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One of the dental services we provide here at Trillium Dental in Ottawa is neuromuscular dentistry, which encompasses a wide range of pain relief treatments for patients who are suffering from a misaligned jaw. Our neuromuscular dentistry procedures involve the correction of misaligned jaws by relaxing the facial muscles and providing long-lasting jaw alignment solutions for our patients. But how exactly do we do this?

HOW IT WORKS

As previously mentioned, neuromuscular dentistry is a type of dentistry that aims to correct misaligned jaws and treat the painful complications that come with them. Often, misaligned jaws are a product of bruxism, a condition involving excessive teeth grinding, or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, a disorder classified by persistent jaw pain and inhibited movement. At Trillium Dental, our neuromuscular dentists can help these patients and alleviate their symptoms by:

• Relieving pain and draining lactic acid from facial muscles by relaxing the surrounding facial muscles with a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) unit.
• Identifying the condition, disease, or temporary ailment in question, as well as the optimal occlusion (where the facial muscles should be).
• Taking measurements of the mouth using our Myotronics K7 system in order to make a custom orthotic, which corrects the misaligned jaw over time.
• Repositioning and retraining the jaw according to the optimal occlusion using the custom orthotic, or mouth guard.
• Eventually eliminating painful symptoms.

As a family dental clinic, we provide gentle, comprehensive dental care for each of our patients — especially when it comes to neuromuscular dentistry procedures. The process of correcting a misaligned jaw is one that cannot be rushed, so we work with your oral and facial makeup to realign the jaw as naturally and painlessly as possible. The process we use is safe, comfortable, and non-invasive with long-lasting pain relief as the end goal.

SIGNS YOU MIGHT NEED A NEUROMUSCULAR DENTISTRY TREATMENT

Neuromuscular dentistry is only used to provide pain relief and corrections for misaligned jaws and several other conditions of the face and oral cavity, so it’s important to know the signs to look for when seeking treatment. Signs of a misaligned jaw include:

• Frequent headaches and/or migraines
• Persistent pain in the neck, jaw, and face
• Difficulty chewing or speaking
• Facial muscle spasms
• Toothaches
• A cracking or clicking jaw
• Lockjaw
• Ringing in the ears
• Numbness and tingling in the fingertips

It is important not to ignore these signs if you start to notice them, as they can be an indicator of a greater issue such as a misaligned jaw, TMJ dysfunction, bruxism, or a similar condition. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, give your local neuromuscular dentist a call immediately so they can give you the pain relief you need and make a long-lasting, if not permanent jaw correction.

CHOOSE TRILLIUM DENTAL FOR YOUR NEUROMUSCULAR DENTISTRY PROCEDURE

Our dentists at Trillium Dental have treated many patients who suffer from misaligned jaws, and we can provide you with a safe neuromuscular dentistry procedure so you can get back to living a normal, pain-free life. Give us a call today, visit our dental clinic in Ottawa, or request an appointment online!

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Not many people know what cosmetic dentistry entails or what sets it apart from other specialties within the field of oral health care such as general dentistry, restorative dentistry, neuromuscular dentistry, and sedation dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry is a major part of what we do here at Trillium Dental in Ottawa, and we are proud to have given many patients the beautiful smile they’ve been dreaming of for years.

From administering professional teeth-whitening treatments and contouring gums to providing dental crowns and bridges, we do it all. In this blog post, we will discuss all the different cosmetic dentistry services we offer, as well as what each one aims to accomplish. But first, let’s start with a basic definition of what cosmetic dentistry is and the benefits it has for those who are looking to improve their smile.

WHAT IS COSMETIC DENTISTRY?

Simply put, cosmetic dentistry is a specific kind of dentistry that aims to improve or nearly perfect the appearance of a person’s mouth, teeth, and smile. There are many ways of accomplishing this, and each one depends on the patient’s unique oral structure and own specific needs.

Say you have stained teeth, for example. The appropriate cosmetic procedure would be a professional teeth-whitening service, during which your dentist would safely and effectively apply teeth-whitening gel and an LED light to the stained surface. On the other hand, if you happen to chip or break a tooth or two, porcelain veneers can be applied to seamlessly even out the teeth so no one will ever know they were broken. Either way, cosmetic dentistry can restore your confidence and provide you with a stunning smile in no time!

Given that everyone has a different mouth structure and aesthetic, recent technology has made it possible for a wide range of cosmetic dentistry services and procedures to become available to the public. Here are some of the ones we offer.

TEETH WHITENING

Professional teeth-whitening services are one of the most common types of cosmetic dentistry. At Trillium Dental, we provide both in-office Zoom!® whitening treatments and take-home teeth-whitening kits. Upon visiting our dental clinic for a teeth-whitening treatment, one of our highly skilled dentists will apply Zoom! teeth whitening gel to your teeth in 15-minute increments, and shine a Zoom! light on your teeth to enhance its effectiveness. This safe, non-invasive teeth whitening service is completed in an hour and produces incredible results. If you prefer whitening your teeth in the comfort of your own home, you can also pick up a take-home teeth-whitening kit from our office at any time.

PORCELAIN VENEERS

As previously mentioned, dental veneers are used to cover up broken, chipped, cracked, or otherwise imperfect teeth. At Trillium Dental, we use extremely thin porcelain veneers that can be bonded to the teeth, giving our patients a stunning white smile that looks entirely real. In fact, no one will even notice that your teeth were flawed in any way because our porcelain veneers are strong, long-lasting, and very closely resemble real teeth.

INLAYS & ONLAYS

Another common cosmetic dentistry procedure we offer is the implementation of porcelain cavity fillings, as opposed to traditional metal fillings. No one wants to talk with dark, visible fillings, and we make it possible for no one to ever know. There is no better way to hide the fact that you’ve had cavities than with white fillings that look like part of your real teeth!

SMILE MAKEOVERS

For those who want the full package, we also provide total smile makeovers, complete with any combination of teeth-whitening treatments, porcelain veneers, Invisalign®, dental bridges and crowns, and more. This option is fully customisable and is contingent on each patient’s individual needs.

DENTAL BONDING

Dental bonding refers to the administration of any material to your teeth that is meant to stay. This could mean porcelain veneers, white cavity fillings, or any other kind of permanent or semi-permanent cosmetic dentistry service.

GUM CONTOURING

Some people have gums that, in their opinion, extend too low or rest too high up on their teeth. This can cause them to feel self-conscious and result in them hiding their smile — until they seek a professional gum contouring procedure, that is. For those who have a “gummy smile,” we can even out and remove parts of the gums with a dental laser that is made for these kinds of small, non-invasive procedures. We can also perform gum grafting to add a little more tissue to overly exposed teeth that hardly have any gums.

DENTAL BRIDGES & CROWNS

Last but not least, we also offer dental bridges and crowns for patients with brittle or decayed teeth. During this procedure, we place a temporary crown on the affected teeth to reinforce and protect them while permanent dental crowns are being made. Once we have crafted them from an impression, you will be sent home with better functioning teeth and a better looking smile.

If you are thinking about pursuing a cosmetic dentistry treatment or procedure, request an appointment today! Cosmetic dentistry is one of the most fun parts of our job, and we love helping our patients achieve their best smile.

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Whether you are getting ready for an operation or trying to figure out why they are called wisdom teeth, today’s blog is here to help you explore what wisdom teeth are and how they can impact your life. Here at Trillium Dental, we offer a range of dental services for our clients, ranging from wisdom tooth removal (you’ll see what we mean below) to general check-ups, Invisalign treatment, teeth whitening, and more in general, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry.

WHY ARE WISDOM TEETH CALLED WISDOM TEETH?

Sadly, the wisdom teeth don’t automatically increase your wisdom. The real answer to why this third set of molars is called wisdom teeth has been cracked by linguists. The name comes from the late appearance of these teeth in a person’s life. This third set of molars usually show up during a person’s late teenage years or early twenties. Since this is about the same time that a person reaches adulthood, they seem to mark the point of maturity when people are “wiser”.

MANY PEOPLE DON’T HAVE WISDOM TEETH

This might become a point of jealousy at some point, but wisdom tooth development is a genetic matter and not everyone carries the genes for them. For instance, indigenous Mexican peoples have a 100% rate of not having wisdom teeth, while almost all European or African peoples develop wisdom teeth. Scientists have identified the gene PAX9 plays a big role in the development of wisdom teeth.

WISDOM TEETH ARE KINDA USELESS

Anthropologists theorize that the third set of molars appear because of evolutionary traits from when our ancestors didn’t have fire and ate coarse foods raw like leaves, roots, nuts, and meats. These required another set to spread out the wear on the molars. Today, we have access to fire, good oral hygiene, and proper dental nutrition so we don’t have worry about this. They also have no real impact on your ability to eat, and sometimes don’t even come in right or fit correctly.

WISDOM TEETH CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS

Wisdom teeth can be terribly troublesome and cause a whole gambit of dental and periodontal issues. Even if your wisdom teeth have come in in a healthy manner without complications, it is still common that your emergency dentist will suggest they be removed to prevent later, more expensive issues. Some of the common issues that can occur with the growth of wisdom teeth include:

Pericoronitis: As the tooth erupts (or gets pushed through your gums), it causes discomfort and pain, as well as unpleasant tastes and swelling that can be a bother.

Tooth Decay: Because of how far back they are in your mouth giving them proper hygiene is often times difficult and results in a high rate of cavities, which can lead to Pulpitis where the bacteria from the cavities infect the dental pulp. If untreated, this can cause severe issues in the periodontal structures of the mouth, and limit the livelihood and health of the affected person.

Impaction: Wisdom teeth can become impacted and get stuck resulting in inflammation, pain and discomfort, and potentially dangerous infections. In fact, the impactions can become so severe that some wisdom teeth try to come in sideways where they can damage other teeth and even force them into other positions much like a reverse brace of Invisalign treatment. Even without the risk of infections, this causes severe disruptions to a person’s comfort and livelihood.

Cysts: While impacted wisdom teeth can have cysts form around them as part of an immune reaction that can cause damage to the nerves in your jaw cysts around the upper set of wisdom teeth can cause sinus issues as it pushes into the cavities, including congestion, pain, and pressure.

NOT EVERYONE NEEDS THEIR WISDOM TEETH EXTRACTED

Sometimes extracting them wouldn’t be the best option even if it’s impacted. Though they are commonly removed, sometimes complications can occur where removal can cause potential nerve damage. In all cases, wisdom teeth are important to have checked out by your dentist to figure out what the best option is. Some cases may be referred to an oral surgeon for proper treatment and removal.

We hope that this blog has helped you understand a little bit about the nature of wisdom teeth and how they can affect your health. Here at Trillium Dental, we want to make sure that your health and wellness comes above all else. If you are in the Ottawa area, we provide high-quality and professional dental care from Invisalign treatment to teeth whitening, general checkups, and much more. Contact us today to learn more!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Common Is Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

Wisdom tooth extraction is extremely common, especially for young adults. Most people develop their third molars between ages 17 and 25, and many experience problems like pain, crowding, or impaction that require removal.

Why are wisdom teeth called wisdom teeth?

They are named after the age at which they appear — late teens to early twenties — a time traditionally associated with gaining wisdom.

Does everyone have wisdom teeth?

No. An estimated 5–37% of people are missing at least one wisdom tooth due to genetic factors. Some people have none at all.

Why do wisdom teeth come in so late?

Our jaws don’t fully develop until our late teens, which is around the same time wisdom teeth are genetically programmed to erupt.

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We all want to have pristine teeth and gums. It’s a key to good health and as we at Trillium Dental say, “Your mouth says it all!” As dentists and dental professionals, we know that a healthy mouth is a gateway to confidence, better overall health, and a better relationship with your world. More so, we strive to help you keep your mouth healthy inside and outside of our dental offices. We’ve already talked about what foods are best for your dental health and which nutrients are key for good oral health and why. In today’s blog, we will be talking about the worst types of food for your teeth and why they are detrimental to your oral health.

Trillium Dental offers a range of quality, professional dental services in Ottawa including InvisalignⓇ therapy, teeth whitening, and other general, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry. Contact us today to learn more, or for an appointment.

SUGARY FOODS

We’ve been told since we were little that sugary foods are terrible for our teeth, but never exactly why. In a sterile environment, sugar would hardly affect your dental health. But instead, there is a range of bacteria that feed on sugars and then excrete acids as a by-product. These bacteria are so common and resilient that there really isn’t a good way to manage them besides good oral hygiene and not feeding them. The acids that they excrete dissolve the enamel of your teeth and create cavities.

To help prevent the effects of sugary foods on your dental health, drinking water after eating to flush harmful bacteria out is important. In addition, brushing your teeth even after meals to ensure that you have rid your mouth of leftover sugar is important.

STARCHY FOODS AND SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES

Not only do carbohydrates cause a range of different health concerns, but they also have a similar effect on dental health as sugars as both sugar and carbohydrates break down into triglycerides that the bacteria process and excrete as an acid. Many of the starchiest of foods can easily get stuck between teeth and in tooth ridges causing prolonged damage to the teeth.

STICKY OR CHEWY FOODS

Although there is certainly crossover between these food types, presenting each of these as a separate food category helps us all remember that even among sugars and carbohydrates some are worse than others. Food that sticks in your tooth ridges or between them is a dentist’s nightmare as they leave pockets of food for bacteria to eat and churn out acids that erode and damage your enamel. If you do eat anything sticky that leaves food stuck between your teeth, make sure that you brush out the major deposits and floss between your teeth to remove hidden pockets.

ABSORBENT FOODS

One of the least known bits of oral health trivia is that your saliva is one of the best defenses against oral health issues and damaging bacteria. Saliva helps to wash away bad bacteria, plaque, and to restore key minerals to your tooth enamel. Saliva also helps prevent food from getting stuck to your teeth and acting as a long-term food source for bacteria. Avoiding dehydrating food and beverages, or practicing proper hydration during and after consumption of dehydrating food and drink is important.

HARD FOODS

Like we pointed out in our previous blog, the enamel is hard. In fact, it’s the hardest part of the human body. However, chewing on excessively hard foods can erode the enamel and expose it to further damage from acid creating bacteria. Some of the more common hard foods that erode teeth are ice, hard candies, and uncooked popcorn seeds.

If your diet doesn’t reinforce your enamel or provide the nutrients needed to rebuild enamel, your teeth can weaken and end up breaking on substances softer than ice or hard candy.

We hope that this blog has helped you take a look at the types of food that are the most damaging to your dental and overall health. Remember that the health of your mouth says a lot about the health of the person. That is why at Trillium Dental, we say, “Your mouth says it all.” If you are looking for high-quality, professional dental care in Ottawa, we have several dental offices throughout the city. Contact us to schedule a checkup, teeth whitening, or any other range of dental practices.

KANATA, ONTARIO- Have you spent much of 2013 being embarrassed about your smile? Trillium Dental’s cosmetic dentistry services can help you ring in the New Year with confidence.

Located in Ottawa, Stittsville, Nepean, Orleans and Kanata, our cosmetic dentists are just around the corner and capable of transforming your smile through advanced techniques and remarkable expertise. With such viable solutions available, achieving a dazzling smile is an easy New Year’s resolution to fulfill.

Here’s a quick overview of our cosmetic dentistry services:

Invisalign: Although not suitable for every patient, Invisalign straightens misaligned teeth through a series of clear plastic aligners. The average treatment time is only one year, and the aligners are virtually invisible.

Gum Contouring: For patients with “gummy” smiles or an uneven gum line, we use gentle lasers to painlessly reshape the gums. A small adjustment to the gum line can make an incredible improvement in your appearance. Better yet, gum contouring only requires one appointment.

Ceramic Restorations: It’s possible to have a mouthful of metal without braces. Many adults have silver restorations, known as amalgam. We remove outdated amalgam fillings and crowns and replace them with tooth colored, ceramic based restorations. They’re virtually indistinguishable from real tooth structure and more effective.

Porcelain veneers: Porcelain veneers drastically improve facial aesthetics. Thin sheets of porcelain are bonded to teeth to create a bright, beautiful and stain resistant smile. Your dentist will ensure the veneers fit your teeth perfectly and appear completely natural.

Teeth Whitening: Trillium Dental offers the popular Zoom whitening system. Powerful whitening gel and light from a specially designed lamp combine to brighten teeth up to eight shades.

Take steps toward becoming the best version of you possible. Our cosmetic solutions are proven to deliver life-changing smile transformations. All treatments are performed in a relaxing environment by skilled professionals. For your comfort, sedation options are available.