Invisalign – An Invisible Way to Straighten Crooked Teeth!

Cools

Let’s havea straight talk about crooked teeth.  There are many people who would like to straighten their teeth but do not want to wear those braces.  Relax, there is a new way to get straightened teeth through “brace-lift,” it is virtually an invisible way to improve your smile, straighten your teeth so that you can have a face without the braces.  Yes, you have  heard of it, you saw it on television, it is known as Invisalign.  Ask your dental provider for more information.  A little information never kills anyone.

Forget everything you’ve heard about teeth straightening. Because now there’s breakthrough technology that lets you get the smile you always wanted without bands, brackets, or wires.

A clear alternative: By using a series of clear removable aligners, Invisalign straightens your teeth right before your eyes. Change them about every two weeks, and your teeth will move—little by little, week by week—until they have moved to the final position your orthodontist or dentist has prescribed. Comfortable to wear, our aligners are also removable so you can eat, drink, brush, and floss as usual.Less treatment time: A typical Invisalign case takes about a year from start to finish. You’ll see your doctor everymonth or two to see how you’re progressing. Every few visits, you’ll be given additional aligners to continue your treatment. Commonly, the number of aligners worn during treatment is between 18 and 30, but treatment time and the number of aligners will vary from case to case.Invisible. And comfortable: Invisalign is a virtually invisible solution. So you won’t draw undue attention to your mouth while in treatment. In fact, virtually no one will know you’re wearing them unless you tell. Comfortable to wear, our aligners are also removable so you can eat, drink, brush, and floss as usual.

Is Invisalign for me? Invisaligncan be used to treat the vast majority of common problems for adults and teens. Whether your smile needs minor improvements or more extensive adjustments, Invisaligncan certainly help. It’s successful in treating overly crowded or widely spaced teeth. It can also relieve more complex issues, including overbites, underbites and even crossbites. In fact, an Invisalign Certified Orthodontist or Dentist can use Invisalign clear aligners in all or part of just about any treatment plan.Look your best during treatment: Invisalign is clear and practically invisible, so nothing gets in the way of your new smile. No wonder Invisalign is the choice of over half a million people.* Unobtrusive in business meetings or social gatherings * No metal wires or bands to irritate your mouth * Most people won’t notice you’re wearing aligners

Briana Garcia’s Quinceanera

She was gorgeous and elegant on Saturday March 21, 2009 when Briana celebrated her 15th birthday and her coming out celebration, Quinceanera.  it was like yesterday when she first came with her father to our practice.  We have watched her grown and turned to this great teenager.  We celebrate the day with her and her family and trust she will understand the full implications of this great day.  We celebrate Briana’s day with her and her lovely family.

Here are some pictures, isn’t she lovely?  She gets free examination, dental x-ray if needed and teeth cleaning free, our contribution to the celebration.  May her days and years be filled with happiness, may she continue to be a joy to her parents.

Our Headquarters in Goodlettsville, TN

We thought you might like to check us up at our new site.  We have moved to Oseni Business plaza at 107 New Brick Church Pike in Goodlettsville, TN.   We like our new place and we hope you will like it too.  We shall begin broadcasting from there shortly.

Check our new office photo album up at the following links:
 http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=42184&l=27af2&id=535909009
 You can cut and paste.

Please let us know what you think about our new place.

The Pictures of Our New place

Men’s Oral Health from Academy of General Dentistry.

SmileLine lineFind an AGD dentistOral health topics

Men’s Oral Health Why is Oral Health Important for Men? Good oral health recently has been linked with longevity. Yet, one of the most common factors associated with infrequent dental checkups is just being male. Men are less likely than women to seek preventive dental care and often neglect their oral health for years, visiting a dentist only when a problem arises. Men are also more likely to develop oral and throat cancer and periodontal (gum) disease. Read on to learn how men can take care of their oral health. Men’s Oral Health Under 30? Check for Oral Cancer In the past decade, the dental profession has seen a considerable increase in the number of oral cancer patients under age 30 who have no identifiable risk factors of contracting the disease, such as tobacco or alcohol use.  Although national surveys show that the U.S. adult population is ill-informed about the risk factors of developing oral cancers, as well as its signs and symptoms, most dentists perform oral cancer exams.  Learn how your dentist can help. Men’s Oral Health Looking for a Better Job? Start by Visiting the Dentist! Men are less likely to visit the dentist than their female counterparts, according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Why? Nearly 45 percent of respondents felt that men don’t see a need to go to the dentist, and about 30 percent of those polled reported that men may not visit the dentist because they are afraid or embarrassed to go. More men are climbing back into the dental chair – for a surprising reason. FAQs: Root Canal Therapy Root canal therapy is a procedure that removes the damaged or dead tooth pulp. The canal is reshaped and filled with gutta percha, a rubber-like material, to prevent recontamination of the tooth. The tooth is then permanently sealed. If your general dentist recommends a root canal, he or she will perform the treatment or refer you to an endodontist, which is a specialist who treats injuries, diseases, and infections of the tooth pulp.   Read on to learn more about this procedure.

The AGD has a strict policy that e-mail addresses will not be sold, rented or shared with any company or organization, including AGD sponsors without your permission. From time to time the AGD may send out e-mail of interest to our members. If you would prefer not to receive these notices, please visit your profile to unsubscribe or adjust your settings. 211 East Chicago Ave., Ste 900, Chicago, IL 60611-1999 Ph: 888.AGD.DENT (888.243.3368) Fax: 312.440.0559

Dental Examiner May 2008

Where the Teeth Bite* from Men’s Health

By Denny Watkins, Men’s Health

Men’s Health

It’s a good thing barbecue is so popular in Texas—worst case, the state’s dentally challenged can simply gum their fall-off-the-bone favorite. In ranking the nation’s best and worst teeth, two Lone Star State cities—El Paso and Lubbock—finish in the bottom 10, with San Antonio and Dallas close behind. Nor is this just a beauty contest, given that poor oral hygiene is linked to higher risks of heart disease, stroke, and even pancreatic cancer.

Check out Men’s Health’s Interactive Map of Where the Teeth Bite

Our analysis includes stats from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the number of people who visit their dentists for annual checkups, the number of no-shows whose choppers are dropping out, and the number of households with fluoride on tap. And since warding off gum disease is key to keeping your smile, we also factored in who’s flossing, from Mediamark Research. When the computer spit out the results, it became clear that some drilling is needed in Texas, and we don’t mean for oil.

The Acid Bath

On the surface it makes sense: Brush your teeth after breakfast. Problem is, cereal, bananas, and OJ are acidic, and if you eat them and then brush right away, you’ll remove some of the temporarily softened tooth enamel. The remedy? Wait 20 minutes before you brush, says David Bartlett, B.D.S., Ph.D., a British expert on dental erosion.

Scan for Stroke

After your dentist checks for cavities, ask him to eyeball your arteries. The panoramic dental x-ray not only offers a 180-degree window into your oral health, but also reveals whether the other plaque is piling up in your carotid arteries—plaque that might otherwise go undetected until you stroke out. Unfortunately, only 10 percent of dentists bother to look. “Many dentists miss the bigger picture of health,” says Laurie Carter, D.D.S., Ph.D., president of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. Nudge your dentist to examine your x-ray. If he sees anything suspicious, ask him to send the film to your physician.

Cities with the Best Teeth

Rank	City Name
1	Madison, WI
2	Nashville, TN
3	Raleigh, NC
4	St. Paul, MN
5	Aurora, CO
6	Charlotte, NC
7	Yonkers, NY
8	Grand Rapids, MI
9	Fargo, ND
10	Minneapolis, MN

Cities with the Worst Teeth

Rank	City Name
100	Lubbock, TX
99	Philadelphia, PA
98	Spokane, WA
97	Salt Lake City, UT
96	Jackson, MS
95	El Paso, TX
94	Portland, OR
93	Tulsa, OK
92	Tucson, AZ
91	Baton Rouge, LA

 

Cities with the Most Households Using Floss in the Past 6 Months

Rank	City Name
1	Fremont, CA
2	San Jose, CA
3	Anchorage, AK
4	Arlington, TX
5	Anaheim, CA
6	Aurora, CO
7	Charlotte, NC
8	Colorado Springs, CO
9	Raleigh, NC
10	Las Vegas, NV

Cities Where the Most People Visited the Dentist Within the Past Year

Rank	City Name
1	St. Paul, MN
2	Hartford, CT
3	Minneapolis, MN
4	Burlington, VT
5	Fargo, ND
6	Wilmington, DE
7	Manchester, NH
8	Lincoln, NE
9	Providence, RI
10	Raleigh, NC

Cities Providing the Highest Percentage of Fluoridated Water

Rank	City Name
1	Washington, DC
2	Lexington, KY
3	Louisville, KY
4	Chicago, IL
5	Minneapolis, MN
6	St. Paul, MN
7	Memphis, TN
8	Nashville, TN
9	Fargo, ND
10	Fort Wayne, IN

Lowest Rate of permanent teeth extractions

Rank	City Name
1	Madison, WI
2	Anchorage, AK
3	Corpus Christi, TX
4	Grand Rapids, MI
5	Jackson, MS
6	Anaheim, CA
7	Bakersfield, CA
8	Fresno, CA
9	Modesto, CA
10	Sacramento, CA

 

100 Cities: From Worst to Best

Rank	City Name	Grade	-	Rank	City Name	Grade
100	Lubbock, TX	F	-	50	Columbia, SC	C+
99	Philadelphia, PA	F	-	49	Modesto, CA	C+
98	Spokane, WA	F	-	48	Honolulu, HI	C+
97	Salt Lake City, UT	F	-	47	Bakersfield, CA	C+
96	Jackson, MS	F	-	46	Norfolk, VA	C+
95	El Paso, TX	F	-	45	Las Vegas, NV	C+
94	Portland, OR	F	-	44	Fort Wayne, IN	C+
93	Tulsa, OK	D-	-	43	Richmond, VA	C+
92	Tucson, AZ	D-	-	42	Charleston, WV	C+
91	Baton Rouge, LA	D-	-	41	Lexington, KY	C+
90	Los Angeles, CA	D-	-	40	Greensboro, NC	C+
89	San Antonio, TX	D-	-	39	Indianapolis, KY	B-
88	St. Louis, MO	D-	-	38	Hartford, CT	B-
87	Dallas, TX	D-	-	37	Little Rock, AR	B-
86	Tampa, FL	D-	-	36	Anaheim, CA	B-
85	Jersey City, NJ	D-	-	35	Washington, DC	B-
84	Denver, CO	D-	-	34	New York, NY	B-
83	St. Petersburg, FL	D	-	33	Atlanta, GA	B-
82	Oklahoma City, OK	D	-	32	San Jose, CA	B-
81	Billings, MT	D	-	31	Providence, RI	B-
80	Pittsburgh, PA	D	-	30	San Diego, CA	B-
79	Miami, FL	D	-	29	Wilmington, DE	B
78	Boston, MA	D	-	28	Seattle, WA	B
77	Kansas City, MO	D+	-	27	Cleveland, OH	B
76	Newark, NJ	D+	-	26	Fremont, CA	B
75	Austin, TX	D+	-	25	Manchester, NH	B
74	Fresno, CA	D+	-	24	Toledo, OH	B
73	Sacramento, CA	D+	-	23	Durham, NC	B
72	Birmingham, AL	D+	-	22	Boise, ID	B
71	Buffalo, NY	D+	-	21	San Francisco, CA	B
70	Corpus Christi, TX	D+	-	20	Columbus, OH	B
69	Houston, TX	C-	-	19	Wichita, KS	B
68	Louisville, KY	C-	-	18	Colorado Springs, CO	B+
67	Rochester, NY	C-	-	17	Omaha, NE	B+
66	Bangor, ME	C-	-	16	Jacksonville, FL	B+
65	Riverside, CA	C-	-	15	Sioux City, SD	B+
64	Burlington, VT	C-	-	14	Lincoln, NE	B+
63	Memphis, TN	C-	-	13	Des Moines, IA	B+
62	Orlando, FL	C-	-	12	Lincoln, NE	B+
61	Baltimore, MD	C-	-	11	Anchorage, AK	B+
60	Montgomery, AL	C	-	10	Minneapolis, MN	B+
59	Milwaukee, WI	C	-	9	Fargo, ND	A-
58	Detroit, MI	C	-	8	Grand Rapids, MI	A-
57	Cincinnati, OH	C	-	7	Yonkers, NY	A-
56	Fort Worth, TX	C	-	6	Charlotte, NC	A-
55	Oakland, CA	C	-	5	Aurora, CO	A-
54	Albuquerque, NM	C	-	4	St. Paul, MN	A
53	Chicago, IL	C	-	3	Raleigh, NC	A+
52	Phoenix, AZ	C	-	2	Nashville, TN	A+
51	Cheyenne, MY	C	-	1	Madison, WI	A+

Provided by Men’s Health

URL: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/oral-care/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100199710>1=31017

Women and Gum Disease Volume III*

The Teen-Age Years

 

As females reach puberty, the production of the sex hormones progesterone and estrogen increases. This hormonal increase can exaggerate the way dental tissues react to the irritants in plaque. Gums may become red, tender, swollen and likely to bleed easily when chewing or brushing teeth. After the early teen years, women may notice less inflammation and bleeding.

Reaching Menopause You may notice a number of physical changes when you reach menopause, including some that occur in the mouth. These may include a burning sensation, altered taste sensations (salty, peppery or sour), a decrease in saliva flow that can result in dry mouth, and greater sensitivity to hot and cold foods or drinks.

Talk with us if you experience any oral problems that you think might be related to menopause. Be sure to mention any medications you are taking (both prescription and over-the-counter products), because many drugs can have dental-related side-effects, including dry mouth. Dry mouth can increase your risk for tooth decay, halitosis (bad breath) and mouth sores. Saliva substitutes may be prescribed to reduce any mouth dryness. Vitamin C and B complexes may be helpful, as well. For good overall health, eat a balanced diet and discuss with your physician how to get the calcium you need to prevent osteoporosis (“porous bones”), the risk of which increases after menopause.

Remember that it is plaque not fluctuating hormone levels, that is the major cause of periodontal disease. Here are ways you can help prevent periodontal disease: Be sure to brush your teeth thoroughly twice a day and clean between your teeth daily with floss or another interdental cleaner.  If you need extra help in controlling plaque and gingivitis, we may recommend antimicrobial mouthrinse. Regular dental visits and professional cleanings are essential. Plaque that is not removed can harden into a rough, porous deposit called calculus, or tartar. Tartar can only be removed by a professional cleaning at our office or any other dental office. 

Eat a balanced diet for good general health and limit snacks.

*From American Dental Association 

 

Dental Examiner Debuts Today

It is all about myths, tall stories, horsetails, long nose stories! LOL

SOME BELIEVE THAT A WOMAN LOSES A TOOTH FOR EVERY PREGNANCY

ANS.: It is not true that a woman should expect to lose a tooth for each pregnancy but some women are prone to developing swollen gums during pregnancy called PREGNANCY Tumor or Epulis.  This is generally due to irritation of the gums and a professionally cleaning of the mouth may prove useful in its management.  For most females, the swelling goes away after delivery and for others, they may require gum treatment.  Be happy, it is not the end of the world, you are not going to lose those teeth, get with it.  You know in 2007 Russia, people were even encouraged to take a national holiday for making babies!!!!!! 

American Dental Association ADA eGRAM: Lead Found in Outsource Crown*

February 27, 2008*

An Ohio CBS-TV affiliate is airing today an investigative report about outsourcing dental lab work offshore-and the story’s hook is that one of the crowns received from a Chinese lab contained lead. The reporter worked with a local dentist to order eight dental crowns (porcelain and full metal) from several labs in China, which were then sent to NSL Analytics in Cleveland for testing. One of the crowns tested positive for lead at 210 ppm. The story also will include information about a woman from Kent, Ohio, with a partial bridge that apparently tested positive for lead at 160 ppm. The woman apparently filed or will be filing a lawsuit, alleging that the bridge caused infection and swelling, which she attributes to the lead. Product danger and contamination stories are big in the media these days-witness the recent pet food and toy stories from 2007-so it’s important for you to be armed with the facts. Here’s what we know ·         No dental prosthetic device should contain lead.·         It’s the quality of work and safety of materials that matter most to dentists and patients, not where the dental lab work is done. The underlying concern should not be where dental lab work is done (because there are offshore labs that do great work) but rather how you, the dentist, and your patients can be assured of the quality of the work and safety of the materials used.  That said, we suspect that the China angle will be played up, especially after the scare over lead paint in toys. You may need information on what to ask your dental lab supplier(s) to be assured that the products you are purchasing from them are safe. View our tip sheet on questions to ask your labs. This will help you talk with your patients, too. ·         Some of your patients will ask where you send your lab work and whether their own crowns or bridges might contain lead. To help you prepare for these questions, view these talking points. Of course, you will want to customize these to fit your needs, but these are basic points you can start with. ·         Rather than waiting for the FDA or state legislatures to take some action, we are going to have our own labs do some random, objective testing of prosthetic devices, some from U.S. labs and others from offshore labs. This will take some time (we’re still evaluating and don’t know how long) to prepare for and execute, but we believe it is important that the ADA do this type of objective testing to gather additional intelligence on whether the Ohio testing was an isolated incident or cause for greater concern. As always, we’re going to let science show the way. We’ll keep you informed of what we learn and the next steps that result from the testing.·         The tip sheet refers to ISO or ANSI compliance. The standards for dental prostheses address the safety and quality of the metal-ceramic dental restorative system (ANSI/ADA Specification No. 38) and include a requirement for the manufacturer to test for the metal alloy composition and concentrations of the materials. There also are standards for noble metals.·         Some state legislatures (for example, Florida and South Carolina) are considering legislation to tighten up the regulation of dental laboratories. Provisions under consideration include requirements that dental labs disclose information such as where devices are made and the materials used. Be on the lookout for future legislative alerts from your state dental society on this topic.·         We made a strong statement to the press that we do not believe any lead should be in dental prosthetic devices. We have been advised by industry experts that there are no FDA-approved materials used in dental prosthetic devices that contain lead, which again points to the importance of your lab adequately assuring you that they use only FDA-approved materials.·         Labs fill the order that you give them based on what you request. The more detailed your request is in terms of what materials you expect them to use (or not use), the more assurance you will have about what they are providing. It is important to specify the exact materials that you want used in the prosthesis.Here’s what we don’t know ·         We don’t know whether this is an isolated incident or indicates a larger problem. We were surprised to learn that any dental prosthetic device might have lead in it. ·         We understand that the lead was found in the surface of the crown, so our scientists suspect (but do not know for sure) that it could have come from the pigment. It’s also theoretically possible that the lead could have come through a soldering process or as a contaminant from the lab environment. Again, as noted above, lead should not be in any FDA-approved materials.We would like to hear from you if you have already experienced a problem with a dental prosthetic device containing lead. We also want to know of any other questions that we may not have outlined in this eGRAM or in the linked documents. Please send your comments and inquiries to: dpdfeedback@ada.org. We will continue to share information with you as we continue to understand this better, so watch ada.org and be on the lookout for possible follow-up eGRAMs.Needless to say, this is a very delicate issue. No one is more concerned about the possibility of lead contamination of dental products than dentists. On the other hand, we don’t want to overreact to what could be an isolated incident. For now, be armed with the facts, communicate with your patients and stay tuned, because this story has the potential to evolve rapidly. Finally, we hope this information helps you understand why it’s very important for us to have your most current e-mail information. Please share this information with your colleagues, and ask them to let us know (dpdfeedback@ada.org) their current e-mail address if they did not receive this eGRAM directly from us. As always, thank you for your support of the work of the American Dental Association. It’s through the strength of our membership that we are able to be helpful and responsive on critical issues like this one. 

Mark J. Feldman, DMD President of ADA

James B. Bramson, DDS Executive Director, ADA

* From American Dental Association eGRAM received today and passing this info from ADA to you!