“Painless ” Plasma Brush Is Becoming Realistic In Dentistry, MU Engineers Say from MU News Bureau on Vimeo.

Rejoice! Scientists at the University of Missouri have invented a way to apply fillings that is completely painless. It uses a new plasma brush that disinfects and cleans out cavities, killing bacterias and forming a better bond for the fillings.

And it does it in less than 30 seconds! According to the scientists, “the chemical reactions involved with the plasma brush actually change the surface of the tooth, which allows for a strong and robust bonding with the filling material.”

How would this affect you?

Needless so say, this—and anything that includes “dental” and “painless” in the same sentence—is awesome news. To give you an idea of how this could affect all of us- about 200 million tooth fillings occur in the United States every year, with a total price tag of $50 billion. The inventors say that their plasma brush will reduce the economical cost and eliminate the pain cost altogether.

Hao Li, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the MU College of Engineering, claims their studies indicate that fillings are 60 percent stronger with the plasma brush, which would increase the filling lifespan. This would be a big benefit to the patient, as well as dentists and insurance companies.”

When will it arrive?

Qingsong Yu, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering of the University of Missouri, claims that “there have been no side effects reported during the lab trials, and we expect the human trials to help us improve the prototype.”
Humans trials are scheduled to begin next year at the University of Tennessee-Memphis. Apparently, they are expecting the FDA to approve this really soon, with the plasma brush arriving to your dentist as early as 2013.

Oral Cancer: The Scary Truth, Pt 2.

You should also continue to see your dentist every 6 months just like when you had teeth. The dentist will make sure the denture is fitting and functioning properly. Loose and non-functioning dentures can make noise, fall out, reduce chewing function and be embarrassing. Sores caused by an ill-fitting denture that rubs your tissue can lead to very severe problems including oral cancer.

Follow these tricks on denture care and not only will you be functioning and healthy, but you will also be able to smile with confidence.

Veneers are specially made front covers for real teeth. They say that these do not only make a person’s teeth look more even and white, but they also help protect teeth that are not so healthy anymore. Veneers can also help fill in the gaps between the teeth if the distances between the teeth are too wide. One can get all these benefits after only two sessions. The first session is for taking a teeth examination and impression, while the second session is for the dentist to adjust and fit the veneers onto the patient’s teeth. A life changing smile makeover in only two visits!

Cosmetic Dentistry has changed the way we do dentistry. A person can now have his tooth filled with a composite filling that is the same color as a tooth. Gone were the days when people had to endure ugly black fillings in their teeth because the only choice for tooth filling then was mercury amalgams.

Another popular procedure that makes your teeth look extra special is teeth bleaching. In only one hour, using a special formulated gel, the dentist can turn those dark or yellow teeth bright again.

People used to endure ghastly looking teeth when dental technology was not as efficient as today. It is really amazing how dental advancements such as veneers, tooth colored fillings, and tooth whitening have made these people’s worries disappear. With the help of these advancements, men and women who have dental problems will not be afraid to smile anymore and they will not hesitate to look at the camera like models and say “Cheese!”

The death rate associated with this cancer is particularly high not because it is hard to discover or diagnose, but due to the cancer being routinely discovered late in its development. Often it is only discovered when the cancer has metastasized to another location. Prognosis at this stage of discovery is significantly worse than when it is caught in a localized intraoral area.

Historically the majority of people are over the age of 40 at the time of discovery, however, it is now occurring more frequently in those under this age.
The ratio is two men for every women, which occurs twice as often in the black population than in whites.

Risk factors include tobacco use, alcohol consumption, persistent viral infections such as HPV, and continual trauma from appliances such as ill-fitting dentures. Those who both smoke and drink, have a 15 times greater risk of developing oral cancer than others, but many get the disease even though they do not drink or smoke.

One of the real dangers of this cancer, is that in its early stages, it can go unnoticed. It can be painless, and little in the way of physical changes may be obvious. The good news is however, that your dentist or doctor can, in most cases, see or feel the precursor tissue changes, or the actual cancer while it is still very small, or in its earliest stages. Common sites for cancer are the lips, the floor of the mouth, and the tongue.
Today there are digital detection devices such as the Velscope, that can detect early signs of abnormal tissue changes. Regardless of what method they use, it is important that your dentist do an oral cancer screening at every yearly cleaning appointment.

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MYTH: Brushing my teeth several times a day harms the enamel.
TRUTH: Usually, it is enough to brush your teeth two times a day, but if you have an opportunity to brush your teeth more frequently (for example, after every meal), use a soft or extra soft bristled toothbrush. Aggressive brushing with a hard bristled toothbrush can damage your teeth and gums.

MYTH: Using chewing gum after a meal can replace brushing and have the same effect.
TRUTH: Not really, brushing your teeth is much more effective in removing plaque and bacteria, but if you can not brush your teeth after every meal, you can use a sugarless chewing gum to clean your teeth and refresh your breath. Do not chew it for more than 10 minutes.

MYTH: I must not brush my teeth if my gums bleed.
TRUTH: When your gums are bleeding they are unhealthy. Bleeding gums should be brushed and flossed more often to restore their health. You should also contact your dentist.

MYTH: Placing a tablet of aspirin beside my aching tooth can ease the pain.
TRUTH: Aspirin does not work effectively for relieving toothache. It also damages soft tissues in you mouth. Therefore, it is better to use over the counter drugs or a prescription from your dentist.

MYTH: There is no need to see a dentist if there is no pain in my mouth.
TRUTH: You must see your dentist at least twice a year, no matter in what condition your teeth are at the moment. Most dental problems are painless, and do not begin to hurt until they have progressed into a more severe problem. It is always better to start treatment in the earliest stages.

MYTH: I will only get cavities if I eat a lot of candy.
TRUTH: All food causes cavities if it is not cleaned off the teeth, especially carbohydrates and sugars. Cleaning your teeth by brushing and flossing twice a day is the best way to protect your teeth from cavities

MYTH: Bleaching your teeth weakens them
TRUTH: Bleaching does not effect the structural integrity of your teeth. The side effect of too much bleaching is that it can make your teeth more sensitive.

MYTH: It’s OK to clean and whiten your teeth with over the counter baking soda.
TRUTH: It is actually very harmful, because sodium bicarbonate we use for baking (baking soda) has very strong abrasive effects and can damage your teeth and gums. If you want to whiten your teeth in an easy way, use special whitening toothpastes or over the counter whitening strips.

MYTH: There is no need to take care of baby teeth because they are going to fall out.
TRUTH: This is absolutely wrong from a variety of perspectives. First of all, baby teeth can remain until age 13. If you do not take care of baby teeth, they may fall out before the proper time and cause problems with bite or effect the development of your child’s permanent teeth. It is also necessary to start educating your children to maintain good oral hygiene later in life.

MYTH: It is necessary to avoid dental procedures during pregnancy.
TRUTH: Regular dental treatment must not be avoided by pregnant women. A healthy mother produces a healthy baby and vice-versa. There are also a lot of dental problems that are caused by pregnancy. There are only a few procedures that need to be avoided during certain trimesters of pregnancy so it is important to inform your dentist if you are, or plan to be pregnant.

MYTH: Any type of dental treatment is very painful.
TRUTH: Not anymore. Advanced dental technologies and local anesthetic agents allow dental treatment to be pain free in most cases.

MYTH: Only kids wear braces.
TRUTH: Most individuals including adults have tooth alignment problems. These problems can cause severe wear and damage to the teeth, joints, and muscles. Most adults and children should be seen by an orthodontist to avoid these problems.

MYTH: You need to see a dentist every 6 months.
TRUTH: Many patients especially those with a history of gum problems should be seen more than every 6 months (usually every 3-4 months). Your dentist will discuss with you the frequency you should be seen.

Gum recession can be caused by many factors. Age, orthodontics, grinding, smoking, and other oral habits, all can affect gum recession. Most commonly however, gum recession is caused by AGGRESSIVE BRUSHING.
Many people think the harder they brush their teeth, the cleaner they will be. This is the WRONG philosophy! Soft bristled tooth brushes should always be used, brushing should be done after every meal, and you should always brush for a full 2 minutes. Here is a short video that outlines the proper technique:

Gum recession is a problem because it exposes the softer, more decay prone, root surface, and can also cause teeth to be hyper sensitive.
The options for treatment include gingival grafting to cover the exposed root surfaces, or individual gum line fillings to protect them. Whatever treatment option you and your dentist chose, using a soft toothbrush with the right technique is imperative.

Dentists in southern India performed root canal surgery on a giant scale to rid a 27-year-old elephant of chronic tusk ache, officials said.

A three-member team of dentists helped by a veterinary surgeon carried out the two-and-a-half-hour operation on the male pachyderm, which developed a cavity in one of its tusks, they said.

The operation took place in early November after the owner of the pet elephant brought the animal for an examination of the infection that had damaged the tusk.

“We decided to use the traditional root canal process as a remedy,” dentist Sunil Kumar said.

Kumar said the tusk was 50 cm long while the cavity was 6 cm deep.

“During the surgery, the tusker was not tranquilized and he was very cooperative and obeyed his handler,” the doctor said.