There is another option for patients who find shots of anesthetic and the whir of a dental drill discomforting. Over a number of years, the Erbium:YAG laser has proven to be effective in removing tooth decay. Decay removal and tooth preparation with a laser doesn’t require the use of anesthesia, and it works with better precision to spare more of the healthy tooth. Patients report feeling no more than a slight tingling sensation as the Erbium:YAG laser removes tooth decay. The laser also creates a better bonding surface so that tooth-colored fillings can be expected to last longer. While a traditional drill works faster, with an Erbium:YAG laser, there is no need to wait for the anesthetic to kick in.

P.S. Because an Erbium:YAG laser is not designed for removing old amalgam fillings and preparing teeth for crowns or bridges, a traditional drill must be used to do this work.

Tooth enamel may be the hardest tissue in the body, but it is still susceptible to the erosion that occurs as a result of brushing teeth too hard. Excessive consumption of fruit juices and soft drinks can also lead to erosion of the tooth surface, which begins with gum recession and tooth sensitivity. The tooth enamel will eventually show signs of erosion that usually takes the form of horizontal notching at the gumline. Eventually, the enamel may wear through, and the underlying dentin becomes exposed, which leads to severe tooth sensitivity. Fortunately, this problem can be adequately addressed with resin bonding, which fills in the eroded tooth with a resin material that exactly matches the original tooth color.

P.S. To circumvent abrasion caused by tooth-brushing that can lead to enamel erosion, patients should use soft-bristled brushes and avoid exerting too much pressure on the handle of the toothbrush.

            As their name suggests, “immediate implants” are embedded in the dental sockets immediately after tooth extraction. The advantages of these “same-day implants” over “delayed implants” (which are placed in partially or completely healed bone) is that they sustain bone formation that provides the best aesthetic results and enable treatment time to be shortened. Good bone quality and quantity are needed for immediate implants to be successful. The gums and adjacent teeth must be in good health, and there must be a stable and favorable relationship between opposing teeth that meet to form an occlusion (bite). Patients meeting these and other criteria who are faced with extraction of decayed or fractured teeth  may want to consider the advantages of immediate implants. 

P.S. Immediate implants can sometimes be outfitted with replacement teeth immediately after extraction.

One of the wonders of the mouth is how the gums wrap tightly around the teeth much like a turtleneck collar hugs the neck. At the edge of the gumline, the gum tissue folds back underneath itself, creating a snug, 1- to 3-millimeter furrow around each tooth (the “gingival sulcus”). To measure the health of the gums, the hygienist or dentist gauges the depth of the gingival sulcus at several points around each tooth by inserting a thin measuring rod (periodontal probe). A depth of over 3 millimeters may indicate that a pocket is forming between the tooth and gum, which is evidence of gum disease. Treatment prevents mild gum disease (gingivitis) from progressing to severe gum disease (periodontitis).

P.S. Plaque that is allowed to build up in the gingival pocket may lead to possible infection and damage that reaches even further down the tooth, eventually compromising the tissues that hold it in place.

            While the introduction of fluoride into drinking water is generally credited with lowering the incidence of tooth decay, there can be too much of a good thing. In fact, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 40% of adolescents have tooth streaking or spottiness caused by too much fluoride consumption. The splotchy tooth condition known as “fluorosis” is especially common among children between the ages of 12 and 15 years, and seems to have become more prevalent since the 1980s. Changing drinking habits, toothpastes containing fluoride, and fluoride supplements seem to be primary causes of fluorosis. To address the potential problem, the federal government intends to lower the recommended limit for fluoride in water supplies.   

P.S. Parents with concerns about their children’s fluoride consumption should schedule a dental examination to look for signs of the condition.

A dental “inlay” is a dental restoration that is often used to repair areas of decay that are too large to support a filling but not so large that a crown is necessary. Inlays generally cover chewing surfaces between cusps in molars, and “onlays” are used to restore fractured cusps. To prepare an inlay, the dentist makes a wax mold of the space left after the damaged portion of the tooth is removed. Then, the mold is sent to a lab, where the custom inlay is created (usually out of gold alloy). Finally, the inlay is set into place, using cement. The resulting restoration is more durable than amalgam or composite fillings but less expensive than a crown.

P.S. Porcelain is fast becoming the material of choice for dental inlays due to its strength and color-matching ability.

Under new FDA rules, sunscreens that have at least a 15 SPF (Sun Protection Factor) and offer protection from UVA and UVB rays can display new labels indicating that they protect against sunburn, early signs of aging, and skin cancer. The FDA has also decided that the term “sunblock” is a misnomer and will no longer be a valid claim on labeling. In the FDA’s eyes, no lotion or spray can totally protect the skin against the sun’s harmful rays. Moreover, the terms “waterproof” and “sweatproof” can no longer appear on sunscreen labeling  because the FDA thinks that these claims are overstated. The FDA hopes that the new labeling rules will help consumers make better decisions.

P.S. Under the new sunscreen labeling rules, sunscreens that meet the FDA’s criteria for “Broad Spectrum” can make the claim that, if used correctly and in combination with other “sun protection measures,” they prevent sunburn, skin aging, and cancer.

As their name suggests, “immediate implants” are embedded in the dental sockets immediately after tooth extraction. The advantages of these “same-day implants” over “delayed implants” (which are placed in partially or completely healed bone) is that they sustain bone formation that provides the best aesthetic results and enable treatment time to be shortened. Good bone quality and quantity are needed for immediate implants to be successful. The gums and adjacent teeth must be in good health, and there must be a stable and favorable relationship between opposing teeth that meet to form an occlusion (bite). Patients meeting these and other criteria who are faced with extraction of decayed or fractured teeth  may want to consider the advantages of immediate implants. 

P.S. Immediate implants can sometimes be outfitted with replacement teeth immediately after extraction.

One of the wonders of the mouth is how the gums wrap tightly around the teeth much like a turtleneck collar hugs the neck. At the edge of the gumline, the gum tissue folds back underneath itself, creating a snug, 1- to 3-millimeter furrow around each tooth (the “gingival sulcus”). To measure the health of the gums, the hygienist or dentist gauges the depth of the gingival sulcus at several points around each tooth by inserting a thin measuring rod (periodontal probe). A depth of over 3 millimeters may indicate that a pocket is forming between the tooth and gum, which is evidence of gum disease. Treatment prevents mild gum disease (gingivitis) from progressing to severe gum disease (periodontitis).

P.S. Plaque that is allowed to build up in the gingival pocket may lead to possible infection and damage that reaches even further down the tooth, eventually compromising the tissues that hold it in place.

While the introduction of fluoride into drinking water is generally credited with lowering the incidence of tooth decay, there can be too much of a good thing. In fact, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 40% of adolescents have tooth streaking or spottiness caused by too much fluoride consumption. The splotchy tooth condition known as “fluorosis” is especially common among children between the ages of 12 and 15 years, and seems to have become more prevalent since the 1980s. Changing drinking habits, toothpastes containing fluoride, and fluoride supplements seem to be primary causes of fluorosis. To address the potential problem, the federal government intends to lower the recommended limit for fluoride in water supplies.   

P.S. Parents with concerns about their children’s fluoride consumption should schedule a dental examination to look for signs of the condition.