Joshua Grooms DDS

Remote Area Medical (RAM Clinic) Last month I had the opportunity to provide free dental services through a traveling clinic here in Gray, TN.  I had volunteered with this organization before and was very impressed.  My experience is that RAM is one of the most organized and well ram clinics I have seen.  From the moment I arrived, they are very welcoming and appreciative to have volunteers.  They have a complete system from triaging patients, making great patient records, organizing the dispensing of dental materials/instruments, and sterilization.  RAM has become a well oiled machine and it makes volunteering for them easy and rewarding. As much as I can brag about what a great clinic Remote Area Medical runs, its not what brings out all the volunteers....it's the patients.  People come from hours away, camp over night, wait in long lines all because they are in need.  We all know that there is a need for patients in our community but until you see how many people

Dr. Grooms treats a wide variety of dental issues at his practice.  One of which, includes taking care of those patients who have been without teeth for many years and have dentures sometimes older than he is.  As dentures are worn throughout the years they stain, wear and sometimes break.  As the teeth wear down, the bite will collapse causing an aging smile, sunken in face, and sometimes even pain in the jaw joints.  If you believe any of these apply to your situation, you should consider replacing your old worn denture.  Below is a picture of a denture, Dr. Joshua Grooms did this week.  The old denture was 30+ years old and the patient was more than ready for a new set.

Dr. Joshua Grooms would like to take some time this week to discuss toothbrushes.  His patients are always asking "Which toothbrush do you recommend?".  Every dentist may have a different opinion on exactly which brush you should be using.  Dr. Grooms, more importantly than telling you a certain name brand to go buy, wants to let you know what things to look for when picking out your next brush. 1.  SOFT BRISTLES - soft or even extra-soft bristles are so important.  Some patients go for the medium or even hard bristles thinking it will help remove the plaque and grime from their teeth better.  The truth is that plaque is relatively easy to remove with a soft bristle brush if the proper technique and time is taken to do so.  Hard bristles increase the risk of gum recession or even wearing down the enamel over time (toothbrush abrasion). Toothbrush Abrasion 2.  DON'T BRUSH TOO AGGRESSIVELY - if you are a "scrubber" or have signs of brushing to hard,

So this week Dr. Grooms discussed crown restorations.  He wanted to share these images with you of an actual case he performed this week. The tooth started out with a large silver filling and broken tooth structure. The tooth was then reduced in all dimensions to support an all ceramic crown restoration Finally using Cerec technology a porcelain crown was milled in office and cemented same day!!!

My dentist says I need a Crown....What does that mean??????? Everyday in my practice I have to make the decision whether or not it is time for a tooth to receive a crown instead of just a large filling.  I have, on more than one occasion, ran into hesitant patients, who don't want to invest in a crown.  Let me explain what exactly what a crown is and answer some common questions. 1.  Can I just have a cap instead?  - You may hear the word "cap" used by your friends/family or even by your dentist.  What is the difference?  Absolutely nothing.  "Cap" is used to try to describe what a crown is.  When we place a crown on a tooth, it completely covers the coronal portion (top part) of the tooth, therefore we say think of it like a baseball cap covering your head. 2.  Why can't I just put a large filling in, it's much cheaper? -Fillings are a great way to restore a tooth when the amount of tooth structure lost is small.  After a large portion of tooth

ROOT CANAL THERAPY I know the last thing people want to hear when the come to the dentist is that they need a root canal.  I believe part of this is because of a huge negative connotation that has been created in our society with root canals and pain.  Another part is that most people have no clue what is happening during a root canal procedure.  Let me help calm you fears and let you know what it is we are doing to help relieve or prevent future pain.   1.  When do I need a root canal? - Root canals are needed when the pulp (the nerve and blood vessels) in the tooth are inflamed and dying or dead and necrotic.   During the inflammation stage pain to cold and sometimes hot is very common.  This is typically what gets patients in the door.  The pain can be sever and linger after every drink, food item, or breath of cold air hits the tooth.  If you are having this symptom you should be seen right away for further evaluation.  After the nerve is dead, the pain tends to chang