Sweet Smiles Family Dentistry Blog

If you’re missing one or more teeth, you’ve likely come across two popular replacement options — partial dentures and dental bridges. Both can restore your smile, improve chewing, and prevent your remaining teeth from shifting out of place. But while they share a common goal, they differ in design, cost, and long-term benefits.

So how do you know which one is right for you? Here’s a clear breakdown to help you make the best choice for your smile and oral health.

If you or someone you know has gotten a dental crown, you may know how they blend seamlessly into the rest of your smile. It can seem fascinating how close the color is to the rest of your teeth, but how does your dentist do this? They do it through a process called shade matching! It helps ensure that your restoration looks natural without being obvious. Keep reading to learn more about when art meets dentistry.

Dental crowns are a reliable solution for restoring damaged or weakened teeth, offering both strength and an attractive appearance. However, like most dental restorations, crowns don’t last forever. On average, a crown can last anywhere from 10 to 15 years, but factors like oral hygiene, daily habits, and the type of crown can affect its lifespan. Recognizing when your crown needs replacement is crucial to avoid discomfort or further damage to your natural tooth. Here are 5 of the most common signs that it may be time to see your dentist about replacing your dental crown.

Tooth sensitivity can be quite an alarming experience, especially if it comes out of nowhere. The good news is that thankfully it isn’t always a dental emergency. Still, if you do notice any sudden discomfort, it’s best to rule out any dangerous oral health conditions just to be safe. Here are a few common reasons why you might be experiencing tooth sensitivity, and when you should consider unexpected pain an urgent dental problem.

Dentists often report choosing their profession because they want to make people smile, and depression is one mental health condition that can discourage someone from grinning frequently. This issue involves symptoms like persistent sadness, reduced motivation, and less willingness to engage socially, and it can make keeping up with a proper oral hygiene regimen much more difficult. Here’s a brief guide to how depression can affect your oral health and how you can keep your own or your child’s smile in great shape.

You’ve heard that exercise is good for your body and mind, and, well, that’s still true! However, if you don’t exercise carefully, you could actually end up harming your teeth and impairing your oral health. No doubt this claim sounds a bit far-fetched, so keep reading to get all the juicy details.

Harmful oral bacteria are known to cause a host of nasty infections such as tooth decay and gum disease, but you may not be aware that some research suggests a link between these germs with dangerous secondary infections like sepsis and pneumonia. A recent study published in the Journal of Dentistry has also found a possible link between destructive oral bacteria and brain abscesses, which can be fatal. Here’s a brief guide to how oral infections may lead to brain abscesses and what you can do to keep your mouth clean and healthy.

It can be alarming to notice a bump on your gums – but how are you supposed to know if it’s a serious problem or not?  Continue reading to learn a little more about some of the possible reasons why you might develop a bump on your gums, along with how your trusted emergency dentist can help.

Biting into something too hard, taking an unexpected fall, or chewing on your favorite pen are all great ways to chip a tooth. And while it may seem like a small issue, even a minor chip can affect your smile and lead to bigger dental problems down the road. Still, there’s no need to panic. Continue reading to find a guide for handling this minor dental emergency and see what you can do to protect your smile.

Wisdom teeth, also known as the third molars, were useful tools for our ancient ancestors, but these days, many people end up having them extracted for one reason or another. Ultimately, they have become more of a nuisance than helpful to our smile. In fact, some people don’t even develop all of their wisdom teeth. Continue reading to learn more about wisdom teeth, how many you may have, and what you should do about them.