Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Family Dentist Vs Specialist

A family dentist can be a valuable oral health care practitioner. Patients may be perfectly satisfied with this general doc for their entire life unless a change in their needs occur. There are situations that arise where an appointment with a specialist might be more beneficial.
The family DDS covers a broad range of preventative treatments, diagnostics and treatments. Some examples include routine cleanings, examinations, cavities filled and crowns. These general dentists see every age group within a clan, as well. Babies, elementary school aged kids, teens, mom and dad and the grandparents all have dental needs that can be addressed by a general dentist.
The training and education of dentists is long and grueling. After four years of undergraduate university studies, a future DDS will need to train for more several more years at a reputable dental college. To even get into these graduate programs, the application process is lengthy and arduous. Since the numbers of openings for students are sparse, competition to get in is rather stiff. A high grade-point-average, also known as a GPA, earned during one's undergraduate years is one part of the entrance criteria that will be taken into account by the admission committee. Entrance exams and personal interviews will be carried out as well.
Once the green light of admission has been flashed, years of classroom academics and hands-on clinical practice working with patients must be completed. It is reportedly more expensive to educate a dentist than a doctor because the training clinics must be on-site facilities overseen and funded by the college. Medical schools train MDs in medicine and then turn the graduates over to hospitals for their internships and residencies. If an oral health care practitioner wants to specialize, more years of study will be necessary.
Typical dental specializations include orthodontia, a pediatric or cosmetic focus, oral surgery or endodontics. Orthodontists straighten teeth with metal braces, Invisalign or brightly colored bands. Pediatric dentists work with tots from infancy through adolescence. Even babies need to have their emerging pearly whites tended to in order to start them off on a life of good health habits.
Cosmetic dentists focus on beautifying smiles. Yellowed enamel can be bleached via strips, gels or liquids and brightened into white. Jagged snaggletooth grins can be smoothed out with porcelain veneers or caps. Oral surgeons perform various surgeries including wisdom teeth extractions and more. Endodontics is the specialization regarding diagnostics and treatments on the root structures beneath the gums. There is a complex system of arteries, tissue and nerves that lie beneath the surface of the gum and tooth. The exposed enamel that is visible is kept firmly in place by these complex and crucial unseen support networks.
While the expertise of a family dentist covers a broad range of dental issues, this may not be of an adequate depth for certain situations. A specialist may have extreme depth of knowledge, but this won't be appropriate for every circumstance. It may be wise to have both types of practitioners available at different time periods in order to fit all circumstances.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Interesting Facts About Teeth and the Dentist

The dentist is an important health care practitioner for everyone and for more reasons than many people think. Many of the dental practitioners' patients think this type of doctor is just there to fill cavities and clean their teeth. This isn't true. Practicing good oral healthcare will spill over into many regions of well-being. Individuals should see their dentists from toddlerhood through old age.
1) Going to the dentist will keep your mouth, gums and teeth healthy but that's not all. Diabetes complications, heart disease, clogged arteries, premature birth and oral cancer can all be curtailed by going to the DDS of your choice.
2) Swimming pools can be hazardous to your tooth enamel. Yes, this is a fact. If the chlorine levels in a swimming pool are kept at high levels, this excess chlorination can eat away the surface enamel of each tooth. An individual who swims quite often in heavily chlorinated pools should take extra precautions such as wearing a mouth guard or keeping lips sealed shut while under water. This could pertain to an athlete or one who swims laps at the gym for exercise.
3) Soda pop is terrible for your smile. Americans love their soda! Have you ever noticed people filling up those gigantic Big Gulp cups at the local convenience mart? Each American drinks an average of more than fifty gallons of soda every year. Since lots of people don't drink it, that means there are others who drink way more than the national average. This stuff is a known corrosive responsible for cavities and obesity. This information is nothing to smile about!
4) Without proper dental care, a person can lose his or her teeth before he or she is able to collect Social Security. Studies show that one quarter of the population over age sixty has lost all of their teeth. Social security benefits start at age sixty-two. Proper oral hygiene can allow patients to be one of the other three who still have their choppers past age sixty-two. Some examples of good care includes brushing teeth twice a day, flossing at least once a day, limiting soft drinks, avoiding sugary snacks between meals and having a dental check up every six months or more depending on recommendations of the dentist.
5) Some medicines are detrimental to tooth enamel during childhood and adolescence. Examples include antibiotics, tetracycline and more. Check with your doctor before giving medications to young children, teens or taking any prescription drugs while pregnant or nursing a baby.
With optimum dental hygiene habits such as brushing, flossing and going for checkups, a person can keep their teeth for their lifetime. Paying attention to other details such as avoiding unprotected swims in excessively chlorinated swimming pools, cutting down on soft drink intake, and using precautions with prescription medication can add to the continued probability of bright healthy smiles. Keeping up with regular visits to the dentist will also keep a patient's entire body healthier. Now that's something to smile about.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Make Your Emergency Dentist Your Family Dentist

Your Bend family dentist is the best person to recommend a particular type of dentist to you, or to answer any questions in the case of an emergency. A family dentist will be able to provide all kinds of information, such as all function dentist issues. A Bend Oregon dentist will also be able to help you in an urgent situation as well as advising you in regular dental health and oral care. Even though there are similarities between an all function dentist and a family dentist, there are some differences between them as well as the kind of urgent treatments they provide.
You should keep in mind that typical family dentistry is a normal procedure, but patients very often will confuse it with the all function dentist. The largest difference between the two is the difference in the ages of their patients'. But in the case of a dental emergency they will both generally tend to any age of patient.
A pediatric dentist does not fall into the same category as an all function one. Instead he will deal primarily with children, whereas a family dentist will work with a wider age range of patients. A family dentist will also tend to be the Bend dentist to contact in the case of a dental emergency where a person needs urgent dental care because of a more serious issue than simple oral health care and need to be seen urgently.
Even if you deal with an all function Bend OR dentist they may still prefer to treat patients with a specific age group. They can however, still perform the same treatments as any other dentist, like the cleaning of teeth, de-scaling, gentle dental treatment for tooth ache or tooth pain, and putting a crown on a chipped tooth. They will basically perform the necessary treatment that will prevent further decay or cavities, and not typically emergency situations.
A local dentist will remove plaque build-up from teeth to make sure that gums are kept in good shape. As well as urgent dental care, a family dentist will provide numerous treatments for the every day defense of teeth against disease. They will be the first line of defense when it comes to planning safeguards against decay or other type of dental health problem. If a patient has need for more general treatment once the urgent care has been implemented, then he should ensure he can find a dentist to do the regular dental work, like root canal, porcelain veneers or dental implants. This would typically be a Dent implant dentist or a Dent cosmetic dentist.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

How to Find a Dentist for Your Family

Finding a good family dentist can be a challenging process. There are a lot of things that need to be considered. The dentist will be a long-term health provider, which is why it is crucial to spend time finding the perfect one. There are many considerations that will need to be made in order to find the one that is best suited to meet the family's needs.
The first thing to think about when shopping for a family dentist is the family dental plan. Check to see if the insurance specifies which dentists to choose from. If it does, then narrow the search for the right dentist with the dental plan's options. Otherwise, benefits might be less or will even come completely out-of-pocket. With that said, some dental plans do not specify a dentist. Therefore, it is important to check with the provider's rules.
Another thing to do is get recommendations from friends, relatives or coworkers. Not only that, but the family doctor can even make a recommendation. It would be good to see whether or not they are satisfied with the quality of care that their dentist provides. If they are, then it might be a good dentist to choose. However, if they are not satisfied, then it is a good way to eliminate one from the list of choices.
Once a list has been made with some possible options, there are some things that will need to be figured out. First, determine what their office hours are and whether or not they will work within the family schedule. Then, calculate how far away each office is so one is not chosen that is too long of a drive. Finally, look into the dentists' education and training. Make sure they are reputable and a licensed member of the American Board of Dentistry.
Besides all of that, there are a couple of things to look for when visiting an office. One of the most important of things is to make sure that it is kept clean and orderly, especially the equipment. Then, consider whether or not the staff is helpful. They should be willing to answer questions. Also, observe whether or not the staff wears gloves during treatments. Health and sanitation should be a big priority.
Picking a dentist takes work, but the effort will be worth it when the right one is found. Make sure to use these tips so a reputable dentist takes care of the family. Consider dental plans, recommendations, ease of accessibility, as well as their level of training and education.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Ways To Achieve a Perfect Smile

DSC_0078Image by Aidan Whiteley via Flickr

I know that you desire a great smile and white teeth. Everyone desires to have a superb smile to flash it out wherever one wants to. To have a killer smile you need to have shiny, bright and sparkling teeth. Our face is the first thing someone notices when they see us and a smile is the very first thing noticed by anyone on our face. We do not want to create a bad impression with our not so smiling face. But if you don't have sparkling teeth how on the earth will you be able to flash your smile?
Today, people are in the race of having white teeth. And they are spending huge amount of their hard earned money just to maintain their teeth. To achieve whiter teeth people even don't hesitate to undergo hectic procedures.
There are various reasons that cause our teeth to get or lose the shine. Not everyone is born with pearly teeth, but if someone is born with pearly teeth also, there is very less chances that they will be able to maintain and have pearly shine for a lifetime. Some of the reasons for our teeth to lose their original color can be named as smoking, drinking alcohol, drinking coffee, not brushing our teeth properly, etc. If proper care is not taken of our teeth then we may also experience chipping or cracks in our teeth.
Modern science has now created something that can instantly give you whiter teeth. Teeth whitening is a superb invention of modern science. It is an effective process to brighten up the color of your teeth. It does not take any of your work surfaces while brightening your teeth. Teeth whitening just lighten the existing teeth color without completely whitening the whole set of teeth.
Let Us Have A Look On The Procedures That Can Give White Teeth:
One of the most common ways to whiten your tooth is to use bleach. This process is also known as bleaching. You will need to consult your dentist before using bleaching procedure on account to know whether the procedure will suit your system or not. Only after the permission of your dentist you should use the bleaching procedure to whitening your tooth The whole bleaching procedure can take up to four week of your time. Your dentist will prepare a rubber or gel Shield to protect the soft issues of your gums. After placing the shield on your gums you will need to apply the prescribed teeth whitening mix on your tooth with the help of a special tray which is of the shape of your teeth.
If you select bleaching procedure to whiten your tooth, you'll need to visit your dentist at least for three times. On your very first visit the dentist will create the gum guard to protect your gums from the chemical present in the teeth whitening product. Once you get your gum guard you can carry on the procedure at your home. You have to apply the teeth whitening product on your tooth for 3 to 4 weeks on a regular interval as guided by your dentist. For a one-time application of the teeth whitening product on your tooth it will take you around 30 minutes of your time.
The second method that you can use to whiten your tooth is known as laser whitening. Laser whitening is a very well-done round and most recommended method to whitening the teeth. But unfortunately not everyone can use laser whitening to have white teeth. The dentist first needs to check your teeth whether they are capable of handling the laser whitening procedure. Though it cost you a bit more, but the effects of laser whitening can last up to three years depending upon the person and the care you take of your teeth. It was noticed that laser whitening procedure can whiten your teeth up to six times. This will be a remarkable change in your teeth color.Laser whitening procedure can take up to one hour of your time but will give you exceptional result. At the very first your dentist will apply some chemical on your tooth which you desire to whiten. Later on your teeth will be treated with a laser to whiten them up. Most of the celebrities in the Hollywood use the laser whitening procedure to achieve shiny sparkling pearly white teeth.
There are many other options such as teeth whitening strips that you can use to whiten your tooth But those teeth whitening strips are not recommended by professionals and expert dental as many side effects were noticed. Some of the users of teeth whitening strip experienced chipping and crack in the tooth. Ready to use teeth whitening strips have a flaw that they make your tooth thin and vulnerable. It is suggested that you consult your dentist before undertaking any teeth whitening procedure.
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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Cosmetic Dentist

A cosmetic dentist is actually not a recent profession but has been around for several centuries already. The problem is that the past centuries used somewhat primitive ways to enhance the teeth and there was actually no real means of achieving what dental professionals can achieve here and now. The goal of such a field is to enhance, improve, correct and beautify the oral region of a person.
The procedures that are done to the patient usually concern corrections and amendments to the teeth and the jaws. The person's smile is the primary thing that is affected by procedures in this dental field. There are so many advantages to having a procedure or treatment done such as self-confidence, better self-esteem, loss of shyness and better function of teeth.
Whitening
Whitening of teeth can be done in various ways. The cosmetic dentist produces a more efficient job than at home treatments. Some very extreme cases require several sessions with the dental professional while other cases which are not so severe may be corrected through over the counter appliances or applications. In spite of this, doctor supervised sessions are almost always better and more effective. The goal of this procedure is to improve the hue or the color of the enamel.
Veneers
These are also a popular form of correction that many individuals ask from their oral health care provider or may be recommended to the patients by the cosmetic dentistry himself. This form of cosmetic dentistry is a fine example of the field because it actually applies a veneer on top of a broken, chipped or damaged tooth. The results are usually very satisfying for most, if not all patients. Teeth are usually straight, well-formed and even as well as white. The smile is usually very good to look at. These applications are permanent but can also come lose for any reason. The oral health care provider can put more or put another one if necessary.
Crowns
The concept of crowns is similar to that of veneers but the way that they are applied is different. In this aspect of dentistry, the use of a crown can actually be reconstructive instead of purely aesthetic. These help to restore form and function to the person's oral cavity.
This means that chewing is easier as well as looking good. Implants are sometimes used when opting for crowns although some procedures may not utilize these. Using implants can take a longer time before reaching the goal but the results can also be more satisfying and more realistic than not using them.
Fillings and Composite Bonding
The use of filling is also another form of aesthetics that the cosmetic dentist uses to aim for the return of both form and function. Holes or cavities in teeth benefit from the application of fillings while chipped or broken teeth can be fixed by composite bonding.
Gaps between teeth can also be treated or corrected with the use of both. These are some of the more common procedures that a cosmetic dentist who specializes in aesthetics can do. There are many others that they offer.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Family Dentistry Vs Pediatric Dentistry

A child will not have to visit a Bend family dentist immediately after his first tooth first arrives, but it is necessary for him to visit a local dentist as soon as is practical. It is at this time you will need to decide on a pediatric dentist or a regular family one. There are pro's and cons' for both, but you want to ensure the best decision is made for your child.
Insurance companies do not often offer insurance for babies, but even if a child isn't covered for things like check-ups, it is still an excellent idea to locate a good Bend Oregon dentist who will see your young child for a cash fee, as well as one who will work with your insurance company on your behalf when a policy becomes valid.
The younger a child is when a Bend OR dentist is visited, the better. It is important that a child gets used to a dental atmosphere, getting acquainted with the chair as well as the dentist is a must. A 'field trip' is sometimes encouraged to help with confidence and fear issues. If a child has no immediate problems such as tooth pain or a tooth ache, then this is a critical first visit.
Choosing the right office, one which will give gentle dental work on children, is a definite advantage. Typically the waiting rooms in a pediatric dentist will differ from those at a Bend implant dentist or a Bend cosmetic dentist. Staff that are child-friendly and toys or TV to watch can be good distractions. A pediatric dentist will also be qualified for treating adolescents for the usual chipped tooth and fillings. But the downside of choosing pediatric over family dentists is the fact that insurance will often only cover children up to 14 yrs old, after which you need to find a dentist that will take older kids and families.
If your family dentist has experience with young children it might be worth taking your child to him to prevent having to locate another one in a few years. A child who has contact with a dentist from an early age will have the advantage of not being afraid when it comes to having treatment later on for things like root canal or a crown. An added bonus is that family dentistry means that all the family can be treated by the same dentist, even if it means having dental implants or porcelain veneers fitted. It is also easier when it comes to making appointments and for collating paperwork for tax reasons.