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Dentists use advanced procedures to save teeth which would have been lost a few decades ago. But sometimes, when a tooth is severely compromised, it just can’t be saved. In this case, extraction is the best and healthiest option. 

When might Dr. Joel Hartjes and Dr. Jon Szewczyk recommend an extraction? Conditions which call for extraction could include:

• Extensive Decay

When a tooth has experienced mild to moderate decay, the team at Hartstone Dental can remove the decayed portion, clean the area, and restore the tooth with a filling or a crown. If the decay is too extensive, there won’t be sufficient healthy tooth structure left for a restoration, and extraction will be necessary.

• Severe Gum Disease

The CDC estimates that almost 50% of those aged 30 and older suffer from some form of gum disease, with the number rising to over 70% of adults aged 65 and older. Serious gum disease, or periodontitis, is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. 

Periodontitis can cause the gums to pull away from the teeth, creating pockets where bacteria multiply and infection develops. Left untreated, infection destroys the connective tissue and bone which hold the teeth in place. Teeth become loose and eventually fall out. When tooth loss is inevitable, extraction can be a healthier option than waiting for the tooth to fall out.

• Serious Infection

When infection reaches the pulp inside the tooth, immediate treatment is necessary. An infected tooth will never get better on its own, and the infection can spread from the tooth to the surrounding gums and bone, creating a pus-filled abscess. 

When caught early enough, a root canal procedure can save your tooth. If root canal treatment isn’t possible or infection keeps recurring, extraction can be the best option to prevent infection from spreading and destroying gum and bone tissue.

• Extensive Cracks or Fractures

Caught early, cracks in the crown of a tooth or small fractures in a tooth root might be treated with root canal therapy or endodontic surgery. When a crack in the crown of the tooth extends below the gumline, or when a vertical fracture begins in the root of the tooth and spreads upward to the crown, the tooth often cannot be saved. 

• Wisdom Teeth

When wisdom teeth have no room to erupt, they may become completely impacted, lodged in the bone and gum tissue. Or they may begin to break through the gums but aren’t able to erupt completely (partial impaction), making them difficult to clean and vulnerable to infection and decay. When wisdom teeth begin to erupt without sufficient space, they can move horizontally or diagonally, putting destructive pressure on the roots of neighboring molars. 

• Trauma

Often a dislodged tooth can be restored to its place in the mouth when the injury is treated early enough and the damage is limited. When a tooth or its surrounding bone and ligaments are so badly damaged from trauma that the tooth can’t be reimplanted or restored with endodontic or surgical treatment, extraction is the healthiest choice.

When decay, gum disease, injury, or other conditions make it impossible to save a tooth, Dr. Joel Hartjes and Dr. Jon Szewczyk will recommend extraction to protect your oral health. Dentists who are experts in extractions have the skill and experience needed to:

• gently extract the tooth
• provide you with sedation options before the procedure
• provide options for pain management after the procedure
• give you detailed instructions for aftercare 
• suggest follow-up options such as tooth implants, which can restore your smile with a replacement which looks and functions like a natural tooth

Extraction is never your first choice, or your dentist’s! Proactive tooth and gum care help save teeth for a lifetime. But when a tooth can’t be saved, an extraction is the best option for protecting your oral health. Contact Hartstone Dental in Middleton, WI for more information today.

Sports and energy drinks cause irreversible damage to the teeth of teens and young adults. A recent study published in General Dentistry states that energy and sports drinks contain so much acid that they begin destroying teeth after only five days of consistent use. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, an estimated 30 percent to 50 percent of U.S. teenagers consume energy drinks and as many as 62 percent consume at least one sports drink per day. The high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel and the result is irreversible damage.

Dr. Joel Hartjes and Dr. Jon Szewczyk and our team at Hartstone Dental encourage our patients to limit their intake of sports drinks. The enamel erosion ultimately makes teeth more susceptible to bacteria and that can lead to hypersensitivity, staining, and tooth decay. If you do consume an energy or sports drink, make sure to wait at least 45 minutes until you brush, as consumption of acidic drinks causes tooth enamel to soften, making teeth more vulnerable to wear from the abrasives found in toothpaste.

Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease, five times more common than asthma. It’s also preventable with proper care. Dr. Joel Hartjes and Dr. Jon Szewczyk and our team can help identify early signs of erosion and offer solutions on how to prevent further damage and more serious problems from occurring.

There are lots of ads out there for toothpastes that claim to repair damaged tooth enamel.

Can you treat cavities and tooth decay at home? Well, mostly, no, you can’t.

Can you strengthen your enamel at home? Very possibly—in some circumstances. Let us explain!

Cavities and tooth decay start forming when the enamel on the tooth’s surface breaks down. To discover what causes this breakdown, we need to see how chemistry works with our biology.

Tooth enamel is mainly made from calcium and phosphate ions. These minerals combine to form hydroxyapatite, crystals which make up around 95% of our enamel. Hydroxyapatite crystals are so strong that tooth enamel is the hardest part of our bodies. What can weaken a substance this strong?

Acids. Acidic foods and drinks, as well as acids created by the bacteria in plaque, strip away calcium and phosphate ions in enamel, weakening the surface of the tooth. This is a process called demineralization, and it’s the first stage of tooth decay. Left alone, weak spots will become bigger and deeper until they form cavities.

And tooth enamel, unlike the rest of your body, isn’t living tissue. It can’t regenerate. Once bacteria and acids have created a deep enough cavity, only Dr. Joel Hartjes and Dr. Jon Szewczyk can repair it by removing decay and filling the tooth.

Wait, this sounds a lot more like “No, you can’t repair your enamel” and much less like “It’s possible to strengthen your enamel.” But we’re not through!

Demineralization doesn’t equal cavities—yet. Careful attention to your habits and your diet can make a difference in whether your enamel continues to weaken or becomes stronger.

Our body’s first defense against demineralization is saliva. Calcium and phosphate ions in saliva bathe the teeth throughout the day, restoring the minerals which have been lost. This is called remineralization. Saliva also helps neutralize acids from the foods we eat. But with a diet heavy in acids, or a lot of plaque buildup, saliva just can’t keep up with the damage.

That’s where “enamel-repair” toothpastes come in. Toothpastes are available that contain hydroxyapatite to restore calcium and phosphates to weakened enamel. But for many of the most common enamel-repair toothpastes, the not-so-secret secret to their effectiveness is fluoride.

Dentists recommend fluoride toothpastes for several very good reasons. Fluoride is attracted to the minerals in tooth enamel and bonds with them. Once bonded, fluoride attracts the calcium and phosphate ions in saliva, helping restore lost minerals to the enamel. Even better, when fluoride bonds with the calcium and phosphate in our enamel, fluorapatite is created. This is a crystal even stronger and more acid-resistant than hydroxyapatite.

If you’re concerned about the strength of your enamel, and especially if you notice any signs of acidic erosion, talk to our Middleton, WI dental team right away. Dr. Joel Hartjes and Dr. Jon Szewczyk can:

• Recommend over-the-counter toothpastes or professional fluoride applications to help reverse early demineralization
• Provide dental bonding, a crown, or a veneer to protect a tooth with serious erosion
• Treat a cavity caused by more advanced tooth decay.

Keeping your enamel healthy at home can take many forms. By careful brushing and flossing to remove plaque, by watching the acids in your diet, by making sure you’re properly hydrated, and by using fluoride toothpaste, you can both reduce the risk of demineralization and help restore weak spots in your tooth enamel.

So, can enamel-repair toothpastes effectively repair your teeth? Yes, they can be effective—if demineralization is in its early stages and if you make them a regular part of your daily dental routine.

A dental filling replaces and restores the health of a tooth that has been damaged. Often, the need for a filling results from a cavity due to a large amount of decay in a tooth.

Teeth may also require repairs after cracking from chewing on hard objects, trauma to the mouth, grinding or clenching of your teeth, uneven chewing pressure, or exposure to extreme hot and cold temperatures.

Over time, a filling may have to be replaced after normal wear and tear has occurred. There are signs and symptoms to watch out for if your tooth may need a replacement filling, or a new filling. Hartstone Dental performs various types of filling treatments, depending on the damage to the tooth.

Common signs and symptoms to watch out for if you have a cracked tooth can include sharp pain when you bite down, pain that comes and goes, discomfort when eating or drinking, or a constant feeling that something is stuck in your teeth. The crack may not be visible to the eye, which makes it hard to tell whether a tooth is actually cracked.

Pain may come and go quickly when you bite down because you’re expanding the crack with the combined pressure of your teeth. If you notice this happening, contact Dr. Joel Hartjes and Dr. Jon Szewczyk right away so we can get X-rays of your mouth and quickly fix the problem.

If you’ve had a filling in your mouth in the past, you could be due for a replacement. The seal between the tooth and the filling may break down over time, after which bacteria can build up underneath the filling and cause more decay.

It’s vital to catch this early so a filing can fix the problem. If you wait too long, a crown or a root canal may be the only option. You may not notice that a long-time filing is cracked or worn down, because it can take a long time to feel any discomfort. This is one of the reasons we recommend a dental checkup every six months.

If you need a tooth filling or a replacement filling, different filling choices vary in price. Gold fillings and porcelain fillings are more expensive options that last longer -- typically around 20 years. Porcelain fillings match the color of the rest of your teeth, however, which makes them less visible.

Another option is amalgam, or silver fillings, that less expensive but may be more noticeable in visible areas of your mouth. Composite, or plastic fillings, are another affordable option that can be matched to the color of your teeth. Composites are more likely to wear out over time and not last as long: usually around three to ten years.

If you think a past filling might be due for replacement, schedule an appointment at our Middleton, WI office. Make sure to stay on top of your routine dental appointments in order to prevent decay from breaking down problem teeth.

If we catch the problem early, we can save you both money and time. Fillings can be a great way to resolve any existing teeth issues, and prevent extensive dental care practices from becoming necessary in the future.