Dr. Brian Saby's Dental Blog

Once a dentist has finished a comprehensive dental examination, he must come up with a treatment plan to help meet the patient’s dental goals.  These usually are:  Comfort, function, stability and esthetics.  More plainly: Look good, feel good, chew well and last a long time. 

To reach these goals, we often divide dental treatment in to two phases.  Phase one treatment involves the treatment of active disease.  Phase two treatment involves repair of damage caused by the previous disease.  In some cases, phase one treatment will be all that is required, in other situations, phase one and phase two treatment can be accomplished at the same time.  Sometimes, phase one treatment must be completed prior to phase two treatment.

Phase one treatment…stopping disease.

Creating healthy gums.  This usually involves gum treatment.  The goal is to have healthy gums that do not bleed.  This usually means a trip to the dental hygienist for a deep cleaning.  If the gums are still inflamed after initial gum therapy, laser gum therapy, chemical gum therapy or surgical gum therapy may be needed.

Creating healthy teeth.  This involves fixing any cavities that have formed.  These can be new cavities, or cavities under and around old fillings.  Worn teeth must be examined and the cause of the wear determined.  If it looks like the wear is due to grinding the bite must be stabilized.  If the damage is caused by acids, the source of the acids that dissolve the teeth must be found and eliminated or reduced if possible. 

 Creating a healthy bite.  This part of dental treatment is not as familiar to the general public.  In order to function properly and to reduce wear, the bite must be checked to ensure that the lower teeth move into the upper teeth in a way that maximizes the biting forces and reduces the strain on the muscles and jaw joint.  Many times the phase one treatment for this problem may be an appliance that is worn at night to help relax the muscles and prevent wear.  Phase one bite therapy may involve balancing the bite by selective tooth adjustment.

 After the disease is halted phase one treatment is either completed, or the final part of the phase one treatment may be to move the teeth.  This is done to allow the bite to be as good as it can be.  Teeth are moved with braces. 

Following phase one dentistry, the teeth and gums should be in a state where they are not infected or inflamed and the teeth are where they need to be. At this point, all treatment is either completed and only regular check ups and maintenance is required or it is time to start restoring the teeth to their ideal form and function…phase two treatment. 

I will discuss more about phase two dentistry in our next segment.

The following article was published in the Boise Beauty Examiner:

A smile is the universal form of communication. With a smile we can portray happiness, excitement, approval, energy, and love. Smiling is sexy- and if we smile with confidence, it’s one of the most beautiful things we can do!

The color, shape, and alignment of the teeth all contribute to a beautiful smile. Tooth whitening or bleaching has become one of the most popular beauty treatments, and thanks to our Idaho cosmetic dentists, we can have straight teeth without even needing braces! The first step to getting the smile of your dreams is to consult a cosmetic dentist specializing in aesthetics.

Choosing the right cosmetic dentist, one with extensive training, substantial experience and a gentle approach that understands clients’ needs, is the key to achieving a successful outcome through whitening or bleaching your teeth, or for achieving straight teeth and a beautiful smile! Below are some guidelines for successfully choosing a cosmetic dentist.
Does the dentist have credentials in cosmetic dentistry?
Many dentists perform some sort of cosmetic work as part of their services, but how do you know if you are paying someone who is qualified to perform tooth whitening, bleaching, or give you straight teeth and a beautiful smile? In cosmetic dentistry, as in medicine, specialties exist that are indications of a high level of education and training. Presently, however, no specialty in cosmetic dentistry recognized by the American Dental Association exists. In 1984, however, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) was formed and has the filled the need for credentials in the area of cosmetic dentistry. The organization currently has 7,000 members in the U.S. and in 40 countries around the world. It is the largest international dental organization dedicated specifically to the art and science of cosmetic dentistry, and it administers the leading accreditation program for cosmetic dentists. This accreditation process requires dentists to attend many continuing education courses in cosmetic dentistry, to be tested and to submit a number of cosmetic cases to be judged by a panel of cosmetic dentistry experts.

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