The other day I received an email from an acquaintance who wrote in part “Our insurance allows us two cleanings/check ups a year for only $5. I wouldn't sacrifice our dental health for money however someone we know … is on our plan so I just switched to him. I haven't seen him yet. The last person off the plan we went to, was awful. Before we got this plan, we had been going for years to our best friends … We only left them because even with the huge discounts they gave us, they certainly couldn't come close to $5 a cleaning.”
I wrote back, “Unfortunately sacrificing your dental health for money is exactly what you are doing. Dentists on a plan need to sacrifice quality and cut corners (at the patient's expense) in order to compensate for the poor reimbursement that they receive from the insurance company. You should go back to your family dentist who will look after your best interest. Going "on plan" may save you money in the short run but will cost much, much more in the long run. I have seen this time and time again - dental disasters that could have been avoided with quality care.
The moral: Don’t look for bargains on parachutes or dental care.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
I Hate My Dentures
Yesterday a patient came into the office to tell us how happy she is with the new dentures that I had just completed for her. She was glowing, said that she felt like a movie star and how happy she was to be able to smile again. She was so happy to be able to chew and was surprised at how comfortable the dentures felt. She said that she was very grateful that she had come to my office for her treatment.
She confided in us that she had searched You Tube under “I Hate My Dentures” and found horror videos featuring denture failures. She was glad that she wasn’t experiencing any of the horrors. I have to confide that I also checked out these videos after she told me about them. In contrast, I carefully design each denture and let the patient wear a “trial denture” before going to finalization. That way, patients are always satisfied and I have the gratification knowing that I delivered dentures that fit and function well and look great! No one hates my dentures – I make sure of that.
For more information about full and partial dentures visit www.drterryshapiro.com.
She confided in us that she had searched You Tube under “I Hate My Dentures” and found horror videos featuring denture failures. She was glad that she wasn’t experiencing any of the horrors. I have to confide that I also checked out these videos after she told me about them. In contrast, I carefully design each denture and let the patient wear a “trial denture” before going to finalization. That way, patients are always satisfied and I have the gratification knowing that I delivered dentures that fit and function well and look great! No one hates my dentures – I make sure of that.
For more information about full and partial dentures visit www.drterryshapiro.com.
Update on Osteoporosis Drugs and Dental Treatment
The January 1 issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association reports on a new study showing that the proportion of people taking oral osteoporosis drugs who develop a jaw condition called osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) may be much higher than previously thought. ONJ is characterized by pain, soft-tissue swelling, infection, loose teeth and exposed bone.
Previous reports had indicated that the risk of developing (ONJ) from bisphosphonates in pill form were “negligible,” although there was a noted risk in people taking the higher-dose intravenous form of the drug.
The USC School of Dentistry’s database showed that nine of 208 patients taking Fosamax had active ONJ, a prevalence of about 4 percent. All were patients who had undergone some kind of dental procedure, such as having a tooth removed. The jaw complication has been seen in patients taking Fosamax for as little as one year. It seems to occur most frequently after routine tooth extraction.
Although no one is sure why bisphosphonates seem to have this effect only on jaw bones, the authors speculated that the drugs may make it easier for bacteria to adhere to bone that is exposed after a tooth extraction.
At the USC School of Dentistry patients are put on anti-microbial, anti-fungal rinse one week pre-operatively or post-operatively if they have been on bisphosphonates six months or longer. In my office we routinely ask patients if they are taking osteoporosis drugs and if so, we prescribe the anti-microbial, anti-fungal rinse before we begin dental procedures.
Previous reports had indicated that the risk of developing (ONJ) from bisphosphonates in pill form were “negligible,” although there was a noted risk in people taking the higher-dose intravenous form of the drug.
The USC School of Dentistry’s database showed that nine of 208 patients taking Fosamax had active ONJ, a prevalence of about 4 percent. All were patients who had undergone some kind of dental procedure, such as having a tooth removed. The jaw complication has been seen in patients taking Fosamax for as little as one year. It seems to occur most frequently after routine tooth extraction.
Although no one is sure why bisphosphonates seem to have this effect only on jaw bones, the authors speculated that the drugs may make it easier for bacteria to adhere to bone that is exposed after a tooth extraction.
At the USC School of Dentistry patients are put on anti-microbial, anti-fungal rinse one week pre-operatively or post-operatively if they have been on bisphosphonates six months or longer. In my office we routinely ask patients if they are taking osteoporosis drugs and if so, we prescribe the anti-microbial, anti-fungal rinse before we begin dental procedures.
Oral Cancer Self-Examination
We do an oral cancer examination and screening for our patients at every dental examination visit. But you can also perform an oral cancer self-examination between your dental visits to check for any early signs of oral cancer. If you are concerned about any of your findings, call your dentist immediately for an evaluation.
Oral Cancer Self-Examination Steps:
1. Press along the sides and front of your neck and feel for any tenderness or lumps. Do the same on your face. Your face and neck are symmetrical, so notice any bumps or swelling.
2. Pull your upper lip up and look for any sores and/or color changes on your lips and gums. Repeat this on your lower lip.
3. Use your fingers to pull out your cheek and look for any color changes such as red, white, or dark patches. Put your index finger on the inside and your thumb on the outside of your cheeks to feel for any lumps. Repeat on the other cheek.
4. Tilt your head back and open your mouth wide to see if there are any lumps or color changes.
5. Grab your tongue with a cotton gauze and examine for any swellings or color changes. Look at the top, back, and each side of your tongue.
6. Look at the underside of your tongue and the floor of your mouth (Touching the roof of your mouth with your tongue during this portion of the exam will allow you to see these areas better). See if there are any color changes or lumps. Using one finger inside your mouth and one finger on the outside (corresponding to the same place), feel for any unusual bumps, swelling, or tenderness.
For more information about dental care, visit www.drterryshapiro.com.
Oral Cancer Self-Examination Steps:
1. Press along the sides and front of your neck and feel for any tenderness or lumps. Do the same on your face. Your face and neck are symmetrical, so notice any bumps or swelling.
2. Pull your upper lip up and look for any sores and/or color changes on your lips and gums. Repeat this on your lower lip.
3. Use your fingers to pull out your cheek and look for any color changes such as red, white, or dark patches. Put your index finger on the inside and your thumb on the outside of your cheeks to feel for any lumps. Repeat on the other cheek.
4. Tilt your head back and open your mouth wide to see if there are any lumps or color changes.
5. Grab your tongue with a cotton gauze and examine for any swellings or color changes. Look at the top, back, and each side of your tongue.
6. Look at the underside of your tongue and the floor of your mouth (Touching the roof of your mouth with your tongue during this portion of the exam will allow you to see these areas better). See if there are any color changes or lumps. Using one finger inside your mouth and one finger on the outside (corresponding to the same place), feel for any unusual bumps, swelling, or tenderness.
For more information about dental care, visit www.drterryshapiro.com.
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