Mercury Safe Dentistry NC | Biocompatible Dentistry

Biocompatible Dentistry – A Dental Niche Safeguarding Your Total Interest

Posted on February 22, 2012 by DentalVirtue

Biocompatible dentistry identifies the various materials used in dental practice that can produce risk or pose potential hazard for the overall or systemic health of the patients. It promotes and utilizes the understanding and use of materials and procedures that are compatible with human tissues.

There are certain controversial issues which have the world divided over their pros and cons, but what remains as the unanimous area of serious concern in the field of biocompatible dentistry is the ‘Use of Mercury in Dental Practice in Conjunction with the Dental Amalgam Fillings’. A dental amalgam or a silver amalgam filling is constituted of equal ratio of Silver alloy and elemental Mercury. Mercury can turn volatile at room temperature. Mercury vapors are odorless, tasteless and colorless. Inhaled Mercury can get easily absorbed into your blood stream. The World Health Organization has considered Mercury as more toxic when it is added in a cumulative manner as with the dental fillings which release mercury in a vaporized state chronically.

Researchers have depicted that the effects of Mercury can be detrimental to immune, urinary, cardiac, respiratory, and digestive systems. Effects on the nervous system appear in the form of brain cells deterioration. In newborns, it has as been shown to cause learning disabilities when passed through blood stream of mothers with silver fillings.

Biocompatible dentistry believes in not promoting fresh dental amalgam fillings and getting rid of previous silver amalgam fillings. To ensure the least mercury exposure during removal, the dentist uses various methods such as:

Use of high vacuum suction
Using copious amounts of water that decreases the working temperature, hence, lesser mercury gets vaporized
Use of rubber dam, a rubber isolating sheet that prevents direct contact of evacuation fluids with the surrounding gums, tongue, and cheek and also bars patient from swallowing the same.
Removal of the silver filling in large segments by splitting it into parts and getting it dislodged. This disallows excessive mercury aerosol production
Most importantly, mercury-free source of air preventing inhalation of vapors by patients and staff members. These are met by use of unilaminar circulation of air, special masks, barriers etc.
Provide certain supplements prior to the removal of old dental amalgam fillings that inhibit absorption of any mercury in your system.

Dentists excelling in the understanding of the principles of biocompatible dentistry preach the goal of one hundred percent patient protection and go miles out of their way to make that happen. Their chief aim is the security of their patients without any iatrogenic (problems introduced by clinicians) adversities.

For more information about Biocompatible Dentistry or to schedule a consultation, contact us at 336.679.2034 or williamvirtueoffice@yahoo.com.

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Cosmetic Dentist or Regular Dentist – Is there a difference?

Posted on January 31, 2012 by DentalVirtue

There are significant differences between general and cosmetic dentists, although your dentist can be both.

A regular dentist or a general dentist?s main purpose is to maintain the function of your teeth and solve any dental problems you may have:

Examining your teeth for any problems
Making a diagnosis and a dental treatment plan
Filling teeth which have cavities
Root Canal Treatment of infected root canals
Cleaning teeth to remove plaque, tartar and calculus
Extracting severely damaged teeth
Providing prosthesis or implants to replace missing/lost teeth
Helping to treat gum disease
Giving oral hygiene advice and instructions

A general dentist is a specialist in restoring teeth to their functional form and keeping them healthy as long as possible. Having a healthy set of teeth is extremely important for your health and well being, as many problems and diseases may begin from the mouth. A general dentist not only plays a vital role in maintaining healthy teeth, but helps to keep you healthy and happy overall.

A cosmetic dentist can help you to have a perfect, beautiful, esthetically pleasing smile. Whether your teeth are yellow or dark, stained, discolored, cracked or chipped, slightly crooked, have too many spaces between them, are small or have too much gum showing, the cosmetic dentist can work to fix all those problems by the various cosmetic treatments available. Cosmetic dentistry has shown amazing advancement in dental technology. The entire appearance of your teeth can be changed by the current procedures available.

Cosmetic dentistry includes the following:

Tooth whitening
Changing the size, shape, color and length of teeth with veneers
Composite bonding to repair chipped teeth
Making crooked teeth appear straighter with veneers
Cosmetic dental implants to replace missing teeth
Cosmetic crowns/ porcelain crowns to make teeth look whiter, give better shape
Cosmetic inlays and onlays
White fillings
Composite bonding and build-up
Complete mouth reconstruction/ reconstructive surgery

Cosmetic dentistry can greatly enhance your confidence in yourself, boost your self esteem and change your appearance altogether.

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Crowns and Veneers – What is the difference?

Posted on January 24, 2012 by DentalVirtue

Veneers and crowns are, in essence, meant to change the appearance of your teeth. They can both drastically improve the look of your teeth by changing their color, shape, size and length. Crowns also have the function of re-establishing the strength and function of a tooth. Crowns and veneers are different in the following aspects:

Their indications
Location on the teeth
Their strength
Their durability
The procedures involved with fitting/bonding them on to teeth

Veneers are optional, cosmetic treatments to change the overall appearance of your teeth; indicated when teeth and surrounding tissue are in general good health. They serve to change the color of discolored or yellow teeth, repair chipped teeth, make small teeth appear larger and crooked teeth appear straighter.

When veneers are to be bonded to your teeth, the dentist removes about 0.5mm off the surface of your enamel, about the same thickness of the veneer to be constructed and fit upon the tooth. Veneers are usually bonded onto just the surfaces of teeth to improve esthetics and are not meant for posterior teeth. Veneers may be permanently bonded onto the tooth surface but they are very brittle in nature due to their material make-up of ceramic or porcelain. Thus, they have the tendency to break if a hard object is bitten and are not suitable for teeth which are meant for grinding and chewing. If taken proper care of, veneers can last for many years without staining or changing color.

Crowns are usually used in cases when a tooth has undergone major breakage or trauma, or has had Root Canal Therapy. They are meant to restore damaged teeth to a fully functional form in addition to improving esthetics and color. They may be done on any tooth in the mouth.

With a crown, the tooth undergoes massive reshaping in order to seat and fit the crown. As a result, much of the natural tooth substance has to be removed, about 2mm or more depending on the size of the crown. In addition, the reshaping is done around the whole circumference of the tooth. The tooth?s impression is taken and sent to the dental lab for fabrication of the crown, while a temporary crown is seated in its place. The crown bonded onto the prepared tooth and the tooth?s function is restored.

Crowns too can last for years if taken care of. They are highly durable, withstanding much of the forces during mastication. Crowns don?t stain and are a solution for damaged teeth.

For more information on crowns and veneers and how they might work for you, contact us for a consultation at (336)679.2034.

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Cosmetic Dentistry – Am I A Candidate?

Posted on January 18, 2012 by DentalVirtue

A smile says so much. If you are not happy with the way your smile looks, the option of cosmetic dentistry should be considered to obtain that perfect smile.

There are a number of ways to determine if you are a suitable candidate for cosmetic dentistry. Factors such as how, why, and to what extent you want to alter your smile will determine if you are suitable for a specific required procedure.

Cosmetic dentistry can assist in the improvement of complex aesthetic matters such as replacing missing teeth with dental implants, fixing broken teeth with crowns or simple procedures such as teeth whitening.

To establish if you are a suitable candidate for cosmetic dentistry two approaches are used for evaluation: the objective and emotional evaluations.

Emotional Evaluation

Emotional evaluation focuses on how you feel about your smile and to what extent your smile affects your self esteem, interactions with other people and personal relationships. Questions normally asked include how you feel about your teeth or smile, do you smile in photos with a closed mouth, and do you cover your mouth or smile when you interact with other people. Other significant questions in the emotional evaluation focus on your eagerness to visit a dentist and how long it has been since your last visit.

Objective Evaluation

The focus of the objective evaluation is the correctness and general appearance of your teeth. Attention is paid to how well your set of teeth compares to the specifications set for a standard set of teeth.

One way to do an objective evaluation is to stand in front of a wall mounted mirror and smile at yourself. Do you see spaces between your teeth? Are there teeth that are stained, yellow, or darker than the rest? Are any teeth missing? Are your teeth properly aligned or crooked? How do your gums appear? Are they in proportion or showing too much? Are your teeth grinded away?

If your smile is affecting you in any of these ways, on the emotional or objective evaluation, you could be a suitable candidate for cosmetic dentistry for a beautiful smile.

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Cosmetic Dentistry – Are there other options besides braces to fix crooked teeth?

Posted on January 11, 2012 by DentalVirtue

Many people hide their smiles because of the shortcomings of their teeth and one of the most common problems people have is teeth that aren?t straight. Fortunately there are several options available to fix the problem and after the treatment is complete, there?s no need to hide your smile.

The most common and well known method for correcting a crooked smile is through the use of metal braces. Seeing children and even adults with metal braces is really quite uncommon, but as you probably already know, this kind of treatment plan can involve a lengthy process, can be extremely uncomfortable, and isn?t exactly the most attractive throughout the treatment process. Many people who get metal braces often state that they feel ashamed wearing them and smile even less than before starting the treatment.

Fortunately, with the advancement of cosmetic dental technology, patients now have numerous options for correcting a crooked smile beyond the traditional metal braces.

Invisalign

Invisalign is used in cases where a small number of teeth are slightly crooked. A series of clear retainer pieces are fitted over the teeth and throughout the process as the teeth move according to the treatment plan, new retainer trays are used to continue moving your teeth into the desired position. Unlike metal braces, Invisalign can be easily removed for special occasions if needed, such as weddings, prom night, and graduation ceremonies, and refitted afterwards.

Now, while Invisalign is not completely invisible, the retainers are made of a clear materials making it incredibly difficult for anyone to tell you?re wearing them. They are certainly not as obvious as the traditional metal braces!

Veneers

In instances where only a few teeth are crooked and they are not positioned next to each other, braces may not be the best alternative to salvage the situation. In such instances making use of veneers or teeth capping, is a possible solution.

A veneer is a thin, but sturdy piece of material that gets placed over the problem tooth or teeth. A small amount of the existing tooth is first removed and then a custom crafted veneer is placed, giving you the beautiful, movie-star quality smile you deserve.

Today?s veneers are made of a durable, completely safe material that will give you a happy, healthy smile for many years to come.

Always remember that just because your smile may not be as straight, pearly white or pretty as you?d like, there are a variety of cosmetic dentistry procedures available to help you quickly achieve that beautiful smile you deserve.

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