Quite often, patients initially say "no" to root canal therapy because they know of someone who has had a bad experience. Although some people have heard that root canal therapy is painful, the most common horror stories are about endodontically treated teeth (those that have had root canal therapy) cracking, breaking, or shattering and the subsequent loss of the tooth.…
It goes without saying that mastication, or chewing, is an absolute necessity of normal living. As we age, eating becomes one of the only pleasures that most of us can enjoy in almost any setting. All one has to do is to take a look at the plethora of fine public eating establishments in the area to understand how important…
It is simply human nature to procrastinate dental work. There are multiple known reasons for this, including fear of discomfort, time constraints, and fear of the unknown. Modern dental techniques that make dental care much more comfortable than in days past; technology that makes dental appointments much shorter, and a plethora of free information about dentistry that can be found on the…
One of the most difficult challenges that dentists must face is the task of retrofitting fillings and crowns to an existing removable partial denture. For those who do not wear partials, a partial denture grips natural teeth with cast metal clasps. Sometimes, these teeth break or develop tooth decay before the partial needs to be remade. However, it is…
A good friend of mine asked me this question just the other day. It's worth writing about because he voiced the same question that many think but don't express. Quite frankly, this is not an unreasonable question because unless you're in the dental profession, most people don't understand the skills that are involved a professional dental "cleaning" and that they are…
Like the old saying goes, the chief is only as good as his helpers. Dental auxiliaries can make or break a dental office. The quality of care that a dentist can provide is directly related to the skills of his/her team members. The ability to relate to people is an essential quality of any dental assistant. Their duties vary but usually include collecting and managing…
Germs that cause gum disease, gingivitis, and tooth decay live in groups. These bacteria are much less destructive when their groups, called colonies, are mechanically broken up with a toothbrush. Another problem caused by bacterial colonization is the production of foul odors. This is why proper oral hygiene is important. The surface of the tongue is covered with many little…
Patients at our office in Dover frequently ask us about halitosis (bad breath). Typically, they want to know what is causing their bad breath and how they can eliminate it. If you suffer from halitosis, you are not alone, reportedly 35 to 45 percent of people suffer from it. For the above reason, Dr. Huff wanted to provide some valuable…
Novocain (procaine), has not been used in dentistry since the 1940's as a dental anesthetic. It was a direct derivative of cocaine, which was the original surgical anesthetic discovered in the 1860's. Although procaine was not addictive, it was a poor anesthetic because it took a long time to work once injected and wore off very quickly once it did. …
Important Dental Records With the popularity of television programs that focus on forensic science, people are becoming much more aware of the need for adequate forensic records (like certain dental records)... before a crisis occurs. Dentists play a crucial role in forensic science. Although not many of us are actually forensically trained, we are expert record keepers of very valuable…
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