When will you have Dexis up and running?

Yesterday I spent time on the phone with a nice Dexis representative located in Georgia named Mary. She walked me through getting the newest dexis software update loaded into my laptop and also helped install software needed for the sensor. Our new digital radiography system is now operational! It seems simple to use.

The Dexis website reports that the new DEXIS Platinum Sensor has a a direct USB connection(no need for an extra docking box in between the sensor and the computer) , new image capture technology, and enhanced ergonomic design (what ever that means). My office is probably one of the first 10 or fifteen dental offices in the U.S. to receive the newest platinum sensor and I am looking forward to my staff training session which has been scheduled for Sept 16th.

Should I premedicate before a dental appointment if I have mitral valve prolapse?

According to the American Heart Associations guidlines from 2007, you should not. The guidelines say that patients with:mitral valve prolapse. rheumatic heart disease, bicuspid valve disease, calcified aortic stenosis, congenital heart conditions such as ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy no longer need to take any prophylactic antiobiotic premedication.

The guidelines do recommend antiobiotic premedication for patients with the following conditions:

1)artificial heart valves

2)a history of infective endocarditis

3)certain specific, serious congenital (present from birth) heart conditions, including :

• unrepaired or incompletely repaired cyanotic congenital heart disease, including those with palliative shunts and conduits
  
• a completely repaired congenital heart defect with prosthetic material or device, whether placed by surgery or by catheter intervention, during the first six months after the procedure
  
• any repaired congenital heart defect with residual defect at the site or adjacent to the site of a prosthetic patch or a prosthetic device
  

4) a cardiac transplant that develops a problem in a heart valve

This information was obtained from the American Dental Association Website. To view the original article please follow this link http://www.ada.org/public/topics/antibiotics.asp

*I would like to add this post script. I have heard that a number of hospitals are still recommending antibiotic premedication for patients with mitral valve prolapse with 'significant regurgitation'. If you have any questions about your own condition it is still best to consult with your own personal physician about whether you should premedicate prior to a dental visit.

How often should I floss my teeth?

Preferably floss every day, but do not give up hope if you occasionally miss a day. The plaque that covers the proximal surface of teeth develops slowly over a period of days. When left undisturbed for many days the relative amount of harmful bacteria increase. It may take several days to a week before the bacterial load reaches harmful levels.

Accordingly flossing every other day works well and even flossing well once per week definitely has a beneficial effect. Try to floss every day but if you skip a day or two, do not beat your self up. To borrow a Martha Stewart phrase-"Flossing is a good thing".

Who is covering your office while your on vacation?

Normally when I go on vacation, I leave my cell phone number on my office answering machine. If one of my patients has a problem, they can call me and I will refer them to a covering dentist. This allows me to speak with my patient and determine if their problem should be addressed immediately or can wait until I return.

If my patent's problem needs addressing while I am out of the office, I am able to choose which of my colleagues is the best one for handling their specific dental emergency. This vacation I have been told by several patients that my answering machine has been malfunctioning. I have reset it by remote yesterday and it now seems to be working fine.

What is 'Cracked Tooth Syndrome?

http://www.lspindeldds.com/dental_magnificationTeeth that hurt intermittently when a person bites down may have ''Cracked Tooth Syndrome". If a tooth has a crack in it if pressure is placed on the tooth in the right place it causes the crack to temporarily expand. This can cause a momentary sharp pain. Cracked teeth may commonly be more sensitive to cold than normal teeth. Sometimes as the crack worsens, teeth with cracks can become hot sensitive or even ache as well.

If you have a tooth with any of these symptoms , they should be mentioned to a dentist. The sooner a crack is discovered the better. As time goes on cracks tend to propagate and can compromise the tooth's long term prognosis.

Many cracked teeth have fillings in them which hide the actual crack. If I can pinpoint which tooth is symptomatic, I will remove any fillings in the tooth and inspect the tooth with magnification in order to locate and determine the severity of the crack.

Possible treatments indicated for cracks include fabricating a protective crown and sometimes performing root canal to remove the pulp. Unfortunately, some cracked teeth, with more significant cracks, can not always be saved and may require extraction.

How can I tell if someone has bleached their teeth?

The tell tale sign of bleaching or the presence of a number of porcelain veneers is that the anterior teeth are usually all the same shade. The canine teeth and the bicuspids are normally are normally a shade or two yellower than the rest of the anterior teeth.

After tooth whitening the canine teeth lighten even more than the naturally lighter anterior teeth and appear to be more or less the same shade as the anterior teeth. Although this look is not common in unbleached smiles, it is visually appealing and tends to create a broader 10 tooth smile since the canines and bicuspids are now lighter and visually appear to stand out more.