Bullock Dental

Once plaque sits on your teeth for greater than 24 hrs. it hardens into tartar. Plaque and tartar contain huge quantities of bacteria which release toxins causing deterioration of the bone and soft tissues holding your teeth resulting in eventual tooth loss. Tartar must be scraped off professionally with scalers and cannot be removed with a toothbrush or floss. 70% of the population suffers from gum disease. Recent medical studies have revealed a close connection between oral health and medical health. Oral bacteria and their toxins travel through your blood stream to the rest of your body causing damage elsewhere. It's beneficial to minimize these bacterial numbers with professional tooth cleaning.

We sure do! Dental Insurance can seem complicated but with our in office knowledgeable Insurance coordinators we can help you easily submit your dental insurance. We will make sure you are clear on what your insurance covers before we begin treatment.

When a tooth becomes structurally weakened from decay or fracture there is often little tooth material left to work with and a crown is necessary. Fillings need strong natural tooth structure to hold them in place. If there is insufficient tooth structure and a filling is placed it will fail often causing more tooth to break away. The solution is a crown which surrounds the weak tooth and holds it together to prevent breakage when chewing.

The frequency of dental X-rays you need depends entirely on what your specific oral health requirements are. A dental X-ray is a vital tool that helps Dr. Bullock detect potential problems early before they develop into more serious issues. In general, most people receive a dental X-ray once or twice a year.

While many oral conditions are detectable with a visual exam, much of what happens with the anatomy of a tooth happens below the surface. Decay, bone loss, root fractures, and developmental conditions can appear normal on the surface but a dental x-ray may reveal another story. For the benefit and safety of our patients, we use Low dose digital x-rays at Bullock Dental. Digital dental x-rays emit up to 70% less radiation than traditional film x-rays. We recommend only necessary x-rays that allow us to detect and diagnose dental conditions before they progress into more serious issues. The average daily background radiation we receive each day from our environment is about 8 micro Sieverts. Digital dental x-rays can range from 3 to135 micro Sieverts. To put this into perspective a round trip flight from New York to Paris will give you 30 micro Sieverts of radiation. Most dental x-rays are equivalent to just living in our environment for a half a day. As with all of our treatment recommendations, we take a personal approach and base the frequency of your x-rays on your current oral conditions, your past dental history and any changes you may report in the health of your teeth or gums. Low dose digital x-rays routinely help prevent more costly and complex treatment had they not been taken.

When the inner most part of a tooth called the pulp, which constitutes the nerve and blood vessels within the tooth, is injured or infected debilitating pain can result. The pulp is encapsulated within hard tooth structure with only a small opening at the root tip for blood flow. When increased blood flow happens due to injury or infection, pressure builds within the hard tooth resulting in pain. The pain or infection can only be resolved by either the removal of the entire tooth or removal of the pulp by making a small hole in the top of the tooth and removing the pulp. When the pulp is gone there is no more pain or infection and best yet you keep your tooth.

This a good question. The brand of the toothbrush is not nearly as critical as the type of bristle, the size and shape of the head and how frequently you replace your brush. We recommend a soft bristled brush with a small head. The soft bristles are most important for the health of your gums. A small head allows you to get around each tooth more completely and is less likely to injure your gums. Brushing twice daily, morning and night, and replacing with a new brush are much more important issues than the brand you choose. We recommend replacing your brush at least once a month.

There's no getting around the need to get around your teeth daily with dental floss. It clears food and plaque from between teeth and under the gum line. If you don’t floss plaque hardens into which forms wedges and widens the space between teeth and gums causing pockets. Over time, gums pull away and teeth loosen.

Baby teeth allow children to smile, speak, and eat comfortably. Tooth decay progresses very quickly in baby teeth. Leaving decayed baby teeth leads to infections in the mouth, damaging the permanent teeth and spreading infection throughout the body. Deep decay often results in extractions. Once the baby teeth are prematurely gone, permanent teeth do not erupt in the correct position causing crooked teeth and creating the need for braces in the future.

The most important thing to remember is that if you ever suspect a problem with your child’s mouth, please make an appointment for him or her to be seen—regardless of their age. Ideally, most children should be seen by a dentist before any problems arise. At about 2.5 to 3 years old is a good time for their first checkup and screening. Prior to their first checkup and screening it is a good idea for the child to come in when Mom or Dad are having their checkup and screening to give them a chance to grow accustomed to the sights and sounds of the dentist office. Watching family members getting treated is a helpful experience and can alleviate first visit anxieties. When your child comes in for his or her first official visit, we enjoy making these visits fun. We give them a chance to ride in the dental chair, meet the staff, and count their teeth. Dr. Bullock and the entire team enjoy treating children—and we look forward to making their first experience with the dentist something they enjoy.