Do all wisdom teeth have to be taken out?

No. If wisdom teeth are erupting in the proper direction and a patient is under 22, there is a chance that the teeth will erupt in the proper position. But, if xrays show that lower wisdom teeth are growing in sideways or even upside down, then most likely they will need to be removed. As well, if a bottom wisdom tooth needs to be removed and the opposing top wisdom tooth is growing in properly, the top one may need to come out. In most cases, the top wisdom tooth is only opposed by the bottom wisdom tooth. If the top tooth doesn't have an antagonist, then it will keep descending and you might end up chewing on your lower gums.

Should I get all my amalgam fillings removed?

No. Many people have heard the myth that you can get very sick from the mercury in the amalgam fillings. As far as the research of the Canadian Dental Association and the American Dental Association tells us, there is no harm to keeping the amalgam fillings in your mouth. More danger can actually occur if you remove them improperly. At Shine Dental, we will remove old amalgam fillings if there is reason to do so. (ie: leaky filling, chipped tooth, amalgam fracture). Otherwise, even Dr. Brent has amalgam fillings in his mouth. Having said all that, when at all possible we will replace the silver fillings with composite or 'white' fillings.

Can you do braces?

Yes. I recently graduated from a course that I took in Calgary and Dallas which made me an associate member of the International Association for Orthodontics. This is an adjunct to the education that I received in school. I am qualified to do all sorts of orthodontics from expansion appliances to braces to treating TMD. I work closely with other certified orthodontists to ensure that you are receiving the best care possible. As a general dentist I am qualified to perform all aspects of dentistry. But, there are many aspects that I am not comfortable doing. Those things I refer to specialists.

When do teeth need to be crowned?

This is a very important question, because every week I see a mis-informed patient who was told by their former dentist that their tooth needed crowning. Front teeth only need to be crowned if the majority of the tooth is a filling and it has broken down again or for esthetic reasons. Back teeth need to be crowned for the same reasons, as well as if they have received endodontic or root canal treatment or if we are trying to stop a vertical root fracture from progressing.

In the last two instances, because of how the back teeth function in the grinding of food, in conjunction with the brittle nature of teeth that have received root canal therapy, full coverage or crowning is highly recommended. Quite often patients who opted out of crowning a root canaled tooth come back months later with a broken down tooth that is not repairable.