www.BestOgdenDentist.com Blog

Cosmetic Bonding

2012-02-02T16:38:00.000-08:00

This is Ms. W

Ms. W had some lateral incisors that came in smaller then they should have.

She wanted to change the way they looked so we helped her out.

Picture of the side tooth that was too small.

and the side tooth after.

The whole smile before.

and the whole smile after.

1 hour - no shots - no drilling into the teeth - one happy patient

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How about a tongue tattoo?

2012-02-01T09:07:00.000-08:00

I thought I had talked about all I could talk about on this

blog, but it appears as I may have been mistaken.

It seems as though there is a new phenomenon out there

of getting a tattoo on your tongue.

I have nothing against those that choose to have a tattoo.

Getting a tattoo on your tongue however, may cause me some concern.

Your tongue is very very sensitive.

More nerve endings per surface area then anywhere else in your body.

Don't believe me?

If a stray hair lands anywhere on your body you probably wouldn't feel it.

Get a stray hair in your mouth and your tongue can feel it in an instant.

There are also many more blood vessels in this are then in most other parts of the body.

Thus, getting a tattoo on your tongue would pose some concerns to me.

First is your sense of taste.

If your morning hot chocolate/coffee is a little to hot you burn your tongue.

The spot that you burned is unable to taste for several hours.

I can only imagine that dragging a small needle across your tongue and then

depositing ink would have some of the same effects.

Second is the chance of infection.

Some of my more avid body piercing friends say that the mouth is very sterile and

that there are enzymes to take care of any infections in the mouth.

If that were totally true then I wouldn't need to prescribe any antibiotics after

tooth extractions. I could just let these enzymes take over.

No matter how sterile that mouth may be the stuff that goes into it is not.

So unless you stop eating and drinking for a while after the procedure.

Every straw, fork, piece of food, etc that enters your mouth will carry bacteria on it.

Bacteria need warmth, food, and water to multiply. Your mouth has all in abundance.

Not to mention tons of little places where they can go hide out.

Therefore, the chances of infection are increased over other body parts.

Now I need to point out that I really doubt that anyone has taken the time

to do a long term study on tongue tattooing.

I just happen to think that it may not be the greatest idea in history.

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Cosmetic Bonding

2012-01-31T13:05:00.000-08:00

This is Ms B.

Like many people, there was something about Ms B's

smile that she did not like.

She thought, as many folks do that the fix for her problem

would be a very expensive and painful process.

As it turns out, neither was true.

Ms. B underwent some cosmetic bonding today.

No shots

About an hour.

All for the cost of a few fillings.

Ms. B Before

Ms B After

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Dentists and The Movies.

2012-01-30T10:41:00.000-08:00

Why is it that in any movie where there is a dentist,

or something related to dentistry, that its bad.

I mean come on.... I'm a nice guy : )

Probably most famous would be

Little Shop of Horrors

Another one is the seen from

Finding Nemo

where the guy is screaming during his root canal.

Another is

Cast Away

who can forget that poor guy knocking his

abscessed tooth out with an ice stake.

Lets hear your favorite dental movie moment.

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2012-01-26T12:17:00.000-08:00

Okay. So my tooth had this HUGE metal filling in it.

Well, now most of what was left of the tooth broke off.

What now?!

Well there are a couple of options.

One of the best options to to do an implant.

There are a number of reasons for this but that

would take more time then we have right now.

First step is to extract the broken tooth.

In this case we placed a bone graft and waited a few weeks

but that doesn't always have to be the case.

After the healing time we place a titanium implant.

Looks scary?

It's not.

It's basically just an artificial tooth.

If we can replace hearts and hips then why not a tooth?

In about 6 weeks we will put a beautiful white (no metal)

crown on this implant and the patient should have no more troubles.

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What is wrong with my tongue?!

2012-01-25T14:55:00.000-08:00

It's called geographic tongue.

Geographic tongue is a condition where the tissue of the tongue will vary in

appearance from one section of the tongue to another.

The location, size, color and duration of the variations is different from person to person

and can even change within the same person over time.

There is no real threat with geographic tongue. Most people with geographic

tongue don't even know they have it. All they know is that they have always

had this funnysection of their tongue that changes texture and color from time to time.

The only main side effect coincidental with geographic tongue is a heightened

sensitivity to spicy foods form time to time. These episodes will occur as

the spots of the geographic tongue go through their phase of appearing and

then disappearing.

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2012-01-23T08:50:00.000-08:00

Mr C. came to our office one day with a failing root canal.

Like other medical procedures, root canals can fail.

After weighing the options Mr C. decided to have

the tooth extracted and an implant placed.

(Before the extraction.)

Showing the root canal and a pretty decent sized infection.

Tooth was extracted and a bone graft was placed in the site.

Waiting time will be about 3 weeks.

Day of the surgery went very well.

Head of the implant is flush with the bone so our aesthetics should look great.
Infection now gone and infected area even starting to fill in a little.

8 weeks from now we will have a beautiful new tooth on there.

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Billie

2012-01-19T09:16:00.000-08:00

This is Billie.

Billie didn't like the gap in her front teeth.

Billie didn't want to spend years and money with braces.

We told Billie that cosmetic bonding might be right for her.

Here are Billie's before and afters.

30 minutes

No shots

Cheap as a regular filling.

Billie is a happy patient

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Which Dentist Is Right For You?

2012-01-18T08:58:00.000-08:00

Well, that's kind of likeasking if all apples are the same. Apples come in different colors.Apples come in different sizes. Apples come with a variety offlavors.

So what apple is right foryou? That depends on the situation. Is it a hot summers day and youjust want an apple that will taste good? Or are you looking to makea pie and need an apple that is good for baking? The answer to thesetwo questions would lead you to two very different varieties ofapples. Yet they are both still called apples.

The same can be said fordentists. Every dentist has had to go to a qualified dental school toget his/her degree. Every dentist has had to take the same nationalexaminations to prove that they are proficient at certain types ofdentistry. Therefore, anyone that legally can be called a dentist ispretty much the same thing.

So what dentist is rightfor you. Like the apples, that depends on what you are looking for.If you want convenience then do an internet search for dentists andyou can find the absolute closest dentist to you by mileage. If youwant the cheapest dentist then call dental offices and ask what theircost is on a certain procedure. You can then find the cheapestdentist out there.

These factors are the easyones. But what if you want a dentist that is good with kids. What ifyou want a dentist that has a good cosmetic eye and can not only fixyour teeth but make them look attractive as well. What if you want agood bedside manner, etc. etc. etc.

These are some of thetougher ones. For this you need to do a little more homework. Goonline and read reviews. Ask neighbors, friends, and family. Ask tosee before and after pictures of work they have done. Ask if theyhave gotten any extra training in any particular aspect of dentistry.Ask if there are procedures that they choose not to do. Even thoughevery dentist can do a root canal, some choose not to.

Once you have found all ofthis out you can choose which dentist is right for you. Last thingyou want is to take a bite thinking you have a golden delicious andend up with a granny smith.

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Implant case

2012-01-17T08:47:00.000-08:00

Here is as straight forward of an implant case as you will see.

Patient had a failing root canal on a pre-molar tooth.

Tooth was extracted and a single implant placed.

After healing had occurred then a solid zirconium crown was put in place.

Patient is very happy with the result.

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I don't have any back teeth. What are my options?

2012-01-16T11:18:00.000-08:00

Over the years many people, for one reason or another,

have lost some of their back teeth (molars).

What are the options to replace these teeth?

Some of the more common options are dentures and/or implants.

But there is another option that most people are not aware exists.

It is called a cantilever bridge.

What is a cantilever bridge you say?

Well, first we need to discuss what a cantilever is.

The pictures below illustrate cantilevers.

It is when something is stretched out into space without any support on one end.

So what does this have to do with dentistry?

Below you will see a picture of a cantilever bridge.

You can place a crown on your furthest back tooth and then hang

another crown off the back of that.

The conditions have to be right for this to happen, but if they are

then it can work really well.

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2012-01-13T14:04:00.001-08:00

There has been a large push in the media over this issue but we are still

seeing it in the office so I think it bears repeating.

Early childhood cavities are bad news.

These cavities are costly to fix, it is harder to keep them intact,

and drilling on children gives them a bad perception

of what going to the dentist is all about, which will stay with them

for a long long time and effect how they view dental care in the future.

Simple rule of thumb here.

Do not give your children anything to drink, that is not water, in between meals.

At meal time they can have lots of stuff.

Juice, milk, koolaid, etc.

After the meal is over have them brush their teeth or swish with a glass of water.

This will help clean the sugars out of their mouths that they got form the meal.

ANY other time you should be giving them water.

It is the child that is continuously exposed to sugars that will get the cavities.

And for the love of all that is good and holy do not, under any circumstances,

put your child to bed with a bottle of juice, milk, or anything else.

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Does my child need braces?

2012-01-10T09:21:00.000-08:00

We get this question a lot.

And the answer is directly related to the definition of the word "need".

There are very few things that we "need" in life.

Water, food, and shelter being among them.

You only "need" to have braces if the misalignment of your teeth

is so great that is causing you health problems.

Health problems such as the inability to eat properly,

trouble speaking clearly, and/or experiencing extreme

amounts of tooth decay because your teeth are simply to hard to clean properly.

Other then these instances braces are a "want" and not a "need".

It is simply a cosmetic issue at that point.

Do women "need" to die their hair when it turns gray?

Do men "need" to trim their eyebrows when they get over 3 inches long?

So the determination of whether or not your child "needs" braces is

pretty much up to you and your child.

For more information on braces and all other things orthodontic

you can talk to your dentist or contact an orthodontist directly.

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You may need an apicoectomy?

2012-01-09T15:32:00.000-08:00

I may need a what!?

Okay, its not something you hear everyday but its something that can

be very helpful if you find your self with a failing root canal.

Root canals do not always work.

Just as a knee replacement or a back surgery may

not always work, the same is true with a root canal.

So what can be done if a root canal you got is starting to hurt

and possibly become infected?

One option is called an apicoectomy.

This procedure is not for every instance.

Proximity to the sinus cavity and/or nerves

may make this procedure impossible.

But if your tooth is a candidate then this is how it works.

Below is a picture of a tooth with an infection at the end

that has already had a root canal.

A small access to the root of the tooth is made

by making a small incision into the gums and then the underlying bone.

The infected area and tip of the root is removed.

This will allow the root canal and tooth to remain intact

while still removing the infection.

After the infection is removed the gum tissue is re-sealed and the healing can begin.

This procedure is very effective and does no further harm to the tooth.

This is especially important if the tooth was crowned after the root canal was finished.

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Cosmetic Bonding - Before and After

2012-01-05T10:45:00.000-08:00

Cosmetic bonding is such a wonderful treatment.

Things that people have been dealing with for years can

be corrected in a matter of minutes without any shots and

at relatively low cost when compared with the alternatives.

This is Nancy.

Nancy had always hated the gaps in her front teeth.

Nancy has 3 kids and did not want to go through braces.

She also did not want to spend gobs of money on crowns or veneers.

So we did a procedure called cosmetic bonding.

Cosmetic bonding simply means placing a small white filling

on the side of each tooth that makes up the gap.

The fillings simply glue on, like all other fillings,

and are very durable.

Nancy Before.

Nancy After

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GAG!

2012-01-04T14:26:00.000-08:00

What is gagging?

Gagging is simply a defense mechanism that your body has to keep you from chocking.

Now this is typically a good thing. No one wants to get something down "the wrong pipe".

This however, can cause problems at the dentist office.

Having a bad gag reflex can make it almost impossible to get certain dental work done.

The picture below will show several items.

The soft palate is what we are interested in for this discussion.

When something touches the soft palate the bodies natural reaction will be

to close your throat off and prevent whatever it is that just touched the

soft palate from continuing down your throat and choking you to death.

Another spot where the gag reflex comes into play is tongue.

This can be a little more problematic then the soft palate gag reflex.

Not much will ever touch your soft palate but your tongue gets touched

all the time as you eat or whenever you go to the dentist.

Not much can be done for the soft palate gag reflex but there is help for the tongue.

Take your tooth brush and find the spot that makes you gag.

Start brushing your tongue at a spot that does not make you gag and

work your way toward that spot. Keep doing that day after day until you

can brush anywhere on your tongue without gagging.

Another trick would be to place a little bit of salt on your tongue, where it

makes you gag, before going to the dentist. That will, hopefully,

distract that spot long enough for you to get done what is you need done.

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What does Meth do to your teeth? (WARNING, not pretty)

2012-01-03T10:01:00.001-08:00

There is a drug out there known as Meth.

Its not good for a whole boat load of reasons.

But seeing as how I am a dentist I will focus on the dental problems.

The first problem is that Meth causes your salivary glands to stop producing spit.

This may not seem like a big thing, but it is.

Just imagine if your tear ducts stopped producing tears.

Your eyes would dry out in a big hurry.

Dry eyes would be painful and damage would begin to occur.

Same thing with teeth.

Dry teeth will end up being painful and damaged teeth.

(Early meth use)

The next problem is that Meth will make a person grind their teeth.

Scientists really aren't sure why but they have seen it enough to know that it happens.

Grinding of brittle dry teeth will cause fractures to begin happening.

(Moderate Meth use)

Finally Meth will cause people to just not care anymore.

And when you really don't care about your teeth you really don't

take care of them and you really don't care eat of drink anymore either.

The black spots on the gums are what's left of the teeth.

They have either rotted, been broken down to, the gums.

(Severe Meth use)

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Do I brush too hard?

2012-01-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

Some patients will tell me that they are noticing little

grooves at the base of there teeth, right by the gums.

They wonder what they are, and if anything can be done to prevent

them from getting worse and/or to stop them from happening on their other teeth?

Here is what is going on.

The white stuff that covers your teeth is called enamel.

The enamel only goes as far as the gums however.

If you start to feel a little groove at the base of your teeth

or start to see a band of discoloration both of these may be

due to something called "Gum Recession".

As your gums start to recede the root structure of your teeth

starts to be uncovered.

The root structure of your tooth is much more sensitive to

hots and colds, is much softer and more prone to cavities, and

has a much darker color then the enamel.

The number one cause of this is brushing too hard, too long, and/or too often.

Nothing can be done to fix what has happened.

Fillings can be placed over the effected area to cover it up

but the gums will never grow back up to the enamel line.

To stop this from happening in the future I recommend using the softest toothbrush

you can find, the mildest toothpaste you can find, and making sure that you

use very light pressure as you brush.

These things will aid in keeping your gums as healthy as possible without beating them up too bad.

Sometimes this gum recession is simply due to genetics and there is nothing

that can be done about this. In those instances the same steps should be

used to slow the progress on the recession for as long as possible.

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I just broke my front tooth. Now what?

2011-12-30T08:21:00.000-08:00

Okay so you, your child, your mom, your brother, etc. etc. just fell face first into something, over something, under something, etc. etc. and broke the corner of your/their front tooth off.

What do you do now?

Well, that depends. Lets break this down into 3 simplified categories.

The nerve of a tooth is in the middle of the tooth.

#1 If you just broke off a small corner of the tooth and it didn't reach the nerve then a simple filling is probably all you would need.

#2 If you broke off a larger corner but still didn't reach the nerve then you more then likely would need a crown.

#3 If you broke your tooth so severely that you got down into the nerve then you will need a root canal AND a crown.

And although all of this may be a traumatic experience don't worry. Your cracked and broken smile can be completely repaired and have you back to being the model you know you were born to be.

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Do Root Canals have to be painful?

2011-12-29T12:49:00.000-08:00

If the conditions are right a root canal absolutely does NOT need to be

any more uncomfortable then any other dental procedure.

There are a ton of stories out there about root canals that were so terrible

that the people didn't ever want to go back to the dentist.

Most of the stories about painful root canals comes from root canals that

were done many many years ago.

Technology has changed and root canal procedures

today are much better then they once were.

A root canal is simply cleaning out the inside of the tooth.

Teeth are hollow. The inside is filled with nerves and blood vessels.

A root canal is a procedure where we clean out the inside of the tooth.

Since the tooth then no longer has any nerves it can no longer

send painful impulses to your brain and you are back to your old happy self.

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2011-12-27T09:13:00.000-08:00

Oh the dreaded New Years Resolutions.

We all make them and then by February we have all broken them.

My opinion is that we set our goals to high.

Start small, get that nailed down then up the goal throughout the year.

So what awesome goal could I be suggesting as your dentist.

Well its not awesome but it is a goal that most of us need to set.

Its flossing.

I know, boring.

But the number one cause of cavities in my office is due to a lack of flossing.

You can brush 5 times a day and still have a mouth full of cavities.

The reason for this is because no matter how hard you push the

bristles on your toothbrush will NEVER get in between your teeth.

Flossing is the only way.

Now remember not to set the goal to high.

If you don't floss everyday lets start at 3 times a week.

That will be enough to fight off most of the cavities.

After you get that down then we can move on to loftier goals.

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How do I know if I need a Root Canal?

2011-12-20T10:11:00.000-08:00

Teeth are like any other part of your body.

Sometimes they may have a funny little pain here and there.

Sometimes these pains come one minute and are gone the next

and sometimes they come and stick around for a while longer.

So how do you know if your tooth is in real trouble and not

just having some fleeting little discomfort?

These are the 3 questions that we ask folks to determine if

they are having a serious problem and may need a root canal.

#1 Does your tooth hurt to chew on?

#2 Is your tooth sensitive to hot and cold temperature changes?

#3 Does your tooth ever start hurting for no reason (while watching tv etc.)?

If you answer yes to only 1 of these questions then the fix may fairly simple.

If you answer yes to all three, then the chances are that something

much more involved may be needed.

No matter the case it is best to see your dentist if any discomfort

lasts longer then a day.

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Tooth Replacement in a Day?

2011-12-19T11:35:00.000-08:00

"Painless tooth replacement"

"Teeth in a day"

We have all heard these claims and typically they are accompanied by promises that the doctor can,

almost magically, take out all of your teeth, put implants in, and place crowns on the teeth

with little to no pain, in just one day.

They may even show the patient biting into an apple right after the procedure.

In very rare and unique circumstances this MAY be the case. But for the other 99.7% of us, its not.

Anytime you have surgery of ANY kind you need to heal.

The picture below shows a site where a tooth was recently extracted.

This site will be very tender for several days while the body heals.

That's just the way it works. Blood will rush to the site of any injury thus

creating inflammation (swelling) and moderate discomfort.

If implants are placed that too will cause some type of discomfort.

To say that teeth can be extracted and implants placed and that you can begin

eating right away with no pain whatsoever is just not true. What is typically

happening is that these people are trying to suck you in and then sell you on something else.

Simply do lots and lots of homework before letting these places touch your mouth.

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Free I-Pod with Brain Surgery

2011-12-15T09:25:00.000-08:00

Would you get your brain surgery from a surgeon who advertised that

you would get a free I-Pod if you got your surgery from him?

Would you get a knee replacement from a guy who offered a free

DVD player with every knee replacement?

Of course not!

These things are too important to trust to someone who may be doing

a terrible job on people and is simply trying lure people in with free stuff.

Please use this same logic when you choose your dentist.

Your teeth mean more to you then you will ever know.

Good looking teeth will help in your self confidence, relationships, getting a job,

respect of co-workers, neighbors, etc.

What do you think of when you see someone with no teeth, missing teeth,

badly stained teeth, etc?

You may place labels on them that are not all that flattering.

These labels may not be true but someone that has a horrible looking

smile may be overlooked for someone, less qualified, but with a better looking smile.

Getting freebies is cool.

But get the freebies from Old Navy or some place like that.

DO NOT get your freebies from someone that will be providing medical or

dental care to you that may effect you the rest of your life.

Ask around.

Get referrals.

Ask to see before and after pictures.

Know before you go.

If you really want the free I-Pod that is great.

Just don't be shocked if the teeth you end up with don't match your expectations.

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Cosmetic Bonding Mindy Anderton Wright

2011-12-14T08:01:00.000-08:00

This is a cosmetic case for Mindy Anderton Wright.

She is a part time hygienist for our office and the shortest sister in law I have.

She has always hated a gap she had in front of one of her teeth.

She finally decided to do something about it.

(She decided to wait and see what to do with the gap in back of the tooth.)

This procedure took 20 minutes.

No shots. No pain.

She is ecstatic with the results!!

Before

After

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How did I get a cavity?

2011-12-13T08:02:00.000-08:00

Happens everyday.

I tell people they have cavities and they look at me

with this questioning and confused look and say,

"How do I have cavities? I brush my teeth."

This is probably just an eternal battle for me as a dentist.

For a person to say...

"How can I have cavities? I brush"

Is like saying...

"How did my engine overheat? I put water in the radiator."

Good job on the water.

That is a very necessary part of helping keep your engine cool.

However, so is adding oil to the engine itself.

Adding the water is nice but its not enough.

Just as brushing is nice but it is not enough, on its own, to prevent tooth decay.

Moral to the story.

Brush AND Floss

Got it?

Good.

Now have a wonderful day.

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Which Electric Toothbrush is Better?

2011-12-12T08:57:00.001-08:00

Okay, because you asked.

When the topic of electric toothbrushes comes up there are two big questions that I always get asked.

Questions.

#1 Do I need one.

#2 Which one is the best.

Answers

#1 No. You do not need an electric tooth brush. If you are a diligent brusher then it does not really matter if your tooth brush uses batteries for power or uses you for power. The results can be the same. This is not to say that the results will be the same in the same amount of time. Because they wont. The manual tooth brush will take a little longer but it is capable of doing the same thing.

# 2 This question is like asking which car is the best. Well, a Ferrari is the fastest and looks the best, but a Toyota Camry will do you just fine. The same is true for tooth brushes. There are tooth brushes out there that can run you over $300. They have timers to tell you when to stop. they will talk to you and tell you to switch sides of the mouth. They have pressure sensors to tell you if you are brushing too hard. And they look really cool. However, the electric toothbrushes that cost $10 can do just as much for cleaning your teeth. The whole idea behind cleaning your teeth is just to get the bristles to remove the plaque. Little timers are nice but if you are capable of getting your teeth clean without a timer then what is the point.

So what do I use?

I use an Oral B electric. I like the way it feels when it cleans and it seems to work well for me. My wife uses a Sonicare, and can't stand my Oral B. Conversely I have used her Sonicare and that thing drives me up the wall. So there is a lot to be said here about personal preference.

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Can anything be done about my teeth grinding?

2011-12-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

Teeth grinding is a tough thing to deal with.

The problem here is that most teeth grinding is done while you sleep.

Thus, you are doing it subconsciously.

Well, unless you can control your subconscious then you might be out

of luck in making yourself stop grinding all together.

So what can be done?

The only thing that can be done is an attempt to stop the damage being

done from the grinding.

Serious damage can occur as you grind your teeth.

Chipped teeth is one of the biggest things.

To help avoid chipping, and even completely breaking, your

teeth we recommend a night guard.

Its not complicated.

Its just a piece of plastic that is made to fit your teeth.

The fit needs to be fairly tight so that it does not fall off into your mouth at night.

You will still be doing the grinding but instead of grinding teeth on

teeth you are now grinding teeth on plastic.

Over time the plastic will wear out and you will need a new one.

It is however, much cheaper to replace a piece of plastic then it is to replace your teeth.

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Are Clear Plastic Braces for You?

2011-12-06T12:39:00.000-08:00

Everyone calls these types of braces Invisalign.

However, another product is out on the market that

does the exact same thing except less expensive.

This product is called Clear Correct.

The trays are still clear.

Your teeth still move.

You can still take them out.

If you have orthodontic insurance you are still covered.

So are there any differences?

Yes

You pay less.

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Your Child and Getting a Mouth Guard.

2011-12-05T08:15:00.000-08:00

As the winter months are upon us my kids, and perhaps yours,

are starting up things like indoor soccer, wrestling, or basketball.

No doubt that these activities will lead to a few bumps and bruises.

In time these bumps, bruises, and even broken bones will heal.

Something that would not heal however, is a broken tooth.

Teeth, unlike bones, will not grow back.

To save teeth requires root canals, crowns, and any number of other things.

Please Please Please.......

get your child a mouth guard to wear during their sporting events.

The ones that you can buy from the store and mold to your

child's teeth will do, but a custom made mouth guard from

a dentist is always the best way to assure the best way to go.

I don't care if you get one from me or the other guy.

That is not the point.

The point is to protect your child's teeth.

They will have them for a very long time.

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Are pacifiers bad for your kids?

2011-12-01T15:01:00.000-08:00

Well, like most things, the answer is ............ it depends.

Sucking is a very natural and calming thing for a baby to do.

I have given each and every one of my 5 kids a pacifier.

None of them are delayed in their teeth coming in, have any speech problems, or had any thumb sucking problems due to using a pacifier.

There are some obvious things you should be concerned with.

If you use a clip and a cord to keep the pacifier attached to your child's clothes make sure the cord is short enough that can't choke the baby.

Once your child gets to kindergarten make sure that they only use the pacifier at home. Being known as the only kid that had a pacifier in kindergarten could seriously damage your child's chances at getting asked to junior prom.

Seriously though, allowing your child to have a pacifier for the first few years of life is, in my opinion, not a problem.

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What kind of teeth bleaching is right for me?

2011-11-30T07:37:00.000-08:00

Teeth whitening is a very hot topic these days.

It seems as though everybody and their dog is offering to have your

teeth whitened for life, by tomorrow.

So what is real and what is hype?

As a disclaimer let me just say that tooth whitening can be accomplished successfully with ANY of these methods and that the following is based on fact with my opinion thrown in for flavor.

There are basically 3 ways to whiten your teeth.

#1 With the whiteners you buy in the stores.

This includes strips, trays, paint on stuff, etc.

Couple of things to consider here. The strength of the bleach has to be over the counter strength which is going to be less then bleach you can get form your dentist. Its like buying Tylenol from the store vs getting Lortab from the dentist. Next is the way the bleach is delivered. Below is a picture of a bleaching strip. Since this strip is sold to everyone, it then by nature, fits no one. Administering bleach to the masses can be a very inexact science that could lead to burned gums or uneven bleaching of the teeth.

#2 Is custom trays made by your dentist and you do the bleaching at home.

This way of bleaching has a lot of up side.

First the strength of bleach is prescription strength which will allow you to bleach faster. Second while bleaching faster it is still slow enough to stop when you begin feeling too much sensitivity. Lastly the trays are made specifically for you. They will fit no one else and thus deliver the bleach right to where it is needed.

#3 In office light whitening.

This option is nice because it is the fastest. But there are some draw backs. The machines to do the bleaching are expensive so the cost must be passed on the the patient. Next, you can't stop bleaching when you begin to feel sensitive. You will lay back being one shade and be several shades lighter when you sit up. If you happen to have lightened up too much and your teeth are very sensitive to even breath you are kind of out of luck.

So again, there are probably many of you reading this that have gotten your teeth whitened by any of the ways just mentioned and it has worked well for you. And that is great. I personally have chosen to offer only the 2nd option in my office as I feel it is the best bang for the buck and offers the least chance of complications for my patients.

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Implant case

2011-11-29T15:48:00.000-08:00

Here is an implant case that we did several months ago.

The patient came in with a broken lower molar.

She decided that instead of trying the heroic measures necessary to save her own tooth that she would get an implant placed.

The extraction and immediate implant placement went very well.

The healing took place over an 8 week period.

The abutment was in for an additional 2 weeks.

The crown was then placed this morning.

Wonderful alternative to root canals, posts, core buildups, etc.

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What is a retainer and what kinds are there?

2011-11-28T13:38:00.000-08:00

Lots of people ask me about retainers.

Most retainers are given to folks from their orthodontists.

The type of retainer you have really depends on the personal preference of the Orthodontist.

Some orthodontists like the retainers that you can take in and out every night.

These come in two forms. The ones that use wire to retain the teeth position

and the ones that are made simply of clear plastic.

Other orthodontists like the small metal wires that are actually

glued to the teeth and can not be removed.

So which one is better?

That depends on what irritates you most.

Would it irritate you more to have something glued into your

mouth that you could never take out?

Or would it irritate you more to always have to remember to put your retainer

in every night and take it with you on every trip vacation and overnighter you go on?

Both will do a fine job.

My Mother has a retainer that she puts in every night and has done so for over 30 years.

My wife has a bonded metal wire that she has had in place for over 20 years.

Both seem to like what they have and wouldn't change.

If you have a particular type of retainer and you would like

to try another kind that is no problem.

We can switch you to another kind, let you try it for a while, and then

switch you back if you don't like it.

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Did you just sneeze on me!!??

2011-11-22T09:10:00.000-08:00

We have all had it happen to us.

A co-worker lets out a sneeze without covering their mouths.

You try, without the sneezer noticing, to politely turn away as to not ingest their germs.

Does that work?

Well, only if you are really really fast about it.

A sneeze comes out of your mouth at hundreds of miles an hour.

That's right.

HUNDREDS!!

Estimates are a little scattered as to just how fast but it ranges anywhere from

100 mph to 800 mph. But regardless of which of these numbers is closer

to the real number is kind of irrelevant. The point is that unless you can turn your head

very very quickly you are out of luck. The sneezer's germs are now your germs.

Best thing to do is to tell the sneezer to cover his/her mouth!

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What is an underbite

2011-11-21T15:16:00.000-08:00

Typically your upper teeth protrude out over your lower teeth.

This makes it so that when you close your teeth you see mainly see your upper teeth.

In some cases the lower teeth will cover the upper teeth when you close.

This is known as an under bite.

Under bites can come in two forms.

#1 is a problem with the tilt of the teeth.

If the lower teeth are flared out or the top teeth are pushed in then an under bite may occur.

This problem can usually be corrected very easily with orthodontics.

#2 is a skeletal problem.

This means that the lower jaw grew to far out or the upper jaw didn't grow

out far enough or both.

This kind of under bite can also be corrected with orthodontics, but

in severe cases may require surgery to fix.

Best thing to do is to get your child to an orthodontist if you suspect that trouble.

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Your teeth have something to say.

2011-11-17T11:39:00.000-08:00

Your teeth will speak volumes before you ever have a chance to say a word.

Your teeth say a lot about you whether you like it or not.

Look at the following pictures and say the first thoughts that come to your mind.

Ok. So what were your thoughts?

Were they positive thoughts about these people or negative.?

Bear in mind that you do not know these people.

You do not know their personalities.

You do not know their contributions to society.

You simply can see their teeth.

Now take a look at the following picture.

What are the first thoughts you have about this person?

Are your thoughts about this person different then the others?

Why?

Teeth make a huge difference.

Getting a job, impressing a potential boss, making friends, etc.

It may not be fair but its true.

Don't let your teeth say the wrong things about you.

No matter the situation there are things that can be done.

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80's dentistry

2011-11-16T10:37:00.001-08:00

It happens all the time.

Someone comes into my office that hasn't been for a long long time. I ask why it is that they have not come for so many years. They reply that they had a bad experience once and that they can't stand the noise of the drill or the feel of the novocaine or something similar to that.

I ask them how long its been and the response comes back that they haven't been in 20 or 30 years.

I then ask them what their cell phone looked like 25 years ago.

After a puzzled look they go on to describe a boxy bulky phone that weighed a ton. I then ask them to describe their personal computer. They go on to talk about floppy disks and commodore 64s.

I then explain that just like in every other area of their life, things move on. Technology advances and things improve. Dentistry of 30 years ago is NOT dentistry of today. I tell them of quieter drills and how we don't use metal fillings anymore and on and on. The real kicker comes in when I tell them that we haven't used novocaine in over 20 years! I don't even know if you can buy the stuff anymore. Even the stuff we use to numb people up with has evolved immensely.

Moral to the story is this. If you have had a bad dental experience in the past. But it was the past of the 80s or even 90s. Please give the dentist another try. Things are so much better now then they have ever been. Technology can be a wonderful thing.

Don't know why I included this one. Just love the 80s hair.

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80's dentistry

2011-11-16T10:37:00.000-08:00

It happens all the time.

I ask them how long its been and the response comes back that they haven't been in 20 or 30 years.

I then ask them what their cell phone looked like 25 years ago.

After a puzzled look they go on to describe a boxy bulky phone that weighed a ton. I then ask them to describe their personal computer. They go on to talk about floppy disks and commodore 64s.

Don't know why I included this one. Just love the 80s hair.

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Are those supposed to feel like separate teeth?!

2011-11-14T12:55:00.000-08:00

Your teeth are all meant to have some space in between them.

Some teeth have only a tiny space and may be very hard to floss.

Some teeth have more space and may be very easy to floss.

But all teeth are supposed to have space between them.

Take your tongue and run it along the back side of your bottom front teeth.

Does it feel like a wall of teeth or does it feel like individual teeth?

If it feels like a wall of teeth with very little space in between then you need a cleaning.

Below is a picture of some front lower teeth before and after they were cleaned.

The yellow stuff in between the teeth is build up that is too hard to

be cleaned off by your tooth brush alone.

The only way to get this stuff off is by a trained dental hygienist or dentist.

It doesn't look very good but that is not the worst part.

The worst part is the bacteria that can be harbored in your mouth

and thus pose health risks, some severe, throughout your entire body.

Before the cleaning.

After the cleaning.

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Why are my new fillings so sensitive?

2011-11-10T13:21:00.000-08:00

New fillings that are placed by your dentist should not be sensitive.

If they are they should not remain that way for long.

Some very large fillings may take longer then others, but

eventually every filling should calm down.

So what exactly is going on when a fillings sensitive?

It has to do with expansion and contraction.

As with most things, when a tooth is exposed to hot or cold

temperatures it will expand or contract accordingly.

If a tooth has never had a filling it will all contract and expand at the same time.

If a tooth HAS had a filling however this is where we may get an issue.

If the tooth and the filling have a different point at which they want

to expand or contract then there can be some discomfort.

Over time this discomfort should go away as the tooth gets used to the filling.

If the discomfort does not go away then the filling needs to be re-done.

If it still hurts then there are some different types of filling materials that can be used.

If it still hurts then other treatments may be needed.

Filling sensitivity is a funny thing.

Someone can get 4 fillings in the same day.

Same doctor.

Same filling material.

Same everything.

But only 1 will end up hurting.

It is a real tooth by tooth thing and can drive patients, and dentists, crazy!

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Does Dr. Ellis.........?

2011-11-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

I get asked all the time, "Dr. Ellis do you......"

followed by all kinds of questions.

Here is a little list of the most popular questions I get.

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Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

2011-11-07T11:39:00.000-08:00

There has been a large push in the media over this issue but we are still

seeing it in the office so I think it bears repeating.

Early childhood cavities are bad news.

These cavities are costly to fix, it is harder to keep them intact,

and drilling on children gives them a bad perception

of what going to the dentist is all about, which will stay with them

for a long long time and effect how they view dental care in the future.

Simple rule of thumb here.

Do not give your children anything to drink, that is not water, in between meals.

At meal time they can have lots of stuff.

Juice, milk, koolaid, etc.

After the meal is over have them brush their teeth or swish with a glass of water.

This will help clean the sugars out of their mouths that they got form the meal.

ANY other time you should be giving them water.

It is the child that is continuously exposed to sugars that will get the cavities.

And for the love of all that is good and holy do not, under any circumstances,

put your child to bed with a bottle of juice, milk, or anything else.

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Are dental implants safe?

2011-11-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

Yes.

The question of safety with dental implants is one that seems to persist

among the general population.

Perhaps a lack of news coverage is responsible for this.

Someone getting a heart or lung replaced gets a lot more attention

(as it should) then replacing a tooth.

So lets see if this helps.

This is a picture of an artificial heart.

This is a diagram of a real heart.

This is a diagram of the lungs.

All 3 of these items are very complex.

Yet doctors, very successfully, place (transplant) these items into patients all the time.

Below you will see a diagram of a tooth implant.

Yup, that's it.

Its a titanium screw.

No moving parts are pieces.

Far less complex then the heart or the lung.

The point.

Please please please do not be afraid of dental implants.

Replacing severely broken teeth with implants is safe and simple.

If you think you may be a candidate simply talk to your dentist

about implants and if they are right for you.

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Get those ugly metal fillings out!!

2011-11-03T16:08:00.000-07:00

This is patient E.

She didn't like the look of her old metal fillings.

She wanted them out.

So we got her hopped up on some happy gas.

Numbed her up.

And away we went.

All the teeth before.

Individual tooth before.

All the teeth after.

Individual tooth after.

Patient E was very excited to be done with her metal fillings.

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Before and After

2011-11-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

The picture quality is not as good as I would like but you get the idea.

Patient came into the office with some trouble on her two front teeth.

She had bonding done on the teeth about 22 years ago.

The bonding had since chipped and discolored.

The gums had also receded which revealed more discolored tooth up by the gumline.

We removed all of the old bonding.

The patient chose the color that best suited her and it was placed within about 45 min.

Patient was happy with result and if there is anything that she does not

like then we can change it just that fast.

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Does getting a root canal hurt?

2011-10-31T11:47:00.000-07:00

If the conditions are right a root canal absolutely does NOT need to be

any more uncomfortable then any other dental procedure.

There are a ton of stories out there about root canals that were so terrible

that the people don't ever want to go back to the dentist.

Most of the stories about painful root canals comes from root canals that

were done many many years ago.

Technology has changed and root canal procedures

today are much better then they once were.

The second biggest reason why people have tough

times with root canals is they wait too long.

Please do not wait until your face is swollen to come into the dentist.

The swelling, and infection associated with it, make it very hard to get someone numb.

A root canal is simply cleaning out the inside of the tooth.

Teeth are hollow. The inside is filled with nerves and blood vessels.

A root canal is a procedure where we clean out the inside of the tooth.

Since the tooth then no longer has any nerves it can no longer

feel pain and you are back to your old happy self.

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Most fun part of my job.

2011-10-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

Doing these kinds of cases is a really fun part of my job.

The patient went through an initial cosmetic bonding process in the 70's.

Since then the bonding has discolored and chipped.

He decided it was time for a change.

Before

Half way there.

After!!

Helping people feel great about their teeth is something that I love to do.

This is all bonding.

No Shots.

No pain.

Same cost as fillings.

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I told you so!!

2011-10-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

There is something that I hate to see and hear at my office.

It is to see a parent tell a child "I told you to brush your teeth"

while they are shaking their finger at them.

This phrase is said by parents whose children have cavities

and will need to get their teeth filled.

Now, I am a parent of 5 children myself.

And I am all for natural consequences.

If I tell you to bring a jacket and you don't and you get cold,

well then that is the child's fault and a little cold air won't do any harm.

But the whole scene in the dental office is different.

If we are putting fillings into permanent teeth, then your child

is bound to need fairly extensive work on these teeth later in life.

A tooth that has no filling is MUCH better of long term then

a tooth that has even a small filling that is placed very young.

I know dentistry does not seem like a serious health issue, but it can be.

Its like taking your kids to get immunized.

They cry and say they don't want to.

You then say, "Fine but you'll regret it."

Then 10 years down the road your kids gets some life threatening disease

and you just shake your finger and say "See. Told ya you should

have gotten those immunizations."

You would never do that.

Some things are just too important.

You force your kids to take vitamins.

You make them get their immunizations.

You SHOULD make them brush their teeth.

Either under your supervision or you do it for them when they are young.

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Before and After

2011-10-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

This is one of the largest "gap closure" cases that I have done.

The patient, like most of us, is worried about her funds.

Braces, bridge work, and veneers were not an option.

We were able to close the front 2 teeth and build up the side tooth a little.

The other side tooth is missing and we have other plans for that.

Before

After

About 1 hour on this case.

No shots.

No drilling on the teeth.

Patient was very happy with result.

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Tongue Piercing = Bad Idea

2011-10-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

You see it all the time.

People with barbells sticking out their tongue.

You may even have one yourself.

But is it safe?

In a word...... NO!

Can you feel a stray hair on your arm? Probably not.

Can you feel a stray hair on your leg? Again, probably not.

Can you feel a hair in your mouth? Absolutely.

The reason for this is because the tongue has more nerves contained in it then almost any other part of your entire body. It is very sensitive and very precise. Therefore, ramming a large steel rod through it will certainly damage these nerves. Piercing the tongue can lead to a loss in ability to feel your tongue and ability to taste food.

Besides loss of taste and feel there are also other dangers.

Since the mouth can not be kept sterile, as other parts you may pierce,

the chance of infection is greater. The above picture is a very nicely infected tongue.

Cracking your teeth on a tongue ring is also a very real concern. I have treated many cracked teeth from people biting down on tongue rings.

Want another reason?

How about this one.

If you catch your tongue ring on something.

You can actually pull it out of your tongue and cause, this......

Look Fun????

My suggestion, DON'T DO IT!!!

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It's just a little spot. No big deal. Right?

2011-10-19T16:30:00.000-07:00

Enamel is the white stuff that makes up the outer covering of your teeth.

Enamel is the strongest substance in your body.

It is very difficult for bacteria to penetrate this layer.

Once it does however, the next layer, dentin, is much softer and easier to get through.

Therefore, all it takes is one little spot of decay to get into your tooth

and you could be in serious trouble.

Once bacteria are on the inside of the tooth they begin to multiply.

Bacteria need food, water, and warmth to multiply.

And your mouth has an abundance of all three.

Here is a before and after picture of a case that we just did today.

The patient came in complaining of intense pain but did not know why

as her tooth only showed the most mild of decay.

First picture shows the tooth before we started.

Only a small amount of decay present.

This picture shows the insides of the tooth after the decay was taken out.

The holes in the bottom are the places where the nerve used to be.

This tooth ended up getting a root canal.

Be careful. Any discoloration may be too much.

Get it checked out.

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Meth Mouth

2011-10-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

There is a drug out there known as Meth.

Its not good for a whole boat load of reasons.

But seeing as how I am a dentist I will focus on the dental problems.

The first problem is that Meth causes your salivary glands to stop producing spit.

This may not seem like a big thing, but it is.

Just imagine if your tear ducts stopped producing tears.

Your eyes would dry out in a big hurry.

Dry eyes would be painful and damage would begin to occur.

Same thing with teeth.

Dry teeth will end up being painful and damaged teeth.

(Early meth use)

The next problem is that Meth will make a person grind their teeth.

Scientists really aren't sure why but they have seen it enough to know that it happens.

Grinding of brittle dry teeth will cause fractures to begin happening.

(Moderate Meth use)

Finally Meth will cause people to just not care anymore.

And when you really don't care about your teeth you really don't

take care of them and you really don't care eat of drink anymore either.

The black spots on the gums are what's left of the teeth.

They have either rotted, been broken down to, the gums.

(Severe Meth use)

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Its called pericoronitis

2011-10-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

That's right. You may have a Pericoronits.

It simple terms it is a little flap of skin that is hanging over the top of your last tooth.

Or it may be that the tooth isn't all the way in yet and its half covered by tissue.

Whichever it is, this tissue will tend to get inflamed from time to time.

When it does get inflamed chewing can become very painful.

The problem can be helped by swishing with a mouthwash and ridding the area of debris.

But this is only a short term solution.

What is the long term solution?

# 1 You can get the tooth that is partially erupted taken out.

That works well if the tooth happens to be a wisdom tooth.

But not so well if it happens to be a normal molar.

#2 You can get the tissue trimmed off.

This works very well for normal molars but not so well if the problem is a wisdom tooth.

Whatever the problem happens to be just know that you are not alone

in having this problem and that there are several simple solutions.

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How long will it last?

2011-10-13T13:17:00.001-07:00

"How long will it last doc?" is a question I get asked all the time.

Usually I get asked this question after I tell someone they have a cracked tooth.

The Answer I give people is, "it depends".

And although it sounds like a cop-out it is absolutely the correct answer.

If we can see a crack in a tooth that means that the tooth is giving way.

Whether it is giving way like the beach to erosion.

Or whether it is giving way like a pony with a sumo wrestler in its back

is the question.

It all really depends on your diet.

If you eat nothing but yogurt the rest of your life then the tooth will make it a long time.

If you crush ice and corn nuts with your teeth then the tooth may break by tonight.

So the dentist really doesn't have any idea.

Its all up to you.

Best thing to do is to get it taken care of right away so that you don't test the

limits of your tooth's toughness.

If it does break the consequences could be dire.

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How long will it last?

2011-10-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

"How long will it last doc?" is a question I get asked all the time.

Usually I get asked this question after I tell someone they have a cracked tooth.

The Answer I give people is, "it depends".

And although it sounds like a cop-out it is absolutely the correct answer.

If we can see a crack in a tooth that means that the tooth is giving way.

Whether it is giving way like the beach to erosion.

Or whether it is giving way like a pony with a sumo wrestler in its back

is the question.

It all really depends on your diet.

If you eat nothing but yogurt the rest of your life then the tooth will make it a long time.

If you crush ice and corn nuts with your teeth then the tooth may break by tonight.

So the dentist really doesn't have any idea.

Its all up to you.

Best thing to do is to get it taken care of right away so that you don't test the

limits of your tooth's toughness.

If it does break the consequences could be dire.

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Before and After Cosmetic

2011-10-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

Here is a patient of ours who just wanted to smile again.

She had very weak teeth and was suffering from multiple deep cavities.

Here is her before picture.

The whole procedure took about 2 hours but the patient thought it was worth it.

We used filling material due to the expensive nature of getting every tooth crowned.

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My Kid Just Knocked Their Front Tooth Out?!

2011-10-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

Okay. First of all, as in most traumatic situations.

Do not panic.

Its likely that your child has never gone through this before.

Therefore, they are fairly unaware whether what just happened

to them is simply a minor thing or whether they will soon be in the hospital.

The way they will be able to tell how severe the situation

is is by looking at their parent.

If you are flipping out then they will too.

The first thing to do is to educate yourself BEFORE something like this happens.

It is very important to know when your child's baby teeth will come out naturally.

Here is a chart of, about, when that will happen.

This is important because if the tooth that was just knocked out was about to

come out anyway then there is much less to worry about.

If it's still a year or so away, or you know that its already the permanent tooth

that just got knocked out then there is much more to worry about.

So lets say your child is 8 or 9 years old and it is the adult tooth that just got knocked out.

First thing is to do is obviously check your child for signs of significant injury.

If they hit their face hard enough to knock a tooth out

you need to check for signs of a concussion.

If they seem to be alright except for the tooth then the next step is to find the tooth.

Once the tooth is found treat it very gently.

The tooth is attached to the bone by ligaments.

Parts of those ligaments will still be attached to the tooth and must not be damaged.

First carefully pick off any large pieces of debris.

Secondly the smaller pieces need to be rinsed off.

This is best accomplished by gently rubbing the tooth against the inside of your child's cheek.

This will get all the small particles off and still treat the tooth gently.

Then, are you ready for this..... you need to stick the tooth back in.

That's right, you need to gently place the tooth back into the socket from which it came.

Its pretty simple.

The Skinny part goes in first.

Just simply slide it back into place.

Don't force it. Simply get it as close as you can.

If it wont go or you don't have the stomach for it then place the tooth

into your child's mouth in the bottom jaw in between the cheek and gums.

Holding the tooth there will give it the best chance for survival.

Another idea would be to place it in a glass of milk.

Saliva and milk are the best places for a knocked out tooth.

DON'T place the tooth in a glass of water.

The water will destroy any chance we would have had to

get the tooth to reattach to the body naturally.

Then finally, in all cases, get to a dentist ASAP.

The dentist will know what to do and will give you options depending on the

severity of the accident and the condition of the jaw and tooth.

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