You Can Have Whiter Teeth!

The least damaging and most conservative way of making your teeth lighter is with the use of a whitening solution. Contrary to what you might think, brushing your teeth harder with an abrasive toothbrush will not make your teeth whiter, but rather may darken them faster. The tooth-whitening concept has been around for many years, and the techniques have become easier and less expensive to accomplish. Tooth whitening was noted in the dental literature in the 1920s. the technique has become easier and the cost has decreased. Today, there are two convenient methods to whiten dark teeth: At-Home Whitening and In-Office Whitening.

Why Do Teeth Get Yellow?

The intrinsic color of your teeth is related to the color and thickness of the enamel and dentin, as well as the types of foods and liquids you ingest. The thinner the enamel, the darker the underlying dentin; the more coffee, tea, cola beverages, and red wine you drink, the darker your teeth will be. Cracks that are commonly found in the enamel of your teeth may provide a pathway for discoloring fluids to reach the underlying dentin.

If you have a yellow, brown, or orange shade to your teeth, in most cases it can be made lighter by the whitening procedure. Whitening works very well in removing age-related darkening of your teeth. This age-related darkening is most likely due to years of drinking darkening beverages, or other environmental factors, rather than genetics. No drilling or anesthesia is required for whitening. Your teeth will not become weaker. Because the mineralization of teeth varies so much from person to person, there is no way to determine how many office visits it will take to effect the color change or how white the teeth will get. The darker your teeth are, the more time required for the change and the more distinctive the color change will be.

The whitening procedure will also work to a lesser degree on teeth with tetracycline discoloration. We have seen several fair to good results from both in-office and at-home whitening. It does take more time to achieve good results on this type of stain, and unfortunately, sometimes the change is minor.

Two Available Techniques

There are two types of whitening available. One is done by the patient at home, and the other is done by us during an office visit. They can be done separately or in conjunction with each other. The at-home technique involves using a soft, thin, comfortable mouthguard-like tray. An impression is made of your teeth, and custom whitening trays are fabricated. Then at home, you place the whitening solution in the trays and wear them for an hour or two each day or sleep with them in place at night. With in-office whitening, you come to the office for 1 to 2 hours, and a stronger whitening solution is applied by us and activated for that time. Usually only one visit is required.

The color change should last for 3 to 7 years in most people. The color change you see immediately after the whitening is completed will regress one shade over the course of 1 to 3 months, with most of the change taking place in the first week. If you drink a lot of coffee, tea, cola beverages, red wine, or if you smoke, the teeth may begin to turn darker again. When this happens, the whitening process can be repeated.

The possible side effects include temporary white discoloration of the gum tissue if the office whitening solution comes in contact with the gum. This goes away quickly. The teeth may become slightly sensitive to temperature changes for a short time. This also goes away quickly. There is no damage to the tooth enamel, dentin, or pulp from the whitening process. Fillings and crowns do not whiten. When your teeth change to a lighter color, you may need to have those fillings and/or crowns redone. We will let you know whether this is a possibility before we whiten your teeth. There are no other adverse effects known.

The teeth that show when you talk, smile, or eat are the teeth that would benefit your appearance most if whitened. Usually the top teeth are whitened because they are much more visible than the bottom teeth, but both arches can be successfully whitened. The lower teeth take about three times as long to reach the color change of the top teeth.

If you have any questions about enamel recontouring, please feel free to ask us!  

Hymeadow: (512) 250-5012

Jollyville: (512) 346-8424

West William Cannon: (512) 445-5721

Dental Sealants Prevent Cavities and More Kids Need Them, CDC Says

There's a quick and easy way to prevent 80 percent of cavities, but most kids don't get it, federal health officials said Tuesday. The treatment, dental sealants, works well, but only 60 percent of kids who need sealants get them, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

                       

    

Dentist inspecting boys mouth before treatment. Universal Images Group / UIG via Getty Images

One good solution: doing it at school. But states often lack the funding to pay for such programs, and often bureaucratic requirements about having dentists on site can hold them up, also, the CDC said.

"Many children with untreated cavities will have difficulty eating, speaking, and learning," said CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden.

"Dental sealants can be an effective and inexpensive way to prevent cavities, yet only one in three low-income children currently receive them. School-based sealant programs are an effective way to get sealants to children."
The CDC says that 20 percent of kids and teenagers have untreated dental decay by the time they are 19. Kids with constant toothaches cannot eat properly and have trouble paying attention at school.

Related: Do Kids Need Dental Sealants?

Even though they are endorsed by the CDC and the American Dental Association, only 43 percent of 6- to 11-year-old children have a dental sealant, federal surveys show.

"Low-income children were 20 percent less likely to have sealants than higher-income children," the CDC's Susan Griffin and colleagues wrote in a report released Tuesday.                    

"School-age children without sealants have almost three times more cavities than children with sealants," the CDC added.

"Applying sealants in school-based programs to the nearly 7 million low-income children who don't have them could save up to $300 million in dental treatment costs."

That's because a filling costs more. In addition, once a tooth has been drilled to put in a filling, it's never as stable again.
But many states struggle to pay for such programs, the CDC team found.

"Federal funding of state oral health programs is largely com­petitive and varies widely by state," they wrote. "Many state and local school-based sealant programs cover part of their expenses by Medicaid billing."

And Medicaid, the joint state-federal health insurance plan for children and low-income people, is already badly stretched in most states.
One big expense is paying a dentist to oversee the program, the CDC found. One solution: Allow lower-paid professionals to administer sealant programs. At least one state has already done so.

"For example, in South Carolina, school-based sealant programs managed and staffed by dental hygienists deliver sealants in approximately 40 percent of high-need schools," Griffin and colleagues wrote.

"CDC currently provides funding to 21 state public health departments to coordinate and implement school-based and school-linked sealant programs that target low-income children and those who live in rural settings," the agency added.

It said the federal government plans to do more. It will classify pediatric dental services as an essential health benefit to be covered by dental insurance as part of the Affordable Care Act, for instance, and match state Medicaid and CHIP costs for sealants.
The sealants are plastic-based coatings that get into the cracks and crannies of molar teeth, stopping food and bacteria from starting the chemical reaction that leads to cavities.
 Studies show they are safe and stop tooth decay, even when they are layered over an existing pre-cavity.

"Studies on sealant effectiveness indicate that sealants delivered in clinical or school settings prevent about 81 percent of decay at two years after placement, 50 percent at four years, and can continue to be effective for up to nine years through adolescence," the CDC said.

"Sealants delivered in clinical or school settings prevent about 81 percent of decay at two years after placement."

 The American Dental Association (ADA) agrees, and says many people don't know that dental insurance often pays for them.

"Dental sealants are one-third the cost of a filling, so their use can save patients, families, and states money," the Pew Charitable Trusts, an independent, public service-oriented nonprofit, says in a statement. "Sealant programs based in schools are an optimal way to reach children — especially low-income children who have trouble accessing dental care."
 One worry that parents may have is about BPA, a chemical found in the sealants that is increasingly linked with health risks. The ADA says the benefits of sealants far outweigh any perceived risk.

"The potential amount of BPA patients could be exposed to when receiving sealants is minuscule, and it's less than the amount a person receives from breathing air or handling a receipt," the ADA says.

By: Maggie Fox, NBC News
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/dental-sealants-prevent-cavities-more-kids-need-them-cdc-says-n668266

If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Omni Dental Group at one of our three office locations listed below:

North Austin on Hymeadow Drive: (512) 250-5012
Central Austin on Jollyville Road: (512) 346-8424
South Austin on William Cannon: (512) 445-5811

Is dental insurance worth the cost?

You need medical insurance, if only to protect against the cost of an accident or illness so expensive that you could be ruined financially. But do you really need dental insurance?
It’s an interesting question, because you can avoid the most likely causes and expenses of dental problems, decay and gum disease, by brushing and flossing your teeth diligently. But some teeth are more prone to problems, and when they have a problem, the costs can mount quickly.

The price of insurance
About 64 percent of Americans have dental insurance. Nearly all of them have coverage through work or a group plan like AARP, Medicaid, Tricare (for military families) and the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program, according to Evelyn Ireland, executive director of the National Association of Dental Plans, in an email interview.
Most dental preferred provider organizations and regular insurance (indemnity) plans have an average deductible of $50 and a maximum yearly benefit of $1,000, Ireland says. Only 2 percent to 4 percent of Americans with dental insurance use up their yearly maximum allowance.
Dental plans offered through a workplace typically are one of three types:

• Indemnity plan: You choose your provider, and your plan pays a percentage of the fees.
• PPO: Preferred provider organization plans have groups of practitioners who agree to reduced fees for patients within the network. Your costs are lower with network dentists. You may see out-of-network dentists, but it’ll cost you more.
• HMO: Health maintenance organizations cut costs by requiring members to use only providers within the network.

Premiums for group dental plans in 2014 (the latest information available) averaged from $19 to $32 a month ($228 to $384 annually), said the NADP.
Is insurance worth it?
The NADP describes these elements of coverage in a typical plan:

• Preventive care: periodic exams, X-rays and, for some age groups, sealants -- 100 percent.
• Basic procedures: office visits, extractions, fillings, root canals (sometimes) and periodontal treatment -- 70 percent to 80 percent.
• Major procedures: crowns, bridges, inlays, dentures and sometimes implants and root canals -- 50 percent or less.

Orthodontics coverage usually can be purchased as a rider, said the NADP. Cosmetic care isn’t covered.
Dental insurance isn’t always worth the cost. It depends on your plan, your needs and the cost of the services available to you.
In deciding if an insurance plan is right for you, weigh:

• The annual premium
• The cost of the dental care you need
• Your policy’s limit on how much it pays out in benefits and whether you can roll over unused benefits from the previous year
• Policy coverage

“While many dental policies focus on preventive measures by offering two annual visits, you’ll really start seeing the savings with more expensive treatments, like root canals and crowns,” according to Angie’s List.
Help from the Affordable Care Act 
The ACA requires providers to offer dental insurance for children younger than 18. “Although the new act does not require dental coverage for adults, most state marketplaces will also offer dental coverage for adults,” said the American Dental Association. Adult dental coverage may be offered as part of a comprehensive health plan or as stand-alone dental insurance. Here’s more about the ACA and dental coverage:

• The ADA tells how to compare and assess dental plans.
• Use this Healthcare.gov plan locator to find ACA dental plans locally and compare costs.

Dental insurance isn’t the only way to cut dental bills. In fact, 36 percent of Americans have no dental insurance. Here are 10 other ways to cut your costs:

1. Self-pay
It may be less expensive to pay out of pocket than buy a plan. Fees vary by dentist’s office and by geographic region. Here are average costs in the U.S. for several common procedures, from the ADA Health Policy Institute’s 2013 Survey of Dental Fees (the latest data available):

• Teeth cleaning (prophylaxis) adult: $85
• White dental filling (one surface, anterior): $149
• Silver filling (one surface, primary or permanent): $125
• Porcelain crown fused to noble metal: $1,003
• Complete series of intra-oral X-rays: $124

2.  Preventive care
In many cases, the best way to save on dentistry is to take excellent care of your teeth and gums, and to teach children healthy dental routines. For example, did you know that fruit juices, carbonated drinks and acidic foods can help wear away your tooth enamel?
The ADA tells you how to brush correctly, how to floss effectively and offers more information on dental health.
Delta Dental, an insurer, has more tips on preventive care.

3. Cut back to one cleaning a year
Several studies have shown that visiting the dentist twice a year doesn’t deliver notable benefits compared with one exam a year. If you don’t have serious dental issues, you can probably get by with one cleaning annually.
But don’t skip that one annual cleaning and exam. It could save you from costly and serious problems.

4. Discount dental plans
Discount plans charge an annual fee in exchange for discounted services from network providers. Before you buy into a plan, look over its list of covered procedures to see if they’re ones you are likely to use.
PolicyGenius, an independent insurance broker, compared five dental insurance and dental discount plans. Costs vary a lot depending on where you live and because the state insurance marketplaces created under the ACA offer different plans. It’s hard to comparison-shop for dental plans: Companies don’t easily share information on costs and coverage until after you’ve subscribed, PolicyGenius found. Even so, “all five plans we looked at delivered better value than paying cash outright.”
A tip: The cheapest dental plans don’t offer much value, but don’t just go with an expensive plan -- do some careful research. “If you know you’re going to be spending some time in the dentist’s chair soon -- and especially if you require an expensive dental procedure immediately -- the right discount plan could save you hundreds of dollars,” PolicyGenius writes.

5. Request 10 percent off
Some dentists will take 10 percent off the cost of a visit or procedure if you pay at the time of the visit. Some offer a discount for cash.
If your dentist doesn’t provide a discount, ask (politely, of course) if he/she could do so. Or shop around for a dentist, gathering recommendations from friends and then phoning those offices to find out if they offer a discount.

6. Charitable clinics
Look for low-cost or free dental clinics in your community offered by local dentist volunteers.
Find opportunities in your area through America’s Dentists Care Foundation. Another charitable organization with volunteer dental professionals is Dentistry From the Heart, a global nonprofit organization. Or ask your state’s dental association about low-cost care.

7. Dental schools
Dental schools at many colleges and universities around the U.S. often offer free or reduced-cost care. Accredited programs are listed at the ADA website.

8. Federally qualified health centers
Private health centers offering dental services exist in cities and counties across the country. They receive some government funding and charge according to what you can afford. Use the clinic locator at the federal Health Resources and Services Administration website.

9. Consider dental tourism
Dental tourism -- traveling to other countries to get treatment, often at a fraction of the U.S. cost -- is a huge business. Among the top countries that have a thriving dental industry catering to foreigners are Mexico, Thailand, Spain, Turkey, Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Poland, Philippines and Hungary.
“Dental tourism companies and corporate dental chains are increasingly advertising ‘all inclusive’ travel packages that include dental procedures, hotel room reservations, side trips to tourist attractions, and airline tickets to lure international clients,” said an article in the International Journal of Contemporary Dental and Medical Reviews.
Do plenty of research to ensure that you’re getting safe, high-quality care. Some resources:

• The American Dental Association has information and cautions about dentistry outside the U.S.
• OSAP, the Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures, tells how to assess infection-control practices in a dentist’s office and gives a checklist for obtaining safe dental care abroad. It cautions:

“The decision to visit another country for dental care should go beyond simply comparing prices or even evaluating the dentists’ expertise. Countries differ in their standards for infection control and safety. The use of fresh gloves, sterile instruments and safe water are not standard practice in all countries. Without these precautions, patients could be infected with diseases such as hepatitis B.”

10. Get out of town
Dentist fees in rural counties typically are lower than in urban areas. Comparison-shop for the procedure you need by phoning offices of ADA member dentists outside your metro area and asking about fees. Here’s how to locate an ADA member dentist.

By: Mariyln Lewis, CBS News
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-dental-insurance-worth-the-cost/


If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Omni Dental Group at one of our three office locations listed below:

North Austin on Hymeadow Drive: (512) 250-5012
Central Austin on Jollyville Road: (512) 346-8424
South Austin on William Cannon: (512) 445-5811

12 Things Your Dentist Knows About You Just By Looking In Your Mouth

While cavities and plaque build-up may be what's on your mind before a teeth cleaning, your dentist is looking for a whole lot more. "The mouth is the window to the body," says David Silverstrom, DDS, of The Silverstone Group in Livingston, NJ. "Often, diseases like cancer, anemia and diabetes will first be identified by the dentist in a regular examination, and this saves lives." And it's not just diseases- dentist can discover everything from your bad habits to your favorite beverages simply by asking you to say, "Ahh!"


1. You flossed right before your appointment—and that's the only time.
Sorry, but you can't fool your dentist into thinking you floss daily by doing so the night before or morning of your visit. "The gums of people who only floss right before a visit are bleeding or look damaged," says Timothy Stirneman, DDS, of All Smiles Dental in Algonquin, IL, "whereas, healthy gums are nice and tight and pink," he says. Kenneth Wong, DDS, of Santa Monica adds, "When patients floss right before coming for a cleaning, I can see the slices where the floss cut at the gum because they were overzealous."
2. You're pregnant.
"Nearly 40% of women will develop gingivitis during their pregnancy," says Glen Stephenson, DMD, of Prevention Dental in Boise, ID. "This is caused by increased progesterone, which facilitates the growth of bacteria, causing gingivitis. Some women will develop a deep red lump on their gums called a pregnancy tumor or pyogenic granuloma." (This type of tumor is completely benign and will go away after the pregnancy is over.) Stirneman adds that most women are typically pretty far along before their gums start bleeding, so it's not as though a dentist will magically "discover" that a patient is pregnant.

3. You bite your nails.
Without looking at your hands, a dentist may be able to detect this habit. "Signs include chips and cracking of the teeth, plus wear and tear on the teeth from the constant stress on them," says Keith Arbeitman, DDS, of Arbeitman & Shein in New York City. "This can cause your teeth to become uneven and lead to jaw pain and discomfort." Kyle Stanley, DDS, of Helm, Nejad, Stanley in Beverly Hills adds, "Patients that bite their nails using their front teeth usually have leveled off, flat front teeth. The nails themselves are not what cause the damage, but rather the contact that occurs between the top and bottom teeth," he says.
4. You used to suck your thumb.
"Most children that suck their thumbs or a finger have no long-term effects from the habit," says Stephenson. "However, those who did so past the age of seven or eight may show significant changes to their bite or the position of their teeth. Much of that can be corrected through orthodontic treatment, but some telltale signs can remain." Alice Lee, DDS, of Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, NY, adds, "We can sometimes see protruding front teeth, and this can impact how kids' jaws are coming together and growing and can also impact their speech."
5. Your bad breath may mean something.
"General bad breath can be categorized as halitosis," says Arbeitman. But dentists are also trained to identify "fruity" smells and "fishy" smells, which can mean numerous things. " 'Fruity' breath could indicate uncontrolled diabetes or a dietary fast that has gone too far, while 'fishy' breath could be a sign of kidney or liver failure," he explains. If the smell is "very foul," says Arbeitman, it could be anything from gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) to an underlying lung abscess and bronchitis to a tonsil stone. Timothy Chase, DMD, of SmilesNY in New York City, adds, "The first thing the dentist should do is rule out the odor coming from the teeth and gums. After that, he should recommend that the patient see an ENT to rule out sinus issues, and a GI doc to rule out reflux issues."
6. You may have an eating disorder.
"Many patients are surprised that their dentist is the first one to ask about eating disorders," says Chase, "but bulimia exhibits a very distinct pattern of tooth wear that your dentist can easily identify." Stephenson notes that, "This erosion happens almost exclusively on the tongue-side of the front teeth and can contribute to increased cavities." But Silverstrom is quick to point out that acid erosion on the back of a patient's teeth does not always indicate an eating disorder. He says other possibilities include acid reflux and the use of antidepressants or mood-elevating drugs, both of which reduce the amount of saliva in the mouth, thereby upping the odds of acid damage.
7. You have a sinus infection.
"Often patients will call saying that they need a root canal," explains Ira Handschuh, DDS, of The Dental Design Center in NY, "when in fact it's actually a sinus infection and not a tooth problem at all." The reason, he explains, is because the roots of the top teeth are positioned in the same area as the floor of the sinuses. And both sinus infections and toothaches can show symptoms of pressure. "A simple home test is to have a patient bend over to touch their toes. If the pressure or pain increases just by doing this, the pain is most likely not tooth-related and he should see his ENT or primary care physician before coming to the dentist," he advises.

8. You have a vitamin deficiency. "A deficiency of vitamins and minerals can cause many oral conditions, like burning tongue syndrome, tissue sloughing off, increased infections, delayed healing, bone infections, and easy-to-bleed gums," explains John P. Dougherty, DDS, MAGD, of Artistic Dental at the Biltmore in Phoenix, AZ. Stephenson adds, "Surprisingly, iron deficiencies show up in many ways in your mouth. It can give some patients severe sores in the corners of their mouth while others have changes in their tongues. Some may experience a painful burning sensation, or all the small papillae fall off their tongue leaving it glossy and smooth. Getting more iron will solve these problems.
9. You have diabetes. "Many times, imbalances in sugar will show a rapid change in the health of your gums, including increased swelling, bleeding, and sensitivity," says Handschuh. "In conjunction, the consistency of saliva may change, and there may be increased decay. These may all be signs of sugar levels that are out of control, so dentists can alert patients to see their doctor to check for diabetes."

10. You have a drinking problem. "Alcoholic patients are cavity-prone because alcohol tends to dry the mouth out," says David Tarica, DMD, of 34th Street Dental in New York City. "A dry mouth will lead to cavities, because saliva neutralizes the damage-causing acid in our mouths. In addition, alcoholics have 'chipmunk red cheeks,' and the smell alone is usually a giveaway."
11. You have oral cancer. "The first signs of oral cancer can be seen from the following: unexplained bleeding in the mouth, white, red, or speckled patches in the mouth, a change in the way your teeth fit together, swellings, thickenings, lumps or bumps or eroded areas on the lips, gums, or other areas inside the mouth," explains Michael Apa, DDS, of Rosenthal Apa Group in New York City. "An oral surgeon should be consulted for a biopsy of any suspicious tissue."
12. You love Gatorade. You may know why you chipped your tooth, but Hugh Flax, DDS, of Flax Dental in Atlanta says that even though the cause may be apparent, "there could be underlying factors that weakened the tooth and made it susceptible to being chipped in the first place." He explains that teeth can be softened by sodas and other sugary beverages over time, which may make a tooth more susceptible to chipping. Energy drinks, which tend to be even more acidic than soft drinks, may cause even more damage to tooth enamel, he says.


By: Elizabeth Jenkins, Prevention
http://www.prevention.com/health/what-your-dentist-knows-about-your-health

 

If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Omni Dental Group at one of our three office locations listed below:

North Austin on Hymeadow Drive: (512) 250-5012
Central Austin on Jollyville Road: (512) 346-8424
South Austin on William Cannon: (512) 445-5811

Will dentist help you to grow new teeth?

If you don’t like going to the dentist, you’re not alone. Most people have some anxiety about visiting the dentist, with one study in the Netherlands indicating that 24% of adults feared the dentist. Moreover, significant amounts of people who fear the dentist avoid visiting until they really need to. That could help explain why 92% of American adults have tooth decay in their permanent teeth.
But there is good news on the horizon as well—recent research also suggests that we might soon be able to refill the holes in our teeth with healthy, living tissue, giving our permanent teeth a second chance.
Compared to other species, you may think we humans are extraordinarily unlucky to have to depend on the same set of adult teeth for the majority of our life. Shark enthusiasts are familiar with the fact that sharks have unlimited sets of teeth during their lifetimes. Galeophobes in particular might be terrified to learn that sharks have rows of baby teeth underneath the skin waiting to replace the functional ones, and shed and replace teeth as often as every three weeks, causing experts to believe that the sea floor is littered with the teeth of sharks.
So if sharks, and most reptiles and amphibians can replace their teeth over a lifetime, why do humans and most mammals only get two sets of teeth?
Abigail Tucker, a professor of development and evolution at King’s College London says that there is a trade-off between the complexity of the teeth and the amount of sets the species gets. Since mammals have the ability to chew, meaning they can grind their teeth sideways (think of the movement a cow or horse makes) we have developed complex sets of teeth with multiple cusps, the bumps and mounds that define the shape of our teeth. While our pointy canine teeth (cuspids) each have only one cusp, our premolars (bicuspids) each have two cusps and our molars each have four or five cusps.
“The complexity is linked to diet, with bamboo eaters having the most complex teeth,” she says. “Something like a giant panda or a bamboo eating lemur have complex back teeth with lots of cusps so they can really chew and grind the hard tissue. So their teeth look similar even though they’re completely unrelated to [other] mammals.”
There are other fascinating examples of animals with unique dental abilities. Piranhas have teeth that are fused together to make large teeth that resemble a type of sharp knife. When they shed teeth, they lose an entire quadrant all at once, and rely on the other three quadrants to survive while the new teeth come in.
While mammals are typically restricted to two sets of teeth – a set of deciduous teeth and a set of permanent teeth – some mammals have retained the ability to create more teeth or have evolved to have the ability again. Manatees for example keep forming new teeth in the back their mouths over the course of their entire lives.
Other animals only get one set of teeth, but they continuously grow, including the aye aye lemur and rodents like rats and mice. “Rodents and rabbits typically have a stem cell population at the base of the tooth that keeps growing dentin and enamel. It’s an adaptation to the hard foods that they’re eating,” says Tucker.
Other approaches use the cells that are in our teeth to heal cavities that have already penetrated  the enamel, by stimulating the creation of dentin, the calcified tissue that makes up the inner portion of our teeth. Recent research published in the journal Science Translational Medicine for example, found that treating exposed tooth pulp in rats with low-power laser light before filling the cavity could induce stem cells to create dentin in the tooth.
In another approach, researchers from the University of Nottingham and Harvard University are developing a therapeutic biomaterial that can work to heal a cavity, and intervene before a root canal is necessary. The material can stimulate a particular type of stem cells in the pulp tissue to interact with other material that forms a new kind of dentin-producing cell.
“This material can be injected in contact with pulp tissue and hardened with UV light to form a plastic,” says Adam Celiz, a postdoctoral fellow that is working on its development. “The native cells interact with the plastic and differentiate into a different kind of cell that produces dentin. So we’re hoping to restore that dentin layer to return vitality to the tooth, which means the pulp tissue wouldn’t have to be removed by a root canal.”
Prevention is key
Of course, dentists will tell you that preventing cavities from forming in the first place is the key to your dental longevity, starting with good oral hygiene—brushing twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste, flossing once a day and making regular trips to the dentist – and eating the right kind of foods.
“The most important food and thing for us to keep in mind in terms of prevention is water – especially fluoridated water,” says Sahota. “Not only does the fluoride help mineralise and regenerate tooth structures that may have become infected by a cavity, the physical motion of drinking water helps to flush away food, bacteria and any debris that may be stuck in your teeth as well.” She adds that dairy is also great because it’s high in calcium and that lean protein helps strengthen and rebuild enamel.
Even if we can rebuild this material in our mouths, we still have to fend off a modern menace in our industrialised diets – refined sugar.  That’s because bacteria secrete acid when it breaks sugar down, and that acid can cause decay in our teeth.
So what type of candy is best avoided? Sahota says hard candies like lollipops are especially bad since they give you a constant exposure to sugar, while sticky candies get stuck in your teeth for long periods of time.
At least she has good news for the chocoholics among us. “Chocolate after lunch or dinner is a better choice than a lot of other candy because it can get flushed out more easily. So go ahead and enjoy a bite after your meal."


By: Tifannie Wen
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160922-will-dentists-help-you-to-grow-new-teeth

If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Omni Dental Group at one of our three office locations listed below:

North Austin on Hymeadow Drive: (512) 250-5012
Central Austin on Jollyville Road: (512) 346-8424
South Austin on William Cannon: (512) 445-5811

Why You Need To Visit A Dentist Now?

I don’t have any reason to visit a dentist, my teeth are perfect and healthy!

That is what everyone says when being asked to visit a dentist. But really, it is not until you start having serious pains in your teeth before you consider visiting a dentist.

Here are four reasons why you should consider visiting a dental care clinic now:

#1. Correction of Wrong Dentition

Most of us grew up with having more than enough teeth in the mouth and we see it as a normal thing even though they overlap each other.

A dentist will help find corrective measures in helping your teeth have the best dentition you never thought you could have.

#2. Mouth Cleaning and Cleansing

Most people have tartar (an incrustation that forms on the teeth and gum) formed underneath their teeth and close to the gums.

These harbor lots of microorganisms that later affect the oral health. A dentist would notice the tartar and carry out what is called scaling and polishing to remove every traces of the tartar before it gets to its worse stage.

A dentist will help you to remove food remnants that hides between the teeth. Food remnants that hide in the teeth include remnants of meat, fish, vegetables and they keep decaying in between the tooth.

You don’t have to wait till it decays and destroy your oral health, visit a dentist who will help you floss the teeth with a waxy thread.

#3. Prevention and Control of Oral Diseases

A dentist takes note of everything that might lead to a chronic disease and takes care of before it gets out of the primary stage.

It is advisable to visit a dentist at least once in every three months. Being busy is not an excuse anymore, so just make time within that three months to see a dentist.

#4. Placing fillings or administering anesthetics

Dental fillings or restoration are used to fill in the cavities caused by tooth decay. Instead of removing the tooth after suffering a tooth decay, your dentist will help check what the possible solution to it might be so you get relieved of the pain as soon as possible.

It is either placed with fillings if the tooth is not decayed to a bad extent and might be extracted if the condition of the tooth is bad.

Is that all a dentist can do? Of course not.

A dentist can also help in diagnosing oral diseases, creating treatment plans to maintain or restore the oral health of patients, interpreting x-rays and diagnostic health, monitoring growth and development of the teeth and jaws.

Source: The Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adeyemi-adetilewa/dental-care-why-you-need-_b_11707700.html
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If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Omni Dental Group at one of our three office locations listed below:

North Austin on Hymeadow Drive:  (512) 250-5012
Central Austin on Jollyville Road:  (512) 346-8424
South Austin on William Cannon:  (512) 445-5811

In-Office Power Whitening Technique without Light Activation

Front teeth, the 6 to 10 teeth most easily seen when you talk or smile, are the teeth that can benefit most from an in-office “power” tooth whitening. Just as with back teeth, if there are medium- to large-sized fillings in the teeth, it is probably better if these teeth were  protected with crowns. The in-office power whitening procedure is one of the most conservative and least expensive methods to attempt to lighten tooth color back to a more acceptable appearance.

The procedure involves isolating the teeth to be whitened and protecting the gum tissues and lips. A whitening solution is then mixed and applied to the teeth. The type of application and number of appointments depends on the type of whitening system we believe will be best in your situation.

 

Most patients show great improvement after only one treatment. Since the protective biofilm that normally covers the tooth enamel is removed during the whitening procedure, you should avoid smoking and drinking pigmented liquids (coffee, tea, red wine) for about 24 hours after the whitening is completed. After 24 hours, the biofilm is usually back in place. The final color will usually regress one shade in the first 1 to 3 months, with most of the change coming in the first week. Some teeth may need a second appointment (or a combination of in-office and at-home tray system whitening) to achieve the desired result. The degree of whitening for any tooth is variable and impossible to predict. However, recent studies show that 97% of all patients who whiten their teeth are happy with the result. The color change should be satisfactory for 3 to 7 years.

If you have dental restorations (crowns, bonding), the plastics and porcelain will not change color. You may need to have some of those fillings redone once your teeth are lightened. We will let you know whether you can expect to have some fillings replaced due to the color change. If you are going to have fillings replaced, you should wait at least 2 weeks after the whitening is completed for the tooth color to stabilize before new restorations are placed. Some postoperative sensitivity is possible, but it usually disappears quickly. The tooth enamel or dentin is not damaged by the whitening process.