Porcelain veneers are an investment in both your smile and your confidence. Whether you have temporary veneers while waiting for your permanent set or you have just completed the process, what you eat and drink can affect how long they last and how good they look. Making small changes to your diet can help protect your veneers and keep your smile looking its best for years to come.

Losing a dental crown isn’t the end of the world, but it’s still an issue you should fix quickly. Your uncapped tooth will face more dangers and put your smile at risk otherwise. Of course, you’ll first need to answer a pressing question: What should you do if you lose a dental crown? Your South Portland dentist is here to ensure that happens. To that end, here are four steps you should take if you’ve lost a dental crown.

Dental crowns have protected countless compromised teeth from new injuries and infections while restoring their strength, appearance, and functionality. While these devices are quite durable, they are not indestructible and will eventually need to be replaced. Here’s a brief guide to how long dental crowns can last, a few factors that can affect their lifespan, and what you can do to keep your device gorgeous and in working order for the longest possible time.

When you have sleep apnea, your brain may repeatedly force your body to wake up throughout the night due to pauses in your breathing. Needless to say, this can make getting a good night’s rest extremely difficult. But did you realize that your phone could be making the problem even worse? Below is a quick look at why using your phone right before bed is one of the last things you want to do when you’re already struggling with sleep apnea.

For many people, the thought of having a tooth removed can be anxiety-inducing. Whether it’s due to fear of pain, loss of control, or a bad past experience, dental anxiety is real, and common. However, avoiding necessary procedures like tooth extraction can lead to more serious dental problems down the line. There are effective ways to manage and overcome your fear. Keep reading for practical tips to help ease your anxiety and make the tooth extraction process more manageable.

Once you’ve had a tooth removed, you may think your smile is in the clear. It’s a natural thought to have when the source of your grin’s former troubles is gone. However, you’ll still want to take steps to avoid a dry socket at this point; you could face a delayed recovery otherwise. The good news is that your South Portland dentist can help with this work. So, here’s a primer on how to prevent a dry socket after tooth extraction.

If you’re in the middle of an agonizing, throbbing toothache, it’s probably pretty easy to understand why your tooth needs to be extracted. However, many patients are surprised to learn that they need a tooth removed even though they are not feeling any pain. Here’s a brief guide to why tooth extraction may be necessary if your tooth doesn’t hurt as well as how the removal process works.

Tooth pain can range in severity from negligible to agonizing, and it may be a dental emergency depending on what caused the problem and how much it interferes with your daily life. While some cases of dental pain can be addressed with improved oral hygiene or another lifestyle adjustment, other cases may require patients to seek the attention of a dental professional for relief. Here’s a brief guide to how to tell if your tooth pain is a dental emergency.

Dental emergencies can happen at any time, but unlike for other types of injuries, most people don’t have a dental first aid kit. Yes, urgent dental issues should be treated by your dentist, however the better prepared you are in the meantime, the better your odds are of a successful outcome. If you’d like to protect yourself and your family in an oral health crisis, here’s how to stock your very own dental emergency kit.

In most cases, you wouldn’t see a sensitive body part as a big deal. Everyone feels minor aches and pains at times – they’re often harmless and quickly fade. However, things change when you face sensitive teeth; they could need immediate care. You’ll want to address them carefully to avoid issues down the line. With that said, your South Portland dentist can help with that process. Here’s a solid answer to the question, “Does tooth sensitivity need emergency care?”