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The use of lasers in dentistry may sound a bit like science fiction, but it’s actually scientific fact! Laser technology was first applied to dentistry in the early 1960s and has been gaining popularity ever since. The best part of about dental lasers is that they don’t just have one application: lasers can be used in many aspects of dentistry, from diagnosis to treatment.
It’s possible to have a cavity growing on your tooth before it becomes easily visible to the naked eye. And the earlier a cavity is detected, the easier it is to treat. That’s why some dentists use a low-intensity laser to illuminate your tooth, making it easier to spot an incipient cavity before it gets worse.
Gum reshaping or contouring (also called a gum lift) may be recommended for either medical or cosmetic reasons. One of the biggest blessings of lasers in dentistry is that they can replace scalpels. Instead of making cuts in the gums, dentists can use highly precise lasers to dissolve gum tissue instead. Because it cauterizes instead of cuts, gum shaping and removal with lasers can be more comfortable, reduce bleeding and speed up recovery time.
One of the symptoms of gum disease (a.k.a. periodontitis) is the formation of deep pockets between your teeth and gums. One of the treatments for chronic gum disease is scaling and root planing, where these pockets are cleaned and the root is smoothed out so your gums can re-adhere to them. The addition of lasers to this process has been shown in studies to help gums re-attach to the tooth.
The most common type of dental lasers are those that replace dental drills. For example, if you need to have a cavity prepared for repair, a laser can be used to reshape your tooth instead of a drill. The result is a dental procedure with less vibration and noise that is much more comfortable.
This is only a few examples of how lasers are used in dentistry. There are many more uses for lasers, including disinfection, 3D mouth scans, and tooth whitening. Overall, dental lasers offer more comfort, quicker healing and added effectiveness to most dental procedures.
Laughing gas is the common name for an inhaled sedative, used in dental care and in medical care. Laughing gas gets its name from the feeling of well-being and giddiness that it can cause. It also causes a reduction in the sensation of pain, which can be helpful if you are in need of serious dentistry, such as a crown or the removal of a tooth.
The active ingredient in laughing gas is nitrous oxide gas (also known by it’s chemical formula: N2O). Nitrous oxide is colorless and odorless, though some dentists will add pleasant scents like vanilla or fruit to the gas to encourage inhalation, especially in children. Laughing gas is required to include at least 30% oxygen. The most common mix of gases in a dental practice is 30% oxygen and 70% nitrous oxide. Dentists can vary this mix upward if necessary to get the desired sedation effect.
The gas is given to you using a rubber mask that fits over your nose so the dentist can still access your mouth. The gas is inhaled continuously throughout the procedure, and the dentist will ease you onto it and ease you off of it by varying the concentration of nitrous oxide. Most patients report the affects of laughing gas as a feeling of well-being, almost like a “happy drunk”, though nitrous oxide has none of the affects on judgment or coordination that being drunk has. Many patients also report physical sensations, such as a warm or light vibration sensation in the body. Most also feel a reduction in pain sensations, and any pain they might feel they don’t seem to mind. If the dental procedure requires local anesthetic administered by an injection, many patients won’t even notice the needle prick. If you experience nausea or dizziness while on laughing gas, tell the dentist right away or simply remove your mask: this is a sign that the concentration of nitrous oxide is too high for you.
Laughing gas is unique compared to other dental sedation techniques (such as a sedative pill or I.V. medicines) because it starts working very quickly and wears off almost immediately once you stop inhaling it. Most patients feel the effects within 20-30 seconds of inhalation and will become very relaxed within 3-5 minutes. Once the dentist finishes treatment and gradually switches the patient back to oxygen, the effects will wear off within about 5 minutes. That means that unlike other kinds of sedation, there’s no “hangover” period of drowsiness afterward, and most patients can drive themselves home (after being evaluated by the dentist, of course).
Laughing gas lives up to its friendly name as a very safe but also very effective form of sedation. If you or a family member is in need of a dental procedure and are interested in nitrous oxide, please don’t hesitate to ask us about whether it’s right for you.
Dental implants are the top-of-the-line when it comes to natural and functional replacements for missing teeth, but that excellence can come with a hefty price tag. Replacing missing teeth can have a positive effect on your health, appearance, and self-confidence for years to come, so we think it’s a worthwhile investment no matter what, but here’s a breakdown of the costs.
So why are implants so expensive? For one thing, comparing pricing for dental implants isn’t like comparing pricing for a new car. Dental implants are not simply objects, they’re also service in the form of dental treatment. Looking at dental implant pricing is more like shopping around for a custom deck for your backyard. The cost is going to depend on the time commitment and skill of the carpenter, the materials chosen and the condition of the location where the deck needs to be built.
While the dental implant itself may look like a bolt or a screw, it is not something you could pick up at your neighborhood hardware store. Dental implants are made from titanium alloy. This durable kind of metal is biocompatible and bonds with bone (in a process called “osseointegration”). This is what helps the implant anchor securely in your jawbone, just like a natural tooth’s root would. The exact formulations of titanium alloy used in dental implants today are the result of years of clinical studies and trials. Some types are more expensive than others (just like different types of wood would affect the cost of timber for your backyard deck).
The second part of an implant is the crown. This is the part that looks like an actual tooth at is visible above your gumline. These crowns just like regular dental crowns used to treat decayed or broken teeth. They are made from special kinds of ceramic or porcelain that are made to look and feel like your natural teeth.
Luckily, as the popularity of dental implants has risen, so have the numbers of dentists who have become trained in dental implant placement. Many dentists already have years of experience placing dental implants to create long-lasting smiles. But compared with other procedures, dental implant treatment isn’t the quickest. Most of the time, the procedure takes a few appointments to complete, usually with healing time required between appointments. The cost of dental implants includes the time commitment of the dentist and the dental staff. Just like for your backyard deck, you have to expect to pay the craftsperson and any assistants for their time.
The ease with which dental implants are placed depends on your specific oral condition. The treatment planning process will involve x-rays and scans to give the dentist a precise idea of what’s where in your mouth. For example, some people who have been missing a tooth for a long time have started to lose thickness in their jaw. When this happens, bone grafting may be required to build the bone back up before an implant is placed. Think of it like this: a deck on a steep hill would need more support than a deck on a flat lawn, and that extra support costs a little more in time and materials.
No worthwhile investment in your health should ever be considered too expensive. And no other tooth replacement option compares to the durability, usability, and comfort of dental implants. They’re the only treatment that can truly make you feel like you have your teeth back!
Root canals have a bad reputation they don’t deserve and we think Hollywood is to blame. Movies and television shows often portray root canal therapy as a painful and frightening procedure. The truth is that most root canal procedures are quite painless, and they are one of the most important procedures that dentists perform. That’s because a root canal is a life-saving procedure for your tooth!
Even movies as fun as Pixar’s “Finding Nemo” show root canals as a scary procedure that makes the patient squirm and cry out. When dentists watch scenes like this it has us wincing because it’s so far from the truth!
Many patients find out they need a root canal after they come to us with a toothache. Root canals are necessary when the pulp inside the inside of your tooth (i.e. the root canal) becomes inflamed. This is usually due to infection caused by tooth decay or a crack in your tooth, but it can also be caused by outside injury. A tooth that was injured in an accident can have inflamed pulp even if there is no damage to the outside of the tooth.
Left untreated, an infected or damaged tooth can get worse to the point that it needs to be removed. Hence why the root canal procedure is considered a life-saver for your tooth. Without this dental technique, dentists might have to pull teeth instead of preserving them in your mouth.
Rather than let the infection progress and the toothache get worse, the dentist performs a root canal to stop the pain and strengthen the tooth. This involves removing the inflamed or infected tooth, cleaning the empty canal, then filling it and sealing it. The dentist usually applies local anesthesia during the procedure and any pain you feel afterward is usually minor enough to be alleviated by over-the-counter pain medications like Tylenol or Advil.
So if root canal therapy isn’t painful, how did it get that reputation? Well, for one thing, dental technology and procedures have improved over the years. The other reason is that Hollywood movie writers need a reason to amp up the action in a scene, and they’ve exaggerated the discomfort of root canals for just that purpose!
We know that Hollywood’s nasty portrayal of root canals isn’t likely to stop anytime soon (silver screen myths have a tendency to feed off each other). As dentists, the best we can do is reassure you that if you need a root canal, you have nothing to fear. It’s certainly much better than enduring a bad toothache or losing your tooth.
Now, don’t get us started on how Hollywood portrays dentists!
Detox water (also known as skinny water) is promoted as a great all natural way to cleanse the body and lose weight. These do-it-yourself fruit and herb infused water concoctions are supposed to be great for your overall health, but there’s one problem: detox water can be really bad for your teeth!
Perhaps the most common ingredient in detox water recipes is lemons, though other citrus fruits such as limes, grapefruit, and oranges also make an appearance. Citrus fruits are acidic: they contain citric acid. However, what you might not know is that lots of other fruits are highly acidic too, including pineapples, mangoes, peaches, pomegranates and even blueberries. Some recipes even call for apple cider vinegar, which is also acidic.
Acid is one of your smile’s greatest enemies. Acids can eat through the hard outer enamel layer of your teeth, causing spots, cavities, and a great place for tooth decay-causing bacteria to start an infection. (Fun fact: It’s actually acid that links sugar to tooth decay. The existing bacteria in your mouth consume the sugar and excrete acid as a byproduct, right onto your teeth. Lovely, right?)
So, it turns out, depending on the ingredients, detox water is a nice tasty erosion-causing acid bath for your teeth. Okay, that may be a little dramatic, but detox water certainly puts your teeth at higher risk for tooth decay than plain clean water.
The truth is, detox water (like most flavored drinks) are fine in moderation. Unfortunately, moderation is not what a lot of detox water lovers recommend. A lot of instructions for detox water suggest sipping it all day long. That means repeatedly subjecting your teeth to an acidic environment!
Drinking detox water is okay, and will probably benefit your health by keeping your better hydrated (other health claims are dubious, but that’s another story). Your dentist just asks you to be sensible about it. Just like we recommend not snacking between meals, we also suggest not drinking detox water between meals. This will give your teeth “time off” from being covered in acids, sugars, etc. Most dentists will tell you that the only thing you should be sipping on all day is water. Consider drinking a detox water with breakfast, then brushing your teeth and going about your day with a fun, well-designed bottle of fruit-free water instead.
If you have a detox water habit you just can’t shake, there are some steps you can take to reduce its impact on your teeth. One way is to use a straw, which helps keep the liquid from hitting your teeth directly. You can also flush your mouth with plain water every time you drink the detox water, to help wash away the acid and any sugars. However, remember that the primary way that detox water “draws out toxins” and improves your health is by encouraging you to consume more water. When it doubt, regular fluoridated tap water is your smile’s best friend.
Among the many health fads and rumors going around the web, oil pulling is one that we dentists get asked about a lot. The question is, does oil pulling really prevent tooth decay?
Oil pulling is an ancient dental care technique that originated in India about 3,000 years ago. It involves swishing oil in your mouth for about 20 minutes then spitting it out. The rumor is that the oil pulls toxins out of the tissues of your mouth and whitens at the same time. Some people have claimed that it not only prevents but can also reverse tooth decay. Many advocates also mention secondary benefits for your overall health, including improvements to conditions such as diabetes and psoriasis.
In fact, several studies conducted on groups of young adults in India showed that oil pulling did reduce the number of tooth decay-causing bacteria present in plaque. However, some dentists and health professionals have suggested that swishing water in your mouth for 20 minutes would have a similar effect. In other words, there’s nothing special about using oil, in particular, it’s the rinsing action that helps reduce bacteria.
Many dental professionals agree that oil pulling could be a viable alternative to traditional mouthwashes and rinses, but not your normal dental care routine of brushing and flossing. In fact, in studies of the effectiveness of oil pulling on reducing harmful oral bacteria, the control groups were using traditional mouthwash. That means these studies only looked at how oil pulling works compared to regular mouthwash, not to compared to doing away with brushing and flossing.
Some oil pulling advocates claim that it can replace brushing and flossing completely, but dentists do not advise this. From a practical standpoint, the oil can’t clean between your teeth thoroughly like flossing or using a Waterpik. And while it can help prevent the buildup of plaque, it can’t remove it. Plaque can only be removed mechanically, with the abrasives in toothpaste paired with the motion of a toothbrush or a dental hygienist’s tools.
As to the claims that oil pulling can help a wide variety of non-dental health problems, such as asthma, migraines or skin disorders, this may be true, but not directly because of the oil pulling itself. Paying extra good attention to your oral health is bound to impact your general health; the two are closely connected. For example, gum disease has been linked to low birthweight in babies and heart disease and stroke. Tooth loss due to tooth decay often contributes to poor nutrition, which comes with a whole host of health consequences.
Those interested in oil pulling should know that it is only advisable for someone in good oral health. If you have gum disease or are at risk for it, oil pulling could make things worse. If you have questions about oil pulling or any other homeopathic oral care, please talk with us so we can advise you on whether these techniques are a good idea for your oral health situation.
The message that soda is bad for your teeth and your overall health is hard to avoid these days. Most of us already know that sugary soda pop should be treated as a special treat, not an everyday beverage for quenching your thirst. What may surprise you is how many supposedly healthy drinks have a lot of sugar in them.
First, a reminder why sugar is bad for your teeth in the first place. Sugar causes tooth decay because bacteria (many of which naturally occur in your mouth) consume the sugar, digest it, and release it as acid. This acid erodes your tooth enamel and causes cavities. It’s not the sugar itself that’s dangerous, it’s the acid it creates!
So you have something to compare to, here’s the sugar content of popular sodas:
The nutrition labels on beverages can sometimes be hard to understand for Americans who aren’t used to the metric system of measurement. For your reference, one teaspoon of sugar is 4 grams. So 64g of sugar is equivalent to 16 tablespoons of sugar (in other words, a third of a cup!).
Oranges are known for being a great source of Vitamin C, which can help keep your immune system strong. And while this is true of the fruit itself, the juice is less honorable. An orange only contains about 2 oz. of juice, meaning a small 8 oz. glass of orange juice has the equivalent of 4 oranges. So eating an orange with your breakfast makes sense but downing a glass of orange juice is actually 4 times the sugar. Plus, like all citrus juices, orange juice is acidic. That means there are actually two substances in orange juice that could potentially harm your teeth.
Sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade are touted as being a healthy option for anyone who engages in strenuous exercise, and their ads are full of professional athletes reaching for a brightly covered beverage to replenish their bodies. And while 14g of sugar per 8 0z. serving may not seem like a lot compared with soda pop’s 64g, ask yourself, when was the last time you only had only a quarter of a bottle of Gatorade? A regular bottle is 32 oz., meaning if you finish the bottle you’re actually consuming 56g of sugar!
Obviously, on its own, tea doesn’t contain any sugar, but over the centuries humans have figured out that adding sweeteners to tea can be pretty tasty, and iced tea is no exception. The trouble is that iced teas are marketed these days as natural and healthy, and you can easily overlook how much sugar they contain. For example, Arizona Iced Tea contains 24g of sugar per serving and Snapple Lemon Iced Tea contains 23g. The good news is there are unsweetened varieties of iced tea available for purchase, and you can always make your own so you can control the amount of sugar yourself.
In a dentist‘s fantasy world, all our patients would avoid sugary drinks completely, but we know that’s not realistic. All we ask is for our patients to have some awareness of what they’re subjecting their teeth and bodies to. After all, our ultimate job is protecting your smile! Remember, just because something has a reputation of being healthy and natural, and advertising that says so, doesn’t mean it can’t do harm.
Dental implants are one of the greatest innovations of modern dentistry. They are true prosthetic replacement teeth, consisting of an artificial titanium tooth root with a porcelain crown attached. Over 3 million Americans have dental implants, and that number is increasing by 500,000 people per year (source). With dental implants becoming a more and more popular solution to replace missing teeth, it’s fair to ask: how long do dental implants last?
The short answer is that dental implants can last a lifetime. Here’s the long answer.
Anyone who has had to have a crown or a bridge replaced or dentures re-fitted knows that not all dental restorations last forever. These three types of restorations can each fail for their own reasons. In the case of crowns and bridges, they can fail if the original tooth structure they’re attached to gets compromised due to decay. Most dentures eventually need to be refitted or replaced when bone loss causes the jaw to change shape.
Luckily, if you get dental implants, you don’t have to worry about the same risks. One of the reasons that implants are considered the best and most advanced option for replacing missing teeth is they are not subject to the same failure problems as standard crowns, bridges, or dentures. That isn’t to say that dental implants work perfectly all the time, but recent studies have shown that dental implants have a 98% success rate (source).
Many dentists conservatively estimate that implants will last about 25 years. The reason we can’t guarantee they’ll last a lifetime is there haven’t been very many long-term studies of dental implants yet.
Dental implants in their modern form were invented a little more than 50 years ago. In 1965, a Swedish scientist named Per-Ingvar Brånemark placed the first dental implant in the mouth of a man named Gösta Larsson. When Larsson died in 2006 at the age of 75, his original implants were still in place. They had lasted over 40 years!
Just like your natural teeth, the health and longevity of a dental implant depend on looking after your oral health. Dental implants are cared for just like natural teeth with daily brushing and flossing and regular dental checkups. Smoking can make it much more likely for dental implants to fail, as can pre-existing gum disease (periodontal disease). These health factors should be taken into account before a patient decides to have dental implants placed. If you’re interested in replacing missing teeth with dental implants, come see us and start a conversation!
Ask anyone over the age of 40 and they’ll tell you that getting a dental filling used to mean adding a gleam of metal to your mouth. Recently, modern dentistry has adopted new high-tech materials that imitate the look of natural teeth, allowing tooth-colored dental fillings to become the norm in many dental practices around the world.
Metal fillings are still a perfectly normal and effective way to repair a damaged tooth. Metal fillings are called amalgam fillings by dentists. This name comes from the fact the material is an alloy of metals (including silver, copper, tin, and zinc). Some amalgams can also contain small amounts of mercury, but the American Dental Association has determined that the amount of mercury is so small that it doesn’t post a health risk to patients (source). However, if you’re concerned and would rather avoid the presence of mercury completely, you should choose composite fillings or gold fillings instead.
Composite resin fillings are what dentists call tooth-colored or “white” fillings. Composite is an artificial tooth-like material that is a blend of hard durable plastics and glass. In this way, composite resin imitates your natural tooth enamel, which is also a glass-like material. The dentist also adds coloring agents to the composite resin to ensure it is indistinguishable from the rest of your tooth.
Gold fillings are a different type of metal fillings. Unlike amalgam, they are made entirely from gold. Also, unlike amalgams and composite fillings, gold fillings are cast from a mold of your tooth then applied, a process that requires two dental visits. Both amalgam and composite fillings are sculpted from a pliable material then hardened in place, allowing the treatment to be completed in one visit.
You should know that some insurance companies consider amalgam fillings to be the standard of care and view composite fillings as a cosmetic option. While amalgam and composite fillings serve the same purpose in terms of repairing your tooth, composite fillings cost a little more. As a result, some dental insurance plans don’t cover or reimburse the cost of composite fillings as much as they cover amalgam fillings.
However, please remember that all decisions about your oral health should be between you and your dentist. How much of the cost of a treatment is covered by your insurance should not be considered with the same weight as a treatment recommendation from a clinician or your own personal preferences. In other words, don’t feel obligated to choose one treatment over another based on what your insurance covers or reimburses you for. If you prefer to have nearly invisible, tooth-colored fillings, you should feel free to choose composite fillings.
If you have any questions about the options we offer for fillings, or any questions about the treatment procedures, please feel free to ask us at any time!
Among the many changes that women experience in their bodies when they become pregnant, changes to their oral health may be among the most surprising and perplexing. Pregnancy can put women at higher risk of certain oral conditions, such as gingivitis and cavities, so it’s good to know what signs to look out for and how to prevent problems.
There’s an old saying that “You’ll lose a tooth for every baby.” It was once believed that pregnancy caused tooth decay so severe that a woman should expect at least one of her teeth to decay beyond repair or fall out each time she got pregnant. Thankfully, with our modern understanding of dental health and dental technologies, this ominous adage is now far from true.
One of the most common signs of pregnancy-related oral changes is bleeding gums. Women may notice blood when they brush or floss. In addition, the gums may be swollen and tender. This inflammation is caused by hormonal changes and is known as pregnancy gingivitis. While pregnancy gingivitis is fairly common, it can progress into irreversible periodontitis (gum disease) if good oral health habits aren’t followed. This is particularly serious because studies have linked periodontitis to complications such as low birth weight, premature birth, and preeclampsia.
Pregnant women are also more prone to cavities and tooth decay. Scientific studies have found that this is due to hormonal changes that cause saliva to become more acidic. This acidity makes teeth more vulnerable to decay, which is caused by the acid excreted by bacteria. While there isn’t a way to prevent this chemical change, pregnant women can reduce their risk of problems by avoiding sugary foods and being especially vigilant about keeping their teeth clean through regular brushing and flossing.
With all of these pregnancy-related changes, it is particularly important that your dentist knows you’re pregnant as soon as possible. Even if you just suspect you’re pregnant or are trying to get pregnant, you should tell your dentist as soon as possible, especially if you’re already at risk for periodontitis. Your dentist will offer you advice on your oral care during pregnancy and may choose to delay certain planned treatments or procedures until after your baby has arrived.
