Why take dental x-rays?

X-rays are a very important part of a dental examination. Tooth decay usually presents very few physical signs during its early stages. Finding and treating dental problems at an early stage can save teeth, time, money, and unnecessary discomfort. If you have a serious hidden tumor, early diagnostic x-rays could even help save your life.

Usually, at your first visit at our office, we recommend that you have a full set of x-rays (20 x-rays) and a complete examination performed. This allows us to get a complete picture of your dental health. This enables us to prioritize any problems that you have and discuss all options with you.

In our office, we take precautions to ensure that dental x-rays are safe for our patients. We use a lead apron with a thyroid shield to protect you, and we use a fast speed film that reduces the exposure time to a minimum. You receive less radiation from a full set of x-rays than you do flying across the country in an airplane!

What is baby bottle tooth decay?

Baby bottle tooth decay is a condition that can destroy a child's teeth. It is caused when the childs teeth are frequently exposed to sugary liquids for long periods of time. Among these are milk, including breast milk, formula, fruit juice, and other sweetened liquids.

You can help prevent baby bottle tooth decay by watching what you give your baby between regular feedings. A nursing bottle should not be used as a pacifier or as an aid to help your baby sleep, unless it contains plain water.

After each feeding, wipe your baby's teeth and gums with a clean damp washcloth or gauze pad. Begin brushing your baby's teeth as soon as the first tooth appears. Use a toothpaste that is made especially for babies. Most adult toothpaste contains fluoride, which can be toxic to a baby. Be sure that you continue to clean and massage your baby's gums in all other areas that remain toothless.

What is Infection Control?

Many people experience unnecessary anxiety about visiting the dentist. In recent years, the remote possibility of being exposed to AIDS or other infections in the dental office has heightened that anxiety. Here, at Dr. Haney's office, we practice Universal Precautions. This means that with every patient we wear gloves and masks. After each patient, we sterilize all non-disposable equipment, and we clean and disinfect the examination room. Your health is our number one concern.

What is Water Line Quality Control

Recent studies have been conducted that demonstrate certain dental units are delivering water with contamination levels far greater than 200 CFU/ml (colony forming units), the maximum acceptable level suggested by ADA guidelines. A few of the listed contaminates are Legionella, Pseudomonas, and Mycobacterium species. These findings indicate that dental units operating on municipal water systems should be considered contaminated. The suggested remedy to this problem is using a closed water source that is fed by steam distilled water and emptied and dried at the end of every day. This should also be followed by weekly disinfection with a diluted sodium hypochlorite solution, and regular testing of bacterial count. Our office takes pride in instilling this practice to ensure a high standard of infection control.


What can I do to whiten my teeth?

Teeth darken naturally as we age. Over time, exposure to coffee, tea, soda, tobacco, and some foods cause staining. Discoloration can also occur because of certain childhood illnesses, medications, and physical trauma. There are several bleaching techniques. Only a dentist can evaluate which technique would work best for you.

The type of bleaching that you are probably most familiar with is the take home tooth whitening system. We make molds of your mouth in order to custom make bleaching trays that will exactly fit your teeth. We provide you with a whitening solution that contains between 10% and 20% carbamide peroxide.You would insert the solution into the custom trays and wear the trays for two hours. Within a few days, there would be a noticeable difference in the color of your teeth. You would continue to use the tooth whitening system for 10-14 days. You will be amazed at the difference!

There are tooth whitening systems that you can buy over the counter at your local pharmacy. However, the active ingredient that these systems usually contain is only 3% carbamide peroxide. Therefore, you do not see the same results with the over the counter systems. One major concern for us with patients who use the over the counter system is that the bleaching trays that come with the systems are not custom made for each person. This means that the carbamide peroxide comes in contact with with your gums and your lips. This can cause future dental problems (including gum disease and rapid cancer growth).

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