X-Rays
X-ray images, also called dental radiographs, are among the most valuable tools a dentist has for keeping your mouth and teeth healthy. X-rays are a form of energy that travels in waves. X-rays can enter solid objects, where they either are ... [... more]
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Parts of Your Teeth and Gums
Like an iceberg, only a portion of your tooth is visible. So much more lies beneath the surface. Illustration created by Simple Steps designer Lynda Buchhalter A tooth is a bit like a tree - only part of it is visible, and the roots lie beneath ... [... more]
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Pemphigoid
Pemphigoid and pemphigus are similar diseases. Both are rare. They are caused by the body's immune system gone awry. Both diseases cause mouth blisters. The blisters break easily, and then form painful sores (ulcers). Pemphigus is very rare in ... [... more]
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Bone Augmentation and Nerve Repositioning
If your jaw does not have enough bone to support dental implants, you will need a procedure to add bone to your jaw before implants can be placed. For dental implants to be successful, the jawbone must have enough bone to support them. You may ... [... more]
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Clinical photographs courtesy of Eric T. Stoopler, D.M.D.
Find out how a dentist checks you for oral cancer and how you can check yourself. Oral cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. Only about half of people diagnosed with oral cancer survive more than five years. That because cancer in the ... [... more]
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American Academy of Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery)
Dysgeusia (pronounced dis-GOOZ-ee-a ) is an abnormal taste or change in taste that won't go away. Dysgeusia (pronounced "dis-GOOZ-ee-a") is an abnormal taste or change in taste that won't go away. It can be described as bad, metallic, salty, [... more]
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Treatment of Temporomandibular Disorders
Deciding on the right treatment can be difficult. Here are some of the options. Temporomandibular dysfunction includes a wide range of disorders that often overlap. They include: This variety makes diagnosis and treatment challenging. Most ... [... more]
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Black Hairy Tongue
The surface of your tongue has hundreds of tiny fingerlike projections called papillae. Your taste buds are scattered among these projections. The papillae grow constantly, and the top layer of cells normally wears away. In some people, these ... [... more]
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Gingivectomy and Gingivoplasty
Gingivectomy refers to the removal of gum tissue (gingiva), and gingivoplasty is the surgical reshaping of gum tissue around your teeth. Gingivectomy refers to the surgical removal of gum tissue (gingiva). Gingivoplasty is the surgical reshaping ... [... more]
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Bone Grafts (Periodontal Regenerative Surgery)
A bone graft (regenerative surgery) is a procedure that is used to recreate hard and soft supporting tissues lost due to gum disease. Regenerative surgery is a treatment for the gum disease called periodontitis. People with periodontitis lose gum ... [... more]
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Pizza Palate
Your pizza arrives, you're hungry and it smells so good. You take out that first piece, dripping with cheese, take a big bite ... and burn the roof of your mouth. Now you have pizza palate. Other hot foods and liquids also can burn the roof of ... [... more]
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Scaling and Root Planing
This is the most common and conservative form of treatment for gum disease. It cleans plaque and tartar from your teeth. Scaling and root planing is the most common and conservative form of treatment for periodontal (gum) disease. Scaling is the ... [... more]
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