A hole in your chin?! Why regular dental visits are so important.

Are regular dental visits THAT important?

YES!!!

Here is an example. 

A patient came into my office the other day complaining of

"pain in the chin area". 

I took an x-ray and was a little shocked by what I saw. 

Below you will see 2 x-rays. 

One is the unaltered x-ray. 

The other is the x-ray with the problem area circled in red. 

The dark area is a problem. 

Typically bone will have a look like cotton. 

Some white, solid, areas but also many darker

air filled spaces as well. 

A giant dark spot where bone should be is NOT a good sign. 

A quick test of all of the teeth in the effected area revealed that 

there was zero sensitivity related to the teeth themselves. 

No discomfort with hot, cold, chewing, etc. 

Still only pain when finger pressure was applied to the lower chin. 

I phoned the oral surgeon and the patient was sent right over. 

Below you will see a picture taken in the middle of the surgery. 

 There was a cyst below the lower anterior teeth. 

The cyst was removed and is currently being biopsied. 

Please make it a point to go into your local dentist on a regular basis. 

It looks as if this patient will be just fine. 

But things could have been much much worse. 

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The Same Sonic Toothbrush. Only Better.

Wanting to buy an electric toothbrush?

Wanting the quality of the major brands? 

Without the cost of the major brands?

Would it be a plus if that toothbrush was designed

by an actual dentist who has worked in the field for decades?

Sports Mouth Guards for Children

Kids are getting into sports earlier and earlier these days.

It seems as if your child doesn't make a decision about what

sport they will choose, for life, by the age of 4 that they 

are already too late. 

With all of these kids getting into the sporting realm the 

number of sports related injuries is bond to increase.

As a dentist one of the saddest things I see is broken, healthy, teeth.

Teeth that have been badly neglected break all the time, and the

person responsible for the neglect typically knew it was coming. 

But the little 7 year old didn't. 

To see a child headed for a lifetime of trouble due to a totally preventable

injury is not a happy day.

Please get your child a mouth guard. 

It does not have to be expensive. 

As long as the guard fits properly it should do the job.

The only worry is guards that fit so poorly that the child risks

have it come out during activity and fall into their throat

and become a choking hazard. 

Sprained ankles and broken collar bones will heal . 

Teeth won't.

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Tooth still hurts AFTER root canal and crown!!

Have you ever had a toothache?

Have you ever paid a lot for a root canal?

Have you ever paid even more for a crown?

Did it work, or does the tooth STILL hurt?!

What to do?

The tooth in the middle of the screen is just such a tooth. 

This patient came to me at the end of her rope. 

Too much time, to much money, and too much discomfort.

The failing tooth was extracted and an implant was placed.

The implant was then given 3 months for the bone to heal around it. 

After 3 months a tooth was placed on the implant.

No more pain. 

No more worry. 

If the bone holds (which it should in most healthy patients)

this will be one of the strongest teeth in the mouth. 

This tooth should need no more dental work for the lifetime of this patient. 

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