At Viva Dental, we help patients living in and around Lancaster achieve healthy, happy smiles. Today, we’re focusing on the most common dental problems we see in our patients, and how to treat them. We’ll even offer advice on how to prevent them, if possible. Read on to find out more about this hot topic.

  1. Tooth decay

Many leading dental bodies are concerned that there’s an increasing number of patients – especially younger ones – needing treatments like cavities and root canals. These are connected to your oral care routine, as if you’re not brushing and flossing as you should, our tooth enamel wears away and leaves us more susceptible to developing cavities. Once a cavity opens in the tooth, you’re then at risk of infection, too – which is where root canals come in.

To treat tooth decay, we can offer fillings and if needed, root canal (cleaning out the infected tooth before sealing it). Sometimes, the tooth may need extracting, but we do our best to avoid this if we can.

  1. Gum disease

Sore gums, bleeding and redness in the area can all indicate gum disease. This is where bacteria gets into the pockets of the gums and attacks the tissue. Over time, the gums can recede, which makes teeth more likely to fall out.

Again, this is most likely linked to oral care – so step up the brushing and flossing and book in for a scale and polish too. However, smoking is also linked to gum disease and gum recession, so if you can, quit.

  1. Chipped, cracked or damaged teeth

We put our smiles through a lot – whether it’s bad habits like chewing pens or crunching ice, or taking part in sports without the right protection. Our teeth are extremely strong, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t vulnerable to getting broken.

If your tooth does end up damaged, we may be able to save it through applying a porcelain crown. These are shaped, sized and colour-matched to your smile for a custom-made solution. In some cases, the tooth may need removing, but in these situations it’s possible a dental implant could be carried out to replace the lost tooth.

  1. Misaligned teeth

Nobody has a perfectly straight smile, but some people find that the positioning of their teeth is impacting their mouth. It might be bite problems that are leading to pain or tooth wear; gaps or crowding which increase the likelihood of decay; or general crookedness, which also affects your oral health.

While there’s not much that can be done preventatively, adult braces could be a fantastic solution for problem smiles. These can give you impressive, long-term results while reducing the risk of future complications, like gum or tooth wear, or TMJ.

Book with our dentists today

If you’re in or around the Lancaster area, speak to our experts and see how we could help your smile.