CEREC Omnicam video

Here is a video that shows how our new CEREC machine works and allows you to have a crown made in 1 visit.

“Crowns in one visit? You can do that?”

“Crowns in one visit?  You can do that?”

“Yes!”

“How?”

“Well, we have a new machine, the Cerec Omnicam, which allows us to do everything in about 2 hours.  There are 3 parts to the machine: a small video camera, a computer program, and a milling machine.  After we remove the damaged parts of your tooth we take a 3-D color video image of your teeth.”

“Wait! You don’t need to use that gooey stuff to make a mold of my teeth?”

“That’s right; no more messy goo is needed to go into your mouth to take an impression.  Once I know that we have enough information from the video, I use the computer program to help me design the crown that is needed to restore your tooth.  Then, we send that information to the milling machine that will create the crown out of a ceramic block immediately while you wait.”

“I really don’t have to come back?”

“No, you don’t.  It takes about 10-15 minutes for the machine to mill, or create, the crown out of the ceramic block.  Then, we will place it in your mouth to make sure your bite is correct, it fits to your tooth well, and everything is sealed.  Then, we will take the crown and place it in an oven to bake it for 15 minutes.  Once it is cool, we use a very strong cement to keep it in place.  The total time you are in the chair is about the same, maybe a little less, as compared the total time needed to do a crown the traditional way; but you don’t have to get numb twice, and there is no temporary crown to worry about."

“Why don’t you need metal for the crown anymore?”

“Are there situations where metal is still necessary? Yes.  However, in your case and the majority of other patients as well, ceramics will do as great a job as their metal-based counterparts.  If used properly, the ceramic crowns are as strong as crowns with metal in them.  Another advantage is that the ceramic crowns are more esthetic than traditional crowns.”

“OK.  What is the difference in cost between a ceramic crown and a crown with metal?  It costs more right?”

“What if I told you it costs less?”

“WHAT??? HOW???”

“It’s simple.  When we used metal in the past for either the strength underneath porcelain or as an all-metal crown, we made sure our lab used nothing but the best (or noble) metals available: gold, palladium, etc.  Now, with gold rising in price significantly over the years, our lab bill, and in turn the fee we charge for our metal-based crowns, also increased.  When using a ceramic restoration, the lab bill is less.  Instead of charging you the same, or more, than a metal-based crown, I have lowered the fee to match the savings.”

Pictured: The camera, the computer, and the milling machine used
to make a crown in one visit.

“Wow! So, are they really just as strong as metal crowns?”

“Yes, if used properly.  As I said before, there will be times where a metal-based crown will be more beneficial; but in this case, and a majority of other cases, ceramic is a great material to use. “

“So, what made you get this machine now?  Why didn’t you get it before?”

“The technology is now where I want it to be.  What made me decided to get it now was the new camera.  It’s amazing.  Like I said before, it’s a 3-D color video camera.  The previous camera that was used, while also giving excellent results, was like a regular camera.  It took black-and-white still photos.  When the images from the video Omnicam camera are on the screen, you see it just as it is in your mouth.  Your gums will be pink, your silver filling in the back of your mouth will be silver.  Since the images with the old camera came up as black and white there could be situations where it would be difficult for the dentist to properly identify where the tooth ended (the margin) and the gums began.   With the omnicam, since everything is in color, it is much easier to identify the margin.”

“This seems really cool.  So, when can we do this?”

“As soon as you’re ready.”

Winter is coming; and so are sinus infections

Fans of "Game of Thrones" on HBO know the phrase, "Winter is coming".  For those who have not read the books, or have watched the show, it is motto of the Stark family; a family of nobles that oversee the northern-most lands of the kingdom.  Today, the weather feels like summer has ended, fall is here, and that means winter is on its way; which brings me today's post.

Banana Spray doesn't taste good.

In dental school, I was encouraged by some professors to make sure that I tried every dental product that I was going to use when seeing a patient.  The reasoning was simple.  I should know what the material tastes and feels like so that I can understand and empathize with what my patient was experiencing.  Most things tasted, and felt, ok.  For example, the impression material, or “gook”, that we use to take molds of your teeth was fine; it didn’t taste bad, but it wasn’t great tasting either.  One of the worst things to taste was “banana spray”.  What’s banana spray you ask?  It is an anesthetic spray that is used for a patient that has a severe gag reflex.  It tastes awful, and personally, I really don’t think it works.   There are much better ways to get someone with a severe gag reflex to stay calm while doing dental work.  I used it once or twice in dental school on the insistence from a professor.  I wasn’t happy about it, and you can bet neither was the patient.

So, what does my experience of trying different dental products in dental school have to do with winter and sinus infections?  Well, over the years I have had a number of patients come in swearing that they had a terrible tooth ache in the back teeth of their top jaw.  Even though this can happen any time of year, it tends to be more prevalent during the fall and winter months for our patients.  When this situation occurs in my office, we talk about their symptoms, do an exam, and take an x-ray or two.  If everything appears to be ok on the x-ray and in the mouth, one of the questions I always ask is, “Do you have any sinus issues right now?” If the answer is “yes”, I have the patient put their head between their legs to see if this causes any kind of change in pressure or relief on the teeth that are bothering them.  If they do have a sinus infection, we give them an antibiotic prescription, and we call them back in a few days to make sure they are feeling better.

However, until last year, I had never personally experienced a sinus infection.  Yes, I could diagnose the problem, but I was never able to empathize and fully understand what my patients were feeling.  Then, I had one.  IT HURT LIKE CRAZY!  If I wasn’t a dentist, I would have sworn that I would have needed at least 3 root canals.  It felt like I was getting lightning bolts put straight into the roots of my teeth.  In a weird way I was actually happy to have had it, because now I know exactly what my patients were telling me about.  I was able to finally say, “I know exactly what you are feeling right now.”

Why am I telling you this? Simple, I have a sinus infection right now that is causing my teeth to hurt, so I figured I would warn you that winter is coming; and so are sinus infections!

Happy Labor Day!

Yesterday, Mendham held it's annual Labor Day parade.  The threat of rain did not keep everyone away from enjoying the activities.  Here are some pictures taken as the parade passed the office and headed to Borough Park and the last day of the carnival.  We hope everyone had a great time this weekend!

Did you buy your 50/50 tickets?

Morris County Police Officers leading the parade.

Mendham's Boy Scouts Troop

View from the office looking towards Borough Park

Mendham Bourough Fire Department

Brookside Fire Department

Mendham's Cub Scouts Pack

Mountain View's 8th grade float

Mendham High School's Marching Band

Mendham High School's Cheer Leaders

A clown band

Twin Boro Bears Cheerleaders

Schiff Nature Preserve

Candy, candy, candy.  This is only one of the bags that my kids filled.

Here are some pictures from the carnival:

Deep fried pb&j????

Zeppole.  No carnival would be complete without that.

Toothbrushes, Toothpastes, and Floss (Oh, my!)

We love it when patients ask us questions, and we get lots of them every day.  “Which toothpaste is best?” “Is this one better than that one?”  “Which mouthwash is good for my kids?”

I took this picture at the Shoprite in Chester. 

The next time you are in the supermarket or pharmacy, walk down the health & beauty aisle, and look at the abundance of options available to take care of your teeth.  For floss alone there are so many options.  Is it waxed, un-waxed, rope-like, flavored, unflavored, does it have a handle, etc. You get the idea.  For every dental product available for you to buy, there are so many choices it can be overwhelming that you may not know where to start.

When patients come visit us for their cleanings the topic of what they should be using at home comes up at some point.  Depending on your needs we will recommend specific oral hygiene products that will help you keep your mouth as healthy as possible between your visits.  However, the simplest answer I can give anyone is this: “Whatever works for you.”  -WHAT?

What I mean is I want you to brush your teeth at least twice a day, I want you to floss once a day, and I want you to use mouthwash.  I want you to use whichever toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash that you like and will use.  Let’s be honest.  There are very few people in the world who actively enjoy brushing their teeth; the majority of people view it as a necessary evil that must be done.  We only get to see you a few times a year for about an hour each time.  We need you to take care of your teeth and gums at home on a regular basis; and you are more likely to take better care of them at home using products you like.

Pickle-flavored floss? Yup!

So, if you have toothpaste that tastes a little funny, try a new one.  You don’t like the type of floss you have? Come by the office, and we will give you a couple of different types for you to try.  We’ve got plenty (except for pickle-flavored).

If you ever have any questions or comments we would love to hear them below; or you can always call us at 973-543-6666.  

Thanks for reading!

-Paul Ferraioli, DMD

Do you use Tylenol? If you do, please read this!

It has come to our attention that Johnson & Johnson have cut the maximum recommended daily dose of the pain reliever Extra Strength Tylenol from 8 pills (4000 mg)  to 6 pills (3000 mg) a day.  These new dosing instructions will be seen on packages beginning in the very near future (fall 2011).  HOWEVER, packages with the current labeling (allowing you to take 8 pills a day) will remain on the shelves, and will not be removed.

The reason that McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division, the pharmaceutical arm of Johnson & Johnson, is decreasing their recommended dosage of Extra Strength Tylenol is that acetaminophen, the active ingredient that helps with pain reduction in products like Tylenol, has been known to cause liver damage and fatal overdoses in those who misuse the medication.

Starting sometime early next year (2012), the recommended daily dosage for Regular Strength Tylenol and other acetaminophen products will be lowered as well.  Once we learn about the changes, we will pass them along to you.

What to expect from this blog

Our new website is up and running (www.MendhamDentist.com), we have a facebook account (www.facebook.com/MendhamDentist), we have a twitter account (http://twitter.com/#!/MendhamDentist), and we have this blog.  What are we going to do with all of these social media accounts?

We want to be able to keep you, our patients, informed about the latest news and topics in dentistry, and in our office, that affect you and your dental care.

Do you have a question about your teeth, mouth, and/or how it affects your body?  If so, let us know.  We want to post discussions that are of interest to you!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Richard E. Derrick, DMD
Paul Ferraioli, DMD