painless non invasive treatments

The Sacramento Dentist - A Good Friend to Have by Monita Perra

There was a time in the not too distant past when a visit to the dentist was something to be dreaded. In fact, some people had to undergo psychiatric or hypno-therapy to get them ready to face down a Sacramento dentist for dental treatment. Today however, all that has changed due to painless non invasive treatments that virtually every Sacramento dentist is now using.

Nitrous Oxide and Good Music - The Perfect Combination

In fact, it has now gotten to the point where many people actually look forward to visiting their Sacramento dentist. It's just so relaxing to melt into his or her dental chair with the nitrous oxide mask turned up to "high" and music in the earphones.

New Non Invasive Procedures

In fact, the new catch phrase in dentistry is "painless dentistry" as more and more once uncomfortable procedures have become completely non invasive. One area in particular where incredible advancements have been made is in the arena of cosmetic dentistry.

Less Painless on the Pocket Book

Not only can you have your teeth painlessly corrected with any one or more of several proven effective procedures, such as whitening and bonding but they are now financially painless as well.

Easy Monthly Payment Plans

Thats because so many Sacramento dentists now have easy finance plans that allow their patients to actually make monthly payments on their cosmetic dental work. For people in a business where a a good smile means more money it just makes such good common sense.

One Fine Example of How it Works

For instance, a stripper with a flaming hot body but a bad grill can get that "movie star smile" that will have her clients parting with their money so much easier. She can then use those profits that her new smile produces to pay of the Sacramento dentist.

About the Author

Published by Monita Perra. If you're curious about this subject, come to my website for more info on Sacramento family dentistry and Sacramento dentist

impacted wisdom teeth

Impacted Wisdom Teeth: Diagnosis and Treatment by Minh Nguyen

"Wisdom teeth" are classified as molars. Molars are the chewing teeth found furthest in the back of the mouth. Most humans have first, second, and third molars.

A person's third molars are their wisdom teeth. These teeth come in behind the 2nd molars (if there is necessary room for them and they are aligned properly) usually during a person's late teens or early twenties. In most cultures, this is the ages of maturity, hence the term "wisdom." Usually there are four wisdom teeth: upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right.

In dental terminology an "impacted tooth" refers to a tooth that has failed to arise completely into its expected position. This unfortunate failure to erupt precisely may occur either because there is not space enough in the jaw for the tooth, or because the tooth's angulation is improper. The impacted wisdom teeth often partially erupt at the later ages (45-55). Not only they are difficult to extract at that age, the healing time is much longer.

Dentists use specific terms to describe the positioning of impacted wisdom teeth. There are two ways of describing the "impaction" of the wisdom teeth. The most common way is to describe the direction of the impaction. For example, mesial impaction (also called angular impaction) simply means that the wisdom tooth is angled forward, toward the front of the mouth. Distal impaction means the wisdom tooth is angled toward the throat. Vertical impaction means the tooth is angled toward the head and horizontal impaction means the tooth is pointed sideways.

Alternatively, the impacted teeth can be described according to the degree of impaction. If the tooth is just covered with the gum, it is called soft-tissue impaction. If the tooth is covered by the gum and some of the jaw bone, it is called partial-bony impaction. If the tooth is covered under the gum and all the jaw bone, it is called complete-bony impaction.

The alternative to having wisdom teeth removed is to keep them. A few lucky people are able to retain their wisdom teeth and care for them as they would their other teeth. People with large jaws (blacks and African) can often keep their wisdom teeth because their wisdom teeth have room to erupt properly in the mouth. But for most of us, this isn't possible, and a postponement in their removal can cause grave problems.

The most common problems linked with wisdom teeth include cavities, gum inflammation (pericoronitis), facial abscess (cellulitis), cyst, crowding (occlusal malaligment, and numbess (parathesia). In rare circumstances (about 3-5 in Texas each year), the wisdom teeth's infection can travel downward and cause airway obstruction and sudden death. Moreover, in traditional Chinese medicine, the four wisdom teeth are associated with the four chambers of the heart. A problem with the wisdom teeth creates a "block" in the Meridian (energy) system, leading to heart's trouble.

The wisdom teeth usually cause trouble when the body is under stress such as final exam, moving to new location, and pregnancy. For example, during my oral surgery residency in Houston, I witnessed the single abscess of the lower wisdom tooth led to two deaths--the 35 year-old diabetic pregnant mother and her 6-month-old fetus.

The best time for the surgical removal of the wisdom teeth is when they are about 2/3 of the fully developed sizes. This is typically at the ages of late teens or early twenties. Currently, there are two common practices for surgical removal of the wisdom teeth. The most common recommendation is to remove all four under intravenous sedation and local anesthesia. Alternatively, you can unilaterally extract one side (upper and lower wisdom teeth), two at a time, 3-6 month apart, under local anesthesia.

About the Author

For more information, contact Dr. Nguyen at drnguyen@softdental.com or visit www.softdental.com.

Finding a good oral care professional

A Tight Budget Doesn't Mean You Have To Skimp On Dental Work by Christine OKelly

It may seem easy to put off a trip to the dentist, especially as the economy takes a downturn and money becomes tight. However, you may not be doing yourself any favors by doing this. The reality of the matter is that it may actually increase your expenses in the long run, especially if your dental problem becomes an emergency situation. Keeping regular dental appointments will go a long way in not only keeping teeth healthy, but your overall health may also improve as well. Here are a few tips that will save you some money and still provide you with a healthy smile.

Find A Qualified Dentist

When looking for a qualified oral care professional, you can never go wrong asking your friends and relatives. They will never hesitate to pass on the name of a good oral care professional once they've found one. It's often a mistake to choose a dentist strictly on the prices that are charged by his practice. If you do make a selection this way, be sure to obtain a list of references and then follow through and check them out. Failure to do so could result in dental work that may not be performed correctly and that ends up costing you much more in the long run.

How Can I Pay For This?

Never be afraid to be upfront and honest with your dentist when it comes to payment. Most professionals will be able to work out a payment plan if necessary so you can still have the required work performed and not break your budget. Check with your employer to see if dental coverage is an option or if you can add this coverage to the list of available options. Flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts are another possibility. You may be able to transfer pre-tax money into these accounts or deduct the amount you contribute from your taxes.

Treatment Options

When the professional tells you that a treatment is going to be required, don't be afraid to inquire about any alternative treatments that may be available. Sometimes the dentist can recommend a cheaper option that may work. For example, will a basic filling do the same job as a composite? Although it may be a more temporary solution now, if it's more affordable and you can have it redone when money is not so tight, it may be worth considering.

Sometimes optional treatments will have alternatives as well. This is true for teeth whitening procedures. Professionally done teeth whitening such as the Zoom method will be more expensive than do it yourself home kits. Another example would be asking if bonding could substitute for porcelain veneers. One is less expensive than the other, but each has their own advantages and disadvantages. Don't be afraid to discuss options with your dentist.

Get Regular Checkups

Don't put off seeing your dental professional on a regular basis. It's much better to catch a problem in the early stages than waiting until it becomes an emergency. A simple cavity can be filled in one sitting, whereas a root canal and crown may be required if the problem is let go too long. Having your teeth cleaned every six months will keep the tartar build up off your teeth that can lead to gum disease.

If you fail to have regular checkups and meet the minimum standards required for good oral hygiene, this can result in numerous costly visits to correct the problem.

For those patients looking for an affordable dentist, Lombard, Wheaton, and other areas have many qualified oral care professionals that will be more than happy to work with you on an individual basis. Don't put off a short visit thinking that you're saving money in the long run.

About the Author

Christine O'Kelly is an author for Grove Dental. To find a dentist, Wheaton area patients are served by the Grove Dental group. For others in need of a dentist, Lombard and several other areas are served by this group as well.