Painless Dentistry - Dentistry And It's Association With Pain

Dentistry (and the dentist) have always been associated with pain, and unfortunately, there has been good reason for it in the past.  History shows that local anesthetic Novacaine wasn't invented until 1905, so you can imagine going to the dentist and having a tooth pulled without anesthesia.  Many relied on alcohol and drank themselves senseless to avoid the pain of an extraction.

But I don't have to go that far back to recall tales of dental treatment without anesthesia.  The Castro Dictatorship in Cuba, my country of origin, started 54 years ago and has created a very low standard of living for the cuban people, where food, medicine and many other items are scarce, and although access to medical and dental care is free, many times the doctors and dentists lack the materials necessary for the procedure, and many procedures are done without anesthesia.  I feel sorry and have a lot of respect for my colleagues in Cuba that have to work under those conditions.

I recently answered a question from a young lady that had gone to the dentist (here in the US) and had experienced a lot of pain during a procedure.  She said that she needed a lot of work, and was asking for help in dealing with the pain that she anticipated from the remaining work.

I related to her my own experiences and how I was afraid of the dentist as a child and did not get any dental care until I was 15 years old and had a mouthful of cavities.  I also told her how in my dental office I make sure that I don't cause any pain during a procedure, whether it is my injections, extractions, a filling or surgery, I make sure that I don't hurt the patient, and I know that if I can do it, many dentists can do it too.

One of the keys to painless dentistry is taking your time and a good technique for giving injections.  Modesty apart, dentists can give better injections than physicians, and I know that if I take my time giving anesthesia and the liquid goes in slowly, I can give an injection without causing pain to my patient.  I think physicians and nurses are somewhat desensitized to pain.

Another key to painless dentistry is obtaining profound anesthesia. I  know that if I wait until the area is well anesthetized, I can do my work without any pain.

Dentistry has advanced to a point that, I feel confident that I can do almost 100% of my daily work without pain.  I know that there will always be exceptions, like the person that does not go to the dentist and waits until an abcess develops, and is swollen and in pain and just touching the area can cause pain, or a tooth so inflamed that may not be easily anesthetized, but fortunately those cases are not common.

The moral of this story is:  Don't be afraid to go to the dentist.  The majority of the work that we do is painless and you can be making your work more complicated and expensive by waiting while cavities get bigger. 

Don't be afraid to demand painless dentistry.

West Palm Beach Dentist   Carlos Boudet, DDS, DICOI
1840 Forest Hill Blvd, Suite 204
West Palm Beach, Florida  33406
Phone: (561) 968 6022

 Website: http://www.boudetdds.com
Implant Blog: http://www.palm-beach-implants.com

Teeth In One Day Using Dental Implants in West Palm Beach Florida

Dental implants are without a doubt, the best treatment option for persons that have lost their teeth and need to wear dentures.
If I had to say what is the biggest disadvantage of dental implants it would have to be the long waiting process while the implants fuse to the bone (osseointegration) which can be from three to six months.

New advances in dental technology allow the implant dentist to determine the bone available for the placement of implants using a ct scan, and to place the implants quickly and precisely using ct guided surgery.  Using this technology, the implants can be restored the same day of the surgery, and the patient can use them right away to eat a soft diet for the first three months.  At the end of the three month period, the temporary teeth are replaced with the final prosthesis.
Some of the advantages of the immediate load technique are listed below:

• Less Invasive than conventional implant surgery
• Needs minimal recovery time
• Avoids the need for bone grafting, in most cases
• Restores the ability to eat most foods
• Eliminates removable dentures
• Improves self-confidence and overall quality of life
• Cost effective when compared to 10 to 12 implants

For persons that feel  they could benefit from this type of work, but are afraid that the cost will be prohibitive, there is another alternative that is very affordable.

Mini implants are another category of implants that are immediately loaded and patients patients can reap the benefits of  mini implants to help hold a lower denture, the same day that they are placed.  Furthermore, due to the nature of the procedure, the dentist can charge a lot less for mini implants than for regular implants, usually about half the cost.

You might be concerned about the cost of the procedures and would like information about a payment plan. We can help you with that also. We can offer you short or long-term plans through Care Credit and CityBank.

If you have been struggling with loose or uncomfortable dentures and would like to learn more about how dental implants can help you be comfortable again with your mouth, please call our office at (561) 968 6022 for a complementary implant consultation where I will personally answer questions about your particular case.

West Palm Beach Dentist Carlos Boudet, DDS, DICOI
1840 Forest Hill Blvd, Suite 204
West Palm Beach, Florida  33406
Phone: (561) 968 6022

 Website: http://www.boudetdds.com
Implant Blog: http://www.palm-beach-implants.com