Distinctive Smiles of Dublin Blog

DENTAL HYGIENISTS’ STRESS PREVENTION

October 6, 2013

Filed under: Practice — Dr. Buck @ 9:19 pm

Dental hygienists are licensed professionals who specialize in preventive oral care. By conducting regular, comprehensive tooth cleanings that involve removing calculus and plaque (hard and soft deposits), the hygienist helps patients avoid tooth decay and gum disease. Just as importantly, the dental hygienist can teach patients oral hygiene strategies that help them maintain oral health. This very important member of the dental team also screens for oral cancer and counsels about good nutrition that plays a big role in preserving tooth health. Dental charting, taking x-rays, and reviewing health history are but a few of the other valuable tasks that dental hygienists are trained to perform with the goal of furthering patient health and awareness.

Our dental hygienists are oral health care professionals who provide educational, clinical, and therapeutic services to our patients. At DISTINCTIVE SMILES OF DUBLIN, oral health is a long-term commitment we share with each patient and we encourage you to make us aware of any special needs you may have. We provide excellent clinical skills and state of the art equipment. Please call 614.792.1800 to schedule an appointment. We’re located at 5142 Blazer Parkway, Dublin, where our goal is to help you preserve your natural teeth for a lifetime. Creating Healthy Beautiful Smiles.

P.S. If patients have questions about their oral health that require a detailed explanation, they are encouraged to ask the dental hygienist.

SENSITIVITY TRAINING

September 29, 2013

Filed under: Practice — Dr. Buck @ 10:26 pm

When a cold drink causes tooth pain, the root structure of one or more teeth may be overly exposed. If so, the focus should be on the “dentin” layer, which lies beneath the enamel and contains millions of tiny tubules connected to nerve endings. Gum recession and enamel erosion lay bare this sensitive tissue, which is usually protected by enamel and gums. Even hard brushing can wear away gum tissue to the point where dentin tubules are exposed to hot and cold drinks. Dentin can also become irritated by the overuse of tooth-whitening agents at home. In any case, the dentist can help reduce sensitivity by sealing exposed dentin and eliminating the cause(s) of dentin exposure.

Tooth pain can be a rather huge pain and irritation. It can completely dull your thinking, make your entire face feel painful, and can also keep you from eating properly. At DISTINCTIVE SMILES OF DUBLIN, we are a highly qualified and experienced team of oral health care professionals. We will discuss all of your options with you. We’re located at 5142 Blazer Parkway, Dublin, where our entire staff is thoroughly trained, skilled, and sensitive to your needs. Our goal is to make each visit to our office a comfortable and positive experience. Call us today at 614.792.1800 to schedule an appointment. Creating Healthy Beautiful Smiles.

P.S. Gum recession may require corrective periodontal surgery that involves grafting tissue.

STRAIGHT FROM PATIENTS’ MOUTHS

September 24, 2013

Filed under: Practice — Dr. Buck @ 2:10 am

While patients may automatically assume that orthodontic treatment is needed to correct crooked, rotated, and overlapping teeth, it may only take a few subtle alterations by the dentist to correct problem teeth. Tooth contouring and reshaping are cosmetic techniques that can make a big difference, and they only require a single visit to the dentist. With a few deft touches, the dentist can change the shape, length, or position of teeth with minimal discomfort to the patient. A sanding drill or laser may be utilized to remove small amounts of surface enamel gradually, after which abrasive strips are slid back and forth on the teeth’s inside edges to shape the surfaces in between teeth. Finally, teeth are smoothed and polished.

We are a wide-ranging dental office and are proud and pleased to perform a wide variety of procedures, just about everything you could need in a dental office. We place a special emphasis on smile design and smile enhancement. At DISTINCTIVE SMILES OF DUBLIN, we are dedicated to excellence in dental care. We’re located at 5142 Blazer Parkway, Dublin, where we offer a full array of dental procedures. We want you and your family to look and feel the very best. Please call us at 614.792.1800 to schedule an appointment. New patients are always welcome. Creating Healthy Beautiful Smiles.

P.S. Bonding teeth with resin that matches tooth color can build up areas of tooth surfaces that require supplementation.

SERVICE WITH A SMILE

September 13, 2013

Filed under: Practice — Dr. Buck @ 8:43 pm

By maintaining good oral-health practices at home and scheduling regular office visits, most patients can avoid many common dental problems. Daily brushing and flossing, and the application of sealants, can help youngsters avoid tooth decay. Adults can avert their most common problem, gum disease, with regular professional care. In cases where tooth loss, breakage, or misalignment does occur, the dentist is expert in a variety of advanced restoration and replacement techniques. In addition, there are a number of cosmetic procedures, including tooth whitening, veneers, and bonding, that effectively remedy chipped, discolored, and gapped teeth. The more patients know about dental health, the better their smiles. In the weeks and months ahead, this column will address all aspects of dental care.

Today’s column is brought to you as a public service. At DISTINCTIVE SMILES OF DUBLIN our goal is getting you into optimal health and having a beautiful smile. Preventative dentistry is our focus and it may not be where we start, but it’s where we would like to finish. It’s been shown that healthy teeth allow you to live 7-10 years longer with a higher quality of life. Good oral hygiene, a proper diet, and regular preventative hygiene appointments will keep you healthy. We are always accepting new patients of all ages and would love to meet you and your family. Please visit us at distinctive-smiles.com or call us at 614.792.1800 to schedule an appointment. We’re located at 5142 Blazer Parkway, Dublin, where we are “Creating Healthy Beautiful Smiles. “

P.S. Flossing is every bit as important as daily brushing in fighting plaque buildup and tooth decay.

A Vicious Cycle of Truth and Trust

August 21, 2013

Filed under: Practice — Dr. Buck @ 4:32 pm

Dentistry has been characterized in several ways such as a vocation, profession, or even industry. But another way would be that dentisty is its own culture. As dentists, we are influenced by innate beliefs, patient behaviors, collegue influence, business pressures, among others. But as a group, we are pretty much siloed and isolated, especially if one is a solo practitioner. Over time, dentistry has become more scientifically precise, technologically driven, and philosophically refined. That leads to a disconnect between those in the dental field and those that are not. It’s hard for a non-dentist to grasp the scope and meaning of modern dentistry, as they cling onto their own cultural memories and experiences from previous eras of dentistry. Things are moving so fast, “modern dentistry” should be considered dentistry of the past two years. And in a time, when we move faster and faster through life, the time is not always spent explaining the benefits to recommended care.
This disconnect between patients and dentists can be quite a wide gap. Dentists see promise, many patients still see pain. Dentists celebrate problem-solving, patients still cringe at cost. Dentists strive for durability, some patients see unrealistic permanence. It’s a matter of communication and expecations that really can reduce that distance between each side. The more we dentists embed ourselves in the values of our culture, the harder we have to work to understand our patients’ external points of view.
Professors always used to tell me that you have to raise the patient’s dental IQ and educate them then your patient acceptance will skyrocket. Patient education only works to the extent that doctors recognize what laypeople already expect. I’ve discovered that a dentist needs to ask questions to determine the wants and concerns that the patient has, not the other way around. Once that is determined, then a dialogue can begin and some education can enlightened some areas that will help the patient understand. Many times, as I peel back the layers of the onion during a patient consult, I’ve discovered that what is keeping the patient from not scheduling their recommended treatment was something different than what I thought.
The take home message is that your doctor (MD, DDS, DO, OMFS, PhD, etc) should always create a dialogue with you as a patient. It’s your teeth, your eyes, your body, so make sure you get the explanation and education you expect. But that goes both ways, you as a patient need to let your provider know your expecations and wants so that dialogue can begin. This dialogue will put you both in a position to have a successful outcome.
I am a member of several associations including the ADA, ODA, CDA, AGD, AOS, DSN. I’ll discuss all those acronyms at another time, but they all have helped me in one way or another in becoming a better dentist and supporting the dental cause to provide good care to our patients. One of my favorites is the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Boring name, but they provide really good continuing education and reading sources. I was reading an article by Eric Curtis, DDS, MA, MAGD who the editor of their magazine. So some of this content from this post comes from Dr. Curtis and I wanted to give some credit to him.

Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen

May 21, 2013

Filed under: Uncategorized — Dr. Buck @ 7:57 pm

Have you ever went to your family physician and they sent you to a specialist or a lab for further evaluation or testing? Probably, because there are so many medical specialties out there and your family MD wants you to be in the best hands out there to get the best treatment. Plus the body is a very complex entity and we’re discovering everyday that it’s even more complicated than we thought before. There are even subspecialties based off of other specialties that get even more specific in diagnosis and treatment.
Dentistry is becoming more and more complex also. We’ve had oral surgeons and periodontists for decades, but now there are 9 specialties in dentistry. The following list is from the ADA and gives you an idea of what each specialty does.

Dental Public Health: Dental public health is the science and art of preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting dental health through organized community efforts. It is that form of dental practice which serves the community as a patient rather than the individual. It is concerned with the dental health education of the public, with applied dental research, and with the administration of group dental care programs as well as the prevention and control of dental diseases on a community basis. (Adopted May 1976)

Endodontics: Endodontics is the branch of dentistry which is concerned with the morphology, physiology and pathology of the human dental pulp and periradicular tissues. Its study and practice encompass the basic and clinical sciences including biology of the normal pulp, the etiology, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries of the pulp and associated periradicular conditions. (Adopted December 1983)

Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology: Oral pathology is the specialty of dentistry and discipline of pathology that deals with the nature, identification, and management of diseases affecting the oral and maxillofacial regions. It is a science that investigates the causes, processes, and effects of these diseases. The practice of oral pathology includes research and diagnosis of diseases using clinical, radiographic, microscopic, biochemical, or other examinations. (Adopted May 1991)

Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology: Oral and maxillofacial radiology is the specialty of dentistry and discipline of radiology concerned with the production and interpretation of images and data produced by all modalities of radiant energy that are used for the diagnosis and management of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral and maxillofacial region. (Adopted April 2001)

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Oral and maxillofacial surgery is the specialty of dentistry which includes the diagnosis, surgical and adjunctive treatment of diseases, injuries and defects involving both the functional and esthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region. (Adopted October 1990)

Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics: Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics is the dental specialty that includes the diagnosis, prevention, interception, and correction of malocclusion, as well as neuromuscular and skeletal abnormalities of the developing or mature orofacial structures. (Adopted April 2003)

Pediatric Dentistry: Pediatric Dentistry is an age-defined specialty that provides both primary and comprehensive preventive and therapeutic oral health care for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special health care needs. (Adopted 1995)

Periodontics: Periodontics is that specialty of dentistry which encompasses the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the supporting and surrounding tissues of the teeth or their substitutes and the maintenance of the health, function and esthetics of these structures and tissues. (Adopted December 1992)

Prosthodontics: Prosthodontics is the dental specialty pertaining to the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance of the oral function, comfort, appearance and health of patients with clinical conditions associated with missing or deficient teeth and/or oral and maxillofacial tissues using biocompatible substitutes. (Adopted April 2003)

So dentistry has become almost as complex as medicine. And there are areas of dentistry that are not recognized as specialties, but certainly take further education and knowledge in order to do them well. Areas such as https://www.distinctive-smiles.com/dental-implants.html, TMJ therapy, cosmetic dentistry, sleep apnea therapy, sedation dentistry, etc. may become specialties in the future.

As a general dentist who has had training in all of these specialties and complex areas, I feel confident that we can treat most dental needs. This training also gives me the ability to know when a problem is too complex for us to treat and when a specialist’s expertise is needed. My continued education has allowed me to treat many issues and improve many smiles, but if I know that a problem can be handled more efficiently with a better result due to specialist training or materials, then I certainly fill out a referral and we get the patient to the right person.

Lastly, just like in medicine, patients that have complex problems may need a team approach to handle their care. As a general dentist, we stress that patients can look to us as the “quarterback” of the situation. We will refer them to the best specialists that we know that also communicate well. This constant communication between the specialists, the patient, and our practice keeps everyone moving the same direction to get the patient healthy. But we always stress that patients can come to us to answer questions and give guidance as their treatment moves forward.

Here Comes the Javelin

April 3, 2013

Filed under: Uncategorized — Dr. Buck @ 1:41 pm

I had a patient joke the other day that the dental injection used to remind him of someone taking a javelin and sticking it into his gums because it seems so huge when it’s coming at you. That wouldn’t be terminology that I would use, but it is quite intimidating when you are getting anesthetized to have your teeth worked on.
Anesthesia is the double edge sword of dentistry (just a metaphor). You don’t want to feel pain when I’m cleaning out the rot in your tooth, but getting numb can be uncomfortable and cause anxiety. The number one reason patients do not come to the dentist is the fear of the injection. The mere mention of dental shots and people get this serious, anxious look in their eyes. And who can blame them, when you are taking a big silver instrument that has a 1.5 inch needle attached into a space that is only about 4-6 square inches, I get the sense of claustrophobia and anxiety just writing about it. We used to have to practice on each other in dental school. Who makes better guinea pigs that each other in dental school? Having some student with a shaky hand coming at you with a large syringe will make you contemplate a career change.
Many times the reason that people have this fear is because they had some heavy handed dentist in the 1960s jam the anesthetic in the tissue as fast as he could. That’s a tough memory to shake, but in reality there are three main reasons why injections hurt. One is the initial puncture into the tissue. Second is that anesthetic is an acidic solution and cold. The body wants things brought in that are the same temperature as the body itself and are neutral in pH. The last is that the injection is put in too fast. Eliminate those things and injections are relatively painless.
Given that this is the thing that is feared the most in a dental office, we do everything we can to make these injections as painless as possible. Here’s what we do at our office. I use a topical anesthetic that is compounded at a pharmacy consisting of three types of strong anesthetics instead of using the generic topicals that only have one weaker anesthetic. Better absorption into your gum tissue and less “pinch” when we inject. Our anesthetics are warmed to a temperature that is similar to your body temperature. And last, we use The Wand. You can take a look at a video we posted on our blog a while back (Oct 19, 2011) It puts the anesthetic in a controlled rate so you don’t have that burning sensation from the acidic solution. The needle is attached to a small plastic holder (looks like a wand) so no more big scary silver syringe. Many times patients tell us they didn’t feel anything at all or it was the easiest injections they’ve ever had. The point is that it’s less stressful for the patient and us (contrary to what the media may put out there, dentists do not like to hurt people). So the next time your in our office and want to see what this thing is all about, just ask because I love to show how technology can make your experience a better one. But remember, if you don’t like shots regardless of how they’re given, just avoid them. Good oral hygiene including flossing and brushing and keep up with your checkups including exams, x-rays, and cleanings so you can avoid getting cavities in the first place.

Kissability

February 7, 2013

Filed under: Uncategorized — Dr. Buck @ 2:40 pm

Valentine’s day is coming up and even though it is more of a “hallmark holiday”, it’s still fun for the kids. And hopefully you have someone special you can celebrate with. The fact that this holiday is coming up gives me an opportunity to discuss something that relates to the general public. As dentists, we have this curse of speaking in terms that make no sense to the general public. Here’s a quiz for you.

1. An amalgam is
A) a mouth retractor
B) a type of filling material
C) a new kind of nail polish

2. The mesial of a tooth is
A) the front surface of a tooth
B) the second layer past the enamel
C) a growth sticking out the gums

3) You have acute necrotizing ulcerative periodontitis. What do you have?
A) a simple cavity
B) a disease which is leading to tooth loss due to loss of bone
C) the lack of kissablity

The answers are B, A, and both B/C in case you’re wondering. My point is that dentists talk this alien language and expect the general public to understand. What happens is the patient has a lack of understanding the diagnosis and the recommended treatment. This lack of communication then leads to the patient not scheduling and not getting the treatment that they really need. When a patient doesn’t understand why they need it, there is no value in the recommended treatment. The patient then only looks at how much it’s going to cost and weighs that against the fact that it may not be hurting right now, so they just put it off. And usually by the time it starts hurting, it’s going to cost more and take more time to fix.
This leads me to kissability. That’s a word that everyone understands. Does your partner want to kiss you? If you haven’t had your teeth cleaned in over 6 months, you’re chances of getting kissed are going down. You’re building up odor-causing bacteria under your gums, your gums are getting inflammed, your gums start bleeding, and you get bad breath. I don’t know how you feel about it, but I feel that’s pretty gross. And I bet your partner feels the same way! Good brushing helps and flossing takes that a step further. Brushing your tongue and using mouth rinse will improve the situation also. But even the best brushers and flossers are going to build up tartar. Tartar is like a big apartment building where all the odor causing bacteria like to live. They sit back, eat the sugars and carbohydrates we put in our mouths then spill out acids and odor causing toxins. Why would you let that stuff sit in there for months and years? Get into the dental office and have us clean that stuff off. You want to know what is the most attractive to your partner or a possible partner? It’s a nice smile and good breath! Don’t mess that up and the potential for a good Valentine’s Day increases dramatically.

Where Are Mom and Pop?

November 29, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — Dr. Buck @ 3:00 pm

As we get closer to the holiday season, I like to look at my options as to where I buy my gifts. Given that I own a small business, I try to support other small businesses and companies that make things here at home. So even if it costs a couple dollars more, I feel good to support those businesses plus I usually get better customer service and attention when I go to a mom and pop store. But what happened to the mom and pop stores? There are far fewer than just a few years ago.
Well, a while back, Sam Walton figured out that the more that you buy of something, the cheaper it would be and the big box store was born. For example, I can buy a 12 pack of Coke at a lower price from Wal-Mart than I can at a small convenient store. It’s all the same Coke, but the price is less at Wal-Mart so people go there to save money. It’s what is called a commodity. It means you get the same thing no matter what the cost is. A Coke is a Coke.
Dentistry is looking at a similar situation in the future. Employers are paying less for dental benefits which means their employees are getting usually stuck with a PPO (participating provider option) plan. As I’ve discussed before, practices have to discount their fees around 30-40% in order to be on the PPO list. This basically means the practice needs to see about 30-40% more patients in order to pay the bills and run a business. This leads to less time being spent with each patient and can lead to cutting corners with materials and staff. Those practices that have elected to not be on those plans are able to provide a better, more attentive experience for their patients. Regardless of the economy, people typically buy what they want and not necessarily what they need. So it boils down to value versus price. If price is the most important aspect then you’ll go to the lowest bidder. But if an individual places value in their health, then they may go to a place that provides a better experience and it may be worth the extra cost. Dentistry is not a commodity, it’s a service that varies with every practice and every provider. Veneers and other cosmetic services, for example, can be done several ways. Is there an offer to increase patient comfort with pillows, blankets, headphone, and sedation? There is value in taking the extra steps to get the best result. The insurance companies want to pay less so practices then have to see more patients and possible lower the value. This can turn a practice into an assembly line atmosphere and decreases customer service. So buy your Coke at your local big box store if you want to save a few bucks, but don’t let the insurance companies tell you where to go for better dental health. I always say you get what you pay for and there is no better investment in you or your family’s health.

Enjoy some candy then…

November 1, 2012

Filed under: Practice — Dr. Buck @ 5:36 pm

Halloween has come and gone for another year. My kids sure had fun even though it was a little cold this year. My six year old filled his bucket and a little of his sisters. And no I didn’t pass out toothbrushes, toothpaste, and apples. That’s a lame idea plus I didn’t want our house to get TP’d. There is nothing wrong with the kids (and the parents) eating a little candy in moderation. Just brush and floss those teeth before you go to bed so those tooth bugs don’t eat away at your teeth. It’s usually not the first month that we see those cavities, it’s usually a few months down the road.

I don’t know about you, but we’re going to have lots of left over candy. So I went to a website call Mom On Timeout and got some ideas for all that leftover candy.

•Donate it. There are many opportunities to donate your Halloween candy. Here are a few that I know of:
-Ronald McDonald House Charities-accepts candy donations for kids. You can search for a local branch here.
-Many churches and other places of worship have candy drop-offs or accept candy donations.
-Operation Gratitude-sends care packages to troops overseas.
-Any Soldier-sends packages to individual volunteers who then pass them on to soldiers who don’t get much mail.
That soldier then shares his package with his troop.

•Other places to donate would be food pantries, pediatric wards, and nursing homes.

•Another option is to freeze your extra candy. Chocolate freezes very well and can be stored for up to a year in an airtight container (I use a ziploc bag.) This is also great because when you want a piece you have to wait for it to thaw 🙂

•Christmas is coming up and advent calendars are a perfect use for leftover candy. Make your own advent calendar or chain and count down to Christmas be enjoying one piece of candy a day. (You might want to let your kids take turns instead of having a piece every day.)

•We enjoy cookie decorating parties during the holiday season. Pull out the candy that can be used to decorate cookies and save yourself the expense of buying them later on.

•Use it for crafts. Have your kids make a candy wreath by gluing packaged candies onto a wreath. Fun and decorative at the same time!

•Use the candy to decorate your gingerbread houses. Twix bars could be used for the logs on your log cabin gingerbread house. Snickers would make cute benches. Lollipops make perfect trees. Just use your imagination and your gingerbread house this year will be better than ever!

•Use the candy to bake with. There are lots of recipes that call for candy. You can use M&Ms and pretty much any chocolate candy bar to make delicious cookies. Just chop them up and throw it in your favorite cookie recipe or top your cupcakes with them. Yummy!
•Leftover candy is perfect for ice cream toppings as well. Almost every chocolate candy can be used as an ice cream topping. Just chop them up when you are ready to use.

•Share that candy! You can always take the candy to co-workers or send in with your spouse to his office.

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