Caring for our teeth. We know its important, but its so much less fun than, say, caring for our skin or hair. Over time, natural wear and tear takes its toll on our pearly whites. Clearly, we don't want to lose any teeth and tooth loss becomes a lot more prevalent as we age. Going to the dentist is crucial, but poor dental health can do a lot more damage than you think. There are significant links between periodontal disease and diabetes, osteoporosis, strokes and heart disease. There's a lot more at stake than just losing a tooth: you can lose your life if you don't keep those chompers in fighting condition.
Its unanimous: going to the dentist is a horrifying thought. I am the daughter of a dentist and I don't even want to go! I have significant memories of my mouth bound open for hours while my dad drilled and whistled. Whistled! A Jim Croce song! I vomited all over hima chill hits me to this day whenever I hear "Time in a Bottle." The dentist is painful (or terribly uncomfortable at best), tedious and expensive. Well, at least it was. Dentistry has come a long way in the last five yearsadmit it, it's probably been that long since you've been (And, okay, "pleasant" might be a bit of a euphemism to employ in reference to the chair.) Truth is though, an office visit now is at least tolerable and fast. It's not the dentist you remember from your youth anymore; the dentist you had to walk "five miles through the snow" to get to. Here are the five dental innovations you should know about.
1. CerecA computerized system that allows the doctor to digitally model, sculpt and insert your crown, veneer or inlay in one office appointment. This is a big innovation because it takes away the gag inducing impressions, the extremely uncomfortable temporary crown and the week in between appointments to wait for your permanent crown to be made.2. Waterlase MDA state of the art device that combines a laser with water in a technology called Hydrophotonics to perform most dental restorations. Why is this incredible? It eliminates the ever-dreaded drill and local anesthetic. Its also quicker and more precise than any drill, with little to no discomfort. Added bonus: no walking around with a swollen lip and uncontrollable drool because of the anesthesia.3. Digital X-raysDo you remember having those gigantic, gum cutting pouches shoved into your mouth and you were instructed to bite down on? No longer! The digital X-ray has a tiny camera that you hardly notice. The X-ray pops up instantly and exposure is reduced by 80 percent as compared to the old school model.4. Zoom Teeth WhiteningSay goodbye to the 2 weeks of impressions, trays and goop. Zoom employs a laser and your teeth are up to ten shades lighter in just one hour.5. Invisalign
You can't get braces now; you'll look ridiculous, right? If your teeth alignment has always bothered you, but you missed the adolescent window for acceptable metal devices in your mouth, you can hop on the Invisalign train. More of an almost-invisible retainer, you can take the device out whenever you want. Side bonus: they cover your entire tooth, so you have your very own mouth guard if you happen to be a tooth grinder like myself.Taking care of your teeth or simply making them look better is so much easier and less painful than it was even a few years ago. You can have a root canal done completely in one office visit with almost no pain and no drilling (humming may still ensue) and that's pretty incredible. Do your research. Make sure your doctor is technologically up to speed, I.E. he carries this equipment. And, get to the dentist! Don't be afraid. Because now, you dont have to be.
