Happy New Year

We hope you had a very Merry Christmas and that 2013 is filled with Joy and Happiness for you and your family.

WHY FLUORIDE?

• The reason why fluoride is important to maintain healthy teeth is because it is absorbed into structures such as bones and teeth. This in turn makes them more resistant to fractures and decay.
• Fluoride is like any other nutrient –safe and effective when used appropriately.
• It is effective in preventing and reversing early signs of dental decay.
• Topical fluoride (the fluoride placed on your teeth after a dental cleaning) strengthens the teeth present in the mouth making them more decay –resistant.
• Systemic fluoride is the pill or liquid form that is ingested and incorporated into the tooth structure while it is forming. This is given to infants and children while their primary and permanent teeth are forming.
• Fluoridation has been part of the American water supply for decades and there is no conclusive proof that fl2 has led to serious and detrimental effects on the American population. 
•  A Study in Colorado Springs with adults aged 20-44 years,  who used water with natural fluoride showed 60% less decay than adults in Boulder Colorado where fluoride is deficient in the water. In Boulder adults had 3 to 4 times as many permanent teeth removed.

We recommend fluoride because we can see a significant decrease in decay.  Most states have incorporated fluoride into the water supply.  Utah has not yet done so and we see much more decay here.  I wish all insurances would cover fluoride because it is so beneficial in protecting the teeth from decay.  Fluoride has been named “Natures Cavity Fighter” and we highly recommend it!!

I am so grateful to be able to work in an office with such fantastic patients!  It is a joy to come to work and to be able to help people to achieve healthier mouths.

Loreen--Hygienist

Snoring & Sleep Apnea

Honey, Do I Snore?


My wife and I recently celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary.  We decided, to celebrate the big day, to go on a camping trip with all of our kids up to the Payson Lakes area.  I know, sounds romantic, doesn't it?

Despite all of the kids being with us for the big day we still had a great time.  The kids even allowed us a few minutes alone on the canoe...sort of (our 3 year old insisted on coming with us.)

As I've contemplated the past several years of marriage and the relationship I have with my wife I have come to realize that there are quite a few things that I do in my wife's presence that I never would have felt comfortable doing or having my wife know about me during our dating years nor even during our first few months of marriage.

Take, for example, snoring.

Would I have wanted my future wife to know that I snore while I sleep sometimes?  Would that have affected her decision as to whether she was willing to tolerate me for the rest of her life?  I dunno.  But I never told her.

And would I have wanted to know that she snores sometimes?  (Sorry, honey, everyone knows now.)  Would that have affected my decision?  Hmm...probably not.

Well, whether you talked about this with your significant other or not, you are now together and must deal with it.  And modern dentistry has some solutions to this common problem.

Yes, Honey, You Do Snore


See, the reason we snore is that soft tissue in the back of our throat (i.e. the tongue and the soft tissue of the upper throat) relaxes when we sleep and falls back into our airway.  So, when we try to breathe while we're sleeping that soft tissue that has collapsed into the airway vibrates, causing that snoring sound.  It's kind of like air rushing past a taut string or rope which vibrates and makes noise.

The solution for this is fairly simple:  move the soft tissue forward so it won't vibrate.  And there is an oral appliance that can do this for you.  It looks like this:

It works like a charm.

Sleep Apnea


Another similar problem to the snoring issue is sleep apnea.  But, in the case of sleep apnea, the airway is cut off so severely that all breathing can completely stop for a short period of time (up to 30 seconds) and this can happen multiple times per hour (up to 60 times or more per hour!).  This can cause a severe lack of sleep and all of the problems associated with sleep deprivation.

In mild cases of sleep apnea an oral appliance can help alleviate this problem, but in moderate to severe cases you may need to use a machine of some kind to help you breathe at night.  This is something that your physician will evaluate and treat you for.

Help Is Available


Whether you're breathing is stopping completely, you're snoring, or whether your significant other or children is/are having problems with any of the above issues, there is help available.  And that help may be more easily obtained than you think it is.

Come try it out.  It may help save your marriage.









Dr. David J. Barry, DMD

Enamel Microabrasion

Enamel microabrasion is the process of removing stains and other discolorations associated with your teeth.  This procedure removes some types of stains that can not be removed by bleaching alone.  It allows you to avoid other dental work such as cosmetic bonding or porcelain veneers. This is done by polishing your teeth with a fine paste that removes most brown, gray and white superficial staining.  This procedure is a painless and easy way to brighten your smile.  If you have any questions or would like to know more about this process, please don’t hesitate to email or give us a call. 

Mark Barry, DDS

 

Sinus Infections vs. Tooth Pain

One aspect of my job that I enjoy greatly is the ability to help people who are in pain.  There are many causes of mouth pain, and although diagnosis is usually straightforward, sometimes it can be complicated.   In the majority of cases, patients present to our office with pain originating from the teeth or gums (e.g. cavities, damaged tooth nerves, gum disease, trauma to teeth, etc.) but not infrequently we see pain stemming from non-tooth sources as well.  It is the purpose of this brief post to outline and provide some information about one of the more frequently seen non-tooth sources of pain:  sinus infections (sinusitis). 

What are the Sinuses?

The bones of the face are not solid bones; they contain hollow spaces called sinuses which serve at least four purposes:  1)  They make the skull lighter and lessen strain on neck muscles, 2) They act as air-conditioners and humidifiers which filter the air we breathe, 3) they act as resonance chambers that aid in speech, and 4) they act as crumple zones (similar to how our cars are designed) that, in cases of trauma,  absorb energy which could otherwise cause brain damage.  These functions are great, but the real benefit of having sinuses is not so much in the spaces themselves, but in the special tissue which lines them on the inside:  a mucous membrane which is covered in tiny hair-like projections called cilia which protect us from dust, pollen, germs, and other foreign material in the air we breathe.  These cilia wave back and forth to trap and transport these unwanted things down our throats and into the stomach so that they cannot enter our bodies through breathing. 

Sinusitis: 

                Sinusitis is the inflammation of the sinuses, or more specifically of the mucous membrane lining the sinuses.  Due to the function and location of this special lining tissue (it is literally on the front lines of the immune system’s war with germs) it is susceptible to becoming infected or irritated.  Viruses and bacteria can cause sinusitis directly, and irritants such as allergens can irritate the membrane and cause the body to initiate an inflammatory response leading to sinusitis as well.  Although inflammation is a natural process of the immune system intended to fight germs, it is usually accompanied by discomfort and even pain.  Additionally, symptoms such as stuffiness, facial pressure, runny nose, loss of smell, headache, fever, bad breath, fatigue, and dental pain may be present.  Depending on what causes sinusitis, it can be classified as acute or chronic, and intensity can range from mild to severe. 

Dental Pain: 

Let’s look at that last symptom in a little more detail.  There are several sinuses in the bones of our skull, but one particular set of sinuses is located just above or to the side of the root tips of our upper molars/premolars.  Sometimes, these sinuses are so close to the teeth roots that only a paper-thin section of bone separates them.  Due to the proximity of these structures and the body’s inability to exactly pinpoint the location of pain, inflammation in the sinuses can be interpreted as tooth pain.  Often this pain manifests as a constant ache, pain upon biting or touching the teeth, or pain when lying down to sleep (due to the body’s position).  These symptoms all mimic the pain a patient feels when a root canal is needed.  In the case of an abscessed tooth needing a root canal, the source of the pain is within in the ligament which holds a tooth in its bony socket, but again, the tooth root can be so close to the sinus that it is hard to determine the exact source of the pain.  Anytime symptoms like this are felt on upper teeth, sinusitis always enters into a good dentist’s differential diagnosis as well as problems arising from the teeth themselves.  If a dentist were ignorant of sinusitis, many needless root canals would be performed and time and money would be wasted. 

Diagnosis and Treatment:

Luckily, there are several tests that dentists can perform to determine the source of a toothache, and dental x-rays can be taken to determine if a tooth has a cavity, abscess, etc.  In the case of tooth pain that persists for more than a couple of days it is always smart to schedule a quick dental visit to catch and fix a potential problem early.  If it is diagnosed that something is wrong with the tooth, appropriate dental treatment will be recommended.  If sinusitis is suspected, decongestants or antibiotics may be prescribed initially, followed by a period of healing and observation.  In serious cases referral to a medical doctor or an ear, nose, and throat specialist may be made. 

Nicolas K. Young, DMD

BUILDING A GREAT SMILE

A good smile is a staple of creating great first impressions, excellent conversations, and lasting relationships.  A smile can help make you more memorable to others and, believe it or not, people will remember your name better if you are wearing a smile when you meet them.  Its power cannot be underestimated.

On the other hand, either the lack of a smile or tooth-related distractions within the smile often can give the wrong first impression about who you really are and can create obstructions to the development of many good, healthy relationships.

Modern dentistry has the power to help make many positive changes to your smile.  Sometimes those changes involve things as simple as minor shape changes to the enamel of your front teeth.  Other times those changes may involve treatment as complex as braces followed up by either crowns or veneers.

Below you will find before and after photos of people we have worked with over the years to improve their smiles.   We are dedicated to achieving an ideal esthetic result that blends the skills we have developed over the years with your esthetic end-goal and budget.



BEFORE                                  AFTER

Making changes to your smile can be a scary proposition.  However, when changes are made with skill, patience, and an eye firmly planted on the final goal, the results can be life changing.  Esthetic dentistry, including crowns and veneers, are one of the most satisfying services we provide for our patients.

If you have ever considered having crowns or veneers, or making any other changes to the looks of your front teeth please give us a call.  We would be happy to have a free Esthetic Smile Consultation to consider what we could do to help you achieve your ideal smile.

Happy Smiling!

Dr. David Barry, DMD

Temporomandibular Disorder and Occlusal Splints

             Temporomandibular Disorder or TMD is characterized by having pain either in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) or in the muscles of the face.  There are other symptoms that can be associated with this pain including popping and clicking noises or not being able to open or close the mouth all the way.  This pain might be very acute or of a more chronic nature.  Diagnosis and treatment of TMD is very possible but can take some time with various approaches. 

            There are many different reasons that someone might have pain in the area of the TMJ.  The most important thing that needs to happen is getting the right diagnosis of the pain.  In some cases there is an underlying systemic disease.  Once that right diagnosis is found the treatment can then begin.  The most common causes for the pain are: stress, grinding your teeth, arthritis, abnormal use of muscles when not eating, etc. 

            In treating TMD, there is not fail safe treatment that guarantees the removal of pain, but various things are employed that can provide the relief.  The first step is teaching what causes the pain and eliminating some of the habits that cause and aggravate the muscles and joint.  These might include clenching or grinding and stress management.  Next, a combination of medications, including NSAID’s, like ibuprofen and opiates, to reduce the inflammation and pain, and physical therapy, to allow the muscles of the face to return to their proper uses.  In some cases an appliance that can be worn at night will be prescribed.  This is what we call an occlusal splint or a night guard.  It is a type or retainer that is worn at night to reduce the wear on the teeth if there is grinding occurring.  It also helps to reduce the pain by realigning the TMJ and can provide some relief.  In some cases changing the shape and realigning them to come together in a different way will help, but this treatment is not as recognized and usually is done as a last resort.  The final option in treating TMD is having surgery.  This is a last resort if nothing else is working and there is still intense pain. 

            In conclusion, the first step in helping to eliminate this pain is seeing your dentist or other specialist.  In reading this article it might be the start of your journey.  Make an appointment and we can help to get you out of pain and back to eating and functioning.

Dr. Mark Barry, DDS