Picture this. It’s Saturday night, and you’re sitting down on the couch, chips in hand, watching the latest sci-fi thriller, when suddenly the crunch of your potato chip sounds more like a crack. Just like that, the crown on your tooth has broken in half in your mouth and ruined your relaxing evening. What do you do now? Even dentists with Saturday hours are closed this late, and nobody is open on Sunday. It will be at least a day before you can even call to make an appointment. Before you panic or try a risky DIY repair procedure, follow these steps to protect your teeth, and maybe even save your crown!

A recent study by the University of Buffalo has revealed that postmenopausal women with periodontal disease are at a higher risk of death than their healthier peers. The study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association and revealed that women who had suffered previous bouts of periodontitis with tooth loss were at a seventeen percent higher risk of death than those who did not fit those criteria. Postmenopausal women who suffered from periodontitis but did not lose teeth were still at a 12 percent higher risk of early death than those who did not develop the disease.

Fans of the Bravo reality show "The Real Housewives of New York" may have noticed something a little different about the show’s breakout star, Bethenny Frankel. Famous for her outspoken opinions and strong jaw, Frankel’s mandibles have been looking a lot smaller in recent years. For her part, Frankel denies getting plastic surgery. Instead, she claims Botox is to thank for her softer new appearance, and the reason why may surprise you. When most people think of Botox, they think of the cosmetic medication’s paralyzing effects on facial wrinkles and fine lines, but more and more, people like Frankel are using Botox to treat something completely different: TMJ disorder.For cosmetic use, Botox works by temporarily paralyzing the muscles of the treated area, and blocking the signal from the nerves to the muscles. This causes the treated muscles to relax, smoothing and softening the wrinkles. When injected into the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, Botox relaxes the TMJ and nearby jaw muscles, causing them to weaken and alleviating the hyperactivity of the TMJ muscles that could be contributing to the TMJ pain the patient experiences. But while patients of this procedure like Frankel have found relief with Botox, Dr. Alexandra George of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania cautions that Botox may not be the miracle TMJ treatment it is purported to be.

If you’re one of the 28% of Americans who hide their smile because they don’t like their teeth, you may want to consider getting a cosmetic dental device called porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers, or simply ‘veneers’ are thin pieces of porcelain that are permanently adhered to the front surfaces of your teeth, to improve everything from color to the shape of the tooth. Veneers can even correct some minor crookedness of the teeth, eliminating the need for lengthy and painful procedures like dental implants or braces.

According to the American Tinnitus Association, a staggering fifty million Americans experience the constant, noticeable, ringing or buzzing in their ears known as tinnitus. Tinnitus can range in severity from slightly annoying to bothersome, and for a small portion of the population, it can be unbearable. But while there are many potential causes for tinnitus, one such cause may surprise you: temporomandibular joint disorder or TMD. We spoke to Dr. Alexandra George of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about why TMD and tinnitus often go hand-in-hand and what you can do about it.TMD is a condition of the temporomandibular joint muscles of the jaw. It is estimated that this puzzling condition affects approximately 10 million people a year in America. There is no one cause for TMD nor is there one tried and true treatment. TMD can be caused by any number of things, such as genetics, accidental injury or improper bite. TMD can also cause a wide variety of symptoms, from jaw soreness and tightness to headaches, neck, sinus, and eye pain- and even tinnitus-based hearing loss, which scientists believe could be caused by the TMJ muscles throwing the nerves in the ears out of balance.