Have you been ignoring a problem tooth, hoping that pain or sensitivity will eventually just go away? The symptoms may mean that you need a root canal. Root canal therapy offered by your Findlay, OH, dentist, Dr. Krystal DeClerck of DeClerck Family Dental, can end your pain and save your tooth.

Pain is an unmistakable sign of a tooth issue

Root canals eliminate pain by removing infected or inflamed pulp and replacing it with a sterile, inert filling. Pulp, a collection of nerves, tissue and blood vessels, played a crucial role in the formation of your tooth but isn't quite as important now. In fact, your tooth won't feel any different once it's removed.

Do you think you don't have to worry about a root canal because you're not in severe or constant pain? Although throbbing pain can certainly be a sign that you need a root canal, it's not unusual for pain to be mild at first.

Did your pain suddenly go away? Once the nerves in the pulp die, you'll no longer feel anything, although you're tooth will still be inflamed or infected. It's important to see your Findlay, OH, dentist if your tooth has stopped hurting despite weeks or months of pain.

Sensitivity may be a problem if you need a root canal

It's not unusual for teeth to become much more sensitive when inflamed or infected. If your tooth hurts or pain increases after eating hot, cold, or sugary foods or beverages, it's time to schedule a dental visit.

Obvious changes to your teeth and gums can occur

In some cases, your tooth may darken if you need a root canal. Although the inflammation or infection may be inside your tooth, it can affect your gum. A red, swollen, painful gum can be another sign of a problem.

Your tooth makes you sick

Bacterial infections called abscesses can make you feel terrible. An abscess can cause a fever, swollen lymph glands, pus around your tooth, a pimple-like bump on the gum, facial swelling, and severe, throbbing pain. If you experience any of these signs or symptoms, call Dr. DrClerck right away. Prompt treatment will stop the infection from spreading to your heart, brain, or other parts of your body.

Don't put off seeing the dentist a minute longer! Call your Findlay, OH, dentist, Dr. DeClerck of DeClerck Family Dental, at (419) 422-8972 to schedule an appointment.

Most of us end up with at least one cavity at some point in our lives, even if we brush and floss regularly. Luckily, dental fillings, provided by your Findlay, OH, dentist, Dr. Krystal DeClerck of DeClerck Family Dental, offer a simple, effective way to restore decayed teeth.

Dental fillings keep teeth healthy

Without a filling, the decay in your tooth would only get worse. Eventually, it could even spread to nearby teeth. When your Findlay dentist removes the decayed portion of your tooth and replaces it with a filling, you no longer have to worry about the painful and unattractive effects of tooth decay.

Fillings improve your appearance

Today's fillings are virtually unnoticeable, thanks to composite resin, a plastic-and glass-based material that is replacing silver amalgam as the filling material of choice in many cases. Composite resin is tinted to match common tooth shades, ensuring that no one knows that you've had a cavity but you.

Fillings help strengthen teeth

Removing the decayed part of your tooth tends to make it a little weaker and more susceptible to cracking. Luckily, composite resin fillings provide much-needed strength for filled teeth. The material bonds to your tooth, thus increasing strength. Composite resin fillings also require removal of a smaller margin of healthy tooth structure. The more healthy structure that remains, the stronger the tooth.

Have you ever experienced a crack in a filled tooth? The problem may have occurred due to the constant expansion and contraction of silver amalgam when exposed to hot and cold temperatures. Composite resin doesn't expand or contract, which helps you avoid cracks.

Fillings play an important role in the root canal process

Fillings also protect your teeth during the root canal process. Root canals involve removing infected or inflamed pulp and replacing it with a flexible rubber material. Between the first and second root canal appointments, your dentist will add a temporary filling to the tooth. The filling seals off the tooth, for this facilitates healing and reduces the risk of infection while you wait for your permanent filling.

Contact us today!

Does your tooth hurt, or does an existing filling feel a little loose? Call your Findlay, OH, dentist Dr. Krystal DeClerck of DeClerck Family Dental, today at (419) 422-8972 to schedule an appointment.

Dental implants are today's top choice for tooth replacement. Composed of a titanium metal screw, extension post and porcelain crown, a single-tooth implant restores oral function and smile aesthetics and improves jaw bone dentistry. Ask Dr. Krystal DeClerck, your family dentist in Findlay, if dental implants are right for you.

Why choose dental implants?

Some people balk at the cost of dental implants, and yes, these artificial teeth are most expensive than conventional bridgework or dentures. However, implants have unbeatable features which traditional dental prosthetics do not.

The benefits of dental implants are:

1. Strong biting and chewing
2. Improved jaw bone and gum tissue density
3. Natural appearance
4. One-time placement and long-term retention (usually a lifetime)
5. Ability to support dentures and bridgework when inserted in multiples
6. Biocompatibility (the body does not reject them)
7. Comfortable placement and restoration

In the United States, approximately three million adults have dental implants, says the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, and that number is on the rise. In fact, both dentists and patients like implants because of their high success rate--up to 98 percent, according to the Institute for Dental Implant Awareness.

Do you qualify for dental implants?

If you have lost one or more teeth to accident, dental caries or gum disease, you could be a candidate for tooth replacement with dental implants. Dr.DeClerck can tell if you're well-suited for the procedure by looking at your jaw bone density and oral and systemic health. If these factors in mind, she'll recommend the procedure, and don't worry. She'll accomplish every step of it at DeClerck Family Dental. You won't run all over town from specialist to specialist.

Steps of implant placement

There are several, and they may be separated by weeks to months because of the healing process. Also called osseointegration, the bond between the implant and the jaw bone takes time and patience. However, once the implant is secure in the jaw bone, it is just as durable and stable as a natural tooth root.

When fully integrated, your implant can accept a metal alloy abutment,

or post, and a realistic porcelain crown which is indistinguishable from neighboring natural teeth.

Caring for a dental implant

If you brush, floss and see your dentist in Findlay twice a year for a check-up and hygienic cleaning, you already know how to care for a dental implant. Plaque and tartar threaten implant sites just as they do natural teeth. So, hygiene is critical to long-term retention.

Also, if you smoke, please see your physician about a tobacco cessation program. You'll have healthier gums and bone around your implant if you stop all tobacco usage.

Interested?

Who wouldn't want a great-looking and functioning tooth replacement to fill a smile gap? Call DeClerck Family Dental today to discuss dental implants. Dr. DeClerck will outline your treatment options and put you on your way to a complete smile. Call (419) 422-8972 for a consultation in Findlay, OH, today!

Have you chipped a tooth, lost a large filling or undergone root canal therapy? Dental crowns from Dr. Krystal DeClerck in Findlay, OH, address these issues and more. A predictable and often-used alternative to dental extraction, porcelain crowns replace large amounts of damaged enamel, recreating excellent aesthetics and oral function.

How crowns restore damaged teeth

Basically, a crown is a tooth-shaped jacket of premium-quality porcelain. It encases the healthy parts of an injured tooth, recreating its natural appearance, matching its neighboring teeth and allowing it to bite and chew normally once again. A crown covers the tooth above the gum line and spares a tooth from additional fillings or even extraction.

Dr. DeClerck can tell from examination and digital X-ray imaging if your tooth is a good candidate for a porcelain crown. Sometimes, when a tooth is infected or severely fractured, she will perform root canal therapy first to stave off infection, relieve pain and seal the tooth against further bacterial invasion.

Steps to a crown

1. Dr. DeClerck will anesthetize the tooth and when it's numb, remove the damaged areas. She'll shape the tooth to receive the crown. Sometimes, she adds a post to create adequate supporting structure.

2. The Findlay dentist takes oral impressions. These negative imprints of the tooth and the ones adjacent to it help the dental lab fabricate your crown with proper size, shape, and bite.

3. Your dentist places a temporary restoration over the tooth so it looks and functions as normally as possible while the permanent crown is made.

4. You return to DeClerck Family Dental to permanently bonding of the new dental crown. Because of advanced fabrication processes, most crowns fit well right away. However, most patients need a few days to adjust to this new restoration, say experts at the Cleveland Clinic.

Crowns have other uses

Crowns also play a role in tooth replacement procedures. For instance, some people opt to replace one or more missing teeth with an appliance called a bridge. Composed of one or more pontic, or artificial teeth, bridges affix to adjacent healthy teeth on opposite ends of a smile gap. The adjacent teeth, also known as abutment teeth, must be ground down to receive porcelain crowns which hold the artificial teeth in place.

Also, crowns restore dental implants. These highly successful tooth replacements have three parts: a titanium implant which resides in the jaw bone, a metal alloy abutment, or extension post, and a crown to finish off the artificial tooth.

You and your crown

You should enjoy a great partnership for ten years or more as long as you floss, brush and get your six-month cleanings and examinations with Dr. DeClerck. Also, ask her about a bite guard if you grind your teeth. This acrylic appliance will save your teeth, and your crown, from undue wear and tear.

Find out more

For more information on crowns or the other fine restorative dental services DeClerck Family Dental provides, please call your dentist in Findlay, OH, at (419) 422-8972 for an appointment.

Protect your child’s teeth from cavities with the extra simple safeguard.

As a parent, you try everything to keep your children’s smiles healthy. With decay being a very common and serious issue for children, perhaps you are trying to keep them away from sugar or ensuring that they are brushing and flossing regularly. Keep up the good work! Of course, sometimes children’s teeth, especially back teeth, are prone to cavities. One way our Findlay, OH, dentist, Dr. Krystal DeClerck, can help reduce your child’s risk of decay is by placing a dental sealant.

What is a dental sealant?

All you have to do is open your mouth and you’ll notice that the chewing surfaces of back teeth (also known as molars) are full of little ridges and grooves. Unfortunately, these areas can be a great place for bacteria and food to get trapped. It can be difficult for children to thoroughly brush these chewing surfaces, which can lead to plaque and tartar buildup and eventually decay; however, to prevent cavities, our Findlay family dentist will place a clear, plastic coating over these chewing surfaces to seal out food and bacteria.

How are dental sealants placed?

The minute a parent hears about a procedure of any kind, especially a dental procedure, they worry their child might throw a tantrum. We are here to ease your concerns. Getting sealants is painless and easy. In fact, we can even place them during their next routine cleaning so they don’t even have to come in for a special visit.

Once their teeth are clean we will apply a special liquid over the back teeth. The solution will roughen the surface of the tooth to make it easier for the sealant material to stick to the tooth. Then the tooth is cleaned and dried to remove the solution before painting on the sealant. After the sealant has been painted on, it will be hardened into place using a light. The sealant is now complete. Plus, you won’t even be able to see the sealant.

When can my child get sealants?

It’s important to protect your child’s teeth as soon as they come in. That’s why it’s generally a good idea to talk to our family dentists about getting sealants as soon as the 1st set of molars comes in (usually around 6 years old) and then again when the second set of molars comes in (around 12 years old).

Do you have questions about getting dental sealants for your child? If so, don’t hesitate to call DeClerk Family Dental in Findlay, OH, to find out if this is the right way to preserve your child’s beautiful smile.