Preserving Your Teeth

Here is a recent CNN article that you may find helpful for your teeth:

For all intents and purposes, we really get only one shot to take care of our teeth.

The good news is, science and research have taken a front seat in dental education, making today's dentist savvy on "prevention" dentistry rather than the "drill, fill and bill" mentality of decades ago.

Things like adhesive dentistry, recalcification and dental implants have given dentists more options. But for many patients, it's a lot of information to process.

Here are five ways you can ensure that you hang on to your teeth as you age:

Educate yourself on dental care.  

Dentistry today has taken a much more conservative approach. But it can be hard to know what your options are. Here are some key points that you should know about dental treatment.Educate yourself on dental care

• Small cavities can be recalcified. Strong doses of fluoride, or something called MI Paste, applied directly to small cavities can actually recalcify or rebuild the enamel, removing the need for a filling.

That said, the key to recalcification is early detection. Regular dental visits are crucial to early detection.

• Fillings, crowns or any dental restoration should be replaced or heavily scrutinized every eight years.

Some patients are of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" era. But the reasoning behind this advice is to eliminate the spread of recurrent cavities that lurk under dental restorations.

The longer you wait to replace dental restorations, the more problems you can run into. If the decay spreads undetected, it may eat up too much healthy tooth structure and need the support of a crown or reach the nerve and need a root canal.

• Make sure your children are getting fluoride treatments until at least the age of 15. Kids, especially, consume a lot of sugar, which breaks down into a biproduct of acid that erodes teeth, quickly causing cavities. Fluoride is a great treatment in rebuilding enamel and neutralizing those acids.

Use an electric toothbrush

In dentistry, the electric toothbrush has been one of the biggest advances in home dental care. Ninety-nine percent of patients don't really know how to brush with a manual brush and, more important, don't brush for the full two minutes needed.

Electric toothbrushes remove the confusion and have a timer to ensure that the full brushing is done at each session. Improper brushing can lead to plaque buildup, swollen gums, cavities and overall poor oral health. The sonic brushes remove plaque and get into hard-to-reach places like in between teeth and under the gums to ensure a healthy mouth.

If you grind or clench, wear a night guard

Grinders can wear away a millimeter of tooth structure per year if undiagnosed. Clenchers may not see any immediate signs of wear on their teeth, but the pressure that clenching puts on your teeth is destructive. It slowly breaks down the supporting bone around the teeth, leading to gum recession, bone loss and inevitably tooth loss.

If you feel that you may fall into either of these categories, you should be wearing a night guard. It may not be sexy, but it's much sexier than missing teeth.

Know what oral hygiene regimen is right for you

Today, there has been a lot of money and research into better oral care products. But understand that there is an actual regimen of toothpaste, mouth rinse and "extra-care" products that's right for you.

The first step is defining what "type" of patient you are. I like to break it down into four basic types: cavity-prone, sensitive, stainers and those with bad gums.

You can ask your dentist which category you fall into. Each product in the sea of dental products in the drugstore has key ingredients tailored for each category of patient. Using the right oral care products can make a big difference in the longevity of your teeth.

Choose the right dentist

Fortunately -- or unfortunately -- your dentist has a lot to do with the preservation of your teeth. Make sure your dentist is up on all current research and his office is updated and state-of-the-art, but most important, make sure your dentist is taking time and looking after you. It sounds simple, but it's probably the most important item on your checklist.

Bacteria That Cause Gum Disease May Also Worsen Arthritis

For years researchers and clinicians have known there was an association between periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).  But until recently they didn't understand the microbiological mechanisms.

In an article recently published in PLoS Pathogens, University of Louisville School of Dentistry Oral Health and Systemic Diseases group researcher Jan Potempa, PhD, DSc, and an international team of scientists from the European Union’s Gums and Joints project have discovered how the bacterium responsible for periodontal disease, Porphyromonas gingivalis worsens RA by leading to earlier onset, faster progression and greater severity of the disease, including increased bone and cartilage destruction.
I'll repeat that because it's so important; the bacteria that causes periodontal disease has been shown to worsen rheumatoid arthritis.

As the release states, the scientists found that P. gingivalis produces a unique enzyme, peptidylarginine deiminanse (PAD) which then enhances collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), a form of arthritis similar to RA produced in the lab. PAD changes residues of certain proteins into citrulline, and the body recognizes citullinated proteins as intruders, leading to an immune attack. In RA patients, the subsequent result is chronic inflammation responsible for bone and cartilage destruction within the joints.

The bottom line is that our mouth is connected to our entire body.  If you want to take care of your body, take care of your mouth.  More and more research continues to be published that supports this.  If you have any questions, feel free to visit our website at www.parkcitydentistry.com or call our office at 435-649-4343.

Wisdom Teeth Removal

We often have patients ask us if they are going to need their wisdom teeth extracted.  At Park City Dentistry, we don't just extract all wisdom teeth.  We are selective about when they should come out.  Not everybody needs to have their wisdom teeth out.
Let's start off by explaining what wisdom teeth are.  Wisdom teeth are the 3rd molars, or back molars.  They are typically the last teeth in the mouth to erupt.  If/when they do erupt, they usually don't have enough space to erupt normally.  They can either be impacted (still in the bone) or partially erupted with the gums covering much of the tooth.

As I mentioned, not all wisdom teeth need to be extracted.  Some people have their wisdom teeth erupt and are perfectly fine.  They can go their whole life without any problems from their wisdom teeth.  There are only 3 scenarios where we recommend extracting wisdom teeth.  These are:
-When wisdom teeth partially emerge through the gums.  This increases the chance of a bacterial infection called pericoronitis that can be very painful and sometimes dangerous.
-When unerupted wisdom teeth are expected to grow crooked and damage other teeth.
-When a fluid-filled sac (cyst) develops around an unerupted wisdom tooth, which can damage surround tissue or bone.


The decision to remove wisdom teeth isn't always clear.  If you have any questions about your wisdom teeth, call us for an evaluation and we can tell you what your options are.

Before and After Photo

We recently had the pleasure of helping out a young lady to improve her smile.  She had some dramatic wear and erosion on her teeth.  She hated her smile and was embarrassed to ever show it when she laughed or talked with other people.  She went to one dentist who quoted her a treatment plan of $40,000.  We were able to complete her work for a fraction of that cost.  She loves her new smile and we love how it turned out.  It is so gratifying to work in dentistry and help people to overhaul their smiles.  A new smile goes a long ways to restoring confidence and comfort.

New Commercial

PC TV put together a commercial for us that will air daily.  Let us know if you see it!

Women With Periodontal Disease May Be At Risk Of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

Are you currently pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant?  If so, then you will want to schedule a cleaning with your dentist and hygienist to avoid periodontal disease while you are pregnant.  According to a recent news release, new clinical recommendations from the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) and the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) encourage women that are pregnant to maintain good periodontal health.

If you have redness, tenderness, swollen, or bleeding gums, these could be indications that you have periodontal disease.  These signs, especially during pregnancy, need to be addressed and may require treatment from your dentist.

Several research studies have suggested that women with periodontal disease may be more likely to deliver babies prematurely or with low-birth weight than mothers with healthy gums. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), babies with a birth weight of less than 5.5 pounds may be at risk of long-term health problems such as delayed motor skills, social growth, or learning disabilities. Similar complications are true for babies born at least three weeks earlier than its due date. Other issues associated with pre-term birth include respiratory problems, vision and hearing loss, or feeding and digestive problems.

The medical and dental communities agree that maintaining periodontal health is an important part of a healthy pregnancy. The clinical recommendations released by the AAP and the EFP state that non-surgical periodontal therapy is safe for pregnant women, and can result in improved periodontal health. Published concurrently in the Journal of Periodontology and Journal of Clinical Periodontology, the report provides guidelines for both dental and medical professionals to use in diagnosing and treating periodontal disease in pregnant women.

Outside Magazine crowns Park City as nation's best

Outside Magazine ran an article ranking the best towns in America.  Park City took top honors.

Go check out their article and enjoy the very complimentary write up that they gave our town.  I know I love this city. My favorite things are the world class skiing, excellent biking trails, 4 seasons with tremendous colors in the autumn, the small town feel where everyone is your buddy, and the vibrant community with a very diverse population.  The people here come from all over and love living here.  What are your favorite reasons for living here?

(http://parkcitydentistry.blogspot.com/2013/08/outside-magazine-crowns-park-city-as.html)

Take Control of Your Life

One of our favorite dental mentors, Howard Farran, recently wrote a blog post about taking control of your life.  We love these words of advice and think they apply to all professions and walks of life.  Enjoy!

This is your life, do what you love, and do it often.

If you don't like something change it.

If you don't like your job, quit.

If you don't have enough time, quit watching TV.

If you are looking for the love of your life, stop; they will be there waiting for you when you start doing the things you love.

Stop over analyzing, all emotions are beautiful.

When you eat, appreciate life is simple. Every last bite.

And people, we are united in our differences.

Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share your inspiring dream with them.

Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself.

Some opportunities only come once, seize them.

Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them so go out and start creating.

Life is live your dream and share short. Your passion.

Emergency Dental Needs?

Even the Hollywood celebrities can have dental emergencies.  Watch Christina Applegate's interview with Jay Leno about her dental emergency.

If you find yourself in need of some emergency dental care, feel free to contact us.  We will help you to get out of pain and back on your feet.  Whether you need an emergency root canal, an extraction, or filling.  We are here to help you.

Why does orange juice taste so bad after brushing your teeth?

What is it about toothpaste that transforms the sweet flavor of orange juice into something so bitter? For the solution to that mysterious sensory phenomenon - in colorful, animated detail - check the latest episode of the American Chemical Society's award-winning Bytesize Science video series at http://www.bytesizescience.com/ 

The video, from the world's largest scientific society, explains that the mainstay ingredients in toothpaste include a detergent called sodium lauryl sulfate, or SLS for short. When you brush your teeth, SLS produces the foamy suds and gives toothpaste its distinct mouth-feel. SLS also influences the way your personal, powerful chemical sensor tastes food. 

That sensor is your mouth, with its 10,000 individual taste buds. Each consists of scores of receptor cells that respond to the basic tastes. Those are sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami (a pleasant, brothy or meaty flavor). Nerves carry the resulting signals to the brain, which registers tastes. How does SLS affect your sense of taste? For the answer: 

Soda = meth/crack for you teeth

The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) recently published a case study comparing the consumption of illegal drugs to the abusive intake of soda.  Now before you panic and stop drinking your sodas altogether, the distinction here is abusive intake of soda.  They categorize abusive soda intake as 2 liters of soda a day for 3 to 5 years.
They found that abusive soda intake is just as destructive to your teeth as methamphetamine use or crack cocaine use.  Each participant in this study admitted to having poor oral hygiene and not visiting a dentist on a regular basis. Researchers found the same type and severity of damage from tooth erosion in each participant’s mouth.
“Each person experienced severe tooth erosion caused by the high acid levels present in their ‘drug’ of choice—meth, crack, or soda,” says Mohamed A. Bassiouny, DMD, MSc, PhD, lead author of the study.
“The citric acid present in both regular and diet soda is known to have a high potential for causing tooth erosion,” says Dr. Bassiouny.
As the release states, similar to citric acid, the ingredients used in preparing methamphetamine can include extremely corrosive materials, such as battery acid, lantern fuel, and drain cleaner. Crack cocaine is highly acidic in nature, as well.
The individual who abused soda consumed two liters of diet soda daily for three to five years. Says Dr. Bassiouny, “The striking similarities found in this study should be a wake-up call to consumers who think that soda—even diet soda—is not harmful to their oral health.”
AGD Spokesperson Eugene Antenucci, DDS, FAGD, recommends that his patients minimize their intake of soda and drink more water. Additionally, he advises them to either chew sugar- free gum or rinse the mouth with water following consumption of soda. “Both tactics increase saliva flow, which naturally helps to return the acidity levels in the mouth to normal,” he says.

Veneers

One of the most rewarding aspects of dentistry is helping people to smile with more confidence.  We love to create beautiful smiles here at Park City Dentistry.  We pride ourselves on the quality of our cosmetic dentistry.  Here is a wonderful example of how much we can improve someone's smile with just a little work.

This young lady came to us with a very "gummy" smile.  She also had a discolored and misshapen filling on the front tooth.  She had braces previously as a teenager, but didn't like how short her teeth were or the gaps that were visible even when she was biting down.

We worked with our periodontist to adjust the level of her gums.  After she healed from that, we gave her veneers on her front 4 teeth, and the results were quite drastic.  She loves her smile, and we are very pleased with the final product.  Pretty impressive before and after difference.  The lab we work with to make the veneers has an incredible ability to make them look so natural and life like.

Are you dissatisfied with your teeth and their appearance?  If so, come in for a consult to see what options you have to improve your smile.

King Richard III

(A plastic facial model made from the recently discovered skull of England’s King Richard III)

Earlier this year the body of King Richard III was discovered underneath a parking lot in Leicester, England.  He was buried in this spot (formerly the site of the Grey Friars Church) in 1485 after dying from massive blows to the head sustained during the Battle of Bosworth in the War of Roses.

He was the last English king to die in battle.  Researchers examined his teeth and concluded that he ground his teeth due to an overwhelming amount of stress.  It is supposed that much of this stress was caused by guilt after he murdered his brothers in order to become the King of England. Researchers  also concluded that he had an alarming amount of tooth decay which could be from a diet high in carbohydrates and sugar.

Along with his stress-related bruxism and severe tooth decay, Dr. Amit Rai, a London general dental practitioner, claims in a paper for the British Dental Journal, that the king had a significant amount of tartar build up. He also suggests that his jaw and teeth show evidence of medieval dentistry and at least two tooth extractions most likely performed by barber surgeons.  So, if you ever wondered whether or not your tartar would decay on its own, well now you have proof that even after more than 500 years, it is still there.

The paper has some cool dental anthropology for you science minded people.

Park City local hangout

Our dental office was featured as one of the local businesses on hangout local, and Dr. Calderwood was interviewed.  Check it out and go support the local businesses that are featured on that site.

Park City Dentistry video

Check out the video we added on our website.  PC TV put together this ad for us last fall.  I think they did an awesome job. 
Way to go RanDee!  Looking like a star.

Bruxism

We have seen many patients that suffer from bruxism (Teeth Grinding).  We have successfully been able to treat them, and we wanted to provide some information to help explain what it is and how to treat it.  Enjoy this article from our friends at Colgate.

What Is It?

Bruxism is clenching or grinding your teeth, often without being aware that your are doing it. In the United States, bruxism affects an estimated 30 to 40 million children and adults.
Some people grind their teeth only during sleep; this condition is called "nocturnal bruxism" or "sleep-related bruxism." Others grind their teeth during the daytime as well, most often during situations that make them feel tense or anxious. People with severe bruxism can fracture dental fillings or cause other types of tooth damage. Severe bruxism has also been blamed for some cases of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD), mysterious morning headaches and unexplained facial pain.
Bruxism can have a variety of psychological and physical causes. In many cases, it has been linked to stress, but it can also simply be the body's reaction to the teeth being aligned wrong or a poor bite (the way the teeth come together). Bruxism can sometimes occur as a complication of severe brain injury, or a symptom of certain rare neuromuscular diseases involving the face. Bruxism also can be an uncommon side effect of some psychiatric medications, including antidepressant medications, including fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil).

Symptoms

Symptoms of bruxism include:

• Rhythmic contractions of the jaw muscles
• A grinding sound at night, which may disturb the sleep of someone who shares a bedroom with a "bruxer"
• A dull morning headache
• Jaw muscles that are tight or painful, especially in the morning
• Chronic facial pain
• Damaged teeth, fractured dental fillings and injured gums

Diagnosis

We will ask about your current life stresses, your general dental health and your daily medications. We also will want to know whether you routinely drink beverages containing alcohol or caffeine, because both of these chemicals seem to increase the tendency to grind your teeth.
If you share your bedroom, we also may want to ask that person about your sleep habits, especially about any unusual grinding sounds heard during the night.
We will examine you, paying special attention to your mouth and jaw. During this exam, we will check for tenderness in your jaw muscles, as well as for any obvious dental abnormalities, such as broken teeth, missing teeth or poor tooth alignment. If we suspect that you have bruxism that is related to dental problems, we may conduct a more detailed assessment. In addition to checking your "bite," we will examine your teeth and gums for damage caused by bruxism. We will also take a series of mouth X-rays.
If your child grinds or clenches his or her teeth, discuss the problem with us. Although many children eventually outgrow bruxism, even short-term tooth grinding can cause damage to your child's permanent teeth.

Expected Duration

Of all children who brux between the ages of 3 and 10, more than half will stop spontaneously by age 13.
In teenagers and adults, how long bruxism lasts depends on its cause. For example, bruxism can last for many years if it is related to a stressful life situation that doesn't go away. However, if bruxism is being caused by a dental problem, it should stop when the teeth are repaired and realigned — often within a few dental visits.

Prevention

If your bruxism is related to stress, you may be able to prevent the problem by seeking professional counseling or by using strategies to help you learn to relax. Also, try cutting down on stimulants such as tobacco and caffeine.
In both children and adults, tooth damage related to bruxism can be prevented by wearing a night bite plate or a bite splint (a dental appliance worn at night to stop teeth grinding).

Treatment

The treatment of bruxism varies depending on its cause:

• Stress — If you have bruxism that is stress-related, our office or your physician may recommend professional counseling, psychotherapy, biofeedback exercises or other strategies to help you relax. We also may prescribe muscle relaxant medications to temporarily ease the spasm in your clenched and overworked jaw. If conventional therapy does not help, we may refer you to an oral surgeon who may inject botulinum toxin directly into your jaw muscles (to temporarily interfere with muscle contractions).
• Dental problems — If your bruxism is related to tooth problems, we can likely treat it with occlusal therapy (to correct tooth alignment). In severe cases, we may need to use onlays or crowns to entirely reshape the biting surfaces of your teeth.
• Brain injury or neuromuscular illness — Your bruxism may be especially hard to treat if you have these medical problems. Your oral surgeon may give you injections of botulinum toxin if more conservative treatments fail.
• Medication — If you develop bruxism as a side effect of antidepressant medications, your doctor either can switch you to a different drug or give you another medication to counteract your bruxism.

When To Call A Professional

Call our office if you have symptoms of bruxism, or if you are told that you grind your teeth while you sleep.
Also, make a dental appointment immediately if you fracture a tooth, lose a filling, or notice that your teeth are becoming abnormally loose in their sockets.

Prognosis

Even without special treatment, more than half of young children with bruxism stop grinding their teeth by age 13. Until your child stops bruxing on his or her own, we can fit your child with a night bite plate to prevent excessive tooth wear. This device is effective in almost all children who use it as directed.
In teenagers and adults, the outlook is excellent if bruxism is treated properly. Even if all other therapies fail, injections of botulinum toxin can temporarily stop bruxism in most patients.

Rogue Tulsa Dentist

As you are probably aware, there is widespread news coverage involving the investigation of an Oklahoma oral surgeon for allegedly poor infection control practices and delegation of dental procedures. The ADA is monitoring this developing story closely.
As a result of this story, the ADA fielded numerous media inquiries about infection control and health practices in US dental offices.  It is a tragedy that one bad doctor could cause so much harm.
In the middle of all this terrible news we wanted to reiterate a few points to help your confidence in the infection control standards at Park City Dentistry:

• In our dental practice, we follow stringent infection control procedures.

• Also, as your doctor, I would only delegate procedures to my staff that they are licensed or qualified to perform per state regulations. I care about my patients and your health and safety are my foremost priorities.

• Studies show that following proper infection control procedures greatly reduces risk to patients to the point of an extremely remote possibility.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed special recommendations for use in dental offices.

• Let me describe just a few of the things that we do in our practice in terms of infection control:

  • All dental staff involved in patient care scrub their hands before each and every patient and use appropriate protective garb such as gloves, masks, gowns and eyewear
  
  • A new set of gloves and masks are used for each patient.

• Before you enter the examining room, all surfaces, such as the dental chair, instrument tray, dental light, drawer handles and countertops, have been cleaned and decontaminated.
• Non-disposable dental instruments are cleaned and sterilized between patients. In my office we sterilize instruments using both a cold, ultrasonic sterilizer and an autoclaver that uses heat and pressure to further sterilize our instruments.
• Disposable items like needles or gauze are placed in special bags or containers for special, monitored disposal.
• Your well-being is important to me and my staff, which is why we follow stringent infection control procedures and comply with all state regulations for the protection of patients.
• You can visit the American Dental Association’s website at www.mouthhealthy.org and use the search term “infection control” to see a video on this topic. The website has a lot of information to help you take care of your oral health, too.

Also, as an office we need to comply with standards set by the Utah Dental Association and OSHA and we are subject to inspections to ensure that we are up to standard.  If you have any questions, or if you just want to see our procedures and process, feel free to come by and we will give you a tour.  We love the confidence and trust we have earned with our patients and we take great pride in how we run our practice.

Photo courtesy of University of Wollongong

Dental Implants

Over the last 25 years, dental implants have changed the face of dentistry. What are dental implants? What is the history of dental implants? How do they replace missing teeth? This post will give you an overview of dental implants.
Like most dental procedures today, dental implants rely on scientific discovery, research and understanding, but also experience in practical use. The practice of implant dentistry requires careful planning, surgery and restoration with a crown; it is a wonderful blend of art and experience with science. At Park City Dentistry, we will help provide you with the knowledge you need to make informed choices about your options.

Dental illustration by Dear Doctor

A dental implant is actually a replacement for the root or roots of a tooth. Not only do implants replace missing teeth, but they serve as bone stabilizers.  What do we mean by bone stabilizers?  When you lose a tooth, your bone recedes.  The placement of an implant will stop that bone loss though.  Like tooth roots, dental implants are secured in the jawbone and are not visible once surgically placed. They are used to secure crowns (the parts of teeth seen in the mouth), bridgework or dentures by a variety of means. They are made of titanium, which is lightweight, strong and biocompatible, which means that it is not rejected by the body. Titanium and titanium alloys are the most widely used metals in both dental and other bone implants, such as orthopedic joint replacements. Dental implants have the highest success rate of any implanted surgical device.  They even have a higher success rate and longer life expectancy than root canal treated teeth.
Titanium’s special property of fusing to bone, called osseointegration (“osseo” – bone; “integration” – fusion or joining with), is the biological basis of dental implant success. Along with replacing lost teeth, implants help maintain the jawbone’s shape and density. This means they also support the facial skeleton and, indirectly, the soft tissue structures — gum tissues, cheeks and lips. Dental implants help you eat, chew, smile, talk and look completely natural. This functionality imparts social, psychological and physical well-being.
Before implants came along, the only options for replacing missing teeth were bridges and partial dentures.  We often hear patients say, "I don't want to have to put my teeth in a cup each night."  With implants, you will not have to worry about taking your teeth in and out like with a partial denture.  And, unlike with bridges, you can floss around your implant.  Also, implants have a longer life expectancy than bridges.
One of the most common concerns we encounter when discussing implants with our patients here in Park City is whether or not the procedure is going to hurt.  The surprising answer is that the implant placement actually hurts less than extracting a tooth.  Most of our implant patients only need to take ibuprofen for a day or two at the most.
The big question is, “Are dental implants right for me?” If you are missing teeth and think you might be a candidate for implants, call our office to schedule an appointment for a consultation and Dr. Cody Calderwood will discuss the pros and cons of implants and what your options are.

X-ray of implant placed at Park City Dentistry.

Dr. Oz at it again

Dr. Oz has a history of using scare tactics with medical/dental issues to drive up his ratings, and he is at it again.  Today the Dr. Oz show will be scaring its viewers into thinking they need to have all their amalgam fillings removed.
The problem with Dr. Oz's approach is that he conveniently leaves out much of the facts and thousands of studies that have been done showing the safety and efficacy of amalgam fillings.  Instead he goes for shock value to scare his viewers into thinking they have toxic fillings.  A dental friend put together a great post a couple of years ago discussing this very topic. His rationale describes very precisely our feelings towards amalgam feelings.  Are they giving you psychological and emotional problems?  No.  Are they very esthetic or conservative?  No.  Should people run out and have all of their amalgam fillings replaced?  No.  There are only two reasons why we encourage our patients to replace their metal fillings.  One is if the filling is breaking down and has decay.  The other is for esthetic reasons.  If you don't like the way they look, then yes we will replace them for you.

Here is the article:

"What's the deal with silver fillings? Why is it that we see news stories every once in awhile questioning the safety of dental amalgam? The answer, in a nutshell, is Mercury.

The element Mercury (Hg) is highly toxic. Think broken thermometers and fluorescent light bulbs. Avoiding Mercury exposure is highly recommended. As an element, Mercury is poisonous.

Another element, Chlorine (Cl), is also highly toxic. Yet, when combined with the element Sodium (Na) you get a chemical that is common, safe and in reasonable doses, delicious. Common table salt is a chemical compound called Sodium chloride (NaCl) and is perfectly safe to eat in moderate amounts. But no one in their right mind would go out of their way to ingest Sodium or Chlorine on their own. The same goes for Mercury.

"Silver fillings" aren't really fillings made of Silver. They are a combination of Mercury, Silver, Copper, Tin and other trace metals. Silver fillings are placed by thoroughly mixing these ingredients. The ingredients mix and form an alloy of the metals. This alloy is different than any of the ingredients individually. In other words, there isn't just Mercury, Silver, Tin or Copper in there. It's a whole new chemical compound made up of all of these metals. It's kind of like concrete. You start with cement, sand, stone and water. The final product is concrete. You can't go back and take the ingredients out of concrete without breaking down the concrete chemically.

The bottom line is that there's no such thing as "Mercury fillings." Dental amalgam has Mercury in it that is chemically combined with other metals to form an alloy. One of the properties of Mercury is it's ability to form an alloy like this at room temperature.

Can dental amalgam "leak" Mercury? Yes. There can be a very slight release of mercury from amalgam fillings. A study conducted by measuring the Mercury vapor levels inside the mouth over a 24-hour period in patients with at least nine amalgam restorations showed the average daily dose of inhaled mercury vapor was 1.7 µg (micrograms), which is approximately only 1% of the threshold limit value of 300 to 500 µg/day established by the World Health Organization. So there is Mercury released from fillings, but it's a very tiny amount.

What about Mercury exposure from dental amalgams causing diseases? The American Dental Association has weighed in regarding the safety and efficacy of dental amalgam. Scientific evidence concludes that the use of dental amalgam is safe. There is no evidence to support removing silver fillings in an effort to cure or prevent other diseases.

Dental amalgam has undoubtedly saved millions of teeth in its 100+ years of use. Until relatively recently there haven't been inexpensive options to restore teeth that could hold a candle to silver fillings. They're durable as heck and they're relatively easy and inexpensive to place.

Are there any problems with dental amalgam? I actually see two.

1. They're ugly. When polished they can be shiny and smooth, but they don't look like a tooth. They look like metal, which they are.
2. In order to place a silver filling you need to remove a lot of tooth structure. In a tooth that's never been filled before, this means that you're cutting away more tooth structure than you need to.

To me, those are the main down sides to using dental amalgam. Perhaps these down sides deserve their own post (stay tuned!) I place very few dental amalgams any more because I'm confident that I can place an excellent bonded resin restoration (a.k.a: composite) in any situation that I might have used amalgam.

But my reasons for using composite fillings has nothing to do with Mercury. In my mind, the Mercury is a non-issue."

If you have any questions, feel free to call us (435-649-4343) and we would love to discuss this with you.  Or you can visit our website to learn more as well.

Treating Bad Breath: Video - Bad Breath Remedies and Treatment, Halitosis Causes | Colgate

 Bad breath can be embarrassing and annoying.  Sometimes all it takes is simple steps to eliminate bad breath.
Treating Bad Breath: Video - Bad Breath Remedies and Treatment, Halitosis Causes | Colgate

If you still have bad breath after doing what the video suggests,  schedule an appointment with our office so we can determine if more measures are needed to eliminate your bad breath.

A Brief History of the Toothbrush

Today it seems like people shuffle through hundreds of toothbrushes that line the market shelves, hoping that the latest and greatest model will deliver healthy smiles. With the evolution of toothbrushes, cleaning teeth and taking care of gums is simpler than ever – but this wasn’t always the case. Take a look below to learn which techniques and practices helped inventors mold the toothbrush into what it is today.
3500 BC – Egyptians and Babylonians use chewing sticks made from branches of the Salvadora Persica tree. They also used boar bristles attached to a bamboo stick to clean teeth.
1600 BC – In China people start using chew sticks made of plant limbs and roots. One end of the stick was beaten into soft fibers to help scrub and brush teeth. In fact, these types of chewing sticks are still used by some people today.
1498 – Europeans start traveling to China to obtain toothbrushes made of bamboo and hog bristles. This invention quickly caught on in Europe.
1780 – William Addis of Clerkenwald, England introduces the first mass-produced toothbrush in Europe made from cattle bone and swine fibers.
1857 – H.N. Wadsworth becomes the first American to patent a toothbrush.
1885 – Toothbrushes are mass-produced in the US by the Florence Manufacturing Company of Massachusetts.
1938 – Nylon bristles replace bristles made of pig innards.
1960 – The first electric toothbrush is introduced to the US by the Squibb Company. The model was marketed under the name Broxodent.
1987 – The first at-home rotary style toothbrush is introduced to the US by Interplak.

National Childrens Dental Health Month

February is National Children's Dental Health Month.  Any time of the year you can bring your children age 3 and under in for a free happy visit and exam.

New Pano

We just bought a new panorex radiograph unit for office.  It is a Sirona Orthophos XG3.

Here is an image of what it looks like.

Here is an example of the clarity of the image.  From one of our patients.  It's amazing!

It has opened up several more procedures that we can provide for our patients.  In addition to doing more surgical wisdom teeth extractions, this also allows us to start placing implants as well.  Swing on by and take a look at it for yourself.