Overview Temporomandibular joint The temporomandibular joint (tem-puh-roe-man-DIB-u-lur) (TMJ) acts like a sliding ring, connecting your jaw to your skull. You have joints in every part of your jaw. TMJ disorders – a type of temporomandibular disorder, or TMD – can cause pain in the jaw joints and muscles that control jaw movement. The exact cause of a person’s TMJ disorder is often difficult to determine. Your pain may be due to a combination…
How are Americans doing when it comes to the dental health of the 65+ population? The Good News: The rate of cavities in the elderly has decreased in the past thirty years.1 The Bad News: 25% of persons age 65+ have no remaining teeth2 Nearly 20% have untreated cavities3 10% of adults 65 and over…
Evolution isn’t always tidy and linear. For example, we have smaller jaws than our ancestors thousands of years ago, but most of our bodies haven’t adapted by generating fewer teeth. Two-thirds of us produce the same amount of teeth as early humans. These late-developing extra molars are called wisdom teeth and they pose unique oral…
Today, we’re reviewing the water flosser, also known as interdental cleaner, interdental irrigator, or water jet. A water irrigation tool oscillates a stream of water through a small, targeted tube to shoot out fragments of food and plaque from around and between teeth. To use it, you insert the tube into your mouth, turn it…
Implants require a strong jawbone to hold them in place; Therefore, patients who do not have enough bone will have to graft to the bone before implanting it, which allows for a three-fold recovery. Although different combinations of methods are sometimes possible (such as combining the implant and abutment positioning), we will focus on the typical two-phase recovery process: After the implant post is placed, there is a 3–6-month recovery and healing…
Sometimes Lafayette residents research their mechanic or hairdresser more thoroughly than their dental professional. Shouldn’t your oral health be far more important? At Boulder County Smiles, we love to answer questions about all facets of dentistry. What Training and Experience Do You Have? You may have questions about a dentist’s training and experience. Dr. West has…
65 percent of men and women who detect wisdom teeth notice them in their late teens or early twenties. At Boulder County Smiles, we help our teen patients with their wisdom teeth issues. Why are wisdom teeth often extracted? There are several reasons… 1. Wisdom teeth can damage adjacent teeth and nerves. 2. Most jaws…
It’s time to think differently about childhood tooth decay in Lafayette. Unless you’ve been keeping up with the research (and who does?) you might have an incomplete understanding. Here are three essential things to know about children’s dental health. 1. Tooth Decay Is The Most Common Childhood Disease Over 4 million preschoolers have tooth decay….
Hello friends! Welcome to our blog. This site is for our fantastic patients and anyone looking for exceptional orthodontic care in Lafayette. When a new patient comes in for an orthodontic consultation, we do a thorough exam and evaluation. At the same time, we encourage prospective patients to thoroughly evaluate Boulder County Smiles. We Evaluate…
Lafayette, CO, dentist Dr. Gordon West offers cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, sedation dentistry and general & family dentistry to patients in Boulder County and the surrounding areas including Boulder, Lafayette, Louisville, Broomfield, Brighton, Longmont, Erie and Denver, Colorado.
