Chicago Dentist

A UB dentist specializing in prosthodontics says the best thing about providing patients with attractive and cost-effective dental restoration is the appreciation of those benefiting from his research and practice.Hyeongil Kim, who joined the dental school faculty as a clinical instructor in 2002, became an assistant professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry last fall. He previously served as director of UB’s fixed and removable dental laboratories. “We treat many long-time denture wearers in the postgraduate and pre-doctoral clinics,” says Kim, noting that they often suffer from severe jawbone loss, which leads to loose dentures and sore oral tissues. “Just a little aesthetic and functional improvement makes a dramatic difference,” he says. “The patient’s satisfaction is the most rewarding part of being a clinician.” Buffalo is a particularly fascinating city from a prosthodontic perspective because the number of denture-wearers is well above the national average, Kim says, especially people who have worn them for many years. “Many people here have had dentures since they were young,” he says. “There was a time when dentures were given as graduation presents, and many patients are now suffering because their dentures are too loose—they’re using glue to keep them on.
UB Reporter: Kim works to lower cost of dentures

- The skulls of Cro-Magnon peoples indicate that tooth decay was in evidence some 25,000 years ago, and a Sumerian text from 5000 BC describes “tooth worms” as a cause of dental decay.
- The Chinese used acupuncture around 2700 BC to treat the pain associated with tooth decay.
- The Ebers papyrus from ancient Egypt, written between 1700 and 1500 BC, contains references to diseases of the teeth, and prescriptions for substances such as olive oil, dates and green lead to ease throbbing in the teeth.
- Aesculapius, a Greek physician who lived between 1300 and 1200 BC, is often credited with originating the concept of extracting diseased teeth.
- Between 500 and 300 BC, Hippocrates and Aristotle wrote about ointments and red-hot wire being used to treat diseases of the teeth and gums.
They also discussed tooth extraction and the use of wires to hold broken jaws and loose teeth in place.
- A little later, physicians in Arabia wrote of scraping teeth and using the earliest form of toothbrush, a small stick softened at one end.
- In the Middle Ages in Europe, surgeons frequently acted as dentists for the wealthy, using metal rods as dental drills to remove plaque.
- From the Middle Ages to the early 1700s, barber-surgeons extracted teeth, did minor surgery, applied leeches to let blood and embalmed bodies.
- In the 15th century in Italy, gold leaf was frequently used to fill cavities.
- In the 16th century in France, soft lead was used as filling material.
- French surgeon Pierre Fauchard (1678-1761), author of The Surgeon Dentist, A Treatise on Teeth, is regarded as the father of modern dentistry.
- Dental practitioners who migrated to the North American colonies in the 18th century were mainly concerned with extracting diseased teeth and replacing them with dentures.
- Until the mid-19th century, dentures were custom-made by skilled artisans, who used gold, silver, and ivory for the job.
- In 1851, a process for moulding artificial porcelain teeth was developed, making the manufacture of dentures relatively inexpensive.
Highlights from battle against tooth decay

Do you take special care of your gums and teeth? Do you follow your dentist’s suggestions and dental care reminders? Do you follow the recommended annual visits to the dentist? Are you keen in keeping your dental health at its best? Providing proper teeth and gum care are important. Here are some tips to follow in order to keep your oral health at its optimum level.1. Your dentist and dental hygienist can provide you the best education on how to properly take care of you teeth and gums. Follow the tooth brushing techniques and proper oral care advices given by your dental health professionals. Avoid rushing when brushing your teeth. Provide at least 3 minutes of your time to thoroughly clean your teeth. Take enough time to reach all the dental surfaces including those hard to reach areas and the back teeth.2. Your brush should be held at a 45-degree angle to your gums. This will enable the tips of the bristles to point to the gumline. Gently move your brush in very short strokes in a back and forth motion.3. You should not take for granted the inner surfaces of your teeth even if these are not readily visible when you smile or open your mouth. Brush thoroughly both the inner and outer surfaces of your teeth as well as the grinding and incising surfaces.4. It is also advisable to brush your tongue gently. Our tongue usually harbors bacteria and minute food debris left during mastication, which can cause bad breath.5. It is also important to floss your teeth at least twice a day or after every meal as much as possible to remove trapped food particles in between the teeth that may cause bad breath and may become a bacterial breading ground.Today there are a lot of types of dental floss coming out in the market. Choose the product that you feel most comfortable with and that doesn’t cut or hurt your gums.Here are some useful steps to follow on how to floss correctly:a. Use at least 18 inches of dental floss and wind it around the middle finger of each hand. Hold it between your thumb and forefingers and leave about an inch of dental floss. Gently slip it in between your teeth in a sawing motion. Be careful not to snap or jerk the floss into the gums.b. Curve the dental floss into a C shape when it reaches the gumline then slide it gently up the gum. Be careful not to press too hard, you don’t want to cut your gum in the process.c. The floss should be held against the tooth and perform a scraping motion along the side of the tooth. This should be done gently and moving the dental floss away from the gums. Follow this procedure until you reach the backside of the last tooth.d. Bleeding gums may occur during the first 5 or 6 days after you start flossing. If beyond this period bleeding still occurs, you need to call and inform your dentist about it. You may not be doing the right thing and in the process hurting your gums.Properly taking care of your oral health will provide you a good and healthy oral environment, which will give you a healthy, beautiful smile and increase your self confidence.Michael Russell Your Independent Dental guide
forresstanford » Blog Archive » How To Take Care Of Your Teeth For A Healthy Smile

I just returned from the dentist. Sad to say, I neglected a tooth that should have been taken care of a long time ago, but procrastination was not in my favor today. Not only am I seeing a $2,000 bill for root canal and a crown, but I have an infection on top of that. Antibiotics and pain meds are on the calendar for the next two weeks. I also learned having an infection that I have can lead to a serious problem and heart attack. This tooth, which went from getting a crown to a major infection and root canal, even though it is costing me some serious money, my heart depends on having healthy teeth. By the way, I am like many who do not have dental insurance, but I do have my health insurance. Dental hygiene goes past the flossing and brushing of your teeth. It also has to do with an annual or bi-annual dental check ups. So another issue our legislators need to bring up on top of health insurance. Affordable dental insurance. Dental care is just as important to our health as our yearly physical.

Cumberland Times-News - Good dental care and insurance also needed

Everyone knows it is important to take good care of our teeth, but what about the family pet? According to News Now 10, poor dental hygiene can cause the same problems in cats and dogs as those that occur in humans, including gum disease, tooth loss, infections and bad breath. It recommends a number of measures people can take to keep their pet’s teeth healthy, starting with checking them regularly. The news provider also suggests giving cats and dogs hard food every day, as this can help prevent tartar build up. In addition, toys such as nubbie bones, dental rope and greenies can promote healthy gums and cut down on tartar. Most vets say pets’ teeth should be brushed at least twice a week, using special animal toothpaste, News Now 10 reported. Vets can clean a cat or dog’s teeth as dental hygienist would with humans during the pet’s annual checkup. There are a number of ways to tell if a cat or dog is suffering from poor dental health, according to i-pets.com, including red or sore gums, yellow teeth or excessively bad breath.
Dental care for all the family

Choosing a new toothbrush is nothing like it used to be. At one time you simply had the choice of differently shaped heads. Now you can choose everything from inexpensive standard toothbrushes to expensive models that are rechargeable. Which choice is best? Are electric toothbrushes really any better than standard models? Standard toothbrushes are very affordable. In fact, your dentist probably gives you a new one at every checkup. Are these toothbrushes as effective as electric models? The effectiveness of standard toothbrushes depends on several factors. First of all, the bristles need to be stiff, but not too stiff. Toothbrushes with soft bristles aren’t as effective. On the other hand, toothbrushes with bristles that are too stiff may cause damage to your gums. Of course, toothbrushes are only as effective as their user. You must learn to properly brush your teeth. This means not bearing done too hard, brushing in the correct motion, and brushing for the proper amount of time.
Dental Care Tips: Shelf Life of a Toothbrush

This spring, the makers of ARM & HAMMER® oral care products will launch two new offerings that address two of today’s hottest topics in dental care: one, the ongoing trend of teeth whitening and two, the strengthening of tooth enamel. ARM & HAMMER® Whitening Booster is a great new affordable and safe way to brighten your smile quickly and easily. The product – which uses hydrogen peroxide, the common active ingredient in many whitening kits – is designed to boost the whitening power of your favorite toothpaste. Just add the Whitening Booster to any toothpaste you use and brush your teeth as normal. Used as directed, it provides twice the whitening agent of the leading whitening strip and doesn’t leave a sticky mess. Baby boomers and people who care about keeping their teeth in tip top shape will want to try new ARM & HAMMER® Age Defying Toothpaste for stronger, healthier and whiter teeth. It’s the only fluoride toothpaste with patented Liquid Calcium® (a.k.a ACP – amorphous calcium phosphate) that strengthens tooth enamel while cleaning. It protects and rebuilds (or “re-mineralizes”) enamel and dentin.

HealthNewsDigest.com

A great smile can prove to be a valuable asset, particularly when you first meet someone.  However, people who have brown or yellow stained teeth are very conscious of this shortcoming. One of the best treatment methods available to gain back that white perfect smile is teeth whitening. The basic methodology of teeth whitening is that it reverses the process of discoloration of teeth, bleaching them to reveal the white enamel again. With so many teeth whitening options available today ranging from diy kits to dentist trays sometimes the consumer is over whelmed with the options but Zoom teeth whitening is one solution that will not give you a headache in the process as the treatment is safe and very effective
Press Releases | Press Release Distribution | Submit Press Release - Smile for Zoom teeth whitening confidence

The ADHA, American Dental Hygenists’ Association, recommends that you seek the advice of an oral health care professional before making any decisions concerning a tooth whitening procedure. Which tooth whitening options work the best for what conditions? Your dentist can help you determine this for your own circumstances. Here are some things to consider. What caused your teeth to have discolorations and stains? In some cases, too much fluoride or the antibiotic tetracycline can cause staining to occur. But more often than not, the stains on your teeth are caused by pigmented substances like black tea, coffee, tobacco, red wine, cola drinks; or by age.

Press Release - Tooth Whitening Options: Do They All Work?

When the sun is shining people feel good about themselves and this is why feel god industries like the teeth whitening industry will have a good summer as consumers are likely to spend money on themselves to make them feel and look great.
The teeth whitening industry has been growing over the last five years but in the UK when people are starting to think about the summer considerations like their clothes, beauty and even their cars will have a positive impact of many businesses.

2008 could be bright summer for Teeth Whitening

Thanks to technical advances and consumer demand, cosmetic dentistry has come a long way. “It’s extraordinary what cosmetic dentists can do these days,” said Dr. Lorin Berland of the Dallas Dental Spa. “Early cosmetic dentistry consisted of unnatural porcelain crowns with metal rings around the gum, ‘tin-can’ braces, and in the extreme, removing ugly teeth and replacing them with dentures.” Now there are better whitening techniques, implants, veneers, porcelain crowns, clear braces and more. The demand for skilled cosmetic dental professionals is growing constantly – and not just for dentists, but also for their vital assistants and laboratory technicians. “Cosmetic dentistry has really become the standard for dentists who would consider themselves true artisans in their trade, and have the case photos to prove it,” said marketing professional Zach Hoffman of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. In March 2007, he helped launch the American Cosmetic Dental Association with his father, Dr. Howard J. Hoffman, a general and cosmetic dentist.
ACE™ Dental Blog: Cosmetic dentistry is now the standard