 30 years of experience extracting teeth.  

Care for Canker Sores

Canker sores are typically red or white and can be painful. They appear on the inside of your mouth on your gums, cheeks, and under your tongue. Be careful that you don't confuse canker sores with fever blisters, which are found on the outside of your lips and in the corner of your mouth. All individuals can get a canker sores as they are triggered by many things including: 

• Poor nutrition
• Incident of the mouth like a sudden blow 
• Food allergies
• Menstrual periods

Your trusted dentist in the greater Oklahoma City area can help determine a treatment plan to alleviate pain or discomfort caused by canker sores. 

If you would like to request more information about the topics above, Dr. Heath and his staff are happy to help. Call (405) 682-0609 today to schedule your appointment.