Category: Dr. Ljubica Banić

A dark, discoloured, black tooth is a sign your tooth may have died or is partially dead, most likely due to previous trauma or deep decay. Dark tooth treatment will involve initially undergoing root canal treatment if the tooth has not already been treated. This procedure is when the root canal chamber containing the nerve is emptied and disinfected, and a rubber filling is packed tightly inside the canal. There are two methods of restoring the tooth colour of the black tooth: either by internal tooth bleaching or by placing a veneer on the tooth.

Dr. Banić

Apples have been commonly recommended as a means of cleaning the teeth after eating because they stimulate an alkaline saliva flow that neutralizes the acids produced in dental plaque after carbohydrate ingestion.

Dr. Banić

Exfoliative cheilitis is a rare reactive condition presenting as continuous peeling of the lips. Factitial cheilitis can present as exfoliative cheilitis when it is due to attention-seeking or factitial behaviour or an obsessive-compulsive tendency to pick or chap the lips (exfoliative).

Dr. Banić

Plica fimbriata refers to the small folds in the membrane on the underside of your tongue. The folds tend to run parallel to, and on either side of your frenulum. The frenulum is the web of tissue that connects your tongue to the bottom of your mouth.

Dr. Banić

Dental abscesses are often painful, but not always. You may feel an intense throbbing pain in the affected tooth or gum. If you have a dental abscess, a dentist can remove the cause of the infection and drain the pus. Painkillers can ease the pain until your appointment. A dental abscess is caused by tooth decay, which can allow bacteria to get into your teeth or gums. You can help prevent a dental abscess by brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and using an interdental brush once a day.

Dr. Banić

A periodontal abscess is a pocket of pus in the tissues of the gum. It looks like a small red ball pushing out of the swollen gum. An abscess can occur with serious gum disease (periodontitis), which causes the gums to pull away from the teeth. This leaves deep pockets where bacteria can grow.

Dr. Banić

An antimicrobial is an agent that kills microorganisms or stops their growth. Antimicrobial medicines can be grouped according to the microorganisms they act primarily against. For example, antibiotics are used against bacteria, and antifungals are used against fungi.

Dr. Banić

Smile in a day (sometimes referred to as teeth in a day or all-on-4) replaces your teeth (or dentures) with a fully fixed in bridge secured by a minimum of four dental implants. It is the closest you can get to a full set of natural teeth and has a wide range of benefits.

Dr. Banić

If you have missing teeth, your dentist can close — or bridge — the gaps in your smile with dental bridges. A dental bridge is a false tooth (called a pontic) that is held in place by the abutment teeth on either side of the gap. Although pontics can be made from a variety of materials such as gold, typically they’re made from porcelain to aesthetically blend in with your natural teeth.

Dr. Banić

IV sedation dentistry works as a form of conscious sedation to help you feel relaxed during your appointment. This method does not put you fully to sleep, but it does make you less aware of your surroundings — including anything the dentist may or may not be doing to your mouth. That means you can still respond to verbal commands or gentle nudging, and you should not need help breathing. Unlike other forms of sedation that are inhaled (like nitrous oxide) or taken in pill form, the dentist administers the sedation intravenously, which means through your vein.

IV sedation provides several benefits:

It starts working quickly, and you feel minimal to no pain during the procedure.
The dentist can monitor your vitals and easily adjust the dosage.
It creates a long period of amnesia, so you won’t remember the procedure at all when you wake up.
It allows you to cooperate for a more extended period, so your dentist can perform multiple procedures with only one appointment.

Dr. Banić