Our Services - My Dental Concern Is...
Sufferers often don't realize they have acid reflux. Instead, they confuse it for indigestion. But untreated, acid reflux can result in chronic pain, difficulty swallowing, and internal bleeding. It also takes its toll on your teeth and gums. Although uncommon, untreated acid reflux can predispose patients to esophageal cancer. Symptoms of acid reflux are heartburn, a sore throat, a bitter taste in your mouth, a burning tongue and gums and sensitive teeth. It's cause by what's called an incompetent sphincter—a muscle at the bottom of your throat that stays open instead of closing regularly. When you lie down to sleep, dangerous acids from your stomach shift into your throat and collect in your mouth. Over time, it's similar to dipping your teeth and gums in battery acid. We regularly examine patients for this condition—and urge them to consult a physician as well. If detected early, mild reflux can be limited by modifying your diet and working with your doctor. Coffee, tea, alcohol, chocolate and fatty foods should be limited, along with late night snacks. Regarding your teeth, more aggressive cases can lead to root canals, or require onlays and crowns to repair the problem.
Contact The Washington Center for Image Dentistry
go to the top of this page
Bad breath (halitosis) is both embarrassing and a health concern. If you don't brush and floss daily, pieces of food remain and collect bacteria, which cause bad breath. It can also irritate your gums and cause tooth decay—which only makes the problem worse. An appointment with our hygienist is an important step toward discovering the cause—and finding solutions. Often a simple rinse may be all that's needed—or a few suggestions about proper dental hygiene. In other cases, bad breath can be caused by foods, tobacco, stomach problems or medical conditions (local infection in the respiratory tract, chronic sinusitis, postnasal drip, chronic bronchitis, diabetes, gastrointestinal disturbance, liver or kidney ailment). In all cases, regular dental checkups can help determine the cause, and lead to solutions, including a suggestion to see your regular physician.
Contact The Washington Center for Image Dentistry
go to the top of this page
Surprisingly, chewing hard usually doesn't cause cracked teeth. The problem can be traced to several factors. Grinding or clenching your jaw can age your teeth rapidly. Extreme temperatures from hot and cold food and fluids cause your teeth to expand and contract, and can lead to cracks.
Cracked teeth are a common problem that can be minimized and even prevented if detected early. Often, wearing a bite guard is enough to cushion the grinding and clenching of your jaw. We often suggest letting us adjust the surfaces of your teeth to allow an even, more uniform bite. In more advanced cases, we use porcelain veneers, inlays, onlays or crowns to restore the strength of your teeth.
Contact The Washington Center for Image Dentistry
go to the top of this page
Braces offer a great solution to an uneven smile. But many of our patients are looking for faster results. Fortunately, you no longer have to endure the long-term (three to-six years) commitment braces require. Amazingly, we can fix the problem quickly, often in one day. We offer such groundbreaking solutions as Veneers in a Day porcelain veneers, Teeth In An Hour dental implants, crowns, inlays, onlays and teeth reshaping. You'll achieve the same or better results as braces, in much less time.
Contact The Washington Center for Image Dentistry
go to the top of this page
I Don't Like The Color Of My Teeth
Tooth color comes from two parts of your teeth: the enamel and the dentin. The enamel is the hard, outer layer of your teeth that makes it looks white. The dentin is the underlying layer that contributes to your teeth looking yellow. The equation is simple. More enamel = whiter teeth. More dentin = yellow teeth.
Sometimes people are born with yellow, brown or orange-looking teeth. That could be due to medication their mother took during pregnancy or a later trauma when your teeth were developing. Genetic defects can also cause imperfections. Of course, what you eat and drink also affects your tooth color. Wine, coffee, soda and especially smoking all have an impact.
We recommend a professional cleaning by our hygienists. We can whiten your teeth with dental bleach trays or laser bleaching (called Zoom bleaching). Other solutions include porcelain veneers, inlays, onlays and crowns.
Contact The Washington Center for Image Dentistry
go to the top of this page
We go beyond just treating patients' problems. We make it our mission to look at both the problem and how you feel about it. It makes a tremendous difference in achieving success.
First of all, we devote a great deal of time to answer your questions. We also understand you may be experiencing stress, uncertainty, fear and anxieties about your dental treatment. We know you're worried about how it will affect your work and vacation schedules, and your family members. We work with you to alleviate and overcome your concerns. Of course, safety and comfort are also of primary importance to us. Our doctors and staff are deeply committed to your success and how you feel while achieving that success.
Listen to our "No Fear of Dentists" podcast
Contact The Washington Center for Image Dentistry
go to the top of this page
I Get Food Stuck Between My Teeth
It's annoying, and it's an occasional problem for almost everyone. But if food tends to get caught in your teeth on a regular basis, you should talk with us. Food impaction—as it's called—can be caused by loose, crooked or broken teeth. It may be also be a sign of gum disease.
There are various solutions. We can reshape the problem teeth by adding some filling material. Veneers, inlays, onlays, crowns and braces are also effective solutions.
Contact The Washington Center for Image Dentistry
go to the top of this page
This is a problem most people don't know they have, until a spouse or loved one tells them they're grinding their teeth at night. Even so, sufferers do know the symptoms. They include headaches, difficulty sleeping or chewing, muscle fatigue in the jaw, changes in speech, wrinkles around the lips, and even those unsightly collections of white fungus in the corners of the mouth. The problem is often caused by tension, stress, an unbalanced bite or missing teeth.
Solutions include a bite guard to wear during the night or day, cold sprays and muscle exercises to reduce tension in the face, medications, and in some of the more severe cases, porcelain veneers, onlays and crowns to restore the bite.
Contact The Washington Center for Image Dentistry
go to the top of this page
It may sound discomforting, but bacteria are always present in your mouth. When it gets deeper into your gum tissue than a toothbrush or mouth rinse can reach, the germs cause problems, including bone loss, gum loss bone loss and even the loss of teeth.
Early detection can lead to simple solutions, such as regular cleaning from our hygienist. Another approach is to insert medications under the gum tissue to remove the harmful bacteria. More advanced cases may require surgical options. You need to see us on a regular basis to make sure the gum disease is curtailed.
Contact The Washington Center for Image Dentistry
go to the top of this page
My Teeth Are Sensitive To Temperatures
Deep fillings, cracked teeth or recessed gums can cause temperature sensitivity. Sometimes the remedies are simple, like switching to toothpaste for sensitive teeth, or using a fluoride rinse at least twice a day. Sometimes it's caused by a crooked bite, which we can easily correct. More severe cases may require gum surgery, or restoring teeth with veneers, inlays, onlays or crowns.
Contact The Washington Center for Image Dentistry
go to the top of this page
I Am Concerned About My Old Silver Fillings
While silver fillings may last for several decades, they have inherent problems. Most often, problems arise because the fillings don't chemically bond to your teeth. Therefore the fillings act like a wedge, and over time can slowly cause cracks. If it's caught early enough, the tooth can be saved and the cracks resolved with porcelain inlay and onlays. In more advance cases, the problem may lead to the need for crowns, extractions and dental implants.
Here's an interesting fact: silver fillings will stain your teeth gray. If you're interested in more of a cosmetic change, there are plenty of state-of-the art replacements. that offer both a beautiful look and long lasting results. We offer white filling materials, veneers, inlays, onlays, and crowns that result in both a great smile and long lasting results.
Contact The Washington Center for Image Dentistry
go to the top of this page
