How to recession proof your smile!

Your Dentist and You

By Dr. Charlene Reid

Recently I spoke with a lady who told me that she couldn't afford to go to the dentist. She complained that for years her teeth have been hurting but she didnt have the money or the time.

I am a true believer that prevention is better than cure. This simply means twice yearly visits to your dentist benefit you in the long run. Let's do the math shall we.

A regular hygiene visit to the dentist/ hygienist which should include an oral cancer screening, a comprehensive oral exam, and dental cleaning should cost no more than $100.

What is a

Comprehensive exam?

A comprehensive dental exam is a visit by itself and would be too long to perform every time you had a dental appointment.

There are so many aspects to be covered, that each clinician will perform a slightly different version. I will give you a general overview of what should be included in a comprehensive exam, but since training and experience vary, there will be deviations.

The purpose is to find out what is healthy, what is not healthy and examine each aspect of a patient's oral health closely enough to be able to tell the difference. Areas to check:

* Periodontal exam (gum and bones supporting the teeth)

* Dental Exam (teeth)

* Head and Neck Cancer Exam (soft tissues of mouth, throat and surrounding structures)

* Occlusal Exam (Bite analysis)

* TMJ Exam (jaw joints)

* Radiographic Exam (x-rays and various scans)

* Salivary Function Exam (quantity and quality of saliva)

* Aesthetic Exam (appearance of teeth and gums related to the face)

How does this

save me money?

Many patients we see are considered emergency patients. This means that they are usually in pain. They end up needing either extractions or root canals.

An extraction is the re-moval of a tooth from the mouth. Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons, including tooth decay that has destroyed enough tooth structure to prevent restoration.

Root Canal Therapy or Root Canal Treatment is a dental procedure to fix a tooth by removing the pulp chamber of the tooth and filling it with a suitable filling material.

A root canal is usually performed when the tooth cannot be filled or restored any other way because the decay has reached the nerve of the tooth or the tooth has become infected.

In hard economic times patients typically opt for the least expensive option which is the extraction. Locally a simple extraction can range from $50 -$100. A root canal (which varies depending on the tooth) can range anywhere from $350 - $700. Why would anyone choose the latter? Simply put, it's the best option!

Each tooth serves a particular function in the mouth removing them sometimes leads to dire consequences.

The choice is yours, but there are many disadvantages to losing a tooth. When a tooth is removed and not replaced, the teeth next to the empty space begin to shift from their normal position.

This may cause teeth to become crooked or crowded, which decreases chewing and biting efficiency.

Crowded or crooked teeth may be more prone to dental disease because they are harder to keep clean than properly aligned teeth. As a result, other teeth may be lost if the missing tooth is not replaced.

Replacing missing teeth is far more expensive than saving them with a root canal. Dental replacements (dentures, implants, and bridges) locally can cost from $600 - $2,500.

While reading this I hope you understand that by simply maintaining your smile with regular dental visits you may never need to have an extraction, root canal or replacements thereby saving you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in the long run.

Dr. Charlene E. Reid is a graduate of the University of Havana's Dental Faulty. She currently works at the Grand Bahama Health Service Dental Department and in private practice at Easy Dental Care in the Pioneer's Professional Plaza. Should you have any questions about this or any previous articles please feel free to contact her at drcharlenereid@aol.com

© 2009 The Freeport News