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Do You Have Symptoms of Imbalance?

September 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Headaches or migraines.
Neck aches.
Facial pain with increased pressure in your head and sinuses.
You wake up with headaches or develop them by midday.
You have pain behind your eyes for no apparent reason.
You have sounds in your ears, but your doctor can’t find anything wrong.
You notice your smile is getting crooked as teeth wear down unevenly.
You’ve had an increase in root canals, especially on one side of your
mouth.
You have neck and low back pain that creates stiffness and inability to
perform tasks.
Your bite isn’t the same since getting cosmetic dental work.
You have head pain since your orthodontics.

Correct the Problem and These Symptoms Go Away. That’s Done By Balancing Your Head, Neck and Jaw Before Doing Dental Work. That’s What Orthopedic Dentistry Is All About. It Also Ensures Your Cosmetic Enhancements Don’t Create An Imbalance.

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 skill required in placing veneers or implants while ensuring they not only look great but are completely natural in their feel and fit.

Like a perfectly balanced bridge constructed to withstand the elements of weather and carry immense weight, your teeth and jaw are designed with a similar precision. The ability to work with the precision of an engineer and the talent of a master artisan ensures your dental outcome is both sound and beautiful.

Filed Under: Dentistry, General Health, Orthopedic Dentistry, Teeth and Gums, Teeth Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wisdom Tooth Extractions: What You Should Know

September 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Summer is a popular time in St Louis for wisdom teeth extractions, particularly for young adults. When you as an adult or your child is diagnosed as needing wisdom teeth extracted, does this mean you need to have it done right away? What are wisdom teeth, why do we have them and under what circumstances should they be removed?

Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the last teeth to erupt. This normally occurs between the ages of 17 and 25, a time of life that has been called the “Age of Wisdom.”

Anthropologists contend that the rough diet of early humans resulted in excessive wear of their teeth. The wear, it’s theorized, caused teeth to drift and by late adolescence there was space for wisdom teeth to erupt into. Modern diets don’t put the same demands on chewing and so teeth no longer shift to make room for wisdom teeth.

Do Wisdom Teeth Always Have to Be Extracted?

No. Dr. Pete believes that if wisdom teeth are well aligned, they can be very useful for chewing and may be left in place. However, in the majority of people they don’t completely erupt and remain “impacted” in the jaw. Therefore, Dr. Pete will advise extraction when he sees any of the following:

1. The width of the jaws does not allow wisdom teeth to erupt in an alignment that is beneficial for chewing.

2. Wisdom teeth are partially erupted, which may allow bacteria to penetrate the gum, causing infection.

3. Wisdom teeth are not properly aligned causing crowding or damage to the second molars. This condition makes good oral hygiene difficult and increases the likelihood of cavities and gum disease.

4. Development of an operculum, Latin for “little lid,” which is essentially an extension of the gum. This can occur when wisdom teeth have not fully erupted. In many such cases, chewing on food can irritate this operculum causing infection. This condition, called pericoronitis, can result in redness, intense pain, a bad smell and a difficulty of opening the mouth.

Is There a Benefit to Extracting Earlier Rather Than Later?

Possibly during adolescence, the roots of wisdom teeth may not be completely formed, making extraction less complicated.

What to Expect

Before removing a wisdom tooth, Doc will administer appropriate pain prevention to numb the area where the tooth will be removed. Even needle-phobes no longer need worry because Dr Pete’s dental procedure includes first putting a topical numbing agent on the area to be anaesthetized so the needle is never felt.

How soon afterward can you resume your normal activity?

Dr. Pete recommends up to four to five days, but the time varies depending on how impacted the teeth are. One patient returned to work immediately after surgery. Another took the full four days for recovery.

If you or your teen or college-aged student need wisdom tooth extractions, call as soon as possible to lock in a summer appointment.

See What Others Say About Their Wisdom Tooth Surgery With Dr Pagano:

After having 2 wisdom teeth pulled in one sitting, I am a happy camper. Dr. Pete was fast and efficient removing the two perpetrators. Afterward there was minimal discomfort in the affected areas, little swelling and complications that could only be attributed to the work done by a skilled professional. Thank you Dr. Pete and Staff.
Guy M.


Let me just first start off that I was freaking out about this dental procedure, especially because I was not going to be knocked out like everybody else I knew. I was shaking and crying before anything even happened but of course you heard all the horror stories and all I could think was the worst. Dr. Pete calmed me down and explained what he was going to do and why he wasn’t going to knock me out. His lovely assistant held my hand the whole time, poor girl, I thought for sure she would loose all circulation in it but she didn’t complain and smiled at me the whole time. After the 1st 4 shots, I really couldn’t feel much and the next million (I’m exaggerating, but I am very sensitive) nothing at all. Before I knew it, it was over. The very next day, I was walking over and running errands. My roommates couldn’t believe it. They said “you must have an awesome dentist”. I said, “I do, his name is Dr. Pete!”

EP posted on yahoo.com


When I first came to Dr. Pagano’s St Louis office, I was very apprehensive because he was a new dentist (to me). After my consultation and check-up Dr. Pagano informed me that I needed to pull my wisdom teeth, not 1, not 2 but all 3!! I was terrified because I had so many horrible experiences with dentists in the past. He assured me that everything would be fine. During the procedure he talked to me the whole time and kept letting me know what he was doing. This made me feel calm. He would ask me if I felt any pain and I did not. After my wisdom teeth were pulled I didn’t feel any pain nor did I need any pain medication! I’ve heard horror stories from people and their bad experiences with their wisdom teeth being pulled, but I had a good experience and that was due to Dr. Pagano’s skilled and talented hands. He knows what he’s doing and he’s the best! I recommend him to everyone I know and meet. Thank you Dr. Pagano.

Abby J.

Filed Under: Dentistry Tagged With: , , , , ,

Designer Dentures?

September 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Designer Dentures?
Rather Than Dread Dentures, Views Them as a
Chance to Design Your Own Smile
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?
•
•
•
•
Morton told me he’d never been consulted to that
degree like when getting dentures made previously.
He said for the first time ever, he was excited to get
his new denture appliance.
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;
• 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.
As an Art Minor in college, I see beyond the science
of dentistry. Although an appliance needs to be
engineered perfectly, the aesthetic appeal must also
be present.
If you need a denture, view it as an opportunity to
design the smile you’ve always wanted.
*BLOG is short for “weblog,” a journal posted online.

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

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?

Morton told me he’d never been consulted to that degree like when getting dentures made previously.

He said for the first time ever, he was excited to get his new denture appliance.

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;

• 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.

As an Art Minor in college, I see beyond the science of dentistry. Although an appliance needs to be engineered perfectly, the aesthetic appeal must also be present.

If you need a denture, view it as an opportunity to design the smile you’ve always wanted.

Filed Under: Anti Aging Dentistry, Blog, Dentistry, General Health, Teeth and Gums, Teeth Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dr. Pete’s Top 5 Dental Health Trends

September 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Trend #1. The explosion of implant dentistry will bring costs 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 for missing teeth and instead of dentures. 

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 Will 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-offce 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.

 

Filed Under: Dentistry, General Dental, General Health, Teeth and Gums, Teeth Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Want to Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthier

September 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Want to Keep Your Teeth and

Gums Healthier? Try Adding

This Little Known Step to Your

Daily Dental Routine

Everyone pretty much knows by

now brushing and flossing after

every meal and getting a

professional cleaning at least

every six months has a huge

impact on dental health.

But there’s another facet to

personal daily dental hygiene

that has a big impact on dental

health: scraping your tongue.

Perhaps we don’t hear that

much about it because tongue

scrapers are not well promoted.

One inexpensive one can

practically last a lifetime.

Studies suggest that by

removing the soft plaque from

the tongue, you’re removing

most of the bacteria and other

debris that are the primary

source of bad breath, hard

plaque (tartar) and mineral

leaching acids (tooth decay).

The latest research associates

the bacteria in our mouths with

heart disease and other

ailments. The bottom line – for

dramatically better oral hygiene

and health just add cleaning

your tongue to your routine.

You can get a tongue scraper at

your next appointmentTry Adding

Tongue Scraper

Try Adding This Little Known Step to Your Daily Dental Routine

Everyone pretty much knows by now brushing and flossing after every meal and getting a professional cleaning at least every six months has a huge impact on dental health.

But there’s another facet to personal daily dental hygiene that has a big impact on dental health: scraping your tongue.

Perhaps we don’t hear that much about it because tongue scrapers are not well promoted. One inexpensive one can practically last a lifetime.

Studies suggest that by removing the soft plaque from the tongue, you’re removing most of the bacteria and other debris that are the primary source of bad breath, hard plaque (tartar) and mineral leaching acids (tooth decay).

The latest research associates the bacteria in our mouths with heart disease and other ailments. The bottom line – for dramatically better oral hygiene and health just add cleaning your tongue to your routine.

You can get a tongue scraper at your next St Louis dental appointment.

Filed Under: Dentistry, General Health, Teeth and Gums, Teeth Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Is That Physical Condition Connected To A Tooth?

September 9, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Back in the ‘80s St Louis dentist Dr. Pete was studying the interconnection between teeth and organs, glands and vertebrae. In a recently published book called REVITALIZE YOUR HORMONES (Wiley 2005), Dr. Theresa Dale shows a chart that enables you to trace a tooth, crown or filling that is causing pain to the organ and gland it is connected with. “If you have a dental problem like an abscess, you can easily see the relationship of that particular tooth to specific parts of your body.”

Check out the chart on pg 206 of the book or call the office and we’ll send you a copy of the chart.

Filed Under: General Health Tagged With: , , ,

Look Ma’ No Cavities!

August 25, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Look Ma! No Cavities!

For Boomers who grew up with this famous toothpaste advertisement, I have a news flash: At your age, it’s no longer just about cavities!

If you’ve passed the age of forty, you really should have a mid-life diagnosis to evaluate the overall state of your oral health AND to plan a proper course of treatment that will enable you to keep your teeth for the remainder of your lifetime.

Patients over forty have often shortchanged their dental health or just barely maintained their teeth and gums. With the expense of family taking precedence through the previous two decades, Boomer-aged patients coming to me for the first time are often prepared to play catch-up with their own dental health.

Today you can plan a course of treatment that will ensure you’ve got your own teeth to chew with well into your senior years. In addition, nothing is more youthful than a natural-looking white smile. Unlike your parents, if you take care now you can have both.

Filed Under: Dentistry, General Dental, General Health, St. Louis, Teeth Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

So, How Do I Choose a Toothbrush, Anyway?

July 22, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Contrary to toothbrush marketeers, a gentle brushing with a soft-bristle toothbrush is just as effective (and less damaging!) than a vigorous scrubbing with a stiff-bristle toothbrush.

Your tooth enamel is quite thin. Years of aggressive brushing can begin to wear away the enamel and make the teeth sensitive.

Brushing too hard can also damage your gums.

My St Louis dentist office all supplies toothbrushes that I personally trust. Ask the front desk for assistance at (314) 576-3000.

Filed Under: Teeth Tips Tagged With: , , ,

To Fix The Problem, You Have To Identify The Cause

July 12, 2008 By Leave a Comment

A St Louis woman was referred to me who had constant pain in her front tooth and had been advised to extract the tooth. I observed that the problem tooth was constantly being hit by the tooth directly underneath it. I adjusted her bite. It immediately felt better. The next day her husband said he’d heard no more complaints about the tooth.

The same woman I just mentioned was looking to invest a sizeable amount on dental procedures in several different offices around town. She was recommended to me for a second opinion.

After examining her I knew she suffered from headaches, neck aches and low back pain. She was shocked that I knew this. All of the treatment other doctors had advised was correct — EXCEPT — there was one key component missing. She had a jaw joint that was out of place and no one addressed that.

Over time, this condition had created other dental problems, which included missing teeth on the side where the jaw joint was out of place. And of course, she had pain as a result of her condition.

Her proposed treatment addressed every aspect of her dental health — except her jaw joint problem. By individually consulting different doctors for various aspects of her treatment, she was trying to renovate her mouth without an overall coordinated plan.

Filed Under: Dentistry Tagged With: , , , , ,
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