FAQ

The following is a list of questions that we most frequently hear from patients.

Q. How can I be sure that my dentist's office is clean and his instruments are sterile?

A. Check to see if the office you go to has a certification that the sterilizer is weekly monitored by an outside company. Check to see if all of the instruments are placed in sterile packs, and not pulled loose from some drawer. Make sure that gloves are used, and ask if the dental handpieces are sterilized before each use. Ask the dental assistant to show you how the instruments are sterilized. In our office, Pete, our sterilization technician will be more than happy to show you these procedures.

Q.What do I think about silver amalgam filling for treatment of decay?

A. I feel there are two major problems with silver fillings. For one, they are very destructive to teeth. Because of the way they are mechanically locked into teeth to keep them from falling out, they frequently cause breakage or fracture of teeth. Secondly, "silver fillings" is a misnomer. Silver usually makes up about 40% of the filling, while mercury makes up 50%.

Q. So why are they not called "Mercury fillings"?

A. I feel it is because most people know that mercury is very toxic and something you are not even supposed to touch, let alone put into your body. Proponents of silver fillings say, no big deal, it is bound to other metals. I feel there is no reason to take the risk. There are much better materials available today that even match your teeth and don't have the risk of causing fracturing of teeth. Essentially, I find no reason to use silver (mercury) fillings, so that is why I stopped doing them 15 years ago.

Q. Can getting numb be made so it is painless?

A. Yes! Dr. West has developed a technique that makes it so you hardly know you are getting numb. It basically involves using a type of anesthetic that doesn't cause discomfort, and placing the anesthetic in a more paced manner that allows one not to sense that anything is being placed. Why not make the main reason that patients don't like to come to the dentist, not be a reason.

Q. What do I do if someone in my family loses a tooth from an injury like baseball?

A. If the tooth is loose, even extremely so but still attached in any way, leave it place and do not move it. If it out of its socket completely and unattached, but still in the victim's mouth, it is best to the person hold it there, if possible until a dentist can attempt re-implantation. If it is out of the mouth, do not let it dry out. Handle it as little as possible. Do not attempt to disinfect the tooth, or scrub it, or remove any tissue attached to it. If it is recovered from the ground or other soiled are, rinse it off in lukewarm water. Preserve it in milk until a dentist is available. If milk is not available, lukewarm water will suffice. Time out of the socket is critical. So the sooner re-implantation occurs the better the odds of success. Last of all do not panic. Stay calm and don't say anything of a negative nature about the incident, especially if it is a child. Remember even the tooth cannot be saved there are many wonderful techniques in dentistry to replace a tooth.

Q. My spouse tells me I have bad breath. What can I do to prevent it?

A. Here is Dr. West's formula for preventing bad breath.

Step 1. See the hygienist to determine if you have gum disease. If so, follow the program outlined for you.

Step 2. Brushing and flossing correctly on a daily basis.

Step 3. Clean your tongue with a tongue scraper.
(We have devices to help you do this)

Step 4. Use Closys II toothpaste. This toothpaste contains an agent called chlorine dioxide which kills the most common cause of mouth odor, volatile sulfur compounds. It contains a natural tooth whitener but does not contain sodiumlauryl sulphate, a detergent commonly found in most toothpastes which has been associated with aphthous ulcers and has the only purpose of causing foam. Retardent tastes great and leaves your mouth feeling fresh.

Step 5. Use Closys II Oral Rinse. This mouth rinse kills the VSC's that cause the mouth odor.

Step 6. Chew Peelu Gum, the final step. Peelu is a natural gum which has the ability to clean and freshen your mouth and prevent decay. If you have any questions about this don't hesitate to call, fax or email us. We have pamphlets on the Retardent, and Retardex products that will help you understand more about the power that the VSC's have to cause mouth odor.

Q. I'm not happy with the way my front teeth look, what can I do?

A. Have a smile analysis done by Dr. West. Today's dental technology offers a number of options to improve your smile. With bleaching and bonding technology available to us, one's appearance can change overnight. Dr. West and his staff are well trained in this area. Our website in cosmetic miracles offers you some before and after pictures of cases he has done. You are welcome to come in the office and see more.

Q. What kind of experience does your lab technician have?

A. Dr. West's lab technician has over 25 years experience and Dr. West has been working with him for the last ten years. If there is doubt on our ability to create the perfect result, the technician will come in and meet with your personally, so that we can customize the restoration in the office to insure that we get that perfect smile. See testimonials for statements from patients who have experienced this personalized perfection.

Q. What does the F.A.G.D. after the D.D.S. mean?

A. Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry. This is attained by taking over 500 units of post graduate education in different fields of dentistry over a specific amount of time, and also passing a rigorous exam on all of the fields of dentistry. You must also continue to take classes in order to keep this status.

Q. I understand that you are well trained Dr. West, but what about your staff?

A. Every one of our staff members are highly trained. Besides their prior training, all staff members have weekly training sessions with Dr. West to enhance their education. All attend post graduate education meetings to keep them current. Check Meet the Staff for more information.

Q. What types of fillings do you use?

A. Fillings are used in areas of small to intermediate decay. Dr. West will be more than happy to show you articles on how destructive amalgam/mercury fillings can be for teeth. With the modern techniques and materials we have today, Dr. West finds there really is no place for the old silver mercury containing fillings. The filling material of choice today is the tooth colored bonded fillings. They do not require us to weaken the tooth in order to place them, and they are far more pleasing to the eye. Many consider the amalgam/mercury fillings a health hazard. The fact of the matter is, the bonded fillings are just a superior material, and bonding allows us to preserve more of the tooth, which is very important. The only disadvantage to them is that as they get larger, they, like the silver fillings, tend to breakdown.

Q. If I have a larger filling in my mouth that is decayed or broken, what is the best way to make the tooth possibly last forever?

A. Place a lab made filling or restoration in the tooth. Fillings and crowns, made by the dental lab, are always harder and stronger than the best of fillings. The porcelains we use today are more lifelike and have the same hardness of the enamel of your teeth. This makes the teeth stronger, function better, and look more natural. Technology has created modern space-aged materials that give us opportunities to make teeth look better, and function better that ever before. With the advent of porcelain veneers and porcelain inlays we no longer need to totally "cap" the tooth . Visit cosmetic miracles to see some dramatic before and after shots.

Q. A friend of mine had crowns done on his front teeth and they look fake. Why do crowns look fake?

A. Well, send your friend to Dr. West. Using today's materials, and the artistry that is possible with the teamwork of Dr. West and his lab technicians, there is no longer a reason to have ugly unnatural looking crowns.

Q. What type of toothbrush do you recommend?

A. As far as manual brushes, most soft bristled brushes that are sized for your mouth are fine. As for electric brushes, we have been seeing the best results with Oral B-Braun's new 3-D brush. We routinely find patients improving their gum tissue health with regular use of this brush.

Q. What is a root canal?

A. A root canal is a procedure that allows a person to keep a tooth that otherwise would be removed because of deep decay into the pulp or nerve chamber of the tooth. A material is placed in the area where the nerve tissue use to be, to keep the tooth from being reinfected. The material Dr. West recommends is called gutta percha. It is a basic rubbery material that has the ability to shape itself to the insides of the tooth, to seal the tooth from bacteria. If handled in a timely manner, they can be nearly painless. If the problem is allowed to go on too long, they can be more difficult to treat.

Q. What are sealants and do they work?

A. Sealants are a thin plastic type material that is placed on the biting surface of back teeth which minimizes the odds of a person getting decay on that area of the tooth. This has been a highly successful, and quite frankly simple procedure to do. No numbness is needed, and it is highly recommended for those cavity prone, such as teenagers.

Q. Do your shots hurt?

A. No. Read our testimonial section regarding this. Dr. West has developed his own technique of painless injections. It takes a little more time, but every day patients are amazed that they cannot feel the injections.

Q. I've heard about those virtual reality glasses that you can wear and watch a movie during an appointment. Do you have those?

A. Yes. Patients love them. We have a great selection of movies, and also some beautiful scenic films. They really seem to relax people. For instance, we have a wonderful film entitled "Big Sur" that people just love. For children we have most of the Disney films, and for adults the favorite right now seems to be "Mrs. Doubtfire".

Q. I've been told I have T.M.J. What does that mean?

A. T.M.J. stands for temperomandibular joint. It is the joint that connects your lower jaw to your skull. So you want to have a T.M.J., for if you didn't, your jaw would not move. You don't, however, want to have one that hurts. Sometimes it is the joint itself that hurts, but more frequently, it is actually the muscles that support the jaw and help you chew. Muscles can hurt if they are stressed in any way. This is no different than any other muscle in your body. If they are abused, they hurt. How does one remedy that? Well, that can vary from case to case, but frequently it is the way that your teeth are hitting together that causes the muscles to hurt. So that's when a dentist needs to look at the situation and figure out a solution for you.

Q. I have a question that wasn't answered here. How can I get an answer?

A. Use our E-mail button and contact Dr. West and he will answer your question for you. Our Favorite Links may also lead you to an answer to your question.

Q. How does a dental laser work?

A. A dental laser emits concentrated energy in the form of a light beam. This beam vaporizes matter. The beam is so narrow that each pulse of light can vaporize only a specific number of cell layers. This means that the dentist can focus the laser to a specific area that has diseased tissue and not do harm to the other areas. This helps to make the treatment painless, and make the area less sensitive afterwards. This is very helpful, when we are treating a patient with gum disease. We can frequently eradicate the bacteria that is causing the problem and the resultant healing is often very amazing.

If you have any further questions go to www.floss.com.