What is pulp therapy?

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Pulp-TherapyPulp therapy (pulpotomy or pulpectomy) is needed when the nerve of a primay (“baby”) tooth is affected by decay or infection; it is the same concept of root canal therapy for permanent teeth.

In order to save the tooth, the pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth), nerves, bacteria, and any decay are removed and the resulting space is filled with special, medicated, dental materials, which restore the tooth to its full function.

Having pulp therapy done on a tooth is the treatment of choice to save a tooth that otherwise would die and have to be removed.  Many patients believe that removing a tooth that has problems is the solution, but what is not realized is that extracting (pulling) a tooth may ultimately be more costly and cause significant problems with space maintenance for permanent teeth.

Pulp treatment is highly successful and usually lasts the lifetime of the baby tooth, although on occasion, a tooth will have to be extracted due to new or recurrent infections.

Signs and symptoms for possible pulp therapy:

Inflamed or injured pulp is exceptionally painful.  Even if the source of the pain isn’t visible, it will quickly become obvious that the child needs to see the pediatric dentist.

Here are some of the other signs to look for:

  • Sensitivity to hot and cold.
  • Severe toothache pain.
  • Sometimes no symptoms are present.
  • Swelling and/or tenderness.

Reasons for pulp therapy:

  • Decay has reached the tooth pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth).
  • Infection or abscess have developed inside the tooth or at the root tip.
  • Injury or trauma to the tooth.

When should a child undergo pulp therapy?

Every situation is unique.  The pediatric dentist assesses the age of the child, the positioning of the tooth, and the general health of the child before making a recommendation to extract the tooth or to save it via pulp therapy.

Some of the undesirable consequences of prematurely extracted/missing teeth are listed below:

  • Arch length may shorten.
  • In the case of primary tooth loss, permanent teeth may lack sufficient space to emerge.
  • Opposing teeth may grow in a protruding or undesirable way.
  • Premolars may become painfully impacted.
  • Remaining teeth may “move” to fill the gap.
  • The tongue may posture abnormally.

What does pulp therapy involve?

A pulpotomy or pulpectomy procedure requires one or more appointments and can be performed by a dentist or endodontist (a root canal specialist).

While the tooth is numb, a rubber dam (a sheet of rubber) will be placed around the tooth to keep it dry and free of saliva.  An access opening is made on top of the tooth and a series of root canal files are placed into the opening, one at a time, removing the pulp, nerve tissue, and bacteria for a pulpectomy or just the pulp tissue from the crown (the part of the tooth visible when looking in the mirror) region for a pulpotomy.  Tooth decay will also be removed with special dental instruments.

Once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned and medicated, the best way to restore or “fix” the missing tooth structure and provide the best seal from bacteria is to place a stainless steel crown. This will protect the tooth and prevent it from breaking, and will restore it to its full function.

After treatment, your tooth may still be sensitive, but this will subside as the inflammation diminishes and the tooth has healed.

You will be given care instructions after each appointment.  Good oral hygiene practices and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your child’s pulp treatment.

If you live in or around Lafayette, Louisiana and you suspect your child is in need of pulp therapy, contact Dr.  Chauvin’s office to schedule an appointment for a consultation today.

Canker sore causes and treatments

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Canker sores do not directly affect your teeth, but they are a huge part of your oral health and therefore it’s your dentist’s concern. That doesn’t mean you should call your dentist very time you get a canker sore!
You’ve probably had one of these small ulcers. Canker sores can appear almost anywhere inside your mouth—your gums, your tongue, your cheek, and even the roof of your mouth. They will be white or gray and very painful. In bad cases, you may feel like you have a cold. While not contagious the pain can make talking and eating difficult.

What Causes a Canker Sore?

No one really knows the exact cause of these little mouth ulcers. Some are most likely caused by stress or injury to the gum tissue. If you have a more rare complex canker sore, it could be caused by a health condition, like a mineral deficiency. Certain foods, especially those that are very acidic, can also trigger or exacerbate canker sores.

Canker sores usually heal themselves with a few days or weeks. There are doctor related treatments that do help the pain subside, but these are usually only administered in serious cases. For less serious canker sores, there are some at home treatments and remedies that help ease pain, discomfort and possibly speed the healing process.

  • Saltwater Solution and Sodium Bicarbonate – Saline and sodium bicarbonate both help the mouth heal quickly by gently reducing the alkalinity and bacteria in the mouth
  • Hydrogen Peroxide Solution – Hydrogen peroxide is an antiseptic that will help reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth
  • Over-The-Counter Oral Care Products and Mouth Rinse – Products such as gels, paste, and rinses that are specifically marketed for mouth sores may provide pain relief and help speed the healing process.

When to Tell Your Dentist
If it’s a serious case, or if you consistently deal with canker sores, you should talk to your dentist about your sores. Signs that it’s time to talk to him or her include:

  • More than 3 outbreaks a month
  • Extremely large canker sores
  • Sores that last longer than 3 weeks
  • Difficulty drinking and/or dehydration
  • Pain that will not subside even while avoiding trigger foods and taking pain medications
  • High fever
  • A spreading of the sores

If you have a pesky canker sore that is presenting more serious symptoms give Dr. Chauvins office a call!

Everything You Need to Know About Braces

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braces dr chauvin lafayette dentistAt Chauvin Dental, we get lots of questions about braces. If you’re considering braces or want to know if you’re a potential candidate, first remember it’s essential to choose an orthodontist with extensive training and experience. Dr. Chauvin has a reputation in the local community for achieving great results and genuinely caring for patients.

Also remember that braces are an investment that will reward you with a lifetime of great smiles!

 

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions we get asked and our answers.

 

Do braces hurt?

There can be some swelling and discomfort when you first get your braces put on and when you get them tightened over subsequent visits. Your teeth and gums may feel sore, but this can be easily managed at home. A few options to manage the discomfort include: rubbing ice on your gums and lightly massaging them, using an oral anesthetic gel, or taking an over-the-counter pain reliever that’s approved by your dentist. If your pain is coming from the braces poking or rubbing against your cheek, we can give you a special wax to help alleviate that discomfort.

 

How will having braces affect my daily life?

The good news is that having braces will not affect things like sports participation or other common extracurricular activities. You should be able to continue on with your activities as normal, but you will have to change your care regimen and look at what you eat. You’ll need to brush your teeth after each meal to make sure there’s no food stuck in your braces, and you’ll need to floss once a day. There are certain foods you should avoid while you have braces; these include sticky candies, crunchy foods, and gum. Basically, you will want to eat things that are not going to be “hard” on your braces, so options like soup, mashed potatoes, and ice cream would all be examples of good choices.

 

How long will I have to wear my braces?

The length of treatment time varies from patient to patient and depends on the treatment end goals and other factors. Your dentist will be able to give you more information at your consultation.

 

Why do I have to wear a retainer after I get my braces off? Does it really matter if I do or not?

To answer that second question in a word: yes. After putting in all the work and effort to straighten your teeth, don’t you want them to remain as perfect as possible? Wearing your retainer as instructed will prevent your teeth from moving back to the way they were before. Be sure to take good care of your retainer so it will last you a long time.

 

Should I get Invisalign or regular braces?

Invisalign is an attractive alternative to braces because it’s clear and less noticeable than traditional braces. You can think of Invisalign as a sort of removable, clear retainer. While some patients get great results with this treatment, it’s not an appropriate option for every patient’s needs. Again, we would be able to tell you more detailed information at your consultation.

 

I’m an adult in my 30’s. Am I too old for braces?

Increasing numbers of adults these days are deciding to take the plunge and get braces or Invisalign. In fact, many of our current clients are adults. It’s never too late, so don’t let age stop you from coming in to evaluate your options.

Still have questions? Feel free to contact us or schedule a visit with Chauvin Dental today!

 

Braces Vs Invisalign

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lafayette la dentist Crooked, unaligned, unevenly spaced teeth can put a damper on someone’s life. Self esteem and confidence can go right out of the window and much of your day can be spent feeling like a giant blinking sign is ordering people to stare at your teeth. Often this isn’t this case but wouldn’t it be great if you could just smile with confidence and not have to worry about it? Braces and Invisalign are a great solution.

Aside from personal hangups, if crooked teeth are left untreated can lead to oral health problems. The misalignment of teeth places stress on the teeth and jaws that the mouth wasn’t designed for.

Common types of misalignments include:

  • crowding
  • spacing
  • deep bite
  • open bite
  • cross bite
  • edge to edge bite
  • excessive overbite

Unnatural stress and pressure leads to premature wear, causing chipping and notching of the gum line. Incorrectly biting down to over correct can lead to painful jaw pain that turn into earaches and headaches. Crooked teeth can also affect periodontal health because it is difficult to perform plaque removal from crowded area in the oral cavity. Bacteria that is not properly removed will multiply and trigger periodontal disease.

Braces or Invisalign?

Both braces and Invisalign were designed to straighten teeth while improving your smile and oral health. Customers first began using Invisalign in 2000, so this treatment does not yet have the same history as braces.

Braces consist of metal brackets being glued to your teeth, and tied together by wires and tiny rubber bands. Nowadays, you can get brackets to more closely match your enamel color (making them more discrete), or you can get them in color to make a fashion statement with your mouth!

Invisalign, on the other hand, is designed to be invisible. Aligner trays made of smooth, comfortable, BPA-free clear plastic are worn over your teeth to subtly and gently move your teeth. Your specialist will use X-rays, pictures, and impressions to create a precise 3-D image of your teeth and to configure your aligner trays accordingly.

What will work best for you?

  Braces (irremovable)         vs   Invisalign (removable)  
Metal-typically silver; can pay extra for color or enamel color Color Clear/invisible
24/7 for an average of 2 years, depending on patient needs Treatment time 22-24 hrs/day for 6 to 18 months, depending on patient needs
$1,800-$5,500 Cost Average of $5,000
Brush brackets and wires regularly while brushing teeth; water pick may be helpful. Maintenance Invisalign Cleaning system, or brushing and rinsing trays in luke warm water
About every month Follow up visits Change aligner trays every 2 weeks; visits every 4 to 6 weeks
Positioner or retainer likely needed ongoing, maybe only at night Follow up to treatment Positioner or retainer likely needed ongoing, maybe only at night
  • More effective for more complex issues
  • No temptation to leave them out, so less self discipline is needed for success
  • No extra cleaning steps required besides regular brushing and flossing
 Pros
  • Invisible
  • Removable
  • No issues with food getting caught
  • No difficulty eating
  • No discomfort from wires
  • May have some pain, sores or discomfort from wires, brackets or tooth movement
  • May have some tooth discoloration or breakage
  • May have difficulty eating sticky, hard foods
 Cons
  • May have discomfort from tooth movement
  • Must remove before eating or drinking anything but water
  • Must brush after each meal to avoid staining
Patients playing rough contact sports regularly NOT ideal for

Patients with:

  • bridgework
  • back tooth bite issues
  • the need to rotate canines or premolars
  • the need to move teeth vertically
  • lack of discipline to keep trays in for at least 22 hours daily

If you have any other questions or want to see what your options are come in to Dr. Chauvin’s office today!