General Dental
0bstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a breathing condition that affects most American adults, men and women over age 60, but we frequently see sufferers in their 20s and 30s! Up to 1 out of 3 people over age 70. The biggest concern with OSA is that you may stop breathing in your sleep and die, …
Oral Systemic Connection
There is new research coming out every month that confirms that if your mouth is not healthy, your body is not healthy. Most people have somewhere between 600 and 700 different types of micro-organisms in their mouth. These bacteria form a film on the surface of your teeth and gums, called a biofilm. The organisms …
Ozone
Ozone is a naturally occurring form of oxygen gas. It is common in the air after a lightening storm. Ozone is a very powerful anti-microbial and has proven to be effective in killing every type of germ that it has been tested with. It is commonly used to sterilize surgical equipment in countries where there …
Laser Dentistry
Lasers are an exciting addition to dental care. Many dentists use lasers to treat gum disease or to remove or re-shape tissue, like for a biopsy. Laser soft tissue procedures are more comfortable and heal more quickly. In 2011, we became one of the first dental offices in Montana to use a laser for fillings …
The Latest Concepts in Diagnosis and Dental Treatment for Sleep Apnea
The big news in treating Sleep Apnea is that home sleep studies are now the accepted way to screen sleep disturbances, and dental offices can now bill your medical insurance for coverage. Sleep Center exams are still needed to accurately diagnose the many other sleep disturbances, but we now can screen with a home sleep …
Confirmed Link Between Gum Disease and Heart Disease
An article in a recent issue of the journal Infection and Immunity confirms the link between gum disease and heart disease. This study looked at the effect of a dental bacteria that is found embedded in arterial plaques, the areas of buildup that clog arteries and lead to heart attack, stroke and death. In the …
Filling Materials
Dentists have been searching for the best filling material for hundreds of years. In the mid-1800s, dentists started using a mixture of silver, tin, mercury and other metals. They called it amalgam, meaning a mixture of metals. The material was soft when mixed together, but then got hard over time. Amalgam allowed the dentist to …
Latest News On Oral Cancer
The understanding of what causes cancer has changed. We know that some cancers are genetic, while others are caused by exposure to radiation or certain chemicals. In the last few years, we have learned that some viruses attack normal cells to turn them into cancer cells. Until recently, the most common types of oral cancer …