WIlliam F. Scott IV, DMD

Dentist | General Practice

161 Washington Valley Rd STE 202 Warren New Jersey, 07059 Show map

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About

Dr. William Scott is a Cosmetic, Implant & Family Dentist practicing in Warren, NJ at Deluxe Dental Group. Dr. Scott specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating diseases and conditions associated with the mouth and overall dental health and is trained to carry out such treatment as professional cleaning, restorative, prosthodontic, and endodontic procedures, and performing examinations, among many others.

Education and Training

Temple Dental School DMD 2014

Board Certification

American Board of Dental Public Health

Provider Details

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WIlliam F. Scott IV, DMD

WIlliam F. Scott IV, DMD's Expert Contributions

My Answers

How do you know if you have an exposed tooth nerve?
Hello, Having recently exposed dental nerve is usually something that makes people visit the dentist. There is a nerve and blood vessels inside each tooth. The nerve can get injured in a variety of ways all resulting in the same event; discomfort of some sort. Diagnosing an exposed nerve is a matter of understanding the presenting symptoms, clinical evaluation, and level of discomfort. As a cavity gets larger, it grows closer to the blood vessels and nerve. The blood vessels swell up and put pressure on the nerve. This sends pain signals back to the brain. As the cavity gets larger, the tooth starts to break down around the nerve and then the nerve is exposed to anything in the oral cavity. Once this happens, the nerve is irritated by everything. However, since this usually takes time the nerve starts dying before the nerve is fully exposed. Sometimes the tooth can break before the nerve gets injured. This is a very painful condition. Usually people describe it as something that makes them jump through the roof and seek out professional care. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
Do you really need teeth cleaning every 6 months?
Hello, Having dental visits every 6 months is not something that is arbitrarily decided. There are a few reasons why the 6-month time frame is a good time to see a dentist. The first reason to see a dentist once every six months is because of plaque and its harder friend calculus. Plaque is a biofilm that is made up of sugars, proteins, saliva, and most importantly bacteria. We brush our teeth twice a day to disturb the plaque (yes disturb the plaque). It is impossible to get rid of the plaque completely so we knock it down twice a day (think of kicking over an ant hill twice a day, the ants spend all their time rebuilding it). When plaque is sitting in an area long enough the calcium from saliva hardens it. At this point, we refer to it as calculus and it is not able to be brushed off the teeth. It has to be removed by a dentist or hygienist. In most people, this usually peaks around 6 months. Secondly, a complete dental exam is optimal every 6 months because it coincides with the average progression of oral diseases. Having a clean bill of health only lasts for so long before another check up is needed. A frequency of 6 months usually will not allow a cavity to get to a point where it can not be restored with a simple filling. Finally, there are people who wait way longer than 6 months to have a dental cleaning and check-up. These people spend their time assuming they are fine because they do not feel anything is wrong. However, a lot of the time they go to the dentist and get overwhelmed by the amount they need to do to get back to a clean bill of health. For example, last week I saw a patient that has not been to the dentist in over 10 years. He only came in because one of his wisdom teeth broke and was bothering him. After the exam and X-rays, we found that he had chronic periodontist and a few teeth that were loose. His calculus had built up so much that he lost a lot of the bone around his teeth and they became loose. Now he has to come in every 3 months and we have to worry about how much longer he is going to get to keep his teeth! Hope this helps. William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
How long can a partial denture last?
Hello, The amount of time a partial denture can last is always an interesting question. The official answer is usually between 3-10 years; however, like most interesting questions there are a number of variables associated with different aspects of the partial denture. First of all, the material the base of the denture plays a role. This is the part that all the teeth and aesthetic parts are attached to. For a long time this was made out of metal with acrylic put on it to make it more aesthetic. The metal of a partial denture will usually long outlast teeth. The usual issues with them is they tend to loosen over time and the arms can break off after several adjustments. If the denture base is made out of a softer material like valplast it will look more aesthetic, but there is no way to tighten it in the future; so when it gets loose, a new one usually needs to be made. Second, the teeth are the major limiting factor in a partial denture. Most people with partial dentures will go on using them long past the useful time of a partial denture. This is because the teeth on a partial denture are made out of acrylic. These teeth can wear down over the course of a couple of years. When the teeth wear down they cause the person's bite to get smaller and this has unpleasant side effects such as; broken denture teeth, unsatisfactory smile, and loss of aesthetics (collapsed bite usually means people can tell there is a denture). Finally, the biggest variable is desire. Most people will get more than their fair share of usage out of a partial denture. The partial denture will pick up staining, teeth will break off it, it will no longer match the teeth around it and people still function with it. It isn't until the person feels the partial denture is dirty and no longer looks attractive that motivates people to have a new one. Heck, I made a new complete and partial denture for a patient whose previous one was 43 years old! Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
Do you need adhesive for dental veneers?
Hello, Dental veneers are an excellent way to gain aesthetic beauty with minimal time invested. One of the biggest draw-backs to dental veneers is the loss of that beauty due to a veneer coming off. In order to prevent this, the doctor will normally use his/her strongest adhesive cement. This is done to prevent the veneer from falling off during the forces of biting into things. Remember veneers are usually on the front teeth and front teeth are not used for chewing. They are used for biting into things (apples, corn on the cob, sandwiches, etc.). This creates a high force on the edge of the veneer for a short time. Once the veneer is put on with the doctor's cement, the goal is that it stays on for many years (until that cement gives way). This may not always be the case though. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
How hard should you press with an electric toothbrush?
Hello, Most electric toothbrushes work one of a couple different ways so it depends on the type of electric toothbrush being used. Sonicare has a toothbrush that vibrate the bristles. It does this because so that it will help the tooth paste flow between the teeth into those hard to reach areas. The commercials can be seen with it looking like an ordinary toothbrush, but when it is put into a glass of water it is vibrates the water. This means that a light touch for this toothbrush is going to give it the maximum benefit. Anything harder than a light touch will decrease the benefit because the force of the bristles on the teeth are dampening the vibrations. The other major class of electric toothbrushes are the ones that have an oscillating/rotating head while the body of the bristles slides back and forth. This brush is typically more forgiving when it comes to pressure as its cleaning action is a physical movement that can be heard and felt by the user. Adding more then a light touch with this type of toothbrush will yield results similar to a heavy handed manual toothbrush (gum or gingiva issues). Since these toothbrushes are electric, a heavy hand is not needed to get a good cleaning. The idea is to let the toothbrush do the work while you guide it around the mouth. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
Can I drink coffee after a tooth filling?
Hello, Yes, it is possible to drink coffee after a filling; however, there are some important considerations after having a filling. First, local anesthesia is usually used. This can have different affects on people for a couple of different reasons. Depending the tooth that is getting the anesthesia; the profoundness and size of area getting numb changes. Obviously, the bigger and more profound area getting numb means the harder it is going to be to drink something without spilling it. A lower back tooth will have a larger area and more profound anesthesia vs an upper back tooth. Secondly, the anesthesia may dull the sensitivity of how hot the coffee is. If the coffee is too hot, it could leave you with some burned gums. This usually heals within a couple days, but can be a nuisance. Finally, tooth colored fillings are associated with more sensitivity. Depending on the size of the filling there may be some sensitivity afterwards. If the filling was large or deep, sensitivity is a common reaction. The sensitivity comes from the irritation of the blood vessels and nerve inside the tooth. Hot coffee may exacerbate the sensitivity. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
What happens if you never floss?
Hello, The consequences to never flossing is the reason why dentist recommend flossing. Flossing removes plaque and food particles from between teeth. There are two main issues that can happen without flossing; periodontal disease and cavities. Periodontal disease (periodontitis) results from an accumulation of plaque between the teeth. Plaque is made up of bateria, saliva, DNA, sugars, proteins, etc. At some point the bacteria will take over and cause an accumulation of plaque and calculus (hardened plaque) on the teeth which will cause the gums (gingiva) to recede. If this recession happens long enough the tooth will get loose and in some cases fall out. This process is not something that can be reversed (once it starts receding there is not a lot that can be done about it). Cavities do not wait as long as periodontal disease to start causing problems. The reason why the dentist takes "check up x-rays" is to see between the teeth and see if there are any cavities forming there. Yes cavities can form between the teeth, and they do not take as long as periodontitis to cause a problem. Of course not everyone goes through one or both of these issues. However, you never can tell who is going to have one or both of these problems. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
Are titanium dental implants toxic?
Hello, Wondering if Titanium implants are toxic is an interesting question; fortunately the answer is also interesting. Yes titanium is a metal; however, no titanium implants are not toxic. One of the biggest advances to the success of dental implants in dentistry is the material they are made out of. Quite frankly, if an implant only had a 50% success rate, would it even be worth putting it in? Titanium is selected for dental implants because of what is known as bio-compatibility. Each material has a different compatibility with the different tissues of the body. If the material was toxic, it would cause the body tissues around it to get inflamed and slough off. The implant would loose its stability and fall out. Titanium has a very good bio-compatibility which is why it is the top choice used for dental implants. This makes sense too; when someone breaks their bone and a metal plate has to go in, this metal plate is titanium. The screws used to hold bones together are titanium (why amputate a leg to avoid titanium). Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
What causes yellowing teeth?
Hello, Every tooth has a general shade that it pick up due to genetics and oral habits. As we age our teeth tend to get a little darker then what we would like; hence the amount of tooth whitening products on the market. Food, beverages, and oral hygiene all affect our tooth shade. Different food have different abilities to stain teeth. Some foods have acidic qualities to them which makes the teeth tend to pick up more staining. Our oral habits play an important role preventing staining. The longer a staining food or beverage sits on our teeth the more staining potential it has. Brushing our teeth once a day at night means breakfast get to sit on our teeth all day long. People usually drink coffee or teeth with breakfast (don't worry the power of coffee to stain teeth is greatly reduced by putting cream in it). Yes, among other oral issues, smoking does cause a significant amount of yellow staining of teeth. This has a lot to do with the chemicals in smoke as well as the constant replacement of smoke every hour or two. The two most important things to do to get teeth whiter again is to adjusted oral habits and get a professional cleaning that can get rid of any hardened calculus. Simply changing the schedule of oral habits can help significantly. Add brushing in the morning as well as at night could help out. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
When can I start eating normal food after dentures?
Hello, Eating food after getting dentures depends on a few things such as; partial or complete dentures, first time having a denture made, and personality. Chewing with dentures is a different process than with regular teeth. A few new habits have to be developed. This process is more difficult with a complete denture (a denture that replaces all the teeth in one arch) versus a partial denture. A partial denture has additional stability and retention because it has clasps on surrounding teeth. This means less movement and less need to balance the denture. If it is the first time someone is having a denture made, then there are several details that the person has to acquire while trying to eat. Keeping the denture balanced and stable becomes more pressing than the type of food being consumed. This will be even harder if the person goes directly to a complete denture instead of having a partial denture. These skills are already acquired if the person has had a previous denture made. Finally, personality does play a large role in getting back to eating normal foods after receiving a denture. Every denture (complete or partial) has parts that rest on the gum tissues (gingiva). This means biting or chewing is going to have a squishy component as the gum tissues get compressed. This is something that no one thinks of because teeth are much more stable than a denture. Someone that is classified as type B personality (more laid back) will have an easier time adapting and overcoming the lack of stability. Someone is classified as a type A personality will notice every slight movement of the denture and grow quite annoyed by it. Remember people that have been living with dentures do not go around talking about their dentures or the adjustments they had to make to get back into eating normal foods (if they are back completely or not - no one says, I don't want to eat corn on the cob because I don't like my denture moving; they simply pass on it). When it comes time to eating foods again after a denture, start slow. Do not have a well done steak as the first meal. It can be very frustrating. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
When can I chew on my dental implant?
Hello, Asking the question, "When can I chew on my dental implant?" is a very astute question. The timing of when a dental implant becomes functional is very critical. It can mean the difference between success and failure of the implant. It is for this reason that most dentists make sure that implants are not used until they are ready to be used. First off, when a dental implant goes into the jaw bone one of two things happens. It's either covered up by the gums and left to heal/integrate on its own, or a healing abutment/cap is put on top of it and it is left to heal while the gums are held in place. In neither situation is the dental implant used. After the prescribed amount of healing time, the doctor who placed the dental implant will have a follow-up visit to determine the stability of the implant. At this visit, the doctor will either uncover the gums or advised that the implant can be restored by the general dentist. Once the dental implant is restored by the general dentist it is ready to be used. In fact, the only reason it is being restored (putting a tooth on the implant) is because it is ready to be used. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
What not to eat or drink after getting Invisalign?
Hello, Getting Invisalign seems so simple to do, until the rules of wearing Invisalign are made known. Invisalign is a good product; however, there are a few rules that will change daily habits. One of these rules is that Invisalign does not recommend anything to be eaten or drunk (other then room-temperature to cool water) with Invisalign aligners in the mouth. The reason for this rule is because it warm beverages can warp or crack the Invisalign aligners. Remember everything expands and contracts as it heats up and cools down (respectively). This expansion and contraction can cause the aligner to crack, especially since it is already under pressure doing its job on the teeth. The same reasoning applies for eating foods. Most people do not know that while eating there is a tremendous amount of force exerted on the teeth. A plastic aligner or two stuck between the teeth will crack and break. Finally, it is worth mentioning that certain foods will causing staining of the aligners which will make them more visible and defeat the purpose of why they are called "Invisalign." Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
Can having diabetes make you more likely to have dental issues?
Hello, Yes, uncontrolled diabetes can make someone more likely to have dental issues. Diabetes alters a persons immune system causing it to respond slower, and wounds longer to heal. One of the biggest concerns for someone with uncontrolled diabetes is periodontal disease (periodontitis). Periodontal disease is an illness that causes the gum tissues (gingiva) and bone around the teeth to recede. The reason for this is due to the bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria are kept in control by growing in competition with other bacteria and when they get too big, the body's immune system. Now if the body's immune system is altered because of diabetes, the bacteria cause an inflammatory reaction in the gingiva which is also harder to heal due to the altered immune system. Yes, it is a double jeopardy situation. Prolong inflammation can lead to receding of the gingiva around the teeth. If this is left unattended, then the teeth can become loose and eventually fall out. It is worth noting that this is usually the process in uncontrolled diabetes and that when diabetes is controlled by diet, exercise, and medicine then the likelihood of the periodontal disease process is a lot lower. One can only know if the diabetes is under control by consistent monitoring of the blood glucose. Constantly switch medications is a sign of uncontrolled diabetes. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
Are OTC products recommended for teeth whitening?
Hello, In the world of marketing today, what does not whiten your teeth? If you are anything like me, you will stand there reading the packages and try to interpret the marketing to find out what is the best product. First of all, tooth whitening always involves some type of bleach in the form of peroxide; example: Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or Carbamide peroxide. These are the main two peroxides used in tooth whitening and they work a little differently, so it is hard to compare them. Carbamide peroxide is a whitening peroxide that gets used for a longer duration like overnight. Carbamide peroxide takes longer to break down than hydrogen peroxide. Because of this, Carbamide usually uses less concentration than hydrogen peroxide. Secondly, it is important to match these particular qualities with how the peroxide is desired to be used and the whitening goal of the particular person. One can simply pick up crest whitening strips (which are not cheap) and slap them on their teeth and hope for the best. Or they can pick up a whitening peroxide that they are going to wear for the recommended time and number of days which will be based on the type and concentration of the peroxide. If the person whitening their teeth only has a 15 min a night to whiten, then it would be best to have a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide to whiten their teeth. Finally, whitening is usually a contact time event. This means that the longer the peroxide is in contact with the enamel the better the results would be. Again, this goes back to the concentration and type of peroxide used. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
How long should you wait to drink water after getting a tooth pulled?
Hello, Drinking water after getting a tooth pulled depends on the situation. One should be well hydrated before getting a tooth extracted (pulled). This helps the healing process and makes the recovery from the extraction much easier. Remember the socket that the tooth sits in fills with a blood clot after the extraction. If water is needed after the extraction then there is the possibility of the taste of blood afterwards. It also means that there is a likelihood of drooling while trying to drink because of the local anesthesia. However, there is nothing wrong with having non-sparkling water after an extraction to avoid dehydration. NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, DO NOT DRINK THE WATER THROUGH A STRAW! This will increase the risk of dry socket (alveolar osteitis). Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
What is the course of treatment for periodontitis?
Hello, The treatment course for periodontitis (periodontal disease) usually depends on a number of factors. There are a few different periodontitis types, but someone that has just been diagnosed in in their 60s seems like it is a chronic periodontitis. Treatment for chronic periodontitis usually proceeds in the order of scaling and root planing (often referred to as "a deep cleaning"). A re-evaluation is usually done a few weeks after to make sure the gums are stable, followed by regular cleanings every 3 months instead of every 6 months. At each one of these cleanings the gums (gingiva) is evaluated and the goal is to get the person back to a cleaning every 4-6 months. If this does not work, sometimes surgical cleanings are introduced. This involves lifting up the gums to clean under them. Once the disease is under control, measures can be taken to fix the defects. Oftentimes, the normal order of operations does not seem to fit for one reason or another. Things that change the treatment order are variables such as schedules, traveling of the patient, and severity on the day of diagnosis. If the periodontitis is severe enough at the day of diagnosis; extraction of teeth can be recommended. This is usually the case when the doctor feels it is too far gone to save the tooth. Periodontitis is a condition that is very prevalent in the population. However, it is also miss-diagnosed for a lot of reasons in today's society. It is always helpful to get a second opinion and more information. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
How can I prevent yellowing of my teeth?
Hello, Yellow film on teeth of a person in their 30s is not so bad. First of all, it is important to remember that everyone's teeth have different shades to them. Some people have a yellow shade while others have a grey shade. The good news is that teeth with yellow shades are the ones that have the best results. Secondly, in order to remove the yellow film we must know what we are dealing with. Stains are usually classified as extrinsic (outside the enamel) or intrinsic (inside the enamel). Stains that are extrinsic may be able to be brushed off; however, a lot of them need to be removed by a dentist with different instruments (hand instruments, ultrasonic scalers, etc.) or possibility of bleaching. The best way to get rid of the yellow staining is to get an evaluation by a dentist to know what it is and how to removed it. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
Why do my gums hurt days after a root canal?
Hello, Discomfort after a root canal is to be expected much like discomfort after an extraction. The people that take care of their teeth as soon as it starts bothering them will have more discomfort after a root canal than people who do not. This seems counter-intuitive; however, it is important to remember what is happening during a root canal. During a root canal, the center of the tooth is accessed and the nerve inside is removed. If tooth pain has just started, then there are parts of this nerve that are still alive and healthy when they are removed. This will cause some discomfort after the anesthesia has worn off. This is one of the reasons why dentist like to catch it before it starts bothering the patient. Gums can hurt after a root canal depending on the shape and condition of the tooth. Dentists use what is called a rubber dam to isolate the one tooth that needs a root canal. There is a clamp used just above the gums (gingiva) to hold this rubber dam in place. Sometimes the gums can get irritated from the clamp. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
Can an open bite be fixed?
Hello, Not only can an open bite be corrected, it is preferable to correct it. An open bite is occurs for a variety of reasons; however, it means that some teeth do not come together when the patient bites down. This could be in the front or in the back. If the open bite is in the front is usually comes with two issues. First, depending on the size, it is an aesthetic issue. The front teeth remaining open can be seen and they are not usually uniformly open. The second issue that arises from an anterior (front) open bite is that the patient has difficulty biting into things like corn on the cob or apples. Usually, the patient has gotten used to avoiding these types of foods. An anterior open bite can be corrected by either braces, Invisalign, or surgery depending on the severity. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE
Can dental bonding fix crooked teeth?
Hello, Dental bonding material is used for a variety of things from fillings to reshaping teeth. There are a lot of different types of materials out there for bonding; yes, it is used to reshape teeth. The results of dental bonding to fix crooked teeth of course depends on how crooked they are and in what orientation. Fixing crooked teeth with dental bonding usually means adding bonding material to the areas of the tooth that are deficient due to the tooth leaning in a certain direction. For example, if one of the two front teeth is pushed back a little so it sits behind the tooth next to it; bonding material is added to the front of the tooth to make it look like it is even with the tooth next to it. Keep in mind this is done mostly for aesthetics. If it is only a slight overlap, it will look very natural and only a dentist will be able to tell when he/she looks inside. If the teeth are very crooked, the result will look even more dramatic; however, it will not look perfect. There are parts of the anatomy of a tooth (depending on which tooth it is) that we cannot remove. For example, if a tooth is leaning sideways and overlapping the tooth next to it, bonding material can be added to the the side of the tooth to make it look like it is straight. Some enamel can be removed from the other side as well, but only a small amount. This will make the tooth look like it is straight, but also look like it is overlapped a little. Hope this helps. My best to you! William F. Scott IV, DMD READ MORE

Expert Publications

Data provided by the National Library of Medicine

Areas of expertise and specialization

Cosmetic DentistryInvisalignImplant Restoration

Faculty Titles & Positions

President Central Dental Society 2018 - Present

Awards

Champion of Action 2018 New Jersey Dental Association
America's Top Dentist 2018 Consumer's Research
Favorite Kid's Docs 2018 NJ Family Magazine
America's Top Doc 2019 Find A Top Doc
America's Best Dentist 2019 Consumer's Research
Top Invisalign Dentist 2019 Invisalign

Professional Memberships

NJDA
Central Dental Society

WIlliam F. Scott IV, DMD's Practice location

Deluxe Dental Group

161 Washington Valley Rd STE 202 -
Warren, New Jersey 07059

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New patients: 732-630-6672

https://www.warrensbestdentist.com

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