Fort Dental Blog

In our fast-paced society, with the stresses of work, family, health issues, finances and the struggling economy, many people take out their stress on their teeth.  Some signs of nighttime teeth grinding can be: waking up with sore jaws, frequent headaches, generalized pain from one side of your face, tightness in the jaws, sensitivity of the majority of your teeth or your teeth just ache in general.

Some studies have shown that people can put up to 3-4 hundred pounds of pressure on teeth when grinding or clenching!  Imagine the long-term effects this could have on your teeth.  If you look in the mirror at your teeth and you see signs of wear (see photo above), it’s time to ask your dentist what options there are on having a mouth guard made. 

A mouth guard can help protect your teeth from the damaging forces of grinding and clenching.  A mold of your teeth are made at the first visit.  The molds are sent to a dental lab where a form-fit mouth guard is made. Then in approximately 2 weeks, your dental office will fit you for the guard and make necessary adjustments.

Would you like straight teeth?  Don’t want braces?  Then Invisalign is for you!  In just a year, this patient was able to have the smile he always wanted!  Visit us at www.hulendental.com or our Facebook page to see the rest of our before and after Invisalign photos!  https://www.facebook.com/FortDentalTX

A tooth breaks, chips or feels loose…but it doesn’t hurt.  We see it in the dental office everyday, small problems that turn into big problems down the line.  When a tooth breaks or feels loose, something has been compromised and if it’s not fixed immediately, bigger problems can occur such as infection, more tooth structure can break off or you could even lose the tooth altogether.

The key is: Don’t delay.  At the first sign of a problem, see your dentist.  Many times, you can actually SAVE yourself money by getting treatment quickly.  You could possibly avoid, for example, having to have a root canal or losing the tooth (in which case you would have to replace the missing tooth with a bridge or implant).

Call your dentist today or call our office at 817-292-5957.  Our office is in Fort Worth, Texas.  For more information, visit us at www.hulendental.com

Time and time again, our patients will say after their first visit with us: “I’ve never had an exam like that before!  That was Great!”

Why?  All because at the end of their comprehensive exam, we give them a “tour of your mouth” with the intraoral camera.  You see what we see, except better: Try your teeth magnified 10 times on a television screen!  All doubts erased and everything face-value for what it is.

I’ve always said, I wish my mechanic had a camera to show me why he had to make a repair on my car.  Without a picture, I’m completely at his mercy and can only hope that he’s being honest with me.  At Stovall & Cheng, DDS, a picture says a thousand words.  You are literally in “partnership” with us in seeing why we give a particular recommendation. 

Isn’t technology great in 2010?  You deserve to be in an office that utilizes the latest technology to do great dentistry and to give you a comfortable, informed experience.  With a camera just a little larger than a ball point pen, see for yourself!

If you’d like to experience gentle dental care and unmatched patient-focused service, call us today!  817-292-5957 or visit www.hulendental.com

Before

Teeth Grinding or “Bruxing” is one of the most destructive forces to teeth.  What makes it so destructive is that most people aren’t even aware that they are doing it.  The photo above shows what can result from not being proactive when you have a grinding habit.

With the stresses of today’s world, many people take out that stress on their teeth while they’re asleep.  Studies have shown that the jaw muscles can generate up to 5-6 hundred pounds of pressure on the teeth!  Some people even find that they are clenching or grinding during the day.  Ever find yourself with teeth clenched together tightly as you’re concentrating at work or perhaps stuck in traffic to/from work?

The good news is, whether you feel that you are grinding/clenching or your dentist finds evidence in your mouth that you are doing so, a form-fit mouthguard can be made to help protect your teeth.  A mouthguard will not make you stop your habit but it will surely help protect your teeth from the destructive forces of bruxism.  It only takes two visits:  The first visit is to take molds of your teeth.  The models of your mouth are then sent to a dental lab where a precision-fit mouthguard is made to fit your teeth.

A mouthguard (also called a nightguard) cost around $400-500.  This is a small price to pay for the amount in dental work it can help you save from having as a result from chipping/wearing away your teeth!

If you find yourself waking up with sore jaws, or you seem to breaking/chipping teeth all the time, if you have constant “tension headaches,” or if all of your teeth are sensitive to cold or just sore all the time, chances are, you are grinding/clenching at night.

Call your dentist or our office today for an appointment!  817-292-5957

After- What a difference after full mouth reconstruction!

Do you have an open bite from tongue thrust?  Invisalign can help with getting your teeth back together, depending on the severity of your space.  The patient shown in the following pictures had already gone through braces for several years but the teeth relapsed.  After only 6 months of Invisalign treatment at our office, we were able to put her front teeth back together!  To make sure they stay in place this time (and also to fight the forces of her tongue thrusting habit), we placed a thin metal bar on the back sides of these teeth that are obviously not visible.  Call us today for a free Invisalign consultation! 817-292-5957

Pregnant woman’s gingivitis caused baby to be stillborn, scientists say

Read the full article:

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/34979552/ns/health-pregnancy/?gt1=43001

The UnderArmour mouthpiece, with ArmourBite technology, has been shown in several studies to improve performance and flexibility!  As seen on Monday Night Football, the New Orleans Saints football team wears a specific athletic mouthpiece that increases performance.  Find out more on this link to UnderArmour.com: https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/accessories?iid=99|Home|Home-Page-3-Middle-4-Bottom|middle_02|PerformanceMouthwear

Call our office today and make an appointment to increase your athletic performance!  817-292-5957 or visit our website at www.hulendental.com

If you’re thinking of having major dental work, do your homework and ask questions.  How many of these cases has your dentist completed?  Do they have before and after photos of their cases?  How do they plan for your case? 

At Stovall & Cheng, DDS, we start your case with a complete assessment that includes digital photos, molds of your teeth, measurements, exam and consultation.  We have photos of our cases and can usually find one that looks a lot like your current situation.  From your assessment appointment, we perform a “mock preparation” in which we prepare (with our handpiece) on models of your teeth and then do a “wax-up” on your models so we know what your case will look like before we even start.  Doesn’t that make sense?  If you’re going to commit to a large amount of work in the front of your mouth, shouldn’t we know what the endpoint will look like before we even start?

Visit our website at www.hulendental.com , as well as the rest of our blogs on this site, to see all of the cases we have completed over the years.   We are currently accepting new patients and look forward to help you achieve a healthier mouth and better looking smile.  From Implants, dentures, bridges, veneers and Invisalign, we can help you.

Delaying treatment only makes it worse and more expensive.  Now is the time!  Call today and at least find out more information about your present problem and then you can make an informed decision on which direction you’d like to go.  Knowledge is power we can provide you with all the information you need to feel comfortable in your decision.

We have an intraoral camera we can use to show you the problem area.  In a matter of seconds, you can actually see your own teeth on the TV screen!  This takes out any “guessing” as to what is really happening and you don’t have to take our word for it when you can see it for yourself.  Come experience our office and get the treatment you deserve!

If the cost of dental treatment worries you, we have many ways to make the cost of treatment fit into your budget.  There is the option of monthly, interest-free payments as well as discounts for paying cash and senior discounts also.  Visit our website at www.hulendental.com and see for yourself why our office should be your next dental home.