Root canal treatment is an often straightforward procedure to relieve dental pain and save your teeth. Patients typically need a root canal when there is inflammation or infection in the roots of a tooth. The Dentist then carefully removes the pulp inside the tooth, cleans, disinfects and shapes the root canals, and places a filling to seal the space.

Sealants are a thin, plastic coating that is painted on the chewing surfaces of teeth -- usually the back teeth (the premolars, and molars) -- to prevent tooth decay. The painted on liquid sealant quickly bonds into the depressions and groves of the teeth, forming a protective shield over the enamel of each tooth. Sealants can protect the teeth from decay for many years, but they need to be checked for chipping or wear at regular dental check-ups.

Typically, children should get sealants on their permanent molars and premolars as soon as these teeth come in. In this way, the dental sealants can protect the teeth through the cavity-prone years of ages 6 to 14. However, adults without decay or fillings in their molars can also benefit from sealants. Sealants can protect the teeth from decay for many years, but they need to be checked for chipping or wear at regular dental check-ups.

The reason you lose teeth from gum disease is because this disease attacks the gums as well as the bone, which are the foundation in which your teeth rest. As the bone dissolves away from around your teeth, your teeth become loose and eventually fall out. Anyone, at any age, is susceptible to gum disease. Gum disease is caused by plaque. If the plague is not removed on a daily basis it will form calculus, which is the breeding ground for the germs which cause periodontal disease.

Bleeding gums are the first sign that there may be a problem with the gums. Puffy, tender red gums are also a sign that there is an infection present. Bleeding gums, however, are not always present even in severe cases of gum disease. Gum disease will not go away by itself or with improved home care. This is because the plaque has become cemented to your teeth like a hard calcium deposit. The only way of removing plaque deep under the gums is with professional cleanings. Routine and regular visits to your dentist are the best way of catching gum disease in its early stages, before too much damage has been caused.

A cavity is simply a small hole in the tooth that develops as a result of tooth decay. In other words, decay eats away at the tooth and results in a void space that disrupts the structure of the tooth. It’s important to get cavities repaired because they will continue to grow larger with time.

Some cases of acute periodontal (gum) disease that do not respond to more conventional treatment and self-care such as flossing may require a special kind of cleaning called scaling and root planing. The procedure begins with administration of a local anesthetic to reduce any discomfort. Then, a small instrument called a "scaler," or an ultrasonic cleaner, is used to clean beneath your gum line to remove plaque and tartar. The root surfaces on the tooth are then planed and smoothed. This lets the gum tissue heal and reattach itself to the tooth.

Periodontal Maintenance scaling is needed to maintain gum and bone health. This treatment includes removal of plaque and tartar from above the gum line, and all the way down the length of each tooth to where the root, gum, and bone meet. Pocket depths are carefully monitored. A periodontal Maintenance is usually treated 3 to 4 times a year, depending on what your hygienist suggest, and how you maintain your teeth at home on a daily basis.

An artificial replacement that restores missing tooth structure by surrounding the remaining coronal tooth structure, or is placed on a dental implant. It is made of metal, ceramic or polymer materials or a combination of such materials. It is retained by luting cement or mechanical means.