Single tooth anesthesia STA

Today, I would like to write about a revolutionary technique in dentistry called STA (single tooth anesthesia) It is quite simply the best technique to "numb" a tooth without the prolonged profound/annoying collateral numbness of the tongue and lips. Majority of the patients who have the experience with this technique report feeling 0.5 or 2 on a scale of 1(no discomfort) to 10(horrible pain)

The technology is brilliant: One, it is delivered via a pen-like device rather than those old bulky and large metallic dental syringes(definitely less threatening!) Two, the anesthetic is delivered much like dripping liquid with an eyedropper.
You may ask why is that important, doctor!
My response is, "Well, I am glad you asked!"
Here is the simple explanation:
What hurts is NOT the needle, let me repeat IT'S NOT THE NEEDLE! With proper technique and use of topical anesthetics most patients don't even notice the needle. But, it has all to do with how fast the anesthetic liquid enters the site where it is administered. The faster it is given the more liquid builds up inside the tissues and the pressure causes pain and yes, it hurts hence feeling like a "SHOT"! If I had a dime for every time a patient or even Doctors used that awful word "SHOT"... I'd be a millionaire and I would donate it all to a society to help make patients more comfortable! back to the explanation: the STA drips the anesthetic onto the site at such a slow rate that it goes below the radar, below the threshold at which patients feel pain. Also , it is administered directly onto the side of the tooth needing treatment(close to where floss usually goes in between the teeth) so just that tooth is anesthetized and the onset is almost instantaneous which means no waiting for it to work and more importantly no droopy lip.

Now, this technique may not be suitable for patients who require treatments on multiple teeth and require much longer appointments since the anesthesia with STA lasts about an hour but it is a wonderful adjunct in cases where the conventional technique is used and profound anesthesia is still not achieved ( in cases of very painful teeth with deep cavities, etc.)

Also, in a very small percentage of cases the duration of anesthesia is less and that is purely dependent on the individual since after all w are administering a drug... and drugs affect different people differently.

Local anesthetics are not the tastiest materials in dentistry so once in a while if a drop or two of this anesthetics gets on the tongue it can be annoying but the benefits always outweigh the minor nuisance, looking at the big picture!

I hope this has been informative. You may check out our Youtube channel to hear from one of our wonderful patients who had some work done recently using this technique. Needless to say that she was happy and smiling after wards. And, I can say that truly seeing that smile made our day!

"We're not just creating smiles, we're building friendships WITH a smile!" TM

What you should ask your Dentist

As Dentists, we do a wide range of things, from relieving pain, to removing teeth, to assisting patients in achieving the whiter, brighter, more beautiful smiles that they’ve always wanted. and the self confidence they deserve. Some dentists specialize in helping people with getting stronger, more reliable teeth with procedures like placing crowns and bridges, some specialize in straightening teeth with braces which can take a couple years and some dentists specialize in assisting people in getting straighter teeth quickly and easily with a number of other, more cosmetic, treatment options.

So what should you ask a dentist BEFORE agreeing to care? Let’s review these issues now:

Prior to care, a dentist should ask detailed questions about your past and present dental health, and order x-rays or other tests when necessary.

Whether you go to see the dentist for basic dental care or for cosmetic improvements, he or she should be looking for potential problems, such as cavities, gum disease, oral cancer, cracked teeth, weakened and oversized fillings, as well as ways to improve the strength, health, and appearance of your teeth and smile. Then he or she will come up with a diagnosis and a Recommended Action Plan. So for starters…

Do NOT agree to get care from any dentist that does not first provide you with a very clear explanation of:

1. What is causing or contributing to your problem, and have him/her show you (Images taken by a digital Camera and digital xrays are always helpful)
2. A Recommended Action Plan that details what specific care is needed…and why. And what is to be done to prevent this problem from recurring.
3. An estimate of the costs involved to prevent #1 and achieve #2.

Unfortunately, there are a small number of doctors, including Dentists who treat every patient pretty much the same, regardless of their condition.

As you would expect, there’s a lot the doctor must know before you can decide what care is best for you, in your specific situation. He or she will want to know if your problem is caused, or aggravated by anything such as a broken tooth, missing tooth, or some structural problem. Or…is it a simple problem that can be resolved within a reasonable period of time?

Here’s what you should know:

GO TO THIS LINK

and get our free report on the

10 questions you must ask before choosing a dentist.

Happy reading and remember:

"We're not just creating smiles, we're building friendships WITH a smile!" TM\

P.S. Check out our new YouTube channel for updated videos of our patients and also future instructional and informational videos to increase your DENTAL IQ!!!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Hollywood and The View star speaks out about Bone loss

Here is the reason why we educate all of our patients about two major oral diseases: tooth decay and Periodontal disease ....... goes to show that preventive care WILL avert major emergencies!!

Comedienne WHOOPI GOLDBERG has urged U.S. TV audiences to take their dental health more seriously - after discovering she may lose her two front teeth during a recent check-up.
Goldberg was forced to miss an episode of The View - the talk show she co-hosts - on Wednesday (22Oct08) after root canal surgery left her in pain and her face badly swollen.
And the 52-year-old reveals she was shocked to hear her poor dental hygiene may leave her with a set of false front teeth.
She says, "I had emergency surgery. People don't pay attention to it... we think we know you've got to take care of your teeth... I neglected them and I discovered I had so much bone loss that I'm probably going to be losing my two front teeth.

for more information about ways to prevent problems visit our website:

CLICK HERE

and remember:

"We're not just creating smiles, we're building friendships WITH a smile!" TM

Welcome to Our Practice BLOG

We are so excited to start our practice weblog, you can expect to get useful information about our practice, new services we will be adding to our menu of excellent care, inspirational and positive thoughts, funnies (of course all relating to Dentistry!) and recognition of our star guests! For now please visit us on:

OUR WEBSITE

make sure to checkout our wide array of FREE Reports! Get Educated!

Also, Stay tuned for our You tube channel for some exciting videos! It is going to be informative and we'll try to inject some humor in there as well!!! here is the link:

OUR YOU TUBE CHANNEL

and remember:

"We're not just creating smiles, we're building friendships WITH a smile!" TM