SEALANTS

The best way to stop getting cavities is by brushing and flossing regularly.  To be more direct it is recommended to brush at least twice a day and floss once a day.  This will reduce the amount of plaque on your teeth and reduce the rate of decay.  This has always been and always will be the best way to have a healthy mouth and smile.  Over time and by doing research other methods have been found to increase the strength and protect our teeth from bacteria and decay.  There are other ways to do this but I wanted to mention three main ones here.  The first is what Dr. Dave mentioned in his last post.  Having regular fluoride treatments to build up and strengthen the enamel.  This makes your teeth more cavity resistant.  The second is eating less food with simple sugars, like candy, sweets, sports drinks, etc.  Even if your teeth are strong, if there is more sugar in and around your teeth, you will get more cavities.  If you take away the food for the bacteria there won't be as many bacteria to eat your teeth.  The third way is what I wanted to talk about, Sealants.

Tooth Anatomy

80-90% of Cavities on kids ages 6-19 are on the top, or the occlusal surface of the teeth.  This is because of the deep valleys or the grooves that make up this portion of the tooth.  Brushing your teeth is vital for its health, but these grooves are so deep and narrow that the bristles are too wide to get to the bottom of these grooves.  It is like trying to clean your toilet with a gym floor dust broom.  There is no way to get down to the deepest points and clean out the gunk. 

What is a sealant?

To protect these grooves, that are not cleanable, a filling like material is bonded into them.  This is what a sealant is.  It has been shown to reduce cavities up to 90%, if regular appointments are kept including 

maintenance of the sealant.    

Procedure

Sealants do not require a shot and can be done in less than 5 minutes.  The top portion of the tooth, including the grooves are cleaned.  The grooves are then conditioned with a blue gel, called an etch.  The sealant material is then placed in the grooves and cured, or hardened, with UV light.  This simple procedure can literally save your teeth. 

Conclusion

Used in combination with regular fluoride therapy, your teeth will be protected and strengthened.  I invite you to learn more.  If you and especially your children have not had sealants placed, come in and ask us about our sealants.  We want to save your teeth!

Dr. Mark T. Barry, DDS

Fluoride

The Center for Disease Control has hailed water fluoridation as one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th Century.  In our office we have seen the tremendous benefits that come to your teeth and, consequently, your overall health, from having the optimal amount of fluoride in your diet. 

How was the amazing effect of fluoride on teeth discovered?  It is a very intriguing story that begins in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and ended in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  You can click here to follow a link that details how this discovery was made.  http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/topics/fluoride/thestoryoffluoridation.htm 

The topic of fluoridation is a lightning rod topic right now in dentistry.  You can find any number of "studies" and opinions on numerous websites touting the ill effects of Fluoride on primarily the brain.  And, while I do not wish to rag on peoples' personal experiences, I can say that, to date, "the weight of peer-reviewed scientific evidence does not support an association between water fluoridation and any adverse health effect or systemic disorders." (See the CDC website, http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/fact_sheets/cwf_qa.htm#23, for the full quotation).

We have the privilege of seeing patients, occasionally, who attend a local drug rehabilitation center.  The patients sent to this clinic have abused drugs for various amounts of time, depending on individual cases.  One of the findings that is typically seen in drug addicts is debilitated teeth (lots and lots of cavities).  However, most of the patients we see from this clinic are from areas of the country where the water is fluoridated and we see minimal amounts of decay in these peoples' mouths.  While I cannot prove that their general good oral health is due to the fact that many of them are from fluoridated areas, it is interesting to compare their oral health to that of so many other people we see of the same age who have lived here their entire lives (where the water has no fluoride).  On average, people who grew up here have between 300% - 500% more fillings in their mouths than the people from this drug rehab clinic.

Fluoride helps protect teeth from cavities.  Period.

So, since we live in an area where water is not fluoridated, are your teeth doomed to cavities?

No.

There are still multiple options out there available to you to help give your teeth the fluoride they need.  Make an appointment to see us and we will be happy to review what fluoride needs your teeth, and your children's teeth, may have.

Keep Flossin'!

Dr. Dave

How Often Should I Get My Teeth Cleaned?

As a hygienist I'm frequently asked, "How often should I get my teeth cleaned?"  The answer depends on your genetics and how well you care for your teeth between cleanings.

Plaque is the soft film of bacteria that naturally grows on teeth.  The byproducts of plaque cause bleeding gums, bone loss and cavities.  Everyone also forms calcium deposits on their teeth at different rates.  Calcium deposits are sometimes referred to as calculus, tartar or hard deposits.  These deposits create a very rough surface on the tooth giving plaque many places to grow undisturbed and making it extremely difficult for you to remove.  Regular cleanings keep the tooth surfaces smooth making it so much easier for you to clean the plaque off your teeth.  When you do produce calcium deposits quickly on your teeth it is necessary to have your teeth cleaned more frequently so you can continue to remove the plaque and keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Your genetic make up contributes to how quickly you form calcium deposits and can play a major role if you have inherited certain diseases such as diabetes or a compromised immune system.  In such cases it is often recommended that you have your teeth cleaned every 3-4 months.  Under normal conditions every 6 months is a good rule of thumb.

So, to answer the question "how often," there are many factors to consider.  Talk it over with your hygienist to determine the best schedule for you to keep your teeth and gums healthy.


Rosalie
Hygienist

Esthetic Tooth Recontouring

Creating a beautiful smile doesn’t have to be expensive.

Sometimes the best looking (and longest lasting!) results can be obtained just by making some small changes to the shape of your front teeth.

Take a look at the following case we just completed in our office:

Before

After

 

 

              

                                             

The entire procedure took about an hour and a half and consisted of replacing some bonding on her front teeth and reshaping the corners of the teeth to give them a more feminine, younger look. 

There were no veneers or crowns done here which meant a relatively small amount of drilling on her teeth and almost no sensitivity afterwards.  It also means relatively little cost associated with the procedure.  It really is a great option for many, many people.

Next time you come in to see us ask about the possibility of doing something similar to this with your smile.  It could be just the change your looking for.

Keep Flossin’!

Dr. David J. Barry, DMD

Technology

            When I think of Technology I remember this little clip from Napoleon Dynamite, “Yes, I love technology.”  In the field of dentistry there is a lot of research being performed; and new materials and products being created and tested.  In the past twenty years dentistry has taken great strides in providing new materials that last longer, bond stronger and look better.  This, in my mind, is a great benefit to each patient that is treated and to me as a dentist, providing the best service possible.

            A down side to all of the new materials being produced is not knowing which products really work.  Just because it is new doesn’t mean that it is the best.  For the past 36 years Gordon Christensen, a local dentist, has been testing new products as well as new techniques.  In the dental field he is known around the world for his work.  Each year we attend his lecture course to hear about many of the newest and best things.  They give us a recommendation of the top products for the year and the best techniques.  We feel our office can provide the best fillings and crowns possible.  We attended his course the weekend of January 25-26, of this year. 

            Here are some highlights we learned from the course this year.  For the past twenty years the most common type of crown used was a porcelain fused to metal, called a PFM.  Just in the past couple of years they have come out with some all porcelain crowns that have the same esthetic look, they look just like your normal tooth.  As well as some types that are strong enough to withstand the forces that will normally break the weaker but better looking types of crowns.  These new types of crowns look better, and they don’t chip and break if they are placed and made in the right way.  In our office in the past year we have started using these types of crowns.  Now, with such good test results, we are moving to use them even more. 

            Post operative sensitivity.  This is one of the hardest things to eliminate and the hardest to control as a dentist.  They gave us more tips on how to fight this, from types of desensitizers to place on the tooth before the filling, to the type and intensity of light used to cure the filling, to some new cements used to cement a crown that lower the sensitivity.  Who wouldn’t love coming to the dentist, when you can leaving and feel like you didn’t have any work done?

            Other technologies that are useful and making a lot of ground are the use of lasers.  Some gum procedures can be done now that normally would require some stitches and a moderate amount of pain associated with healing, that are eliminated with the use of lasers.  Digital impressions when we make a crown that will eliminate using impression material that tastes bad and can make you gag.  This way of taking an impression can speed up the process of making a crown.  Instead of physically taking an impression and sending it to the lab.  We can email the impression to the lab and they can start making the crown that day. 

            We are very excited for these new changes and can’t wait to make your experience at our office more and more enjoyable with better and better outcomes.

 

Dr. Mark T. Barry, DDS