Dental school is four years in duration, but most forward-looking dentists realize that their formal professional education is only the beginning of their education. For example, Dr. Denise regularly participates in dental study clubs, seminars, and professional meetings to keep up with the latest advances in the dental profession. Scientific advances are occurring at a very rapid rate. These advances affect dental radiology, diagnosis, microbiology, and dental materials. To stay abreast of all these changes, Dr. Denise is very active in continuing dental education courses. In addition, members of his team also regularly attend continuing education courses. The goal is for all members of the team to be aware of new trends in dentistry and also to have the opportunity to talk to colleagues about changes in the dental profession that benefit patients.
7. The Importance of Replacing Missing Teeth When it comes to replacing missing teeth, patients always give priority to missing teeth in the front of the mouth because they do not want unsightly gaps to ruin their smile. On the other hand, when the missing teeth are in the back of the mouth, patients frequently delay getting teeth replaced. They often say, “If no one can see, they why bother replacing the tooth?” It’s a good question. The answer is that missing teeth cause problems that affect other teeth. Missing teeth cause adjacent teeth to move and shift. Also, missing teeth adversely affect the bite. A situation that starts out with one missing tooth can lead to problems with many teeth, because the teeth are designed to work together for biting and chewing. When the symmetry is disrupted, biting forces shift and many otherwise healthy teeth are affected. If you
6. Why Silver Filings Are a Thing of the Past At Denise Dental Studio, we do not use dental amalgams, commonly called “silver fillings.” There has been some controversy regarding the safety of silver fillings, even though main scientific studies have shown that they are perfectly safe. In our office, we do not use silver fillings at all, because we have found that modern composite materials work very well. These are “tooth-colored” fillings that have a much more pleasing appearance because they blend in with the tooth itself. The reason that tooth-colored fillings did not immediately make silver-colored fillings obsolete when they were first introduced is that at first, tooth-colored fillings were not as durable and could not withstand chewing forces and temperature changes. Now, however, thanks to many years of advances in materials, tooth-colored fillings are extremely durable and reliable. They are not only esthetically pleasing, but are also
5. The Best Dental Insurance Patients always ask questions about dental insurance. At Denise Dental Studio, we welcome these questions and we will work with you to answer all inquiries. We have noted that patients like dental insurance because a policy can save patients money on need dental care. However, you don’t have to buy an insurance policy to realize significant savings. One of the best types of “insurance,” or protection from future dental bills, is to visit our office at recommended intervals. Each patient is different, so the old-saying “see you dentist twice a year” is not true for everyone. For some patients, returning to our office at six-month intervals is sufficient, but other patients, depending their overall oral health, should come to the office for a professional cleaning three or four times a year. How can more frequent hygiene visits be more economical? The answer it that hygiene
Gum Disease Linked to General Health If someone has inflammation in some part of their body, their first instinct is to try to get rid of that problem. People with inflammatory problems are highly motivated to seek help quickly because they want to get better. When it comes to gum problems, however, inflammation is often left untreated. Periodontal or gum disease is caused by bacteria. When the bacteria are not removed by regular brushing, flossing, as well as visits to the dentist, a sticky substance called “plaque” forms on the teeth. If the plaque is not removed, it hardens into tartar that cannot be removed by brushing alone. People with gum disease are not only at risk for damaging soft tissue and the bone that supports teeth, they are also at risk for losing teeth. In addition, studies have shown links between gum disease and other systemic diseases such as
