Faulty Fillings

We provide our patients with high-quality white fillings at ProSmiles Dental in Fort Worth, assuring them of a comfortable, functioning bite. But while some sensitivity immediately following the removal of decayed material is normal, we want our patients to be able to recognize when they need help with a faulty filling.

Patients should be able to bite down completely after getting a filling. If they can’t, the filling is too high and must be removed. Another problem is that some dentists use material for fillings which can change shape after placement, leaving a gap between it and the seal holding it in. This gap will become a home for decay-causing bacteria. But seals don’t last forever; their usual lifespan is about ten years. As the seal breaks down, bacteria are able to enter it, and the patient will feel pain as a result of the decay. These fillings also need to be replaced, and the sooner, the better, or else the patient will need more extensive restorations, such as partial crowns or a root canal.

Dr. Archana Lankupalli operates ProSmiles Dental at 9400 Clifford Street, Suite 110, Fort Worth, Texas, 76108. To schedule an appointment, call 817-369-8000 or visit WhiteSettlementDentistTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is a common cause of tooth erosion. At ProSmiles Dental, Dr. Lankupalli provides patients with several treatment options to reduce and repair the damage, but we believe prevention is the best thing to ensure patients’ overall health.

There is a sphincter which separates the stomach from the esophagus. When a patient’s swallowing causes that sphincter to open, acid can escape into the esophagus and the mouth. This is especially likely to occur if the patient eats a large amount of chocolate and fried or acidic food, such as tomatoes and onions, drinks alcohol and caffeine, and eats large meals before bed. When acid reflux occurs twice or more in a week, the patient is said to have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and their teeth could be in danger.

Tooth enamel erosion from acid reflux is most common on the inward sides of the upper teeth and on the grinding surfaces of the molars. It makes teeth sensitive and less effective at grinding. Acid also causes teeth be become discolored as their outer white layer thins and their inner yellow-grey shines through. The damage can be repaired through restorations such as partial crowns, but patients should change their diets and lifestyles to avoid further harm.

Dr. Archana Lankupalli operates ProSmiles Dental at 9400 Clifford Street, Suite 110, Fort Worth, Texas, 76108. To schedule an appointment, call 817-369-8000 or visit WhiteSettlementDentistTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

The Danger of DIY Orthodontics

As an Invisalign provider certified by the American Orthodontic Society, Dr. Archana Lankupalli of ProSmiles Dental is concerned about reports of people attempting amateur orthodontic treatments on themselves. Doctors have released several public service announcements within the past year that these practices are often highly risky and unlikely to yield good results.

The current DIY orthodontic fad began with the publication of an online article by someone who used a 3D-printer to fashion his own invisible aligners. Invisalign patients know that aligners are dispensed three at a time at six-week intervals. The author described this as a deliberate effort to prolong treatment to extort more payments from patients.

In fact, orthodontic work takes time because teeth and jaws are living bones and moving teeth through jaws requires that the bone have time to dissolve and heal. Speeding up tooth migration does not give the jaws enough time to solidify, which may result in teeth coming loose, falling out, traveling back to their previous position, or becoming otherwise misaligned. Other DIY orthodontic ideas, such as binding teeth together, pose a risk of cutting off teeth’s blood supply or that the binding material will get lost in the patient’s gum tissue. We urge anyone who is frustrated with their bite or the appearance of their teeth to inquire with us about professional treatment and our office’s payment options. Attempting cheap, amateur solutions will only make things much worse.

Dr. Archana Lankupalli operates ProSmiles Dental at 9400 Clifford Street, Suite 110, Fort Worth, Texas, 76108. To schedule an appointment, call 817-369-8000 or visit WhiteSettlementDentistTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

What are Mini-Implants For?

With her advanced post-graduate training in implants, Dr. Archana Lankupalli of ProSmiles Dental is able to secure her patients dentures in place with mini-implants. Although full-sized implants have improved the lives of many patients by providing them with permanent replacement teeth, there are situations in which it may be preferable for them to have a removable denture mounted mini-implants to prevent mishaps.

Like full-size implants, mini-implants fuse with a patient’s jaw bone. Their smaller size allows them to be placed without an incision, but because they don’t have as much bone support, most dentists don’t use them to anchor permanent fixtures in the mouth. Sometimes they are used to bolt the gel base of a denture directly to the patient’s ridge, other times they have ball-shaped abutments or support a bar which the denture is snapped onto.

Other advantages of mini-implants are that they help to stabilize the jaw bone and keep the denture better fitted to the patient’s jaw. Patients should be sure to remove their denture on a nightly basis and to brush in between the mini-implant abutments, but they need no longer worry about the denture falling out or that their breath will smell like adhesive. For people whose bone tissue is too weak or crowded for full-sized implants, mini-implants provide an alternate means of restoring their smiles.

Dr. Archana Lankupalli operates ProSmiles Dental at 9400 Clifford Street, Suite 110, Fort Worth, Texas, 76108. To schedule an appointment, call 817-369-8000 or visit WhiteSettlementDentistTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Gum Recession

If your gums have receded, the ProSmiles Dental clinic in Fort Worth can help you restore them to health. Gum recession can occur for a number of reasons, including tooth misalignment and genetics, but the most common cause is periodontal disease.

Teeth naturally fit into gum pockets, which are sung, but not airtight. Some bacteria will always work their way below the gum line and contribute to decay. Deep cleanings can remove plaque from gum pockets, but if decay goes on for too long, the gum tissue covering the teeth will dissolve or contract, exposing tooth roots. Besides looking unattractive, this also leaves the patient uncomfortable and unable to enjoy cold foods.

Fortunately, gums can usually heal on their own if the plaque is removed and patients maintain their oral hygiene. Severe cases may require consultation from a periodontal specialist, who can perform surgery to cover tooth roots with donated or artificial gum material. However, patients need not fear that their exposed roots will be permanent.

Dr. Archana Lankupalli operates ProSmiles Dental at 9400 Clifford Street, Suite 110, Fort Worth, Texas, 76108. To schedule an appointment, call 817-369-8000 or visit WhiteSettlementDentistTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Electric Toothbrushes

At ProSmiles Dental, we’re proud to provide our Fort Worth patients with the advice they need to maintain their oral hygiene. Most people understand the importance of brushing their teeth, but for various reasons, people often do it improperly. Some people would benefit from using an electric toothbrush, but it depends on what they’re doing wrong.

Proper use of a manual toothbrush requires two full minutes of brushing during each session. Most people don’t do this, and some can’t. An electric toothbrush is much faster; most can make thousands of strokes per minute, while people can only make hundreds, at most. This also makes it much easier to brush too hard or for too long, but most electric toothbrushes now come with features to alert patients if they are overdoing it.

Newer models of electric toothbrushes are being manufactured with a variety of apps to assist patients with their technique and motivation. If a person is fully capable of using a manual toothbrush correctly, an electric toothbrush may only be an expensive toy. But for a person with a limited attention span or motion control issues, electric toothbrushes can make a huge improvement in oral hygiene.

Dr. Archana Lankupalli operates ProSmiles Dental at 9400 Clifford Street, Suite 110, Fort Worth, Texas, 76108. To schedule an appointment, call 817-369-8000 or visit WhiteSettlementDentistTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Inlays, Onlays, and Making Partial crowns

After veneers, partial crowns are the smallest type of restoration offered at ProSmiles Dental in Fort Worth. Dr. Arachana Lankupalli can install restorations as complex as full-mouth dentures, but when only the surface of a chewing tooth is damaged, a partial crown called an inlay or an onlay is usually sufficient.

Molars and premolars have complex surfaces consisting of indentations and raised bumps called cuspids. An inlay fits in between the cuspids; an onlay replaces cuspids as well as indentations. If the chewing surface was lost to tooth decay, Dr. Lankupalli will need to remove the decayed material before making an impression of the patient’s mouth. The impression is sent to a lab where the partial crown is manufactured—usually out of porcelain, although patients may discuss other options. A partial crown usually takes about two weeks to arrive at the clinic, during which the patient will have a temporary crown. When the inlay or onlay is installed, patients will need to care for their teeth as normal but will have a second chance at functional, painless molars.

Dr. Archana Lankupalli operates ProSmiles Dental at 9400 Clifford Street, Suite 110, Fort Worth, Texas, 76108. To schedule an appointment, call 817-369-8000 or visit WhiteSettlementDentistTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Never Fear with Lumineers

ProSmiles Dental in Fort Worth, Texas, is fully-equipped with the top brand products to serve patients’ health and cosmetic needs. Among the treatments Dr. Archana Lankupalli is certified to offer is the application of the patented Lumineers by Den-Mat Labs. These veneers are much lighter and thinner than the traditional model, allowing patients to smile brightly after undergoing a comparatively much less intrusive process.

Like all veneers, Lumineers are manufactured out of porcelain using an impression of the patient’s mouth as a mold. Veneers are designed to fit over the edges and fronts of the teeth, creating an artificial shell which is both whiter than the natural tooth and ideally shaped. Veneers can mask chips, gaps, and slight misalignment as well as discoloration, but the traditional models were so thick they could only be applied after some of the patient’s natural teeth had been sanded down. While the placement of Lumineers does require the patient to undergo a deep cleaning, the shell is so thin that no reshaping of the teeth is required.

If patients are satisfied with the shade of the Lumineers, the entire process of getting them may take only two visits to the clinic. Lumineers are strong enough to allow the teeth to function normally, but the lack of tooth reshaping means they can be removed if the patient ever requires further treatment.

Dr. Archana Lankupalli operates ProSmiles Dental at 9400 Clifford Street, Suite 110, Fort Worth, Texas, 76108. To schedule an appointment, call 817-369-8000 or visit WhiteSettlementDentistTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.