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Oral Health and your Overall HealthThe Importance of Oral Health in Overall Health onwww.YoungDental.com
The mouth is now recognized as a portal of entry for many infections that affect overall health, including both physical health and emothional health. Among these infections are the two leading dental diseases, carries (deca) and periodontal disease (gum disease), both of wich remain common and widespread, affectin nearly everyone at some point in the life span. Good oral hygiene is one of the most important factores in decreasing the risk of these two dental diseases. The consequences of carries and periodontal diseases are profound and often underestimated in terms of their negative impact on physical health and emotional health. Although periodontal disease starts as a local infection in the mouth, it is generally accepted that associated bacteria and toxins gain access to teh body's blood supply and travel throughout the body. This also creates a systemic inflammatory respons which may increase the risk for heart disease, pneumonia, and compications of diabetes and pregnancy. In people with weakened immune systems, untreated periodontal diseases, like diabetes. Pain, suffering, and eventual tooth loss, from untreated caries and or periodontal disease interfere with functions such as breathing, tasting, eating, swallowing, sleeping, speaking and language development - all vital to health and development. Poor oral health is also associated with emotional stress. Children's school attendance and learning and adults' work place performance may also be negatively impacted. People with oral pain or missing teeth are often limited in what they can chew, resulting in poor nutrition because they are restricted in food selection. Simply put, you cannot be healthy with out oral health. Taking care of your mouth, with good oral hygiene, reduces the risk of caries and periodontal disease, and helps to preserve good physical and emotional health. |
Same-Day CEREC CrownsCEREC is a technology for restoring damaged teeth. This restoration can be completed in a single visit to the dentist's office. It fixes integrity and aesthetics problems you may have with a tooth; a broken tooth, pain when biting and cold sensitivity, all while keeping your teeth looking natural. The restoration is metal-free, and the high-grade ceramic material is compatible with the natural tissue found in your mouth.
THE CEREC PROCESS During your appointment, you and Dr. Spainhower will discuss the details of the procedure and he will answer any questions you may have. Doc will first trim the tooth to the appropriate size, then apply a thin layer of white powder onto your tooth and will use a special 3D imaging camera to take a photo of your tooth. Using CEREC's proprietary software, your restoration will be designed according to your tooth's appropriate form and function. Then, CEREC will use a milling chamber with diamond burs to create your restoration out of a piece of ceramic. Finally, the ceramic restoration is bonded to your tooth using state-of-the-art adhesive dentistry. WHY CHOOSE CEREC? There are many advantages of using CEREC over traditional crown technology. Time: Our posterior CEREC crowns are made in one visit, saving you considerable time away from your job and family. Comfort: With CEREC, there is no need for a temporary crown, or the need to be numb multiple times, eliminating significant potential discomfort. Aesthetics: The strong, tooth-colored ceramic materials of CEREC restore your teeth to their natural strength, beauty, and function, and closely match the composition of your natural tooth structure. Strength: Milled ceramic is stronger than the traditional method of layering and pressing, so your smile will stay beautiful for years! |
WhiteningOver time, teeth gradually yellow in color. If you drink coffee, tea or red wine, or if you smoke, your teeth will become even more stained and discolored.
With today's variety of smile whitening methods and technologies, your smile can easily be whitened in a number of ways. At this time there are several options: 1. At home bleaching using over the counter strips or paint on gel. 2. Take home prescription bleaching gel with custom fabricated trays. 3. Waiting room whitener using the custom trays. 4. In office bleaching utilizing high power lights and bleaching gel. 5. A combination of the above methods. Faced with these many different options patients seem confused on their best choice. This letter will attempt to provide enough information for you to select the option best suited for your needs. For any option to be most effective, you will need to have had a cleaning within the past 6 months. Options to consider for teeth whitening: 1) Over the counter strips or paint-ons. Two weeks of Crest Whitestrips can be purchased for about $35. They will get your teeth 3-4 shades whiter. Depending on your needs, that might be adequate. Whitestrips contain 4% carbomide solution (the active ingredient in many whitening products), compared with the 15-20% concentration from a dental office. The Whitestrips’ whitening effect is believed to fade about a half shade every six months so you will need to re-do strips every 12-18 months. A professional treatment may last up to about four years. If you purchase over the counter products stick with Crest or Colgate or any product which is approved by the American Dental Association. Some products are cosmetically approved, but not dentally, thus we cannot be assured of their dental safety. 2) Bleaching trays constructed in the dental office to be taken home. Advantages are supervision and help from the dental office if variables occur such as sensitivity, too slow to whiten, et cetera. When whitening is complete the patient has trays for future whitening and some studies suggest this method of whitening has the longest effect of 4+ years. Bleaching trays can be worn overnight or 30-40 minutes per day for most efficient bleaching. If your teeth begin to become more sensitive, decrease the time and frequency until comfortable. Excellent results can be obtained in on average of 6-14 days per arch (upper or lower). Cost is $97.50 for one arch or $195 both, which is recommended, and payable at the time of service. Sufficient bleaching gel is included in the kit for most patients’ bleaching needs; however, additional gel is occasionally required and costs about $38. At the first appointment we will take impressions for your custom trays. Your trays are usually available for you to stop-in and pick up the next afternoon. 3) Opalescence Quick. This method of bleaching has recently become available for patients who wish to have a whitening jumpstart or a touch-up. It also involves two appointments. The first is to take the impressions for the custom fabricated trays. The second appointment will require approximately 30 minutes with the majority of the time in the waiting room. The active ingredient in the Opalescence Quick is 45% carbamide peroxide. The cost for this method would be $271. This includes the custom trays, the 30 minute office visit, and take-home bleach. If further treatments are desired or if the patient already has custom trays, the visit would cost $76. 4) In office Whitening. I looked for many years to find a safe, and effective chair-side whitening system that I was comfortable using on our patients. We have chosen the Rembrandt Sapphire System. Rembrandt's system is very effective. The key element of the Rembrandt system is the Sapphire Light Crystal, a high intensity curing light with an arch shaped crystal attached which allows us to whiten upper and lower arches at the same time. The process involves using a high intensity dental light to promote the quick and deep release of the teeth whitening agent next to the teeth. This reduces the time required to whiten the teeth to merely 60 – 120 minutes in the dental chair. Due to the concentrated approach in-office teeth bleaching produces truly dazzling results. The in-office procedure is completely safe and has been well-tested by thousands of dentists. The results of this process can be dramatic, up to 8 to 10 shades brighter teeth in one to two hours of treatment; however the initial results will diminish a shade or two over the first couple of days. This procedure should be combined with the take home trays to allow you the freedom to touch up anytime you feel like, although studies indicate your whitening will likely not diminish for 2-5 years. Bleaching gel does not whiten tooth colored fillings, bonding, or crowns. Once your teeth are lightened to their final shade, you may decide to have any discolored areas re-treated with new crowns, fillings or bonding to fully show off your new smile. Studies indicate you will retain 90% of the whitening after one year and 65% at three years. Please call the office if you have further questions and one of our staff members can provide you with needed answers. |
Digital X-rays
Using the most advanced dental technology possible is just as important as staying up-to-date on the latest treatment techniques. Because our practice is dedicated to providing you with the safest and most convenient treatment options available, we utilize advanced digital X-ray technology in our office.
Digital X-rays provide several advanced imaging options designed to save time, provide clearer dental photos, and expose patients to less radiation than traditional X-ray technology. Our practice is focused on making your dental experience as comfortable as possible. At your next appointment, we'll be happy to answer any questions you may have. Here is a link to a website that lets you calculate your typical exposure based on airline travel, where you live, et cetera. Other external links to radiation information: Health Physics Society New York Times article Reader's Digest |
If you are missing teeth, it is crucial to replace them. Without all your teeth, chewing and eating can destabilize your bite and cause you discomfort. When teeth are missing, your mouth can shift and even cause your face to look older. Implants are a great way to replace your missing teeth, and if properly maintained, can last a lifetime!
An implant is a new tooth made of metal and porcelain that looks just like your natural tooth. It’s composed of two main parts: one part is the titanium implant body that takes the place of the missing root, and the second part is the tooth-colored crown that is cemented on top of the implant. With implant treatment, you can smile confidently knowing no one will ever suspect you have a replacement tooth. |