Why do I need regular dental visits?

Some people refuse to come to the dentist unless it hurts 

or unless they can see something wrong in the mirror at their house.

These very same people are usually the ones that end up with the 

largest amount of crown, root canals, and broken teeth. 

Below is a perfect example of why REGULAR dental

visits are so important. 

The tooth below did not hurt. 

The patient couldn't see anything wrong with it. 

Once we took a digital image and blew it up a little however, 

the problem became very clear. 

There is a crack in the tooth. 

We were able to remove the cracked portion and place a new 

filling that will, hopefully, stop this small crack from progressing 

into a much larger problem in the future. 

The after image.

Please do not wait for pain, or actual tooth breakage, 

before you go see your dentist. 

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What Kind of Cosmetic Outcome is possible in Ogden Utah?

• So, what is possible in dentistry?
• Once something has gone so far can you bring it back to what it was?

Here is a wonderful case to look at that. We will call this patient Mrs. Corey to protect her identity. Mrs. Corey is wanting to get her teeth back to the way the used to be.

Here is a BEFORE picture of one of Mrs. Corey's molars.

• Nothing too bad. 
• Old metal filling.
• Some cracks starting in the enamel. 
• And, possible new decay starting in a few spots.

And, here is the AFTER picture.

• A brand new zirconia crown. 
• No more metal look. 
• The risk of fracture is now less.  
• And the patient loves the look.

Dr. Jim Ellis, DDS
1220 33rd Street Suite C
Ogden, UT 84403
(801) 783-3490

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SOURCE: http://www.bestogdendentist.com/2013/04/what-kind-cosmetic-outcome-possible-ogden-utah/

Does my tooth need a crown?

This is one of the great questions of life. After all, if you can get away with fixing that broken tooth with just a filling than why would you choose to get it crowned?

Well, let’s put into terms that most people can understand. You have a 1992 Toyota. It has probably broken down from time to time, but the breakdowns have all been small… until now. Now the transmission has gone out. Do you spend $3000 to fix it, knowing that in a year the whole thing might die on you? Or, do you just trade in the car and get a newer one?

This logic must be applied to the getting of a crown. Typically, a tooth that needs a crown has gone through smaller things already. But now something bigger has happened. Do you get a really large filling placed knowing that it might only last a year, or do you decide that its time to make the jump and get the crown?

Here you will see a picture of a tooth that is at the point of decision. 

Over the years, it has had several fillings that have increased in size every time. Now, the most recent filling is cracked. What to do?


Dr. Jim Ellis, DDS
1220 33rd Street Suite C
Ogden, UT 84403
(801) 783-3490

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SOURCE: http://www.bestogdendentist.com/2013/02/does-tooth-need-crown/

How long can I go with a cracked tooth?

Okay your dentist just told you that your tooth is cracked.

He/She just told you that you need a crown.

Your first question is, "How long can I wait to get this crown"?

Well, here is the answer.

It totally depends.

A crack in a tooth will not stop on its own.

It will continue to progress until the tooth fractures.

What will continue to move the crack is chewing on the tooth that is cracked.

Therefore, if you stop chewing the crack will stop moving.

An all liquid diet will allow you to keep the crack from moving.

(Little side note here: grinding, even without

food in your mouth, can cause a crack to move as well.)

But unless you do that then the dentist has no idea how long until the tooth will fracture.

Bottom line is this, get your teeth fixed as soon as possible.

Financing the work is always a factor and maybe it can't get done right away.

Just know that the dentist has no way of predicting when and where you tooth will break.

If your dentist tells you you have a crack just be very careful.

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Say no to crack.

Age, large fillings, and chewing on hard things can be hard on teeth.

This tooth has begun to crack.

The crack is the thin black line running from the metal 

filling down toward the gum tissue.

We removed the old metal filling and the cracked tooth structure.

We then placed a new white filling in both places.

The tooth is now in much less danger of splitting and the 

patient loves the look of the white replacing the gray.

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Lets see if this is you.

Your tooth hurts, but only sometimes.

Its not sensitive to changes in temperature.

It hurts to bite on things but only every once in a while.

You have asked your dentist but they can't find anything wrong with it.

Any of this sound familiar?

You may have a cracked tooth.

Cracks are not always visible by the dentist.

It takes some time and investigation to find them.

Once found however, depending on the severity of the crack, they can be fairly easy to fix.

So if you find yourself having random tooth pain that is driving you crazy, consult your dentist about whether or not your tooth could be cracked.

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