November is TMJ Awareness Month
It’s not just the middle of fall or the start to the holiday season, it’s also TMJ Awareness Month! As your dentists and TMJ experts, at Collins Dentistry & Aesthetics, we feel it’s our duty to educate our patients about Temporomandibular Joint Disorder. This includes its symptoms, causes, treatment options, and what happens if you ignore it. If you don’t know much about TMJ, keep reading so you can learn. What is TMJ Disorder? Your jaw works like a door. It contains a hinge that allows it to open and close. The temporomandibular joint works like a [...]
No Single Best Way to Clean Between Teeth
You know the standard advice that you should floss every day as well as brush twice a day as part of a good oral hygiene routine. But you’ve probably also heard that there is little evidence to support the benefits of flossing your teeth. Now a new study is trying to clear up the confusion by evaluating nearly 2000 studies to figure out what the evidence tells us about cleaning between your teeth. Because of the number of disparate results, they couldn’t recommend a single method for cleaning between teeth as being better than the others. Instead, they recommend [...]
Study: Water Helps Strengthen Our Teeth
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dental problems plague numerous Americans, with nearly 50 percent of the U.S. population suffering from gum disease and 20 percent living with at least one untreated cavity. That said, according to a recent study, things might be a lot worse if it weren't for our water. Measurable Benefits of Fluoride in Water New research suggests that{{{{link id='1050' text=' fluoridated drinking water helps ward off tooth decay in adults'}}}}. Appearing in the Journal of Dental Research, the study appeared to debunk popular opinion which assumed that fluoridated water only offered dental benefits [...]
Is TMJ the Link Between Stress and Tinnitus?
People who experience tinnitus often experience multiple psychological effects. Depression is common for people who have the condition, and many people feel experience anxiety as a result of their hearing problems. Tinnitus can be very stressful. But other times, it’s the stress that leads to tinnitus. Around half of tinnitus sufferers say their tinnitus worsens during periods of high stress. This could actually be a good sign. When stress triggers tinnitus, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) could be the root cause of ringing in the ears. TMJ is treatable–and TMJ treatment can reduce or eliminate associated tinnitus. [...]
Does Fluoride Really Strengthen Teeth?
Numerous studies have demonstrated that fluoride helps protect our teeth from decay; however, new research appears to suggest that we may have been misinformed about this beneficial compound. So what does the water in Spokane tell us about the benefits? Does it Really Make Teeth Stronger? For decades, scientists and health professionals believed that fluoride provided cavity protection by re-mineralizing tooth enamel. Recently, however, modern studies have found that fluoride lacks the ability to penetrate deep enough to make that sort of impact. These new revelations left scientists scratching their heads; after all, countless studies have shown increased tooth [...]
Unhappy Hiding Your Smile with a Mask? Consider Cosmetic Dentistry
For most people, wearing a mask is a new and unwelcome development of the pandemic. Though most people recognize the benefits to themselves and their community of mask wearing, it’s still a nuisance and a discomfort. But there are some people who find that the mask requirement actually makes them happy. These are people who are unhappy to show their smile. Anything that made them open their mouth made them insecure, and who would often cover their mouths anyway. Now, though, with the mask requirement, they feel a level of confidence and freedom to participate normally in social situations. They [...]
We Can’t All Be Shakespeare: Dentistry in the Elizabethan Era
Many people avoid going to the dentist if they can help it. What they don’t think of is that dentistry has come a long way from when it first started and has even helped to increase the average life expectancy. Back in Shakespeare’s day, dental care was often more damaging to dental health than beneficial. Dental Care in the 16th & 17th Centuries In the 1500s and 1600s, dental hygiene was as sporadic and risky as bathing. Dental research at the time was limited, and the importance of was not well understood. The first toothbrushes were not [...]
How Do Dental Implants Fail?
Although the dental implants’ success rate is 95%, failure can still happen. A lot of factors can contribute to dental implants failing. At Collins Dentistry & Aesthetics, before we even consider dental implants for a patient, we go through a screening process to ensure our patients are the best candidates possible. If there is a chance their implant will fail, we will recommend a different procedure. To prevent your implants from failing, learn about the different factors that can contribute to implant failure. Gum Disease There’s a reason we {{{{link id='335' text='don’t permit patients who have gum [...]
What Makes The Narwhals Tooth So Sensitive?
Narwhals, the mysterious arctic whales with a long horn like a unicorn, are in the news again as several people were recently charged with smuggling narwhal horns, which may be worth $30,000 or more apiece. Now, although that’d be a lot to find under your pillow after a visit from the tooth fairy, there’s a lot more value to these horns than the cash they command on the open market. For example, the narwhal tusk is unique in the entire world. Not only is it the only straight tusk, but it’s also the only tooth that seems designed for [...]
5 Reasons Teens Love Invisalign
With summer already half over, many teens are already thinking about going back to school or starting college. However, just because school is starting soon doesn’t mean that there’s any reason to delay orthodontic treatment. With Invisalign clear aligners, {{{{link id='340' text='teens won’t have to make any sacrifices in their lives to accomplish a straighter smile'}}}}. Find out why your teens will love Invisalign at Collins Dentistry & Aesthetics in Spokane, WA. Braces-Free Photos One of the reasons your teens will love Invisalign treatment is because it offers braces-free photos. With social distancing from friends, your teens are [...]
