Not Yo Grandma's Dentist, Dentistry Today

Dentistry today has come a long way in the past 150 years. Our grandparents did not have nearly the options that are available today. If they had a bad tooth, they got it pulled and that was that.

In years past the focus was not on prevention of dental disease as it is today. Tooth loss was thought to be a normal result of aging and once people were toothless or nearly so, dentures were prescribed. Just about everybody's grandparents had false teeth. Many of these were ill fitting and not all that attractive.

The most important advance in the last 150 years is the development of safe and effective anesthesia. In the old days, the dentist used ether or nitrous oxide almost exclusively. Today we have effective local and general anesthetic agents making the dental visit much more comfortable.

The material used for fillings now is quite different. Very old fillings contained mercury, which we now know is toxic. Today we have gold and amalgam fillings and with the advent of resins, fillings can be tooth colored and nearly invisible. The old fashioned drills were cumbersome and made the procedures seem endless. With the advent of high speed drills and equipment, filling a cavity takes less time and is less painful. Some dentists even use lasers to remove decay.

The emphasis now is to save the natural teeth when at all possible. Root canals and crowns help to do that. In years past, dentists would just pull the tooth that was abscessed or very decayed. Before we had dentists, barbers often had this unfortunate task.

Dental implant technology makes having very natural looking functional teeth a reality. When a tooth is lost, an implant can be done. It preserves the underlying bone because the action of chewing stimulates bone growth. When our grandparents got dentures, the bones became demineralized. The gums gradually shrunk and the dentures were difficult to keep in the mouth.

The greatest advances use computer technology. With 3 D imaging, a dentist can capture the tooth structure and an image of surrounding teeth. It allows same day dentures, implants, and restorations.

For the patient who dreads the dental visit so much, they just do not go, we have sedation dentistry. You can pretty much sleep through your ordeal. If you need some pampering, spa dentistry can fill the bill. Relaxation and luxury are stressed. You can even get a facial and massage while your teeth are being fixed. How great is that?

I don't think anyone wants to return to the dental practices of the past. We all know better now.

 




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Continuing Education Dentistry News:

 

UConn Health Center To Recognize Simsbury Man With Faculty Award - Hartford Courant

UConn Advance

UConn Health Center To Recognize Simsbury Man With Faculty Award
Hartford Courant
Dr. Steven Lepowsky, senior associate dean for education and patient care at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, has been recognized by the UConn Health Center board of directors with the 2012 Faculty Recognition Award. Lepowsky, a Simsbury resident, .
Health Center Teaching and Faculty Award Winners AnnouncedUConn Advance (blog)

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Dr. Carl F. Ern as Nationally Featured on FOX, is to Co-Author a New Business Book, EURœLeading The Field: Strategies .
Dr. Carl F. Ern, a highly regarded dentist in New York, believes a powerful education stretches the mind with new ideas and improves quality of life. He wants to share his secrets in how he applies his knowledge in giving the best possible dental care to every person he treats, through a new business book titled, EURœLeading the Field: Strategies, Advice & Inspiration From World Class Experts ...


How to Complete Continuing Education in Dentistry
. Ce Courses will provide the knowledge and skills needed for success. Filed Under: Wellness, Fitness and Diet Tagged: Continuing Education Dentistry, dental, Dental Seminars, Dentist Seminars, Orthodontic Seminars ...


Need An Experienced Manhattan Dentist? Dr. Roger L. Stevens Is Committed To . - The Wealthy Dentist (blog)

Need An Experienced Manhattan Dentist? Dr. Roger L. Stevens Is Committed To .
The Wealthy Dentist (blog)
He's dedicated to compassionate, gentle and affordable dentistry for the whole family. Dr. Roger L Stevens is proud to have served patients in the community for over 20 years. The combination of continuing education and state-of-the-art equipment .
Hudson Pediatric Dentist Reaches Out to Patients Through Social MediaDigitalJournal.com (press release)

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New Jersey Oncology Nurse Shares Expertise on Symptom Management at National Conference
Improving patient care and optimizing patient outcomes are continuing goals of oncology nurses -- goals which are usually achievable through enhanced nursing education, including peer-to-peer instruction. At the Annual Congress of the Oncology Nursing Society, a member of The Cancer Institute of New Jersey's nursing leadership will be sharing her expertise on symptom management with thousands of ...


The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) Sets the Record Straight on Dental X-Rays
CHICAGO, April 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, April 10, 2012, in the journal Cancer, the American Cancer Society published an article entitled "Dental X-Rays and Risk of Meningioma," which summarized a study that sought to develop a correlation between dental radiographs and brain cancer...


Hadassah At 100: Honoring America's Jewish Women Leaders (PHOTOS)
In 2004, Belle Simon, who lived in New York at the time, needed a kidney transplant. A longtime member of Hadassahs national board, she was fortunate to have become acquainted with a fellow board member, Katie Edelstein, who lived across the country in Seattle...


 



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