Dental Insurance Isn't Insurance

We hear many people say that they didn't visit the dentist for a long time because they didn't have insurance. We would like to discuss this point and shed some much needed light on the subject.

It's a sorry fact, but approximately 50% of the population doesn't visit a dentist regularly. Many of these people ascribe to the belief that they need dental insurance in order to afford dentistry. Well, the first point is that dental "insurance" actually is not insurance, but a benefit. Most plans are extremely limited and the benefit is around $1,000 per year. Even with a better plan that gives a higher benefit, if you have major dental problems, the dental benefit makes a small dent. So, if you had major dental problems, then you would have to cover most of the cost of dental services even with the help of a dental benefit.

Once you've established a baseline of health, it's questionable whether or not having the dental benefit is worth the premiums paid for it. We know what preventive and health maintenance services our patients need each year and we can calculate the fees for the year so our patients can budget for their checkups, cleanings, and necessary x-rays. When the calculations are complete, the services cost the same or less than most premiums for dental plans.

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Important Facts About Baby Teeth

The tooth buds actually start forming as early as six weeks in utero. When an expectant mother eats a well-rounded diet and takes prenatal vitamins during pregnancy to help her baby’s body grow healthy and strong, she is doing the same for her baby’s future smile. 

After a baby is born his tooth buds are busy developing into teeth, which gradually emerge through the jaw and eventually to the gum’s surface.

Having teeth changes your little one’s interaction with the environment.  Suddenly, you’ve possibly got a biter on your hands- and soon after that, a chewer.

So when will the first tooth make its debut? The event could happen about 6 months, however, it varies from child to child. It’s not something to be concerned about if your child is several months older and hasn’t gotten their first tooth. How many people do you know who never got any teeth?

As that initial baby tooth gets close to coming in, the gum above it might become swollen and start to tighten and get whitish. Perhaps a day or even weeks later, the first tooth will appear. Its roots will keep growing for another entire year, and 19 more teeth will complete the same process at their own pace until your child has a mouthful of them.

You’ll probably first see a front bottom tooth (central incisor). The symmetry of primary teeth is what’s most important – they should come in in pairs, one after the other. Just keep a lookout for its mate on the opposite side of the mouth. It should show up within a few months.

The four front top and bottom teeth are generally followed by the first molars at about 12 months, leaving gaps in the middle of the gum lines. These will eventually be filled by the pointy canine teeth.  Finally, you’ll see the second molars (called the 2-year molars) in the back. Usually all the baby teeth are in by 3 years of age.

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How Are Lasers Used To Treat Gum Disease?

If you have gum disease you are not alone. It is estimated that over 80 percent of the adult population has gum disease to one degree or another.  Gum disease (periodontal disease) leads to destruction of the fibers that connect teeth to bone and can create a space that is called a periodontal pocket. You can keep 3mm or less pockets clean by yourself with routine brushing and flossing, but if you have pockets deeper than 3mm, it is impossible for you to clean and maintain them. As a result you have debris and bacteria living at the bottom of these pockets which leads to chronic gum infection. You may have noticed a bad taste or odor in your mouth at times from the gum disease.

Dr Vincent Tavormina may recommend a conservative non surgical treatment. First scaling and root planing removes the mechanical irritants to your gums and supporting bone and also removes a major part of the periodontal bacteria. After removing the tartar a laser is used to selectively remove diseased or infected tissues lining the pockets around the teeth. At the same time the laser will kill the bacteria that cause your gum disease and promote healing of your gums around your teeth. The FDA has approved the use of lasers for many dental procedures including the one just described.

Lasers are used because of the precise control they afford and the comfort they provide to the patient.  Lasers perform many functions at once. Not only can a laser remove tissue, but it can also be used to seal blood vessels and nerve endings, reducing bleeding and postoperative pain and swelling. One of the biggest advantages of laser therapy is the fact that many times procedures can be performed with much less discomfort and postoperative pain than with conventional methods.

For information about other dental topics visit DrTav.com