Is That A Laser Or Are You Just Glad To See Me?

Advances in the development of various lasers, especially for use on human tissues, can benefit dental and medical patients in many ways. But dentists can't quite get rid of the drilling hand piece or scalpel because lasers aren't that versatile just yet. An acronym, the word laser stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

Lasers get their powers from light, also known as electromagnetic radiation. Light is made up of massless photons which travel pretty fast- 186,000 miles a second or 700million miles an hour, in a vacuum! The light in lasers, for them to work properly, must be restricted down, by choice, to a monochromatic (one color) concentrated beam, that is coherent, which means that all of the photons have the same amplitude and wavelength. After being energized through a gain medium and a population inversion is achieved, the beam is collimated, say,  along an optical fiber, and, after being focused, the laser can then be put to use.

The basic uses of lasers are their abilities to thermally heat up (to cut or vaporize) the tissue areas on which they are focused. There are lasers of a certain energy that are optimal in treating soft tissues, like skin and gums, and others that are better at influencing hard tissues, like enamel, dentin, and bone. The light of a laser can be pulsed or be delivered as a continuous stream. The first one created, a ruby laser, was introduced in 1960. It used a synthetically-produced ruby crystal as its gain medium. It was used in range finding by the military and also for drilling holes in diamonds. Lasers were first used in dentistry in 1994.

Lasers can be employed to clean the pockets around the roots of the teeth (Laser Curettage). Forming a better attachment between the tooth root and the bone is another use (LANAP). Filling materials placed in or on a tooth can be "cured" and hardened with a laser more quickly. The teeth whitening process can also be debatably enhanced. Gum tissues can be contoured and some surface biopsies can be performed with a laser with very little bleeding seen afterward (hemostasis). There are about 30 applications in which lasers can be used, and that number will surely grow as the technology advances. High-volume air suction gets rid of the smoke and vapors, and water streams are used to cool the areas undergoing lasing in the mouth. There are things in Dentistry that lasers can't do, like remove old fillings, shape or polish new fillings, prepare teeth for crowns, or obviate the need for anesthesia, among other things.

Soft tissue lasers can cost about $4,000 out of the box. New hard-tissue lasers can run around $40,000. Extensive training in their use is required. Less than 10% of dentists in the U. S. use them. One type of laser cannot do everything. The FDA is one of several governmental agencies that are tasked with clearing and verifying that the lasers used in the U. S. are manufactured consistently and function properly for the safety of patients and for the safety of the operating teams. The American Dental Association has yet to give its Seal of Approval on a laser system.

May you have many...precisely-calibrated, zap-um-good...smiles!

Choose The Best Toothbrush!

With so many toothbrushes on the market, including the Internet market (over 6 billion mouths to brush!), and with constant, incrementally-improving engineering technology from manufacturers, people now have more choices than ever! It’s the world’s most popular facial cleaning instrument that seemingly no one wants to be without, owned and used by some 4.2 billion people!  It’s not necessarily the frequency of toothbrushing that sparkles the dentition, but the amount of seconds that one brushes per brushing session. When you remove the oral microbial opportunists found in plaque and biofilm masses around the teeth with regularity, the mouth can enjoy a healthy homeostasis.  The functions of the toothbrush are many. It cleans the breath, teeth, tongue, cheeks, and gums (say that three times!).  Ask your dentist and hygienist to recommend a function-specific brand that will meet your spectrum of needs the best.

A brush with soft nylon bristles is highly recommended since they are less traumatic. Brush design, comfort, color, size, ease of use, and manufacturer’s claims are variables that can help you decide. Keep two or more new toothbrushes around. Don’t fret too much about the cost of your toothbrush. Sometimes you have to put your money where your mouth is, literally.

Some healthcare experts recommend storing your toothbrush in another part of the house where it can air dry quickly, besides in the bathroom, which is considered the most contaminated room in the house. Change toothbrushes every three months, or after you get sick or experience an oral sore. Powered toothbrushes add muscle to your workout and are recommended if the teeth are crooked or have braces, etc.  Children should be supervised and shown proper techniques for thorough deplaquing.

Compliment your conscientious toothbrushing habits with visits to the dentist, flossing, and rinsing, followed by a reduction in eating sugary, caries-promoting snacks and food to keep your smile and body healthy and looking good for years to come. To that, I raise my fist and say “Bite On!!”

The toothbrush is almost like a magic wand, with powers to fend off invading armies of yuck!

May you have many… constant battle readiness…smiles!

Why Should Some Competitive Athletes Use Mouth Guards?

Athletes young and old who participate in contact sports should always use a mouth guard to protect the teeth and jaws from injury (looseness, partial avulsion, or total avulsion of the teeth). Mouth guards  help to mitigate the impacts of blows and cut down on force concussions to the brain when there is a blow received to the lower jaw in an upward direction. So, mouth guards aren’t effective in protecting against lateral blows. Orofacial injuries are the most common injuries sustained in sports. The American Dental Association estimates that 200,000 injuries are prevented a year in just high school and college football alone because of mouth guard use. Protektmouthguards.com states that 5 million teeth are knocked out each year during sports-related activities.

It is wise to use a mouth guard when engaging in battle sports like Judo (my favorite), Karate, Tae Kwon Do, wrestling, boxing, rugby, of course football, mixed martial art fighting, basketball, and chess (just kidding!).

Sportsdentistry.com relates that there are at least four different types of mouth guards available: stock, boil-and-bite, custom-made vacuum and custom-made pressure laminate. They state that the custom-made pressure laminate mouth guards are the best: the least bulky, best fitting, most flexible, and they allow the user to talk, drink and breathe without impediment. It is recommended that the guard have a thickness of about is 3-4 mm of material between the upper and lower teeth for optimum cushioning. 90% of all mouth guards sold are the less expensive stock and boil-and-bite versions. Some mouth guards fit over the upper teeth only, the lower teeth only, or over both the upper and lower teeth. Mouth guards also provide shock absorption to lessen the chance of teeth cracking or breaking. Fractures of the mandibular condyles can be prevented or greatly reduced when guards are used and if the impact forces aren't too great. The  U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 300,000 people suffer from sports-related concussions every year, with children and teens at the highest risk.

Pure Power Mouthguards are said to potentiate an athlete’s performance by maintaining both jaws in an optimum position. Several hours are needed to get the exact relationship correct and they cost over $1,000.

May you have many…passionately protected…smiles!

Don't Be "Dental Homeless!"

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, a dental home “means that your child’s oral healthcare is delivered in a comprehensive, continually accessible, coordinated, and family-centered way by a licensed dentist.” Adults need dental homes, too.

It is the physical place where patients can receive examinations, evaluations, preventive care and treatment. After all needed therapy is delivered, the mouth needs to be periodically maintained by the providers at your dental home. And they will strive to keep you educated, protected, and motivated. They are your cheerleaders for a better smile! Usually, all needed work is done at the dental home. But if specialized care is needed, and can’t be provided there, then a referral to a specialist at another site is performed.  After that treatment, the patient usually returns to their dental home for regular care.

It’s possible to belong to the same dental home for years, even decades! I sometimes hear that two or three generations of some families stay loyal to the same dentist or dental home because that is where they feel the best. They have trusting, friendly, and engaging relationships with their team members, and are very resistant to change. However, sometimes preferences change, or insurance coverage may be modified, or a person or family may have to move to another area, state, or country. In those cases, a new dental home with different doctors will need to be established.

Dental records can be sent to the new dental home, and if lengthy treatment is interrupted by a need to move out of the area, the new dental home can resume and complete the treatment. In some cases involving orthodontic treatment, a release form may need to be obtained from the starting doctor, so that the subsequent doctor can finish the therapy.

There are thousands of qualified dental professionals out there, and each of them would like to welcome you to become part of their dental homes for a lifetime of good oral health!

May you have many… home-sweet-home, rest my head…smiles!

Smile Quotations, Part 1.

I'm really exciting. I smile a lot, I win a lot, and I'm really sexy. -Serena Williams

A picture is worth a thousand words, but a beautiful smile is worth millions.- Ralph Winge, D.D.S.

The teeth are smiling, but is the heart?-African Proverb

Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.-Mother Teresa

A laugh is a smile that bursts.-Mary H. Waldrip

Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.-Mother Teresa

Everyone looks so much better when they smile. -Jimmy Fallon

Youth smiles without any reason. It is one of its chiefest charms.-Thomas Gray

One may smile, and smile, and be a villain.- William Shakespeare

I have witnessed the softening of the hardest of hearts by a simple smile. -Goldie Hawn

There is no weapon in the feminine armory to which men are so vulnerable as they are to a smile.-Dorothy Dix

If you don't have a smile, I'll give you one of mine.-Author Unknown

The world always looks brighter from behind a smile.-Author Unknown

Children smile on the average 400 times a day; Adults: 15 times a day. Ever wonder why?-Author Unknown

If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Don't be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning 'Good morning' at total strangers.-Maya Angelou

Don't cry for a man who has left you, the next one may fall for your smile.-Mae West

May you have many…excitingly poetic… smiles!