General Dental Tips from The Health Connection
New York- February 26, 2006—"Who benefits from medicine and dentistry working together? The patient!"
That question, posed by ADA Executive Director James Bramson, kicked off Thursday's joint media conference hosted by the American Dental Association and the American Medical Association, part of the ADA's national campaign to educate the public about the relationship between oral health and overall health.
"Oral health conditions and other health conditions are more closely related than many may once have thought," Dr. Bramson said, "and viewing them as separate matters no longer makes sense."
The conference, "Oral and Systemic Health: Exploring the Connection," addressed periodontal inflammation; diabetes and periodontal disease; oral infections and cardiovascular risk factors; and pregnancy risks and periodontal disease.
Toward a longer healthier life.
While we can’t hope to live forever, a key to a longer, healthier life is to prevent the pre-mature onset of the major threats to a healthy happy life: heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and lung diseases, to name a few. We are now learning that in addition to good nutrition and exercise, keeping your mouth healthy is a vital factor in the equation.
The Oral-Systemic Connection
The mouth is the gateway to the body. We rely on it for daily nutrition and life support, communication, and even expressing our love. Veterinarians will look first into “the horse’s mouth” to assess the overall health of the animal, and over 80 years ago Dr. Charles Mayo, founder of the famed Mayo Clinic, noted that people who keep their teeth live an average of ten years longer than those who lose them. We all know that a tooth infection, or abscess, can affect other parts of the body, and those with heart conditions, or who are about to have heart surgery are treated first with antibiotics before any dentistry is done so that the bacteria from the mouth does not travel through the bloodstream to damage the heart. Because of the fact that the bloodstream is a two-way street, the new factor emerging as most significant to total health is-
Gum Disease
Because it is part of the digestive system and the gateway to the body, the mouth is filled with over 500 different micro-organisms, more than any other part of the body except for the intestine.
The majority of these are useful, but some, especially the “anaerobic” bacteria that avoid air and live in deep crevices, can cause harm if allowed to penetrate the gums and enter the bloodstream. Therefore, that little bit of bleeding that accompanies brushing your teeth, and bad breath in the morning, can be a sign that you are under attack by harmful bacteria. While beautiful pink gums are a sign of good health, red puffy gums are a sign of inflammation, which as we will see is linked to a host of serious diseases. Oftentimes, periodontal disease is present even when the gums appear healthy on the outside. Professional dental evaluation is necessary to determine the presence or absence of periodontal disease.
How do we recognize gum disease and why do so many people have it?
It is estimated that during their lifetime 80% of the U.S. population will develop gum disease and that once it starts it does not usually reverse itself without specialized care.
The initial stage of the gum disease is called Ginigivitis while the more advanced stages with deep pocketing and bone loss are called Periodontitis. The good news is we can combat the onset of periodontal disease through diligent brushing and flossing, using toothpaste and mouthwash that specifically combat anaerobic bacteria and sulfur compounds, and improved nutrition and beneficial supplements. Regular visits to your dentist for preventative care and checkups will support your dental health and let you know if you are at additional risk.
That question, posed by ADA Executive Director James Bramson, kicked off Thursday's joint media conference hosted by the American Dental Association and the American Medical Association, part of the ADA's national campaign to educate the public about the relationship between oral health and overall health.
"Oral health conditions and other health conditions are more closely related than many may once have thought," Dr. Bramson said, "and viewing them as separate matters no longer makes sense."
The conference, "Oral and Systemic Health: Exploring the Connection," addressed periodontal inflammation; diabetes and periodontal disease; oral infections and cardiovascular risk factors; and pregnancy risks and periodontal disease.
Toward a longer healthier life.
While we can’t hope to live forever, a key to a longer, healthier life is to prevent the pre-mature onset of the major threats to a healthy happy life: heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and lung diseases, to name a few. We are now learning that in addition to good nutrition and exercise, keeping your mouth healthy is a vital factor in the equation.
The Oral-Systemic Connection
The mouth is the gateway to the body. We rely on it for daily nutrition and life support, communication, and even expressing our love. Veterinarians will look first into “the horse’s mouth” to assess the overall health of the animal, and over 80 years ago Dr. Charles Mayo, founder of the famed Mayo Clinic, noted that people who keep their teeth live an average of ten years longer than those who lose them. We all know that a tooth infection, or abscess, can affect other parts of the body, and those with heart conditions, or who are about to have heart surgery are treated first with antibiotics before any dentistry is done so that the bacteria from the mouth does not travel through the bloodstream to damage the heart. Because of the fact that the bloodstream is a two-way street, the new factor emerging as most significant to total health is-
Gum Disease
Because it is part of the digestive system and the gateway to the body, the mouth is filled with over 500 different micro-organisms, more than any other part of the body except for the intestine.
The majority of these are useful, but some, especially the “anaerobic” bacteria that avoid air and live in deep crevices, can cause harm if allowed to penetrate the gums and enter the bloodstream. Therefore, that little bit of bleeding that accompanies brushing your teeth, and bad breath in the morning, can be a sign that you are under attack by harmful bacteria. While beautiful pink gums are a sign of good health, red puffy gums are a sign of inflammation, which as we will see is linked to a host of serious diseases. Oftentimes, periodontal disease is present even when the gums appear healthy on the outside. Professional dental evaluation is necessary to determine the presence or absence of periodontal disease.
How do we recognize gum disease and why do so many people have it?
It is estimated that during their lifetime 80% of the U.S. population will develop gum disease and that once it starts it does not usually reverse itself without specialized care.
- It begins with the formation of bacterial plaque, a colorless, sticky substance that forms every day. While diligent brushing and flossing will remove it, if left alone, plaque will create chemicals that attack the gums.
- The bacteria cause a mineral buildup called calculus which advances local irritation. This calculus cannot be removed by diligent brushing and flossing, only by professional care in the dental office.
- The skin on your gums dies and is reborn every day and this tissue contains sulfur. This sulfur mixes with the bacteria and food forming sulfur compounds such as H2S (which has a “rotten egg smell” well-known to chemistry students).
- While the symptom is bad breath, the problem is that the sulfur compounds allow the bacteria to penetrate into the gums. (13) (14)
- If your body’s defenses are low because of poor nutrition, other diseases, or even aging, it will not be able to fight off these attacks.
- Gum tissue and even bone are destroyed forming “periodontal pockets” which allow additional harmful bacteria to breed and enter the bloodstream.
The initial stage of the gum disease is called Ginigivitis while the more advanced stages with deep pocketing and bone loss are called Periodontitis. The good news is we can combat the onset of periodontal disease through diligent brushing and flossing, using toothpaste and mouthwash that specifically combat anaerobic bacteria and sulfur compounds, and improved nutrition and beneficial supplements. Regular visits to your dentist for preventative care and checkups will support your dental health and let you know if you are at additional risk.
The General Inflammation Connection
The Inflammation Connection –The New Factor in Heart Disease, Stroke, Cancer, and other Serious Diseases.
One of the early signs of gum disease is that your gums turn from a pretty pink to an inflamed red. Scientists are now discovering that bodily inflammation is linked with a host of diseases including heart disease, stroke, lung disease, cancers, Alzheimer’s, and others.
Gum disease is an inflammatory condition that does not go away without treatment and it is a major cause of inflammation in many people (8) (22). Inflammation causes the liver to secrete a protein called C-Reactive Protein (CRP, for short) to fight the problem which seems to cause a number of side effects in the body.
The best known side effect of elevated CRP levels is the connection to heart disease. CRP is more predictive of heart attacks than the bad LDL cholesterol (9) (23). While a CRP value of under 1 mg/liter is considered normal, a value of 2-3 triples your risk of heart attack and higher values can increase your risk up to seven and a half times!
(under 1.0 mg/liter). The actual manner by which CRP causes heart attacks was only recently explained. Elevated CRP levels actually interfere with the process that prevents blood clots, thus causing a higher incidence of blockages in arteries which can result in a sudden heart attack or stroke (10).
By comparison, bad cholesterol slowly builds up plaque in the arteries which often allows for some advanced warning in the form of pain or weakness.
While the active process is less known, statistically people with the top 25% of CRP scores develop 2.5 times as much colon cancer as those in the bottom 25% (11). Also, CRP is implicated in Alzheimer’s. Seniors with the highest 1/3 of CRP levels had significantly more cognitive decline than those in the bottom third (12).
Clearly it pays to know your CRP number, which can be requested as a single test (a high-sensitivity CRP is the more valuable test for heart disease association) or when other blood tests are done. If your CRP is high, the causes need to be determined and corrected to reduce your number.
In addition to gum disease, bodily infections such as a urinary tract infection, high blood pressure, smoking, lymphoma, and even being overweight can contribute to elevated CRP levels. Since periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease and is capable of elevating CRP levels, we normally request this blood test for any of our patients diagnosed with periodontal disease. Centers for Dental Medicine has developed a groundbreaking protocol for the diagnosis of periodontal disease and the treatment of periodontal disease and its associated negative impact on overall health.
Centers throughout the country have found that by following our unique periodontal protocol, we are able to quickly reduce periodontal inflammation And in so doing, we can significantly reduce the CRP level to a non-harmful range in almost all cases, unless there is another systemic factor contributing to the elevation. (19).
If your CRP number is high to begin with and remains high after periodontal health has been established, we will collaborate with your physician to review and monitor your results and make sure that you do not have other problems as well. As a Center for Dental Medicine, we give you our exclusive commitment to help care for your total health.
A Safe, Non-Surgical, Non-Toxic Treatment:
Traditionally, physicians are trained to diagnose disease and treat with surgery or drugs. The discovery of the infection-inflammation and heart disease connection is no different.
Physicians are waiting on drug manufacturers to produce a drug that will lower the levels of CRP and thus, reduce the risk of a heart attack. An eighteen-month clinical trial showed that a statin drug (Lipitor) can lower CRP levels (9). However, to accomplish this, 8 times the normal dosage was needed.
This approach can be expensive and unnecessarily risky. A sole drug-based approach to lowering CRP levels is not seeking and removing the underlying cause of the elevated CRP. A more ideal approach would be to find and eliminate the source of the inflammation in the first place. A commitment we make to our patients is to help to eliminate any periodontal inflammation in order to rule out this potential cause.
One of the early signs of gum disease is that your gums turn from a pretty pink to an inflamed red. Scientists are now discovering that bodily inflammation is linked with a host of diseases including heart disease, stroke, lung disease, cancers, Alzheimer’s, and others.
Gum disease is an inflammatory condition that does not go away without treatment and it is a major cause of inflammation in many people (8) (22). Inflammation causes the liver to secrete a protein called C-Reactive Protein (CRP, for short) to fight the problem which seems to cause a number of side effects in the body.
The best known side effect of elevated CRP levels is the connection to heart disease. CRP is more predictive of heart attacks than the bad LDL cholesterol (9) (23). While a CRP value of under 1 mg/liter is considered normal, a value of 2-3 triples your risk of heart attack and higher values can increase your risk up to seven and a half times!
(under 1.0 mg/liter). The actual manner by which CRP causes heart attacks was only recently explained. Elevated CRP levels actually interfere with the process that prevents blood clots, thus causing a higher incidence of blockages in arteries which can result in a sudden heart attack or stroke (10).
By comparison, bad cholesterol slowly builds up plaque in the arteries which often allows for some advanced warning in the form of pain or weakness.
While the active process is less known, statistically people with the top 25% of CRP scores develop 2.5 times as much colon cancer as those in the bottom 25% (11). Also, CRP is implicated in Alzheimer’s. Seniors with the highest 1/3 of CRP levels had significantly more cognitive decline than those in the bottom third (12).
Clearly it pays to know your CRP number, which can be requested as a single test (a high-sensitivity CRP is the more valuable test for heart disease association) or when other blood tests are done. If your CRP is high, the causes need to be determined and corrected to reduce your number.
In addition to gum disease, bodily infections such as a urinary tract infection, high blood pressure, smoking, lymphoma, and even being overweight can contribute to elevated CRP levels. Since periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease and is capable of elevating CRP levels, we normally request this blood test for any of our patients diagnosed with periodontal disease. Centers for Dental Medicine has developed a groundbreaking protocol for the diagnosis of periodontal disease and the treatment of periodontal disease and its associated negative impact on overall health.
Centers throughout the country have found that by following our unique periodontal protocol, we are able to quickly reduce periodontal inflammation And in so doing, we can significantly reduce the CRP level to a non-harmful range in almost all cases, unless there is another systemic factor contributing to the elevation. (19).
If your CRP number is high to begin with and remains high after periodontal health has been established, we will collaborate with your physician to review and monitor your results and make sure that you do not have other problems as well. As a Center for Dental Medicine, we give you our exclusive commitment to help care for your total health.
A Safe, Non-Surgical, Non-Toxic Treatment:
Traditionally, physicians are trained to diagnose disease and treat with surgery or drugs. The discovery of the infection-inflammation and heart disease connection is no different.
Physicians are waiting on drug manufacturers to produce a drug that will lower the levels of CRP and thus, reduce the risk of a heart attack. An eighteen-month clinical trial showed that a statin drug (Lipitor) can lower CRP levels (9). However, to accomplish this, 8 times the normal dosage was needed.
This approach can be expensive and unnecessarily risky. A sole drug-based approach to lowering CRP levels is not seeking and removing the underlying cause of the elevated CRP. A more ideal approach would be to find and eliminate the source of the inflammation in the first place. A commitment we make to our patients is to help to eliminate any periodontal inflammation in order to rule out this potential cause.
Sleep Disordered Breathing
The Importance of sleep
Adequate sleep is vital for your body’s processes to work properly. The average person needs 6-8 hours of sleep. According to the NIH, sleep deprivation increases the risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Sleep deprivation decreases the level of the hormone leptin which tells the brain when your stomach is full. Sleep deprived individuals tend to compensate for their tiredness by eating more. Improvements in sleep quantity and quality have shown benefits in cognitive functioning, a decrease in coronary artery events, a reduction in risk for stroke, improved memory and increased safety as a driver on the road.
Sleep Disordered Breathing
Your dentist deals with two kinds of Sleep Disordered Breathing – snoring, with which you are probably familiar, and sleep apnea, which you may not have heard of. As you get older and often gain weight, the soft tissues in your pharynx (the back of your throat) vibrate as the air is forced through a passage that is too small - resulting in snoring. Snoring is very common, it is estimated that 45% of men and 30% of women over the age of 40 snore on a regular basis. Many couples report that snoring is a problem with their relationship and can result in sleeping in separate rooms. But snoring itself is not dangerous to your health.
Between 20% and 50% of snorers actually have obstructive sleep apnea. When they snore, their throat tissues completely collapse causing a temporary obstruction of the airway, temporarily cutting off all breathing. Obstructive Sleep Apnea’s severity is measured by how many instances of Apnea (stopping breathing) or hypopnea (shallow breathing) happen in one hour.
Risks of Sleep Apnea
Apart from the bothersome nature of a sleeping partner listening to loud snoring and periods of absent breathing, wondering if their partner is going to take the next breath - sleep apnea has many significant health consequences. The recurrent episodes of apnea produce lowered oxygen levels and elevated intra-thoracic pressures. These physiologic changes contribute to increases in Hypertension, Coronary Artery Disease and Stroke events. Sleep apnea contributes to daytime sleepiness, diminishes job performance and leads to an increase in the frequency of motor vehicle accidents. The cognitive capabilities of patients with sleep apnea decline as well. If you suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea:
· You are 4 times as likely to have heart attack
· You are twice as likely to die in your sleep
· You are seven times more likely to have a motor vehicle accident
· You have a 40% greater risk of having depression
· You are more likely to have sexual impotence and develop diabetes
· You are 2 to 3 times as likely to have a stroke
Diagnosis and Treatment
Many different factors can cause snoring and sleep apnea. These include: an abnormal enlargement of the soft tissues in your throat such as the uvula or tonsils, excess fat in the neck associated with obesity, brain injury, and a small jaw. If your snoring is a relatively recent phenomenon for you, correlated with weight gain, the first step would be to get on a weight loss program. This will help lower your risks for diabetes and heart disease as well.
The good news is that simple snoring, without sleep apnea, is treatable. Positioning yourself to sleep with your mouth closed, breathing through your nose and sleeping on your side rather than your back will help to avoid the collapsing of throat tissues that causes snoring. Dental devices, which often resemble the mouth guards worn by athletes, can help open your airway by bringing your lower jaw or your tongue forward during sleep.
However, if you snore, it is vital to determine if it is “just snoring” or serious obstructive Sleep Apnea. A major problem in our society is that the diagnosis and treatment has been expensive and required specialty evaluation. As a result, 85% of sleep apnea in the United States is undiagnosed.
An initial indication that you have sleep apnea is given by the Epworth Sleepiness Study, which asks questions about when and where you become drowsy. If the study is positive, Obstructive Sleep Apnea is diagnosed by the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI), a measure of the number of pauses in breathing while sleeping. Historically the AHI was calculated through overnight sleep studies away from home in a “Sleep Lab”. Today these measurements can be done in the comfort of one’s own bed. Advancements in technology with the use of microchips and tiny sensors in contained devices allow for the simultaneous measurement of air flow, brain waves, oxygen levels, intra-thoracic pressure changes and sound measurements with a device worn on the patients head (the ARES device from Watermark Medical). The ability to perform a comprehensive sleep evaluation at home drastically lowers the cost of the procedure and provides an opportunity for an increased role by dentists in the evaluation and management of results.
The use of a facemask with variable rate and air pressure delivery (CPAP) has been the most commonly used treatment. However, many patients find the facemask and air blowing into their face and nose to be excessively noxious and limit the frequency of its use. Other treatment options for sleep apnea include the creation of an oral appliance - used to move the jaw forward, that opens the airway and reduces the obstruction and Uvulopalatine surgery used to remove excess tissue at the back of the throat that is obstructing the airway during sleep.
Of interest, formal sleep laboratories are only able to treat sleep apnea with CPAP. All other treatment modalities require consultation with either dentists, oral surgeons or ear nose and throat surgeons. The unique relationship of the linkage between a sleep lab and a treatment device has too often left patients that might be treated in other ways – untreated or at best only partially treated. In addition, the costs for a sleep study and long-term CPAP use are significant. Now, with the development of a relatively inexpensive, in-home diagnostic tool, and the use of dental Mandibular Repositioning Devices a dentist can work in cooperation with physicians to evaluate and treat many of the affected patients at relatively low costs. The in-home diagnostic tool also allows the dentist to see if the Mandibular Repositioning device decreases apnea so patients and health care professionals can compare before and after AHI readings to confirm efficacy. As this is a medical treatment, medical insurance companies are billed by your dentist and often provide excellent coverage for this evaluation and treatment.
In Summary, if you snore tell your dentist – it could help your most important relationship and add years to your life.
Adequate sleep is vital for your body’s processes to work properly. The average person needs 6-8 hours of sleep. According to the NIH, sleep deprivation increases the risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Sleep deprivation decreases the level of the hormone leptin which tells the brain when your stomach is full. Sleep deprived individuals tend to compensate for their tiredness by eating more. Improvements in sleep quantity and quality have shown benefits in cognitive functioning, a decrease in coronary artery events, a reduction in risk for stroke, improved memory and increased safety as a driver on the road.
Sleep Disordered Breathing
Your dentist deals with two kinds of Sleep Disordered Breathing – snoring, with which you are probably familiar, and sleep apnea, which you may not have heard of. As you get older and often gain weight, the soft tissues in your pharynx (the back of your throat) vibrate as the air is forced through a passage that is too small - resulting in snoring. Snoring is very common, it is estimated that 45% of men and 30% of women over the age of 40 snore on a regular basis. Many couples report that snoring is a problem with their relationship and can result in sleeping in separate rooms. But snoring itself is not dangerous to your health.
Between 20% and 50% of snorers actually have obstructive sleep apnea. When they snore, their throat tissues completely collapse causing a temporary obstruction of the airway, temporarily cutting off all breathing. Obstructive Sleep Apnea’s severity is measured by how many instances of Apnea (stopping breathing) or hypopnea (shallow breathing) happen in one hour.
Risks of Sleep Apnea
Apart from the bothersome nature of a sleeping partner listening to loud snoring and periods of absent breathing, wondering if their partner is going to take the next breath - sleep apnea has many significant health consequences. The recurrent episodes of apnea produce lowered oxygen levels and elevated intra-thoracic pressures. These physiologic changes contribute to increases in Hypertension, Coronary Artery Disease and Stroke events. Sleep apnea contributes to daytime sleepiness, diminishes job performance and leads to an increase in the frequency of motor vehicle accidents. The cognitive capabilities of patients with sleep apnea decline as well. If you suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea:
· You are 4 times as likely to have heart attack
· You are twice as likely to die in your sleep
· You are seven times more likely to have a motor vehicle accident
· You have a 40% greater risk of having depression
· You are more likely to have sexual impotence and develop diabetes
· You are 2 to 3 times as likely to have a stroke
Diagnosis and Treatment
Many different factors can cause snoring and sleep apnea. These include: an abnormal enlargement of the soft tissues in your throat such as the uvula or tonsils, excess fat in the neck associated with obesity, brain injury, and a small jaw. If your snoring is a relatively recent phenomenon for you, correlated with weight gain, the first step would be to get on a weight loss program. This will help lower your risks for diabetes and heart disease as well.
The good news is that simple snoring, without sleep apnea, is treatable. Positioning yourself to sleep with your mouth closed, breathing through your nose and sleeping on your side rather than your back will help to avoid the collapsing of throat tissues that causes snoring. Dental devices, which often resemble the mouth guards worn by athletes, can help open your airway by bringing your lower jaw or your tongue forward during sleep.
However, if you snore, it is vital to determine if it is “just snoring” or serious obstructive Sleep Apnea. A major problem in our society is that the diagnosis and treatment has been expensive and required specialty evaluation. As a result, 85% of sleep apnea in the United States is undiagnosed.
An initial indication that you have sleep apnea is given by the Epworth Sleepiness Study, which asks questions about when and where you become drowsy. If the study is positive, Obstructive Sleep Apnea is diagnosed by the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI), a measure of the number of pauses in breathing while sleeping. Historically the AHI was calculated through overnight sleep studies away from home in a “Sleep Lab”. Today these measurements can be done in the comfort of one’s own bed. Advancements in technology with the use of microchips and tiny sensors in contained devices allow for the simultaneous measurement of air flow, brain waves, oxygen levels, intra-thoracic pressure changes and sound measurements with a device worn on the patients head (the ARES device from Watermark Medical). The ability to perform a comprehensive sleep evaluation at home drastically lowers the cost of the procedure and provides an opportunity for an increased role by dentists in the evaluation and management of results.
The use of a facemask with variable rate and air pressure delivery (CPAP) has been the most commonly used treatment. However, many patients find the facemask and air blowing into their face and nose to be excessively noxious and limit the frequency of its use. Other treatment options for sleep apnea include the creation of an oral appliance - used to move the jaw forward, that opens the airway and reduces the obstruction and Uvulopalatine surgery used to remove excess tissue at the back of the throat that is obstructing the airway during sleep.
Of interest, formal sleep laboratories are only able to treat sleep apnea with CPAP. All other treatment modalities require consultation with either dentists, oral surgeons or ear nose and throat surgeons. The unique relationship of the linkage between a sleep lab and a treatment device has too often left patients that might be treated in other ways – untreated or at best only partially treated. In addition, the costs for a sleep study and long-term CPAP use are significant. Now, with the development of a relatively inexpensive, in-home diagnostic tool, and the use of dental Mandibular Repositioning Devices a dentist can work in cooperation with physicians to evaluate and treat many of the affected patients at relatively low costs. The in-home diagnostic tool also allows the dentist to see if the Mandibular Repositioning device decreases apnea so patients and health care professionals can compare before and after AHI readings to confirm efficacy. As this is a medical treatment, medical insurance companies are billed by your dentist and often provide excellent coverage for this evaluation and treatment.
In Summary, if you snore tell your dentist – it could help your most important relationship and add years to your life.
Real Cost Of Getting Dental Braces
There are many factors that come in the pricing of braces. The first factor is the cost of orthodontist service. Just like any medical services, the prices for the care and service of orthodontists can vary considerably. The reputation of the orthodontist, the place where the orthodontist have their practice and even the type of patients an orthodontist has are all causes for the difference in the prices charges by an orthodontist for their services. Another factor that enters into the prices paid for braces is the services rendered and extent of the treatment done on the patient, and the last is the type of brace chosen by the patient or the patient’s parents. Knowing these factors will help greatly in the decision making once the need for braces come.
In most cases the dentist will recommend to a patient when braces become necessary. But there are also cases when the patient themselves notice the need for braces and they usually consult their dentist for advice. In most cases dentists and orthodontists team up and a dentist will recommend their clients to their “partner” orthodontist. When this happens, it is wise for patients to consult other orthodontists so that they can compare prices.
A patient and their orthodontist will have a long-standing association that may last for at least two years. For this reason, it is only wise for a patient to be well informed as to the personal and professional details of their orthodontist, details about the orthodontist’s practice, the policies of the clinic, and even get some opinion from former clients of the orthodontist’s reputation. A contract for services is normally prepared for these cases that itemizes the costs entailed in the application of braces. A patient may want to include the cost of dental care caused by damage to the teeth due to the braces.
In most cases the dentist will recommend to a patient when braces become necessary. But there are also cases when the patient themselves notice the need for braces and they usually consult their dentist for advice. In most cases dentists and orthodontists team up and a dentist will recommend their clients to their “partner” orthodontist. When this happens, it is wise for patients to consult other orthodontists so that they can compare prices.
A patient and their orthodontist will have a long-standing association that may last for at least two years. For this reason, it is only wise for a patient to be well informed as to the personal and professional details of their orthodontist, details about the orthodontist’s practice, the policies of the clinic, and even get some opinion from former clients of the orthodontist’s reputation. A contract for services is normally prepared for these cases that itemizes the costs entailed in the application of braces. A patient may want to include the cost of dental care caused by damage to the teeth due to the braces.