Joshua Hong, DDS Blog

Are you feeling anxious about needing a tooth pulled? You’re not alone.

Many people wonder what to expect before, during, and after a tooth extraction. Whether it’s due to severe decay, infection, crowding, or trauma, understanding the experience can help ease your nerves.

Here’s a breakdown of what a typical tooth extraction feels like and what sensations you may experience throughout the process.

Cavities are a common dental issue, but when they form between your teeth, they can be especially sneaky. These interproximal cavities—so named because they occur in the spaces between two teeth—aren’t always visible to the naked eye. That means you could have one developing without even realizing it.

Fortunately, there are ways to spot the warning signs and lower your risk of needing more serious treatment down the line.

If you’ve been told you need a dental crown, you might be feeling a little nervous—especially if you’ve never had one before. Many patients worry that the process will be painful, but the truth is, getting a dental crown is typically a smooth and comfortable experience. With modern dental techniques and local anesthesia, you should feel little to no pain during the procedure itself.

Let’s walk through what you can expect before, during, and after your appointment—and why putting it off could actually lead to more discomfort in the long run.

If you’ve been told you need a dental crown, you may be a little nervous about what to expect. After all, this treatment is not as common as regular fillings. But thankfully, there’s no reason to be afraid. Here’s what you can expect from your dental crown procedure, and why you can rest assured your smile will be treated like royalty!

A dental bridge is a reliable way to replace multiple missing teeth at once, restoring your smile’s appearance and function. But like any dental restoration, it won’t last forever. Over time, bridges can weaken, break, or come loose, and when they do, it can be both uncomfortable and costly. So, what causes a dental bridge to fail? Continue reading to take a closer look at the common culprits and how to avoid them.

When you visit the dentist with a damaged or decayed tooth, one of the first decisions you and your dentist may face is whether to restore the tooth with a filling or a dental crown. While both treatments aim to save the tooth and restore function, they serve very different purposes depending on the severity of the problem. Understanding the differences between a crown and a filling and knowing when each is appropriate can help you make the best decision for your oral health.

Though today’s dental implants boast an extremely high success rate (95 percent, even after ten years!), they didn’t always last this long. Here’s a closer look at the long, storied history of dental implants, and how their early predecessors helped shape what are now the durable, lifelike prosthetics you know and love today!

Do you get nervous at just the thought of going to the dental office? This is much more common than you may think. In fact, over 30 million Americans experience stress related to the dental office. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that you need to avoid dental care forever. There are various options to help even the most anxious patients get the care they need without the added stress. Here are the different sedation methods available.

As common as dental phobias are, anxious people often can’t pinpoint their sources. Most of these folks just know they dislike dentists and don’t want to attend checkups. Even so, you really should learn the causes of these fears; doing so helps you overcome them. The good news is that your Goodyear practice can help you with this work. To that end, here’s a primer on what causes dental phobias and how to best conquer them.

Do you wake up in the morning with a sore jaw that you can’t explain? If so, you might be subconsciously grinding your teeth at night in a condition known as bruxism. Unfortunately, the added pressure from constant clenching can push your teeth out of alignment, which can cause dental problems in addition to TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders.

Your dentist can straighten your smile with Invisalign, but many patients want to know whether their nightly habit will interfere with this orthodontic treatment. Continue reading to learn why you have nothing to worry about!