Shelby Township Dentist Answers Common Dental Questions

Question:  I have been hearing advertisements about sedation dentistry.  Could you please explain what this is?

Answer: Sedation dentistry is used most typically on nervous patients who have been avoiding the dentist for 5-25 years or more. This technique requires that the patient take a simple sleeping pill one hour before their appointment.  Arrangements are made for the patient to be dropped off at our dental office and picked up after their visit.  The sleeping pill starts to work after about 1 hour and maintains it’s effectiveness for about 2-3 hours.  Extended appointments can be accomplished by administering an additional pill during the treatment.  The blood pressure, heart rate and blood level oxygen levels are monitored automatically with a special device to keep the treatment very safe and effective.
The best part about using this technique is that there is virtually no memory after treatment and the patient is totally relaxed before and during treatment.  It allows us to fix someone’s mouth in just a couple of visits.

Question: I have some old silver fillings which are beginning to look bad. What can be done to improve them?

Answer:   Silver amalgam fillings, which are composed of 50% mercury and 50% silver alloy eventually need to be replaced. It may surprise you to know that the average life span of a silver filling is five to eight years. Your dentist can tell you when they appear to NEED to be replaced due to leakage, breakdown or recurrent decay.

If your concern is strictly COSMETIC, there are many new methods available to replace the fillings with beautiful, functional long lasting restorations.
Such things as white filling materials, porcelain inlays , crowns and veneers may be used to give you the smile you are seeking.

There is currently a great deal of interest in new reinforced hybrid materials. These beautiful resin materials may be reinforced with fibers, similar to fiberglass, and used in very conservative inlays and bridges without having to grind away a whole healthy tooth.

Shelby Township Dentist Answers Common Dental Questions

If you have any questions, feel free to call The Gentle Dentist at: 586-247-3500