One of our patients recently asked this question. The most common occurrence is when an old silver amalgam filling begins to corrode. All amalgams eventually break down since they are a metal filling in a wet environment. They break down by separating away from the tooth at the junction of the enamel and the metal. When this happens there becomes a microscopic leak that allows bacteria to enter into the space between the tooth and the filling. Once there, they grow protected and quickly undermine the filling as they eat away at the tooth under the filling.
This particular situation leads to a lost filling, a toothache and possibly an abscessed tooth. It can take a few months to a few years for this to occur. It’s always best to replace a filling when it appears that this process is beginning to happen.
We were recently asked this question by a new patient in
Burke, Virginia. Can the laser cut through silver mercury fillings? The answer is no. Lasers are not yet developed to cut through metal. We still have to remove them with the traditional dental handpiece.
Lasers work great on new cavities, especially those on the biting surface of the teeth.They are also very good for minor gum procedures. The laser can’t be used for everything yet, but hopefully, that day is not far away.
I want to make our patients aware of an occasional problem we see in teeth with large, old silver fillings. When the fillings start to corrode and leak, it’s time to put a crown on them. Sometimes, at a later date, the tooth may abscess. The patient may not understand why and ask,” Why did it abscess? Wasn’t the crown supposed to fix the tooth? I don’t understand!’’
The answer is as follows. In the middle of the tooth there is a chamber that houses the nerve and blood vessels (known as the pulp) when a tooth gets its first cavity (possibly as early as 6-10 years old) this is a traumatic experience to the pulp. The dentist removes the decay and fills the tooth. Here is another trauma, but the nerve recuperates and heals.
Years later, that filling starts leaking and needs to be replaced. Again, trauma. Replace the filling, more injury. But the nerve recovers again. Later, this large filling gets old and the tooth needs to be crowned. Another assault on the nerve.
The pulp, with its vast powers of healing usually returns to health. But sometimes with this fifth or sixth traumatic experience, the pulp finally dies and abscesses, fortunately, this only occurs occasionally but the number of times is still significant. All dentists hate to see this happen, but it does occur. If a tooth is going to abscess, it will, crown or no crown.
The good news is, however, with a root canal we can still save that tooth and you can keep it for the rest of your life.
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION SIMPLIFIES PROPHYLACTIC USE WITH NEW GUIDELINES
On April 19, 2007, the American Heart Association (AMA) updated its online guidelines regarding infectious endocarditis related to patients who should or should not take antibiotics (pre-med) before dental/oral procedures. Major changes have been made and now there are only a few situations in which prophylactic antibiotics are suggested. The guidelines were developed by a group appointed by the AHA that included experts in infectious disease and cardiology members representing the American Dental Association (ADA).
Antibiotics are still recommended in a few situations but the evidence shows that patients have been over treated with the prophylactic antibiotics for several decades. Over prescribing of antibiotics can lead to resistance of the antibiotic in the immune system.
According to the AHA and the ADA, preventive antibiotics are no longer indicated for dental patients with:
• Mitral valve prolapse
• Rheumatic heart disease
• Bicuspid valve disease
• Calcified aortic stenosis
• Most congenital heart conditions
Prophylactic antibiotics are still recommended for:
*Artificial heart valves
*A history of infective endocarditis
*Certain specific serious congenital heart conditions
*A cardiac transplant that develops a problem in a heart valve
For more information on the guidelines or to read the report, go to www.ada.org.
On November 7, 2007 our Financial coordinator gave birth to a beautiful 7 lb 6oz. baby girl! Jeny was truly missed by our patients and staff—it sure is nice to have her back! Don’t be surprised if Jeny is showing off her precious little girl as you walk in to the office.
Lynne, Our Lovely Hygienist, is celebrating her 25th wedding anniversary to a wonderful man! Hence, this June, they are headed to Alaska. So Again, the pups and kitty will be home with the sitter – hee hee! Be sure to ask her, for pictures of her trip. Congratulations Mike and Lynne!
As you may recall, Greg (Donna Beth’s husband) injured his leg, November 2007—She would like to take this moment to express her gratitude for your prayers and support towards her family. He is doing well and they are working towards a “speedy” recovery. Austin and Sam are currently enjoying basketball season – Emma, was sad to see cheerleading come to an end…she is looking forward to next year.
Stephanie’s boys travel hockey team continue to enjoy much success this season, and are looking forward to the playoffs starting soon…..then on to Spring Hockey.
Surfs up!! Connie traveled with her family to Hawaii ,for their holiday vacation.She enjoyed kayaking,snorkling,hiking,biking,and lots and lots of sightseeing. Now we know the meaning of “needing a vacation from a vacation”.
All too fast, summer is ending, school is back in session and the time between now and the end of the year seems to fly by.
Many of our patients have dental insurance, cafeteria plans or flex funds that expire at the end of the year. We will be happy to do everything possible to help you maximize your benefits. We are writing this note to remind you to schedule your dental appointments soon to help you fully utilize your benefits.
Your insurance policy allows for a certain dollar amount of coverage each year. If you do not use your coverage during the year, you lose those benefits (unused coverage does not carry over to the next year). Cafeteria plans and flex funds also do not carry over to the next year.
Although treatment never is dictated by an insurance policy, our experience has shown that careful planning often can maximize benefits. Our goal for each of our patients is to help you enjoy the benefits of good oral health, to look good, to feel good, have strong teeth and gums and maintain a healthy and attractive smile throughout your life. We often can plan necessary treatment to take full advantage of your insurance coverage, cafeteria plan or flex fund. If you are considering treatment or simply concerned about any aspect of your oral health, it may be useful to schedule an appointment before the end of the year. We also wanted to let you know that the office will be closed from December 24 through December 28.
If you have any questions, or would like to schedule an appointment, please call Connie (scheduler@larryfoxdds.com) or Jeny (financial@larryfoxdds.com) at 703-978-5253.
We wish you an enjoyable fall season.Have a happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas. As always, we are accepting new patients and appreciate the referrals.
Periodontal Disease is a chronic infection of the gums and the bones holding your teeth in place, and it affects an estimated 50 million people within the United States. Symptoms of periodontal disease include swollen gums, bleeding gums, separation of the gum tissue from the tooth (periodontal pocketing), and bone loss. If left untreated, the gums and bones surrounding the teeth will continue to deteriorate, leading to possible tooth loss.
Scaling and root planning are the procedures used to remove the plaque build-up and bacteria from the infected areas around the teeth. In conjunction with these techniques the hygienist will place the antibiotic, ArestinTM, in the infected gums to promote healing and further treat the disease. Arestin is a small carpal of powder that is administered quickly, easily, and gently. Our office has witnessed amazing results with this treatment, which include a shrinking of periodontal pocketing by 1-2mm, a reduction of bleeding, and an overall improvement of oral health.
Recent studies clearly illustrate the inherent correlation between systemic and oral health. In fact, periodontal disease has been linked to multiple health complications including diabetes and heart disease. Therefore, if you exhibit any one of the aforementioned symptoms please ask your hygienist about periodontal disease and its eradication through scaling, root planning, and ArestinTM application.
According to the American Cancer Society, 2 to 4 percent of cancers diagnosed in the United States each year occur in the oral cavity. This includes sites on the lip, tongue, floor of the mouth, gingiva, alveolar and buccal mucosa, and oropharynx. Approximately 30,000 cases of oral cancer are diagnosed annually, and approximately 8,000 deaths occur each year from oral cancer. At the time oral cancer is diagnosed, more than half of the patients have invasive or metastatic disease, which reduces long –term survival rates. Early diagnosis is believed to be critical to increasing survival rates from this deadly and potentially disfiguring disease. The centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) states that the five-year survival rate for patients with localized disease is 81 percent, however, the five-year survival rate for patients with oral cancer that has spread to other sites is only 30 percent. In addition, patients who survive a first diagnosis of oral cancer have a 20 times higher risk of developing a second cancer.
Dental professionals obviously play a key role in the early detection and diagnosis, especially since at least 50 percent of Americans see their dentist at least once a year.
Our job as dental professionals is to provide a thorough screening to those patients whom we see regularly, using the most up-to-date screening and detection tools available.
There are some new developments in early detection of oral cancer that can make a difference in our patient’s lives. The newest technology is chemiluminescence with the trade name of Vizilite™.
Although traditional visual and tactile (palpation) techniques are still utilized, this new technology further increases detection by illuminating early changes in oral tissue that may not be visible to the naked eye. Abnormal epithelium will appear white when exposed to an acetic solution and then viewed under a low-energy wavelength light; however, normal tissue will remain dark under the same conditions. Vizilite ™ provides both the patient and doctor with an additional sense of security knowing that even the earliest stages of abnormality can be identified, along with the traditional practice of visual and tactile examinations