
Teeth abnormalities: more common than you think!
Everyone’s teeth are different- the size and shape of normal teeth varies, especially molars. However, sometimes a patient may have abnormally shaped teeth which can result from many different conditions. There are some diseases that can affect tooth shape, tooth color, time of appearance, or absence of teeth. Abnormal teeth can be caused by a number of things, from disease, to genetics. At Shane McDowell, DMD, we offer a comprehensive array of cosmeceutical dental solutions,

Summertime Dental Care
Ahhh… it’s summer time again! Time for us to kick back, spend some time enjoying the great outdoors. In Southwest Florida, we’re lucky that there are so many ways to enjoy our natural resources. During the summer months, most people are concerned with their skincare routine—which is extremely important—but what about dental care? Sports Outdoor activities can pose certain dangers to your teeth. Participating in sports like biking or kayaking means you could fall, have an acci

A Toothache… Might be a Tooth Abscess
Patients may feel that their toothache is run-of-the-mill, however, if you have a severe, continuous toothache, you may have an abscessed tooth. A tooth abscess is a pocket of pus that’s caused by a bacterial infection, usually occurring from an untreated dental cavity, injury, or prior dental work. In some cases, dentists will be able to save the tooth with a root canal treatment, but may need to be pulled depending on the condition of the tooth. Leaving an abscessed tooth u

White Spots on Your Teeth: What are they?
Most people are familiar with occasional yellowing or discoloration of teeth. Yellowing of the teeth is caused by forgetting to brush your teeth often, or by substances like coffee, tobacco, and soft drinks. There are also more serious causes, such as disease, that cause a patient to have discolored teeth. Occasionally, we come across patients that have white spots on their teeth—this is an issue that doesn’t occur as often, however, the spots on your teeth are sometimes more

The Hard, Cold Truth about Sensitive Teeth
Most people are familiar with the sensation: you take a sip of hot coffee or dig into some frozen yogurt and experience a unique pain in your teeth. Healthy teeth have a layer of enamel that protects the crowns of your teeth (the part of the tooth above the gum line). The enamel on your teeth can erode and expose dentin, which is a less dense enamel cementum that contains microscopic tubules (canals).Tooth decay exposes the root of your tooth to irritants, such as cold or hot