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

Can A Person With A Cardiac Pacemaker Have An MRI?

Can a person with a pacemaker have an MRI?

 I have had the need to research this question recently and, at the present time, the answer depends on several things that I will try to explain below:

Advances in technology and medicine have extended the life expectancy of our elderly population to an advanced age where many organs start to malfunction or fail, and the heart is no exception, so when the heart rate becomes too slow, cardiac surgeons install a pacemaker to give it a kick and increase the heart rate as needed. 

Pacemakers are commonly found in many of our senior citizens, and it is estimated that 75% of persons implanted with a pacemaker will need an MRI for some other part of their body.

Unfortunately, pacemakers are made of metal,  with metal leads and electronic components that are susceptible to electromagnetic fields and radiofrequencies, and MRI’s produce both of these which can cause a pacemaker to malfunction.

In the past, it was not recommended and adverse effects were seen such as misfiring and heating of the leads, so in order to be able to do necessary MRI’s in persons with a pacemaker, two things were developed:

•  The MRI-Conditional Pacemaker, a new kind of pacemaker that can be scanned by MRI’s of 1.5 Teslas or less.

• And a protocol for a “Safe Performance of Extra-thoracic Magnetic Resonance Imaging at 1.5 Tesla in the Presence of Cardiac Pacemakers in Non–Pacemaker-Dependent Patients”.

The protocol and guidelines to determine which patients can have an MRI and which should not is explained in more detail in this webpage from the Mayo Clinic:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/medicalprofs/protocols-for-MRI-in-pacemaker-patients-cvuv9n3.html

 well informed MRI department should be aware of this information.

I hope this information may serve as a quick reference to those researching this topic.

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

Answers To Dental Related Questions

About three years ago, I started answering questions related to dentistry in Yahoo Answers.  Many of the questions are posted by children to chat among their piers, but occasionally I see questions that deserve an answer and I try to help with mine.

Here is the answer to a question that I recently responded to from a twenty seven  year old young man who is about to loose a retained baby tooth in the smile area, does not know if the permanent tooth will come in  and is wondering what can be done.

Below is the answer to this young man’s question:

Hi John,
If you are 27 and still have a baby tooth it means that the permanent tooth never formed or it is impacted, and it will not come out on its own.
The fact that the tooth is loose tells me that you will not be able to save it even if you wanted to.
You don't say anything about what your dentist has told you, so I am assuming that you don't go to the dentist.
Your options are
1- To close the space with orthodontic therapy (braces), ….

You can read the full post in Yahoo Answers here: Yahoo Answers .  Like I said, I have been aswering questions for about three years so if you have a dental related question, you may be able to find the answer already posted there.  If you cannot find your answer there, please don't hessitate to call our office at (561) 968 6022, or if you prefer you can ask your question inthe comment box below or e-mail us at info@boudetdds.com and we will do our best to respond promptly. 

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

Crowns Or Veneers In The Esthetic Or Smile Zone

Once in a while, I see patients in my practice that have been treated by a dentist and present with crowns that have been poorly designed, and shaped in a way that does not have the right contours, dimensions, or proportions, and when these are in the smile zone they can make a person’s smile very unattractive.

Usually there is a reason why the restorations were made that way, for example, a person with spaces between the front teeth may feel uncomfortable smiling, and request crowns or bonding to close the spaces.  Here is where your dentist’s training and artistic ability come in.  Your dentist can analyze the size of your teeth and compare them to “golden proportions” that are well documented to be very esthetic and determine if the person can close the spaces by making the teeth bigger or if the teeth are big enough and the space closure needs to be done with orthodontics.  Attempting to close the spaces by making the teeth bigger when they are big enough already can be a disaster and create a result that is not pleasing to the eye.

Another reason that dental work in the cosmetic zone can look bad is when the dentist fails to take symmetry into consideration.  For example, a case where the teeth on one side are made to look larger than the teeth on the other side.  This is very noticeable if the teeth in question are the two upper front teeth.  They should be identical to each other, and if one is longer or wider, it is very noticeable.

Sometimes the person has had some teeth extracted, and there is a natural tendency for the teeth to shift to close the space.  When this happens in the smile zone the teeth show canting, or an unaesthetic inclination, and any cosmetic work needs to correct the canting for the work to look good.

These and many other problems can be avoided by good planning on the part of the dentist.  If the dentist is changing the shape or the length of the front teeth, or correcting cosmetic problems it is important to use the concept of prototype temporaries. By creating the temporaries to incorporate all the features of the desired final restoration, the dentist (and the patient) can see how the final restorations will look, and if there are any issues or problems, they can be corrected in  the prototype temporaries until an acceptable result is achieved. 

Utilizing prototype temporaries takes more planning, and work on the part of the dentist, but it is a necessary step when solving problems in the cosmetic zone.

 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

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