Dental Blog

Parents always want what is best for their children, especially when it comes to their health. Despite the fact that kids are well fed, exercised, and socialized there is still a problem that persists; oral health. It’s a common belief that as long as kids brush their teeth they won’t need to go to the dentist. While this belief is convenient it isn’t true. Taking your children to the dentist is necessary and there are many benefits of doing so.

Benefits of Pediatric Dentistry

1. One of the best things a child can gain from going to the dentist regularly is the development of good habits. Many adults are very poor at taking care of their teeth and this habit is often rooted in childhood. If kids develop the habit of ignoring their oral health they will likely continue it into adulthood. In addition to this, the more frequent a child goes to the dentist the more comfortable they will feel about it in the future. Many of us dread going to the dentist even if there is nothing wrong. Regular exposure in youth is a good way to prevent this fear from plaguing us later in life.

2. Another benefit of taking your children to the dentist is to keeping their mouths healthy. Many dental and oral problems only develop noticeable (pain, discomfort, etc.) symptoms after the problem has persisted for some time, however, dentists can spot warning signs of problems far before they develop. By taking your child to the dentist regularly you can prevent painful and expensive dental problems from developing.

3. Another benefit of taking your child to the dentist is that it helps teach them responsibility. When a child goes to the dentist and he has been eating too many sweets he is likely to hear about it or even feel it if he needs to have a cavity drilled. When children are faced with the consequences, or rewards, for their actions they will develop behavior accordingly. When a child is praised for having clean teeth they are likely to keep them that way.

The dentist is important for everyone, especially children. By visiting regularly children can keep their mouths clean and develop good habits that are essential for the rest of their lives.

In today’s world there are many advances in technology that make our lives easier and more convenient. The medical and dental field is a particular area that has seen great leaps in technological advances in even the past 20 years. Many of these technologies include more precise and faster methods of diagnosis and observation. None of these methods are as interesting and convenient as dental digital radiography.

What is Dental Digital Radiography?

Dental digital radiography is a new way that dentist are looking at your mouth and teeth that many people can benefit from. If you recall a trip to the dentist you may remember having to bite down on something while the dentist or oral hygienist uses a large machine to take pictures of the inside of your mouth. This machine is essentially an X-ray machine and is used widely throughout the medical and dental profession. Dental digital radiography is a new form of creating these same images but not by the use of an X-ray machine.

Benefits of Dental Digital Radiography

Dental digital radiography holds more benefits today than using a traditional X-ray based imaging system. If given the opportunity patients should always choose this option over the traditional system for a few reasons.

• For starters, dental digital radiography is much faster than traditional methods with almost immediate images appearing, unlike X-rays which involve a film that must develop.
• Dental digital radiography also has much lower levels of radiation emissions and while X-ray based systems are very low and safe less is always better.
• Dental digital radiography also has the obvious advantage of being digital and can be transferred from the machine with something as simple as a USB cable (inexpensive, common compute cable.) This means immediate feedback on the area of interest and because it is digital it can be emailed and stored in a more secure area.

Dental digital radiography is becoming more and more popular and its benefits are being by patients and dental professionals a like. Next time you visit the dentist ask about this emerging and exciting new method.

We often take our health for granted. Little do we realize how each part of our body is important to our well-being and everyday living. The importance is not felt till one starts suffering. This applies too for one’s oral health. Oral health not only affects the teeth and the gums, but also our entire physical system. Typically, when one suffers from bad oral health, more often than not the condition of the gums and the teeth are in question. From toothache, to cavities, plaque, gum disease, bleeding gums; the list is endless.

What is gum disease?

So what is gum disease, or what the dentists refer to as periodontal disease? Your teeth are surrounded by a mass of flesh made up of tissues and bones. This is the area that is referred to as the gums. While a lot of importance is given to the teeth, the gums are often neglected. With time, the leftover food in the crevices of the teeth plays havoc and manifests itself in the form of plaque. It also aggravates the possibility of harmful bacteria. The plaque sticks to the teeth and the bacteria causes germs that affect the gums. This causes various problems like constant bleeding, foul smell, painful and sensitive gums and other problems which are painful and hard to tolerate. The bacterium passes onto the blood stream and affects the body in various ways. One can come down with stomach and digestion problems, cardiac issue and diabetic problems.

Why should you be concerned with your gum health?

Lately dentists are concerned about patient’s periodontal health. In a research it has been seen that periodontal diseases lead to a serious heart problems. The bacteria from the mouth mingle with the platelets or the clotting cells in the blood. They get attached to the walls of the blood vessels, thereby increasing the possibilities of heart attacks and strokes. Therefore, it is strongly advisable to take the right steps from when periodontal diseases are detected. The bacterium that spreads to different parts of the body due to periodontal disease is also the cause of various forms of ulcers that could cause stomach problems and completely throw your digestive system of gear.

So, what can you do to maintain good gum health?

It is necessary to maintain a good oral health at all times. To prevent the onset of such disease it is required to brush your teeth three to four times in a day, or after every major meal. Brushing is not just enough. Flossing is also an important element that helps keep tooth decay at bay. It extricates and cleanses the food particles from the hard to reach areas in between the teeth, reducing the chances of plaque and bacteria significantly. In addition to this, a healthy lifestyle and good food habits is also a necessity. Try to stay away from excessive consumption of candies, sticky sweet stuff and other consumables that stick to your teeth. They may go unnoticed, but may cause severe damage to your teeth.

Last but not the least, to prevent periodontal diseases make sure that you visit your dentist every so often and get a deep cleaning done along with a thorough check up. After all, there is nothing as precious as good health.

John Lennon’s tooth recently went up for auction when his former housekeeper, Dot Jarlett, passed the not-so-pearly white down to her daughter as a souvenir.

Apparently, the tooth was reported as too fragile to accurately identify as John Lennon’s. Even so, the tooth was won in auction by a Canadian dentist for $31,200.

With the Omega Auction House expecting the molar to sell for around $16,000, the final winning bid must have been pretty astonishing.

Today dentistry is a science that needs the skill and precision of art. With hundreds of dollars pumped into research for the benefit of the field and further development, researchers are developing new and advanced technologies that are being put to use by the dentists effectively. The dentists are using the newer technologies to treat their patient with the perfection of an artist. Such is the case with laser based treatments.

Benefits of Laser Surgery

Number of dentists in U.S and around the world prefers to use laser as an instrument for treatment. There are inherent benefits of the technology. It not only helps to cure a problem but is also used as a part of cosmetic dentistry and applied to improve a smile. Typically, the conventional form of dentistry requires incisions, cuts and stitches in the case of a minor or major dental operation. This causes pain as well as damage to the tissues and needs considerable time healing up. On the contrary, laser surgery can be performed without having to cut open the area. The laser beam is used to treat the area as well as prevent the occurrence of any kind of germs or infections. It sterilizes the area and helps in quick healing. Laser based surgeries or treatments are said to be precise and help to heal faster. The pain is minimal as well, considering pain in the dental area is more often than not unbearable.

Additionally, for laser treatments, a patient need not be anaesthetized. The treatment can be performed on a shot locally to numb the area or may be done without it as well. The procedure though is a widely accepted one and sometimes tends to be expensive as the dentists need to invest in the necessary equipment for laser treatments.

Laser Technology for Cosmetic Procedures

Various cosmetic dental treatments can be performed with the help of the laser technology. Very hard and intense form of laser lights can be used to kill any form of bacteria and prepare a tooth for fillings. For any intense procedures the laser rays can be used to also work on the patient’s sensitivity thereby making it easier for the dentist to perform difficult and complex procedures without scruples. In addition, laser technology helps to improve a smile significantly. It can be used to shape up the gum tissue in order to lengthen the crown. Patients who have excess exposure of gum tissue may prefer to have more of the tooth enamel exposed which definitely helps to improve their smile. With that said the dentist who is specialized in the field of laser technology can also use the light beam for teeth whitening procedures. This is a very popular procedure performed by the dentists for the benefit of the patients.

It is perhaps a good idea to look for dentists specialized in the field of laser technology and who use it aptly for treating patients. Sure enough it is worth every penny to get back that brilliant smile that would cost you less of tissue damage, minimal bleeding, least amount of pain and promises faster healing.

Wishing for a Phoenix whiter smile but not sure how to get it? New to Arizona smile tooth whitening lingo? At Harris Dental, we educate clients on the variety of Paradise Valley affordable teeth whiting treatments; from whitening trays to Glendale teeth bleaching to Scottsdale opalescence whitening. We do Mesa smile whitening every day.

Almost every toothpaste claims to whiten teeth, but as we age our teeth gradually turn yellow or gray, despite all the whitening toothpastes we use regularly. Tooth enamel, while one of the hardest substances in the body, is porous. Over time, the food and drinks that comes in contact with our teeth cause staining and discoloration. You probably have already discovered that a toothbrush cannot clean these microscopic pores.

Carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide are the two main smile whitening ingredients. They can penetrate the outer layer of your teeth to remove the build-up, and help restore whitening to teeth. Call Harris Dental at 602-955-8600 to schedule an appointment and we will explain the difference between these tooth bleaching ingredients and how they may affect your Phoenix smile whitening results.

Paradise Valley at-home teeth whitening products are probably not a good choice if you have crowns or veneers. You could end up with extremely uneven results or possible damage to your existing Arizona cosmetic dentistry.

We know the best Phoenix teeth bleaching options and can recommend the perfect white smile solution for you.

At Harris Dental, we hope to see you soon. Give us a call at 602-955-8600.

Dental health has been an important aspect of basic hygiene that has escaped some people for many years.  Many people simply could not afford to go to the dentist, while others simply never established good dental habits. In recent years this problem has changed. Simple dental procedures have become cheaper and less painful with the development of modern technology. More companies are giving insurance benefits and many other forms of financial assistance have been established. Today it is possible to have a great smile through regular dentist visits and good dental habits. Many other dental issues can also be fixed at a relatively cheap cost in painless procedures.

One way to fix a troublesome and painful tooth issue that plagues many people who suffered from bad dental habits for much of their lives is porcelain crowns. A crown is a artificial tooth that basically replaces a tooth that has been compromised due to a cavity or other dental issue. Using modern technology the crown is designed to naturally replace the lost tooth in size, shape, and appearance. When a tooth has reached this point of decay it is usually troublesome and extremely painful for the sufferer.

It is important to note that a porcelain crown is only needed in situations where the patient has suffered almost total tooth loss due to a cavity or other dental problem or injury. Through regular brushing and frequent trips to the dentist there will never be a need for a porcelain crown. Unfortunately there are many people who suffer from serious dental issues and there is a large need for porcelain crowns. Since this is such a popular procedure it benefits the patient because many dentists offer this service and it has brought the cost down considerably.

If you are suffering from a serious dental issue then consider locating a local dentist today who performs this procedure. Modern technology makes a porcelain crown procedure easier to afford and much less painful. Remember that good dental habits and regular trips to the dentist will prevent the need for a porcelain crown. If you have serious dental issues then end the pain and look in to getting a porcelain crown today.

There are many reasons to consider a teeth whitening and there are equal number of options available. It cannot be said too often that your smile is one of the most important attributes. It adds an extra oomph to your personality and is most likely, the one thing about you that people remember.

First Impressions Last

In today’s day and age, meetings and job interview results are as good as the first 10 seconds of your encounter. Your smile has become your first impression. Needless to say nobody wants to look at stained teeth or yellow teeth flashed while you are smiling. This might actually be detrimental to your cause!
Options For Whiter Teeth

Teeth whitening might be best done under the supervision of a dentist but it can also be undertaken at home using kits. There are many advantages and disadvantages that need to be listed out as far as using whitening kits at home and getting it done in a dentists’ clinic. Much of your decision will depend on exactly what your needs are.

Need Of The Hour

The first thing to assess is what is wrong with your teeth. If they are yellowish in color and you want to brighten them, it might make more sense to meet a dentist and obtain a supervised teeth whitening kit. On the other hand, if your problem is stained teeth that are in a bad to worse condition, you might be better off meeting the dentist for an in-office treatment. Some people have severely stained teeth which give rise to many other issues. No amount of standard kits will help and the dentist is the best option then.

Time Trouble

The second criterion to pay attention to is how soon you want to see a difference in the condition of your teeth. Teeth whitening used to be a many hour long procedure but there are many innovations in this field now. As long as you are using a dentist supervised specialized kit that is aimed at giving you quick results, you are in good hands. Don’t be tempted to use regular products for shorter times in different quantities than that prescribed. The results may not be to your liking.

Quick Options

The dentist will surely have the final solution for all your teeth whitening issues. There are options for a night long teeth whitening solution, some good dentist approved ones take just 30 minutes while other short term solutions may take longer.