Prehn Dental Office , Dentist - Blog

When your Dentist performs crowns on you, there is usually a laboratory involved.  When you are having crowns or bridges performed, this is an important area that you need to ask your Dentist about.  Your Dentist can choose a very inexpensive lab, and sometimes, unfortunately, it is located outside the country, to save on cost.  At Prehn Dental Office, I have used the same lab for over 25 years and it is located very near to my office.  I am part of the full fabrication process and sometimes even involved in the actual fabrication.  I feel the quality is much better and I use solid, proven dental materials because I want my crowns and bridges to last as long as possible. 

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Tooth sensitivity can come from many different reasons and some patients claim that medication causes it.  As far as I am aware, there is no documented tooth sensitivity from medicine; however there is mechanical tooth brushing with abrasive toothpaste that can cause sensitivity due to repeated wearing of the root surface near the gum line.  There are procedures that can be done, but if you have sensitivity, evaluate the type of toothpaste you are using and get professional input on possible treatment options. 

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After we perform the actual preparation for crowns or bridges, we make temporary crown(s).  For the most part, they stay on nicely (for approximately the two weeks you are the temporary), look aesthetically pleasing and function well.  However, they are what the term refers to:  “temporary”!  If your temporary comes off, and your appointment is very soon and you are not experiencing any sensitivity, just keep the area clean.  If the temporary crown comes off and the area is sensitive, you need to call our office at the 24-hour answering service and we will schedule an appointment to have it re-cemented as soon as possible. 

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Many patients have TMJ or sore joints.  Sometimes this can be stress related; traumatic injury or sometimes it is the way your teeth come together.  Sore joints are something that should be evaluated by your dental professional.  There are many procedures that we can do—from conservative (i.e. medications and simple exercises) to splint therapy, and in extreme cases, actual surgical intervention may be needed. 

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I, or your Hygienist, may have talked about root planing.  This is basically a procedure the Hygienist does that is below the surface of the gum tissue to remove any deposits that have accumulated on the root surface.  It is part of a non-surgical periodontal therapy.  If you ever need this done, we will explain it to you, in detail. 

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Sterilization, in dentistry, has always been one of the most important parts of your care.  Our profession was a leader in steam sterilization.  ALL instruments used on you during your visit are steam and heat sterilized.  All equipment that cannot be put in the heat sterilizer, are wiped down with a disinfectant, between patients, and are thoroughly cleaned.  We take great pride in protecting you as a patient so no infection will pass from the previous patients. 

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Dental professionals are usually D.D. S.’s; which means Doctor of Dental Surgery.  This normally requires a four-year under-graduate degree at a university and then four-year training at a certified dental school. After thoroughly testing the candidate, in the state of practice, a license is given to practice.  I attended the University of WI, in Madison, and then went to Marquette Dental School to get my training. 

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We prescribe fluoride rinse to patients when there is a high decay rate OR you have had extensive dentistry (fillings, crowns and/or bridges) performed.  Fluoride rinse is important.  Please keep in mind that your teeth are like a sponge.  When you use fluoride rinses, the fluoride ions go into the tooth surfaces to strengthen and prevent decay.  If you go 7 to 10 days without fluoride rinses, the fluoridine leaves the tooth and it becomes susceptible to decay again.  Fluoridated water is great for helping children form their teeth from the inside, commonly called systematic fluoride, but topical fluoride rinse is important for adults who have a high decay rate or extensive restorations.  Please follow the instructions closely that you have been given regarding the use of fluoride rinse. 

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There are several types of infected teeth. * Pulpitis: The nerve inside the tooth is dying and can cause extreme pain for a number of  hours or even days.  *Periapical abscess: Is an infected tooth that is now forming an abscess at the tip of the root in the jawbone. *Periodontal abscess: The ligament around the tooth is getting infected and also the bone associated with the tooth is also becoming infected. Like anything else in your body, to leave an infected tooth stay in your mouth without treatment, is not indicated because infection means bacteria and that equals pus!  To have pus in your jaw on a daily basis is not healthy.  Some type of dental treatment is definitely needed. 

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TMJ splints and night-guard splints look very similar; however they are designed differently for specific reasons.  A night-guard is usually a flat acrylic wafer that fits over your teeth, to protect the teeth from grinding, clenching and bruxism during the nighttime hours; which can prevent wear on the teeth and also alleviate muscle tenderness.  It is mainly to protect the hard structure of the teeth.  TMJ splints are designed to alleviate joint pain, muscle pain and TMD (temporomandibular) dysfunction) symptoms.  They look the same but they are designed differently and TMJ splints require much more research and follow-up appointments. 

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Cold sores usually come from a herpes simplex II virus.  You can never totally get rid of them but there are medications that can alleviate the symptoms quicker and help prevent the spread of the cold sores.  The medication is known as an anti-viral drug.  A vast majority of patients get cold sores, and like chicken pox, it is not something that you can ever eliminate and they seem to reoccur at the most inopportune times! 

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Many children’s parents ask why we fill baby teeth when there is decay.  We do this because the baby teeth are an important part for the eruption of your permanent teeth and decayed teeth (if left unattended) can cause abscesses, discomfort and infection.  In most cases, baby teeth should be filled, but in some situations, your Dentist may leave the decay behind because the tooth will be lost in the very near future and filling the tooth would be counter-productive cost wise for something that is only going to be in the mouth for a short time. 

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Aspirin is a blood thinner and that is why your Physician gives it to (in a low dosage like 80 mg) on a regular basis to help keep your blood thin-if you have a chance for heart attack or stroke in your family history.  We discontinue aspirin three days before dental surgery because we do not want the socket to bleed excessively.  That does not mean that you cannot have a tooth removed if you are on aspirin therapy, but your post-operative healing is much better if you discontinue aspirin for three days prior to surgery.  We will discuss this with you prior to your scheduled appointment. 

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We encourage patients to schedule their 6-month cleaning (and in some extreme cases, 3 or 4 months) in advance because we think it is an important part of your dental health.  Time flies by, and in most patients, if a prior appointment has already been made, they will see the importance of the appointment and keep their cleaning and exam current.  Also, if you have certain days or times that work best for you, you have first choice of securing the most requested time slots. 

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After root canal therapy has been performed, a Dentist normally recommends a crown.  This is because after a root canal has been performed, the nerve of the tooth is gone but the tooth remains in your mouth with the periodontal ligaments attaching the tooth to the bone.  However, the tooth is not “living” from the inside and the tooth becomes dark and brittle and this is why we recommend crown coverage to restore the tooth to proper function.  Also, many times you needed to have root canal therapy performed because the tooth is really broken down and crown coverage is just the next logical step in maintaining your dentition. 

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Unlike medical insurance, dental insurance usually has a maximum amount they pay out toward your dental health each year.  If it is not used, it expires and starts over at the calendar year of your insurance plan.  Many times, crowns, periodontal therapy, and other treatments are necessary.  If you put them off until the following year, you basically lost the benefit that you and or your employer have paid for.  We encourage you to maximize your insurance benefits as much as possible for the sake of our dental health! 

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At Prehn Dental, we will discuss with you the different types of toothpaste.  Some whitening and tarter control toothpastes can be very abrasive on the teeth and cause a lot of sensitivity but some patients experience no side effects, at all.  The bottom-line is that all toothpastes have been approved by The American Dental Association and have gone through rigorous testing to prevent injury to your teeth.  We will discuss this, in more detail with you, at your cleaning appointment as to the type of toothpaste that is best for you.  Feel free to ask any questions you may have. 

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When you come into Prehn Dental Office, we are always asking if there have been any changes in your dental insurance, phone numbers, addresses, e-mail address, etc…  It is very important that I am able to get in touch with you for emergency reasons. Having your current information is an important part of your dental record.  Your dental insurance is important because we strive to help you receive the best benefit from your insurance company.  For this to occur, it is paramount that we have the most up-to-date dental insurance information.  Please keep us informed of any changes that we need to be aware of. 

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Your Dentist takes your blood pressure, for many reasons, during your cleaning and dental surgery appointments.  Many patients do not see their Physician on a regular basis but they do see their Dentist.  We are sometimes the leader in detecting high blood pressure in patients.  High blood pressure can also affect our treatment and our decisions on how we treat you.  Keeping your blood pressure under control is a very important aspect of your health care.  At Prehn Dental, we take pride in making that a part of our total evaluation for you as a patient. 

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Dr Prehn is one of the few general Dentists in the area that has hospital privileges at Aspirus/Wausau Hospital.  He does this because he thinks dentistry is very important and hospital dentistry is needed for certain complex patients or patients who are unable to have dental procedures performed in a dental office setting.  If general anesthetic is necessary for cooperation and or comfort, Aspirus/Wausau Hospital is a good alternative. 

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