A Stitch In Time Saves Nine

We are tend to postpone anything that we perceive to be an unpleasant experience even if we understand the benefit of such experiences for ourselves or for those we love. Even with a caring a touch, dentistry for many remains a least favorite activity and is somewhat avoided.
In modern dentistry problems will the teeth or "gums" are often diagnosed long before there is any patient perception of difficulty (pain). "It doesn't bother me Doctor" becomes the excuse for delaying treatment. So the "cavity" or broken tooth or other problem remains untreated. Untreated difficulties in the mouth always become more severe if neglected and the result is the increased likelihood of pain and discomfort and inconvenience for the patient. In addition with delay there is likely to be an increase in complexity of the ultimate treatment solution required. This translates into increased cost to the patient.
The old adage"a stitch in time save nine" is most assuredly true when it comes to dental treatment. A small cavity untreated can easily turn into a "root canal".
Cheers,
Dr. Shawn Lee a Vernon Dentist

Why a referral to a Dental Specialist?

Occasionally a dental patient finds themselves referred to dental specialist to have a specific treatment completed. I have been asked some variant of the following question. Don’t you do.. ? followed by the name of the procedure. Because I am in general practice and perform all of the usual procedures associated with Family Practice my answer to the question is yes I do …. followed by the name of the procedure.  Most general dentists perform Endodontics (root canals),Exodontia (extraction of teeth),Prosthodontics(Crowns and Bridges) and Periodontics(Scaling and other gum related therapies) but it is important to remember that each case is unique. Some clinical situations are more difficult and complicated requiring the expertise of the specialist who has received advanced training.

 In these situations specialist delivered services have the best chance of achieving a comfortable and successful result for the patient.

Sometimes there is resistance to the dental specialist referral. This is understandable because there is often a travel requirement and certainly specialist fees are higher than those of the general dentist. Nevertheless I believe that when appropriate the services delivered by dental specialists are worth the extra effort and resources. 

A referral to a dental specialist has the patient ultimate welfare and comfort as its motivation.

Cheers ,

Dr. Shawn Lee a Vernon Dentist

"Mom my tooth is loose!"

One of the land marks in our children’s lives is the loss of their “baby “teeth. For the vast majority of kids this time of transition is uneventful. My own kids kept their loose teeth a secret from Dad because was I was also their dentist. I was always anxious to get their loose teeth out because if delayed too long the baby tooth can begin to effect the ideal eruption the adult teeth.  My counsel to parents is to be attentive. If your child complains of a” wiggly” tooth take look every once in a while and if the offending tooth seems to hanging on be thread a little tissue for grip and a twist (don’t pull!) does the trick! Maybe that is my children were so secretive!

 If you see a tooth that appears to be blocked by the yet to fall out baby tooth your child should see a dentist soon. Your dentist may suggest the extraction of the stubborn tooth right at the visit. With the appropriate "freezing" of course.  Some evaluation of whether there is adequate space to accommodate the future adult teeth is made at that time.

I used to get away with a quarter. What is the Tooth Fairy giving currently?

Cheers! Dr. Shawn Lee a Vernon Dentist

I had lots of cavities when I was young. What can do to help my kids avoid the same dental dental problems?

It is normal for parents to want good health for their kids and excellent dental health is surely achievable. What can you do as a parent to help?

When your children are very young you can avoid putting the baby to bed with a bottle. It also wise to avoid putting juice or any other sweetened beverage in a bottle. Both these practices often lead to what is known as baby bottle tooth decay which can destroy those first teeth that we as parents were so excited to see come into the mouth.

Small children seem to be always on the hunt for something to snack on. This is normal for they are growing very fast and need to" feed the fire” so to speak. Certain snacks certainly lead to higher risk of dental disease. There are of course the obvious sugary treats that kids usually prefer and if consumed often as a snack can cause cavities. To these usual suspects I would add any refined carbohydrates such as breads (yes, even whole wheat), crackers: in short anything made with flour. These foods are best consumed at mealtime when teeth can be brushed afterwards. In between meal snacks should be of the low decay risk type such as raw fruits and vegetables. Remember lots of chewing is good the for the development of the face and jaws.

So much the chewable risks to dental health: what about the drinkable risks? I would advise any parent to stick to water as the between meal thirst quencher of choice. Any other drink between meals can contribute to tooth decay in the young. All the fun drinks including milk are best consumed at mealtimes.

In all this effort at controlling the intake proven decay causing foods we must remember it is not the occasional in between meal treat that causes problems but the regular pattern of their consumption when the brushing of the teeth is not convenient that leads to trouble.

Parents should brush their children’s teeth from a very young age and continue to monitor their children's efforts when they are able to use the brush themselves. Flossing can be added when tolerated.

Remember that regular visits to the dentist for thorough exams and profession cleanings will catch any problems early when they are easy to treat. These visits can begin as young as eighteen months. I wish you well.

Cheers

Dr. Shawn Lee a Vernon Dentist

How long will it last?

We live in a world of consumer warranties. We are concerned about how long we can expect trouble free use of our new automobile. We receive a scheduled maintenance book and in our minds we commit keep up with those visits. We know if we do this we protect our investment and yet we remember that nothing lasts forever.
So it is with our teeth. The trouble is there are no warranties for things done to repair teeth or even replace teeth. The unfortunate truth is that none these treatments last forever. What we hope is that by seeing our patients regularly and by performing thorough examinations is to diagnose problems when small and easily remedied . That is a lifelong process. A healthy diet, regular profession cleaning and a habit of gentle home care all increase the probability of a life time of good dental health. But when things go wrong we are there to help.
Dr Shawn Lee
A Vernon Dentist

Why does this filling need to be replaced? It doesn't hurt.

A filling may need to be replaced when something is gone wrong with the tooth in which the filling has been previously placed or with the filling material itself.

Let us first talk about things that go wrong with teeth that have already been “filled”. Teeth that have had “cavities” can still suffer from tooth decay subsequent to restoration: the word your dentist actually thinks of when he says fillings. The edges where the tooth meets the fillings are still susceptible to bacteria from the plaque that forms on teeth. Thus if not kept immaculately clean, with the passage of time a new cavity can form next to the original filling. When these “recurrent “cavities are small the individual is not even aware of their presence unless visible on front teeth. Often the best way to treat the new cavity is to replace the old filling with a new one including the spot where the new decay has formed.

Sometimes things can go wrong with the filling materials themselves. When you think about it the mouth is a violent place. Occasionally the wear and tear can result in cracks or fractures in a filling. Cracks allow decay causing bacteria easy access to the inside of a tooth resulting in a cavity underneath an old filling. Ideally such failures of filling material should be detected early and the old filling removed and replaced with a new one. Early diagnosis and treatment is of course is more likely to occur when one follows a regular pattern of visits to the dentist for thorough oral examinations. 

Dr Shawn Lee a Vernon Dentist

Most People Ask this Question: Will it Hurt?

So I have been waiting for some dental questions from the general public and it has been slow going so I thought I might get the ball rolling by answering online some questions that I respond to in our practice. I hear this question mainly from new patients to our practice.

Will it hurt?

The days of patients having to put up with pain during dental treatment are long since passed. Modern local anesthetics (the freezing) are so effective that in a modern, caring practice it would be very rare for a patient to experience pain during a dental procedure. What about the pain of the injection? The copious use of topical numbing gels and a slow and gentle hand go a long way to reduce or eliminate discomfort from the injection.  This most often patient dreaded experience is most successful for all concerned when delivered in a calm non-rushed manner. Dr Shawn Lee a Vernon Dentist