Smile Away

Robotic Orthodontics

John Kelly — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 20:37:00 PST

I recently saw a story about how braces are now being placed with more effectiveness through the use of robotic wire bending. This procedure may help you get through treatment quicker, but there was something more important about this story. The after photos of the patients who had braces showed facial deficiencies. Their mouths were collapsed, narrowed, and underdeveloped. If you are considering orthodontics make sure that you are not getting straighter teeth, but a healthier face. If things such as airway, future growth development, and facial profile are not considered then those straight teeth you received will relapse and you may develop future TMJ problems as well as accelerated tooth wear.

Get the Lead Out!

John Kelly — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:01:58 PST

A national story has begun to circulate about a woman ho had a severe reaction to recent dental work. The woman had bridgework placed by a dentist in Ohio and reacted adversely upon which the dentist removed the bridge and had it tested. The tested dental work was found to have elevated levels of lead - 220 parts per million. The legal limit for toys is 90 parts per million.
It turns out that the dental work placed was made in China. Some dentists send out lab work overseas for less expensive lab costs. Unfortunately, the work done overseas can be compromised and corners can be cut for a lower cost.
There are few things that you can do to protect yourself from this type of treatment:

1. Ask the dentist where the lab work is done.
2. Only get dental work without metal.
3. Get a second opinion on any major dental work.
4. Invest in quality care for your health.

It does strike me that this story about placing lead in our mouths is making such a stir when mercury has been placed in people's mouths for 100 years.

I wish I had met you Before...

John Kelly — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:42:08 PST

I often hear that guests in my practice wish they would have met me before they had gone through any prior dental work. They wish that they were told of the alternatives and advancements available in today's dentistry. Instead of having an bleak dental future without a healthy and beautiful smile.

I try to tell our guests that not all dentists are alike. They have different educational backgrounds as well as personalities. There are alternatives and better ways of handling your concerns. Some dentists may not be aware of advanced techniques of possibilities when approaching your dental concerns. Get your mouth taken care of the right way for the last time. If you are planning on having any significant dental work then get another opinion.

Old dental work can be renewed, smiles enhanced, facial muscles and jaws aligned with the proper skill, education, and judgement of today's neuromuscular dentists. See what the differences are before you decide to change your mouth. There may more available than you thought.

Get headaches, see a dentist!

John Kelly — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 20:41:24 PST

Headaches are generally classified into several basic types: Sinus, Cluster, Tension and Migraine. You can determine which type of headache you have by discussing it with your physician or a neuromuscular dentist. While headaches are typically treated by your physician with medications, an improper bite (the way your teeth and jaw come together) may play a significant role in certain types of headaches as well as other head and neck pain.
The muscles of the temple area of the forehead are muscles that play an important part in the posturing and closing of the jaw. If your bite is not right, it can lead to abnormal tension in these muscles. If the bite is not corrected, the muscles may remain tense for a long time.
The contracted muscle does not get a chance to rest and soon suffers from poor circulation – thus a lack of needed oxygen and accumulation of waste products of metabolism. The result can be pain (headache).
Headaches are just one symptom that may be attributable to a bad bite. Other symptoms such as pain or noise in the jaw joint, facial pain, sensitive teeth, difficulty chewing, and neck pain may also be related to your bite and should be discussed with a neuromuscular dentist.

Mercury/Metal Fillings - Remove them or Keep them

John Kelly — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:13:17 PST

Should the fillings that have been in your mouth for years be removed for different restorations, or should you leave these fillings alone? Looking at both sides of the argument and the advancements in dentistry today the mercury/metal filling is an outdated treatment. There are superior alternatives to mercury/metal fillings that create a healthier mouth as well as a healthier body.

Mercury/metal fillings have been a center of debate by dentists for over 150 years since they were first introduced. Proponents of these fillings argue that there isn’t any specific disease or problems related to their use. They are a relatively low cost and last a number of years. Therefore, they are considered safe, reliable and a good option for restoring teeth. Opponents of mercury/metal fillings argue that these fillings pass mercury into the system and cause a malady of problems. They state that because of mercury’s affinity for nerves and neural tissue, there isn’t a specific related disease. Instead, mercury poisoning causes a multitude of different diseases and problems. Opponents also feel these fillings weaken the tooth and can cause fractures and breakage and therefore, these fillings are dangerous and should be eliminated. The stance against mercury/metal fillings is further strengthened by the simple fact that other options now exist that are healthier and perform better.

Looking a little closer at the health issues, the FDA has stated that there are no proven illnesses from the use of dental amalgam. However, they have not taken into account individual genetics. With mercury/metal fillings our nerves and neural tissue are the most susceptible. Our nerves are kind of like electrical wiring. They have insulating sheath around them much like the plastic coating around an electrical wire. Some people have thicker insulation than others. Some may have thicker insulation in spots and thinner in others. Wherever it is thin, this barrier can be more easily ruptured or broken and symptoms will vary depending where the breakdown occurs. Because mercury can attack any nerve anywhere, the symptoms that one person has may not even remotely resemble the problems that someone else is having. An example could be multiple sclerosis vs. dermatitis. They both could easily have their origins in a mercury toxicity problem. It’s just one person’s weakest link is not the same as another person’s.

Besides the toxicity, functionally mercury/metal fillings have drawbacks. They weaken the tooth over time by expanding, and over time tend to cause recurrent decay, fracturing the teeth from the inside. They expand and contract, due to heat and cold temperatures in the mouth. Overtime this ongoing expansion and contraction contribute to the microfracures within the tooth. This contraction creates leakage whereby bacteria regularly travel underneath the filling. The long-term outcome of having a mercury/metal filling is commonly a broken tooth, requiring a larger filling, root canal therapy, a full coverage crown, or possibly the loss of the tooth.

So if you follow the argument that mercury/metal fillings are not the best thing for you, are they safe to remove? Dentists routinely remove these types of fillings every day, so the question should be are these fillings being removed correctly? The primary risk to a patient’s health in removing these fillings is the competence of the dentist, his ethics and integrity on taking any necessary precautions to protect the patient. There are certain techniques that your dentist uses to remove mercury/metal fillings. The correct protocol requires the use of high volumes of cold water with high volume suction removing the filling in the largest sections possible. Further safety precautions could require complete isolation with a dental dam. It is the volatility of mercury that necessitates all the precautions and correct techniques.

Removing mercury/metal fillings is a proactive approach to intercepting potential fracture and pain, as well as, promoting a healthier body. Today there are more aesthetic and environmentally safer materials to use. And with these new materials it is possible to predictably bond teeth back together and create a better oral environment for a lifetime of health.

Welcome - Your Dental Questions Answered

John Kelly — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:30:05 PST

As we advance through the years there are exciting things in dentistry to share. Advancements have been made in technology and education, as well as systemic health, aestheics and rehabilitation of the mouth. These new advancements give you the opportunity to receive nothing but the best care and treatment available.

I believe you should have a choice for ideal care , and excellent dentistry done well enough to look and feel good, and to last. More than anything, I believe that when you visit a dental office you should feel like a guest in their home. I think that restroing your smile should be inspiring, not something you have to do.

I would enthusiastically ask that everyone get a second opinion when considering any significant dental care. All dentists are not alike. They have different educational backgrounds as well as personalities. There are alternatives and better ways of handling your concerns.

Throughout this blog I will share new opportunities to provide you with greater insights to the selection of your health and smile. I invite you to ask any questions you might have about what may be appropriate care or what choices might be availble that would suit your concerns.