Author
Yeom Da-in
Reporter
Covers what you wonder about before going to the dentist. How a first appointment actually goes, what to ask while you are there. Wants to write so that someone going for the first time can follow along.
Articles written 42
Tooth Sensitivity (Dentin Hypersensitivity)
When gum recession or worn tooth surfaces expose the dentin, cold water or cold air can trigger a sudden, sharp twinge of pain. This article covers the causes, how it differs from sensitivity caused by cavities, how desensitizing toothpaste works, and when to see a dentist.
4 min read
Pre-Treating Gums With Laser Light Reduced Dental Anesthesia Injection Pain
A meta-analysis found that briefly shining low-level laser light on the gums right before a dental anesthesia injection reduced pain. However, some studies found no difference from placebo, so the certainty of the evidence remains low.
3 min read
When Should a Child's Supernumerary Tooth Be Extracted?
Having a supernumerary tooth doesn't mean a child needs it extracted right away. Whether to choose early extraction or watchful observation depends on whether the tooth is already blocking permanent tooth eruption and how great the risk is that extraction would damage the root of the neighboring permanent tooth.
5 min read
An mRNA Vaccine Against Cavities Emerges from a Rat Trial
A cavity vaccine built the same way as COVID-19 mRNA vaccines suppressed cavity-causing bacteria from attaching to teeth and cut caries progression by more than 60% in a rat trial. Here is how this still-animal-stage vaccine works and how it is administered.
3 min read
Ohio Tracks Radioactive Brine Exposure Through Children's Baby Teeth
Researchers at Ohio State University are collecting children's baby teeth, adults' toenail clippings, and soil samples to check exposure to radioactive oilfield brine sprayed on roads. Baby teeth, which form from the fetal period onward, serve as a record of childhood exposure.
3 min read
If a Sealant Seems to Have Come Off, Should You Get It Checked?
Finding a white fragment that has come off a molar doesn't tell you whether it was sealant or tartar, or how much preventive protection remains. This explains what a sealant does in the grooves of a molar and why a defect means it's worth getting checked again.
3 min read
Guided Endodontics: Bringing Navigation Into Dental Surgery
From CBCT and 3D-printed guides to real-time navigation and robotic surgery, this article reviews the principles and limitations of the digital navigation technologies that improve the accuracy of endodontic and apical surgery.
5 min read
Should I Get an Exam If a Permanent Tooth Doesn't Erupt for a Long Time After a Baby Tooth Falls Out?
This article summarizes what is commonly checked when a permanent tooth erupts later than expected in the spot left by a lost baby tooth. Whether watchful waiting or treatment is needed depends on factors such as insufficient space, obstacles like supernumerary teeth or cysts, and whether the tooth is impacted.
5 min read
Silver Nanoparticle vs. Conventional Resin Sealants: One-Year Retention Rates Diverged
Adding silver nanoparticles to fissure sealants used on children's molars raised the one-year retention rate above that of conventional resin sealants, an Indian clinical trial found. However, the rate of new cavities forming did not differ between the two materials.
3 min read
New Smart Toothbrush Sensor Identifies Up to 18 Brushing Regions
A new technology uses two inertial sensors, one on the wrist and one on the toothbrush handle, to distinguish up to 18 brushing regions in the mouth with 96% accuracy. Here is how it addresses the limits of existing smart toothbrushes, and the gap revealed in real-world use.
3 min read
Is Fluoride Application the Same as Tooth Remineralization?
Fluoride application done at the dental clinic and remineralization, in which a tooth refills itself with minerals, are not the same thing. This explains how remineralization works, what role fluoride plays, and how far fluoride alone can reverse the process.
4 min read
3D-Printed Aligners Are Displacing Thermoforming
Instead of thermoforming, which presses aligners onto a 3D-printed tooth model, more clinics are turning to a method that 3D-prints the aligner shape itself directly in resin. Starting with a resin developed by a Korean company, this piece explains how the technology works and what safety questions remain unresolved.
4 min read
Should I Wait If the Temporary Filling or Crown Falls Out During Root Canal Treatment?
Explains why you should contact your dentist promptly rather than waiting until your next appointment if the temporary filling or crown placed during root canal treatment falls out, based on the sealing material's role and the risk of bacterial reinfection.
3 min read
Toregem's Tooth Regeneration Antibody Completes Phase 1, Prepares for Phase 2a
A treatment that uses antibody injections to regrow new teeth is being developed for patients with congenital tooth agenesis, who never develop some permanent teeth. A joint research team including Kitano Hospital and Kyoto University confirmed the possibility in animals, and developer Toregem has announced completion of Phase 1 and completion of the regulatory review for its Phase 2a trial plan. Whether this works to regenerate teeth in humans remains to be verified.
4 min read
How Are Teeth That Have Worn Down and Shortened Overall Restored?
If your teeth have worn down and shortened overall, the first step is identifying what caused the wear. This explains the basic principle of distinguishing tooth-to-tooth friction, external friction such as toothbrushing, and acid-related damage, and assessing bite force before deciding on a restoration method.
4 min read
Snoring Mouthpiece: A Custom Support Design That Eases Front Tooth Pain
A digitally fabricated oral appliance with a customized lip bumper reduced lower front tooth pain in a pilot trial of 24 patients. Because the comparison device was also digitally made, the study isolates design differences rather than digital fabrication itself. This piece looks at how mandibular advancement devices work, how designs differ, and what the short-term results do and don't show.
3 min read
Zirconia Restoration Longevity Comes Down to Shape, Not Material
A review pooling 66 studies on zirconia restorations found that crowns exceeded 90% survival at 10 years, while bridges supported by only one abutment tooth reached only about half that rate. Shape and bonding method, not the material itself, determined longevity.
3 min read
Can Yellow or Stained Teeth Be Whitened With Brushing or Teeth Whitening?
This article discusses whether yellow or stained teeth can be whitened through brushing or whitening treatments. It distinguishes surface staining from intrinsic discoloration and explains whitening suitability by cause, along with alternatives such as microabrasion and veneers.
4 min read
Tooth Sensitivity When Eating Sour Foods
Covers the symptom of a stinging or sharp sensation in the teeth when eating sour foods. This commonly occurs with dentin hypersensitivity or dental caries (tooth decay), and this article explains how to check it yourself and the signs that call for a dental visit.
2 min read
How a Denture Is Made Determines How Easily Its Teeth Come Loose
Denture fabrication is expanding beyond the traditional method of hand-pressing resin into digital methods that 3D-print in layers or mill solid blocks. A recent study that simulated nearly 1.3 million chewing cycles found that although the milling method uses the hardest material, its teeth were actually the most likely to detach from the denture base.
4 min read