Here's Joan!

Hi. My name is Joan and I am the Patient Care Coordinator for Dr. Ross. Dr. Ross likes to tell our patients that I'm in charge of everything here that doesn't get wet.

Dr. Ross thought our patients would like to know more about who I am when I’m not in the office helping them.

So here goes.

What do I do when I’m not in the office doing what I do here for you? I follow a lifelong passion.

After helping people throughout my nursing career (I'm a Registered Nurse) and with Dr. Ross here at our office, my next biggest passion is music. I sang in children and youth choir in Church, was allowed into the adult choir at age thirteen (probably because my voice was too tiny at that time to do any harm and I loved the Alto part), sang in high school choirs and played piano for the high school choir in my Senior year. Then nursing school and my Bachelor's and Master's degrees from University of Pennsylvania. That tough schedule got in the way of my singing but I never lost my connection to music. In 1979, I was watching the Phil Donahue Show and saw the Penna-Fores, an international champion Sweet Adelines quartet, and thought, hey, I wanna do that.

Well, I did end up as a member of both Sweet Adelines International and Harmony, Inc., two women’s barbershop harmony organizations. I have sung in three Sweet Adelines choruses and one Harmony Inc. chorus. One of the Sweet Adelines choruses won the International Championship three times. It's hard to describe the feeling when they hang a gold medal around your neck in front of 12,000 screaming, cheering people. That's a thrill you never forget.

Here I am in full Lion King Costume and makeup for a performance (2nd from right)


And I have been in four quartets (but not at the International Championship level).


My most recent chorus is Harmony Celebration Chorus, which was formerly Ramapo Valley Chorus (the one that won the championships). When our great Director Renee Craig retired, the chorus retired the chorus’s name in her honor and re-invented ourselves with a new name. We have a wonderful Director named Scott Brannon who in less than two years helped us back to the Greater New York Regional Chorus Championship and we are going to compete at the International Chorus Contest in October 2010.


I sing Baritone, which is the Barbershop harmony world’s name for a harmony part that isn’t the highest (Tenor) and isn’t the lowest (Bass) and sometimes is above the melody part (Lead) and sometimes is below the melody part. I love it because it is the smart part and is what helps form the special close harmony four-part chord that is the special sound of Barbershop Harmony rather than the sound of glee club singing.

I judged Barbershop Contests for 17 years. That includes my time training to become a Certified Judge plus 15 years of active judging. I coached performance presentations for both women's organizations and also was part of the first group of women judges allowed to judge at contests for the men’s Barbershop Harmony Society. I taught at music schools for all three organizations, and I represented Harmony Inc. as their International Education Services Coordinator for seven years.

So when I wasn’t here in the office where I am a familiar helping face, I have had more than plenty to do. If you hear me around the office humming a tune, you’ll know that the music is in me all the time and sometimes it just has to pop out!

Want help with your teeth or your smile? Call me. I'll see that you get it.

All The Best To You and Yours!

2010 is almost here!

Here's my hope that your holiday is filled with joy, and that the coming year overflows with all the good things in life.

I wish you all the very best for 2010.

Dr. Steve Ross

Never Have A Loose Lower Denture Again. Mini Dental Implants To The Rescue

I wrote this blog today because there are still lots of people who have lost their teeth and are using dentures. There are approximately 50,000,000 people in the United States who are "edentulous" (literally meaning lacking teeth. Many suffer discomfort as a result of loose or ill-fitting dentures. Many denture wearers simply withdraw from any type of social engagement as a result of having to wear them. Moreover, it's not uncommon for family members to complain about a denture wearer's disagreeable breath as a result of food being trapped and decaying under their denture prosthesis.

I know this is unpleasant and I apologize, but it's important to know.

Wearing and using dentures is not a character defect or a cause for embarrassment. A denture is a prosthesis – a body part replacement. People lose body parts through accidents, disease and other unfortunate facts of life. And prosthetics is the science of replacing the lost structures and function and restoring quality of life.

Dentistry replaces lost and missing teeth all the time. We do it pretty well, actually.

But there is one type of dental prosthesis that is still not where we and our patients would like it to be. And that is the case of the complete lower denture.

When a person loses all their lower teeth, the denture for that has been a problem for many, many denture patients. There are a lot of reasons why. They have to do with the shape and mobility of the lower jaw, the presence of the tongue and the narrowness of the lower gum ridge.

But things have gotten tremendously better. Because now we can make lower dentures stay in place, be comfortable and stable and that ma

kes lower denture patients very, very happy.

How, you ask? I'll tell you how.

Mini Dental Implants, that's how.

A mini dental implant consists of a miniature titanium implant that acts like the root of a tooth and a retaining device that is incorporated into the base of the denture, The head of the implant is shaped like a ball and the retaining device acts like a socket for the ball. The retaining device grips the ball and holds the denture firmly on the implant. The denture gently rests on the gum tissue, but the ball/implant prevents the denture from pressing hard into the gum tissue. The implant fixtures allow for micro-mobility while resisting natural lifting forces.

Having trouble visualizing how it works? I think a picture will help. Here's one.

Successful placement of Mini Dental Implants addresses and solves all the social and practical problems. Denture patients all over the world have experienced relief from loose or ill-fitting dentures from doctors who are trained to place these implants.

In our office the entire procedure of placing four Mini Dental Implants and the retaining devices into a denture that otherwise fits well takes about two easy hours. The patient walks right out with a stabilized prosthesis.

There is none of the surgery associated with conventional dental implants. No incision is made in the gum and only a local anesthetic is used. It is NOT a traumatic procedure. Most patients are absolutely amazed how easy it was.

If you have a lower denture and would like it to be tight, functional and comfortable, Mini Dental Implants are for you. We can help.

Our patients know how to call us. But if you are not a patient of our office, that's OK. We'll be glad to answer questions and help in any way. It's easy. Send us an e-mail at DrSteveRoss@aol.com and tell us what's on your mind. We will respond to you promptly. Don't be shy.

Don't suffer with a loose lower denture anymore. You deserve better.

Recipes, Anyone? We Want Your Recipes.

We are putting together a looseleaf notebook for our reception room and we will call it

"Recipes From Our Patients".

Many of our patients love to cook. We got to thinking that it would be terrific if we could share some of their best recipes with our whole patient family.

We'll print your recipe up real nice and put your name on top. If someone wants a copy, we'll make a copy to give to that person. Your recipe will then make others happy.

This is good karma and also a nice thing to do.

So if you have a favorite recipe we welcome your sending it in by e-mail, fax, computer file, even snail mail.

The first 50 patients who send a favorite recipe will receive a Dr. Steve Ross' World Famous and Highly Prized Patient Mug the next time he or she walks through our door.

Here's where to send your recipe:

e-mail: DrSteveRoss@aol.com

Fax: 845-297-1481

Snail Mail:1576 Route Nine, Suite 12, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590

If you care, you share! So let's hear from you.

Aha! Hah Hah! Ahh!

A visit to your dentist means many things to people.

But my office team and I want every patient's appointment to contain these three things:

Aha! Hah Hah! Ahh!

Let's talk about them.

Aha!

My dictionary defines Aha! as an exclamation expressing, by different intonations, triumph or surprise. For us, this means that every visit should bring a learning experience to our patients. We want our patients to find something out. It might be great news, such as "You are amazingly healthy. It's terrific to see how well you've healed. You're doing a good job taking care of yourself." Or maybe it's not so great, like "Well, you have developed a little gum inflammation and you're beginning to lose some supporting bone around the roots of your teeth. But don't worry, because we have completely effective ways of stopping that, so you're gonna be OK." Or it could be something like "Did you know that chewing certain types of gum can actually prevent cavities? No, really. Chewing gum that contains xylitol is decay-preventive."

These are all examples of Aha! And a dental appointment should always provide learning. Because a Smart Patient is better able to have teeth he really likes all throughout his life. Knowledge is power. A dental office should be a place of education.

Hah Hah!

Here's a revolutionary idea: A dental office should be a place where you have fun. "What?", you say. I'm not kidding. Laughter feels good. Laughter makes everything better. Laughter is a great way to promote health. Who doesn't like to laugh? You should expect your dentist and his team to take their work very seriously, because it impacts on people. But taking your work seriously doesn't mean taking yourself so seriously. Life is tough enough without your dental office making it grimmer. If your dentist and his team doesn't look and sound like they're having fun, and if you are not having fun there, you should go somewhere else. Dentistry is a high tech thing, but it should also be high touch. One of my colleagues does magic in his office. What fun! We like to tell funny stories and jokes. We fool around a little. Laughter, love and a little Hah Hah! silliness provide a human touch and that goes a long way to making a dental office a fun place to visit.

Ahh!

This is what you say when something feels good. Good news. Relief. Pleasure. A great new smile. A very comfortable appointment that surprised you with how easy it was. A dental office should want you to feel an Ahh! at your visits. Attention to your comfort is important. A comfortable chair, great anesthetics that produce painless dentistry, lip balm for your lips, a soft touch, a hand on your shoulder if you're tense, appreciation spoken out loud for how great a patient you are, a phone call later that day or the next day to find out how you are doing – all these things and lots more create an Ahh! that makes your dental visit a great experience.

Aha! Hah Hah! Ahh! Part of what makes a great dental office great.

Check to see at your next visit if you're getting them.

Straight Teeth Without Metal Braces

The world of orthodontics is a place where crooked teeth can be made straight. This accomplishes more than just a better smile.

When teeth do not meet properly or are badly aligned, all kinds of bad things can happen. Here's a short list (there's more): uncomfortable chewing, food packing, ineffective oral hygiene, gum inflammation (gingivitis), breakdown of supporting bone (periodontal disease), chipped or broken teeth, excessive tooth wear, even headaches and jaw joint pain.

Sorry. But this is real and we see these problems all the time.

So why doesn't everyone with crooked teeth get them straightened? Well, sometimes it's because they don't want to wear metal braces. Wires, hooks and rubber bands are a turn off for some adults.

Good news! For most adults we can use clear aligners to accomplish straight teeth without all that. There are a couple of good systems. We use the system called ClearCorrect. Another one is Invisalign.

Clear aligners are comfortable and just about invisible.

This is an aligner:

It fits perfectly on your teeth. It's very thin and very smooth. With ClearCorrect you'll get a new one about every three weeks (we give you two at a time, so you only have to come in every six weeks, normally).

You'll wear your aligners all the time, except while eating and drinking or during daily hygiene, such as brushing and flossing. Your ClearCorrect aligners are so clear they are barely noticeable so they won't have an impact on your day to day life. Aligner by aligner, you'll be able to see the difference as your teeth slowly adjust and align to your target smile. You'll visit the office periodically to see how you're progressing until you eventually have the straight smile you've always wanted.

Here's a litle video about this (it's about 1 1/2 minutes long). Then come right back here.

http://clearcorrect.com/what/clearcorrect101.html

ClearCorrect aligners are the simple, pretty fast, really comfortable way to have

the straight teeth you should have.

Don't live with crooked teeth. You don't have to anymore.

Call us for a visit to see if Clear Aligners can give you the straight teeth you should have.

No charge for the consult.

Why Should You Refer New Patients?

This is directed at our current patients, but many people have similar questions who are not our patients at this time. Our Blog is pretty widely read.

Our patients sometimes ask why an active busy dental practice like ours very much wants our patients to refer new patients to us.

The answer is simple, but very important.

Our practice has a very strong focus and mission on helping our patients learn how to get dentally healthy and stay that way. And the very great majority of our patients do exactly that.

What that means is that once our patient is healthy and we have then restored his or her mouth to the level of function, comfort and appearance desired by that patient, most of our work for that patient consists of seeing him or her at regular intervals for maintenance, motivation and education.

Mostly, our regular patents do not need to have much new dentistry once the initial accomplishment is completed.

So in order for us to stay busy and economically strong, we have to have a steady flow of new patients to help them accomplish the same thing. That's how our patients can be sure we'll be here for them and at the top of our game for them.

Lots of our new patients find us through search engines like Google, because we are very present on the internet through our web site, Facebook, Twitter, and this Blog. And because we are an active Dear Doctor office, with access to the Dear Doctor Digital Library online, which our patients consult a lot.

But referrals from our patients of their friends, neighbors and associates is still our biggest source of new patients, as it should be .

When you care, you share. It is the best compliment a patient can give us to refer some one else to our office for care. We deeply appreciate it and always acknowledge it.

So please recommend our office. Send potential new patients to our web site at DrSteveRoss.com, to this Blog and to our Facebook (we are Steve Ross there) and Twitter spots so they can get acquainted. Or just have them call us. We will do everything to make your referral something you are glad you did.

And by the way, we have the best patients on the planet and we thank every one of you for the privilege of caring for you.

Your Computer Is A Great Tool For Having Teeth You Like All Your Life!

This blog is really targeted to my own patients, many of whom have heard this before, but I wanted to share it anyway. Lots of people who are not my patients read this Blog.

So I'm going to tell you all why your computer is a great tool for dental health.

Social Networking. New words in our language.

If you're under 30 you probably know all about social networking. It's old news to you.

If you are much older, maybe it's not (unless your kids have dragged you into this new world of how to communicate).

But fear not! Social networking is not some plot to confuse you or make your life more complicated than it already is. Actually, it's simple. And useful, too.

So read on and I'll tell you why you should use the social networking tools to keep in touch with your dentist (assuming your dentist is one who wants to keep in touch with you).

Here is a sentence you may not have ever thought of: Your computer is an important tool to help you have teeth you like when you get older – or even when you are old.

Yes. I said your computer is a great way – maybe one of the best ways – to help you have teeth you like for your whole life.

I'm not saying you don't have to brush and floss and be reasonable about sugar and all the rest of that.

I'm saying that today there are some new tools that hugely improve your changes to stay dentally healthy. And here's some good news: they are FREE. And EASY. And even FUN.

What a deal! Ready to hear how they work? Here goes. Don't get nervous! Read all the way through.

Social networking is a group of places out there on the internet that allow people to talk to – or even talk with – others. You don't have to talk. You can just listen. This is sometimes called "lurking" by web savvy folks.

This Blog is an example of this. You are listening. You can talk if you want by typing in a comment at the bottom in the place that says "comments". You don't have to. But you are here and learning. And it's FREE. And it was EASY to get here, right?

My office is also on two other social networking places in addition to this Blog.

One is called Facebook (hang in there, don't drop out. Keep going).

Facebook is FREE and EASY. What happens when you get a place of your own on Facebook is that you can hop over to other people's places and read what they write on their place (the place they write is called their Wall). Some people let everyone see what's on their Wall. Some people want to allow only certain people to see. Facebook lets you be a Friend of other people and then you can see what's on their Wall and they can see what's on yours. And if you are a Friend you can write on your Wall and your Friends will see what you wrote and you can also write on their Wall. But you don't have to. You can just lurk.

I let everyone see my Wall, not just those who choose to become Facebook Friends. I write stuff on my Wall that I believe will be helpful and interesting to my patients. And we can also talk back and forth and keep up with one another if we like. Our patients are neat people and we like them. And I don't mind if the rest of the world sees what I share. I like to spread the good news of today's amazing world of 21st century dentistry around.

Here's how you do this. You go to www.facebook.com. And you sign in. If you are not already on Facebook, you just think up a name and a password and that's it. Pow! You have a Wall. Once there, you can search for my Wall. Search for Steve Ross. That's it.

When you finish this Blog, go ahead and check it out. It's FREE and it's EASY.

Another social network place is called Twitter. Also FREE and EASY. You go to www.twitter.com. Sign in (or Sign Up) and there you are. Twitter works with short little messages (called tweets). They are all 140 characters or less. You can see my tweets if you Follow me. I'm DrSteveRoss on Twitter. Sign in, search for me and when you are there, just click Follow. That's it. All my tweets will automatically show up on your Twitter place after that.

You would not believe how much Social Networking will help you to be a Smart Dental Patient. Information is powerful. Why not use all the tools available? Especially when they are FREE and EASY.

Not all dentists are reaching out to help their patients like this. But I believe it's one of our most important jobs as a dental office to educate our patients in every way we can.

So don’t be nervous. Dive into the Social Network world. You can spend as much or as little time as you like there. It's all FREE. And it's very EASY.

Be a Smart Patient. Smart Patients have the best dental health.

Thanks for staying with me this far. And if you want to talk with us, just send us e-mail. You don't have to be my patient; that's OK. We'll be glad to talk with you. And do visit our web site. Lots of good info there.

Fear of Apples and the Dentist

Here is a little story told to me by a friend who blogs elsewhere. I think it has great relevance to the world of dentistry.

Seth wrote:

At the farmer's market the other day, not one but three people (perfect strangers) asked me what sort of apple to buy. What do I look like, some sort of apple expert? Apparently.

In our industrialized world, people are now afraid of apples. Afraid of buying the wrong kind. Afraid of making a purchasing mistake or some sort of pie mistake.

There are two big reasons people don't buy something:

1. They don't know about it.

2. They're afraid of it.

If we can get our patients (and potential patients) past those two, then we get the chance to prove that they need what we dentists do for them and that it is a very good value. But as long as people are afraid of what dentists do, we're stuck -- and so are they.

People are afraid of tax accountants, iPods, chiropractors, non-profits, insurance brokers and fancy hotels. They're afraid of anything with too many choices, too many opportunities to look foolish or to waste time or money.

Hey, they're even afraid of apples. :-)

Maybe your experiences with dentistry have been not too pleasant. Maybe you find dentistry confusing, too high tech, or maybe you do not think you need to have any dentistry because you're OK.

I gotta tell you right here, right now: If your dental experiences are unpleasant, you are in the wrong office. If you are still scared at the dentist, you're in the wrong office.

Dentistry can be and should be comfortable and you should be feeling cared about and cared for and confident in your dentist's office. If you are not, you should look elsewhere. Dentistry is very important, not only for your teeth but also for your general health.

In other blogs I'll talk much more about the relationship between dental health and serious illnesses like cancer, heart disease and other disasters.

But right now I want to say that it should be the goal of your dental office to make your visits pleasant and even (gasp) fun. Yes, fun!

We do it. Some of my colleagues know what I'm talking about and my own patients definitely do, too.

Don't let yourself be short changed by an uncaring dental office that doesn't value your need to trust and feel good.

If you are uncomfortable, scared or untrusting at the dentist, move on to an office where you are not.

You do not have to be my patient to talk with us about this. We will be glad to hear you out and give you advice. Just send some e-mail and we will get back you promptly.

You can also leave comments at the bottom of this Blog. I'd love to hear from you. Just click on the word "comments". I'll respond to you.

Some Useful Quotes From My Teachers and Mentors

From time to time, it's good to think of some of the wisdom gained from mentors and teachers, because they are sometimes forgotten in the rush of daily life. I have been blessed with wonderful teachers and I want to share some of the memorable quotes from them.

So here goes. I hope some of these inspire you.

Enjoy!

You can leave comments at the bottom of this Blog. I'd love to hear from you. Just click on the word "comments". I'll respond to you.

----------------------------

Regardless of your lot in life, you can build something beautiful on it.

~Zig Ziglar

When I was young I observed that nine out of every ten things I did were failures, so I did ten times more work.

~George Bernard Shaw

I bring you the gift of these four words: I believe in you.

~Blaise Pascal

Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.

~Ronald E. Osborn

Time flies. It’s up to you to be the navigator.

~Robert Orbden.

Learning is not compulsory...

neither is survival.

~W. Edwards Deming

If you don’t think every day is a good one, just try missing one.

~Cavett Robet

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

~Edith Wharton

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.

~Martin Luther King

Decision is the spark that ignites action. Until a decision is made nothing happens.

~Wilfred A. Peterson

What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.

~Zig Ziglar

When people say, Motivation doesn’t last.”

I say...

“Bathing doesn’t last either.

That’s why I recommend it often.”

~Zig Ziglar

Patient Education and the Dear Doctor Library

Patient Education is a way of life for us in our office. I believe that one of our most important missions is to empower our patients with the information and understanding they need to keep themselves dentally healthy for their lifetime. We want our patients to be the smartest patients on the planet.

This Blog is only one way we do that. We reach out in many ways, both in the office and through the internet.

Our patients can get their questions answered anytime they ask. We will answer their e-mails and send them information sheets on almost anything they need. We actually talk with our patients here in the office. We like them.

We are exploring the use of videos to send or post to communicate with our patients. We just got a new toy that is just plain fantastic for this. It's called a Flip Camera, and it makes things so easy. We are really excited about this!

Today I want to talk with you about something special I really like that helps us with this mission.

There is a wonderful magazine called Dear Doctor. I have been associated with it and featured in it since the beginning. It is the very best source of patient education for regular folks I know of. It is beautiful, well written and interesting.

I want to be clear right now that I receive no payment or financial gain from Dear Doctor for saying nice things about them and I do not work for the magazine. With that understood, here's what I want to share with you.

One of the best things about being associated with Dear Doctor magazine is the Digital Library. By accessing the library, each and every article featured in the magazine can be seen, printed and shared. This is a marvelous resource. And it costs you nothing.

Here's how to get there: Go to www.deardoctor.com/ross and click on the library section on the right side.

Check it out and please let me know what you think of it and how it has helped you.

You can leave any comments at the bottom of this Blog. Just click on the word "comments". We'll respond to you.

Thanks for reading. We appreciate your time and your interest.

Halloween, Candy, Cavities and Protection

Rerun from October, 2009

Are you seeing pumpkins? Is the world turning orange?

Sure! It's almost Halloween. One of the most fun times of the year, especially for kids (of all ages).

But you say you're a parent? You're worried about candy and tooth decay?

Well, good for you. You want your kids to have fun trick or treating, but you want to protect them.

Here's what you need to know.

Teeth naturally get covered with a bacterial called plaque. The bacteria in plaque eat sugar. Then they make acid. Acid attacks tooth enamel and then other bacterial get into the enamel and cause tooth decay.

But you knew that. So what can you do to prevent tooth decay and still let your kids enjoy the traditions and fun of Halloween?

There's nothing mysterious about it. There are several strategies that work. You should do them all.

1. First tip for parents: When the kids return with their treats, dump them out on a table and pick out the best stuff for yourself.

2. Clean teeth will hardly ever decay. Send the kids out with clean teeth. Good oral hygiene before they walk out the door for Halloween trick or treating is simple. Be sure they have clean teeth before they go out.

3. Don't let them go crazy. It's really OK for most kids to have some candy, but a sensible limit is good tactics. Rationing over a few days is smart.

4. Clean again after they eat the stuff. Even a good mouth rinsing with water is good if brushing is not possible.

5. NEVER let kids go to bed without brushing. Overnight, mouths dry up and the plaque works even harder to break down teeth.

6. An over-the-counter fluoride mouthrinse is a good idea. Once a day after brushing. Fluoride toughens enamel and discourages bacteria.

7. Don't lecture. Kids don't like to be lectured at. Educate, explain, but don't turn into the "Mom and Dad of Doom". They'll tune you out.

One more thing. This is unpleasant, but you have to be VERY careful about what kids collect on Halloween. Do not allow your kids to eat unwrapped candy, or any other food. Not only is it unsanitary, it is dangerous.

Halloween is a fun time. Have fun, stay safe and help your kids have healthy teeth.

As always, if you have questions or need advice, just let us know.

You can comment on this blog by clicking on the word "comments" just below. We'll respond.

Composite Resin YES - Silver-Mercury NO

One of the most common questions asked in our practice concerns our choice of the material that we use to restore cavities.

Silver-mercury (amalgam) fillings were introduced to dentistry over 100 years ago. At the time, this mixture of silver and mercury was considered a miracle material (of course, at that time, so was indoor plumbing). Today, amalgam fillings are made of a mixture of silver/tin/copper alloy and mercury in about 50/50 proportions. And as of today the American Dental Association believes that amalgam is a safe and effective material for use in the human mouth. They are entitled to their opinion. Here is my personal opinion about amalgam:

It is possible that the mercury in amalgam is not harmful to us. However, mercury is a toxic substance and according to the EPA, must be disposed of in a Toxic Waste Disposal Site. In my opinion, anything that must be disposed of in a Toxic Waste Disposal Site should maybe not be placed in our mouths. But this may simply be an over-cautious position on my part. I do not actually know what the long term outcome of on-going research will be. I do know that some European countries and a couple of states in the U.S. have regulated amalgam use, mostly because of environmental contamination reasons. Some European countries have banned the use of amalgam in pregnant women and young children.

I want to be clear on this. I have not used amalgam since April of 1982. And the reason has nothing to do with its safety or non-safety. The jury is still out on that.

The reason I do not use amalgam is that, in my opinion, it is a poor restorative material compared to newer materials we have now. Like everything else, improvements have been constant over the last 100 years. It took science until the 70’s to develop an alternative to amalgam, and into the early 90’s to perfect it to its current level.

The material I favor and use as my first choice is bonded composite resin. This material is extremely biocompatible and flexes and wears like natural teeth. A silver-mercury restoration has no bond to tooth structure. Expansion and contraction of this material over the years causes cracks in teeth and eventually, many teeth will fracture. You may have had this happen to you, even when you were eating something soft. Amalgam tends to leak after five or ten years, causing recurrent decay. Amalgam corrodes and turns black.

There is no way I will ever place amalgam in a patient’s mouth again.

When aging amalgam restorations are replaced by bonded composite resin restorations, the strength of the tooth is increased and underlining tooth structure is sealed.

Plus, of course, composite resin restorations are tooth colored and are so much more attractive and natural looking than metal fillings.

Now let me talk with you about the economics of composite resin. Composite resin restorations are more technique sensitive and are more time consuming to place. Special care must be exercised to operate in a controlled environment that can be moist when desired and dry when desired. Composite resin is more sensitive to moisture control procedures than amalgam. When placing composite resin fillings, we seal the dentin against bacterial infiltration and protect the dental pulp from irritation. As a result of this necessary expertise and the increased time associated with composite placement, the cost of restoring teeth with composite resin is a little higher than with amalgam.

Insurance companies are slow to embrace new techniques, especially when it could cost them money to provide state-of-the-art care to their insured. Many insurance companies will only cover the cheapest material to restore teeth. That’s amalgam, and many will pay their amalgam benefit even when composite resin is used. Yes, they are allowed to do that.

My patients have mostly learned about the ways insurance carriers pay benefits. For example, they have learned not to be fooled by the “usual and customary fee” jive and they know that this is bogus and is intended to drive a wedge between patient and doctor. If you are concerned about anything you read in an Explanation of Benefits you receive, just call. We’ll explain it with straight, honest talk. You don't have to be my patient to get advice; we'll be glad to help you.

Composite resin is one of a wonderful list of modern, state-of-the-art beautiful materials dentists use to help you have the strong, functional teeth and great smile you have always wanted.

You can post a comment or ask a question by clicking on the word "comments" right below this post.