Rather Than Dread Dentures, Views Them as a Chance to Design Your Own Smile

Posted on January 14, 2010 | Filed Under Dentistry 

Morton came in as a new patient asking for a new set of dentures. In collaborating with him so we could make him dentures he would be proud to wear, I asked him questions such as: 

Do you want spaces between your front teeth?
What type of smiles do you like?
Who do you want to look like?
Do you want big teeth, little teeth, long teeth,wide teeth?
Do you want personalization, such as little character flaws built into your teeth?
Do you want perfect alignment?

According to the Center for Disease Control, 1 out of every 4 adults over 60 have lost all of their natural teeth due to gum disease and tooth decay. Another CDC report says 1 out of every 5 adults over 65 have lost all of their teeth. Once that occurs, your choices are dentures or implants. 

Although dental implants are an excellent alternative to dentures, not everyone can get them. This doesn’t mean you have to dread dentures. The biggest reason denture wearers switch to implants is: 

Their dentures are ill-fitting and uncomfortable; or
They don’t like how their dentures look. 

You can dread dentures or view them as an opportunity to design your smile. If you want to pay $99 and get “teeth-on-a-plate” then the old adage “you get what you pay for” applies.  

On the other hand, if you want someone to craft an appliance that feels and looks natural, you can spend the money and get something that will make you feel confident.

 I minored in Art Minor and I view dentistry as both an art and a science. Although an appliance needs to be engineered perfectly, there’s no reason it can’t also be an aesthetic expression of the smile you’ve always wanted.

Dr. Pete’s Top 5 Dental Health Trends for 2010

Posted on January 11, 2010 | Filed Under Dentistry 

Trend #1. The explosion of implant dentistry will bring the costs way down. Like computer technology costs came down with demand, so it is with dental implants. The cost of materials that kept prices high for implants and crowns is coming down simply because more people are getting implants missing teeth and instead of dentures. Already at Artistic Dentistry, fees for crowns and implants are 30% less. The American Academy of Implant Dentistry reports, “As the Baby Boomers begin filing for Social Security,they’re replacing teeth weakened from periodontal disease with dental implants instead of bridgework and removable dentures. Further incentive is that highly precise computer-guided dental implant surgery has made the procedure faster, highly predicable and long-lasting with a success rate of 97 percent.” 

Trend #2: Teeth straightening will increasingly become the first step in a cosmetic makeover. It’s been a common practice to place porcelain veneers on crooked teeth. While this gives the appearance of straight teeth, it does nothing to address the health conditions caused by uneven teeth. These create uneven bite pressure which can lead to health problems, including headaches and migraines. With more dentists understanding the connection between the bite and jaw joints and head, neck and back pain, concern for health will lead to correcting the uneven bite rather than covering it up with veneers. 

Trend #3: Gum Contouring bill Become more popular. Just like lip plumping or botox improve appearance without surgery, contouring gum lines will become popular as more dentists investing in acquiring and learning how to use laser dental equipment. With laser technology being used in everything from skin care to knee replacement surgery, it was only a matter of time before it would be more routinely employed in your dental care. In addition to gum contouring which, by the way, is also great for men, lasers can disinfect diseased gum tissue. They can also cut into the teeth, making it faster and more comfortable to get fillings.  

Trend #4: 3D x-rays will enable more precise dental treatment. Technology called “cone beam” takes two dimensional x-rays and makes them 3D. This allows your dentist to provide more precise dental treatment. For example, with a 3d picture, your dentist can see the nerve tissue surrounding impacted wisdom teeth. This allows for a better surgery. With implants, we’re able to determine more exactly their correct placement.  

Trend #5: Teeth whitening will become part of a daily makeup routine for women. Whitening pens like Liquid Smile will make a professional in-office whitening last a lot longer. Instead of bulky whitening trays sitting in your mouth for an hour with saliva coming out the side of your mouth, pens allow you to touch up the teeth that are visible. Ask about these in our office.

Are You Putting Acid On Your Teeth?

Posted on December 19, 2009 | Filed Under Teeth and Gums 

Probably not, but your sodas are nearly as bad.

Acid damages tooth enamel. Acid is measured by “ph.” The ph of battery acid is 1.0. The ph of water is 7.0 (alkaline). Sodas range from 2.387 to 4.038 ph, with root beer having the least amount of acid. Citric acid is the most erosive acid found in soft drinks and is the predominant acid in non cola drinks like root beer, sports drinks and citric juices.

LIKE SUCKING LEMONS. What you may not realize is that over time, wearing of the enamel, which is that hard outer surface layer of your teeth, can lead to some pretty uncomfortable sensitivity to hot and cold. Also, it may force you to have to invest in veneers and other procedures to restore your smile.

Is Your Dentist Keeping Secrets From You?

Posted on December 15, 2009 | Filed Under Dentistry 

I don’t think so. But I did like much of the information contained in an article of this title from Dr. Mercola’s website. Here’s a few followed by my comments:

Secret #1: Your dentist may not have the latest technology.

Digital x-ray: Dentists who do not have digital x-ray equipment are practicing in
the dark ages. Digital x-rays use less radiation than film. They are easier to read
and make diagnosis more accurate.

Ultrasonic Cleaning: Ultrasonic instruments vibrate plaque and calculus off your
teeth, even in areas below your gums. It is much more comfortable than oldfashioned
hand scraping.

Doc comment: I agree. Thats’ why our office has had this technology for years.

Secret #2: Your dentist may be using mercury.
Mercury is toxic. Norway and Sweden have banned the use of mercury fillings..
But mercury fillings are less expensive and easier for the dentist to use. If your
dentist does not use composite fillings, don’t go to that dentist any more. In the
US, the FDA is way behind the ball and not actively warning patients about this
like they have been mandated by the courts to do.

Doc’s comment: Very accurate. I haven’t used mercury in my office for years.

Secret #3: The lab may be more important than your dentist.

Dental labs create dentures, crowns, bridges, orthodontic appliances, and other
dental restorations like implant crowns. There is a huge difference in the quality
of these labs. You should be particularly wary if your dentist is using a lab in
China or Mexico. Some of the top labs in the U.S. are Aurum Ceramics,
MicroDental Laboratories, da Vinci Dental Studio, and Williams Dental Lab.

Doc’s comment: True. Aurum Ceramics is one of the labs we use a Artistic Dentistry.

Secret #4: There’s more to good dentistry than filling cavities.

A competent dentist screens for more than tooth decay. He or she should be
concerned about sleep apnea, jaw-related pain known as TMJ, oral cancer,
diabetes and hypertension.

Doc’s comment: All good points. I cover some of this in my free downloadable
electronic ebook found at http://stlouisdentistdrpete.com

The Key To Dental Treatment Lies Beyond The Teeth

Posted on June 11, 2009 | Filed Under Dentistry 

In a perfectly constructed mouth, the teeth and jaw fit together to perform the function of chewing. The slightest adjustment to a tooth can throw this precise functioning off-balance. Even the replacement of a filling can make your bite feel different if it’s not balanced correctly and if not adjusted, can cause your jaw joints to move out of place.

If just a simple filling requires such precision, imagine the precision required in placing veneers or implants while ensuring they not only look great but are completely natural in their feel and fit. Read more

What If E F Hutton Had a Bad Smile?

Posted on May 11, 2009 | Filed Under Dentistry 

Those of us over 40 may well remember the famous ad: “When EF Hutton speaks, people listen.” But wait. You never saw EF Hutton. What if he had a bad smile?! Crooked, yellow, broken or stained teeth? Would people still have listened? All this to say that your smile can either lend credibility to what you’re saying or detract from it.

No matter someone’s age, weight, height…no matter if they’re not particularly pretty or handsome…a person’s unfavorable features seem to become less significant as soon as they display a beautiful, warm smile.

Per actual survey, a smile is what people remember most about others.

An Unseen Cause of Bad Breath

Posted on May 5, 2009 | Filed Under Dentistry 

Do you do everything possible to keep your breath fresh? Brush, floss .. even scrape your tongue? Yes, you heard that right. Bacteria gets on your tongue, just like it does between your teeth. Your tongue harbors plaque and dirt. If you’ve ever noticed a coating or discoloration of your tongue, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Adding tongue-scraping to your regimen is a simple solution. And, if that doesn’t handle your bad breath, we’ll find out the cause when you come in. By the way, one website offering tips on how to tell someone they have bad breath suggested you email the offender. Hmmm … how does one go about doing that diplomatically?

The 4 Most Undiagnosed Dental Conditions

Posted on April 27, 2009 | Filed Under Dentistry 

Drum roll please. Here they are, in no particular order — Conditions that patients don’t realize are dental related:

-Clicking and popping joints
-Headaches
-Neck Pain
-Sinus Pain

Letting Your Insurance Determine Your Dental Health?

Posted on April 10, 2009 | Filed Under Dentistry 

No insurance completely covers the dental work most people need over the years. It was never intended to be like medical insurance. You need to view it more like supplemental coverage. Some years your dental insurance will cover what you need and other years it won’t.

A healthy, natural looking smile is one of your best health and cosmetic assets. Maintaining it now will save you in the future.

Suffering From Head, Neck, Or Shoulder Pain?

Posted on March 30, 2009 | Filed Under Dentistry 

Chances Are There’s A Dental Connection!

New patients sometimes comment on the comprehensive set of x-rays we take at Artistic Dentistry. You see, I not only treat the health of your gums and teeth, but the foundation that they sit in as well. Dentistry is like engineering on a much smaller level. When something is off balance, you can experience all kinds of odd symptoms that you might not connect with a dental condition. Popping and clicking jaws are obvious, but when it pain stemming from a dental condition is referred to other parts of the body, that cause is often missed. A full set of x-rays allows me to give you better treatment.