The appearance of the smile depends as much on the gingiva as on the teeth themselves. When the gums cover too much of the clinical crown, or when an excessive band of gum tissue shows on smiling, the teeth look short and the smile appears unbalanced. Gingivectomy and surgical crown lengthening a...

Odontoma is the most frequently diagnosed odontogenic lesion of the jaws, and in most cases it is not a true tumor at all but a hamartoma, a benign overgrowth of normal dental tissues. Because odontomas contain enamel, dentin, cementum, and pulp tissue in a disorganized arrangement, they behave l...

Occlusal equilibration is the process of selectively reshaping the occlusal surfaces of the teeth to improve the relationship between the upper and lower arches. By removing small amounts of enamel at precisely chosen points, the clinician aims to eliminate occlusal interferences, establish a sta...

Gingival pigmentation refers to the dark or discolored appearance of the gums, most commonly caused by the natural deposition of melanin. In many people this coloring is entirely normal, but in others it creates a dark, uneven smile line that is perceived as unaesthetic, particularly in individua...

Dens evaginatus is a developmental dental anomaly in which an extra cusp, called a tubercle, projects from the occlusal or lingual surface of a tooth. This tubercle is not simply a harmless bump: it often contains a pulp horn that extends into its core, which means that any wear, fracture, or gri...

Cemento-osseous dysplasia is a benign fibro-osseous condition of the jaws in which normal bone is replaced by fibrous tissue containing cementum-like and bone-like material. It is one of the most common causes of a radiolucent or radiopaque area around the roots of teeth, and it is frequently mis...

Scurvy is a disease caused by a severe deficiency of vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. Although it is often remembered as a disease of sailors on long voyages, scurvy still occurs today in people with restricted diets, eating disorders, alcohol dependence, and certain chronic conditions. Th...

The posterior maxilla is one of the most challenging regions for dental implant placement. The combination of poor bone quality and the pneumatized maxillary sinus often leaves too little vertical bone to support an implant of adequate length. The maxillary sinus lift, also known as sinus floor e...

The Hall technique is a revolutionary, minimally invasive approach to managing dental decay in primary molars. Developed and popularized in Scotland, it involves cementing a preformed metal crown over the affected tooth with no local anesthesia, no drilling, and no removal of tooth structure. By ...

Distraction osteogenesis is a surgical technique that generates new bone by gradually separating the two halves of a deliberately fractured bone. First popularized in the limb bones, the method has been adapted with remarkable success to the facial skeleton, where it is now a powerful tool for le...

Dentinogenesis imperfecta is a rare hereditary condition that affects the formation of dentin, the tissue that lies beneath the enamel and forms the bulk of the tooth. Affected individuals develop teeth with a characteristic translucent, opalescent, amber or blue-gray appearance that wears down r...

Head and neck cancer is treated with radiotherapy that, while effective against the tumor, profoundly damages the surrounding healthy oral tissues. One of the most challenging long-term complications is radiation caries, a rapidly progressive form of tooth destruction that can devastate the denti...

Pericoronitis is an acute infection of the soft tissue surrounding a partially erupted tooth, and it most often affects the mandibular third molar. It is a common reason for emergency dental attendance, causing pain, swelling, trismus, and occasionally serious spread of infection into the deep ne...

Eagle syndrome, also known as stylohyoid syndrome or styloid process syndrome, is an under-recognized cause of chronic pain in the throat, face, and neck. It arises when an abnormally elongated styloid process or a calcified stylohyoid ligament compresses nearby neurovascular structures. Because ...

Dens invaginatus, also known as dens in dente, is a developmental dental anomaly in which the enamel organ invaginates into the dental papilla before mineralization. The result is a tooth that contains a deep pit or a pouch lined with enamel, often reaching far into the crown or even the root. Al...

Cherubism is a rare, hereditary bone disorder of childhood that causes progressive, painless swelling of the jaws. Because the full cheeks and upturned eyes of severely affected children resemble the cherubs depicted in Renaissance paintings, the condition received its distinctive name. Although ...

<p class="lead">For decades, the only response to a carious lesion was to drill and fill it, removing tooth structure to place a restoration. Resin infiltration offers a different philosophy: instead of removing the lesion, it stops the lesion from progressing by sealing it from within. This mini...

<p class="lead">When a primary tooth is severely decayed or damaged, a simple filling is often not enough to restore its function and keep it healthy until it exfoliates naturally. Preformed crowns provide a durable, full-coverage restoration that protects the tooth and maintains space in the arc...

<p class="lead">After months or years of active orthodontic treatment, the teeth are aligned, the bite is corrected, and the braces come off. Yet the treatment is not finished: without retention, the teeth will drift back toward their original positions. Relapse is a natural consequence of the el...

<p class="lead">Primary herpetic gingivostomatitis is the first infection of the mouth with the herpes simplex virus, and it is one of the most painful conditions a child can experience. Affected children develop fever, widespread oral ulcers, and swollen gums, and they may refuse to eat or drink...

<p class="lead">When a tooth with an apical infection fails to heal after root canal treatment, the endodontist has a limited number of options: retreat the tooth, extract it, or perform periradicular surgery. Apicoectomy, the surgical removal of the root tip and the infected tissue around it, of...