Dr Gatti's Blog a Lawrence Dentist Reflections

Every day I see at least one client who is suffering from occlusal disease and chooses to ignore treatment because their insurance won’t cover any of the cost. It is estimated that 40 to 60% of adult Americans clench or grind their teeth at night. Night time grinding is referred to as Nocturnal Bruxism and left untreated it can lead to excessive tooth structure wear, jaw joint pain and deterioration, gum tissue recession, loose teeth, chipping and breaking of natural teeth, leading to the need for porcelain crowns and veneers. Basically it can causes premature breakdown of the entire system.

What many people don’t realize is that it is possible to generate 4 to 5 times the amount of biting force while sleeping as compared to while you are awake. The solution is a night time splint. There are several types that can be utilized. I typically advise one of two types of hard acrylic splints, depending on what all we are trying to accomplish. The bottom line is that I see people spend thousands of dollars restoring the damage done from bruxism, yet refuse to wear a splint to prevent the problems from recurring. Often times it is the only way to predictably prevent destruction of the esthetics and the dentition.

Technology, new research and state of the art equipment can really make a difference in your smile!

At the Studio, we enjoy restoring a person’s smile by using various restorations such as porcelain crowns, veneers and Cerec restorations. However, prevention is always the best option and we now have a longer list of products that can actually help us remineralize enamel in ways we couldn’t before: that is from the bottom up. Remember that enamel breaks down under the surface first. Then after some time, the top layer caves in, creating a hole.

We’ve known for a long time that fluoride works on the surface of enamel. It is best when used frequently in small doses. It gives the enamel a chance to rebuild the fluorohydroxyapatite molecules that are acid-resistant and is very helpful in preventing demineralization. Xylitol is a product found in certain brands of chewing gum and mints which acts directly on bacteria and is very helpful in remineralization protocols. Other products being used to actually rebuild the enamel include amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), casein phosphopeptide-ccalcium phosphate (CPP-ACP, also known as Recaldent), the arginine bicarbonate/calcium carbonate complex and calcium sodium phosphosilicate complex (NovaMin).

Sounds confusing, right? Let’s remember that, in order to maintain intact enamel, its imperative that healthy saliva be present. Healthy saliva has calcium, phosphate, fluoride, and bicarbonate among other things in it. Each has its own job to do and, when it’s not there, chaos happens, white spot lesions form in the enamel, and eventually it collapses in on itself, creating a hole, better known as a cavity.

What to use where becomes the next question. Of course, there’s no one answer. The bottom line is that you need a diagnosis; only then can you formulate a treatment plan and figure out what products are going to be the best fit. I highly recommend you talk with your dentist or a cosmetic dentist and seek his or her help in sorting out which products will be most helpful for you.

Cooking class at the Bay Leaf

On Sunday, June 7th from 12:30 – 2:30 pm Lovena Tuley and her side kick Lorrie Belcher will be hosting a cooking class at the Bay Leaf, in beautiful downtown Lawrence. If you have not met Lovena before, I want to give her a bit of a shout out. She is a physical therapist, personal trainer and a body builder. She is very bright and well versed in nutrition and sports performance. In the same breath I will tell you that you don’t have to be an athlete to appreciate what she has to say and offer. If you are looking for someone to help clarify the different “trendy” diets and cut through to what is really important – this is one of the people you should meet. This class will be for the practical, busy person who is looking for ways to maximize nutrition and taste in the quickest and easiest way possible.

You may call the store at (785) 842-4544 or (800) 894-8717 for reservations, or visit the store at 717 Massachusetts, Lawrence,KS.

By the way, if you have not been in the Bay Leaf lately, or since they moved, you need to just stop in, it’s a great place!