David Bertman DDS

The first priority of a dentist who's treating you for a TMJ disorder will be to give you relief from your symptoms. After you're feeling better, a long-term treatment (like orthotics, reconstruction, or orthodontics) will be planned out.

Sedation dentistry, often referred to as sleep dentistry, usually can offer a patient three sedation options. These range from general anesthesia with an IV drip to nitrous oxide or anti-anxiety medicines that can be taken orally.

So, how do teeth braces work? They work by exerting constant pressure on the wearer's teeth, thus slowly pulling them into their correct positions. Most of this pressure is exerted by the arch wire which is the metal component that runs across the individual brackets that are glued to the teeth.

If your tooth breaks in a way that very little remains above the gum line, your dentist may recommend surgery to get the root out. Leaving it in place for an extended period will not be a good idea as the tooth's nerves may cause significant or even debilitating pain.