Dental and Mouth Health, Care and Information

By visiting a laser dentist, you’ll have the opportunity to experience a new and exciting technology. We would like to give you some basic information and perhaps reduce any of your concerns.
Dental lasers are a family of instruments. Some lasers are used for surgery, some to cure restorative materials and enhance tooth bleaching, and others to remove tooth structure for elimination of disease and restoration – different lasers for different procedures. All lasers require eye protection. Safety glasses with special lenses will be provided. Family and guests in the dental operatory at the time of your laser treatment may also be asked to wear protective eyeglasses.
Lasers do not make whining sounds or other annoying noises. You may experience the sound of a rush of air, since air suction is often used to keep the area cool and cleaner. You should be able to relax and be comfortable while the dental laser is in use.
Depending on your treatment needs, your dentist may use the laser for a long period of time or possibly only for brief moments. However, even those procedures that require only a short period of laser usage benefit from the advantages of laser therapy. With laser surgery, there is a reduced need for local anesthesia, bleeding is minimized, swelling is controlled, and there is usually little, if any, postoperative discomfort. Laser energy enhances the effect of tooth bleaching agents for a faster and more effective result. Natural looking restorative materials for teeth are more quickly cured to greater hardness. Lasers that remove tooth decay are fast and seldom require anesthesia.
Dental lasers are used for a variety of treatment procedures. Your dentist knows which types of patient care are more patient friendly with a laser than with alternative traditional methods. The dentists using lasers have devoted training time and expense to be able to bring you the many advantages of this exciting new technology.

There is some confusion regarding the use of home teeth whitening kits or solutions and the quality of work done by your dentist or dental office. When it comes to teeth whitening, there are several important differences that anyone should consider.

The first consideration is the convenience getting to the end result. There’s no question that a dentist is interested in your overall dental care. Therefore they are more likely to focus on healthy, usable teeth and less on esthetics. If you think about it, this is actually a good thing.

Understand that the quality of the teeth whitening however is very comparable. The dentist typically will use much stronger whitener gels to achieve faster results. They may also use a laser or blue light which when used with “special” gel is claimed to work even faster. Speed however is not the reason why you’re considering getting your teeth whitened, it’s for a brighter smile.

The dentist will achieve results faster but they also need a formal appointment which makes the dental method less convenient.

The next important point of interest is the ability to whiten or what the final result will look like. Here, both the home teeth whitening solutions and the dentist both do an excellent job. The difference is that although the dentist may get faster results, there is a risk of your teeth becoming sensitive to temperature extremes due to the aggressive nature of the dental whitening materials used.

Another point is the need for occasional maintenance treatments. The benefit here definitely goes to the home whiteners because you can treat your teeth anytime you feel they are starting to get a little stained or dull. The dentist method will require another appointment and treatment at their office.

Finally there’s the overall cost. A high quality home teeth whitening product can be obtained for under 150 dollars. This is typically more than enough to whitening and brighten your smile in less than a couple of weeks. The dental method typically can cost several hundred up to as much as 800 dollars for the initial treatment without considering the expense of the maintenance treatments that will be needed.

Bottom line is that if you have strong and healthy teeth, using a home whitening solution can save you money and deliver the same bright smile and unstained teeth as the dentist. In the end, home whitening is both an economical, safe and convenient way to whiten all your teeth and bring back that youthful smile.

About a year ago, my dentist and hygienist said that I had gingivitis. Actually, I suspect that I’ve had it for over a decade. The interesting thing about gingivitis is that it doesn’t make much noise as it slowly erodes your gum tissue. Sometimes, a lot of bone loss can occur before you become aware of it.

What made me pay attention was when the hygienist wanted me to sign a paper that the office would not be responsible if I lost my teeth. At first I saw this as a possible marketing ploy, since they wanted me to have a root scaling and planing procedure done. That sounded painful and expensive.

I figured that having me sign that paper was part of their attempt to move me in the direction of accepting this treatment. They wanted me to start right away. I declined. I wasn’t about to approve a treatment that sounded so serious without a little investigation of my own.

What I found was disturbing. I think that a lot of people don’t quite understand that bleeding gums, no matter how minute the bleeding, is a bad sign. For example, I’ve heard someone say that their gums only bleed if they push too hard with a toothbrush. She thinks that means she doesn’t have gingivitis or gum disease.

However, you would have to push fairly hard to make healthy gum tissue bleed. Therefore, if a person has gums that bleed from brushing or flossing then there is a chance that person has gingivitis or worse, periodontal disease. A person that notices bleeding gums should check with a dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

I also discovered that a root scaling and planing was not something I wanted either. In fact, a relative of mine had the procedure done. In her opinion, it made her gums worse. The procedure involves numbing the gum tissue and scraping underneath the gum line down to the root to remove any built-up tartar or plaque.

I researched some possible alternative solutions and found something I thought might be promising. I tried it and by the next visit my gums had become healthier. They were better to the point that the hygienist and dentist said that there was no more tarter under the gum line. I no longer needed the root scaling and planing treatment.

I recently visited the dentist again and they said my gums are continuing to improve. This time there was zero bleeding during the probing part where they check for pocket depth with a metal instrument. No bleeding during a checkup is a good sign.

Gingivitis can be hazardous to your health. Infected gums can provide a pathway for bacteria to enter the blood stream. In addition, gingivitis is the major cause of tooth loss and not cavities as one might expect.

If you have or think you might have gingivitis, gum disease or any other health problem, be sure to visit your doctor or dentist for proper diagnosis and treatment.

If you’ve been looking into cheap dental plans because you are concerned about your child’s dental health then there are a few things that you may not be aware of. You see, all dental plans are NOT created equal and some will charge you way too much money and not provide nearly enough coverage. Compared to other things that are available now, some of these other plans are on the verge of being a rip off. Are you curious what I’m referring to? I thought you might be. Read on…

The plans that I’m brining into questionare called, you guessed it - Dental Insurance! What? I’ll bet you thought I was going to tell you how great they are, weren’t you? Regardless, dental insurance is not the best way to get dental care for you or your child. The main reason that I say this is because most “competent” dental insurance plans are very expensive and do NOT cover pre-existing conditions. Pre-existing conditions are any problems that you or your child may have before you purchase the policy. This means that if you or another family member has a cavity, needs a root canal, ect. that you will NOT be covered and will have to pay for treatment out of your own pocket at full price. Dental insurance is more designed for routine care, such as cleanings, flouride treatments and other basic dental work.

If you are in need of a dental plan right away because your child or someone else in your family has a major dental problem, then you need to take a look at a Dental Discount Plan instead. Dental Discount Plans are not an insurance policy, they simply provide big discounts to their members by joining. You’ll see a qualified dentist or dental specialist, depending on the care that you need, and you’ll save anywhere from ten to sixty percent off of the usual cost of the procedure. These dentists are just like any other that you’ve ever seen. As a matter of fact, your current dentist may already be a member without you knowing it.

If you or your children are in need of a good family dental plan, I recommend that you take a look at dental discount plans and compare them directly with dental insurance. Make sure that you read the fine print and you’ll soon see that I’m right.