Causes of Tooth Sensitivity
In a perfect world, every dental procedure we ever do would be completely painless and problem-free. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world. None of us is perfect, and neither are the teeth we work on (if they were, we wouldn’t be working on them in the first place!). Sometimes people experience sensitive teeth, or even significant pain after a dental procedure, in spite of our best efforts. In these cases, we are often asked, “Why does my tooth still hurt?”... Read More
My Father’s Battle With Sleep Apnea
My dad passed away in 1994 after a long battle with heart disease. I was always close to my dad, and I still miss him after all these years. There are times when I hear about advancements in healthcare that offer new hope for people who have cardiovascular disease, and I always say to myself, “Gee, if only this had been available 20 years ago, my dad might still be with us.” My dad was also a world-class snorer. My mom had to hope she fell asleep before him, or she was in for a... Read More
Orthodontics Versus Tooth Extraction
[caption id="attachment_137" align="alignleft" width="204" caption="Notice the severely underdeveloped lower jaw. Severe crowding was also present. This young girl was made fun of at school by her peers."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_138" align="alignleft" width="180" caption="Almost finished with therapy - which consisted of arch expansion appliances, a lower jaw repositioning appliance, and braces. Now a confident and very attractive young lady."][/caption] Why Tooth Extractions ... Read More
Cosmetic Dentistry: Is it worth it?
A lot of what I’ve learned in dentistry is a result of first-hand experience. As a young adult I had some dental problems that no one seemed to know how to treat. My dental school instructors didn’t seem to agree on anything, and nothing they had to offer (not much, as a matter of fact) made any sense to me. After dental school, I spent three years as an Air Force dentist, where on occasion I would have a chance to meet with one of their specialists. Again, no one seemed to r... Read More