X-Rays: Not Really Optional

March 11th, 2011

We’ve all been there – having to bite down on the hard plastic while wearing a lead gown isn’t the most pleasant experience. It also isn’t the cheapest. So why are x-rays important, and what do they mean for tooth health? Are they a necessity or a frivolity? Dental x-Rays are optional, but it is important to ask questions and find out why you need them. As a dentist in Columbia SC we’re here to let you know why X-rays are needed and why they aren’t really optional.

Why Should I Get Them?

X-Rays are important for a variety of reasons. Our teeth are made out of bone and x-rays are one of the most accurate ways to look at and measure bone health. X-rays are critical for diagnostic care. They show dentists where a problem hidden by the gums, such as a bone infection, may be growing. They are also an excellent way for dentists to determine past history. They can show fillings and how deep they reside in the tooth. While decay may be so light one year that even a dental x-ray can’t catch it, skipping the x-rays for two or three years can lead to massive amounts of decay that probably would have been caught by an annual x-ray.

The Types of X-Ray

There are several types of x-rays that are offered by dentists, and they all vary a little in cost. You will either be asked to get an intraoral x-ray or an extraoral x-ray. Intraoral x-rays are taken on the inside of the mouth. These will give dentists a close look at any decay between teeth, can show bone loss due to periodontal disease, and will also show if a tooth’s nerve has been affected. Extraoral x-rays are taken from the outside of the mouth. These give a more comprehensive look as to what is going on in the bones of the face such as the jaw, and are essential in detecting impactions such as wisdom teeth, missing teeth, and supernumerary (or extra) teeth.

Intraoral X-Rays

Bitewing X-Ray – These are the most common x-rays that you can have done at the dentist. They are taken by inserting a small x-ray film holder that is bitten down on. These x-rays give a close up of only three or four teeth. They show from the crowns to about halfway down the root of the tooth and are the best ways to find early decay between the teeth and check for gum disease.

Periapical X-Ray – These x-rays are very similar to Bitewing x-rays, except for the fact that they show from the top of the crown to the root of the tooth and show a side view of a tooth.

Occlusal X-Ray – These x-rays show the entire bite of both the lower and upper jaws.

Extraoral X-Rays

Panoramic X-Ray – These x-rays give an entire view of the mouth from top to bottom. They are used to see problem areas of tooth growth as well as detect tumors in the mouth and jaw.

When Should I Get Them

You should have x-rays done about once a year or every other appointment. While x-rays are optional, they are important in helping your dentist find early warning signs of problems, and if you opt out now you may risk having something serious and expensive occur that could have been prevented by an x-ray.

You should also have x-rays made each time you visit a new dentist. If you’ve moved across the country from Utah to Columbia, your new dentist in Columbia is not going to know anything that your previous dentist knew, let alone what that dentist may have been doing for your teeth. X-rays will give your new dentist a more complete history of what has happened to your teeth throughout your lifetime.

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Tooth Decay: The Most Preventable Disease in the World

November 18th, 2010

Tooth Decay is a Disease?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) tooth decay is a pandemic disease – meaning that it affects everyone worldwide. Some other frightening statistics you can find if you do a search on their website are that 60 to 90% of school age children have cavities and/or periodontal disease. This is especially prevalent in under developed countries. But even in the United States, tooth decay is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever.*

But while tooth decay is considered a “chronic” disease by WHO, it is also the most preventable disease in the world. Once serious tooth decay or periodontal disease sets it “cures” become much more difficult. But through a practice of prevention tooth decay can be sincerely delayed and the expensive cost of keeping teeth healthy and intact is considerably reduced.

Prevent and Preserve

We have some easy steps that will keep your teeth healthy, your smile bright, and your dental care cost down.

1)    Regular Check-ups. Going to see your dentist on a semi-annual basis is more important than a lot of people think. But keeping this appointment can save you a lot of pain and effort. Dentists check the state of your teeth, can effectively remove plaque that you aren’t reaching, can give advice on how to keep your teeth in top condition, and they offer regular fluoride treatments.

2)    Brush. Then brush again. Brush at least twice daily, if not after every time you eat. Brushing once in the morning and then once in the evening or before going to bed tends to be the standard practice.

3)    Use fluoride. Not only does fluoride prevent tooth decay but it is also the only thing that can reverse early decay as well. Use fluoride toothpaste, ask your dentist about supplemental fluoride treatments, and trade soda for water. Not only is water healthier for you in general but water offers fluoride which helps teeth while soda offers sugar which attracts harmful bacteria.

4)    Limit snacking. Sugary foods, carbohydrates, and sticky foods are especially bad for molars as they can stick inside teeth for long periods of time. If you can’t give up the sticky foods, start brushing regularly right after eating them.

5)    Floss. Flossing is doubly important as it not only prevents tooth decay but it also prevents gum disease, by removing plaque between the teeth.

Prevention is really important. Take yourself off of the WHO statistics, and win a healthier smile in the long run.

* U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institute of Health, 2000.

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Bad Feelings About Your Fillings?

November 2nd, 2010

So your dentist has asked you to replace your metal fillings, commonly called dental amalgams, with another form of filling such as composite resin or porcelain.

If your first response was “Errrr…” you’re not alone. All those fancy words really mean is that your dentist probably wants you to change your metal fillings for one of the various kinds of white fillings that have become the norm for fillings today.

But should you do it? There are various reasons to change your fillings and some are going to be worth your while, not to mention your time and money. In this article we’ll discus the types of fillings that are out there, the reasons to change them, and the conversations you need to be have with your dentist to make sure that your oral health is up to date.

You want to put WHAT in my mouth?

Dental Amalgams: Dental amalgams are the traditional silver fillings that are likely in your grandmother’s teeth right now. They were the norm for years, and many dentists still use them today. There was concern about the mercury content in the early 2000’s. However, though these fillings are about fifty percent mercury they have not been found to affect the human body in any negative way.

Composite Resin: These are quickly becoming the replacement for amalgams. The composite resin, made from plastic and very fine glass particles, bonds to the tooth much more easily than amalgams. They are also more cosmetically pleasing as they blend with tooth color.

Porcelain: These work in exactly the same way as the composite resin. But they are used if there is insufficient tooth structure to hold a filling.

So What’s the Problem?

There are a few legitimate reasons to switch from the silver to one of the other forms. If your dental amalgams are more than ten years old it is definitely a good reason to change.  Old amalgams weren’t done using the bonding technology that exists today which means they could wear down over time allowing bacteria to enter underneath the filling and make the cavity worse. Replacing old fillings before this happens (usually after about ten years) is probably a good idea. And if your dentist says that a new cavity is forming underneath, you should definitely replace them unless you’re looking for a root canal. Don’t be afraid to get these things checked — if it is a fear of the dentist holding you back it will only be all the worse once you finally push yourself to go. And with new technologies like sedation dentistry it’s easier then ever to go to an appointment.

As to what you should get if you have a brand new cavity that’s entirely up to you and the dentist that you visit. Often you won’t even have to decide – the dentist will do it for you. But now you can definitely discuss with them what the best option is to use without overwhelmed by all of the dental jargon.

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