Frequently Asked Questions

Dr. Etheredge why do you like being a dentist?

It's fun and exciting to be part of a heath care field where advances in technology and treatment forms are continually evolving. I enjoy forming long-term relationships with our patients and their families. This is a very special privilege and, I think, unique to dentistry. I also enjoy being able to own a small business. A dental team can create their own work environment and decide how to make a positive impact on those with whom they serve. Dentistry has provided me with opportunities to partake in overseas dental missions and these have always been rich and rewarding experiences.↑

What is Periodontal disease?

Periodontal disease is a disease that adversely affects the supporting structures of the teeth. Read more about this disease in an article we have written called Ten Things Everyone Needs To Know About Periodontal Disease. ↑

Why do all restorations (fillings, crowns, etc) need to be replaced?

Every restoration always has an interface or space between it and the tooth. Although our goal is to place restorations in the tooth that provides a perfect seal there will always end up being a gap between these two surfaces.

As an example, the amalgam filling corrodes over time. This corrosion process leads to the amalgam "shrinking" away from the tooth. Thus, the gap widens and the bacteria that causes tooth decay moves into the space in great numbers.

The return of tooth decay, now under the restoration, is called recurrent decay. All of the various types of restorations are going to ultimately be undermined by this process. We refer to the process as micro-leakage because it involves micro-organisms (bacteria). ↑

When should my child come in for their first visit?

We typically see children for their initial visit when they turn three years old. At this age they are usually ready, from a developmental and cognitive standpoint, to sit in the chair and let us begin! We start off by attempting to accomplish simple procedures. Sometimes that is just an examination. At other times we can complete their first dental cleaning.

Up until three we would counsel the parent in how to make intra-oral observations of their child. Of course, if there were any questions about some perceived oral-dental problem we would want the child to be brought into the office. ↑

Do all kids need to go to the orthodontist?

No, it is not fundamentally necessary for all kids to have orthodontic (braces) treatment.

However, there are so many facets to a perfect bite relationship that it does seem rare for a young person to end up with that perfection naturally. Our basic assessment is carried out to look for discrepancies in the skeletal formation (maxilla and mandible) as well as the arrangement of teeth themselves.

In the skeletal jaw a dentist will look for proper size, shape, symmetry, and balance. Sometimes one jaw shows too much growth and sometimes not enough growth. Additionally, the jaws can affect the side profile of the face creating an increase in convexity or concavity.

As far as the teeth themselves, they can erupt into all kinds of different positions. There can be rotations, crowding, tilt, and many other mal-positions. We also want to address the way teeth in opposing arches interact. There are ideal and non-ideal ways for this to happen.

Our profession holds to a high ideal in form and function. This includes the dental orthodontic condition. There is such a multitude of ways for the bite relationship to stray from the ideal that an orthodontic evaluation by an orthodontist is quite routine. ↑

Do all young adults need to have their wisdom teeth extracted?

No, it is not fundamentally necessary for young adults to have their wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, removed.

However, it is very rare for people to have enough room for these teeth to come in or to be able to access them for proper hygiene. Many times they don't even erupt all the way becoming impacted. Impacted teeth carry their own set of problems as well. More times than not they seem to be oddly shaped, rotated, tilted, or have an unhealthy gum to tooth relationship.

The real question might be why do we have them if they cause nothing but trouble! ↑

Is an electric toothbrush better than a regular manual toothbrush?

We can use a manual toothbrush and do a very adequate job removing plaque from our teeth. Dr. Etheredge likes a high quality electric toothbrush for a variety of reasons. First, most of these brushes come with a two-minute timer, which aids us in spending the required minimum time necessary to do a really thorough job.

Second, it's difficult to brush with poor technique and with too much vigor because of the sophisticated mechanisms of the electric toothbrush. Improper technique with a manual brush can lead to gum recession.

Finally, the high quality electric toothbrushes are technologically sound and effective devices for removing plaque. ↑

Why do I need to have dental x-rays taken?

Dental radiographs, known as x-rays, provide an abundance of diagnostic information. The full diagnostic picture comes into focus when we take a full mouth set of x-rays. They allow us to see anything that is either calcified or where there is a loss of calcification. Evaluation of these structures would allow us to see: dental decay (cavities), periodontal bones loss, tartar formation, root shape and size, dental abscesses, impacted teeth, and bone pathology. There are many other anatomical features to look at.

We usually take a full mouth of x-rays every five years and what we term four bite-wing x-rays once per year. Our x-rays are taken digitally which offers many benefits, including significantly reduced exposure time. ↑

What is a root canal treatment and why would I need one?

An endodontic, or root canal procedure is a treatment that involves removing the pulp tissue from the tooth. The pulp tissue contains nerves and blood vessels and is found in the chamber and canal spaces within the tooth. The pulp tissues must be removed when they become infected or irreversibly inflamed. After the removal of the pulp tissue the canal space is filled with a material that fills and seals that space. A tooth with a root canal treatment can remain in the bone socket in a normal and healthy way for a lifetime.

Root canal treatments usually become necessary through three pathways. One, a patient may show signs and symptoms diagnostic of infected or irreversibly inflamed pulp tissues. Second, an x-ray may show that a tooth is abscessed even when there are no obvious signs and symptoms. Third, the tooth decay lesion that is being removed during a dental restorative procedure may travel into the pulp chamber. ↑

Why do I need to floss my teeth?

If you floss you may see the following benefits:

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