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What causes receding gumlines

Posted on by writeradmin.

I see that some of my teeth have gumlines that are receding. I’m fairly good at my oral hygiene. I brush twice a day and floss once. What could be causing this? Is there a way to fix it?

Candace

Dear Candace,

Woman covering her mouth with her hands

I’m glad you wrote. I can tell you care about your teeth a great deal and do your best to take care of them. There are a few reasons you could be dealing with receding gums.

  • Gum Disease

If plaque or food gets trapped under your gums, it is not only an irritant but can cause the teeth to become loose. I don’t know who your dentist is but most dentists check for this at each of your cleanings and checkups. Some discount clinics, though, will skip this step. You can call your dentist and ask how your gums looked at your last checkup or just go in for another one.

  • Brushing too Aggressively

If you are super aggressive about brushing and using a hard-bristled toothbrush. I always recommend to use a soft-bristled brush. It does a great job and is safer for your gums.

  • Bruxism

This is when you grind or clench your teeth. This can cause notches on your teeth at the gumline. When that does happen, it will cause your teeth to recede. This is also dangerous for your teeth. A simple nightguard, which your dentist can custom fit to your bite, which will protect your teeth. Without that, you will end up grinding your teeth down to nubs, which will require every tooth in your mouth to be crowned. That is known as a full mouth reconstruction and can cost you up to $60k.

Repairing Receding Gums

There is gum surgery which can be done to repair your gums. Periodontists do the surgery. Some dentists do it as well. A few, including Dr. Delaune, invest in further training to learn the pinhole technique.

Unlike traditional gum grafting surgery, this requires no scalpels or sutures. It’s worth looking into.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

does tmj mean surgery?

Posted on by writeradmin.

I’m 27 years old and have been dealing with a significant amount of jaw pain. I did some research online and it sounds like I may have TMJ. Everything I read says the treatments for this are jaw reconstruction or having all your teeth re-made. That sounds terrifying to me. In fact, I’m a little too scared to see a dentist about it in case they say that is what I need. Are there any other options? What happens if I just don’t treat it and just deal with the pain with medications?

Morgan

Dear Morgan,

close up of temporomadibular joint
TMJ disorder has various causes and solutions

Before you panic, let me assure you there are many causes and solutions for TMJ Disorder. As you can see from the image above, your TMJ joint is similar to your knee joint. It has movable parts and a disc which serves as a buffer. There are also lots of muscles that help with the various movements requisite to good jaw function. This is known as the temporomandibular joint (hence the TMJ).

Treatments like full-mouth reconstruction or jaw surgery are for the most severe cases, usually after years of going without treatment or a tragic accident. It doesn’t sound like that is what you’re dealing with.

The first step to any treatment is a diagnosis of what is causing the problem in the first place.

Two Causes for TMJ Disorder

One common cause for this is pressure you’ve put on the jaw joint. This is done through clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth. This often happens without a patient even realizing it because they do it in their sleep.

If you get treatment for this early on, before too much damage is done, there is no invasive treatment. It can often be handled simply by wearing a night guard to protect your teeth and add some cushion to assist with the pressure on your jaw.

Another cause is misalignment of your bite. Our teeth shift over time. It could be that yours have shifted in a way that has caused pressure on your jaw.

In some cases, this can be fixed with orthodontics such as Invisalign. Other, more severe cases, will require a full-mouth reconstruction. This latter treatment can also happen if you don’t get teeth grinding under control and your teeth get worn down to nubs.

Full-Mouth Reconstruction

With this procedure a dentist has to crown all of your teeth. This is either because they are too worn down from grinding or your bite is so far out of alignment this is necessary to repair it.

This is quite an advanced procedure and would require a dentist with significant training in TMJ Disorders as well as cosmetic dentistry.

Look for a dentist who trained at one of the following:

  • Dawson Academy
  • J.D Pankey Institute
  • The Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies

This will take care of their TMJ qualifications. To find out if they’re also a great cosmetic dentist, go to the mynewsmile.com website to see if they’re recommended . They pre-screen cosmetic dentists for both their technical skill and artistry.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

Custom mouthpiece for grinding because of meds?

Posted on by writeradmin.

My dentist is trying to convince me to get this custom-fitted device to sleep with. He says I’m grinding my teeth because of the medicine I take. First, wouldn’t I know if I happened to be grinding my teeth and second, can medicines really make you do that? Does it even matter?

Clark

Dear Clark,

custom-fitted trays
Custome-fitted mouthpiece’s will protect your teeth.

I promise your dentist isn’t trying to pull one over on you. Everything he said is based in fact. Most patients doen’t realize they are grinding their teeth, because it happens at night while they’re sleeping.

The Consequences of Grinding and Clenching

Griding and clenching your teeth is known as bruxism. When you do that habitually, whether intentionally or not, your teeth begin to wear down. In some cases, I’ve seen them worn down to nubs and the patient had to have all their teeth crowned. This is known as a full-mouth reconstruction and is very costly.

In addition to wearing down the teeth, you can also end up chipping or even cracking them . Cracked teeth will also have to be crowned in order to save them.

A nightguard protects your teeth from the force of these motions. Even though you likely won’t be able to stop doing them, your teeth won’t bear the consequences.

Be on the Lookout for TMJ Disorder

With constant motion of your jaw in grinding, you’re in danger of another kind of problem. You could wear down your temporomandibular joint, leading to TMJ disorder.

Here are some symptoms to look out for:

  • Jaw Pain
  • Clicking in the Jaw
  • Migraines, especially in the morning

If any of these pick up, you’ll want to see a dentist who has some special training in TMJ.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.