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Botox and Dermal Fillers in Dentistry
Feb/21/2012
Dr. Dolin recently returned from Cleveland, Ohio after attending an intense hands on course for training and administration of Botox and dermal fillers. The course was presented by the American Academy of Facial Esthetics. Botox and dermal fillers ,such as Juvederm, are becomming increasing popular in the world of dentistry. These products have important implications for both cosmetic and therapeutic reasons.
What is Botox?
Botox is a completely sterile protein that acts by temporarily decreasing the contraction force of targeted muscles. Botox binds to the nerve endings and inhibits muscle contraction. Botox softens and smooths dynamic wrinkles of the face. Examples include the forehead wrinkles from a look of surprise, the brow wrinkles from a look of anger, and the crows feet around the eyes from a smile. In addition to cosmetic uses, Botox has also been indicated for therapeutic uses. By decreasing the contraction force of the chewing muscles, Botox can lessen the amount of grinding overnight. Also, Botox can be used to relieve tensin headaches and migraines. The effects last anywhere from 3-6 months.
What is Juvederm?
Juvederm, also known as a dermal filler, is composed of Hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid exists naturally in all living organisms, with the skin housing 56% within the body. This filler provides volume and pliability to skin and plays an crucial role to cell growth. As we age our skin loses volume. Juvaderm provides volume to areas of our skin such as the lips, nasiolabial folds, and Marionette lines. The effect last anywhere from 4-6 months with the results being visible immediately.
Why in dentistry?
Dentists are in a unique postion in that they are very accustomed and comfortable working in and around a patients facial region. In many circumstances they are able to be much more understanding and gentle during administration of the products. Dentists are also very well trained in the muscles and nerves of the facial region and are able to provide great anesthesia before administration of fillers.
More questions?
If you are interested or would like to know more about these new and exciting products offered at Morgantown Dental Group, please feel free to call or email us with any questions. Thank you!
Gag-free X-rays?
Feb/1/2012
We are excited to announce the introduction of our newest state-of-the-art technology at Morgantown Dental Group. Planmeca is a digital x-ray unit that creates instantaneous films on the computer screen without the hassle of bulky equipment being placed in the patient's mouth. People with gag reflexes or small mouths that have encountered problems in the past with dental films will enjoy this new technology. Planmeca gathers enough information to capture an image of the patients entire dentition but also can be precise enough to capture a detailed image of only one area. The unit replaces the need for any type of intraoral images for most patients. Call us today for more information.
Sleep Apnea and the Dentist's Role
Jun/28/2011
Do you suffer from sleep apnea? Does your spouse snore loudly and occasionally gasp for air during the night? Sleep apnea is a medical condition in which an individual temporarily stops breathing during sleep. Not only does this cause a person to find them self very tired and moody throughout the day, but it also causes periods of oxygen deprivation to your body through the night. 85% of people with congestive heart failure and 92% of people who have a stroke suffer from sleep apnea! The long-term effects of low oxygen in your blood stream can have fatal ramifications.
Your dentist can help! By being in the unique position where we exam our patient's oral cavity two times a year, we can look for simple warning signs and ask basic questions. Do you have a large neck? Are you overweight? Do you have a large tongue? Are you tired through the day? Are you moody? Do you fall asleep at work, while driving, while watching TV, or just by simply sitting down? Spouses, does your significant other snore loudly, or stop breathing during the night?
We our not in a position to diagnose sleep apnea, but we can send you to an appropriate sleep clinic and if your sleep apnea is diagnosed as mild to moderate according to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), you may be a candidate for the Somnodent Sleep Appliance. This appliance functions by protruding your lower jaw forward to help allow your airway to remain patent through the night. The FDA has approved the usage of these appliances and in some cases medical insurance will cover up to 100% of the cost! Please contact our office for more information or to set up a consultation today.
Tooth replacement in one visit?
Jun/23/2011
Dr. Josh Dolin had the priveledge to attend a course in Buffalo, NY this past weekend at the Shatkin First Dental Center and Laboratory. Buffalo Wings were on the lunch menu, but Dental Mini-implants were the topic of discussion for the course. Dr. Shatkin switched from traditional implants to placing mini implants nearly 10 years ago, and 11,000 implants and a 95% success rate later he is now sharing with other dentists how to achieve similar results. The use of these mini-implants could change the future of implant dentistry.
What are the typical obstacles of choosing to replace your tooth with an implant? Cost? Surgery? Time? The mini-implant takes a fraction of the time, cost around 40% less, and the entire procedure can be completed at Morgantown Dental Group with no surgery involved. The amazing thing is that the implant is functional immediately. This means that in some situations the crown can be placed the same day as the implant. Walk in to the office and walk out 1 hour later with a new tooth.
Morgantown Dental Group is very excited to now offer these implants to all patients. Please call or visit our office for more information or to see if you qualify for this amazing product. Click here to watch an online video for information and testimonials of people who have enjoyed the benefits of mini-implants.
2011 Nation's Captial Dental Meeting
Apr/19/2011
I recently attended for the first time, the annual Dental meeting in Washington, DC. If you've never had the chance to ride the Amtrak, it is a very convenient and cheap way to travel into the heart of DC without having to fight traffic. The Washington Convention center is a massive 4 stories high covering 2 city blocks, and the city in general is a very pleasant, educational, and fun city to visit if you've never visited.
The dental courses were spread out over 3 days. I had the opportunity to update and expand my knowledge on the latest advancement in porcelain crowns and the techniques used to cement them into place. I also attended a seminar on posterior composite resins (tooth colored fillings on your back chewing teeth). The lecturer for the course, Dr. Ron Jackson, is a graduate of WVU. The technology and innovations in dentistry are truly amazing. For anyone who thinks dentistry is simply "drill-it and fill-it), stop by sometime, and I'll share with you some of the complexities of the materials we use.
The last 2 courses were not quite tooth related but still very relevant to the profession of dentistry. A capsule clinic on social media focused on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. I have attempted to create a Facebook page for our business, but if you visit, you'll see it still needs some work. As far as Twitter is concerned, its hard for me to imagine that anyone could care enough about dentistry to follow my "Tweets".
Finally, the last course focused on Botox and dermal fillers to alleviate the signs of aging. Should dentists be using these in their practice? I suppose that's a matter of opinion. My opinion? I would rather have someone injecting Botox who is already accustomed to using sharp things around the patient's mouth, but at this point in my career I do not have enough knowledge on Botox to incorporate it into my practice. Maybe someday?
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