Dental Tips from Icon Dental Center in Everett
Invisalign Treatment Options: Which One Fits Your Case
You’ve decided you want your teeth straightened and you’ve landed on clear aligners. Now you’re looking at a list of package names and wondering which one you’d actually be given. Here’s what separates them, what the evidence says aligners do well and where they don’t, and who decides which applies to you. What Clear Aligners
Types of Dental Fillings: What They’re Made Of and What to Expect
If you’ve been told you need a filling, the first questions are usually what it will be made of and what the visit involves. Here’s what each material is like, what happens in the chair, and what to expect afterward, plus how to tell whether you need a filling at all. At Icon Dental Center
Gum Disease: Stages, Symptoms and When to See a Periodontist
Your gums bled when you brushed, and now you are trying to work out whether that matters. It might be the mildest and reversible form of gum disease, or it might be the kind that has already cost you bone. The honest answer is that you can’t tell from the outside, and neither can anyone
Sedation Dentistry: Benefits, Safety, and Who It’s Right For
Many people picture sedation dentistry as being put to sleep for a procedure. With nitrous oxide or oral sedation, the two kinds Icon Dental Center offers, you can still respond when the dentist speaks to you, though oral sedation may make you doze. Here’s what sedation dentistry actually is, what it can help with, how
Braces for Adults: The Real Pros and Cons
If you’re an adult deciding whether braces are still worth it, age itself isn’t the obstacle: healthy teeth can be moved at any age. The real question is whether what treatment can fix for you is worth what it asks of you, which is often a year or more in braces, extra cleaning, a retainer
8 Common Orthodontic Problems in Children, and What Is Done About Them
You’ve noticed something about your child’s teeth. A gap at the front. A tooth coming in behind another one. A lower jaw that sits further forward than it used to. The question is always the same: does this matter, and when should someone look at it? Here are the eight bite problems seen most often
Types of Teeth Stains: What Causes Yellow, Brown and Black Stains
If you’ve noticed a stain on your teeth, the first question is usually whether it will come off. Many surface stains can be reduced with a professional cleaning or whitening, while stains inside the tooth are harder to change, and a few kinds, like a single tooth turning darker or a small dark spot, are
Why Does My Tooth Hurt? Common Causes and When to See a Dentist
A toothache usually means a cavity, but a cracked tooth, an infection, gum disease, or even a sinus infection can make a tooth hurt, and the only way to know which is an exam. That’s why the ADA says a toothache should be evaluated by a dentist right away, and why a few symptoms, such
Retainers After Invisalign: Types, Wear Time, and Care
Months of Invisalign can come undone if your retainer stops going in, because teeth have a natural tendency to shift back toward where they started. That’s why the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) says everyone needs a retainer after treatment, whether they had braces or clear aligners, and most people wear one to some degree
Types of Gum Surgery: Which Procedure Treats Which Problem
When a deep cleaning hasn’t closed the pockets around your teeth, bacteria keep living below the gumline, and over time the bone and tissue that hold your teeth in place can be lost, sometimes to the point that a tooth has to come out. That’s when a periodontist may recommend gum surgery. “Gum surgery” isn’t
How Do Veneers Work? Permanence, Lifespan, and What Happens to Your Teeth
Veneers are a cosmetic treatment you may end up paying for more than once, so before committing, it helps to know how long they last and what they do to your teeth. Veneers are thin shells of porcelain or composite bonded to the front of your teeth, and fitting traditional veneers removes a thin layer
How Does Crown Lengthening Work? The Procedure, Step by Step
When a tooth breaks or decays at or below the gumline, there often isn’t enough of it showing for a crown or filling to hold, or for the gum to stay healthy around the restoration’s edge. Crown lengthening can make room for it: a periodontist lowers the gum and, often, a little of the bone