Quick answer Crown vs filling vs onlay — how does a dentist decide which one a tooth needs? The choice comes down to one measurement: how much sound tooth structure is left after the decay, the crack or the old filling is removed. A filling works when the damage is small and the tooth’s outer…
A throbbing tooth, a bump on the gum, a swollen jaw. Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS explains how to tell a dental abscess from an ordinary toothache, which swelling belongs in an emergency room, and why antibiotics alone never cure it.
By Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach The short answer Pick the tooth up by the crown, never the root. Don’t scrub it. If you can, put it straight back into the socket and bite gently on a clean cloth. If you can’t, drop it into a cup of milk…
When repairs keep failing, the problem is the bite, not the tooth. Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS explains how full-mouth rehabilitation is planned, staged and sedated in Pompano Beach.
By Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach Quick answer Most people who grind their teeth at night never hear it. The tells are in the morning — a dull headache at the temples, a jaw that is tight when you wake and loosens by noon, and cold-sensitive teeth with…
By Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach Quick answer Root canal vs dental implant in Pompano Beach comes down to one thing: a root-canal-treated tooth that is properly crowned and an implant-supported crown survive at nearly the same rate past six years — roughly 97% each. So the real…
By Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach Quick answer Most jaw pain is muscular, not structural: the joint is usually fine and the muscles that move it are overworked from clenching. Painless jaw clicking is normal. Most patients improve with reversible care — habit awareness, physical therapy and a professionally…
The AHA’s 2025 statement confirms a strong link between gum disease and heart disease — and what’s still unproven. Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS explains.
By Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach Quick answer Missing teeth do more than change your smile — they change your diet. Losing chewing capacity pushes people away from raw vegetables, whole fruit, nuts and lean protein and toward soft, processed food, and the health effects follow the food….
By Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach Quick answer Fear of the dentist is the norm, not the exception. A 2025 census-matched survey published in The Journal of the American Dental Association found that 72.6% of U.S. adults report being afraid of going to the dentist, and 26.8% of…
