Ask Your Dentist

The arrival of your child's first
permanent teeth can be quite an
event. It marks the beginning of the end for primary teeth and is the first glimmer of an adult smile. Here's what you should watch for to make sure your child's new teeth have a good start. We thought you might like to know.

The first four permanent molars
usually make an appearance at
around age six. It may be no big deal, or it could be difficult and painful. As the tooth erupts, it slowly pushes through the gum, often leaving a flap hanging over the exposed new tooth. If food gets stuck under this flap it can cause a nasty infection and fever. At the first sign of serious trouble give us a call. If necessary, the flap can be cut and the area cleaned to allow the new tooth to come in normally.

Of course you won't just have to
deal with new teeth coming in! There are also the old ones coming out. You can usually let teeth come out on their own, but if a baby tooth seems to be hanging around a little too long, we can help.

Regular dental checkups are most important in the early years. Many problems with permanent teeth are caused by crowded and misaligned baby teeth. Early diagnosis and treatment means less treatment and expense later on.

So here is to the beginning of a lifetime of healthy, happy smiles and may the smile never end.

Yours in good dental health
Dr. Wolcott

Your teeth go through a number of stages of development and growth before they come of age as full-fledged members of an adult smile.

It starts with your first birthday when your bottom and top front teeth come through the gum into your mouth. The first primary molars are about to pop out. Deep in your jaw, the surfaces of your permanent teeth are forming.

By the time you are three years old, all 20 primary teeth are present and accounted for, complete with roots. Beneath the gums, some of your permanent teeth are fully formed and taking their positions.

At five years old, some of your baby teeth are ready to fall out. Their roots are slowly being reabsorbed into your gums. Just a year later, you're noticing a few holes in your smile where your baby teeth have fallen out. Right underneath, the first permanent teeth have rapidly developed and they're ready to move up and take their places. At the same time the bones in your skull and jaw are developing, and you start to lose that 'baby' face.

It's your tenth birthday and you've got quite a few of your permanent teeth. The front teeth come in first, then some molars, and the canines last. You're starting to get the beginnings of an adult smile, though you'll still have spaces in the front until those canines make an appearance.

Age thirteen, and those spaces have closed in. You've got your canines and most of your other permanent teeth, except a few molars in the back. The muscles in your mouth and face, and your jaw and skull bones, are growing fast to take up the new task of managing the work of 32 adult teeth through an entire lifetime. Everything's in place now. Your smile is all grown up!

A healthy, attractive mouth is more  than vanity. It's common sense. Wholesome gums do look more appealing, but it's critically important to understand how gum disease can affect you, and why it's our primary concern for older adults. Did you know that research continues to reveal new relationships between oral bacteria  and systemic diseases?

Concerns with less dramatic potential to influence health are no less worthy of attention. That's why we're committed to sharing information regarding medication, diet, and cosmetic restorative options. We want you to be informed so that you can make choices that will keep you happier, healthier, longer.

By the year 2016, a significant percentage of our population will be over fifty years of age. We've become quietly dedicated to revolutionizing the dental field by increasing our

Today's baby boomers are sophisticated, informed consumers who are aware that oral health is an

What's free, quick, painless, and something you've probably already
experienced but didn't notice? Oh. yes ... and so important that it could save your life? 
This is no trick question. The answer is an oral cancer examination - an
essential part of our practice, each and every time you come in for a checkup.

Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer, but it hasn't received a lot of
Pity, because oral cancer kills. It has the worst five-year survival rate of all
cancers. With early diagnosis it can be cured, yet the disease often goes
unnoticed because it is usually painless. But it can be observed.. if you know what
to look for.

We should all be alert to signs of oral cancer, and check for symptoms. Avoid
regular sun exposure, tobacco, and excessive alcohol intake. You needn't rely only
yourself. We have a protocol for oral cancer exams, and since most people see
dentists more often than their doctors, we are your first line of defense.

You probably didn't realize that your
ear bones and your jawbones started out as one and the same. As your body developed, the bones separated, but because the same nerve that controls the tensor tympani muscle in your ear controls your chewing muscles, your jaws and ears can share muscle pain. And that symphony of noises that you hear - the ringing, clicking, popping, or grating - may actually originate in your jaw. Other symptoms that could indicate dental problems include feelings of pressure or dizziness, excessive earwax, and difficulty clearing your ears.

How can you tell if ear symptoms are
dentally related? Dentally related ear pain is usually felt in just one ear and can feel very deep. It can spread to the temple or the back of the head. You may have muscle soreness around your jaw joints, or a sideways shifting of the ]aw when you open wide.

The 1-Minute
Patient Protocol

Every mouth, look for...

...a sore on any oral tissue that bleeds easily or does not heal

...a color change of the oral tissue

...a lump, thickening, rough spot, crust, or small eroded area

...pain, tenderness, or numbness

The 5-Minute
Dental Protocol

Your dentist will examine and evaluate...

...the oral cavity, including lips, cheek, tounge, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate

...the oropharynx including tonsils, soft palate, posterior pharyngeal wall, and base of the tounge

The most common cause of jaw-related problems is a bad bite. Your teeth must meet every time you swallow - over 2,000 times every day and night! If your bite is unbalanced due to misaligned teeth, the
muscles must work harder to bring the
teeth together. Eventually the chewing
muscles can become fatigued, they may shorten, and they may even go into painful spasms.

If you have any of these symptoms,
please give us a call. We can help
harmonize that tympani symphony.

Tympani Symphony