MyAbsoluteSmile.com

What is Sedation Dentistry?

rtdesign — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 02:25:54 +0000

Statistics gathered by the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation (DOCS Education) reveal that thirty percent of Americans avoid dentists because of fear or anxiety. This “dental phobia” usually stems from bad and painful experiences with dentists in the past, a general distrust in the dental profession, and the fear of loss of control. As a result, millions of people are not able to receive necessary routine dental care.

To provide a relaxing and anxiety-free experience for certain people with this condition, sedation dentistry is employed.

Sedation dentistry is basically the use of pharmacological agents to calm and relax a patient prior to and during a dental appointment. These agents or sedatives exert their action by depressing the central nervous system, specifically those areas concerned with conscious awareness.

Although sometimes referred to as sleep dentistry, sedation dentistry does not actually induce one to sleep during a procedure. Sedation dentistry enables the patient to be conscious — albeit in varying degrees — throughout the entire process while being relaxed and getting very little and hazy recollection of the treatment. The use of general anesthesia or GA, therefore, is not considered sedation dentistry.

Previously, intravenous or IV sedation was predominantly used to sedate a dental patient. This involves the delivery of sedatives via injection into the blood vessels of the hand or arm. Today, less invasive and more relaxing approaches of administering sedatives are available. Some of the more popular methods are inhalation sedation (also referred to as laughing gas, happy gas, nitrous, nitrous oxide), and oral sedation (the swallowing of pills or a liquid).

It is important to note that it is not the kind of dental procedure that determines whether sedation is to be recommended. Some people prefer to be sedated even for simple cleaning conversely, others just have higher threshold for pain and discomfort and need more than just words of assurance when they visit the dentist.

So while engaging the services of a calm and understanding dental professional, who has the ability to put one at ease is helpful. Sedation dentistry offers a means for complete physical and mental relaxation for people who consider dental appointments as excruciating ordeals.

The health benefits of invisible braces

Philadelphia Dentist — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 05:19:58 +0000

Invisible braces provide you with healthier teeth and gums in addition to a beautiful smile.

What are invisible braces?

Philadelphia Dentist — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:48:27 +0000

Invisible braces are a series of clear plastic trays that straighten your teeth.

Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentists Volunteer To Provide Pro-Bono Dental Assistance To American Soldiers

Philadelphia Dentist — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:31:06 +0000

Aboslute Smile, Pennsylvania’s cosmetic dentistry group launches the Absolute Smiles for Heros Program (ASHP)

Philadelphia, P.A. (PRWEB ) April 18, 2008 – Absolute Smile announced today a new initiative to help American soldiers get their perfect smiles back. This new program provides pro bono cosmetic dental services to U.S. veterans who may have suffered serious dental trauma while serving their country in the war on terror.

“We in the dental community want to thank you for your service to our country. Absolute Smile is proud to offer this pro bono service to the heros placing themselves in harm’s way,” said Dr. Boris Friedman. “While our military personnel are fighting for freedom across the globe, we, as doctors, are honored to be serving them absolute smiles at home,” added Dr. Eric Friedman.

Many soldiers who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan returned to the United States to face a challenge on the home front: a speedy physical and mental recovery from the injuries of war. Dental health is very important and is a crucial aspect of maintaining general health. Unfortunately this topic does not get as much attention as it should.

“U.S. soldiers fighting terror overseas should not struggle to receive quality cosmetic dental care” said Dr. Eric Friedman and Dr. Boris Friedman, Founders of ASHP. “The formation of this comprehensive program is our way of giving back to the community. We are dedicated to providing personalized high quality pro bono dental care to honor America’s true heroes.”

Absolute Smile is a network of Philadelphia dentists, as well as Bucks County, Huntingdon Valley and Scranton dentists devoted to restoring and enhancing the natural beauty of a smile using state-of-the-art cosmetic procedures such as dental implants, porcelain veneers, invisible braces and more. Their skilled and highly trained team of cosmetic dentists is dedicated to providing excellent care and service to all patients alike.

Benefits Of Root Canal Treatment

Philadelphia Dentist — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 19:16:01 +0000

A tooth gone badly can be restored to optimum effectiveness and appeal through adequate root canal treatment.

Practice Of Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Philadelphia Dentist — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:46:48 +0000

A profile of teeth that generally deem removal, for a number of reasons, can be categorized amid such dental practices, as wisdom teeth extraction.

Dental Implant Insurance – is there coverage for dental implants?

Philadelphia Dentist — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 22:40:36 +0000

Dental implants can be an expensive option when you are looking to replace teeth lost due to an accident or a periodontal disease, especially when you have to foot most of the cost, or even the entire cost for the dental implant procedure out of your own pocket. Dental implant insurance coverage can help you keep out of pocket costs for dental implant surgery to a minimum provided you find an insurance company that will help out with some of the costs involved.

The main problem facing people that are looking strictly for dental implant insurance is that in a large scale, it doesn’t exist. A dental implant is seen as a cosmetic improvement much like having a nosejob or tummy tuck, not as a necessary medical operation that would often be covered by regular insurances. Simply having a good dental insurance plan does not guarantee you that you will have any coverage whatsoever when it comes to getting dental implant surgery. Often times within a dental insurance plan it will be expressly stated that dental implants are not covered, and this is something that you should research before seriously considering dental implant surgery, unless you are prepared to cover the costs yourself.

While there are relatively few companies that offer dental implant insurance explicitly, it is possible that some dental insurance plans will cover some of the costs associated with the work pertaining to the implant and possibly some of the aftercare, only not the implant itself.

It’s important to note that even though dental implant insurance is not widely available, it is possible that you can obtain it, to a degree. In some instances dental insurance offered for a fee or provided by employers may have the possibility of dental implant insurance coverage available; if you foresee the need for dental implants in your near future, obtaining dental insurance that covers implants to a greater extent is well worth considering. Currently there is not any dental implant insurance that offers 100% coverage for dental implant services, but with the right plan you may be able to get your tooth implant surgery for considerably less money out of pocket if you just do a little digging.

Aside from dental implant insurance, there can be found numerous discount dental plans that will often times include lower rates on everyday dental procedures as well as lowering the cost of dental implant surgery significantly. Dental discount plans are not insurance, rather they offer percentage based or flat rate discount amounts on certain procedures and operations in exchange for a monthly or yearly fee. While not every implant dentistry professional will accept dental discount plans, discount dental service plans may be a solid option for you if dental implant insurance coverage is not.

Also worth mentioning are discounts that are sometimes offered by implant dentistry professionals. When considering dental implant surgery and you cannot find a suitable discount dental plan and insurance coverage for dental implants is nowhere to be found, seasonal or new customer incentives offered by implant professionals will go a long way to saving you money on your dental implants.

While dental implant insurance is a rare find, at least presently, consultation with an implant dentistry professional and your dental insurance provider can significantly increase your chances for finding a suitable insurance plan or discount plan that can help make your dental implants affordable.

Tooth Implants – when dentures just aren’t an option

Philadelphia Dentist — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 22:31:30 +0000

At one time in life or another, necessity may dictate that you simply need some sort of tooth restoration services unless you want to live out the rest of your life missing teeth. Being of mature age, i.e. older, you might opt for dentures as a cost-effective solution to the permanent loss of teeth, but anyone who is under 70 years of age might want to consider the option of tooth implants; they are often times considered a permanent solution to the missing teeth problem by the people that obtain them and the dental professionals that recommend them.

Now, it’s not so much that dentures can’t be a possible solution; only the constant and ongoing care that accompanies the use of dentures is more of a nagging chore than anything else. With dentures also comes the uncertainty that they might fall out or “slip” at the most inopportune moment, leaving you embarrassed in a populated social gathering, such as at a crowded restaurant or even amongst your closest loved ones, just spending some quality time with friends or family.

In the USA, anyway, it’s almost a cliché that a person from an older generation would succumb to the use of dentures. This seems to be the common answer; it’s just what is normally done when someone from an older generation is faced with the necessity to replace teeth that have not been properly maintained. However, those traditions were practiced by older generations and don’t have the norm for today.

In newer generations, starting with Baby Boomers, dentures just aren’t seen as a real option anymore. In today’s world with 60 being the new “45”, you are noticing that many Baby Boomers simply are living life to its fullest. It’s not so common anymore to see granny sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair, whittling the day away knitting a crochet scarf or sweater for her grandchild; you’re more likely to see “grandma” and “grandpa”, who usually opt for different monikers such as “nana” and “papa” and the like, taking lengthy and lavish vacations, sailing on their boats, going on cruises and buying fancy cars; simply enjoying the well deserved fruits of their life.

Now, if someone, regardless of their age, is living life to the fullest, do you really think that dentures are a likely option for this individual? To help you out with that, no, it’s not a likely option. Dentures represent the old world, an older generation; tooth implants are for someone who is living life, yearning to stay young and simply doesn’t want to be held back by the hassles of dentures or the thoughts that indeed, they are getting older. Tooth implants are not only for the older individual, however. No matter what your age, if you’re facing the real possibility of needing tooth replacement, tooth implants might just be the best solution for you as well.

If you’ve come to the point in life where the decision sits at choosing between dentures or tooth implants, in many cases the best choice is to opt for the tooth implants. However, this decision should be made after consulting with a trusted dental health professional as there may be special circumstances that need to be considered regarding your personal situation. For many in your shoes, though, tooth implants are seen as the only way to go when dentures just aren’t an option.

Affordable dental implants – can it really be?

Philadelphia Dentist — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 21:58:55 +0000

If you’ve done any sort of research on dental implants or dental implant surgery, you’ve likely stumbled upon, or have been earnestly searching for the exact cost of these tooth restoration services. You’ve likely come across figures that stretch in the realm of your current budget’s wildest imagination, with far-fetched numbers prices ranging anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000 or even more. That being said, the cold, hard truth is that these services can be affordable; dental implants really can “cost” a whole lot less than available options, all things considered.

Now, dental implants don’t necessarily cost $50,000 or even $5,000 for that matter. The pricing is really determined by a lot of factors; the region of the country the procedure is performed in, costs of training and equipment maintained by the implant dentistry practitioner, the amount of dental implants that the dentist or oral surgeon performs in any given year as well as any complications regarding your jawbone or jaw structure that would affect the cost of the dental implant procedure. As was mentioned before, however, the true cost of a dental implant is relative.

For instance, let’s say you’re a young individual, in your 20’s or possibly 30’s; heck, let’s say you’re 50 or younger. 50 is still young, right? Anyway, for one reason or another you have need of removing a tooth, several teeth, or you already have lost teeth due to one of life’s general mishaps. Being so young, you really want to maintain full functionality of your mouth, not to mention the emotional scarring that can take place due to missing any number of your oral digits. What are the options available to you?

You could just say, “c’est la vie” and live out the rest of your life with missing teeth. While this is a definite option, if you are in any way missing your front teeth, this in itself could take a large toll on you, not only emotionally, but financially as well. If you think you would be saving money by simply walking around toothless, chances are you’re sadly mistaken. Missing prominent teeth can lead to a poor self-image, which can have a negative effect not only in your personal and social life, but in your professional life as well. Poor job performance, depression and anxiety are all real-world possibilities of a bad self-image due to missing teeth.

You could decide to go with dentures, caps or a dental crown. Caps and crowns are unfortunately not permanent solutions to problematic teeth. While they caps and dental crowns are a viable answer if you simply have broken teeth, or a tooth that is not so far damaged that it can’t be salvaged: feel free to ask anyone who has dealt with a cap repeatedly falling off or the long term dental crown user that has to report back to the dentist every few years due to the crown adversely affecting the surrounding teeth. Dentures, well, they have their own set of problems, mainly the constant care and the underlying fear of slippage at the worst possible time.

You could get dental implants. Dental implants are often times considered a permanent solution to the missing teeth problem. Comparatively affordable, dental implants have a documented long term success rate of over 75%, meaning that in the majority of cases while maintaining proper oral hygiene, dental implants are a life-long investment that requires only a one-time cost; relieving you of the ongoing visits to the dentist to deal with the same issue over and over again.

Affordable dental implants are not only a possibility, they are likely the most affordable and cost effective decision that you can make in terms of a long term solution to your dental issues of today.

Implant Dentistry: permanent tooth restoration solution

Philadelphia Dentist — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 21:11:15 +0000

Having a tooth replaced or restored can be a heavy financial burden and even emotional drag. Likely the only thing worse than having to deal with tooth restoration is having to deal with the same problematic tooth or teeth over and over again. Implant dentistry can provide the long term, and often times permanent solution to a problematic area of your mouth.

The choices to clear up your problematic areas are abundant; a crown, cap or tooth extraction followed by dentures, dental bridges or even dental implants – which should you choose? Each plausible solution has a variety of positive sides and negative sides, but overall, implant dentistry has proven to be the long term solution to pestering tooth issues.

Almost anybody who has suffered from a failed cap or crown will ultimately tell you that it wasn’t worth the emotional anguish or financial burden, especially if they lacked the proper dental insurance to cover the procedures and had to foot the entire dental bill with their hard earned cash straight out of their pocket. Even with the proper dental insurance, some people who have suffered from a failed tooth cap or crowning can attest to the emotional turmoil of the ongoing visits to their local dentist. Whether choosing to replace the cap or dental crown, or even hesitantly opting for the tooth to be removed after a multitude of costly visits, the bottom line is that all of this could have been avoided by choosing the permanent tooth restoration services that implant dentistry can provide.

Missing several teeth, or even a single tooth, regardless of the reasoning for their removal or loss can take a toll on many individuals; a person’s race, sex or social-economical status doesn’t really matter. While wisdom tooth removal is a regular occurrence for full grown adults, and less regularly, sometimes even in teens; the loss or removal of a front tooth or highly noticeable set of teeth can have serious adverse effects on one’s emotions. In many cases when a certain tooth or set of teeth can be preserved, the preservation of the original tooth is often the suggested route to take by a dentist. This is usually because of the higher costs associated with implant dentistry, though there may be other variables taken into consideration as well.

Overall, implant dentistry can be seen as a permanent solution for a whole array of tooth or teeth ailments. Caps and dental crowns are generally considered to be a permanent solution, though often times they end up being “longer term” solutions requiring ongoing visits to the dentist for adjustments and even replacement.

As with any minor surgery, considerations for or against implant dentistry should be weighed out with the consultation of either a general dentist or possibly an oral surgeon. At that point, proper decisions for your dental care can be weighed out and discussed between you and a qualified dental professional.