Oral Cancer

6. August 2008 Johnson Dental

Molly, our hygienist, volunteers at various organizations doing oral cancer screenings. Most people do not know that each time you visit our office, Molly does and oral cancer exam to protect your health. Oral cancer is a serious disease and affects so many people. Some numbers:

30,000 Americans diagnosed with oral cancer each year will live five years or less after diagnosis.

1 person per hour, every hour of the day in the U.S. dies from oral cancer. It is a particularly deadly cancer and kills more people than cervical, prostate and skin cancer.

15 times more oral cancers occur in people who have a long term history of smoking and alcohol use.

20, the age at which everyone should start to be checked yearly for oral cancer.

2 minutes is the amount of time it takes for a painless oral cancer examiniation.

Chronic tobacco and alcohol use are prime causes of oral cancer. Yet, many people between the ages of 25 and 50, without these risk factors, are also being diagnosed with oral cancer. In its earliest and most curable forms, oral cancer is painless and may go unnoticed. Dentists and dental hygienists are trained to detect it in these highly curable stages. Early detection saves lives!

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What is Dental Insurance?

6. August 2008 Johnson Dental

What is Dental Insurance?

· Dental insurance is a contract between your employer and a dental insurance company. The benefits you receive are based on the terms of the contract that was negotiated between your employer and the dental insurance company. The coverage has nothing to do with what the patient needs or wants.

· The goal of most insurance companies is to provide only basic care for specific dental services. The services selected are based on the cost of the policy to your employer and the negotiated arrangements made with the insurance company.

· The benefits that you receive from the insurance company have nothing to do with achieving a high quality, complete result in your dental work.

Covered and Non-covered Services

· Dental services, which are needed or wanted, may not be covered by insurance. Our goal is to help you achieve and maintain optimal dental care, which is NOT the goal of the insurance company.

· There are dollar maximums set on dental insurance for each year. Once this limit is reached, no other services will be covered by the insurance company, regardless how essential the service may be to your dental health. Each year, if you do not use these available dollars, they are lost. You cannot accumulate dollars, from one year to another.

· Insurance companies also put limits on frequency of regular care (cleanings, x-rays, examinations, fluoride, etc.), and limits on restorative care

· These limits may NOT be in your best interest.

· Each policy puts various limits on frequency of restorations, crowns, partials and dentures. You will need to check with your insurance company for these specific limitations.

· Usually, cosmetic dentistry, implants, occlusion or bite adjustments, TMJ splints, and other services such as these, are not usually covered at all by insurance companies.

· We will not compromise your care based on restraints placed by an insurance company.

How Our Office Helps

· Our office will complete and submit dental insurance forms to the company to achieve the maximum reimbursement to which you are entitled. If payment is denied, for whatever reason, by the insurance company, it is the responsibility of the patient to make the payment.

· Some insurance companies take longer than others to issue payment. If necessary, our office will contact the insurance company directly, or ask for your help in dealing with your insurance company. They listen to you, the policy holder, more than us.

· Any time you have a question about dental insurance, please feel free to ask us.

Our Philosophy

· Our office remains dedicated to providing optimal care for every patient and working with you to achieve that goal, despite insurance limitations.

· We pride ourselves in continuing to provide high quality care to our patients.

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Teeth Whitening and How it Works

31. July 2008 Johnson Dental

Unlike porcelain veneers, your natural tooth is porous and can collect stains from the foods you eat and drink.   Stained teeth make your teeth look dirty and old.  These stains can be removed by teeth whitening systems we offer in our office.  Whiter teeth can make you look younger and feel more confident.

There are two types of stains on teeth, superficial and inherent. Superficial stains are the ones that are caused by food, drink and lifestyle. They are generally yellow in nature and respond well to whitening systems. Inherent tooth stains are internal and could be caused from things our bodies absorb such as minerals, fluoride and antibiotics and don’t usually respond well to external whitening systems. For those cases, we offer porcelain veneers.

The types of whitening systems we recommend in our office are:

• Custom whitening trays with Zoom whitening gel.

We will take an impression of your teeth which we make into a stone mold and create custom trays that fit your teeth perfectly, allowing for maximum whitening results. The trays are reusable and refill packs of the gel can be purchased at our office.

• Porcelain veneers are like a thin, tooth colored contact lens that fits over your natural tooth. This is a good option for people who not only wish to whiten, but also to straighten or reshape their teeth and achieve their dream smile. Veneers, if cared for properly, can last a lifetime.  Veneers never have to be whitened.

Call our office today and set up an appointment to determine what method will work best for you.  The smile you have always wanted is within reach.

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How TMJ Disorders Develop

31. July 2008 Johnson Dental

Because muscles and joints work together, a problem with either one can lead you to uncomfortable results: stiffness, headaches, pain, bite problems, clicking or locking.

Stress, teeth clenching (bruxism), and poor posture causes your muscles to tighten up which can cause pressure on your TM Joints and also cause wear to your teeth.

Joint problems come from injuries (blow to the jaw or bruxism) or from disease (often arthritis). An injury may stretch or tear ligaments, allow your disc to slip out of position, even lead to degeneration.

If muscle and joint problems disrupt the way your jaws work, the resulting pressure and wear and tear on the TM joints may lead to any of several conditions.

• Pain in jaws, neck or head
• Worn teeth or teeth that no longer fit together properly
• inability to move your jaws easily or smoothly

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How Your Jaws Work

21. July 2008 Johnson Dental

Your jaw joints are surrounded by groups of muscles that contract and relax so you can open and close your mouth, talk and chew. When they are flexible and not under stress, they work in harmony with the other parts of your jaw. Your TMJs (temporomandibular joints) are where your upper jaw and lower jaw meet. Like the gears of a car, the joints have moving parts that allow the lower jaw to move. This lets you open and close your mouth.

The TMJ is a sliding ball and socket joint, whose parts should work smoothly when you open and close your mouth.

Muscles surrounding the joint control its position and allow your mouth to open and close.

Your bite is more likely to be stable when the muscles and joints work together properly.

Next: TMJ Disorders

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Trouble With Your Jaw

15. July 2008 Johnson Dental

Are you aware of grinding or clenching?

Do you wake up with stiff muscles around your face, jaw or neck?

Do you have frequent headaches?

Does stress make it worse?

Do you have clicking or popping?

Is it difficult to open your mouth, eat or yawn?

Do you have teeth that no longer touch when you bite?

Do your teeth meet differently from time to time?

Are your teeth sensitive, broken or worn?

Is it hard to use your front teeth to bite down on food?

The more times you answered “yes” the more likely it is that you have TMJ disorder. Understanding TMJ disorders will also help you understand how they are treated.

Next blog: How Your Jaw Works.

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Who is a good candidate for dental implants?

14. July 2008 Johnson Dental

f you’re missing one tooth or all of your teeth, implants may well be for you. So long as you have enough bone in the area of the missing tooth to facilitate the anchorage of the implants, this procedure can yield terrific results. If you don’t have enough bone for this purpose, a bone graft may be necessary. If you have a small dental bridge or partial dentures (removable type), implants will be a welcome alternative. The implant can last a lifetime.

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Sealants

14. July 2008 Johnson Dental

What causes tooth decay?

Plaque bacteria uses sugar and starch in food as a source of energy. The bacteria convert the sugar or starch into harmful acids that attack tooth enamel. Repeated attacks may cause the enamel to break down resulting in cavities.

What are sealants?

A sealant is a plastic material that is applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. This plastic resin bonds into the grooves and pits on the surfaces of the back teeth. The sealant can act as a protective barrier against decay.

Why are sealants necessary?

When the back teeth are developing, pits and fissures form in the chewing surfaces of the enamel. The toothbrush can not reach into them to keep them clean. Sealants keep out plaque and food, thus decreasing the risk of decay.

How are sealants applied?

It usually only takes a few minutes to apply sealants. The teeth that will be sealed are cleaned and conditioned to help the sealant adhere to the tooth. The sealant is then painted onto the tooth enamel where it bonds directly to the tooth and hardens. Sometimes a special curing light is used.

How long do sealants last?

Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and usually last several years before a new application is necessary.

Are sealants just for kids?

The likelihood of developing pit and fissure decay begins as soon as the teeth erupt, so children and teenagers are obvious candidates. But adults can also be at risk for this type of decay and can benefit from sealants as well.

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Cosmetic Procedures that Improve Your Smile

3. July 2008 Johnson Dental

Different Types of Cosmetic Procedures

Whitening

Whitening is a process that lightens or eliminates the stains on teeth due to age, lifestyle, and what you eat and drink. The process is easy and painless. We make custom trays right here in our office that fit your teeth snugly unlike the store bought kits which can waste the whitening gel and cause sensitivity.

Veneers

Veneers are a porcelain shell (sort of like a contact lens) that fits over your natural tooth. Veneers can solve many cosmetic problems such as the color of your teeth, how straight they are, the length of your teeth and their overall appearance.

Implants

A dental implant is a metal device designed to replace missing teeth. The device is usually made out of titanium and is surgically placed into the jawbone where the tooth is missing. Unlike a dental bridge, an implant is permanent. A dental implant is designed to act as the tooth root and can anchor an artificial tooth or teeth such as a crown, bridge or denture.

Crowns

Crowns, also referred to as caps, are custom made to fit over your whole tooth after the dentist has prepared it. They are usually made out of acrylic or porcelain that has been fused to metal, to withstand biting pressure. Crowns can be used in cosmetic dentistry to treat teeth that are poorly shaped, badly decayed, broken or chipped, have had large fillings and to cover spaces in between teeth.

Tooth Colored Fillings

Black mercury fillings can be unattractive and make you self conscious about your smile. In addition, the FDA acknowledged recently that amalgam fillings can be a health risk. Replacing them is safe and easy and a relatively inexpensive way of improving your smile.

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The Benefits of Dental Implants

30. June 2008 Johnson Dental

Improved Appearance

When teeth are lost, the jaw bone can shrink and it causes the face to look older. Dental implants can slow or stop this shrinkage. Dental implants also look and feel like your natural teeth, making your smile more beautiful.

Improved Speech

Ill-fitting dentures can slide around the mouth causing embarrassing problems with speech. Facial muscles tense in order to hold the dentures in place which can cause slurred speech, clicking or smacking noises. Implants can anchor dentures and keep them stable, allowing you to speak comfortably in your natural tone.

Eat Healthier and Happier

Patients with even the best fitting dentures have reduced ability to eat certain foods. Many of which are the crunchier, healthier fruits, vegetables and nuts. And as the jaw bone shrinks, so does the efficiency with which you eat. More and more foods may be eliminated from your diet as time goes on. Implants can restore eating efficiency, increasing the health and enjoyment that you get from your diet.

More Comfortable

Since dentures sit on the jaw bone, as the jaw bone shrinks, dentures may become mobile, slipping or sliding. This friction and irritation can cause painful sores on the soft tissue. Dental implants anchor the denture in place and prevent friction, movement and rocking. This eliminates the pain associated with dentures.

Convenience

Dental Implants can eliminate the embarrassing inconveniences of removable partial or full dentures. You will eliminate the use of gooey denture adhesives that must be reapplied throughout the day. You will no longer need to cover your mouth when you laugh or smile for fear that your teeth will pop out or fall down.

Protect Your Remaining Natural Teeth

With conventional bridgework, the teeth surrounding the missing teeth must be prepared for the bridge. with implants, it is not always necessary to do this. In addition, with conventional bridgework, bone loss can occur in the area of the missing tooth. Eventually, this may begin to affect the surrounding teeth.

Confidence

Having dental implants that are as strong and sturdy as your natural teeth can restore your self-esteem. Having a beautiful smile and being able to laugh freely will certainly make life more enjoyable.

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