Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Check Out Our Office -- Photos


Here at Hagen Dental, we take great pride in not only the services we provide to our clients, but also the atmosphere in which we perform said procedures. To prove it, we're giving you an exclusive tour of our facilities. The Hagen Dental office is a state-of-the-art, comfortable, and caring environment to all our patients.   














Hagen Dental
18426 Brookhurst St., #101
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Tel. 714.965.5255

Follow us on Twitter: @hagen_dental

Friday, July 27, 2012

Cracked Tooth Syndrome

What Is It?

Unlike teeth with obvious fractures, teeth with cracked tooth syndrome usually have fractures that are too small to be seen on X-rays. Sometimes the fracture is below the gum line, making it even more difficult to identify.
Cracked tooth syndrome more often occurs in molars, usually lower molars, which absorb most of the forces of chewing.
People who grind or clench their teeth may be more susceptible to cracked tooth syndrome because of the constant forces put on their teeth. Sometimes a person's normal bite causes certain molar cusps (the highest points of the tooth) to exert so much pressure on the opposing tooth that it cracks.
Teeth with large fillings or teeth that have undergone root canal treatment are weaker than other teeth and may be more likely to crack. People with one cracked tooth are more likely to have others, either at the same time or in the future.

Symptoms

You may experience pain in the tooth when you bite or chew. However, it probably will not happen all the time. The tooth may be painful only when you eat certain foods or when you bite in a specific way. You will not feel a constant ache, as you would if you had a cavity or abscess, but the tooth may be more sensitive to cold temperatures. If the crack worsens, the tooth may become loose.
Many people with cracked tooth syndrome have symptoms for months, but it's often difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are not consistent.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of cracked tooth syndrome is often difficult. Your dentist will do a thorough examination of your mouth and teeth, focusing on the tooth in question. He or she may use a sharp instrument called an explorer to feel for cracks in the tooth and will inspect the gums around the tooth for irregularities. Your dentist also may take X-rays, although X-rays often do not show the crack.
Your dentist may use a special instrument to test the tooth for fractures. One instrument looks like a toothbrush without bristles that fits over one part of the tooth at a time as you bite down. If you feel pain, the cusp being tested most likely has a crack affecting it.
Your dentist may shine a fiber-optic light on the tooth or stain it with a special dye to search for a crack. If the tooth already has a filling or crown, your dentist may remove it so he or she can better inspect the tooth.

Expected Duration

How long symptoms last depends somewhat on how quickly a cracked tooth can be diagnosed. Even then, treatment may not always completely relieve the symptoms.

Prevention

If you grind or clench your teeth, talk to your dentist about treatment. Grinding can increase your risk of cracked tooth syndrome.

Treatment

Treatments for cracked tooth syndrome do not always completely relieve the symptoms.
Treatment depends on the location, direction and extent of the crack. Cracks vary from superficial ones in the outer layers of the tooth to deep splits in the root affecting the pulp (the center of the tooth, which contains the tooth's nerves).
If the crack affects one or more cusps of a tooth, the tooth may be restored with a crown. If a crack affects the pulp, you probably will need root canal treatment. About 20% of teeth with cracked tooth syndrome require root canals. After a root canal, the tooth will no longer be sensitive to temperature, but it still will respond to pressure. This means that if you felt pain when you bit down before the root canal, you probably will not feel it as intensely as before, but you may feel it from time to time.
In some severe cases, the tooth may need to be extracted. Some cracks extend into the root of the tooth under the bone and there's no way to fix the tooth. If your dentist decides the tooth needs to be extracted, you can have it replaced with an implant or a bridge.

When To Call a Professional

If you experience pain upon biting or chewing, contact your dental office.

Prognosis

Treatment of cracked tooth syndrome is not always successful. Your dentist should inform you about the prognosis. In some people, a restoration with a crown will relieve all symptoms. In others, root canal treatment solves the problem. Some people continue to have occasional symptoms after treatment, and may need to have the tooth extracted.


If you live in Orange County and are looking for a dentist, feel free to contact Hagen Dental. We offer the latest dental technology and procedures in a caring, comfortable atmosphere.

Article Source: http://www.colgateprofessional.com/patienteducation/Cracked-Tooth-Syndrome/article

Hagen Dental
18426 Brookhurst St., #101
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Tel. 714.965.5255

www.hagen-dental.com
Follow us on Twitter: @hagen_dental

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Video From the ADA -- Gingivitis


Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6Cq_tW4-Lg&noredirect=1

If you live in Orange County and are looking for a dentist, feel free to contact Hagen Dental. We offer the latest dental technology and procedures in a caring, comfortable atmosphere.

Hagen Dental
18426 Brookhurst St., #101
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Tel. 714.965.5255

Follow us on Twitter: @hagen_dental




Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Bruxism Explained


Bruxism is clenching or grinding your teeth, often without being aware that your are doing it. In the United States, bruxism affects an estimated 30 to 40 million children and adults.
Some people grind their teeth only during sleep; this condition is called "nocturnal bruxism" or "sleep-related bruxism." Others grind their teeth during the daytime as well, most often during situations that make them feel tense or anxious. People with severe bruxism can fracture dental fillings or cause other types of tooth damage. Severe bruxism has also been blamed for some cases of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD), mysterious morning headaches and unexplained facial pain.
Bruxism can have a variety of psychological and physical causes. In many cases, it has been linked to stress, but it can also simply be the body's reaction to the teeth being aligned wrong or a poor bite (the way the teeth come together). Bruxism can sometimes occur as a complication of severe brain injury, or a symptom of certain rare neuromuscular diseases involving the face. Bruxism also can be an uncommon side effect of some psychiatric medications, including antidepressant medications, including fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil).

Symptoms

Symptoms of bruxism include:
  • Rhythmic contractions of the jaw muscles
  • A grinding sound at night, which may disturb the sleep of someone who shares a bedroom with a "bruxer"
  • A dull morning headache
  • Jaw muscles that are tight or painful, especially in the morning
  • Chronic facial pain
  • Damaged teeth, fractured dental fillings and injured gums

Diagnosis

Your dentist will ask about your current life stresses, your general dental health and your daily medications. He or she also will want to know whether you routinely drink beverages containing alcohol or caffeine, because both of these chemicals seem to increase the tendency to grind your teeth.
If you share your bedroom, the dentist also may want to ask that person about your sleep habits, especially about any unusual grinding sounds heard during the night.
Your dentist will examine you, paying special attention to your mouth and jaw. During this exam, your dentist will check for tenderness in your jaw muscles, as well as for any obvious dental abnormalities, such as broken teeth, missing teeth or poor tooth alignment. If your dentist suspects that you have bruxism that is related to dental problems, he or she may conduct a more detailed assessment. In addition to checking your "bite," the dentist will examine your teeth and gums for damage caused by bruxism. The dentist will also take a series of mouth X-rays.
If your child grinds or clenches his or her teeth, discuss the problem with your family dentist. Although many children eventually outgrow bruxism, even short-term tooth grinding can cause damage to your child's permanent teeth.

Expected Duration

Of all children who brux between the ages of 3 and 10, more than half will stop spontaneously by age 13.
In teenagers and adults, how long bruxism lasts depends on its cause. For example, bruxism can last for many years if it is related to a stressful life situation that doesn't go away. However, if bruxism is being caused by a dental problem, it should stop when the teeth are repaired and realigned — often within a few dental visits.

Prevention

If your bruxism is related to stress, you may be able to prevent the problem by seeking professional counseling or by using strategies to help you learn to relax. Also, try cutting down on stimulants such as tobacco and caffeine.
In both children and adults, tooth damage related to bruxism can be prevented by wearing a night bite plate or a bite splint (a dental appliance worn at night to stop teeth grinding).

Treatment

The treatment of bruxism varies depending on its cause:
  • Stress — If you have bruxism that is stress-related, your dentist or physician may recommend professional counseling, psychotherapy, biofeedback exercises or other strategies to help you relax. Your dentist or physician also may prescribe muscle relaxant medications to temporarily ease the spasm in your clenched and overworked jaw. If conventional therapy does not help, your dentist may refer you to an oral surgeon who may inject botulinum toxin directly into your jaw muscles (to temporarily interfere with muscle contractions).
  • Dental problems — If your bruxism is related to tooth problems, your dentist will probably treat it with occlusal therapy (to correct tooth alignment). In severe cases, your dentist may need to use onlays orcrowns to entirely reshape the biting surfaces of your teeth.
  • Brain injury or neuromuscular illness — Your bruxism may be especially hard to treat if you have these medical problems. Your oral surgeon may give you injections of botulinum toxin if more conservative treatments fail.
  • Medication — If you develop bruxism as a side effect of antidepressant medications, your doctor either can switch you to a different drug or give you another medication to counteract your bruxism.

When To Call A Professional

Call your physician or dentist if you have symptoms of bruxism, or if you are told that you grind your teeth while you sleep.
Also, make a dental appointment immediately if you fracture a tooth, lose a filling, or notice that your teeth are becoming abnormally loose in their sockets.

Prognosis

Even without special treatment, more than half of young children with bruxism stop grinding their teeth by age 13. Until your child stops bruxing on his or her own, your dentist can fit your child with a night bite plate to prevent excessive tooth wear. This device is effective in almost all children who use it as directed.
In teenagers and adults, the outlook is excellent if bruxism is treated properly. Even if all other therapies fail, injections of botulinum toxin can temporarily stop bruxism in most patients.
If you live in Orange County and are looking for a dentist, feel free to contact Hagen Dental. We offer the latest dental technology and procedures in a caring, comfortable atmosphere.

Hagen Dental
18426 Brookhurst St., #101
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Tel. 714.965.5255

Follow us on Twitter: @hagen_dental



Friday, July 6, 2012

Understanding Tooth Sensitivity -- Video



Video Source: http://www.colgateprofessional.com/patienteducation/Understanding-Tooth-Sensitivity/video

If you live in Orange County and are looking for a dentist, feel free to contact Hagen Dental. We offer the latest dental technology and procedures in a caring, comfortable atmosphere.

Hagen Dental
18426 Brookhurst St., #101
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Tel. 714.965.5255

www.peterhagendds.com
Follow us on Twitter: @hagen_dental