New Expectations: What the increasing life expectancy means for your mouth

I have great news; people live longer than they once did.  I have other great news; the science of Dentistry has evolved to meet the demands your teeth will face if you would like to have them last 80-90 years instead of 50-60.  Even more great news; now there are better options to replace your missing teeth if they don't last.

In the past the past fifty year life expectancy has increased by about 10 years.  The average is now almost 80 years instead of under 70 years.  The average lifespan of a filling is around 10-20 years and each time a filling needs replacement a little bit of tooth is lost.  The longer the filling is worn out the more tooth that is lost, very rarely is this felt on the teeth.  Once you can feel a cavity or a worn out filling it means the problem has reached the nerve and typically will require a root canal or an extraction.

Fillings still doing well

When most people hear their dental work is expected to last around 10 years they usually say something like "I've had this filling, crown, bridge etc for 40 years.  Why are your telling me it only lasts 10 years?"  First, this is just what research and data from insurance companies have shown, sometimes dental work can last longer.

Large filling showing signs of wear

This gets me to the second point.  More than likely the dental work has worn out but it hasn't hurt and the tooth hasn't fallen apart.  This is what I usually see in my office.  Many times a patient will have multiple fillings that were probably worn out 10-20 years ago and now the teeth are almost beyond treating. This leaves the more expensive option of replacing the tooth or teeth.

Filling starting to crack that eventually start to break apart

Large filling with wear signs and a crack in the middle of the filling

 The longer it takes to replace a filling once it has worn out then bigger the fix that needs to happen to correct the problem.  The bigger the fix can mean more money, a higher possibility of problems after, and or a shorter time the fix is expected to last.

Filling with a very visible cavity (the dark on the left side in the picture)

Year's before it might have been considered okay for the teeth to fall apart at 60 years old.  Now if you want to keep your teeth in your mouth until you are 80-90 it not only means 2 more time (statistically) the worn out filling needs to be replaced.  It also means fillings will probably need to be changed a few times before 60 to make sure there is enough tooth structure to last the future demands that the teeth will face.

A filling that fell out and now has a poor chance of fixing

It is exciting to be living in a time where you can live a longer and better life.  There is a lot that Dentistry has improved on in both science and technology to help people have a better quality of life for the extra years they are living.  More on that in my next post.

Dr Paul Leatham DMD

#Tucsondentist
#silverfillings

What makes you love your Dentist?

This morning I was at the grocery store buying gift cars for patients who have sent others to our office. The lady at the registrar asked why I was getting so many gift cards.  I let her know I was a Dentist and I used the gift cards to send to some of my patients.  Her smile dropped as she suddenly became solemn saying "I hate the Dentist."

I looked at her and brightly responded, "But we've just met."

She laughed and started to explain how she had once had a bad experience, so now she avoids seeing dentist but then when she needs to go it's for a root canal. I listened to her continue about how the sound of the drill and having her mouth open for a long time also made her dislike the dental visits.  I gave her my card and told her I would like to try to give her a better experience.

This is a fairly common occurrence for me.  I meet someone, they find out about my profession and they then let me know their felling for my profession. Sometimes it is very negative, and many times it is very positive.  The stories they tell me have helped me find what usually make one person love their dentist and the other person to dislike them.  The  following are some of the things I have learned that make people love or hate the dentist:

1. The Dentist's Personality
The Dentist was a very nice guy, or he was very impersonal.  Dentists are people and just like everyone else.  There are a lot of great Dentists and there are a few bad ones.  If you have had to deal with a bad one it is especially difficult because of the personal space they are working in.
The better personal relationship people have with their Dentist and his or her team the better their experiences tend to be.

2. That Numbing Feeling
Many people have expressed to me how much the dislike being numb for so long.  Well I have some good news we have a numb reversal agent called Oraverse. We can use this to greatly shorten the time you are numb after a procedure.  I've used this for patients who need to give presentations or are going to a social event so they can have normal function sooner.

3. Discomfort After Dental Procedures
Some people never notice any discomfort after dental work and others have had their teeth become sensitive or even hurt after dental procedures.

This can be difficult because dental surgery is just that, surgery.  If you just had surgery on your foot it would be unlikely that you would be walking on it the next day.  However this is what we do with our teeth.

Luckily there are some different agents that can be used to help relive this very common post operative sensitivity.  We use Microprime with all of our crowns and fillings.  Not only has this greatly reduced the percentage of our patients who experience after dental work but it also helps to decontaminate the tooth.

4. Cost
 I have heard people in all walks of life say that their dental care was worth every penny and others who say that it is just too expensive. On average people spend more on their cell phone or clothing. Beyond this the longer you wait to correct a dental problem the more expensive it will become.  A root canal which will then require a crown is 10 times the cost of a filling and a filling costs about the same as an extraction.

The difference with the cost of dentistry when compared to cell phone coverage, or clothing is that it tends to come all at once.  To help with this we offer several financial options to help make the dental care you need more affordable.

In Summary
The dental office can seem like a scary place for many reasons.  We understand this and work hard to create comforting memories for those we serve.  We encourage you to take care of your smile and would love to take your oral health to the next level.