If you have been diagnosed with periodontal disease your regular scheduled cleanings will now be periodontal maintenance cleanings.

Periodontal Disease is an inflammatory and infectious disease affecting the gums and supporting tissues of the teeth. If left untreated it can worsen in time, which may lead to bone loss and premature tooth loss. In the early stages of periodontal disease, your gums become red or swollen, and may even bleed. In time, your gums separate from your teeth and deep spaces called pockets form. Bacteria then collect in these pockets, and their toxins cause inflammation of the gums which destroys the bone that anchors your teeth.

Dental insurance is actually a money benefit typically provided by an employer to help their employees pay for routine dental treatment. The employer usually buys a plan based on the amount of benefit and how much the premium costs per month. Most benefit plans are designed to cover a portion of the cost.

Why is there an annual maximum on my benefits?

Maximums limit what a carrier has to cover each year.

When you bite down do you feel a sharp pain? It quickly disappears and perhaps you ignore it. You avoid certain foods or chew on one side of your mouth. Does this sound familiar? You may have a cracked tooth!

A cracked tooth hurts because the pressure of biting causes the crack to open. When you stop biting, the pressure is released and a sharp pain results as the crack quickly closes.

Even though the crack may be microscopic and may not show on an x-ray, when it opens, the pulp inside the tooth becomes irritated. The pulp is a soft tissue that contains the tooth’s nerves and blood vessels. If the crack irritates the pulp, the tooth may become sensitive to temperature extremes. If the pulp becomes damaged or diseased root canal treatment may be necessary to save the tooth.