Health Superbook #3 Book 7. Dental-Toothcare Guide
Description
Teeth have an outer coating of enamel followed by dentin which surrounds pulp, the live area that has blood, blood and nerves in it. People get two sets of teeth over a lifetime, the primary teeth that appear in infancy and last for several years to be replaced by the permanent teeth before adolescence.
Most of us have 32 permanent teeth. Incisors have a sharp edge for cutting food, the canines tear food and the premolars and molars grind food.
There are four main types of teeth:
Incisors, the front teeth.
Canines or cuspids, the pointed teeth on either side of the incisors.
Bicuspids or premolars, the mostly flat-topped teeth after the canines.
Molars, the large, flat-topped teeth at the back of the mouth. The third molars are called the wisdom teeth.
A tooth is living tissue. The crown is the part of the tooth that we see in the mouth. Dentin makes up most of the tooth. It's harder than bone but it still decays.
Teeth contain one to three roots embedded in bone. The pulp cavity inside the tooth contains nerves, connective tissue and blood vessels and lymphatic vessels which provide nourishment and disease protection.
During both primary and permanent teething, the gums may become swollen and red. Children may like to chew with their new teeth which is why they often like to suck on pacifiers during this period of time.
Most teeth erupt normally but sometimes the last few to come out may be twisted or otherwise off-kilter because the jaw is already overcrowded. Such teeth are called impacted tooth. Impacted wisdom teeth can often become painful and infected and may have to be extracted.
If the teeth are not straight, a condition often called malocclusion or bad bite, an orthodontist can put braces on them to try to straighten them.
The most common dental problem is tooth decay/ cavities. Bacteria in the mouth mixes with saliva and food particles to form deposits called plaque which break down the tooth over time, eating away at the enamel and dentin until there's a hole right to the pulp and you feel pain whenever you eat.
If not treated, the tooth could get infected and die. Treatment includes either a filling to patch the hole, a root canal where the inside pulp is removed and replaced with an inert substance or extraction, simply pulling the tooth out to eliminate the problem.
Dental insurance plans are popular but they often offer only strictly defined benefits, the costs increasing with the more they cover. They often don't cover cosmetic procedures.
Most plans require some kind of copayment for services. There are four basic types of plans. You can buy either one of the following, a few of them or all of them together:
Diagnostic & Preventive. X rays, cleaning.
Basic. Restorations, endontics, extractions.
Major. Dentures, crowns, bridges.
Orthodontics. Crooked teeth.
There are several basic types of dental insurance plans that are similar to regular health insurance plans like:
Employer plans.
HMO.
Preferred provider.
Fee for service/indemnity.
Every state dental society has a Peer Review Organization that hears cases of patient complaints against dentists just like a mini-trial. If you don't find satisfaction there, you can file a case of malpractice through the state court system.
Be forewarned that 80% of malpractice cases are won by the dentists. The most common way to win is if the dentist allows a hygienist to do a procedure he's supposed to do or violates ethics such as takes advantage of an anesthetized patient sexually.
If you have a problem with a dentist, first try to solve it with him or her. If you can't solve it, go to the state dentistry board where they'll try to resolve it through either an informal mediation type setting or a more formal committee review board where they may examine your teeth and compare them to the dentist's records then make an objective evaluation.
Most of us have 32 permanent teeth. Incisors have a sharp edge for cutting food, the canines tear food and the premolars and molars grind food.
There are four main types of teeth:
Incisors, the front teeth.
Canines or cuspids, the pointed teeth on either side of the incisors.
Bicuspids or premolars, the mostly flat-topped teeth after the canines.
Molars, the large, flat-topped teeth at the back of the mouth. The third molars are called the wisdom teeth.
A tooth is living tissue. The crown is the part of the tooth that we see in the mouth. Dentin makes up most of the tooth. It's harder than bone but it still decays.
Teeth contain one to three roots embedded in bone. The pulp cavity inside the tooth contains nerves, connective tissue and blood vessels and lymphatic vessels which provide nourishment and disease protection.
During both primary and permanent teething, the gums may become swollen and red. Children may like to chew with their new teeth which is why they often like to suck on pacifiers during this period of time.
Most teeth erupt normally but sometimes the last few to come out may be twisted or otherwise off-kilter because the jaw is already overcrowded. Such teeth are called impacted tooth. Impacted wisdom teeth can often become painful and infected and may have to be extracted.
If the teeth are not straight, a condition often called malocclusion or bad bite, an orthodontist can put braces on them to try to straighten them.
The most common dental problem is tooth decay/ cavities. Bacteria in the mouth mixes with saliva and food particles to form deposits called plaque which break down the tooth over time, eating away at the enamel and dentin until there's a hole right to the pulp and you feel pain whenever you eat.
If not treated, the tooth could get infected and die. Treatment includes either a filling to patch the hole, a root canal where the inside pulp is removed and replaced with an inert substance or extraction, simply pulling the tooth out to eliminate the problem.
Dental insurance plans are popular but they often offer only strictly defined benefits, the costs increasing with the more they cover. They often don't cover cosmetic procedures.
Most plans require some kind of copayment for services. There are four basic types of plans. You can buy either one of the following, a few of them or all of them together:
Diagnostic & Preventive. X rays, cleaning.
Basic. Restorations, endontics, extractions.
Major. Dentures, crowns, bridges.
Orthodontics. Crooked teeth.
There are several basic types of dental insurance plans that are similar to regular health insurance plans like:
Employer plans.
HMO.
Preferred provider.
Fee for service/indemnity.
Every state dental society has a Peer Review Organization that hears cases of patient complaints against dentists just like a mini-trial. If you don't find satisfaction there, you can file a case of malpractice through the state court system.
Be forewarned that 80% of malpractice cases are won by the dentists. The most common way to win is if the dentist allows a hygienist to do a procedure he's supposed to do or violates ethics such as takes advantage of an anesthetized patient sexually.
If you have a problem with a dentist, first try to solve it with him or her. If you can't solve it, go to the state dentistry board where they'll try to resolve it through either an informal mediation type setting or a more formal committee review board where they may examine your teeth and compare them to the dentist's records then make an objective evaluation.
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