Root Canals fact or fiction

Today I wanted to briefly touch on root canals. To many people root canals are a dreaded experience. They do not have to be. The most likely reason for this is that the patient needing the root canal waited so long to have the dental work done the tooth became infected. Once the tooth reaches the infected point, doing a root canal can be painful because now it is hard to get the patient numb. When giving a anesthetic injection of a basic solution that will now mix with an acidic environment causing, so to speak, neutralization of the anesthetic. Another words if you need to have a root canal done get it done before you acquire an infection.
Root canals or Endodontics is usually needed when a tooth has a cavity that reaches the nerve. There are other reasons like trauma that will also necessitate the need, but most often it is a cavity that reaches the nerve that is the culprit. A root canal is when the doctor makes a small hole in the top of the tooth and basically cleans and sterilizes the inside of the tooth. After he sterilizes the inside he then places a filling in the tooth to seal the tooth. After the root canal is done you need to have a crown placed to protect the tooth. After root canals teeth become more brittle due to loss of blood supply and thus the need for coverage with a crown.
Root canals are a good way to save your teeth and keep your mouth stable. With this treatment you are keeping yourself from getting teeth extracted and more crowns. This treatment allows you not to have spaces which are not esthetically pleasing ,but also allows your other teeth not to move or shift. Root canals have a good success rate. If the tooth can be restored selecting root canal over extraction is the best way to go.

Getting ready for an Interview?

It has been surprising lately all the phone calls the office has been getting regarding getting ready for an interview. I know in different parts of the country it can be a little different , but as an Orlando Dentist I can tell you having your teeth fixed and in good condition is a must. I treat a lot of Disney patients, and they have to have their front teeth without cavities. Disney is all about image and so are the rest of the parks, as well as potential employers. This is the exact point I wanted to make today in my blog; is when going on a interview there are multiple things you can do to show yourself off. Along with the outfit and the cloths your teeth and smile are the most important.
I would recommend before going for the interview to get your teeth professionally cleaned with a good prophylaxis by the hygienist. With this you are removing all the stain and making the teeth whiter to show off at the interview. Next get any cavities filled that you can see, and that are visibly noticeable. You don't want to show up with holes or brown spots on the front teeth. Lastly, if you can get your teeth whitened with strips or trays filled with the bleach. This will approve appearance and overall perception.
Having the teeth straight is also a plus, but I know after you get the job they will have benefits for orthodontics and you can get your teeth straighter if need be.
Hope this helps and good luck with you future employment.
Thanks Dr. Aschacher

Air abrasion Micro dentistry.

In 1995 I learned about Air Abasion Micro Dentistry. I went to a formal course in Texas and was amazed and excited about the technology. You are able to do small fillings without the need of anesthetic and without pain. I was amazed again after being trained of all of its advantages. As the dentist you do not need to have the patient get numb, which a lot of patients like; and you are able to keep the filling so small and conservative. You do not need to remove a lot of tooth structure.

Upon my return to Orlando channel 6 news learned that I was doing this for my patients and had the health reporter come out get a filling done live on the air so everyone could see this. The way this works is that the top surface of the tooth has groves, pits , and fissures. This is where 90% of the cavities start. We use to do sealants to help control getting cavities in these areas but then found out that there is an Organic plug of tissue in the groove that holds water and that is why the sealant fails. When using the air abrasion the organic plug is removed first. We also just don't lock in the filling like with sealants, we bond the filling in and the correct term now is preventive resins. If you look at the filling now from the side is looks like a parfait ice cream. I mean you have the organic plug removed , the fluoride composite place in the bottom then a flowable composite placed over the top that is bonded in place. These last very long. The air abrasion increases the surface tension which means to you it increases the strength of the restoration. We do not do sealants in my practice, we only do the Mercedes Benz of dentistry, the preventive resins with the use of air abrasion. This is revolutionary. Air abrasion also helps me the dentist each day with my cosmetic dentistry. I air abrade all my small fillings, which results in no line around the filling when it is finished. This is a problem for many dentist's with the line around the filling and how to get rid of it. If you air abrade the preparation prior to filling it there is no line. This means to the patient a more cosmetic filling.

I also use air abrasion each day with my crowns. I air abrade the inside of the crown and it increases the bond strength when the crown is placed. I have been doing air abrasion for over 13years and have a unit in each of my opperatories at my new office. I use it that much. My first office I had one unit to start and was pulling it in the room when needed and found I use it more and more I bought one for each room. It really is state of the art but many dentists do not use it. I don't know the reason exactly, but it could be they need to be trained better on the unit or are afraid of incorporating new things. I love to learn as much as I can and that is why I go to so much continuing education. This is good for my patients and gives them the latest in the field.

Thanks for reading,

Dr. Aschacher