How do you answer your patient when they ask you why their TMJ clicks? The truth is that the answer is not very clear, and there hasn’t been any consistent research to tell us why. Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) can present with pain, limited jaw mobility or clicking sounds. The most common thought is that malocclusion…
The twice a year routine is the hallmark of modern day prevention in dentistry. Despite its origins, the 6-month interval has become a timeline for care, which is adjusted by the dentists depending on the patient’s caries and/or periodontal risks in order to establish and maintain oral health. During a dental visit, patients medical and dental history are…
Going to work in oral healthcare can make a lot of us anxious these days. The global pandemic is still evolving and there are still many unknowns about the behavior of the COVID-19 virus. Dental health providers are directly in the line of fire, with close proximity to patients and aerosols from common procedures. So…
“Brace yourself, a 5-year old is coming for a filling.” Treating a pediatric patient can go one of two ways: a) average without any special events, or b) horribly wrong. There is no in-between. When your sweet little 5-year old patient transforms into the monster that turned the operatory upside down, you can only promise…
When placing implants in the esthetic zone, the response of the peri-implant soft tissue is just as important as the final restoration. What creates a pleasing smile is not only the size and shape of the teeth, but also the frame that they’re held in – the gingiva. The margin, color, texture, and height of…
Clinical Case Report A 30-year-old woman presented to the dental clinic to improve her smile, because of multiple spaces between her anterior teeth. The patient is a heavy grinder, leading to generalized attrition and uneven anterior incisal edges. The patient had discolored cervical bonding on multiple anterior teeth. The patient did not report any medical…
The most common indication for the removal of third molars is pericoronitis, non-restorable caries or internal resorption. Yet, when a third molar is close to the inferior alveolar nerve, the risk of nerve injury is high. So the practitioner is put in a tough spot, having to accept the high risk of eventual parasthesia or…
Dealing with dental fluorosis is tricky. Depending on the severity of the hypomineralization, there are many different treatment options. Sometimes the issue is solved with simple bleaching, yet sometimes veneers/ or crowns are needed to mask the unappealing “white spots.” Unfortunately, many times the treatment of choice presents itself through trial and error, after exhausting…
Ectodermal dysplasia can present with a variety of manifestations. 1/10,000 people are affected in different ways. Patients can show up with signs of sparse hair, malformed sweat glands, abnormally developing nails, skin diseases, vision disturbances, hypo or anodontia. Considering that this is a hereditary condition present at birth, the psychosocial effects on the patient are…
Case Presentation A 19-year-old woman was referred to the clinic with acute pain on the upper left central incisor, as she experienced a sports injury the day prior. The patient had fractured the coronal aspect the tooth. Periapical radiographs showed previous root canal treatment and no signs of root fractures. The upper right central and left…