Dr. Mogell Dental Blog

Boca Raton Cosmetic Dentist

Solutions For A Gummy Smile

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Solutions for that Gummy Smile

As a dentist I look at the mouth as a stage. The teeth are the actors and actresses, the gums are the scenery and the lips are the curtain. With some mouths the curtain raises very low just allowing the teeth to be shown when they smile. Other mouths the curtain raises so high that it creates a “gummy smile”. Some people just can’t stand that look, they become self-conscious and want to change the way they look when they smile.

So what can you do to change this image? In some cases a referral for periodontal plastic surgery will solve the puzzle. The periodontist has the ability to change the position of the gum to make the teeth have a longer appearance and show less gums. There are also procedures where the lip can be “tacked” in place so that the “curtain doesn’t rise that high”. In mild cases a laser might be used to remove a small amount of gum tissue, again to make the tooth look longer.

The result is the stage is set to give the audience the performance that they are looking for. If you have any questions regarding how to get rid of that “gummy smile, please give us a call at 561-394-9000. We will arrange an appointment to make your beautiful smile a reality.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Peridontal disease and diabetes

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Periodontal Disease and Diabetes

Many people who have diabetes also are very susceptible to diseases of the gum and jaw bone…periodontal disease. Why is it that a diabetic is at a higher risk for periodontal disease?

Diabetics by their nature have poorer circulation of the blood. This makes the bodies challenge of getting the necessary components in the blood stream to fight infections more difficult. That coupled with the diabetic having a higher risk for infections increasing the chances of the gums getting infected.

Severe periodontal disease can increase blood sugar, contributing to increased periods of time when the body functions with a high blood sugar. All of these facts put a diabetic prone to periodontal disease and the increases their diabetic complications as well.

Poor home care will always put any individual at risk to developing periodontal disease, but for a diabetic poor oral hygiene will predispose them to periodontal disease.

If you haven’t had your teeth cleaned recently, whether diabetic or not, please give our office a call at 561-394-9000 to arrange an appointment for a cleaning and a comprehensive examination to protect your mouth and body from the infections associated with periodontal disease.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Dentistry and Redheads

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The Pain of Being a Redhead

Nobody likes going to the dentist, but redheads may have a good reason. Growing body of research shows that people with red hair need larger doses of anesthesia and are sometimes resistant to local anesthesia, such as Novacaine. As a result, redheads tend to be more apprehensive about having dental work, and are twice as likely to avoid going to the dentist at all.

Researchers believe redheads are more sensitive because of a mutation in a gene that affects hair color. In people with dark brown, black or blond hair, the gene for the Melanocortin-1 receptor produces Melanin. A mutation in the MC1R gene produces a substance called Pheomelanin that results in red hair and fair skin. The MC1R gene belongs to a family of receptors in the brain and as a result, influences the body’s sensitivity to pain. A study done a few years ago showed that redheads require, on average, 20% more general anesthesia than people with dark or blond hair. Another study found that redheads are also more resistant to the effects of local anesthesia, such as local anesthesia used by dentists.

The mutation can occur in some brunettes, although much less common than in redheads. In a recent study researchers tested the MC1R gene variant finding it in 65 out of 67 redheads and 20 out of 77 brunettes. The participants were surveyed about dental care anxiety, fear of dental pain and whether they completely avoid going at all. People with the MC1R gene variant had more dental related anxiety and fear of dental pain, and are twice as likely to avoid dental care at all.

Dr. Daniel Sessler, an anesthesiologist from the Cleveland Clinic, said he began studying hair color after hearing many colleagues speculate about redheads needing more anesthesia. The original study was started because of an urban legend in the anesthesia community saying that redheads were difficult to anesthetize. “It was so intriguing that they continued the study”. Redheads truly do require more anesthesia, and by a clinically significant amount.

If you have any questions regarding your dental health please give our office a call at 561-394-9000. We will arrange an appointment to get you on your way to maintaining a healthy dentition and oral cavity.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Preventing Gingivitis

Thursday, July 08, 2010

You Can Prevent Gingivitis

We are all familiar with television commercials advocating the use of this Listerine product or that Crest product to ensure the health of your gums or teeth. They all can be of benefit in your arsenal of oral care products but what is the cause of the disease? Why do we need to use such materials to alleviate the illness?

Gingivitis is the earliest form of periodontal disease. The disease begins when we fail to adequately remove plaque that is constantly forming on our teeth. Plaque is a colorless sticky deposit of bacteria and their byproducts. The plaque acts as an irritant, think of how a pebble might irritate your foot if it is stuck in your shoe. Remove the pebble the sore on your foot heals, likewise remove the plaque and the gums heal and remain healthy!

Unfortunately, if the plaque is not removed, it will begin to form tartar. Tartar, or as the dental profession calls it, calculus, is a hard calcified substance that can not only affect the gums but also the jaw bone.

Moral of the story, make sure that you brush your teeth thoroughly and floss daily. Be sure to have your teeth professional cleaned several times each year. The impact of periodontal disease goes well beyond your mouth. It is well known that periodontal disease is directly related to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and low-birth weight babies.

If you should have any questions regarding your oral health, please do not hesitate to give us a call at 561-394-9000. We will arrange an appointment to complete a comprehensive examination to make sure that we are getting you on the right path of excellent periodontal health.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Dental Implants!!

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Dental Implants Are the Choice!

A recent subject in an article in the New York Times discussed the current trend of replacing teeth with dental implants instead of with the time tested technique of a fixed bridge. So is one way better than the other? That would probably depend upon your own values, but pros and cons exist for both approaches.
In the Times article Dr. Lawrence J. Kessler, a periodontist and associate professor of surgery at the University of Miami School of Medicine was quoted “Bridges are not the standard of care anymore. In an overwhelming majority of cases, implants to replace lost teeth are by far the best long-term solution for maintaining a healthy mouth. Also, because they rarely need to be replaced, in the long run they are more economical than bridges. For most people who lose teeth, implants are the treatment of choice.”
Bridges require that the teeth supporting the bridge to be “drilled” to remove enough tooth structure to provide room for the material the bridge will be made of. In the short term a bridge may be less expensive. Your flossing is more difficult due to the fact that you must thread a piece of floss under the bridge to clean. With an implant, once the implant is secure in the bone, short of trauma, you are more than likely done with that area. You can’t get decay on metal and it flosses as if it were a natural tooth.

Implants are initially more invasive, but the tooth is being removed anyways. It has been said to me that an implant is much easier than getting a root canal! I have an implant! Before the tooth failed I had root canal…3 times! I vote for an implant any day. The implant supported crown is the closest dentistry can get you to a natural tooth. Should you have any questions regarding implants versus a bridge, please do not hesitate to call us at 561-394-9000. Our staff will answer your questions and arrange for an appointment to get you on your way to the most appropriate choice of treatment for you.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Sleep Apnea and Diabetes

Monday, July 05, 2010

Diabetes and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a disorder characterized by episodes where an individual will literally stop breathing while sleeping….many times a night! New research shows that there is a strong connection between patients who have diabetes and Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Recently a study was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine about the relationship between diabetes and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The study had 60 diabetic individuals tested with overnight sleep studies. The results demonstrated that 77% of the diabetics had some degree of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The patients who had some degree of Obstructive Sleep Apnea saw a considerable increase in difficulty with the control of glucose levels.

According to the lead researcher, Dr. Renee Aronsohn of the University of Chicago, "Our findings have important clinical implications as they support the hypothesis that reducing the severity of obstructive sleep apnea may improve glycemic control".

The majority of people who are indeed suffering with Obstructive Sleep Apnea haven’t even been diagnosed.
Being a diabetic and have undiagnosed Obstructive Sleep Apnea only complicates the delicate balance of the diabetic condition. If you are a diabetic and think you might be living with a sleep disorder, please give us a call at 561-394-900. We will arrange an appointment to help screen you to determine if Obstructive Sleep Apnea is affecting your diabetes.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.