Preserving Tooth Structure In The Long-Run

Posted on May 10, 2011 by DrSaylor

     This patient came into our office with a common dental problem – a composite resin on a front tooth has chipped numerous times. This happens for many reasons, but most often because the patient’s type of bite was not considered when the restoration was placed. This particular patient has few posterior teeth, so the vast majority of masticatory forces (biting pressures) are placed on the front teeth. This means that any restorative material utilized in this area of the mouth has to be extremely durable or these intense forces can cause the restoration to break down, as in this instance.

     Dr. Saylor evaluated the case and offered the patient 3 viable solutions to her problem:
1. Simply replace with another composite resin, which would be immediate and least expensive, but the risk is great of this chipping again and taking with it a lot of the natural tooth structure.
2. Place full crowns on the 2 front teeth. The crown material would be able to withstand the biting forces, but wouldn’t look the most natural and the teeth would have to be prepared more aggressively.
3. Place veneers on the central incisors. A veneer would be able to withstand the masticatory pressure, look the most natural, and allow us to minimally prepare these teeth, conserving the most natural tooth structure.   
Dr. Saylor and the patient decided that Option 3 – Veneers, would be the best way to restore her front teeth. The patient felt strongly this was the best treatment plan for her smile in the long-run.
Click on thumbnails  below to see full photos and descriptions!

This last photo was added after the patient’s cementation appointment. This patient was ecstatic to have her front teeth back and better than ever!

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Closing A Space Between Teeth

Posted on May 9, 2011 by DrSaylor

The photos above illustrate what a difference a little tooth-colored  composite resin material can do to improve the appearance of these teeth.  A space in the front teeth has varying professional opinions on appearance and is a personal preference left for the patient to decide which action, if any, they would like to take. Diastemas can be hereditary or can form because of a malocclusion, which means the teeth are not fitting together the way they should be. If you have diastemas that have formed over the last few years, you should consult a dentist to determine whether or not you have a healthy bite.  An unbalanced bite can lead to problems in the jaw joint and muscles if not addressed. Generally speaking, and in this patient’s case, diastemas are merely a matter of looks and personal style.  

  :) Keep Smiling :)

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Restoring A Broken Front Tooth

Posted on May 4, 2011 by DrSaylor
Broken Incisor 1

This gallery contains 4 photos.

Click on the photos at left for a synopsis of a composite resin restorative procedure for a central incisor. This is a relatively common procedure, as front teeth are traumatized rather easily. So how do we prevent these kinds of traumatic … Continue reading →

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Minimal Dental Work Yields Maximum Results

Posted on May 4, 2011 by DrSaylor

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Refreshing A Smile With Minimal Preparation

Posted on May 4, 2011 by DrSaylor

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The Truth About Amalgam (Abridged Version)

Posted on April 29, 2011 by DrSaylor

Dr. Saylor, along with many other of today’s leading dentists, is convinced that the mercury alloy, amalgam, is very toxic and does not belong in your mouth. Silver fillings are 50% mercury and this toxin is released when chewing, grinding the teeth, brushing, etc. Any stimulation that heats amalgam releases mercury vapor.  This vapor is tasteless and odorless, so a person has no idea that they are constantly ingesting this toxin.  One of the scariest characteristics of mercury is that it can be ingested orally, inhaled, or absorbed through soft tissues. 80% of inhaled mercury is absorbed, passing quickly from the lungs to the bloodstream and circulating throughout the entire body. Amalgam has been commonly utilized for many years as a dental restorative material with ignorance to its ill effects on our bodies. Better materials have been developed, especially over the last decade, and amalgam fillings are no longer the top choice in dentistry. Now, most providers are leaning towards an amalgam-free practice and primarily utilizing composite resin, a non-metallic, tooth-colored filling material.

Millions of people have silver fillings in their mouths and are under the impression they have “never had any problems” or side effects from these restorations. Increasingly, dentists and patients alike are realizing that symptoms like the ones listed below could be attributed to long-term mercury exposure from amalgam fillings: 

- Anxiety — Confusion — Depression — Lack of Concentration -

- Memory Loss — Slurred Speech — Lethargy -

Mercury is an extraordinarily powerful and cumulative poison that can deplete the body of essential antioxidants, rapidly diminishing a person’s health. Diseases related to chronic mercury poisoning include:

- ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis a.k.a. Lou Gehrig”s Disease) -

- Alzheimer’s Disease — Autism — Chronic Fatigue Syndrome -

- Dementia — Lupus — MS (Multiple Sclerosis) — Parkinson’s Disease -

- Thyroid Disease -

The best way to prevent or combat mercury exposure is to have your amalgam restorations removed and upgraded to a composite resin material. Removal of the filling generates heat, releasing mercury vapor and other alloy dusts into the oral cavity and ambient air supply, so extreme precautions  in the dental office must be taken when amalgam restorations are removed. 

Protection from mercury exposure is important for everyone, but is especially essential for:

  • Pregnant or nursing mothers                                                                                           
  • Patients who know, or suspect, that they are sensitive to mercury                               
  •  Anyone who has experienced an adverse effect after having amalgams placed or removed                                                                                                                
  • Anyone with serious immune system disorders, multiple allergies, or serious health problems

The possible mercury exposure is but one of the many reasons to have your amalgam restorations replaced. For more information on how Dr. Saylor safely removes amalgam restorations, see the neighboring blog article titled, “Safe Amalgam Removal”, or reply to this blog post.  :)  

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Bulky Dental Veneers and Bite Problems

Posted on April 29, 2011 by DrSaylor

Wear on front teeth is a common problem that is seen every day in dental offices.  As you can see from these photos, this can range from moderate (photo above) to quite severe (see photo below).  The patient in the first photo has wear on her lower front teeth which was caused by veneers on her upper front teeth that were too bulky.  As the teeth wear down, the bite or occlusion becomes more and more closed, which leads to more wear and shorter teeth.

wear on front teeth

This problem is exacerbated by the fact that the layer below the enamel (dentin)wears 7 times faster than the enamel…which is the hardest substance in the body. If left untreated, the problem becomes more severe and significantly costly to correct. (as in the second photo). To prevent this effect, the patients’ type of natural bite has to be considered when choosing a material and shape of crowns, bridges, and veneers placed in the mouth.

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Cigarette Smoking and Your Teeth

Posted on April 29, 2011 by DrSaylor

Continuing on with some bad habits you should break as soon as possible - first on our list:

Smoking Tobacco!!

Here are a few facts you may or may not know about smoking:

  • Smokers are 6 times more likely to have gum disease. Gums loosen and recede from teeth allowing teeth to fall out.
  • Smoking causes bad breath, stained teeth and tongue, and tooth decay.
  • Cigarette smoking can cause oral and other cancers and ultimately lead to death.

No one will argue with you that smoking cigarettes is an extremely difficult habit to break. Fortunately, there are a lot of options when you finally make that decision to quit. Hypnosis, the patch, electronic cigarettes – or just plain cold turkey. The most important thing is that YOU want to quit. And I know you can do it.

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Restoring a Smile with EMPRESS Veneers

Posted on April 29, 2011 by DrSaylor

     Like so many others, this man was not happy with his smile. After a consultation with Dr. Saylor, this patient agreed to accomplish Empress veneers on the ten upper front teeth.    

 We were able to create a more uniform and masculine smile by bonding veneers on 10 upper teeth with EMPRESS veneers.  The key to the success of this case was to first create a “trial smile”  in conventional temporary crown/bridge material. The shape and arrangement of the teeth were based on the diagnostic wax-up provided by the dental laboratory who will be fabricating the permanent veneers This trial smile gave the patient and Dr. Saylor a chance to see what the end result would look like in the patient’s mouth, rather than on a stone model. This technique also allows for adjustments before the permanent crowns are fabricated.      We think the final result is beautiful! The Empress material is great for allowing light to pass through, giving the illusion of natural translucent tooth enamel. The material out of which dental prostheses are fabricated has a  huge impact on the final result. We accomplished a major cosmetic overhaul with no orthodontics and minimal tooth preparation. This patient is now confident enough to flash a smile at anyone!

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Dr. Saylor – Dental Instructor at the Scottsdale Center

Posted on April 29, 2011 by DrSaylor

Dr. Saylor has recently returned from instructing at a continuing education course at the Spear Institute at the Scottsdale Center for Dentistry  in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

He was the mentor dental instructor for two dentists.  One Doctor’s focus was on posterior teeth (back teeth)  while the other focused on eight cosmetic veneers.  Each Dr. brought a patient from their practice along with their assistant to learn new techniques in restorative and cosmetic dentistry. 

The Scottsdale Center is the “Harvard” of dental continuing education institutes in the United States.  Dentists who are committed to offering the very best in dentistry  attend this world class Institution. Dr. Saylor feels very fortunate to have been invited to be a mentor instructor with this group of exceptional dentists. In fact, he has found the biggest benefit to his patients, is in what he learns while mentoring other dentists. 

Dental materials and cosmetic dentistry procedures are constantly changing and improving. For example, one of the new products which has shown remarkable promise is an all porcelain material used for crowns and inlays/onlays called E-max.  E-max by Ivoclar provides a very strong and natural restoration. Be sure to ask your dentist if you are a candidate for an E-Max restoration.

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