Free Dentistry Or Dentistry At Reduced Fee Centers In West Palm Beach

Every day in our office we get calls that ask if we see patients under federally funded programs such as Medicaid, and although we did at one time, and were a Medicaid provider for many years, we no longer take Medicaid patients in our office.

The need to take care of the dental needs of patients with limited and low financial resources is still there, and there are several options available that offer free dental care, or dentistry at reduced fees to persons that need these services.

In an effort to guide these persons and make their search a little easier, I have attempted to provide a list of centers that provide dental care at reduced fees for the communities they serve.

For the sake of keeping the list small, It will only involve the area where I practice which is West Palm Beach, Florida.

Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine

3200 S. University Drive

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328

Phone: (954) 262-7500

Caridad Center Dental Clinic

8645 W. Boynton Beach Blvd.

Boynton Beach, FL 33063

Phone: (561) 853-1623

St. Mary’s Free Clinic

1200 E. Main St., Pahokee, FL 33476

Phone: (561) 929-2892

The Lord’s Place –Cafe Joshua Program

2808 N. Australian Ave.

West Palm Beach FL 33407

Phone: (561) 494-0125, Ext. 115

Palm Beach County Health Department Dental Clinic

 1150 45th St., Rm. D104

West Palm Beach, FL 33407

Phone: (561) 355-3082

Palm Beach County Health Department

Pahokee Dental Clinic

1200 E. Main St., Pahokee, FL 33476

Phone: (561) 924-0184

Palm Beach County Health Department

Lantana/Lake Worth Dental Clinic

1250 Southwinds Drive, Lantana, FL 33462

Phone: (561) 547-6811

Palm Beach County Health Department

Delray Beach Dental Clinic

345 South Congress Ave.

Delray Beach, FL 33444

Phone: (561) 274-3111

Palm Beach County Health Department

Riviera Beach Health Center

1150 45th St., Rm. D104

West Palm Beach, FL 33407

Phone: (561) 514-5540

C.L. Brumback Community Health Center

38754 State Road 80, Belle Glade, FL 33430

Phone: (561) 996-1636

West Palm Beach Veterans Administration Dental Clinic

7305 N. Military Trail

West Palm Beach, FL 33410

Phone: (561) 422-8262, Ext. 5675

Palm Beach State College Atlantic Coast Dental Research Clinic4200 Congress Avenue, Lake Worth, Florida 33461
Phone: (561) 868 3747

Samaritan Gardens Community Health Center

1101 S. Flagler Drive

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Phone: (561) 366-1147

A minimum amount of information is provided, so interested individuals need to  ask any applicable questions such as eligibility requirements, patient populations served, types of services provided, age requirements, fees, etc…

Some of these centers provide free dental services, while others provide the services for a reduced fee.  This list is by no means complete, but if you are looking for these services in our area, I hope that you will find this helpful.

Best wishes,

West Palm Beach Dentist

Carlos Boudet, DDS

Phone: (561) 968 6022

1840 Forest Hill Blvd Suite # 204

West Palm Beach, Florida  33406

Website: http://www.boudetdds.com

Spanish website: http://www.palmbeachdentist.net

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

Indestructible Crowns - Dental Crowns Guaranteed Not To Break!

Many people don't realize it, but our molars take quite a bit of pounding everyday when we eat, and if you are a clencher or grinder, the abuse doesn't stop there and continues for hours during the night.

It's a common occurence in dentist's offices.  You have a molar that suffered extensive damage and broke, but your dentist was able to save it by making and cementing a crown on it.  Even though the molar is in the back of the mouth, you can still see it, so when the dentist suggested a gold crown as the strongest option, you did not like the idea, and the next best choice was a PFM or porcelain fused to metal crown.

Generally porcelain fused to metal crowns have been the crowns most dentists have chosen for decades because they are strong and look like a tooth, but when the gums recede and the margins are visible they show a dark collar around the margin.  If that wasn't enough, in less than ideal conditions, they can break and the grey metal jacket under the porcelain can look very unesthetic.

In the majority of cases these porcelain fused to metal crowns last many years and don't break, but often in less than ideal conditions, one comes back broken.

Lucky for us that in the last five years, research in dental materials has produced a new crown called BruxZir made from a material called zirconia that is so strong that it is virtually unbreakable in the mouth.

The laboratory that developed it, is so confident in the strenght of the crowns they produce, that they created a short video clip to illustrate the comparison between the conventional porcelain fused to metal crown and a BruxZir crown.

Watch the video clip below, as it is self explanatory.

 

Incredible, isn't it?  Now we have a great option to protect the back molars that is strong and looks good too.  Oh, and due to the high price of gold, zirconia crowns are less expensive and save you money.

If you would like more information about BruxZir crowns that are guaranteed not to break, don't hesitate to call our office with a question, or to schedule an appointment.

West Palm Beach Dentist

Carlos Boudet, DDS

Phone: (561) 968 6022

1840 Forest Hill Blvd Suite # 204

West Palm Beach, Florida  33406

Website: http://www.boudetdds.com

Spanish website: http://www.palmbeachdentist.net

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

 

Mini Dental Implants

Dentists have been placing dental implants very successfully for many decades.

The most common dental implants that dentists use are the root form implants. They are basically shaped like a screw, and are threaded into the bone to help hold a tooth replacement, or several implants are placed to help hold a denture.

Dental implants are made in many sizes and can be classified into two types according to their diameter:

·         Regular dental implants which have a diameter of 3 to 5 millimeters and wider (wider implants exist). 

·         Mini dental implants which have a diameter from 1.8 mm to 2.9 mm.

Today I would like to give you some information about mini dental implants.

Mini dental implants were first used as temporary implants, placed between the regular implants to help hold temporary teeth until the regular implants fused to the bone (oseointegrated) and were able to be used.  Dentists found that sometimes the temporary implants fused to the bone and were difficult to remove, so they started using them for retention of a lower denture and now it is a very successful procedure.

These are some of the advantages of mini implants:

·         Minimally invasive – Placed through the gums without surgery

·         Can be used in deficient bone – No need for bone grafts

·         Reduced cost – Usually half the price of regular implants

·         Only one visit required – Implants are placed and used the same day

Let me give you a brief description of the procedure used to help hold a loose lower denture.

The lower denture should fit well, if not, it needs to be relined to make it fit.

The dentist takes the necessary x-rays and records to evaluate the bone.

The day of the procedure 4 mini implants are placed in the front of the lower jaw.

The mini implants are placed through the gums without surgery (less discomfort after the procedure).

The denture is fitted with attachments that help hold it in place more securely.

The dentist checks the bite and the procedure is complete.

These are the main reasons our patients give us why they like the mini implants:

The lower cost.  It is more than half the cost of the procedure using regular implants.

No surgery.  Especially patients on anticoagulants that if removed would increase the risk of stroke.

Procedure done in one visit.  No need to wait several months for implants to fuse to the bone.

No bone grafting.  Often bone grafting is required for the regular diameter implants.

There is no need to suffer with a loose lower denture and messy denture adhesive anymore.

If you would like more information about mini dental implants, please call our office  at (561) 968 6022 and schedule a free consultation.

I will personally examine you and explain your options for your particular case.

Carlos Boudet, DDS DICOI
1840 Forest Hill Blvd Suite 204
West Palm Beach, Florida. 33406
Website: http://www.boudetdds.com
Implant Blog: http://www.palm-beach-implants.com

Free Dental Care Day in West Palm Beach, Florida

Free Dental Services Day in West Palm Beach

From left to right: Marlen, Gladys,Yohanka, Jeannie and Dr Boudet

I have never been more proud of my office staff than I was today.  I can be a little demanding sometimes with office matters, and some of my ideas have met with some resistance before, but when I told everyone that I wanted to open the office for a whole day of free dental care to needy individuals in the community, everybody was supportive and excited about the idea of giving a little bit to others without expecting anything in return.

I consider myself lucky to have found these individuals because they help me make my day run smoother and allow me to still be in love with my work. 

My staff today worked non-stop and I saw a genuine interest in their eyes to help everyone and make them comfortable.  When we first got to the office and saw the lobby was full of people sitting around waiting to be seen I wondered whether we had bitten more than we could chew.  Then I saw my staff go to work without a word from me. 

Gladys became the patient coordinator and interviewed each person to determine what services they needed.  I did not think we could do it, but thanks to her great scheduling, at the end of the day we had seen 36 patients. 

Marlen was incredible and I have no idea how she could clean and setup the operatories, run the autoclave constantly to replenish the sterile instruments and assist chairside with the procedures. 

My wife Jeannie helped everywhere and kept things running smoothly taking radiographs and working in the front desk.

Our hygienist for a day, Yohanka, volunteered her Wednesday off to provide  cleanings and was very much appreciated by the patients and all of us.  She was a real asset, blended right in even though the cavitron leaked and she worked in an unfamiliar environment, all with a smile on her face.

Last but not least was the wonderful help that we received from periodontist Phil Kohn who worked side by side with us in the morning.  Phil is not only a great periodontist, but a great person as well.

I would also like to thank the media that helped spread the word and brought so many people to our door that made this day a success and made us at the end of the day a tired bunch of happy people.  Thanks to El Latino weekly newspaper and Channel 12 news!

Here is the channel 12 video coverage:

Best wishes to all for a happy and healthy Christmas and new year!

Carlos Boudet, DDS DICOI
1840 Forest Hill Blvd Suite 204
West Palm Beach, Florida. 33406
Website: http://www.boudetdds.com
Implant Blog: http://www.palm-beach-implants.com

Free Dental Care Day

Free Dental Care Day in West Palm Beach
As a West Palm Beach Dentist our office has given away free dental care before and although it has been a very rewarding experience, we have found it very hard to select one individual to receive free dentistry from among the many that contact us.
This year we have decided to open the office December 19th to provide free dental care all day long to needy individuals.
The office will open at 8:30 AM for registration on a first come first served basis and will provide free dental services for those that cannot afford dental care.  Free dental services will be provided until 5:00 PM.
Our office is located at 1840 Forest Hill Blvd Suite 204 in West Palm Beach, FL  33406.
You can find additional information about our office at our website.

Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year.
Carlos Boudet, DDS, family and staff

Antibiotics - Useful Information On Their Use

Antibiotics – Things You Should Know

Antibiotics are among the most useful drugs available today, and also some of the most commonly prescribed.   They are a type of drugs called antibacterials, and can either kill bacteria, (Bactericidal) or stop their growth (Bacteriostatic). 

There are many diseases caused by bacteria such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, syphilis, etc… and antibiotics have been used with great success against these infections.  There are however many infections such as the common cold (and many upper respiratory infections) that are caused by viruses.  Antibiotics do not work against these viral infections, but many of us still go to the doctor and pressure him or her into prescribing antibiotics.  

Sometimes antibiotics are prescribed to prevent an infection (prophylactically) such as before orthopedic surgery or to prevent endocarditis in cases of artificial heart valve recipients.

Taking an antibiotic unnecessarily can increase the chances of creating resistant bacteria that are not affected by these drugs anymore,  it can also kill the normally harmless bacteria in the gastrointestinal system and lead to infections by opportunistic organisms such as yeast infections.  Taking them for only two or three days can also be harmful, as it may not be enough to get rid of the infection, and it may leave bacteria that are resistant to that antibiotic in the future.

One common misconception about antibiotics is that it is ok to take an antibiotic you found in the medicine cabinet that was prescribed to you or a family member.  The truth is that antibiotics need to be selected according to the bacteria you need to kill.  Taking the wrong antibiotic for an infection will not help to control it and may actually do more harm than good.

Let’s talk about side effects.  Like many other drugs, even the mildest antibiotics can have side effects.  The most common side effect happens when you take antibiotics for a long time.  The antibiotic starts to kill the naturally occurring bacteria in your digestive system that helps with food digestion and results in diarrhea.  Also associated with long term use is superinfection with opportunistic organisms such as yeast which can cause oral candidiasis (thrush) and vaginitis.

Another potential concern is the interaction with food and other drugs, for example, antibiotics may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, and drinking milk or antiacids may reduce the absorption of the tetracyclines .

In order to get the best results when taking antibiotics you should do the following:

·         Read the instructions on the label and take as directed

·         Read the accompanying information for side effects, precautions and interactions

·         Take the antibiotic until it is all gone

By taking antibiotics properly and only when indicated, we will be able to keep relying on these drugs to do a great job helping our bodies fight infections that at times could be life-threatening.

Carlos Boudet, DDS DICOI
1840 Forest Hill Blvd Suite 204

West Palm Beach, Florida. 33406

Website: http://www.boudetdds.com

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

Broken Implant Screw Removal

A patient presented to my office seeking help for a loose anterior bridge on implants.  He goes to another dentist, but had come to my office previously for another implant related problem.

A visual inspection and a periapical x-ray showed a 4 unit bridge retained by implants placed in the maxillary central incisor positions 8 and 9 respectively (the two upper front teeth).  The implants were placed extremely deep under the bone and needed 7 mm long standard abutments (posts) to bring the connection to the correct revel about 1 mm subgingivally.  The bridge was loose, and the radiograph showed that the screw that attached to the left implant was broken inside the implant.  The abutment had fallen out and the patient brought it in his hand.
This is a rare occurrence with today's dental implants, but these implants were the original Branemark implants and had been placed 23 years ago in 1989, and were more prone to screw loosening and fracture than the implants we have today.
Fortunately for the patient, the screw was not threadlocked and was fairly easy to remove, allowing the patient to repair the bridge with a new screw, which I was surprised it was still available from the manufacturer.
Below is a video of the procedure taken through the surgical microscope:

Carlos Boudet, DDS DICOI
1840 Forest Hill Blvd Suite 204

West Palm Beach, Florida. 33406

Website: http://www.boudetdds.com 

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

New Article By West Palm Beach Dentist Carlos Boudet DDS

The article discusses the importance of propper treatment planning in dental implant cases to avoid situations where the patient is given a prosthesis that is problematic and how upgrading from a removable overdenture that kept breaking to a fixed partial denture supported by implants provided the patient with a solution that was both durable and comfortable.

A link to the digital edition of the article can be viewed on page 113 here:

http://digi.dentistrytoday.com/publication/?i=124580&p=115

Carlos Boudet, DDS DICOI
1840 Forest Hill Blvd Suite 204

West Palm Beach, Florida. 33406

Website: http://www.boudetdds.com 

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

Digital Impressions for Implants

 The latest edition of Chairside Magazine (digital version) has just been posted, and in it is my new article on Digital Impressions For Implants Using Scannable Abutments.

Digital impressions using intraoral scanners are going to be the way impressions will be done in the future.  They are here today, but due to the high cost of equipment and training, it is difficult for most dentists to afford them.

We have had digital impression systems since 1987 when the first Cerec machine became available, but we have not had the ability to scan implants the same way until recently.

The article explains the simplicity of the process using the Cerec red cam system of digital impressions.

Here is a link to the pdf version of the magazine:
http://www.glidewelldental.com/downloads/dentist/chairside/issues/V7-3.pdf
The flash version is here:
http://www.glidewelldental.com/flash/chairside/digital-media/V7-3/issue.swf

And the link to the article is here:

http://www.glidewelldental.com/dentist/chairside/issues/v7-3/clinical-techniques1.aspx
The first link (pdf version) is the best in my opinion.

If you are using a digital scanner or are planning to incorporate this technology in your practice, you may find this interesting.

Carlos Boudet, DDS DICOI
1840 Forest Hill Blvd Suite 204

West Palm Beach, Florida. 33406

Website: http://www.boudetdds.com

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

Snoring, Is It Harmful To My Health?

The Relationship Between Snoring, Sleep Apnea And Your Health

I have been suddenly awoken more than once by my wife’s gentle nudging saying that I am snoring loudly and the noise wakes her up or doesn’t let her go to sleep.  Luckily it only happens when I have a problem with nasal congestion and I end up breathing through my mouth at night.  Sometimes snoring is so severe that it affects relationships and your sleeping partner chooses to go to another room in order to get a good night's sleep.

It is estimated that about half of the population in the states snore, and that percentage increases with age and obesity, so this is a very common problem.

So what! You might say, what is a little noise during sleep, it is only an annoyance that my wife (or husband)  has been able to accept about me and does not complain about it any more.  Well, it is well documented in the medical literature that a percentage of those of us that snore, do so because of a condition called Sleep Apnea.  In Sleep Apnea the individual stops breathing during sleep at frequent intervals, and this causes lack of oxygen to all parts of the body.  Over time the circulation to the brain is affected and leads to narrowing of blood vessels that can cause a stroke and even death.  This is not a minor nuisance anymore.

Sleep Apnea is diagnosed with a Sleep Study or polysomnogram requested by your physician that records the number of times that you stop breathing during the night, and how long your breathing stops.  Signs that may indicate that you suffer from sleep apnea are sleepiness during the day, irritability, lack of focus and decreased libido to name a few.  If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, your physician will recommend a CPAP machine.  It looks like a small reversible vacuum cleaner and has a hose with a mask that attaches to your nose and forces air under pressure to keep your airway from closing so you can breathe without interruptions.

Those persons that have severe sleep apnea, need that machine and CPAP works great for them,  however, those with mild to moderate sleep apnea find the machine cumbersome and difficult to tolerate.  It is those individuals that can benefit from oral appliance therapy.  The appliance is made by your dentist, and moves the jaw forward opening up the airway to prevent an obstruction.  Many persons that tried and stopped using the CPAP machine resort to and do well with the oral appliances.

Here is a SLEEP APNEA QUESTIONNAIRE that may help you determine if you are at risk.

The purpose of this writing will be fulfilled  if I have made you aware of the fact that snoring may be an indication that you, your friend or relative have an undiagnosed condition called sleep apnea that may lead to serious and even life threatening health problems, and that this condition can be easily treated by your physician and dentist and result in an improved quality of life.

 Please talk to your physician or dentist if you think you are at risk.

Carlos Boudet, DDS DICOI
1840 Forest Hill Blvd Suite 204
West Palm Beach, Florida. 33406
Website: http://www.boudetdds.com
Implant Blog: http://www.palm-beach-implants.com