Do I Need a Night Guard?

Bruxism is a condition in which you grind, gnash, or clench your teeth and although some people do this unconsciously during the day, most tend to grind their teeth at night.  If you frequently wake up with a sore jaw, a dull headache or tooth pain, you may want to ask our staff at Fairwood Dental Center if you are suffering from a condition called sleep bruxism. If you are, one of our doctors may suggest a night guard.

Grinding your teeth can damage enamel, wear down teeth, cause jaw pain, and/or irritate your gums. The noise from teeth grinding can also disturb your spouse’s sleep if loud enough. Here at Fairwood Dental Center all of our night guards are custom-fitted for comfort and allow for proper breathing. The purpose of the night guard itself is to provide a barrier between your top and bottom teeth while you sleep. If you suspect you might be grinding your teeth at night, set up an appointment with us today.

If you think you may benefit from a night guard, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fairwooddental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Fairwood Dental Center in Renton, WA, call 425-271-7725.

Choosing the Correct Toothpaste

While strolling through the dental health aisle at the drugstore, our doctors at Fairwood Dental Center understands that the selection of toothpaste can be overwhelming. Should you go for tartar control, fluoride, sensitive, or whitening toothpaste? How do you decide? When it comes to choosing the toothpaste that is best for you, it’s important to consider your unique oral health needs. The best way to discover what those are is by scheduling an oral exam with one of our doctors here in Renton, WA. In the meantime, here are some options to consider while browsing:

• Anti-cavity: This type of toothpaste contains fluoride. Fluoride plays an active role in preventing decay, and it actively strengthens tooth enamel.


• Anti-gingivitis: If you spit blood in the sink, this is an early sign of gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease. Anti-gingivitis toothpaste helps reduce oral bacteria and can be very effective at stopping gingivitis in its tracks.


• Desensitizing: If you’ve ever bit into an ice cream cone and felt a sharp pain in your tooth’s nerve, this type of toothpaste will provide relief by blocking the tooth’s pain signal to the nerve.


• Tartar-control: This toothpaste does exact what it says, however, the best way to remove tartar is by scheduling a professional dental cleaning with one of our doctors.


• Whitening: This toothpaste contains chemicals that are able to help maintain the natural color of your teeth.

If you have questions about dental hygiene, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fairwooddental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Fairwood Dental Center in Renton, WA, call 425-271-7725.

TMD/TMJ Disorder

The temporomandibular joint is the jaw joint and you have two which work together as a pair, one in front of each ear. These joints are what allow you to chew, speak, and yawn. Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) are a complex and poorly understood set of conditions characterized by pain in the jaw joint and surrounding tissues and limitation in jaw movements. Fortunately, relief is available. Here at Fairwood Dental Center, our doctors can recommend a treatment that will alleviate your TMJ symptoms. 

Some symptoms of temporomandibular disorders are experiencing pain when opening or closing your mouth, trouble chewing, jaw becoming locked, headaches or ear pain, clicking or popping sounds when opening your mouth, and teeth grinding. Many of these symptoms can be often associated with other health problems, so only a medical professional can tell you if it is due to TMD.

If you suffer from facial pain, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fairwooddental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Fairwood Dental Center in Renton, WA, call 425-271-7725.

Fluoride and Tooth Decay

Fluoride is a natural mineral found throughout the earth’s crust and widely distributed in nature and is often added to water to help reduce tooth decay. Research has shown that fluoride not only reduces cavities in children and adults, but it also helps repair the early stages of tooth decay, even before the decay is visible. Here at Fairwood Dental Center, we can discuss professional fluoride treatments with you to see if you are a prime candidate.

When fluoride reaches your teeth, it is absorbed into the enamel. Fluoride helps to repair the enamel by replenishing the lost calcium and phosphorus to keep your teeth hard through a process called remineralization. When fluoride is present during this process, the minerals deposited into the tooth enamel help strengthen your teeth and prevent dissolution during the next demineralization phase. The results are stronger tooth enamel and a smile that is cavity-free.

If you think you may benefit from fluoride treatment, please give us a call if you have any questions. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fairwooddental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Fairwood Dental Center in Renton, WA, call 425-271-7725.

How Painful is the Dental Implant Procedure?

If you are receiving dental implants in the near future, our doctors at Fairwood Dental Center don’t want you to be frightened, we want you to be informed on what to expect. Pain is a common concern among individuals who are considering dental implants and we want you to know that while some discomfort is expected, it shouldn’t be your primary concern.

As with any major dental procedure, or surgery in general, some discomfort is to be expected during the recovery process since it is a surgery that typically involves removing teeth, cutting gums, drilling into the jawbone and inserting a titanium post. The procedure itself is not painful since it is performed with either general or local anesthesia to completely numb your mouth. If you’re anxious about the discomfort during the procedure and being aware of drilling noises and forces being applied to your mouth, please ask us about our sedation options.

If you are missing teeth and would like to discuss your restorative options, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fairwooddental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Fairwood Dental Center in Renton, WA, call 425-271-7725.

The Root Canal Procedure: Explained

When a tooth’s nerve tissue or pulp is damaged, it breaks down and bacteria begin to multiply within the pulp chamber. Before the bacteria can cause an infection or an abscessed tooth, our doctors at Fairwood Dental Center may recommend a root canal. A root canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or becomes infected. If you’ve been told that a root canal is right for you, we’d like to explain the process to make you feel calmer about the procedure itself.

The root canal procedure itself requires one or more office visits and can be performed right here in the office. The first step in the procedure is to take an X-ray to see the shape of the root canals and determine if there are any signs of infection in the surrounding bone. Once anesthesia is administered, your doctor will make an opening in the crown of the tooth. Very small instruments are used to clean the pulp from the pulp chamber and root canals and to shape the space for filling. After the empty space is cleaned and shaped, your dentist will fill the root canals with a biocompatible material called gutta-percha. In most cases, a temporary filling is placed to close the opening. There may be some soreness after the procedure, but that is perfectly normal.

If you have a tooth that is causing you pain, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fairwooddental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Fairwood Dental Center in Renton, WA, call 425-271-7725.

Traditional Metal Braces

Straight teeth create a nice smile and healthy teeth. Here at Fairwood Dental Center in Renton, WA, one of the options we have available for orthodontics is traditional metal braces.

Braces are a teeth straightening system that works by applying metal bracing to the teeth that apply continuous pressure. Over time, the pressure moves the teeth into the desired position. About once per month, you will visit us to have your wires tightened in a new direction.

Today’s braces are made of super-strong metal alloys, so they are smoother and faster than braces of the past. Metal brackets are bonded to the front of teeth and a metal wire is clipped in which applies pressure into a certain direction. The duration for wearing braces varies with each case; however, it is usually somewhere between one and three years. You will need to pay extra-special attention to your teeth while brushing and flossing. There will also be certain foods to avoid while you have braces on.

Straight teeth promote a beautiful smile, healthy teeth, and healthy gums. If you are looking to straighten your teeth, traditional metal braces are a very popular option. To schedule your appointment at Fairwood Dental Center in Renton, WA, call our office at (425) 271-7725 or visit our website, www.fairwooddental.com.