Here you can research a variety of dental healthcare topics. The Patient Education Center was designed to help you and other dental patients become better informed. By reading up and preparing yourself before a dental visit, you’ll be able to ask good questions and make great decisions. Great information, with lots of detail.
Bad Breath
Bad breath has a significant impact both personally and socially on those who suffer from it, as well as those on the receiving end. It may be the result of poor oral hygiene, or a sign of a more serious underlying condition. Find out what causes bad breath and what you can do about it…Read Article
Natural Beauty And Your Skin
In keeping with Dear Doctor’s goals of education and making the right choices along with your healthcare professionals, this article will empower you with facts and the top 10 tips that you need to know to keep your skin healthy… Read Article
How Sun Damage Ages Your Skin
If you notice brown spots, dark patches or other changes to your facial skin as you get older, you are seeing the effects of prior sun exposure. Sun damage can take many forms — from cosmetic to cancerous. Learn what changes to look for, how to protect your skin and prevent further damage… Read Article
Understanding Aging Makes Beauty Timeless
Understanding growth, development, and the aging process is fundamentally important to obtaining the optimal results from facial and cosmetic dental treatment. Discover how an understanding of the aging process infl uences treatment decisions and the profound effect it can have on facial beauty during a lifetime… Read Article
Artistic Repair of Front Teeth With Composite Resin
Cosmetic dentistry is about creating invisible art — recreating teeth that look totally natural so that no one can tell the difference! It involves a detailed understanding of natural tooth composition and form, choosing the right composite resin to rebuild and restore lost tooth structure, and understanding light and color. Oh, and a dental artist who can put them all together… Read Article
Repairing Chipped Teeth
A composite restoration or “bonding” is an ideal material choice for a growing teenager. Composites can be made in a wide range of tooth colors allowing for near perfect color matching with existing teeth — in artistic hands they can be made to look very natural and lifelike… Read Article
Can Dentists Rebuild Bone?
Yes they can! It is very important to maintain bone volume following removal of a tooth so that dental implants remain a viable option for tooth replacement. This is easily accomplished with today’s routine bone-grafting techniques… Read Article
Dental Implants – Your Best Option For Replacing Teeth
Dental implants have many advantages over older methods of tooth replacement like bridges and dentures — from the way they function and feel to the way they look and last. Vigorous research has documented and confirmed that in the right situations, dental implant success rates are around 95%. It is no exaggeration to say that they have revolutionized dentistry. They may even change your life… Read Article
The Hidden Consequences of Losing Teeth
For those missing even one tooth, an unsightly gap is actually the least significant problem. What’s of far greater concern is the bone loss that inevitably follows tooth loss. Dental implants fused to the jawbone can preserve bone, improve function and enhance psychological well-being. Learn how implants serve both as anchors to support replacement teeth, and preserve bone as one of the better preventive maintenance procedures in dentistry… Read Article
Crowns & Bridgework
Replacing missing teeth — even the ones in back — is important to help restore chewing ability as well as preserve facial contours and reestablish a pleasing smile. Most crowns are made of tooth-colored ceramic materials, which are shaped to look and function just like normal healthy teeth. Crowns and bridgework may sometimes be the best tooth-replacement option, especially when dental implants aren’t an option… Read Article
Dentistry and Oral Health for Children
Dear Doctor magazine brings you this wide-ranging overview of milestones and transitions in your child’s dental development. Learn how to protect your children from tooth decay, dental injuries, and unhealthy habits while getting them started on the road to a lifetime of oral health and general well-being… Read Article
Pregnancy & Oral Health
Pregnancy is generally thought of as the time when a woman strives to be particularly aware of the need for “health”. Many women though may not be aware of the link that exists between their oral health and their systemic (general) health, as well as the impact that many other factors can have on a developing child. Learn about how to care for yourself and your baby… Read Article
Thumb Sucking in Children
Sucking fingers or thumbs is completely normal for babies and young children. In fact, babies actually begin to suck on their fingers or thumbs even before they are born. Yet it’s a habit that bears watching because it can influence the development of your child’s teeth and jaws if it goes on too long… Read Article
How to Help Your Child Develop the Best Habits for Oral Health
Proper oral health habits are easy to learn — and lead to behaviors that result in life-long dental health. And the time to begin is as soon as your child’s first baby teeth appear. From tooth-brushing for your toddler to helping your teenager stay away from tobacco, Dear Doctor offers the most important tips for healthy habit formation through childhood and beyond… Read Article
Top 10 Oral Health Tips For Children
There’s no need to wait until your baby actually has teeth to lay the foundations for good oral or general health. In fact, good nutrition and oral hygiene can start right away. It is up to you to develop the routines that will help protect your child from tooth decay and other oral health problems. So let’s get started… Read Article
Clear Orthodontic Aligners
Orthodontic treatment using clear aligners consists of a series of aligners that you change about every two weeks over a course of treatment lasting six to eighteen months depending on how much movement is needed… Read Article
Clear Aligners for Teenagers
Teens who regard traditional braces as restrictive, confining, and obstructive to their lifestyles now have another choice for orthodontic treatment: clear aligners. This advanced dental technology, originally geared toward adults, has recently evolved to treat a greater variety of bite problems in younger people. These improved orthodontic appliances can help teens function normally during a difficult phase of life… Read Article
Orthodontics for the Older Adult
Healthy teeth can be moved at any age, so there’s no such thing as “too old” for braces. In fact, nowadays about one out of every five orthodontic patients is an adult. Yet this figure represents only a small portion of adults who could actually benefit from orthodontic treatment… Read Article
Cosmetic Dentistry – A Time For Change
We are living in an exciting era in dentistry. Today more than ever before, the healing arts are able to provide cosmetic change to meet the public’s ever-increasing expectations. Join Dear Doctor magazine as we review the myriad of possibilities available to you for cosmetic dental change… Read Article
The Impact of a Smile Makeover
Americans are catching on to the emotional and social importance of a healthy, beautiful smile, and they’re seeking out ways to improve their smiles. Learn why, and what a smile makeover could mean for you… Read Article
Beautiful Smiles by Design
There’s more to the art and science of designing a more appealing smile than you might realize. One of the country’s foremost leaders in cosmetic dentistry discusses how you and your dentist can partner to create a great new look… Read Article
How And Why Teeth Wear
Are teeth supposed to last for a lifetime? And are humans designed to live for up to a hundred years? Given all the current improvements in the areas of medicine and health, both general and oral, people are not only living longer, but they are also keeping their teeth longer. This article will provide an overview of the “oral system” and one of its more common and important occurrences, tooth wear… Read Article
Crowns & Bridgework
Replacing missing teeth — even the ones in back — is important to help restore chewing ability as well as preserve facial contours and reestablish a pleasing smile. Most crowns are made of tooth-colored ceramic materials, which are shaped to look and function just like normal healthy teeth. Crowns and bridgework may sometimes be the best tooth-replacement option, especially when dental implants aren’t an option… Read Article
Porcelain Crowns & Veneers
Dear Doctor magazine examines two innovative strategies for improving your smile. In many instances, these two restorative techniques can produce nearly identical aesthetic results, even though they are designed differently for handling different structural problems… Read Article
Value Of Quality Care
Are all crowns created equal? One of the most important factors adding to cost is the quality of the crown itself. Another fact is that dentists generally sub-contract out crown manufacturing to a dental laboratory technician, as they rarely make crowns themselves… Read Article
Creating In-Office Dental Restorations With Computers
Once upon a time, dentists — and patients — needed to wait weeks for a dental laboratory to make crowns and other dental restorations. Now, with an exciting digital technology known as Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM), some dentists are fabricating high-quality restorations themselves right in their own offices — in minutes! Read Article
Removable Full Dentures
Complete tooth loss can cause a host of health problems, including malnutrition and bone loss. Though fixed bridgework may hold a higher place of reverence when it comes to replacing an entire set of teeth, removable full dentures can provide an elegant solution that is significantly more affordable… Read Article
Implant Overdentures for the Lower Jaw
Implant overdentures represent a major change for the dental profession and the public. The lower jaw two-implant overdenture may be considered a more appropriate starting point over regular dentures… Read Article
An Introduction to Sports Injuries & Dentistry
Dental injuries incurred during sports activities are highly treatable, and can involve positive outcomes if participants act quickly to see a dentist after an injury. However, if not treated quickly these kinds of injuries can lead to discomfort, embarrassment and a lifetime of dental costs… Read Article
The Field-Side Guide to Dental Injuries
Accidents to the teeth, jaws and mouth can happen at any time during any sporting activity. Proper attention can save pain, alleviate anxiety and costly dental treatment. A little knowledge, as they say, can go along way. This field-side guide briefly explains some simple rules to follow when dealing with different dental injuries and when you need to see the dentist… Read Article
Athletic Mouthguards
There are times when an athlete can feel invincible… able to connect on every jump-shot, run faster and longer, or hit every pitch, but statistics show that even on their best days accidents can happen. An ounce of prevention goes a long way… For a small cost, a protective mouthguard can prevent excess anxiety, risk, injury, pain, suffering, and years of dental treatment… Read Article
Wisdom Teeth – To Be Or Not To Be
Wisdom teeth, which typically make their appearance between the ages of 17 and 25, can cause significant problems when there is not enough room for them to grow in properly. As a person ages, the effects of retained and impacted wisdom teeth can be more consequential. This article reviews the issues associated with wisdom teeth and whether or not they should be removed… Read Article
Simple Tooth Extraction?
Removing teeth, while not a particularly pleasant experience, is a routine and uncomplicated procedure in the hands of an expert. It is important that all the potential risks, benefits and possible outcomes of tooth removal are reviewed with you beforehand, so you know what to expect… Read Article
The Natural Beauty of Tooth Colored Fillings
The public’s demand for aesthetic tooth-colored (metal free) restorations (fillings) together with the dental profession’s desire to preserve as much natural tooth structure as possible, has led to the development of special “adhesive” tooth-colored restorations… Read Article
Tooth Decay — A Preventable Disease
Tooth decay is the number one reason children and adults lose teeth during their lifetime. Yet many people don’t realize that it is a preventable infection. This article explores the causes of tooth decay, its prevention, and the relationship to bacteria, sugars, and acids… Read Article
Tooth Decay – How To Assess Your Risk
Don’t wait for cavities to occur and then have them fixed — stop them before they start. Modern dentistry is moving towards an approach to managing tooth decay that is evidence-based — on years of accumulated, systematic, and valid scientific research. This article discusses what you need to know to assess your risk and change the conditions that lead to decay… Read Article
Fluoride and Fluoridation in Dentistry
The Center for Disease Control says that water fluoridation is “One of the ten most important public health measures of the 20th century.” Extensive systematic reviews of the evidence conclusively show that water fluoridation and fluoride toothpastes both substantially reduce dental decay. Learn why through the amazing fluoride story… Read Article
Topical Fluoride
Fluoride has a unique ability to strengthen tooth enamel and make it more resistant to decay. That’s why dentists often apply it directly to the surfaces of children’s teeth after routine dental cleanings. This surface (topical) application can continue to leach fluoride into the tooth surface for a month or more… Read Article
The Natural Beauty of Tooth Colored Fillings
The public’s demand for aesthetic tooth colored (metal free) restorations (fillings) together with the dental profession’s desire to preserve as much natural tooth structure as possible, has led to the development of special “adhesive” tooth colored restorations… Read Article
What is Tooth Decay? – And How to Prevent It!
Tooth Decay is an infection, and many people don’t realize that it is preventable. This article is the first in a series about tooth decay, perhaps the number one reason children and adults lose teeth during their lifetime. Explore the causes of tooth decay, its prevention and the relationship to bacteria, sugars and acids… Read Article
Tooth Decay – How To Assess Your Risk
Don’t wait for cavities to occur and then have them fixed — stop them before they start. Modern dentistry is moving towards an approach to managing tooth decay that is evidence-based — on years of accumulated, systematic, and valid scientific research. This article discusses what you need to know to assess your risk and change the conditions that lead to decay… Read Article
Basic Anatomy of Teeth
Adults have 32 teeth. This includes the wisdom teeth which are simply a third set of molars. It is possible to be born with less than 32 teeth or more than 32 teeth. If a person has had all four of their wisdom teeth removed, they will have 28 teeth…Read Article
Daily Oral Hygiene
By taking just a few minutes each day to brush and floss the right way, you can help avoid the discomfort and expense of dental treatment down the road. In this article we share some simple secrets about how easy it is to maintain good dental hygiene, and keep that smile radiant for life… Read Article
Dental Hygiene Visit
Each dental hygiene visit begins by reviewing your health history to identify issues that may necessitate special precautions during dental hygiene care to ensure your safety and to prevent medical emergencies… Read Article
Flossing — A Different Approach
Flossing is important but challenging for some — this approach may make your life easier! Research suggests that while most people will habitually brush their teeth, developing a flossing habit is still a bit more difficult. Flossing however, remains the best method for most effectively removing plaque from between the teeth where the brush won’t reach… Read Article
Dental Implants – Your Best Option For Replacing Teeth
Dental implants have many advantages over older methods of tooth replacement like bridges and dentures — from the way they function and feel to the way they look and last. Vigorous research has documented and confirmed that in the right situations, dental implant success rates are around 95%. It is no exaggeration to say that they have revolutionized dentistry. They may even change your life… Read Article
The Hidden Consequences of Losing Teeth
For those missing even one tooth, an unsightly gap is actually the least significant problem. What’s of far greater concern is the bone loss that inevitably follows tooth loss. Dental implants fused to the jawbone can preserve bone, improve function and enhance psychological well-being. Learn how implants serve both as anchors to support replacement teeth, and preserve bone as one of the better preventive maintenance procedures in dentistry… Read Article
Dental Implants — Evaluating Your Options for Replacing Missing Teeth
As we guide you through the marketing hype you’ll see that well planned implants most often require a team approach in assessing whether they’re right for you. Not only are they a better treatment choice, they will last longer, possibly a lifetime, making them the right choice and the most cost effective option long term… Read Article
Implant Overdentures for the Lower Jaw
Implant overdentures represent a major change for the dental profession and the public. The lower jaw two-implant overdenture may be considered a more appropriate starting point over regular dentures… Read Article
Lasers Shine a Light on Dentistry
Lasers have revolutionized medicine and now they’re beginning to blaze a new trail in dentistry. Today, at the dawn of the 21st century there are a variety of dental uses for lasers, from diagnosing cavities and the removal of gum and tooth structure to the treatment of disease… Read Article
Lasers Versus Traditional Cleanings For Treating Gum Disease
Reported advantages of laser treatment over conventional methods include minimal tissue damage and swelling, less bleeding, sterilization of the treatment area, reduced post-treatment discomfort, and high patient acceptance… Read Article
An Introduction to Sports Injuries & Dentistry
Dental injuries incurred during sports activities are highly treatable, and can involve positive outcomes if participants act quickly to see a dentist after an injury. However, if not treated quickly these kinds of injuries can lead to discomfort, embarrassment and a lifetime of dental costs… Read Article
The Field-Side Guide to Dental Injuries
Accidents to the teeth, jaws and mouth can happen at any time during any sporting activity. Proper attention can save pain, alleviate anxiety and costly dental treatment. A little knowledge, as they say, can go along way. This field-side guide briefly explains some simple rules to follow when dealing with different dental injuries and when you need to see the dentist… Read Article
Athletic Mouthguards
There are times when an athlete can feel invincible… able to connect on every jump-shot, run faster and longer, or hit every pitch, but statistics show that even on their best days accidents can happen. An ounce of prevention goes a long way… For a small cost, a protective mouthguard can prevent excess anxiety, risk, injury, pain, suffering, and years of dental treatment… Read Article
Oral Cancer
This article may just save your life. Learn how to notice any unusual lesions (sores or ulcers) anywhere in your mouth that do not heal within two-three weeks. Early detection is key… Read Article
Strategies To Stop Smoking
Cigarette smoking is the number one preventable cause of illness and death. Quitting smoking could prevent a large number of diseases and deaths each year. Many smokers find it difficult to stop, a fact that is confirmed by the staggering rate of relapse. Given the fact that cigarette smoking is a learned behavior that is reinforced over time, it makes sense that to be successful in quitting, you must “unlearn” this behavior. Here are some suggested ways to learn how… Read Article
Dentistry and Oral Health for Children
Dear Doctor magazine brings you this wide-ranging overview of milestones and transitions in your child’s dental development. Learn how to protect your children from tooth decay, dental injuries, and unhealthy habits while getting them started on the road to a lifetime of oral health and general well-being… Read Article
Nutrition & Oral Health
Oral health is a huge part of our general health. In Part I of this important series, we will focus on diet as it relates to dental/oral health. Learn new important facts about sugars — the good and the bad; fluorides; tooth erosion by acids; and more… Read Article
Pregnancy & Oral Health
Pregnancy is generally thought of as the time when a woman strives to be particularly aware of the need for “health”. Many women though may not be aware of the link that exists between their oral health and their systemic (general) health, as well as the impact that many other factors can have on a developing child. Learn about how to care for yourself and your baby… Read Article
Clear Orthodontic Aligners
The orthodontic treatment using clear aligners consists of a series of aligners that you change about every two weeks over a course of treatment lasting six to eighteen months depending on how much movement is needed… Read Article
Clear Aligners for Teenagers
Teens who regard traditional braces as restrictive, confining, and obstructive to their lifestyles now have another choice for orthodontic treatment: clear aligners. This advanced dental technology, originally geared toward adults, has recently evolved to treat a greater variety of bite problems in younger people. These improved orthodontic appliances can help teens function normally during a difficult phase of life… Read Article
The Magic of Orthodontics
Proper alignment of the teeth is basic to “Smile Design.” Their position dictates how they work together and affects the way you look and smile. Only orthodontic treatment can move teeth into the right position. Simply put, when things look right, they probably are right. Learn the basics of smile analysis and design and whether the magic of orthodontics will work for you… Read Article
Orthodontics for the Older Adult
Healthy teeth can be moved at any age, so there’s no such thing as “too old” for braces. In fact, nowadays about one out of every five orthodontic patients is an adult. Yet this figure represents only a small portion of adults who could actually benefit from orthodontic treatment… Read Article
The Link Between Heart & Gum Diseases
Inflammation has emerged as a factor that is involved in the process of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), which commonly results in heart attacks and strokes. While the precise role inflammation plays in causing chronic CVD remains an area of intense current investigation, much more is now known. The good news is that, based on current research, we know that if we can reduce the inflammation caused by periodontal disease, we can reduce the risk for heart attacks and strokes… Read Article
Understanding Gum (Periodontal) Disease
Have your gums ever bled when you brushed or flossed? This most commonly overlooked simple sign may be the start of silent (periodontal) disease leading to tooth loss. Learn what you can do to prevent this problem and keep your teeth for life… Read Article
Diabetes & Periodontal Disease
Diabetes and periodontal disease are chronic inflammatory diseases that impact the health of millions of people. What you may not know is that diabetes and periodontal disease can adversely affect each other… Read Article
Warning Signs of Periodontal (Gum) Disease
This article provides the warning signs of periodontal (gum) disease. Don’t wait until it’s too late… Read Article
Periodontal Surgery — Where Art Meets Science
This Dear Doctor magazine article is an overview of how the art of plastic surgical procedures and the science of periodontics can enhance the health and beauty of your teeth. You will learn what periodontal surgery is designed to do, what makes it successful and what to expect during treatment… Read Article
Periodontal Plastic Surgery
Millions of Americans have some degree of gum recession — a loss of the tough, pink tissue that surrounds teeth. Receding gums can cause anything from minor tooth sensitivity to tooth loss in very severe cases. Fortunately, the field of periodontal plastic surgery has made enormous strides in devising techniques, including grafting, to deal with the problem of lost or damaged gum tissue… Read Article
Daily Oral Hygiene
By taking just a few minutes each day to brush and floss the right way, you can help avoid the discomfort and expense of dental treatment down the road. In this article we share some simple secrets about how easy it is to maintain good dental hygiene, and keep that smile radiant for life… Read Article
Fluoride and Fluoridation in Dentistry
The Center for Disease Control says that water fluoridation is, “One of the ten most important public health measures of the 20th century.” Extensive systematic reviews of the evidence conclusively show that water fluoridation and fluoride toothpastes both substantially reduce dental decay. Learn why through the amazing fluoride story… Read Article
Sealants for Children
The tiny grooves in your child’s back teeth are ideal places for cavities to form. But you can take a proactive role in preventing this with dental sealants. These are protective plastic resin coatings placed in these tiny pits and fissures of teeth, actually sealing them from attack. It’s a wonderful method of decay prevention that every parent should consider… Read Article
What is Tooth Decay? – And How to Prevent It!
Tooth Decay is an infection, and many people don’t realize that it is preventable. This article is the first in a series about tooth decay, perhaps the number one reason children and adults lose teeth during their lifetime. Explore the causes of tooth decay, its prevention and the relationship to bacteria, sugars and acids… Read Article
The Natural Beauty of Tooth Colored Fillings
The public’s demand for aesthetic tooth colored (metal free) restorations (fillings) together with the dental profession’s desire to preserve as much natural tooth structure as possible, has led to the development of special “adhesive” tooth colored restorations… Read Article
Removable Full Dentures
Complete tooth loss can cause a host of health problems, including malnutrition and bone loss. Though fixed bridgework may hold a higher place of reverence when it comes to replacing an entire set of teeth, removable full dentures can provide an elegant solution that is significantly more affordable… Read Article
Porcelain Crowns & Veneers
A closer look at two innovative techniques and strategies to improve your smile. In many instances these two restorative techniques can produce nearly identical esthetic results, even though they are structurally different… Read Article
Pregnancy & Oral Health
Pregnancy is generally thought of as the time when a woman strives to be particularly aware of the need for “health”. Many women though may not be aware of the link that exists between their oral health and their systemic (general) health, as well as the impact that many other factors can have on a developing child. Learn about how to care for yourself and your baby… Read Article
Expectant Mothers
As an expectant mother, you know you need to take special care of yourself. But did you know this extra TLC extends to oral hygiene? Pregnancy hormones can make a woman more prone to gum disease and other oral health problems. Find what you can do to safeguard yourself and your baby… Read Article
Pregnancy & Birth Control
Pregnant women or those taking birth control pills can become prone to gum disease — a bacterial infection caused by a buildup of dental plaque. That’s because in both cases, the elevation of certain hormones causes blood vessel changes in the gums, making them more susceptible to the effects of bacteria… Read Article
A Step-By-Step Guide to Root Canal Treatment
If you’re about to have root canal treatment, you might be feeling apprehensive. If so, our walk-through of root canal treatment will show you what to expect from this tooth-saving procedure, which becomes necessary when an infection reaches deep inside a tooth. The most important thing to know is that root canal treatment doesn’t cause pain — it relieves it… Read Article
Root Canal Treatment For Children’s Teeth
You may think that if a baby tooth comes out prematurely, it’s no great loss; after all, it was going to fall out anyway, right? Wrong! Primary teeth serve as important guides for the permanent teeth that will replace them. Young children can lose primary (baby) teeth when the pulp, the living tissue inside a tooth, becomes infected as a result of decay or trauma. Losing baby teeth prematurely can allow bite problems to develop. Root canal treatment for children can prevent this. Learn what to look for in your child and what can be done to save baby teeth until they are ready to be lost naturally… Read Article
Tooth Pain? Don’t Wait!
Pain is a protective response that ranges from minor sensitivity to severe pain and informs the body that something is wrong. As for tooth pain, it is caused by a reaction of the nerves inside a tooth’s pulp chamber with the severity dependent upon the type and degree of the stimulus… Read Article
Sealants for Children
The tiny grooves in your child’s back teeth are ideal places for cavities to form. But you can take a proactive role in preventing this with dental sealants. These are protective plastic resin coatings placed in these tiny pits and fissures of teeth, actually sealing them from attack. It’s a wonderful method of decay prevention that every parent should consider… Read Article
What is Tooth Decay? – And How to Prevent It!
Tooth Decay is an infection, and many people don’t realize that it is preventable. This article is the first in a series about tooth decay, perhaps the number one reason children and adults lose teeth during their lifetime. Explore the causes of tooth decay, its prevention and the relationship to bacteria, sugars and acids… Read Article
How to Help Your Child Develop the Best Habits for Oral Health
Proper oral health habits are easy to learn — and lead to behaviors that result in life-long dental health. And the time to begin is as soon as your child’s first baby teeth appear. From tooth-brushing for your toddler to helping your teenager stay away from tobacco, Dear Doctor offers the most important tips for healthy habit formation through childhood and beyond… Read Article
Top 10 Oral Health Tips For Children
There’s no need to wait until your baby actually has teeth to lay the foundations for good oral or general health. In fact, good nutrition and oral hygiene can start right away. It is up to you to develop the routines that will help protect your child from tooth decay and other oral health problems. So let’s get started… Read Article
Oral Sedation Dentistry
Step out from under the shadow of fear and into the calm of sedation dentistry. There are safe and time-tested options available to ensure that you have a positive and painless dental experience. Your apprehension and hypersensitivity to pain melt away, yet you remain awake and in control… Read Article
IV Sedation in Dentistry
Does dental treatment make you anxious? If so, you’re not alone: as much as 50% of the population has apprehension about dental treatment. An estimated 15% are so fearful, they avoid dental treatment entirely. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Learn how IV sedation allows for an anxiety-free experience of dental care… Read Article
Local Anesthesia for Pain-Free Dentistry
Local anesthesia is one of the most effective tools in dentistry and medicine. It is safe, effective and has totally revolutionized pain control. Without local anesthesia, some dental procedures would be quite stressful for all involved. It’s good for you and for your dental professionals… Read Article
Sleep Disorders and Dentistry
If my partner snores loudly, should I be concerned and what can be done to alleviate the problem? Why does my sleeping partner have lapses in breathing while sleeping and is it dangerous? Why do I wake up exhausted even though I get up to 10 hours of sleep at night? The answers to these and other questions — and how dentistry can help — are all revealed within… Read Article
Snoring & Sleep Apnea
Snoring is annoying to those who have to listen to it, but it can also signal a serious health condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Individuals with OSA experience significant airflow disruption during sleep, which in turn can cause a variety of health problems. Learn what to look for and how your dentist can help… Read Article
If You Snore You Must Read More…
Use this helpful resource to learn what to do if you or a loved one struggles with snoring… Read Article
The Impact of a Smile Makeover
Americans are catching on to the emotional and social importance of a healthy, beautiful smile, and they’re seeking out ways to improve their smiles. Learn why and what a change could mean for you… Read Article
Beautiful Smiles by Design
There’s more to the art and science of designing a more appealing smile than you might realize. One of the country’s foremost leaders in cosmetic dentistry discusses how you and your dentist can partner to create a great new look… Read Article
Sinus Surgery
Being able to create or regenerate bone in sinus cavities can be life-changing for people who are missing one or more of their upper back teeth. Sinus surgery makes dental implants, today’s state-of-the-art tooth replacement systems, achievable for people who otherwise would not have been able to take advantage of today’s best tooth-replacement method… Read Article
TMD – The Great Impostor
This “chameleon” of dental disorders manifests in a variety of ways, including joint pain, sinusitus, ear pain, tooth and headaches. Dear Doctor magazine examines the causes of TMD, its signs and symptoms and what can be done to treat this common disorder… Read Article
TMD, or Temporomandibular Disorders, is an umbrella term for various painful conditions that affect the jaw joints. There are different treatment approaches to TMD problems, but not all are based on science. It’s important to be up on the latest information and to be an educated consumer. In this comprehensive article, Dear Doctor magazine provides state-of-the-art information and guidance on what you should know, whom you should see, and what you should ask… Read Article
Tooth Decay — A Preventable Disease
Tooth decay is the number one reason children and adults lose teeth during their lifetime. Yet many people don’t realize that it is a preventable infection. This article explores the causes of tooth decay, its prevention, and the relationship to bacteria, sugars, and acids… Read Article
Tooth Decay – How To Assess Your Risk
Don’t wait for cavities to occur and then have them fixed — stop them before they start. Modern dentistry is moving towards an approach to managing tooth decay that is evidence-based — on years of accumulated, systematic, and valid scientific research. This article discusses what you need to know to assess your risk and change the conditions that lead to decay… Read Article
Porcelain Veneers: Strength & Beauty As Never Before
The advances dentistry has seen in recent years are truly remarkable — especially when it comes to porcelain veneers. These thin, lifelike, cosmetic dental porcelains can do wonders to change the color, size, shape and even spacing of your teeth. Find out about the process and how to get the best results. Plus, real-life examples of beautiful smile makeovers created with porcelain veneers… Read Article
Porcelain Veneers – Without A Drill
More and more, dentistry, like medicine, is finding ways to be as conservative as possible while providing the best possible results. “No-prep” or “prepless” veneers are one way to improve and enhance smiles without the downside of drilling away healthy tooth enamel… Read Article
Teeth Whitening – Brighter, lighter, whiter…
The subconscious impact of a white smile is radiant health, happiness, warmth and invitation. This phenomenon has been reinforced with the spread of American culture worldwide, where an especially white smile has even been coined a “Hollywood smile.” Today brighter, lighter, whiter teeth have become a norm. Tooth whitening by bleaching is a successful, conservative, relatively inexpensive and safe alternative… Read Article
Important Teeth Whitening Questions Answered!
In this Dear Doctor magazine article, questions are answered about bleaching techniques and safety in achieving the best possible results. If you are thinking about getting your teeth whitened at your dentist’s office or doing it yourself at home, this is a must-read… Read Article
Tooth Whitening Safety Tips
Tooth whitening is a relatively inexpensive way to enhance your smile, and many studies have confirmed that tooth whitening products are safe when used as directed. Still, there are some things you need to know before you begin the whitening process… Read Article
Wisdom Teeth – To Be Or Not To Be
Wisdom teeth, which typically make their appearance between the ages of 17 and 25, can cause significant problems when there is not enough room for them to grow in properly. As a person ages, the effects of retained and impacted wisdom teeth can be more consequential. This article reviews the issues associated with wisdom teeth and whether or not they should be removed… Read Article
X-Ray Safety For Children
Nearly every diagnostic testing procedure carries some risk, so it’s always important for you and your healthcare provider to weigh the benefits against the risks. This is particularly true when it comes to children, who are more sensitive to x-rays than adults… Read Article
Getting The Full Picture With Cone Beam Dental Scans
Dental imaging took a major leap forward at the beginning of the new millennium with a three-dimensional technology known as cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). The name comes from the cone-shaped beam of x-rays the CBCT machine projects as it rotates around a person’s head, taking multiple images that are compiled into a 3-D picture by a computer. Find out what CBCT can reveal and how it helps a doctor to make a highly informed diagnosis and choice of treatment… Read Article