Why It Is More Costly To Put Off Your Dental Treatment

One of the biggest complaints that we hear from patients is that they put off a procedure for too long and now regret that decision. You might not feel the effects of delaying an oil change or tire change on your car, but you will definitely feel it when you put off a cavity filling for too long.

Unlike car dealerships which are known for recommending maintenance services that aren’t really necessary, Dr. Myers genuinely cares for all of his patients and his recommendations are made with your best interest in mind. Not only will delaying dental procedures likely make the health problem worse, but it usually ends up costing more money as well.

Do I really need a dental crown?

When the early signs first appear that you will need a dental crown in the future, you likely don’t feel much urgency to get it taken care of. At that point you probably aren’t experiencing any pain yet and you might not see any blemishes in the appearance of your tooth.

However, the sooner you get a crown, the better. Dental crowns are one of the simplest and most effective restoration procedures to protect the long-term health of your tooth and to immediately improve the aesthetics.

With minimal tooth decay or damage, the procedure for adding a crown is a breeze. It’s not until you put it off for a long time that you end up requiring a procedure that takes up more time and costs more money.

Delaying a Crown Too Long Can Lead to Requiring a Root Canal

Like we mentioned before, adding a crown is quick and easy, but getting a root canal isn’t quite as fun. Of course we’ll do everything we can to make it as comfortable as possible for you, but no one likes having someone drill in their mouths -- not even us!

Believe it or not, your dental health is deeply connected to your overall health. Putting off a dental procedure can lead to periodontal disease -- which is associated with diabetes, heart disease, pregnancy complications, and respiratory disease.

If you’ve been putting off a procedure for too long, now is the time to get it taken care of. Book an appointment today and we’ll get it taken care of once and for all!

Thinking Of Putting Off That Dental Treatment?

One of the biggest complaints that we hear from patients is that they put off a procedure for too long and now regret that decision. You might not feel the effects of delaying an oil change or tire change on your car, but you will definitely feel it when you put off a cavity filling for too long.

Unlike car dealerships which are known for recommending maintenance services that aren’t really necessary, Dr. Myers genuinely cares for all of his patients and his recommendations are made with your best interest in mind. Not only will delaying dental procedures likely make the health problem worse, but it usually ends up costing more money as well.

Do I really need a dental crown?

When the early signs first appear that you will need a dental crown in the future, you likely don’t feel much urgency to get it taken care of. At that point you probably aren’t experiencing any pain yet and you might not see any blemishes in the appearance of your tooth.

However, the sooner you get a crown, the better. Dental crowns are one of the simplest and most effective restoration procedures to protect the long-term health of your tooth and to immediately improve the aesthetics.

With minimal tooth decay or damage, the procedure for doing a crown is relatively simple.  It’s not until you put it off for a long time that you end up requiring a procedure that takes up more time and costs more money.

Delaying a Crown Too Long Can Lead to a Root Canal

Like we mentioned before, doing a crown is relatively straight forward, but needing a root canal, in addition to the crown, can become more problematic. We will always refer you to an excellent endodontist (specialist) to have the Root Canal done as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Believe it or not, your dental health is deeply connected to your overall health. Putting off a dental procedure can lead to periodontal disease -- which is associated with diabetes, heart disease, pregnancy complications, and respiratory disease.

If you’ve been putting off a procedure for too long, now is the time to get it taken care of. Book an appointment today and we’ll get it taken care of once and for all!

Dental Floss: It's Not For Tying Up Your Turkey

We’ve seen dental floss used in all kinds of creative ways. Of all the personal hygiene products we use, dental floss offers the most options for practical use outside of its intended function.

Here are some of the ways we’ve seen dental floss used:

• Clothesline
• Fishing line
• String popcorn
• Fixing eyeglasses
• Shoestring replacement
• Support for young plants
• Hanging small paintings
• Removing sticky photos
• Removing cookies from tray
• Cutting cheese
• Starting a fire
• Sewing
• Cooking twine
• Removing stuck rings

And the list goes on. Do you know what we don’t see dental flossed used for often enough? The actual flossing of teeth!

Benefits of Flossing

Flossing is a necessary part of any solid dental hygiene routine, but you already know that. (We’ve only told you every time you come visit us.) However, sometimes we all need a little reminder, so here’s a list of the top benefits that you gain from flossing:

1. Flossing keeps your teeth from falling out
2. Flossing prevents gum disease, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, and low-birth babies
3. Flossing can prevent and treat dry mouth
4. Flossing saves you money by preventing future dental procedures

Flossing is a habit, just like any other, but it’s one that doesn’t come naturally to most of us. That means you are going to have to put forth some effort to make it a habit for yourself.

Research has shown that it takes 28 days to form a habit, but to be safe let’s round it up to 30. Can you commit to flossing your teeth every day for only one month? If so, by the end of the month you should be able to floss daily without thinking twice about it because you will have formed the habit.

Can’t bring yourself to commit to a full month of flossing? Be honest with yourself. How about just one tooth, can you manage that?

Behavioral research out of Stanford University found that the most effective way to help people start a new habit was to make it as small and easy as possible. They found that if participants committed to flossing only one tooth a day, that they were more likely to not only build the habit of flossing all of their teeth, but they would stick with it much longer than those who try to go all out at once.

Just think about it -- if you’re already taking the time to floss one tooth, you might as well floss them all, right? We’re looking forward to seeing those beautiful, healthy gums at your next cleaning appointment!

Retirement And Your Teeth: Why Dental Insurance Is Still A Necessity PLUS 10% OFF!

Retirement?

No, not for me, but for all of you in my practice who are thinking about it, the good news is that we are living longer, and more of us are keeping our teeth. That’s great! 

However, this also means that we are going to be facing potentially significant dental issues for (hopefully) many years to come. We need to think about this and plan for it.

Research has shown that the lack of dental insurance benefits is a major contributor to poor oral health in older Americans (Source: Journal of The California Dental Association, July 2015, p.351, http://www.cda.org/).

Here is the point. If you are seriously looking to retire in the next 2-3 years, tell us now! It may make sense to do certain procedures now while you still have dental insurance. I would much prefer to see you replace that huge old silver filling now with a new crown rather than see it fracture 6 months after you retire. Your cost then would be significantly greater than now. Prevention has always been the best approach.

So talk to me at your next appointment. The years are flying by at “warp speed”!
 

SURPRISE!

Mention this “Special Offer” and receive 10% off all Restorative and Cosmetic dental procedures, now thru 9/30/15! (Even if you’re not thinking about retiring!). Happy Summer!

Yours in Good Dental Health,
Michael L. Myers, DDS and Staff