Wilton Dental Associates

WHY DOES A DENTIST NEED DENTAL X-RAYS ANYWAY?, and ARE DENTAL X-RAYS SAFE?

Wilton Dental — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:16:05 +0000

ANSWER: Dental X-rays are a critical segment of a comprehensive oral examination and without them a dentist can easily miss areas of decay (dental caries) , periodontal disease, root deformities or infections, bone disease, cysts, or tumors as well as anatomic abnormalities. Missing these could mean losing bone, losing teeth, needing major dental care or root canals that could be avoided, impact on your overall health, or even life threatening infections or other pathology. Dental x-rays are safe and expose you to only a tiny amount of radiation. It would take 600 regular dental X-rays to equal what a person living a sea level receives in a year from just the normal environment and at Wilton Dental Associates where we use the newest digital X-rays the amount of radiation is reduced another 80%, so that would mean in our office it would take 3000 dental X-rays to equal what everyone at sea level gets from just normal day to day living in one year. For comparison look at relative amounts of radiation. According to the National Research Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements , the Scientific American and even Dr. Oz the normal background radiation we receive annually from just the environment is 3000 microsieverts at sea level and it could be double this if we live in Colorado, the amount you would receive from a CT Scan of the Abdomen and Pelvis is 15,000 microsieverts the amount we would get if we smoke a pack of cigarettes a day is 160,000 microsieverts, and the amount from a dental X-ray is only 5 microseiverts!!!! One point I want to make is that there are many people who live at high altitudes in the mountains (like in Colorado) who live healthy lives, live to 100 years old or more and who receive the equivalent of getting a full series of dental X-rays every day of their life just from normal everyday background radiation. It is most important to understand that any health risk from dental X-rays is far outweighed by the benefits of avoiding the health risks of missing the early diagnosis of dental disease or other conditions in the jaws or teeth.

WHY DOES A DENTIST NEED DENTAL X-RAYS ANYWAY?, and ARE DENTAL X-RAYS SAFE? is a post from: Wilton Dental Associates

Who should I go to for Invisalign Orthodontics? A General Dentist or an Orthodontist?

Wilton Dental — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:38:35 +0000

ANSWER: As an Invisalign Provider for 13 years with involvement in traditional Orthodontics for 20 years previous to that, I believe that by far the best Invisalign Orthodontic treatment is being provided by General Dentists who have a combination of training and experience in Cosmetic Dentistry, Occlusion, Periodontics, and Invisalign Orthodontics. There are I believe a lot of reasons to say this. Invisalign is a computer driven technology that requires 3 skills that are not normally those of an Orthodontist. To do Invisalign well it is critical that the dentist takes perfect Vinyl Polysiloxane impressions of the teeth. General/Cosmetic dentists take these impressions every day, this is NOT true for traditional Orthodontists. Invisalign Orthodontics requires that dental restorative composite material attachments or “buttons” be placed on very specific areas of certain teeth in order to prevent the aligners from slipping and to assist in the movement of the teeth. These “buttons” are bonded and should be finished and polished to perfection. General/ Cosmetic dentists work with this restorative material , placing it , bonding it , finishing and polishing it every day, Orthodontists do not and in fact may never have placed a composite bonded restoration since Dental school. In order to make room where there is tooth crowding Invisalign requires that the dentist polish between teeth. The amount of room that has to be made is tiny, but significant and one of the best ways is to use very thin tiny High Speed Diamonds the diameter of a thick hair in a high speed (400,000 RPM) handpiece under high magnification using surgical telescopes and forehead lighting. General/ Cosmetic dentists do this every day and traditional Orthodontists do not and in fact do not normally even own the equipment. In addition a good General dentist will have had Periodontal training and will make sure that his patients have and maintain healthy gums and bone before, during, and after Invisalign orthodontics treatment. Also a dentist who is well trained in Cosmetic Dentistry has a much better ability to achieve a great cosmetic final result and can combine Invisalign with Cosmetic Dentistry. This is an enormous advantage in planning and finalizing your orthodontic treatment. Another bonus in terms of utilizing a good General Dentist is if he has had Neuromuscular Dental training in that he can address issues involving the relationship of your bite and the TMJ to improve, treat, or avoid TMJ problems.

Who should I go to for Invisalign Orthodontics? A General Dentist or an Orthodontist? is a post from: Wilton Dental Associates

CAN GUM DISEASE CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO SYSTEMIC DISEASE/ THREATEN MYGENERAL HEALTH.?

Wilton Dental — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:31:27 +0000

ANSWER: Yes, the American Academy of Periodontology states: “periodontal bacteria can enter the blood stream and travel to major organs and begin new infections.” The AAP as well as medical and dental authorities and researchers agree that there is strong evidence that dental/ periodontal bacteria can:

1.Cause the development of Heart Disease, the nation’s leading cause of death.
2.Contribute to the cause of or increase the risk of Stroke. 3. Increase
substantially a woman’s risk of having a preterm, low birthweight baby.
4. Increase the risk of or contribute to Diabetes, Respiratory Disease,
Osteoporosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Kidney Disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease.

You can avoid the threat to your health caused by the dental/ periodontal bacteria which have been proven tobe linked to serious health risks and at the same time avoid expensive dental care. The unfortunate fact is most people have no idea whether they have these bacterial pathogens or not and obviously you can’t stop or even try to stop something you don’t know you have.

#1 is diagnosis and in order to eliminate these bacterial pathogens you first have to identify and quantify them. The only practical way to do this is to use a Darkfield Phase Microscope routinely for all patients. Microscopic cultures are magnified some 1 million times on a high resolution monitor and both the quantity, mobility, motility, and pathogenic morphological types are recorded. The goal then becomes to eliminate these bacteria via effective efficient mechanical oral hygiene home care along with proven non-toxic antibacterial agents. The system we use at Wilton and Bethel Dental Associates is so effective that the majority of patients can achieve a negative culture, one free of bacterial pathogens, in two weeks. This healthy condition if maintained will assure the elimination of all new dental disease permanently and eliminate the threat these bacteria pose
to your general health.

The BENEFITS of this amazingly effective dental preventive program are: BEING HEALTHIER, LOOKING YOUNGER, LIVING LONGER, SAVING MONEY, AND ENJOYING LIFE MORE!

CAN GUM DISEASE CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO SYSTEMIC DISEASE/ THREATEN MYGENERAL HEALTH.? is a post from: Wilton Dental Associates

WHAT IS PERIODONTAL DISEASE?

Wilton Dental — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:17:58 +0000

It’s a bacterial infection that, if left untreated, will eventually destroy the gums, bone and ligaments supporting your teeth. It’s the primary cause of tooth loss in adults and unfortunately, it’s a disease that usually progresses without any pain or obvious symptoms. If left untreated your gums recede, teeth loosen, abscesses (pain) often develop, and ultimately your teeth must be extracted. What a shame and waste. Why? Because the disease is very easy for professionals to diagnose And IT CAN BE STOPPED at any stage and the cause eliminated.
Of course… THE EARLIER YOU DISCOVER IT, THE EASIER IT IS TO GET RID OF. The question is… Do you have it? If you do, but you’re not aware of it…then it’s probably in the early stages, and thus, will be easy to cure. If you think (or know) you have it, please do something about it NOW. Don’t delay…please. It will never be easy to correct as it is right now. It’s not a disease that gets better on its own.

WHAT IS PERIODONTAL DISEASE? is a post from: Wilton Dental Associates

HOW DO I CHOOSE THE BEST DENTIST?

Wilton Dental — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:02:47 +0000

ANSWER:   By BEST I assume you mean a dentist who is
dedicated to providing the best care possible, the most effective preventive
care,   a dentist who will help you to
stay healthy and improves or maintains your smile , and the dentist that in the
long run which will actually cost you less because the care he provides lasts
indefinitely and prevents new problems.
HERE ARE 8 THINGS YOU CAN NOTICE BY YOUR FIRST ON SECOND APPOINTMENT
THAT TEND TO INDICATE A GOOD DENTIST: 1. Your initial appointment is for about an
hour to an hour and a half and does NOT include a “cleaning”. 2. The reception area is comfortable and
attractive and does not have room for a lot of patients. 3. The history and
examination are in depth and very thorough and include at a minimum : a. Your past medical and dental history and
overall experience., b. a clinical examination that includes your teeth, your
bite, your gums, all your soft tissues including your tongue, tonsillar area
and throat, your neck including the
thyroid and lymph glands, the TMJ/
temperomandibular joint, and the muscles
and ligaments involved in chewing., c. a cosmetic evaluation, d. a
periodontal charting of the crevice depths around your teeth., e. a oral cancer
screening., f. a complete set of x-rays (normally 16 to 18)., g. photos of your
mouth and teeth., and h. models of your teeth if your are missing any teeth or if
there are bite or TMJ issues. 4. There
is a separate consultation appointment which should be at least 30
minutes and this may be coupled with your first oral hygiene visit/ cleaning. 5.
At the consultation the dentist explains what he has found and emphasizes what
can be done to prevent future dental
disease and problems as well as what can be done (with alternatives)to correct
any problem or concern you have.   6. All
treatment recommendations are explained in detail and this along with fees are
put in writing and given to you.      7.
On your first oral hygiene/ cleaning visit the dental hygienist spends over an
hour with you (normally one hour and 20 minutes on average). 8. Nothing the dentist does or the hygienist
does is painful

HOW DO I CHOOSE THE BEST DENTIST? is a post from: Wilton Dental Associates

MISSION STATEMENT

Wilton Dental — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 23:26:30 +0000

Our mission is to provide the very finest dental care and to guide our patients along a path of optimal health, appearance, and wellness for life. To non-judgmentally deliver all dental care comfortably, with empathy, kindness and excellence through continuing education, personal and team growth and mastery of leading edge technology. It is our intention that not only will every one of our patients achieve a beautiful healthy smile but that each patient receive the least understanding, and to strive to foster patient relationships based on mutual respect, trust, and excellent customer service. We will continually pursue amount of dentistry possible over their lifetime. We know that the best and least expensive insurance in the long run is excellent care linked to a highly effective preventive program.

MISSION STATEMENT is a post from: Wilton Dental Associates

BENEFITS OF INVISALIGN ORTHODONTICS COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL ORTHO.

Wilton Dental — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 23:17:36 +0000

BENEFITS OF INVISALIGN ORTHODONTICS

TREATMENT IS FASTER, COMFORTABLE,
INVISIBLE.
ALLOWS NORMAL HYGIENE AND EATING OF
FOOD DURING TREATMENT.
DECREASES RISK OF ROOT RESORPTION DUE
TO THE GENTLE FORCES USED WITH INVISALIGN.
REDUCES INCIDENCE OF DECALCIFICATION
AND DECAY.
IMPROVES APPEARANCE
ELIMINATES SPACES AND REDUCES FOOD
IMPACTION.
CORRECTS MALOCCLUSION WHICH CAN
ELIMINATE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND ABFRACTION WHICH IS A CAUSE OF TOOTH SENSITIVITY.
MAKES ORAL HYGIENE HOME CARE EASIER.
ELIMINATES TRAUMATIC OCCLUSION AND
REDUCES RISK OF TMJ PROBLEMS.
MAKES PREVENTIVE HYGIENE VISITS
EASIER AND MORE EFFECTIVE.
HELPS PERIODONTAL HEALTH.
CORRECTS DEEP BITES EASILY.
CORRECTS CROSSBITES EASILY

BENEFITS OF INVISALIGN ORTHODONTICS COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL ORTHO. is a post from: Wilton Dental Associates