Chipped, Cracked or Broken Tooth

Chipped, Cracked or Broken Tooth

What Counts as a Damaged Tooth A tooth can be chipped, cracked or broken. The three are not the same thing, and they are not treated the same way. The size of the visible damage tells you very little. A small chip can be harmless. A hairline crack you can barely see...
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ)

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ)

What the Jaw Joint Does You have a jaw joint just in front of each ear. Put a finger there and open your mouth, and you will feel it move. It is the most used joint in the body. It works every time you talk, chew, yawn or swallow. The joint both hinges and slides,...
Tooth Decay

Tooth Decay

What Tooth Decay Is Tooth decay is enamel dissolving. Bacteria in plaque feed on sugar and produce acid, and that acid pulls minerals out of the tooth. Decay is silent until it is deep. By the time a tooth aches, the damage has usually reached the nerve. That is the...
Bruxism

Bruxism

What Is Bruxism? Bruxism is the medical name for grinding or clenching your teeth. Most people who do it grind at night while they sleep, so they have no idea it is happening. Your jaw can apply far more force while you sleep than it ever does while you eat. That is...