Dental Black Triangles

Have you ever noticed some people have a small black triangle located in between some of their teeth, and looks like a speck of pepper? I have, and always wondered what it was!

So, what exactly are dental black triangle?

According to Larry Picard, DDS, dental black triangles are clinically knowen as open gingival embrasures. This is a gap between the teeth that is often due to bone loss, recession of the gum line, and sometimes due to movement in the teeth.

There are a few different ways to fix this problem:

• Interproximal Reduction (IPR) in conjunction with Invisalign
• Veneers
• Bonding
• BioClear

Picture is from google images 
Information found here here!

Which is Better? Dental Cleaning Methods--New vs. Old

A look into the ever advancing world of dental medicine has spurred me to blog about a topic that many of my customers have addressed with me over the years. Adult cleanings. Now, keep in mind that with technological advancements in the dental field comes a variety of skepticism...that is, people do not like change.  They tend to prefer that you should stick to what works!
We begin with what I call the old method, which entails scraping and picking away the plaque and tartar from your teeth....approximately 45 minutes in the chair and you come away with your mouth feeling fresher and cleaner; along with a knowledge of what the hygienist has been doing with her life for the past 6 months...it just goes with the territory, folks! With further advancement comes the prophy jet, which basically uses a high pressured stream of water to blast away the build-up, (oh, and just FYI, I have heard many, many complaints about this one) and now, the newer laser cleaning, (the jury is still out on that method). We haven't had much feedback as yet about this one, however I have a feeling in this instance that "no news is good news".... as in no one in my scope of the industry has complained!
The general consensus, in the end, is that most people do seem to prefer the old tried and true method, particularly the older crowd, asserting that the prophy jet doesn't seem to leave their mouths feeling as fresh, or that it doesn't  completely remove the plaque. Additionally, it is a much quicker method, which seems to give the impression that enough time is not being spent on the cleaning, therefore it can't be as effective as the old way.
Tell us what you think!!! We'd like to hear about your experiences.
Which do you prefer? The new way or the old way?

As always, keep smiling!

Should You Fill Rotten Baby Teeth?

Filling rotten baby teeth may be an unnecessary as well as uncomfortable experience for children to endure, some experts say.

About 40% of five-year-olds have tooth decay and at least one in ten is treated with fillings. But evidence from the case notes of 50 dentists suggests fillings may not offer significant benefits.

Read more here!

Original post was on June 24, 2009

Could You Make Your Own Braces? Would you?

I've read about different and more crude attempts at home orthodontia and lets just say, it's a frightening concept...(what some people will come up with and bravely attempt).

However, in an article published recently, the story of a New Jersey college student and his idea to make his own clear plastic braces is making a stir in the dental industry.  He did, in fact, create a model of his own teeth using a computer and a 3-D printer and then manufactured 12 sets of clear plastic straightening trays for a fraction of the cost of Name Brand braces. When I say fraction....I mean his total cost was about $60. The kicker?  It worked!

I, for one, am NOT that technologically inclined, however, many people are. Now, I suppose in this case the end result could've been disastrous. And this spin off of the modern "Invisalign type" orthodontia will not work for everyone, but just look at the picture in this article and see for yourself!  He did an amazing job.  It made for a great success story and one that may encourage others to try similar tactics, although it should be stated that no one ( unless you are a trained professional) should try this at home!

Click here for the full article.  It's a captivating topic.

Invest In Your Dental Health With Your Tax Refund!

Tax season is upon us once again!

According to USA Today, the average tax refund is $3,100.00. While spending that money on new clothes, down payment on a car or a nice beach vacation, people should be more realistic and invest it other places such as their dental health.

Did you know that dental care gets more expensive the longer it's neglected? Brushing and flossing and regular check-ups aren't costly but when you don't brush, floss or see your dentist regularly you can develop serious dental problems like gum disease and cavities which may require surgery down the road.

So why not take some of that tax refund and protect your teeth?

Lose A Tooth? Don't Worry, You May Be Able to Just...Grow Another?

Wow. Isn't technology awesome? Imagine going to the dentist, having a tooth extracted and finding out that you can simply grow another in its place; with a little help from science, that is.  It may be the way of the near future....it may even be cheaper than implants (and we all know that the full process for an implant can take up to 6 months, right?)  Apparently this new process of growing a new tooth can be done in only 9 weeks and it involves stem cell technology.  Unbelievable!

Here is a link to an article that explains the science behind it, and the process.  Amazing.

Now if they could only come up with a way to do an extraction that is non-invasive...well, one can dream, right?

Keep Smiling!

What's Wrong With Refilling A Tooth That Needs Replaced?

Unfortanly this was my dilemma last month, and Dr. Spindel explains why you shouldn't keep refilling a tooth!

"Often when removing an old filling a crack is discovered. Unless the part of the tooth that has cracked is completely removed, a permanent filling is not a great option. Currently, dentists do not have a bond or superglue that can adequately repair cracks and often when a tooth has a crack, entirely removing enough of the tooth to get rid of the crack is not possible without ruining it. In that case, a portion of the crack remains and a dentist's best choice is to "shoe the cusps" with a indirect restoration (either an onlay or crown). Covering the cusps will better distribute occlusal (biting) forces and discourage the crack from propagating. Residual cracks in teeth do not heal themselves and tend to either stay static or propagate further.

So what's wrong with just refilling the tooth with an even larger filling? Even if no crack is found,  unless a dentist can actually onlay the cusps and restore good proximal contacts with a composite filling in one session, a laboratory fabricated restoration is really the best option. If a tooth needs more than three surfaces restored, prepping, taking an impression and sending it to a laboratory is really the most predictable way to ensure a long lasting result. will make it easier to properly restore the tooth to it's proper function. Whether a  crown or an onlay is utilized, fabrication out of the mouth using a model is the best option.

That being the case, it is not unusual for patients to strongly advocate for their dentist to just "put in a filling for the time being and " I will crown it in the future, when I can afford it". That may sound reasonable, but most patients will not fix a tooth that's not broken and will wait until they develop another problem with their restored tooth, even though they were warned that it should have a crown or an onlay.

Unfortunately, sometimes when they do return with a problem, it is too late to salvage the tooth and if it sustains an "unlucky break" ( one that involves the tooth into the boney alveolar housing) the tooth may need to be extracted. At this point the tooth replacement involves an extraction and a three unit bridge or an implant replacement. Both of these options are much more expensive than a single crown would have been. Removable tooth replacement is an affordable option, but most patients prefer not to go this route if they have any other options."


Information was found here!