Lasers in Dentistry II (Treatments)

The application of lasers in dentistry opens the door for dentists to perform a wide variety of dental procedures they otherwise may not be capable of performing. Dentists using lasers in dentistry have become adept at incorporating the state-of-the-art precision technology into a number of common and not-so-common procedures:

• Benign Tumors: Dental lasers may be used for the painless and suture-free removal of benign tumors from the gums, palate, sides of cheeks, and lips.
• Cavity Detector: Low intensity soft tissue dental lasers may be used for the early detection of cavities by providing a reading of the by-products produced by decay.
• Viewing Tooth and Gum Tissues: Optical Coherence Tomography is a safer way to see inside tooth and gums in real time.
• Cold Sores: Low intensity dental lasers reduce pain associated with cold sores and minimize healing time.
• Crown Lengthening: Dental lasers can reshape gum tissue and bone to expose healthier tooth structure. Called crown lengthening, such reshaping provides a stronger foundation for a restoration.
• Dental Fillings: Hard tissue dental lasers may eliminate the need for a local anesthetic injection and the traditional turbine drill. Lasers used in dental filling procedures are capable of killing bacteria located in a cavity and this may lead to better long term tooth restorations.
• Muscle Attachment (Frenula): A laser frenectomy is an ideal treatment option for children who are tongue tied (restricted or tight frenulum) and babies unable to breast feed adequately due to limited tongue movement. A laser frenectomy may also help to eliminate speech impediments.
• Nerve Regeneration: Photobiomodulation can be used to regenerate damaged nerves, blood vessels, and scars.
• Sleep Apnea: In cases where sleep apnea is a result of a tissue overgrowth in areas of the throat (which sometimes occurs with age), a laser assisted uvuloplasty or laser assisted uvula palatoplasty (LAUP) procedure can be performed to reshape the throat and relieve the correlating breathing problems associated with sleep apnea.
• Soft Tissue Folds (Epulis): Dental lasers may be used for the painless and suture-free removal of soft tissue folds often caused by ill-fitting dentures.
• Teeth Whitening: Low intensity soft tissue dental lasers may be used to speed up the bleaching process associated with teeth whitening.
• Temporomandibular Joint Treatment: Dental lasers may be used to quickly reduce pain and inflammation of the temporomandibular jaw joint.
• Gummy Smile: Dental lasers can reshape gum tissue to expose healthy tooth structure and improve the appearance of a gummy smile.
• Tooth Sensitivity: Dental lasers may be used to seal tubules (located on the root of the tooth) that are responsible for hot and cold tooth sensitivity.

Study links periodontal disease to pre-diabetes

According to a study in a recent issue of the Journal of Periodontology, periodontal disease may contribute to the progression of pre-diabetes, a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not enough to be classified as diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association estimates that more than 54 million Americans suffer from pre-diabetes. Of those, many will develop type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.

A team of Denmark researchers conducted a study with animal models known to exhibit pre-diabetes characteristics and concluded that having periodontal disease such as gingivitis or aggressive periodontitis can cause patients to develop pre-diabetic characteristics. They also found that periodontal disease can disturb glucose regulation and may ultimately contribute to the progression of Type 2 diabetes.

“We have known that people with diabetes are more susceptible to periodontal diseases and have more severe disease,” said Dr. Preston D. Miller, Jr., president of the American Academy of Periodontology. “This breakthrough research shows having periodontal disease may aggravate pre-diabetes which is a precursor for diabetes. These findings underscore the importance of taking good care of your teeth and gums: it may be a simple way to prevent diabetes, or to prevent the progression of diabetes.”

Signs of pre-diabetes include: elevated blood sugar levels, obesity, inactivity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a family history of diabetes. Also, mothers who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy are at risk to develop the disease later on in life

Lasers in Dentistry I (introduction)

Dental Lasers are an exciting innovation to the practice of dentistry. Laser dentistry is capable of significantly minimizing discomfort, enhancing recovery times and improving the overall efficiency of the dental office.

Laser stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. In essence, a dental laser is a medical device that generates a precise beam of concentrated light energy. This beam sterilizes the area and can simultaneously coagulate blood vessels which minimizes the occurrence of infection(s) and/or bleeding. Patient discomfort is decreased and the need for anesthetic in many cases may be completely eliminated. Certain procedures can be performed in a fraction of the time, which means less time in the chair for patients and greater practice output for dentists.

Even though lasers are somewhat new to the general dental practice, dental lasers were first introduced in the 1960's and the safety of dental lasers is substantiated by several years of qualified research and a multitude of published reference papers. The benefits drill free dentistry are shared by patient and clinician as patients no longer fear the sound or vibration of the drill and in most cases, do not require injections.

Lasers are used to perform a variety hard and soft tissue procedures, including cutting (hard and soft tissue), coagulation, bacterial decontamination, curing and activation of bleaching materials.

Laser whitening is one of the most lucrative laser dentistry procedures and it can deliver excellent results while minimizing the discomfort, nconvenience, excess time and potential chemical absorption risk associated with other whitening procedures.It not only removes common food stains, but is also effective on tougher stains such as those caused by tetracycline.

Now it's easy to lenghten your teeth

Orthodontists now are offering to lengthen your teeth and that improve the way you look, especially when you smile.
"Every decade over the age of 30," US dentist Dan Deutsch says, "you show a millimeter less of your front teeth." Everything starts to sag a little, and the elasticity in the skin around the lips isn't what it used to be. So, as gravity pulls its weight, more of the bottom teeth show.But there's a way to reverse — or at least slow down — the inevitable."

Orthodontist Garrett Djeu explains there are tiny fibers that connect teeth to bone in the mouth."Those fibers tend to pull the teeth back to where they came from" Djeu says, "so that's why you commonly get relapse."

To solve the problem, one company has popularized invisible braces called Invisalign. The technology involves using a sequence of transparent, plastic molds that are worn like retainers.
"Invisalign works very well in certain types of cases," Djeu says. But it's not for buck teeth, overbites or crossbites. Djeu found that Invisalign is good at closing small gaps and correcting mildly crowded teeth.

The cost of veneers can also run a couple thousand per tooth. Invisible braces range from about $2,000 to $6,000.

Micro-Dentistry II

Technique

Small cavities are identified and scheduled for early treatment.
The teeth are isolated either with rubber dam or cotton rolls and the decay is removed with the air-abrasion machine, under magnification and special light sources in a very conservative manner. Special cavity stains are used to chemically stain decay in the teeth to help us see any small spots so nothing is missed. Once rinsed off, the tooth is now ready for the filling.
The prepared tooth is treated with an etching solution to roughen the surface and get it ready for the bonding process. Once “etched”, the tooth is ready for bonding agents and the conservative filling. We use special lights to harden the filling and then complete the process by polishing the filling.The surface is sealed and protected leaving the tooth restored to its original strength and beauty.
Micro-dentistry is an excellent preventative treatment for those who share our belief that early, conservative care is ideal. You can have decay removed without a shot, loud noise, or bad smells.

Micro-Dentistry I

What is Micro-dentistry?

Micro-dentistry is a new, alternative way to treat decay in teeth. The idea behind this technology is to remove as little of the natural tooth as possible while removing all of the decay. With the advent of our new bonding techniques, decay indicating dyes, magnification, fiber-optic lights and white filling materials, decay can be conservatively removed from a tooth and a filling placed that will restore a tooth to its original strength and beauty. Over 90% of the time, we do not need to make you numb to do micro-dentistry and air abrasion so we can eliminate the need for a shot. With the reduced need for anesthetic, we can complete more work in a shorter amount of time since we can work in multiple areas of your mouth in the same appointment. In addition to saving time, you will enjoy the reduction of noise normally caused by a traditional dental drill.

How is this done?

use air-abrasion, which is a relatively new process in which a fine, pressurized stream of aluminum oxide powder is used to remove the small decayed pits and fissures in teeth. Research studies have shown that in the absence of smoking and coffee drinking, if a patient has dark stained pits in their teeth, decay is present over 90% of the time underneath the stains.
It just makes good sense to treat small cavities early with conservative micro-dentistry than to wait for things to get worse.

Six Ways to Prevent Dental Damage from Acidic Foods and Drinks

When and how often you consume acidic foods or beverages affects dental health, says a new report, suggesting six ways to minimize the risk of damage.

Besides sugar, acids found in diet and regular soda, energy drinks, juice and wine can erode tooth enamel, leading to tooth decay.

Now, the February issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter has suggested ways to cut the risk of damage from acidic foods and drinks.

1. Limiting consumption: There should be a limited consumption of soda, wine, energy drinks and juice, high-acid foods including tart candies, citrus fruits and foods containing vinegar.

2. Timing consumption: Having acidic foods as part of a meal helps neutralize and eliminate acids. Eating acidic foods before bedtime is the worst time to consume, because production of saliva decreases during sleep. Saliva helps neutralize and dilute acids.

3. Drinking right: To drink soda or juice, a straw should be used as it helps minimize contact with the teeth. Also, drinking quickly and not sipping over long periods helps reduce the effects of acid on tooth enamel.

4. Neutralizing: After having acidic food or drink, eating cheese or swishing with water or a fluoride rinse helps neutralize the acid.

5. Timing your brushing: Before consuming acidic foods or drink, brushing teeth with fluoride toothpaste 30 minutes is most beneficial. Brushing immediately afterward should be avoided.

6. Chewing sugar-free gum: Having a sugar-free chewing gum can help stimulate saliva flow, which neutralizes and dilutes acid.

Holistic & Biologic Dentistry -Facts of Amalgam III

EFFECTS ON FERTILITY

The vapor from mercury filllings easily passes to all the tissues and organs, including those of reproduction. With regards to the male reproductive system, mercury has an affinity for sperm. Mercury and other heavy metals are found in male ejaculate and seminal fluid, with the heaviest amount in the sperm. There are two ways mercury in male reproductive fluids may be a problem with respect to infertility. 1) A women may be hypersensitive or allergic to mercury and thus have antibodies to mercury which will then react with the sperm and kill them. 2) Sperm with low motility are low in zinc and manganese; these are needed in the enzyme systems necessary for sperm motility. Mercury inhibits zinc and manganese. Thus there can be an indirect effect of mercury on sperm. Further, selenium is also involved in sperm motility as well as in normal development of sperm. Selenium has a very high affinity for mercury and is one of the body's natural protectors against mercury; if the selenium is tied up with mercury it is not available for other important fundtions like healthy sperm. Mercury also inhibits the synthesis of DNA in sperm forming cells. In fact, mercury was once used in contraceptive gels because it kills sperm

EFFECTS ON CHILDREN

There ia also evidence that the mercury in a mother's fillings is passed along to her unborn child. In a very compelling study in Canada by Drs. Fritz Lorschneider and Murray Vimy, amalgam fillings were placed in the teeth of pregnant sheep. The mercury in the fillings was radioactively labeled so that the scientists could definitivley trace the mercury to the fillings. Within days, they found the amalgam-related mercury in all the tissues of both the mother sheep and the unborn fetuses, and especially in higher concentrations in the kidneys, thyroid, intestines, and jaw bone⁸. A German study conducted in 1994 found that mercury in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) babies' brains was directly proportional to the number of fillings in the mother's mouth, providing further compelling evidence that mercury travels to the developing fetus and may be a factor in SIDS⁹.

ALZHEIMERS

Some of the most ominous findings related to mercury have been autopsy studies showing that the amount of mercury found in the tissues of the brain directly correlates to the number of mercury amalgam fillings in the mouth.

CONCLUSION

These are only a few of the numerous studies on mercury exposure from fillings. It is important to keep in mind, that mercury can travel via various routes from the metal fillings into the rest of the body. The vapor from the fillings can travel through the upper nasal cavity directly into the brain, including the region of the hypothalamus which regulates heart rate, respiration and blood pressure. It can also travel into the lungs where it can then be absorbed by the blood stream and carried to tissues throughout the body - especially to the kidneys where it accumulates rapidly. Studies now show that even low level exposure to mercury is not safe. Remember, the effects of mercury exposure are cumulative and can take years and even decades to surface.

Holistic & Biologic Dentistry -Facts of Amalgam II

It has been scientifically established: 1. That the mercury in 'silver' fillings continuously vaporizes into the mouth.
2. That this mercury vapor is inhaled and swallowed into the body.
3. That mercury from the fillings is then widely distributed throughout the body, where it stays for very long time periods.
4. That there is a correlation in autopsy studies between amount of mercury in brain tissues and the number, size, and number of surfaces, of amalgam fillings in the mouth.
5. That the mercury absorbed from dental amalgam can cause changes in body chemistry and in organ system functioning - subtle changes that initially may not be overtly apparent.

In recent years there has been much press about the harmful effects of mercury exposure from fish; the media has conveniently ignored the fact that exposure from fish is mute compared to daily exposure from fillings as demostrated in the chart above. Putting the amount of mercury present in an average filling into perspective, a four-foot fluorescent bulb, which should be disposed of as hazardous waste, has approximately 22 milligrams of mercury. The average dental amalgam filling contains about 1,000 milligrams of mercury.
Many studies suggest that the mercury exposure from fillings may be even greater than what the WHO has determined, particularly when more than one metal is present in the mouth and the resulting galvanic current causes even faster corrosion of the mercury fillings. One study found compelling evidence that 65% of the mercury that is in an amalgam when it was first prepared leaches out in under 10 years.
In this study, approximately 30 micrograms of mercury was calculated to be released per day. Over the 9+ year life of the amalgam, 101.2 mg of mercury left the filling. The study also concluded that a 1 microamp current between a gold alloy crown or bridge and an amalgam filling that are in continuous contact for 10 years will release 90 micrograms of mercury per day.

Holistic & Biologic Dentistry -Facts of Amalgam I

FACT: Mercury is more toxic than lead and arsenic. Would you allow your dentist to place a filling containing Lead into your mouth?

FACT: Mercury is the second most toxic element known to man after Plutonium.

FACT: The World Health Organization believes that there is no safe level of Mercury and that the body's predominant source of mercury exposure is from silver fillings.

FACT: The Federal EPA considers mercury in teeth to be so toxic that when a tooth containing mercury is extracted it must be handled as hazardous waste.

FACT: The average 'silver filling' contains 500,000 parts per million of mercury, as much as a typical mercury thermometer. A mercury thermometer is considered a biohazard if broken and mercury is exposed.

FACT: The average 'silver filling' contains enough mercury to contaminate a 5 acre lake and declare it unsuitable for drinking and fishing according to the EPA.

FACT: The mercury from fillings distributes to tissues around the body and is the biggest source of mercury exposure in the body.

FACT: Mercury exposure from amalgams crosses the placenta and into the fetus and breast milk.

FACT: Adverse physiological changes occur as a result of mercury exposure from dental fillings.

FACT: The ADA continues to lobby in support of the use of mercury, despite the widespread availability of a cost effective and safe alternative.

Cell Damage Caused By Brushing May Help Keep Gums Healthy

Bristles wielded with even gentle force tear holes in the epithelial cells that line the gums and tongue, causing a momentary rupture. Tearing enables calcium, abundant in saliva, to move into the cells, triggering internal membranes to move up and patch the hole. But in the seconds that repair takes, growth factors that promote growth of collagen, new cells and blood vessels leak out of injured cells.
Cell injury also turns on expression of the c-fos gene, an early-response gene often activated under stress that may be the first step in a response such as cell division or growth.

"It's very clear that brushing your teeth is a healthy thing to do; no one questions that brushing removes bacteria and that's probably its main function," Dr. McNeil says. "But we are thinking that there might be another positive aspect of brushing. Many tissues in our bodies respond to mechanical stress by adapting and getting stronger, like muscles. We think the gums may adapt to this mechanical stress by getting thicker and healthier. It's the no pain, no gain theory the same as exercising."

"… (W)e suggest that, in addition to its well-know ability to remove bacteria and their harmful products from teeth, brushing may, by causing plasma membrane disruptions, lead to local cell-adaptive responses ultimately of benefit to gingival health," the researchers write.

Saliva test could detect breast cancer

Dentists may soon use saliva to make early, non-invasive diagnoses for breast cancers.

The onset of breast cancer produces a change in the normal type and amount of proteins in glandular secretions from the salivary glands. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston know what to look for and published their study findings this month in "Cancer Investigation."

The ultimate goal is to bring a diagnostic saliva test, which is capable of detecting cancer before a tumor forms, into dental offices or other health care facilities. The technology aims to enable health care providers to provide quick, accurate diagnostic information and physician referrals to their patients.

“Why not the dentist?” asked Dr. Charles Streckfus, a lead researcher of the study. “Most folks, especially women and children, visit the dental office way more often than they ever see the physician. Saliva is a non-invasive, quicker way for detection.”

Dr. William Dubinsky, who collaborated with Dr. Streckfus on the groundbreaking study, said saliva holds the codes to many medical secrets.

“Saliva is a complex mixture of proteins. We go through a process that compares different samples by chemically labeling them in such a way that we can not only identify the protein, but determine how much of it is in each sample,” said Dr. Dubinsky. “This allows us to compare the levels of 150-200 different proteins in cancerous versus non-cancerous specimens to identify possible markers for disease.”

In the study, researchers analyzed saliva samples from 30 patients. They found 49 proteins that differentiated healthy patients from those with benign breast tumors and those with malignant breast tumors.

Dr. Streckfus said that being able to chemically distinguish between benign and malignant tumors through a saliva test eliminates possible false positive results. The supplemental chemical confirmation could allow experts to immediately determine the patient’s next treatment option, whether it be surgery, a biopsy or further testing.

Dr. Streckfus and his collaborators are continuing to pursue salivary diagnostics for other types of cancer, such as ovarian, endometrial, cervical and head and neck cancers.

Nano-Dentistry

The late Nobel Prize winning Physicist Richard P Feynman in 1959 proposed using machine tools to make smaller machine tools, which in turn, would be used to make still smaller machine tools, and so on, all the way down to the molecular level. Such nanomachines, nanorobots and nanodevices ultimately could be used to develop a wide range of atomically precise microscopic instrumentation and manufacturing tools. Attempts are going on at present to produce molecular computer components using molecular parts at the nanometer (10-9 meter or 1 billionth of a meter) scale.

Nanotechnology will have future medical applications leading to the emergence of nanomedicine and nanodentistry. Nanodentistry will make it possible to maintain a near perfect oral health through the use of nanomaterials, biotechnology, including tissue engineering and nanorobotics. The nanorobotic functions may be controlled by an onboard nanocomputer that executes preprogrammed instructions in response to local sensor stimuli.

Local anaesthesia: In the era of nanodentistry, to induce local anaesthesia, dental professional will instill a colloidal suspension containing millions of active analgesic micrometer sized dental nanorobot particles on the patient�s gingivae. After contacting the surface of the crown or mucosa, the ambulating nanorobots reach the dentin by migrating into the gingival sulcus and passing painlessly through the lamina propria or the 1-3 micrometer thick layer of loose tissue at the cemento dentinal junction.

On reaching the dentin, the nanorobots enter dentinal tubule holes that are 1-4 micrometers in diameter and proceed toward the pulp, guided by a combination of chemical gradients, temperature differentials and even positional navigation, all under the control of the onboard nanocomputer, as directed by the dentist.

Orthodontic treatment: Orthodontic nanorobots could directly manipulate the periodontal tissues (gingiva, periodontal ligament, cementum and alveolar bone), allowing rapid and painless tooth straightening, rotating and vertical repositioning within minutes to hours.

Natural tooth maintenance: The appearance and durability of tooth may be improved by replacing upper enamel layers with covalently bonded artificial materials such as sapphire or diamond, which have 20 to 100 times the hardness and strength of natural enamel.

A subocclusal dwelling nanorobotic dentifrice delivered by mouthwash or toothpaste could patrol all supragingival and sub gingival surfaces at least once a day, metabolizing trapped organic matter into harmless and odorless vapors and performing continuous calculus debridement.

Dentirobots could identify and destroy pathogenic bacteria residing in the plaque and elsewhere, while allowing the 500 or so species of harmless oral micro flora to be maintained in a healthy ecosystem. With this kind of daily dental care available from an early age, conventional tooth decay and gingival disease will disappear.