Ankylosis refers to a tooth or teeth (primary or permanent) that have become "fused" to the bone, preventing them from moving "down" with the bone as the jaws grow. This process can affect any teeth in the mouth, but it is more common on primary first molars and teeth that have suffered trauma (typically the incisors).

Treatment can vary depending on the degree of severity of the ankylosis (how "sunken into the gums" a tooth may appear). The degree of severity will vary depending on how early the process started, and as a general rule, the earlier it starts, the more severe the ankylosis becomes with age. Your dentist will discuss all the risks and benefits of each treatment option. The subject must consider various factors before the dentist starts treatment.

Fluoride levels depend on person-to-person, so you must speak with us first before considering using a questionable amount of fluoride or having a child whose teeth are currently developing.

Fluorosis is a condition where exposure to too much fluoride causes defects in the tooth's enamel layer that often look like white patches or streaks across a tooth. In severe fluorosis cases, these patches or stripes can be brown, making them an extreme cosmetic concern and are often embarrassing for many people who have this condition. Fluorosis is most common in children with developing permanent teeth where fluoride levels are not correctly applied and monitored but can become a problem to virtually anyone at any age.

If you think you have a mild to severe case of fluorosis, we want you to know that we can help lighten or remove the stains on teeth caused by excessive fluoride exposure.

Mucocele is a common benign lesion in children and adolescents that results from the rupture of the excretory ducts (tiny tubes) that deliver saliva to the top tissues of the lips.

More than 75% of mucoceles end up on the lower lip, and their size and color may vary. However, they tend to be painless. Most of the time, patients report that these "bumps" grow until they burst spontaneously, leaving small ulcers that heal within a few days. They can re-appear weeks or months later. Recurring mucoceles often require the surgical removal of the salivary gland.

Baby teeth that have severe decay and some degree of pain occasionally require removing the infected pulp from under the tooth's crown. Pulpotomy is less invasive than a root canal.

Pulpotomy aims to preserve the baby tooth since baby teeth help maintain adequate room for permanent teeth.

Pulpotomies have published success rates that range from 60% to 90% and represent a good and reliable way to save a badly decayed baby tooth.

The procedure should be painless, and afterward, patients will experience only minor discomfort.

A space maintainer is a removable or fixed oral appliance designed to maintain the existing tooth spacing. They are usually fitted to children when they have lost baby teeth early. The gap left from losing a baby tooth needs to be braced and held open to allow the permanent tooth to erupt in its correct position.