Blog – Page 12 – Charlotte Dentist | Cosmetic, Laser, Family Dentistry

Why Does a Tooth with a Small Filling Need a Crown?

Patients often wonder about why we recommend expensive treatments for teeth that don't seem like they "need" it. Today was an excellent example of why our recommended treatment may change while we are working on a tooth, as well as why we say you need a crown when nothing really seems wrong. Lastly, it is one of the most powerful reasons why I use digital photography to document and educate patients, because when you can see for yourself, it's a lot easier to understand. A Tooth with a Small Filling Suddenly Needs a Crown? Take a look at this tooth please, and what do you see? Probably just a small tooth-colored filling with some suspicious-looking grey areas on the sides, right? (click on it for a larger view). From the x-ray, I knew the greyish area on the left side was from a cavity. It didn't look all that big, though, so I recommended a new tooth-colored (composite resin) filling - really not that big a deal. Cracked Teeth Usually Need a Crown Once I took the old filling out, indeed we found some decay on that side of the tooth, but what worried me most is what you can clearly see in the picture - a crack running from one side to the other across the base of the tooth. It is stained blue because of a dye we use to see the extent of a cavity or crack clearly - much easier to see for the patient. The patient told me she had not had any pain when biting, which is good, but kind of surprising. These upper teeth (premolars, which are behind the eye-teeth and in front of the molars) are the [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:35:39-04:00 February 15th, 2011|Cracked tooth|0 Comments

Bad Breath – Causes and Cures

One of the most common questions we get when people come for their dental check-ups and cleanings is, "I seem to be having bad breath a lot recently; how come?" Alternately, they may ask if there are any products we recommend to help get rid of bad breath. Remarkably, there is little good information available on why people have bad breath, and almost just as little information on what to do about it. So here are my Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) on the Causes of, and Treatments for, Bad Breath. Causes of Halitosis, aka Bad Breath Acid Reflux - this is IMO one of the MOST COMMON, but MOST UNDIAGNOSED causes of bad breath. Just think of how awful your mouth feels and tastes after throwing up? Well, chronic acid reflux, or GERD, is basically the equivalent of throwing up a little bit on a regular basis. If it happens at night, when your saliva levels are lower anyway, and it just sits in your mouth, it suddenly becomes obvious how reflux/heartburn leads to bad breath. Your Diet - do you eat a lot of onions, garlic or strong spices? These are some of the most common dietary causes. Gum Disease - the most common one of all, naturally. If you have a serious, chronic bacterial infection in your mouth, then of course your breath will stink. Dentists and hygienists are often amazed at how many people function in society with breath that can be smelled the moment someone walks in the door. Poor Brushing & Flossing Habits - even if you haven't developed real periodontal disease, even bad gingivitis can be a real issue. Brushing does a good job of getting plaque off the [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:35:41-04:00 February 12th, 2011|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Snow Day in Charlotte!

If you are a patient of Dr. Charles Payet, in Charlotte NC, and you're already up and have looked out the window, please rest assured that there will be no fees charged if you don't make your appointment due to snow today. LOL :lol: Obviously......we are closed. My recommendation is to stay home, stay warm, and stay safe. We'll be in touch soon to reschedule. Sincerely, Dr. Payet

By Charles Payet| 2015-07-28T09:16:22-04:00 January 10th, 2011|ANNOUNCEMENTS|0 Comments

What does Heartburn have to do with Teeth?

It's not uncommon for me to ask a new patient at our Charlotte dental office, "Do you have any issues with acid reflux/heartburn?" It's also not uncommon for that new patient to ask in response, "Why do you ask?" The answer is simple and easy to understand once you think about it, but most people never stop to think about it, so here's why I ask. Compare the Acidity of Popular Sodas & Sports Drinks with Stomach Acid Take a look at the graph below (click on it to see a larger version), provided courtesy of GC America, maker of MI Paste & MI Paste Plus for remineralizing teeth, and look how far down the list stomach acid is. Right above battery acid! Now.......just imagine what happens if a little bit of that stomach acid gets back into your mouth. Hmmmmm???? After all, everyone knows that sodas are bad for your teeth, but stomach acid is even worse. Whether it is from heartburn, regular vomiting, bulimia, it doesn't matter, the acidity will literally eat away the enamel of your teeth by "sucking" the minerals out. Heartburn & Pregnancy I can't begin to count the number of women who have told me, "I had perfect teeth until after my second baby!" After viewing the chart, that statement actually starts to make sense, doesn't it? After all, babies put a lot of pressure on the stomach, hormones create morning sickness, and what you end up with is an extended period of time when the teeth are being frequently exposed to stomach acid. For many women, multiple pregnancies really do make it worse, and it is not uncommon to see a sudden increase in cavities during or shortly [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:35:43-04:00 January 6th, 2011|Broken tooth, Bulimia|0 Comments

Dr. Oz & Teeth Whitening — DO NOT LISTEN!

Arrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhh! I wish Dr. Oz would stick to what he knows, which is NOT how to whiten your teeth! OK, how many of you watched his show in early December 2010, when he talked about "Dr. Oz's secret remedy for whitening your teeth?" Probably a lot of you, as his show is extremely popular. Do you remember what he recommended using? Right........Baking soda & lemon juice. :-x Do NOT Whiten Your Teeth with Lemon Juice & Baking Soda! Yeah sure, he did mention you should not leave it on there for long, and to gently brush afterwards, but PLEASE.....JUST SAY NO! I apologize for "shouting" in all caps and so much bold text here, but this really is important. Why? For these 2 reasons: Baking soda is highly abrasive to enamel . The toothpastes that contain it usually also contain some kind of buffer that decrease its direct action on teeth. If you have already worn through your enamel by grinding/clenching your teeth, the baking soda will wear through the next layer of tooth structure, called "dentin" even faster. Lemon juice is extremely acidic. As in, worse than Coke. When you combine abrasiveness with acidity, you easily double the power of each, and you can do real damage to your teeth. Professional teeth whitening gels, on the other hand, have actually been made with a carbamide peroxide, which will whiten the teeth, but which also breaks down quickly in saliva, and which does not change tooth structure except at extremely microscopic levels. Nor does it change the acidity levels in your mouth; the more acidic your mouth, the more cavity-causing bacteria flourish. So PLEASE -- if you want to know about whitening your teeth, ask [...]

By Charles Payet| 2013-11-07T08:35:18-05:00 January 4th, 2011|ANNOUNCEMENTS|0 Comments

Do You Need a Dental Root Canal?

Of all dental procedures, a root canal is probably one more dreaded by patients than any other, because practically everyone has heard some nightmare story about them. Remarkably, though, with proper diagnosis and management, the need for root canals can largely be avoided, and in cases where they are needed, they are virtually never painful, either during or after the procedure! There is so much misinformation out there, though, that it seems appropriate to provide some answers to those Frequently Asked Questions about Dental Toothaches & Root Canals: What is a Root Canal, and Why Might You Need One? There are several possible reasons you might need a root canal, including: A large cavity that reaches the nerve, resulting in pulpal infection Part of the tooth breaks due to trauma The tooth cracks due to grinding or clenching your teeth Tooth resorption Essentially, what happens during a root canal is that we remove the infected, painful nerve tissue from inside the tooth, clean the area with several disinfecting solutions, which also help remove debris, then seal the inside of the roots with a cement and a special form of rubber called gutta percha. There are several variations on the technique and sealers, but they all do the same basic thing. Does a Root Canal Hurt? In the large majority of cases, once the tooth is numbed, the answer is NO, you should NOT experience pain during the procedure. If you do, please signal your dentist that you are still feeling the procedure. Sometimes, a tooth is so badly infected that your face may swell up. In these cases, the infection is severe enough that it will decrease the numbing's effectiveness, and you may just need [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:35:46-04:00 December 13th, 2010|Broken tooth, Bruxism & Parafunction, Cavities|0 Comments

My Tooth is All Cracked Up!

The Value of a Nightguard to Protect Teeth It's been quite some time since I talked about how important a nightguard can be to protect teeth and decrease the risk of major problems that can cost a lot to fix. Personally, I think it's a little on the ironic side when someone tells me, "Doc, I can't afford the $200 for a nightguard." because I know that they will end up paying me a lot more than that when teeth break and crack. Here's yet another example of why you should get a nightguard if you grind/clench your teeth: If you are concerned about your teeth cracking and would like to protect them with a nightguard, or to find out if any of your teeth may be in this condition, or even just to find out if you do grind/clench your teeth (and no, just because your partner doesn't hear you does NOT mean anything, trust me!), please call 704-364-7069 or Request an Appointment Online. This is a great time of year to get something done and to take advantage of any remaining dental insurance benefits before you lose them on 12/31.

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:35:48-04:00 December 6th, 2010|Bruxism & Parafunction, Cracked tooth, TMJ Problems, Migraines and Headache Relief|0 Comments

Drug for Osteoporosis May Help Treat Gum Disease

It's fascinating to see the kinds of studies that are being done by different universities and drug companies, because sometimes you get a rather unexpected result. In this case, researchers at the University of Michigan found that a drug made by Eli Lily, Forteo (generic name teriparatide) seems to actually help regenerate bone in jaws that was lost due to gum disease. The really cool thing is that the regenerative effect seems to continue for some time after the patient even stops taking the drug. What a wonderful additional tool this would be in our efforts to reverse bone loss and save teeth! Now, one should not take the message away that you would not need to keep seeing your dentist regularly and have the appropriate dental treatments for periodontitis, but if you're making the effort to brush and floss regularly, use antibiotic mouthwashes, and get either Scaling/Root Planing (aka "Deep Cleaning") or LANAP (aka Laser Periodontal TherapyTM), then adding yet another treatment would be even more beneficial. Read on for more details: Osteoporosis drug heals bone wounds in gum disease patients 20. October 2010 03:05 A drug marketed to grow bone in osteoporosis patients also works to heal bone wounds in gum disease patients, a University of Michigan study suggests. "This new approach for the treatment of periodontal disease could allow us to rebuild some of the bone that is lost due to periodontal disease, which until this point has been very difficult to achieve," said Jill Bashutski, clinical assistant professor at the U-M School of Dentistry and first author on the study. "Current treatments to re-grow bone around teeth affected with gum disease have limited success rates." The findings are significant because gum [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:42:49-04:00 November 13th, 2010|ANNOUNCEMENTS, Gingivitis, LANAP - Laser Surgery for Gum Disease|0 Comments

Six-Month Dental Braces Move Teeth Fast

Which is "Better:" Six Month Braces or Invisalign? Among adults, when they are considering having braces done to straighten their teeth, one of the first options that always comes to mind is InvisalignTM, because what adults usually want is for no one to actually know that they have braces! With adult orthodontics becoming more popular and mainstream, largely thanks to marketing by Invisalign, it's not quite as critical as it used to be that the braces be invisible, but it's still preferable. The other thing that adults want with their braces, is that they do NOT want to have them on for 2-3 years. In fact, most of the Six Month Braces Patients that we see have had 1 or more consultations with an orthodontist already, and they just refused to be in braces that long. Why I believe Six Month Braces is the better option for adults: Now, let's keep in mind that short-term orthodontic treatment is not something new; in fact, the concepts have been around for decades. It's just recently, though, that more classes have become available for general/family dentists, so you're hearing more about it. Most just never learn about it from their orthodontists! But for adults, Six Month Braces is IMO the "best" option for adults who want straight teeth. Why? It's simple: Six Month Braces is usually at least $1,000 less expensive than Invisalign; Six Month Braces is able to handle more difficult situations than Invisalign; and Six Month Braces works faster than Invisalign because the dentist has greater direct control, and besides, you can only move teeth that are set in bone so far with rigid clear trays; Six Month Braces may not be quite as invisible as Invisalign, [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:42:51-04:00 November 11th, 2010|Cosmetic dentistry, Invisalign, Six-Month Braces|0 Comments

Another Fabulous LANAP Experience

Can Gum Surgery Work and Actually Be Comfortable? Well, to answer that question, let me tell you about a recent patient who found us online through my website devoted to LANAP, aka Laser Periodontal TherapyTM, which is www.LaserDentistCharlotte.com. Remarkably, he drove over 4 hours to see us from just north of Myrtle Beach, SC because he couldn't find anyone else near him (there are a few, but not that many) to provide this incredible treatment. When he came in, he related that his last dentist wanted to pull anywhere from 8-12 teeth that were thought to be hopelessly loose due to his really severe periodontal (gum) disease, but his genuine hope was that he would not need to lose any more teeth than he already had lost, which is why he was willing to drive so far. His consult was late morning on a Tuesday, and we determined that he was indeed a very good candidate for LANAP, and I was confident that we will not need to take out ANY teeth for many years to come with LANAP. Due to the length of his drive, we were able to rearrange our afternoon schedule to do the entire treatment that day (for which he and I are very grateful to our understanding patients). His treatment included the following: The Steps In LANAP Laser Gum Surgery Molds of his teeth to have our lab make nightguards for both top and bottom teeth, which will prevent his tooth-grinding from putting undue pressure on his teeth at night, and Splinting of his teeth: this means that we used bonding to "connect" all his top teeth together and then all his bottom teeth together, so no 1 tooth would [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:42:53-04:00 November 9th, 2010|LANAP - Laser Surgery for Gum Disease, Laser Dentistry, Periodontal (Gum) Disease|0 Comments