San Antonio Periodontist and Dental Implants

Questions about Water Fluoridation

Dr. Benjamin Young — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:20:29 +0000

Both sides of water fluoridation are passionate. One side believes it to be one of the ten most important public health advances of the 20th century. http://1.usa.gov/xM8jsl This group includes organized dentistry, politicians, and public officials.

On the other side are a few concerned scientists who somehow have the courage or the protection from political fall-out to take a minority position in a public health matter. In addition to these scientists there is also a large group of people who tend to not trust authority of any kind. They, in fact, make it more difficult for people on the opposing side to want to ever change, because they don’t want to be identified with these anti-everything groups.

For a good summary of the argument opposing public water fluoridation I recommend you read “50 Reasons to Oppose Fluoride.” http://bit.ly/yquYHE The sections I quote below are from this article.…
Continue Reading

How Can Patients Promote Dental Health?

Dr. Benjamin Young — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:56:57 +0000

In this age of social media, people have the opportunity of helping others live better lives. On the other hand, much “promotion” is simply a form of nagging. How can we encourage our families and friends in ways that are most effective?

What You Might Do

1. Lead by example. Tell your friends when you are doing something good for your own health. Here are some ideas to stimulate your thinking.

• “I just figured out a better way to floss. It’s not that hard after all.”
• “Just had my 6 month dental cleaning and learned that too much toothpaste can wear away the enamel.”

2. Promote dentists you like. Sincere and specific comments about experiences in dental offices are more than appreciated. They are influential and motivational.…
Continue Reading

To Fill or Not to Fill?

Dr. Benjamin Young — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:12:48 +0000

Here is an interesting article that recently came out in the health section of the New York Times. When a patient remains in the same dental practice for many years, it makes it possible for his or her dentist to take a more conservative approach to the management early decay.

http://nyti.ms/vqwiZQ

Should You Change Dentists When Your Insurance Changes?

Dr. Benjamin Young — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:32:54 +0000

If you have a dentist you like and your employer’s dental insurance policy changes I recommend you do the following:

Most Important: Avoid any insurance, no matter how cheap it is, that forces you to see only dentists on its list. That’s right. If the insurance essentially forces you to see a specific dentist or group of dentists, walk away (and complain to your employer).
Most reasonable dental insurance allows you to have treatment “out of network.” This means you can still see your dentist and the insurance will still pay for your care. Obviously there may be a difference to reimbursement. You should look at the hard numbers before determining that it is not actually more cost effective sticking with the dentist who knows you the best.

Dr. Young on San Antonio Living

Daniel Holman — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 19:04:44 +0000

Dr. Young was on San Antonio Living this week talking with Shelly Miles about periodontal disease and how to prevent it. Watch it and let us know what you think! If you think you may be developing periodontal disease, please sign up for a free consultation.…
Continue Reading

Floss or Die (Well, maybe not)

Dr. Benjamin Young — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:06:47 +0000

There is now a line of evidence suggesting that oral bacteria – should they find their way into the blood stream – may result in someone having a stroke. http://abcn.ws/sc6Bcs

We do know that bacteria that live normally in the mouth often can be sampled in the blood stream. We also know that dental infections, should they not be treated early, can lead to terrible problems including death should bacteria cause a blood stream infection known as a “septicemia.” http://wapo.st/vRcX4n

But what really are the chances that chronic gingivitis, periodontal disease or infections as a result of decaying teeth will be the primary factor for someone having a stroke? Nobody knows. We also don’t know if there is a threshold number of bacteria that puts someone at greater risk for stroke.…
Continue Reading

Dental Implants or Fixed Bridge?

Dr. Benjamin Young — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:43:39 +0000

Which is the better way to replace a missing tooth, dental implant or fixed bridge?

The Fixed Bridge

Fixed bridges (also called Fixed Partial Dentures) have been around for decades. They involve the removal of enamel along with an outer layer of dentin from the teeth on either side of the missing tooth. Crowns are then made to fit over the prepared teeth that are fused together usually using a metal substructure. In this way a false tooth can fill the missing-tooth space.

Benefits of the Fixed Bridge

Treatment time from start to finish is usually shorter compared with the dental implant.
No surgery is usually involved.
Cost for this restoration is usually slightly less compared with the dental implant/crown. (If root canals are indicated, however, this may not be the case).

Battling Bad Science

Dr. Benjamin Young — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:29:14 +0000

Good science is hard to do. When done well society trusts and uses it for the good of many.

Then others come along and misuse science and the credibility it has earned in order to trick people into buying things.

This is more than annoying because sometimes it results in people trusting their very lives to flawed drugs and procedures.

This video is excellent in explaining the problem. Note that the first way people trick others in science is by the use of credentials. Remember, it doesn’t matter how many letters behind anyone’s name, science stands or falls on experimental results.…
Continue Reading

Dentist Celebrates Octogenarians with 20 or more Teeth

Dr. Benjamin Young — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:18:14 +0000

Periodically I try to get away from topics about teeth, periodontal disease, dental implants and instead just look into the news and see what’s happening in the world of dentistry. Scrolling down Google News past the indictments of dentists and the tragic stories of dentists involved in fatal traffic accidents, I ran across this one.

It’s about a dentist who celebrates with octogenarians who have twenty or more of their natural teeth by putting on a banquet for them at his local country club. May his tribe increase!

http://bit.ly/nmD1Ql

People who retain strong teeth into their 80′s and beyond have a much better chance at a longer and healthier life simply because they are able to eat better than those who use dentures. The chewing effectiveness of dentures has been measured to be between 10 to 15% that of natural teeth.

Why Lasers Aren’t Always the Answer in Periodontal Treatment

Dr. Benjamin Young — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:03:16 +0000

Once in a while we get a call from someone asking if I “do lasers.” Here’s my short answer: Not currently, and here is why…

People are using the laser as a marketing element implying that it is better and more painless compared with periodontal surgery. This, to me, is a straw-man argument. Pitting the laser against surgery is like comparing a shovel to planting a tree. Both have to do with gardening but the first is a tool and the latter is a procedure (planting).

Does a laser improve periodontal surgery? It might make a particular step within a surgery easier to accomplish but once the area has healed no one has yet been able to identify the healed result as having involved the use of a laser or not.