As we age, our dental needs change . . .

The medicine of today, with its explosive new technologies and further discoveries, enables us to enjoy our life’s increased longevity along with a degree of health that was unimaginable before. Furthermore, genetic research promises to increase human life expectancy in the future even to a greater extent than we can even contemplate today. Researching of the aging process through dietary research, the molecular and nano-medicine and other departments of medical research is enabling us to understand the complexity and magnitude of the factors influencing a biological system such as our own body and its proper functions. From the dental perspective, the necessity of maintaining. . . (continue reading on my website)

Helping Your Gums to Health – Nature’s Medicine

Over the years you may have heard your dentist remarking that your gums need to be healthier. Several treatment modalities have been implemented over decades with relative success. Some patients have improved but many are still losing their teeth in spite of their dental visits and the proverbial “cleaning”.


The gum disease, periodontitis, affects by all statistics over 90% of the adult population. Extensive scientific studies demonstrate beyond any doubt that various major life threatening diseases like heart disease, diabetes, immune disorders and others are promoted if not originated by gum disease.


If your gums are not healthy they represent a major entrance port to your bloodstream for many microorganisms with devastating consequences. Seeing your dentist twice a year for your “cleaning” is just not enough. Daily brushing and flossing will help but then why does the majority of the adult population still suffer of gum disease? What else can be done?


Many habits like smoking, alcoholism, teeth grinding and. . . (continue reading on my website)

Bonding or Whitening, Which is Better?

The possibilities of improving your smile today are quite diverse and, for the most part, comfortable enough for everyone. Due to commercial advertising throughout all media, more people than ever before are interested to upgrade their appearances. What better way to start than with a brighter and younger looking smile?


Asking your dentist about the diverse aesthetic possibilities is without doubt the most recommended process for obtaining the information you’ll need for an ideal decision, which will fulfill your aesthetic expectations and be customized to your budget as well.


The cosmetic industry discovered quite early the immense market for smile-improving products of all kinds and presented the consumer with a broad palette of “do it yourself” or “in home” aesthetic enhancing methods.


Major market chains began offering their customers “in store” teeth whitening as an instant gratification product. In principle, and at first glance, such improvements. . . (continue reading on my website)

Diabetes and Your Dental Health

According to the medical statistics, some health afflictions such as diabetes and heart disease rank very high on the national medical budget.   Insurance companies are allocating ever increasing expenses to cope with the epidemic proportions of such diseases.  It is easy to see why enormous efforts are subventioned for medical research to find modalities of control and understand the cause/effect mechanism of these degenerative diseases and their effect on the body.


Not long ago, independent medical studies have shown and been repeatedly confirmed that these degenerative diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, immunological disease and other metabolic disfunctions are correlated with gum diseases.  The microorganisms populating the gum pockets around teeth have been found to influence, stimulate and aggravate these degenerative diseases.


All the food we consume and the air we breathe is loaded with bacteria.  Under normal circumstances our immune system would intercept and annihilate these bacterial intruders without any impact to our health.


The problem, of course, starts when the concentration of such bacterial colonies increases past the capacity of our immune system.  When gum pockets deepen with the increasing retention of plaque and calculus due to complex causes, the dramatic explosion of bacterial. . . (continue reading on my website)

White Fillings. . .Good or Bad?

How many times have you examined your old metal fillings in the mirror, wondering what can be done to make them look better?  Have you also questioned your dentist about the options he has to offer in this instance?


Your old amalgam fillings  have been placed in your teeth probably a long time ago by your childhood dentist when you were in your early teens.  Some of them are very big indeed, others are still functioning quite good even though they show multiple cracks and abrasions.


At an early age our adult teeth have not yet reached their later strength.  The development of our teeth is such that their final strength requires a long period of mineralization.  Therefore, teenagers’ teeth are more susceptible to fast developing decay.  In other cases the natural development can be disturbed by different. . . (continue reading on my website)

No Dental Insurance? What to do?

Depending on your present dental needs, you may be ok with dental insurance if the costs are not prohibitive.  However, if major repair to your teeth has been postponed for a long time and your dentist is advising you not to stretch the time, you may be in a pinch in these critical economic times.  Some years back when many of our patients lost their insurance (and it is still happening) we decided to help them in a way, making it possible for them to continue with their dental care. 

We established a particular program (which is not a plan or an insurance) which doesn't cost any money to join.  People are very happy to participate in this program since the fees we established are comparable to otherwise expensive plans and benefits.  Check in your area if some dental offices may have similar services.  It is true that in today's time not too many offices can afford to lose income based on reduced fees; everything becomes more expensive with each day.  However, we consider on our side that helping our patients in reducing their costs represents a higher benefit to everyone involved.

Reducing your dental costs . . .Intelligently

Recently you may have been proposed a dental treatment which you certainly need, but in today's economy would be impossible to pay for.  Your dentist may have explained to you the necessity of it and you probably feel that he is right.  Some treatments unfortunately have no substitute; you cannot negotiate the condition of a tooth which needs a root canal.  For example, in more lucky instances however, a different dental approach can save you lots of money and still deliver an dentally acceptable result.  How do you go about this? 

First, you should ask your dentist about an alternative treatment and analyze carefully with him the pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages toward the initially proposed treatment.  Another possibility would be to obtain a second opinion.  What is a second opinion?  It is the qualified advice by another dentist (in this case) after examining you and listening to your concerns.  Could the second opinion lead to the same treatment recommendation?  In many cases, yes; then you know that you have no other choice.  If you are lucky, there will be another solution which will satisfy the dental need as well as your budget.