DENTAL BLOGS
At the beginning of each DENTAL BLOG, the TOPIC of the entry is listed to provide ease of use.
DENTAL BLOGS, 2005
9 Februrary 2010 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 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. 25 December 2009 MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE! Many people have insurance benefits that run out at the end of the year, so now is a good time to get things fixed if you can! Most of the benefits do not roll over to the new year, so if you don't use it, you will lose it! 8 December 2009 ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSHES People often avoid buying electric toothbrushes because of the price, but if it prevents just one cavity, it will have made the money back for you. They are also very good for people who have difficulty manuevering the toothbrush properly and help to ensure that you brush for the recommended 2 minutes. (comments?) 25 November 2009 HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING, and be sure to get your needs addressed prior to the long weekend, as most offices will be closed! 11 November 2009 HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY 2 November 2009 POKEY BRACES People often complain that the wires from their braces keep catching their cheeks. Often times the wire is just sticking out too far behind the braces and needs to be clipped off. Call up your dentist, and this normally can be done without an appointment, and takes but a few seconds to do; and will make your braces much more tolerable.(comments?) 12 October 2009 PEDIATRIC DENTISTS Parents are sometimes reluctant to take their children to pediatric dentist because like all specialists, it costs more for a child to see a specialist rather than a general dentist. While this may be the case, bad experiences at the dentist as a child can cause a phobia that lasts the rest of the child's life, which often leads to poor overall dental health. Pediatric dentists can prevent that from happening. (comments?) 28 September 2009 COST OF TOOTH WHITENING BLEACHING Many people complain that bleaching their teeth is too expensive. Whitening your teeth will improve your smile, which will make you want to smile more, makes you a happier person, can improve your relationships, find new relationships, can help improve self esteem and self confidence, which can help you find a job or improve your job, and can improve your quality of life. If you could do that all for $200-$300, that may be the best $200 you've ever spent. (comments?) 14 September 2009 ROOT CANALS People who need root canals often think it's the worse thing in the world. After the tooth is anesthetized, the procedure is essentially painless, and most patients have little to no discomfort after the procedure. Unlike an extraction, which takes at least a few days to heal. (comments?) 22 August 2009 DENTAL INFECTIONS AND ANTIBIOTICS When people come in with an infected tooth, they often want antibiotics but do not want the tooth treated. Antibiotics will help manage the infection, but if the underlying cause is not addressed, the infection will persist and may be more difficult to treat later. Granted an infection normally means either a root canal or extraction is needed, but dental problems left untreated almost always get worse.(comments?) 10 August 2009 SEALANTS AND FILLINGS AND CAVITIES Even though a tooth has had a sealant or filling, it is still possible to get cavities. There are many different surfaces on teeth, and one surface which was sealed or filled does not prevent the 4 other surfaces from getting decay. Nor does it guarantee that you won't get decay underneath whatever restoration was placed.(comments?) 25 July 2009 ROOT CANALS VS EXTRACTIONS Many people think root canals are the end of the world. Their success rate is normally very high, and once the tooth is anesthetized, they are essentially pain free. When a root canal is needed, the only alternative is to extract the tooth. While this will definitely get rid of the pain, it eliminates options, and implants and bridges have issues of their own to deal with. (comments?) 12 July 2009 PERIODONTAL DISEASE Periodontal disease, or gum disease is a very serious condition. It has been linked to a variety of other ailments such as diabetes and heart disease, but patients still overlook it and think it's not a big deal. Dentally you may lose your teeth, but uncontrolled periodontal disease can help hasten losing more than just your teeth. (comments?) 28 June 2009 ROOT CANALS People often think that when a root canal is done, the tooth is somehow replaced; which is not true. A root canal removes the nerve from the tooth, which is similar to hollowing the root out, but the outside of the tooth will essentially look the same. Posterior teeth normally need a crown afterwards, but that is independent of the root canal. (comments?) 21 June 2009 HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! 8 June 2009 BONE GRAFTS After a tooth is removed, when the bone heals the site inevitably shrinks. If you are going to have a bridge or implant done, it may be necessary to have a bone graft done. This will help aid the healing process and preserve the ridge, which will dramatically increase esthetics and implant placement. (comments?) 18 May 2009 ROOT CANAL VS EXTRACTION People often hear the word root canal and immediately get scared. It really is not a difficult procedure to sit through, and many patients have little to no discomfort after the procedure. People often think it would be easier or better to remove the tooth, but if you do, you will likely need to restore the space; which is often times more involved than just having the root canal done. implants and bridges are both more expensive and take more time than a root canal. (comments?) 7 May 2009 DENTAL ADVICE Patients often come in with a tooth concern and somehow have it in their mind what is going on and what treatment is needed. After the dentist does the exam and diagnoses what the problem is, if it is not what the patient thought it was, often times the patient will argue with the dentist and insist that say, a root canal is not needed. Not to say that you shouldn't ask questions, but it is very difficult for the lay person to diagnose a dental condition without any radiographs and obviously without having any formal training. (comments?) 13 April 2009 IMPLANTS Implants have come a long way, and are commonly used for single tooth replacements, with crowns or bridges, or with dentures or partials. If your dentures don't stay in or don't like your removable prostheses, ask your dentist about implants. (comments?) 30 March 2009 BRUSHING FOR WHITENING? Some people have the misconception that brushing their teeth will whiten their teeth. While brushing will definitely help keep your teeth cleaner and remove plaque (which can make teeth look dirty), it is not going to make yellow teeth whiter, or remove intrinsic stains from your teeth. (comments?)
16 March 2009 FLOSS THREADERS 
Make sure that even with braces, it is important to floss everyday. Floss threaders can be used to get the floss under the wires. People who don't floss when they have braces, inevitably end up with several cavities when the braces come off. (comments?) 2 March 2009 ARE SMALL CAVITIES REALLY SMALL? These are good illustrations of how cavities can look small from the outside, but are really quite involved. The moral of the story is to get cavities fixed ASAP. (comments?)
23 February 2009 TEETH GRINDING Grinding your teeth puts abnormal amounts of pressure on your teeth which can fracture teeth and cause permanent damage. Nightguards are normally made to prevent this, but as anyone who has inquired about them at the dental office; they can be very expensive. ProWhite Labs offers a much more affordable option, and can make custom fitted night guards to help you sleep better tonight.(comments?) 20 February 2009 DENTAL PAIN For some reason when people have toothaches, if they are not severe, they often tend to ignore them and hope they will go away. While on a rare occasion, that might happen, most of the time it will get worse. When that happens, most likely the problem has gotten worse (i.e, a cavity has progressed and now needs a root canal) and is much more difficult to deal with; which makes the whole situation harder to deal with for everyone involved. So, if at all possible, get the little problems addressed early and keep them little!. (comments?)
14 February 2009 HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE! 9 February 2009 LOWER DENTURES People who have problems with their teeth, often think that dentures are the solution. Dentures can help restore function, but they are definitely not the same as teeth. Especially lower dentures; upper dentures will normally stay in ok, but if you can maintain any teeth on bottom, you likely will be better off than with full lower dentures, which are much more difficult to deal with. (comments?) 20 January 2009 WISDOM TEETH Many people are reluctant to have their wisdom teeth removed because of all the horror stories they have heard. Sometimes they are difficult to remove, but many times they are uneventful and do not cause much discomfort after that fact. Removing them when they are not hurting is also the best time to remove them, because once they start to hurt, that's when a horror story is coming!(comments?) 1 January 2009 HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY, AND BE SAFE! 25 December 2008 HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON! 8 December 2008 POST OP COMPLICATIONS FROM EXTRACTIONS After extractions, the most common complications are infection and dry socket. Normally the pain and swelling will decrease as the days go by, so if that's the case, you probably don't need to worry about anything. If you do start to have increased pain or swelling, then you may have something going on and need to contact your dentist. (comments?) 26 November 2008 HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 18 November 2008 ROOT CANALS VS EXTRACTIONS When you have a toothache and your dentist tells you a root canal is needed, your only other option is to have it extracted. While root canals are fairly expensive, if you remove the tooth, replacing the tooth or filling the space may be more expensive in the long run; so make sure your dentist discusses the pros and cons of all treatment before it is rendered. (comments?) 11 November 2008 WHITENING ON TEENAGERS We are asked all the time, if it is ok for a teenager to whiten his or her teeth. We normally wait until the person is about 18, just because sometimes teeth do lighten up on their own, and we like to wait until all their teeth come in and how they develop, if braces are going to be needed, etc, before worry about whitening. On the other hand, if a person is very self conscious about having yellowish teeth, whitening can be very helpful, even in teenagers. It can help improve self esteem, self confidence, and change a person's life. (comments?) 14 October 2008 DENTAL BONDING Bonding is what dentistry has evolved into. Almost all fillings these days are tooth colored, bonded fillings. Many dentist even use bonded cements when cementing veneers and crowns. (comments?) 7 October 2008 WHITENING PRODUCTS Patients are always looking for a cheap way to bleach their teeth. The problem is that they want them to be snow white, but don't want to spend a dime. There are many over the counter products and probably some home remedies, but you get what you pay for. Is it really worth your time to research all the various home remedies, or which over the counter products work better, spend money here and there, trying this and that, when you can just pay one time and get them done right at your dental office? Bleaching trays are essentially a lifetime of bleaching, because you can always buy more bleach (which is very inexpensive) 1, 5, 10, probably even 20 years down the line. (comments?) 3 October 2008 HOME CARE WITH BRACES Many patients with braces neglect their home care because it is too difficult. This is exact opposite of what needs to be done. Braces do make it more difficult to clean, but makes it much more easy for plaque and bacteria to sit around and cause cavities. This is why it is imperative that with braces home care is impeccable. (comments?) 23 September 2008 DENTAL INFECTIONS Dental infections can be very serious. When something starts to swell in their mouth, people often hope it will go away on it's own. This can be very dangerous. Dental infections can progress very quickly and if they progress into certain spaces of your face, they can block off your airway and become life threatening. Also, the sooner you get it treated, the easier and less painful it will be. (comments?) 8 September 2008 CHEAP WHITENING SUBSTITUTES? People are always looking for cheap ways to whiten their teeth, yet they want professional results. What normally happens is they waste a lot of time and money trying all sorts of home remedies, then end up getting them whitened professionally anyway because they didn't get the results they wanted. Yes, it does cost a little more to have them professionally whitened, but if you get bleaching trays, you can wear them indefinitely, so you are essentially getting a LIFETIME of bleaching for that price. And you will get much better results in much less time. (comments?) 28 August 2008 FLOSSING HELPS REDUCE BACTERIA IN TWINS In a recent article published by the Journal of Periodontology, they did a study with twins, where one twin brushed but didn't floss, and the other brushed as well as flossed. At the end of two weeks, the twin who did not floss, had a much higher incidence of periodontal disease and cavity causing bacteria. Just further evidence supporting the importance of flossing! Click here to read the abstract (comments?) 18 August 2008 EXTRA TEETH? Most people have 32 adult teeth (including wisdom teeth), but it is not uncommon to have extra teeth. These are called, supernumerary teeth. Some of the more common areas are in the wisdom teeth region or the anterior region. Most of the time these are removed, as often times the person does not have sufficient room for more teeth, or the supernumerary teeth are not in a suitable position or do not erupt at all. (comments?) 7 August 2008 DO BRACES HURT? We get asked this all the time. The process of putting braces on doesn't hurt. The brackets are bonded on like fillings, and you don't need to be anesthetized. The process takes about an hour and is really not a big deal. After the braces are put on, and whenever you come back to have them adjusted, your teeth will feel tight, so it will be a little sore, but that goes away within a few days. And you definitely will get used to it.(comments?) 30 July 2008 AFFORDING DENTAL CARE I hear children all the time with many dental needs complain that they can't get their work done because their parents tell them they can't afford the work. Meanwhile, the parents tell you about the trips they're taking, the new car, the new tv, the new house, etc. Little dental problems always grow up to be big dental problems, so the sooner you get them fixed, the less expensive it will be in the long run.(comments?)
17 July 2008 PEDIATRIC DENTISTS Many parents get upset when a general dentist wants to refer their child to a pediatric dentist because they don't want to go to additional appointments and or possibly pay higher fees. While it may be a little inconvenient, if it saves your child from having a bad experience at the dentist, it may prevent your child from fearing dentists in the future. Many adults still fear the dentist because of bad childhood experiences, and seeing a specialist definitely can prevent that fear from lasting a lifetime. (comments?) July 2008 WEARING ORTHODONTIC RETAINERS After you get your braces off, you need to wear your retainers indefinitely, in the long term. Teeth can move in a matter of hours, so when you first get your braces off, you need to wear your retainers 24 hours a day! Eventually you can just wear them at night, but you'll need to wear them as long as you want your teeth nice and straight! (comments?) 17 June 2008 CHANGING DENTISTS AND WORK NEEDED Many people go see a new dentist and find out they need a lot of work, when they may have not needed any work for a long time. There are many studies that show that changing dentists increases the amount of work diagnosed. Some conditions that have been followed for several years do not need to be addressed, but when a different dentist sees it without having the past records, the dentist diagnoses a problem. In short, if you find a dentist you like, try to stay with him or her. (comments?) 9 June 2008 CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN FRONT TEETH Many people have a gap between their front teeth, and ask if it can be closed. Below is an example of how porcelain tooth veneers can accomplish this.
2 June 2008 GRAY LINES NEAR THE GUMLINE OF CROWNS Many people wonder what that gray line is near their gumline on teeth that have crowns. Most porcelain crowns have a metal substructure underneath the porcelain, and this is what is showing near the gumline. Often times the margin (where the tooth and crown meet) is placed underneath the gumline, but sometimes it is not. Also, sometimes when the crown is initially placed, it is below the gumline, but if the gum recedes, it will show. This is not a functional problem, but can be an esthetic concern.(comments?)
20 May 2008 PERIODONTAL CLEANINGS VS PERIODONTAL SURGERY Periodontal surgery is definitely needed in some cases for a variety of reasons. If you have periodontal/gum disease however, in general it is a good idea to have your periodontal cleaning (scaling and root planing, or sometimes referred to as a deep cleaning) done first, to see how your gums respond, prior to having surgery done. This may prevent you from needing surgery, but will also make your gums healthier, so if you do need surgery, it will also make it easier for the dentist to manage (healthy gums are much easier to manage than inflamed gums!). (comments?) 5 May 2008, Dental Blogs WORN DOWN TEETH
Do your teeth look like this? All worn down? If they do, you most likely are either grinding or clenching your teeth during the day and or night, and it is highly recommended to get a nightguard or other treatment in order to prevent this from progressing. When your teeth wear down, you bite collapses which can contribute to TMJ problems or even wrinkles around your mouth! (comments?) 14 April 2008, Dental Blogs PUBLIC HEALTH CLINICS We have been researching public health clinics in each state, and have listed them on our DENTIST REFERRALS page. Often times public health clinics will see patients who do not have dental insurance or who have limited income. 27 March 2008, Dental Blogs EXTRACTION COMPLICATIONS We recently updated our ORAL SURGERY/TOOTH REMOVAL page to include the actual extraction process as well as common post operative complications, such as dry sockets and infections. (comments?) 9 March 2008, Dental Blogs ALTERNATIVES TO NITROUS OXIDE Many patients request nitrous oxide when they have dental work done. This can be very effective in decreasing anxiety, and does have many positive aspects; such as a quick onset and it quickly leaves your system when the gas is turned off. Some patients do not like the way it makes them feel however, and if that is the case, you may want to try asking your dentist for an oral sedative to take prior to your procedure. It will take the edge off and relax you, and should make your appointment a much less stressful event! 25 February 2008, Dental Blogs HOW LONG DO I NEED TO WEAR MY RETAINERS? After people get their braces off, they always ask how long they need to wear their retainers? On a daily basis, you normally have to wear them all day, until a certain point when you may only need to wear them at night. But for the long term, you need to continue wearing your retainers as long as you want your teeth to be straight. If you stop wearing your retainers or lose them, your teeth will move! 11 February 2008, Dental Blogs HELP YOUR KIDS We see it all the time. A young child comes in and has cavities, and the parent immediately berates the child for not brushing and or flossing adequately. While it is true, your child may be fooling you and not brushing, it is your duty as a parent to make sure that your child is brushing twice daily AND flossing daily. And until your child is about 8-10 years old, she or he may not have the dexterity necessary to floss correctly. So talk to your dentist or hygienist and they will check to see if your child is able to do these things on his or her own. But, it is still your responsibility as parent to make sure it gets done! 1 February 2008, Dental Blogs FREE PROMOTION FOR DENTAL OFFICES We are trying to expand our services to help patients find quality dentists, so for a limited time, we will be offering a free promotion to dental offices. If you wish to have your office listed in our referral section, just fill out this form with your web address and any other pertinent information. 14 January 2008, Dental Blogs DIFFERENT OPINIONS Patients often get confused when they come from other offices after their insurance changes, and when they see a different dentist, they get presented with a different treatment plan from what their previous dentist recommended. Unfortunately, not all dentists have the same treatment philosophy, stemming from where they went to dental school, any post graduate training, and the type practice(s) they worked in previously. It does not mean that one person's opinion is "right", and one is "wrong", but if you show the same patient to 10 different dentists, you may very well get 10 different treatment plans.
HAVE A SAFE AND FUN NEW YEAR!!
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