DENTAL BLOGS
The purpose of the dental blogs is to provide further dental information which may help others with similar issues, or to stimulate questions or discussion. If you have questions about any procedures or statements made here, please feel free to CONTACT US. At the beginning of each DENTAL BLOG, the TOPIC of the entry is listed to provide ease of use.  Custom Search DENTAL BLOGS, 2005 12 September 2011 HOW DID YOUR ROOT CANAL GO? Visit our endodontics page to let others know how your root canal went. Many people are very nervous about getting root canals, when most of the times patients are surprised at how quickly and relatively pain free the experience is. Or, if you had a bad experience you can share that as well! 31 August 2011 ANESTHETIZING LOWER TEETH People often wonder why when lower teeth are being worked on, the dentist injects in the back of the mouth. As the pictures below illustrate, the inferior alveolar nerve, which innervates the lower teeth, goes into a foramen in the mandible. Therefore, it is necessary to numb the nerve before it goes into the foramen and is encased in bone. 16 August 2011 DENTAL INFECTIONS When you have an infected tooth, it is very important to get it addressed ASAP. Dental infections can become very serious, and even fatal. Swelling can advance into areas which can restrict swallowing or even breathing. Also if you start to run a temperature, that is also not a good sign. Antibiotics also take a couple of days to start to work, so even after you start taking them, the infection may get worse before it gets better. 1 July 2011 HAVE A SAFE AND FUN 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND! 15 June 2011 DON'T BE SHY Because of local anesthetics, dental treatment in general should not hurt. Sometimes you feel pressure, but if anything hurts, you definitely should let your dentist know. It is common to simply raise your hand and your dentist should be aware that you have something to say. Your dentist should want you comfortable, as it makes it easier on everyone involved. 13 May 2011 SLEEP APNEA This is a very common problem, often times undiagnosed, and can cause a variety of health issues. This is when your breathing is obstructed when you sleep, and we all know we need to breathe! Sometimes surgery is needed, but there are very simple and inexpensive solutions as well, such as mandibular advancement devices such as PureSleep, pictured below.
27 April 2011 SEALANTS AND CAVITY PREVENTION After a tooth has had a sealant, it can still get decay and need to be filled. Sealants only seal the biting surface of a tooth, but there are 4 other sides of a tooth that can still get decay. Also, typically only about 8 of your 28-32 teeth are sealed, so you still need to brush and floss daily. 8 April 2011 REFERRED PAIN People often come in with toothaches convinced that it is from a particular tooth. Sometimes it is, but a problem in one tooth can refer pain to different areas of the mouth, such as from top to bottom or even to the opposite side. Keep that in mind if your dentist tries to convince you that the tooth on your lower right side may be causing the pain on your upper left! 23 March 2011 BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS We have added new photos of types of situations where Lumineers or veneers can help improve your smile as with chipped teeth, as shown below.
23 February 2011 SEEING A SPECIALIST If your dentist wants to refer you to a specialist, such as an endodontist, oral surgeon, pediatric dentist, or other specialist, try to understand that it is in your best interest to accept the referral. It will make the procedure much easier to tolerate, and you will probably have a better result as well. 2 February 2011 LUMINEERS People often ask us about Lumineers. Lumineers are a form of porcelain veneers, which are done without anesthetic, require little to no tooth preparation, and are bonded directly to your teeth. They are very effective in giving you the smile that you've always dreamed of! 3 January 2011 VENEERS We are looking for a lucky patient to have veneers placed on their front 8 teeth. The procedure will be overseen by some of the leading cosmetic dentists in the country. If you are unhappy with your smile and want a life changing experience, contact us for more details. 1 January 2011 HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! 25 December 2010 HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON! 23 November 2010 HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVEVERYONE! Most dental clinics will be closed over the weekend so get any issues addressed before Thursday... 6 November 2010 Just like humans, dogs need to have their teeth cleaned. Small dogs and some breeds tend to have more gum disease than other dogs, but the results are the same; the loss of teeth. Dental work on a dog can be very expensive, so as with humans, prevention is key. 17 October 2010 NEUROMUSCULAR DENTISTRY Many people who have chronic pain issues such as headaches, migranes, neck or back pain, may have jaw issues that while seemingly unrelated, can be the source of pain felt elsewhere. Neuromuscular dentistry can help explain many of your tmj symptoms and how it can affect the rest of your body. 2 October 2010 PAINFUL PROCEDURES As recently discussed, in general, dental procedures should not be painful if local anesthetic has been administered properly. During extractions you will feel pressure and pushing, but it should not hurt. We are always surprised that patients are reluctant to say when something is hurting, and we implore you to please tell us! 19 September 2010 ORAQIX Oraqix is a local anesthetic that is administered without a needle and is sometimes adequate for scaling and root planing or other dental cleanings. It is very quick acting and only lasts about 30 minutes, so you don't have to be numb for hours after your appointment has ended. It is not profound enough for fillings and other dental work, but ask your hygienist about it. 16 August 2010 ADVICE FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY Often times patients come in with a 6 July 2010 PAIN DURING PROCEDURES During most dental procedures, you should not feel any pain while the dentist is working. If you do, you should let him/her know and s/he can give you more anesthetic. It is not a hassle and the dentist definitely wants you to be comfortable, so don't be shy. If it hurts, say something, because being completely numb will make your experience much better! 9 May 2010, Dental Blogs HAPPY MOTHERS DAY Dental work is a good gift for Moms on Mothers Day. Many sons/daughters pay for teeth whitening, partial dentures, or crowns or bridges. Your mom will be very grateful, and it is something she will use everyday! Fathers day is also coming next month. 29 March 2010, Dental Blogs SCREAMING CHILDREN Many parents think that when their child cries in the dental chair, it's a sign of pain, when often times the child is just scared. If your child is nervous, pediatric dentists are excellent in managing their anxiety. It also helps if you, as the parent does not explain to your child what is going to happen. Specialists use child friendly methods which are less threatening, to explain to your child what is going to happen, and it makes the experience easier for everyone. 22 February 2010, Dental Blogs FLUORIDE Fluoride has been proven to be one of the least expensive, and most effective ways to help reduce the incidence of dental cavities, yet some people still insist on avoiding it like it is poison. If you are one of those patients who gets new cavities every check up and do not use a fluoridated toothpaste, you might want to think again. 9 Februrary 2010, Dental Blogs EPINEPHRINE ALLERGIES Often times patients come in and insist they are allergic to epinephrine. Epinephrine is also known as adrenaline, which is a naturally occuring and essential stimulant in the human body. It is added to dental anesthetics in order to provide more profound anesthesia and increase the duration of action, and yes, there are sometimes side effects and contraindications, but you can't be allergic to it. 11 January 2010, Dental Blogs RESTORING ROOT CANALED TEETH Many people think that after a tooth has been root canaled, it's treatment is done. Often times a temporary filling is placed immediately after the root canal is done, but a permanent filling and or a crown (if it's on a posterior tooth) still need to be placed. If a permanent restoration is not done, the tooth may get reinfected, which may cause the root canal to fail, or the tooth may fracture, which may lead to an extraction.
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