More than five million teeth are knocked out every year in children and adults. With proper emergency action, a tooth that has been knocked out of its socket can be successfully replanted and last for years. Review, remember and share these steps to saving a knocked-out tooth. Your knowledge and quick action will likely increase the likelihood of saving the tooth!
Read MoreHave a cavity and need a dental filling? Deciding on what filling material to use to treat dental decay is a choice that must be made by you and your dentist. Thanks to technological advances, dentists and patients today have several choices when it comes to selecting materials to fill cavities. Listed below are your options for dental fillings, each with information to help make your decision easier. If you have more questions, feel free to visit with our dentist in Idaho Falls today.
Read MoreOur third molars, or wisdom teeth, may not fit into our mouth as hoped. Dr. Machen provides her patients with a comfortable and relaxing dental experience during wisdom teeth extractions. At Machen Family Dental, we provide our patients with the choice of sedation or nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Whichever the choice you make, we make sure that you leave our office having a great experience!
Read MoreA denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissues. Two types of dentures are available — complete and partial dentures. Complete dentures are used when all the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain.
Read MoreDental implants are the most popular and effective way to replace missing teeth. Designed to blend in with your other teeth, they are an excellent long-term option for restoring your smile. In fact, the development and use of implants is one of the biggest advances in dentistry in the past 40 years.
Read MoreRoot canal treatment is necessary when the pulp, soft tissue inside your teeth containing blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue, becomes inflamed or diseased. During root canal treatment, Dr. Machen or an endodontist, a dentist who specializes in treating the insides of teeth, removes the diseased pulp. The pulp chamber and root canal(s) of the tooth are then cleaned and sealed.
Read MoreA crown is needed when a tooth has had a significant amount of trauma or decay on the tooth. A crown may be recommended for a tooth that has had a root canal, has greater than 50% of the tooth missing, or an entire cusp, a tooth with a significant crack or break, or is covering an implant. There are quite a few different kinds of materials that a crown can be made of. See the list below.
Read MoreExtraction in dentistry means the removal of a tooth from the mouth, usually because of disease, trauma or crowding. The process is quick and easy. Plus, you won’t feel a thing. Using the same type of numbing for fillings, Dr. Machen will first numb the area to lessen any discomfort. If you prefer, other sedation options are available upon request. After the extraction, you will be advised of what post extraction regimen to follow. In most cases a small amount of bleeding is normal, but overtime, your mouth will slowly fill in the bone where the tooth root was through the formation of a blood clot.
Read MoreNot all tooth fillings are metallic! White composite fillings are a great alternative material. Here’s a list of the advantages you can expect when receiving a white composite restoration.
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