Dental Root Canals Dentist Phoenix AZ

Saving Hopeless Teeth 

Teeth with roots that have been damaged or infected used to require extraction, which can cause a lot of problems and should be avoided whenever possible. The good news is that we are well experienced in advanced root canal therapy. A root canal is a procedure to fix a tooth by removing the pulp chamber of a tooth and filling it with a filling material. This is often necessary when dental decay reaches the nerve of the tooth (or the tooth has become infected), and a simple filling will not be suitable. In the not too distant past, the situation mentioned above would have required the tooth to be extracted. When dentists started performing root canals, they were quite painful, and the root canal has received a reputation as something to be avoided. However, with modern anesthetics and technology, the root canals we can perform in our practice are tolerable and sometimes even painless.


Dentist Phoenix AZ
Scott A. Simpson, DDS, PLLC
14231 North 7th Street, Suite A1
Phoenix, AZ 85022
Telephone: (602) 464-7211

Dental Health and Dry Mouth

We all need saliva to moisten and cleanse our mouths and digest food. Saliva also prevents infection by controlling bacteria and fungi in the mouth. When we don't produce enough saliva, our mouth gets dry and uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are many effective treatments for dry mouth.

What Causes Dry Mouth?

There are several causes of dry mouth, also called xerostomia. These include:

Side effect of certain medications. Dry mouth is a common side effect of many prescription and nonprescription drugs, including drugs used to treat depression, anxiety, pain, allergies, and colds (antihistamines and decongestants), obesity, acne, epilepsy, hypertension (diuretics), diarrhea, nausea, psychotic disorders, urinary incontinence, asthma (certain bronchodilators), and Parkinson's disease. Dry mouth can also be a side effect of muscle relaxants and sedatives.

Side effect of certain diseases and infections. Dry mouth can be a side effect of medical conditions, including Sjögren's syndrome, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, anemia, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and mumps.

Side effect of certain medical treatments. Damage to the salivary glands, the glands that produce saliva, for example, from radiation to the head and neck and chemotherapy treatments for cancer, can reduce the amount of saliva produced.

Nerve damage . Dry mouth can be a result of nerve damage to the head and neck area from an injury or surgery.

Dehydration . Conditions that lead to dehydration, such as fever, excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, blood loss, and burns can cause dry mouth.

Surgical removal of the salivary glands.

Lifestyle. Smoking or chewing tobacco can affect saliva production and aggravate dry mouth. Continuously breathing with your mouth open can also contribute to the problem.

Above article from: Webmd.com

Dentist Phoenix AZ

Scott A. Simpson, DDS, PLLC

14231 North 7th Street, Suite A1
Phoenix, AZ 85022
Telephone: (602) 464-7211

Dental Crowns

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth - covering the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and/or to improve its appearance.

The crowns, when cemented into place, fully encase the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line.

Why Is a Dental Crown Needed?

A dental crown may be needed in the following situations:

To protect a weak tooth (for instance, from decay) from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth

To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down

To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't a lot of tooth left

To hold a dental bridge in place

To cover misshapened or severely discolored teeth

To cover a dental implant

What Types of Crowns Are Available?

Permanent crowns can be made from all metal, porcelain-fused-to-metal, all resin, or all ceramic.

Metals used in crowns include gold alloy, other alloys (for example, palladium) or a base-metal alloy (for example, nickel or chromium). Compared with other crown types, less tooth structure needs to be removed with metal crowns, and tooth wear to opposing teeth is kept to a minimum. Metal crowns withstand biting and chewing forces well and probably last the longest in terms of wear down. Also, metal crowns rarely chip or break. The metallic color is the main drawback. Metal crowns are a good choice for out-of-sight molars.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal dental crowns can be color matched to your adjacent teeth (unlike the metallic crowns). However, more wearing to the opposing teeth occurs with this crown type compared with metal or resin crowns. The crown's porcelain portion can also chip or break off. Next to all-ceramic crowns, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns look most like normal teeth. However, sometimes the metal underlying the crown's porcelain can show through as a dark line, especially at the gum line and even more so if your gums recede. These crowns can be a good choice for front or back teeth.

All-resin dental crowns are less expensive than other crown types. However, they wear down over time and are more prone to fractures than porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.

All-ceramic or all-porcelain dental crowns provide the best natural color match than any other crown type and may be more suitable for people with metalallergies. However, they are not as strong as porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns and they wear down opposing teeth a little more than metal or resin crowns. All-ceramic crowns are a good choice for front teeth.

Temporary versus permanent. Temporary crowns can be made in your dentist's office whereas permanent crowns are made in a dental laboratory. Temporary crowns are made of acrylic or stainless steel and can be used as a temporary restoration until a permanent crown is constructed by the dental laboratory.

Above article from: Webmd.com

Dentist Phoenix AZ

Scott A. Simpson, DDS, PLLC

14231 North 7th Street, Suite A1
Phoenix, AZ 85022
Telephone: (602) 464-7211

Preventive Dentistry

A Healthy Smile, A Healthy Body We know that your oral health is not only about looking your best. It's about maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Did you know that the cause of most tooth loss is not decay? It's gum disease. And recent studies have established a link between gum disease and your overall health. The good news is that gum disease can be treated successfully, often without surgery. We want all of our patients to have outstanding oral health. Our commitment to you includes paying meticulous attention to all of your needs so you look your best and have optimum health.


Preventive Dental Care
Dentist Phoenix AZ
Scott A. Simpson, DDS, PLLC
14231 North 7th Street, Suite A1
Phoenix, AZ 85022
Telephone: (602) 464-7211

White Dental Fillings Dentistry Phoenix

No Mercury! No Metals! No Kidding!
For years, the silver-mercury amalgam was the standard filling material used in dental practices, and many practices still use it. While they are a reasonable restoration, amalgams have certain shortcomings. Metal does not bond well to teeth, so decay can and does eventually leak into the tooth. But the biggest reason many of our patients are choosing the white bonded fillings has to do with the way they look. Many people just don’t want an ugly black plug in their teeth. We offer modern restorations that are a natural-looking white, contain no metals, and can actually strengthen your teeth. They also bond very tightly with the healthy part of the tooth so there is much less chance of decay in the future.

Cosmetic Dentistry Phoenix AZ

Scott A. Simpson, DDS, PLLC

14231 North 7th Street, Suite A1
Phoenix, AZ 85022
Telephone: (602) 464-7211

Laser Dentistry - Gum Disease Treatment

New Laser Treatment for Gum Disease
Dr. Simpson is licensed to practice the Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure™, a minimally invasive method of treating gum disease. LANAP is the only laser-assisted procedure certified by the FDA for treatment of periodontitis or gum disease. You may have heard about or experienced the remarkable results from laser treatments for vision correction and other medical procedures. Now, that same technology is revolutionizing dentistry! With LANAP, gum disease can be treated successfully without scalpels or sutures, so healing and recovery is generally faster and less painful than traditional gum surgery. If you’ve been told you need gum surgery, but have been putting it off, let us show you how easy your treatment really can be. 

Laser Dentistry entist Phoenix AZ

Scott A. Simpson, DDS, PLLC

14231 North 7th Street, Suite A1
Phoenix, AZ 85022
Telephone: (602) 464-7211

Keep Your Breath Fresh Step by Step

1.     We’ve all done a hand check, right? But other than a false sense of security -- or maybe a hand that smells -- what does it prove? Not much. But what we do know is you are what you eat. When you eat, food starts to be digested in your mouth. Bacteria break down food particles and releases sulfur compounds that are involved in bad breath.

2.     Another cause is poor oral health. Bacteria from tooth decay or gum problems will linger in your mouth like a vacationing guest at your house, so ask yourself: Are you really brushing and flossing as you should? Are you using an antibacterial mouthwash? A more severe problem, like gingivitis or periodontal disease, will require professional intervention. So visit your dentist regularly as part of your battle against halitosis.

3.     Speaking of bacteria, your tongue can be a magnet for unpleasant germs and smells, so don’t forget it when you’re brushing. If your tongue feels like it needs to be shaved with a razor, brushing may not be enough. If that’s the case, use a tongue-cleaning device to scrape it clean. You might even get one free when you see your dentist.

4.     It may seem obvious, but eau du tobacco … no. If you want fresh breath, don’t smoke.

5.     How wet is your whistle? Saliva is the body’s natural way of keeping your mouth cleansed, and the salivary gland doesn’t work as well if your well is dry.

6.     Finally, persistent bad breath could be the sign of a major medical problem, like acid reflux, sinus infections, diabetes, or kidney problems. So make sure you get regular medical checkups and follow any special instructions your doctor may give you.

Above article from: WebMD.com

Dentist Phoenix AZ

Scott A. Simpson, DDS, PLLC

14231 North 7th Street, Suite A1
Phoenix, AZ 85022
Telephone: (602) 464-7211