Blog – Page 3 – Karen P. Meyers, DDS

Laser Technology in our Dental Practice

March 13, 2016

laser We are very happy with the purchase of our newest dental laser technology. This newest equipment provides a state of the art set of tools for treating a variety of dental issues.

Laser tools are less invasive than traditional dental tools. They don’t make the same loud sounds. They don’t vibrate. As a result, laser technology reduces the need for anesthesia and is perfect for patients who have anxiety about dental procedures, including pediatric patients.

Some of the best uses of laser technology in a dental practice include:

Microsurgery on very small cavities and small fissures in the enamel.
Root Exposure
Desensitization of sensitive teeth
Implants (laser encourages bone growth factors)
Very effective, sterile and gentle in working with implanted bone.
Cleaning of root canals.
Endodontic treatment.
Gum treatment including debridement of swollen and infected gum tissue.
Removal of plaque and tartar
Crown lengthening
Cosmetic dentistry including depigmentation of teeth, and debonding of porcelain veneers.
Pediatric treatments like exposure of unerupted teeth.
Frenectomy (This is a procedure to alter the frenulum which connects the upper lip to the middle of the teeth. Sometimes the frenulum causes a big space between the teeth.)
Pulpotomy (the removal of the diseased interior of a tooth)
Treatment of canker sores of all varieties

We are excited to have this latest technology and to pass its benefits on to you.

Athletes and their teeth

February 28, 2016

athletes bus We often consider athletes the epitome of good health: muscular, fit, and always needing to be in peak performance shape. But apparently, athletes the world over have a higher incidence of untreated dental health issues than you would normally imagine.

Toothaches affect athletes quite a bit. In fact, a recent worldwide study assessing athletes in 25 sports found that an astounding 55% of them had tooth decay. In addition, 1/3 of the athletes had gingivitis (inflamed and bleeding gums). 18% of the study participants admitted that toothaches negatively affected their performance and even their ability to participate in a game.

What’s going on here and what lessons for the sports fans are there?

It’s not surprising, but what is hurting these athletes is lack of attention from a dentist, poor oral health behaviors, and drinking sports drinks to excess.

Probably the most significant of the above issues is that very few sportsmen and sportswomen took the time to see a dentist; the vast majority hadn’t seen a dentist within the past year.

In addition, these same athletes were away from toothbrushes for too long. Long days of training and traveling often meant too many hours in between brushing and flossing.

Finally, a reliance on sugar and carbohydrate- heavy foods and drinks meant that cavity-producing bacteria spent too much time on teeth. Carbo-loading diets before races and meets as well as drinking sports drinks (often big-time sponsors of meets and games as well as tournaments) wreaked havoc on their teeth.

So, what should athletes and even the couch potatoes who watch them do?

Visit the dentist regularly.
Brush your teeth often and for enough time. Floss regularly too.
It’s ok to eat carbohydrates and drink juices, but you must follow it up by rinsing with water and brush your teeth as soon as possible afterwards.
High fluoride toothpaste is recommended for anybody who has such high carbohydrate intake.

Your Money and Your Mouth

February 15, 2016

photo courtesy of www.seniorplanning.org

Perhaps one of the least comfortable topics of discussion between patients and dentists is money. But patients should not shrink from having that discussion.

Dentists know that:

Money is an issue for most people.
Patients want to be able to plan to pay for the dentist’s services to the best of their ability.

Your dentist does not automatically know your financial situation. So it’s better to discuss billing and how much procedures will cost prior to a visit.

Some cost-saving measures to consider:

Dental insurance is usually a good deal when it is part of group coverage. If your employer offers group dental insurance, it usually covers all of your cleanings and X-rays and will discount several procedures.
Most dental insurance has a spending cap and many have a deductible for services other than exams and cleanings.
Make sure you know the specifics of your policy. For many families, the spending cap is per person, and includes orthodontia, meaning that orthodontia can be discounted but not entirely.
In Michigan, Medicare does not include dental coverage. If you will be aging out of group coverage and into Medicare, schedule a dental exam and any procedures before your coverage lapses.
Dental insurance bought on the marketplace may still save you money, depending on your ability to save and what you expect your dental expenses to be. Be sure to check out AARP and professional organizations that you belonged to when you or your partner worked.
Be sure that you check with your dentist as to which dental insurance plans she participates in.
And check with the dentist’s bookkeeper and insurance coordinator regarding which insurance plans seem to be the most cooperative regarding timely payment and transparency regarding coverage.
If you must go without dental insurance, spend money wisely and come in for exams when they are scheduled. Doing without may cost you much more down the road.

February: Children’s Dental Health Month

January 31, 2016

young child cleaning teeth in bathroom iStock_000010951173XSmall (2) February is Children’s Dental Health Month.

When do you think a child should go to the dentist for the first time? The answer may surprise you.

The American Dental Association recommends that children see a dentist within six months of getting their first tooth. Furthermore, the ADA says that all children should see the dentist no later than their first birthday, regardless of how many teeth have erupted by then. At this first pediatric visit, the dentist will examine the gum, any teeth that have broken through, as well as the tongue and jaw. Be aware that cavities can be present in teeth, even before they have erupted through the gumline.

Cavities still plague many young people and account for many days of missed school and missed work time for parents. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 42% of children ages 2-11 have cavities in their baby teeth. Parents and caregivers mistakenly believe that the baby teeth are “disposable” and that cavities in them are not significant. They could not be more wrong. Cavities can cause pain, issues with eating, and impact the gum. Cavities need to be treated with cleaning and filling. Pulling teeth is not usually an option, as this causes misalignment.

Early intervention and working in partnership with a dentist to take care of children’s oral health care needs are paramount. Habituating your children to visit the dentist regularly sets up good oral health habits for life and prevents serious dental issues.

Star-Powered Smiles: The Power of Veneers

January 18, 2016

New porcelain veneers installed by Dr. Meyers

What do celebrities and regular patients of ours have in common? The ability to access and afford attractive, long-lasting veneers.

A veneer is an ultra-thin shell, made of porcelain or a composite resin material. Veneers are attached or bonded to the front portion of the teeth.

Why would somebody choose to install veneers?

Our teeth are a significant component of our appearance. Front teeth that have defects can be covered up with veneers, vastly improving the appearance of these damaged teeth.

Veneers can cover up the following dental issues:

Discoloration: including overall yellow appearance, or portions of the tooth that are streaked or discolored
Chips: A veneer can be a great “fix” for a chipped tooth, and often a better alternative than removing the tooth and installing an implant or bridge, both economically and aesthetically.
Misshapen teeth: For various reasons, your teeth may have an irregular shape, but still be a perfectly healthy tooth. Veneers cover up the less attractive portion of the tooth while retaining the strength of your natural tooth.
Gaps between teeth: A veneer can extend beyond your tooth and cover up the gaps in between two teeth.

How are veneers “installed”?

It’s actually pretty straightforward. Your original tooth is contoured so that the surface will match up with the veneer, creating a tight bond.

After the tooth is contoured, Dr. Meyers will make a mold of the teeth to be veneered. These impressions are used to make custom designed veneers. The production of these custom-made veneers takes about three weeks. When they are delivered, the patient returns to have the veneers bonded into place.

Typically, the whole process is painless, requiring no anesthesia, unless there is a tender place on the original tooth.

How to Get Your Kids to Brush and Floss

January 3, 2016

It’s important for kids and adults to get regular dental care through twice yearly cleanings. While at the dentist’s office, your kids will get a gentle and thorough teeth cleaning. But your kids can’t live at the dentist’s office. So, make sure you and your dentist work together to make the lessons from the cleaning cross the threshold into your own home. Some suggestions:

Turn your child’s brushing and losing into a game or a competition. There are products out there to help kids brush for long enough. That is the crucial issue, as children underestimate two minutes, which is the minimum amount of time to get teeth properly cleaned. Play a favorite song or video that lasts at least two minutes.
Switch to an electric toothbrush. Kids like a “machine” as opposed to an inanimate toothbrush.
Attach something large to the ends of dental floss. This give the kids something easier to grip.
Make sure your kids really understand the dangers of poor oral hygiene. They should understand that teeth can “get sick” and even “hurt” if we don’t clean them well. Have these discussions without frightening the children, however.
Let children choose the elements of their oral health hygiene, including their favorite toothpaste, the color and type of toothbrush they want and even their cups.
Brush and floss your teeth when they brush and floss theirs. Be their best role model so they can “do as you do”.

Make the teeth cleaning process regular and fun and ensure that it lasts for long enough, too. Together, you’ll be able to keep the cavities at bay and enjoy years of good dental health.

The FAQ’s on X-Rays

December 20, 2015

QUESTION: Why does my dentist suggest x-rays?

ANSWER: X-rays take an image of the bones, the teeth, above the gum line and more importantly, below the gumline. Dental x-rays also reveal the areas between and behind teeth. X-rays can be enlarged to show great detail. With these images, dentists can detect cracks or holes in the enamel, which if left untreated, will allow bacteria to invade the tooth and gum. X-rays also show (in comparison to previous images) any bone loss which is occurring.

QUESTION: How often do I need to be x-rayed?

ANSWER: It depends. We know you hate that answer, but it really is true. Timing of x-rays depends on your personal situation, what your previous oral health history has been, if you are prone to caries (cavities) and/or gum disease, if you have had recent dental work, and if you have other health conditions that could exacerbate dental disease processes, such as diabetes, heart disease or active chemotherapy treatments. Lifestyle choices like smoking also increase the need for more frequent x-rays. Even your age is a consideration.

Most dentists will rightfully insist on new images every 1-3 years with more frequent images if your situation indicates a need.

QUESTION: How safe are dental x-rays?

ANSWER: Pretty safe, but here are some statistics:

Patients are mostly concerned about the amount of radiation that dental x-rays emit.

Radiation of this type is measured in micro-Sieverts. Each x-ray of your teeth on digital or fast-speed film emits about 8 or 9 micro-Sieverts. A panoramic x-ray, which is used to obtain a large image of both the upper and lower jay with a wide lens emits about 24 micro-Sieverts.

So, what can we compare this radiation to?

We are all constantly subject to radiation that comes down to us from outer space, as well as elements in our own earth’s atmosphere that emit radiation. For Michigan residents (since this is a fairly low-lying area), our yearly exposure to this naturally occurring radiation is 3,000- 4,000 micro-Sieverts a year. (Residents of higher altitude regions are subject to higher levels of naturally occurring radiation.)

So, while it is prudent to be concerned with radiation levels of x-rays, your exposure to radiation in the dentist’s chair is a pretty minimal in comparison to the radiation you are regularly exposed to.

If you are concerned with any aspect of dental x-rays, we urge you to talk to your oral health care team.

Poor Dental Care in Nursing Homes is a Health Crisis

December 6, 2015

If you or a loved one live in a senior facility, you are aware of the many tasks that workers are asked to perform: helping the residents eat, including getting to a dining room when able, assistance with dressing and toileting and providing basic medical care.

One of the tasks that nursing home workers are supposed to address, but often fail to, either due to time constraints, lack of training or no directive on the part of management is care of residents’ teeth.

In nursing homes across the country, residents suffer with cavities, gum disease and sometimes even broken or cracked teeth, mostly because of inadequate or totally nonexistent oral hygiene. The care of residents’ teeth varies by location and by management. In addition, some patients are more difficult to manage, including residents with musculoskeletal conditions that inhibit keeping their mouth open wide, those residents who suffer dementia, and those who recoil when being touched.

This is now a crisis, one that impacts not just the teeth, but the overall health of each resident.

Residents can be in terrible pain from tooth and gum issues. Worse, missing teeth inhibits eating and can lead to aspiration of food, which can lead to pneumonia, which affects 10% of senior citizens.

Research on oral health care in old age homes has been conducted in 11 states and the numbers tell the story: In Kansas, 30% of the residents had “substantial oral debris on at least two-thirds of their teeth.” More than one-third had actual tooth decay. Wisconsin was no better. Their researchers found 31% of residents who actually had broken teeth with visible roots.

Those residents with dentures are not immune from the poor care. Their dentures are not regularly examined for fit and are often lost. The one advantage of dentures is that it is easier for the staff to clean them.

Complicating the situation is that these residents receive health care benefits through Medicare, but Medicare excludes most aspects of dental care.

In order to improve the situation, there will need to be some advocates for oral health care legislation for those in senior living facilities. Additionally, individuals will have to insist on better care for residents in each home with which they are associated.

Dentists Give Thanks for these Dental Inventors, Inventions and Innovations

November 22, 2015

This week of Thanksgiving, we thought we would take a look back at the annals of dental history and tell you some inventors and inventions of dentistry for which we are eminently grateful:

Hesy-Re was an ancient Egyptian scribe. His tomb has the first written evidence of a dentist anywhere in the world. The inscription lauds him for being “the greatest of those who deal with teeth, and of physicians.”

In 1903 Charles Land invented the porcelain jacket crown, which is used widely to top off cavities and root canals.

Have you ever heard of Alfred Einhorn? Well, you should be thankful for him. He was a German chemist and the inventor of local anesthesia, which later was marketed under the brand name Novocain. His invention dates back to 1905.

The first nylon toothbrushes show up on the market in 1938.

You have heard of President Harry S. Truman. During his administration, the National Institute of Dental Research was established and with it, federal funding for dental research. The Institute was renamed the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research in 1998.

The dental chair: This marvel of engineering makes it possible for us to have easy access to your mouth, but it wasn’t invented in its current form until the year 1958.

You can look at an entire dental history timeline at http://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-history-and-presidents-of-the-ada/ada-history-of-dentistry-timeline

Diabetes and the Dentist: Helping You to Be Healthy

November 8, 2015

Did you know that November is Diabetes Awareness Month?

Diabetes is a complicated chronic disease that affects many systems within the body, including your teeth and gums.

What are important facts to know about diabetes and dental health?

Poorly managed blood glucose levels (your sugars) put you at greater risk for gum disease and tooth decay.
It goes both ways. Not only does diabetes cause periodontal disease, but rampant periodontal disease can lead to higher glucose levels.
If you notice bleeding gums, this is an early sign of periodontitis (gum disease). Make an appointment to see your dentist right away, so you can begin treatment before more serious issues including gum erosion and tooth loss develop.
Diabetics are also at risk for other mouth problems: dry mouth, fungal infection (thrush) and mouth sores that are slow to heal. If you experience these systems (a sore area of the mouth that doesn’t heal, a funny taste in your mouth or continuous dry mouth), see your dentist right away.
Diabetics have to be hyper-vigilant about brushing their teeth and flossing.
Diabetics, because of their heightened risk of gum inflammation, should use the softest bristled toothbrushes available and brush in gentle circles. Ask your dental hygienist and dentist to observe you as you brush, so they can help refine your technique.
Make sure you tell your dentist and hygienist if you are diabetic, so they can be a part of your overall health care team.

Monitor your blood glucose as directed, watch your carbohydrate intake and exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight. All of these will lead to better-controlled diabetes, which in turn can positively affect your oral health.

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