Common Tooth & Gum Problems in Anchorage and Wasilla,Alaska

At Alaska Center for Dentistry, we provide a wide range of treatments for many common tooth and gum problems. These include:

• Abrasions, Erosion and Worn Teeth: When the enamel of the teeth is worn away, your teeth can become overly sensitive and more susceptible to decay. This typically requires the use of crowns to save the teeth.
• Attrition: this is the gradual loss of enamel through ‘wear’. You may experience a small amount of attrition just by speaking and eating, but if you experience excessive wear you may be suffering from Bruxism.
• Bruxism or Teeth Grinding: This is when you grind your teeth excessively. Bruxism usually occurs in children, but it can also be found in adults. Most people experience Bruxism when they are sleeping.
• Abscessed Tooth: An abscessed tooth is one that is experiencing deep decay at the root level. Abscessed teeth can be caused by accidents and trauma to the teeth or from lack of proper dental care and maintenance. A severe abscessed tooth may require root canal therapy or complete tooth extraction.
• Bad Breath or Halitosis: Your bad breath may be caused by bacteria in the mouth and on the tongue. Or, it could be caused by gum disease. Either way, you should come for a deep cleaning. If left untreated, gum disease can lead to tooth loss. In fact, gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults!
• Cavities: When the protein in your saliva combines with the sugars and carbohydrates of food particles left on and between your teeth, this can create bacteria-laden plaque. The plaque then produces acid which eats away at the hard enamel shell around your teeth. If left unchecked, a hole in your tooth’s enamel will quickly spread to the dentin underneath. This requires a filling or, if the cavity is really large, an inlay or a crown.
• Cracked Tooth: If you have suffered a cracked tooth due to a recent trauma or accident, contact your Anchorage or Wasilla dentist immediately! When a tooth is cracked, a filling may not seal it completely. A crown may be used or the tooth may be extracted altogether if the crack or break is too bad to repair.
• Gingivitis: According to the American Dental Association, at least 60% of adults in the U.S. have moderate to severe gum disease! Gingivitis or Periodontal gum disease starts when plaque and tartar (calculus) are allowed to accumulate at the base of your teeth. The bacteria in your teeth leads to an infection in the gums (gingiva) called Gingivitis and if left untreated the infection can spread to the tissue and bone that holds the teeth in place. This condition is called Periodontitis or Pyorrhea.
• Early Childhood Caries or Baby Bottle Syndrome: This is the rapid decay of baby teeth in an infant or child caused from frequent exposure to liquids containing sugars. The upper front teeth are the ones most commonly affected. This is usually caused by babies falling asleep while nursing a bottle or while breast feeding.
• Frenum Abnormalities: The muscles of the cheeks and lips are attached to the gums and tissue of the mouth by a piece of soft tissue called a frenum. In some individuals, the frenum is attached too high on the gums causing either a recession or spaces between the teeth. There is also a frenum under the tongue. If the frenum is attached too close to the end of the tongue, this can adversely affect swallowing and speech. A frenectomy is the simple procedure whreby the frenum in question is removed in order to return a healthy balance to the mouth.
• Gum Pain: Pain in your gums can be caused by toothbrush trauma, food trauma, mouth ulcers, gum disease, Herpes Simplex, abscess, oral cancer and various other conditions. If the gum pain doesn’t go away after a few days, it is best to call your Anchorage or Wasilla dentist as soon as possible.
• Headaches: Migraines and even mild headaches can be caused by intense and prolonged jaw clenching during sleep. We recommend the NTI-tss, which is an FDA approved non-drug, no side-effect method for migraine pain prevention. The small device is fitted between your teeth which will keep you from clenching your jaw at night.
• Impacted Teeth: When a tooth is unable to erupt from the gums, it is considered impacted. Impacted teeth can be caused by teeth crowding (lack of space), misalignment, conflicting position and Ankylosis, which is when the roots of the impacted tooth fuse to the surrounding bone which creates a tooth frozen in an unerupted or partially erupted state.
• TMJ or Jaw Joint Problems: TMJ is an acronym for temporomandibular joint, which is just a fancy way of saying jaw joint. TMJ syndrome or TMD (disorder) presents itself as a popping sensation near the jaw joint. This can cause headaches, dizziness, numbness in the fingers and arms, difficulty swallowing and much more.
• Loose Teeth: If you have a loose tooth as a result of a recent trauma or accident, you should contact your Anchorage or Wasilla dentist immediately. The most common cause of loose teeth among adults is gum disease and in children the primary cause is erupting permanent teeth.
• Sensitivity: Your teeth may be sensitive for a number of reasons, including teeth clenching and grinding, tooth decay, abscess, a cracked tooth and many more.
• Tongue Thrusting: Tongue thrusting is the abnormal habit of placing the tongue against the front teeth before and after swallowing. This typically happens in children and can cause the phenomenon known as ‘bucked’ teeth by forcing the upper arch to develop faster than the lower arch.

If you are having problems with your gums or teeth or if you have suffered an accident or trauma, contact Alaska Center for Dentistry in Anchorage or Wasilla, Alaska today!