Shane Smith DDS Blog

It’s Friday night and you’re done with work for the week. You decide to start the weekend with your favorite bag of chips. You lift the crispy fried tortilla to your mouth, expecting spicy, crunchy bliss until your bite drives a shard into your molar. Then the pain begins, and after a few hours you realize it isn’t going away.

Whether it be dental, medical, or job-related, an emergency can happen at any time. Unfortunately, if you are without dental insurance, they can be quite expensive. The good news is you have options. Read on to find out more about what you can do during a dental emergency without insurance.

Dentures are the go-to solution to treat tooth loss because they are affordable, convenient, and look natural. Dentures are made of durable materials that are designed to last, but you will need replacements eventually. The average lifespan of a denture is 5 to 7 years, which is influenced by many things. Here are 4 signs it’s time to invest in a new set of chompers.

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The benefits of having an attractive smile are priceless, but few people have perfect teeth naturally. Whether you’re embarrassed by stained, chipped, or gapped teeth, your cosmetic dentist can revamp your pearly whites with a smile makeover. Here is why you should invest in the smile of your dreams.

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Dental implants are often recommended by dentists as a tooth replacement option, both on the basis of their realistic feel and their remarkable durability. That said, dental implants are also the only tooth replacement option that involves surgery, which can give certain patients pause.

If you have a dental implant procedure soon, you may wonder if the risks of the surgery outweigh its merits. Fortunately, here’s a guide that can put you at ease.

If you have ever lost a tooth, then you know what a hit this can be to your self-confidence. Having a gap in your grin can keep you from smiling around others and may make you feel self-conscious in social situations. Fortunately, dentists offer a range of tooth replacement options. Dental implants are one of the most popular because they are incredibly reliable. Continue reading to learn about three reasons why the 95% dental implant success rate is so high.

Do you have dental insurance, but have no idea how to utilize your coverage? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. In fact, many patients aren’t sure how to maximize their benefits, resulting in hundreds or thousands of valuable dollars going to waste each year. The good news is that there is still time to prevent that from happening this year. To learn how, keep reading!

When it comes to brushing, flossing, and oral hygiene in general, the attention is often focused on one thing: your teeth. Actually, your gums are equally as important. Healthy gums keep your teeth in place and act as a shock absorber to protect the roots. On the other hand, if they are compromised due to a condition like gum disease, the harmful bacteria can wreak havoc on your oral and general health. Read on to learn more about gum health, how to take care of your gums, and how your dentist in Jonesboro can help!

Humans are often advised to chew a bite of food approximately 32 times before swallowing. That can bump up to 40 times for steak and nuts, or down to 10 for watermelon, but the bottom line is your teeth will be called upon millions and millions of times to chew your food throughout your life. That is asking a lot of your teeth, and specifically, it is putting stress on your enamel. The tough outer layer of a tooth that is the hardest substance in the human body, the enamel is still vulnerable to wear and tear over time. Read on to learn from your dentist in Jonesboro how tooth enamel can be damaged, as well as how to prevent enamel erosion and even repair it.

If your dentist has recently told you that you’re going to need a root canal, you might have a few concerns. But in reality, you have absolutely nothing to worry about—despite any of the negative things you might’ve heard about root canals, they’re actually quite useful when it comes to treating compromised teeth. Here are three reasons why you absolutely won’t regret undergoing root canal therapy.

TikTok is one of the most popular mobile apps out there. While you can find plenty of entertaining videos, some of them can be alarming and unsafe. Certain types of clips can be especially harmful to your dental well-being, such as the “veneers check.” Keep reading to learn about this dangerous dental trend and why it’s important to consult a dentist before any cosmetic treatments.