Scottsdale AZ Dentist

New Procedure Offers Natural-Looking Crowns in a Single Visit to Dental Patients

A revolutionary new procedure that lets patients get long lasting, natural-looking crowns and fillings in a single visit.

March 2, 2006 — Dental patients can now get a beautiful, perfectly fitted crown in a single visit. Dr. Mark Matsumoto, DDS of Grandview Center for Dentistry in Edina, Minnesota, announced the availability of tooth-colored fillings and crowns, custom-formed to exact tooth dimensions, in a single office visit. This new approach to tooth restoration is made possible by innovative CEREC® CAD/CAM technology that designs and mills a custom ceramic restoration in less than 20 minutes.

“We are pleased to offer our dental patients in the Minneapolis area the most convenient and aesthetically pleasing tooth restoration process available today,” said Dr. Matsumoto, Owner, Grandview Center for Dentistry. “Time is increasingly precious, and we recognize that most people don’t see going to the dentist office as a favorite pass time. Using the CEREC equipment we can provide a great looking smile to our patients in a single visit, letting them get back to the more important things in life.”

The new CEREC process is comprised of a digital infrared camera, a medical grade computer and a milling machine, all located on site at the Grandview dental office. The system allows Dr. Matsumoto to repair a damaged tooth in about two hours using tooth-colored ceramic restorations. The camera takes an optical impression of the damaged tooth, eliminating the need for cumbersome and uncomfortable impression molds, and uploads the image to the computer. Once in the system, Dr. Matsumoto uses 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) software to design the restoration. Then the CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) system takes over to automatically create the restoration while the patient waits. Finally, the new custom-crafted restoration is bonded to the remaining healthy tooth tissue of the damaged tooth.

Restorations created using CEREC technology offer dental patients a long-lasting, esthetic alternative to silver or plastic fillings, crowns and veneers. Better yet, the patient can receive this smile-altering care much faster. Traditional approaches required a return appointment, waiting for the restoration to be manufactured in a separate lab. On-site design and milling eliminate the wait. CEREC restorations are as durable as traditionally fabricated restorations and are similar to patients’ natural teeth in form and function.

“This equipment greatly enhances the efficiency, accuracy and visual appeal of the restorations we can provide,” said Matsumoto. “Patients will benefit from more timely and more comfortable care that puts them back on track quickly. We are optimistic that the availability of CEREC restorations will also help some patients overcome their fears when they see how fast and painless the treatment process can be. We believe everyone should have access to their best smile, and our new CEREC procedure will make that possible for more people.”

CEREC has over two decades of clinical research and documentation to support the technology. The restorations have been proven precise, safe and effective, with more than eight million performed worldwide.

NATIONAL NO SMOKING DAY – GIVE YOURSELF SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT

2 March 2006

Giving up smoking is the single best step anyone can take to improve their quality of life and really would be something to smile about on National No Smoking Day, Wednesday 8th March. On the other hand, continuing to ignore the health advice is likely to mean you won’t have much smile left a few years down the line.

The original, peroxide-free home tooth whitening experts, Rapid White, has compiled an insiders view behind the smoker’s smile – just 5 of the many good reasons to kick the habit:

Teeth staining – the yellow teeth and brown stains of smokers is caused by sticky tar deposits found in cigarettes, just one by-product of the 4700 chemicals inhaled in every puff, including formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, ammonia and arsenic!

Plaque – smokers are more likely to develop calculus or plaque that hardens on the teeth and can only be removed by being scraped away by the dentist. Plaque collects at the base of our teeth, where bacteria then forms and infects the gums, which is the start of serious problems for the smoker.

Gum disease – smokers are 6 times more likely to have gum disease. Smoking reduces the body’s ability to fight disease in the first place but Nicotine also constricts the tiny blood vessels which reduces the flow to the gums and makes smokers less likely to feel the tell tale pains of possible gum problems. By the time the smoker does notice the damage being inflicted, it’s all too often too late.

Teeth loss – a smoker’s blood pressure is lowered by around 40% one hour after smoking just one cigarette and this, combined with the restricted blood flow, deprives hard and soft mouth tissue of the essential nutrients that keep our teeth firmly in place. The rate of tooth loss in a male smoker is almost 3 teeth every 10 years – twice the rate of non smokers.

Mouth cancer – smoking causes 75% of all oral cancers, including cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus. The smoke and chemicals cause changes and damage in the mouth and throat which means smokers develop 4 or 5 times more oral cancers than non smokers.

Everyone planning to give up on March 8th can take a positive step to a bright new non-smokers smile with the affordable range of home tooth whitening products from Rapid White, available exclusively in Boots. The Rapid White Tooth Whitening System (£19.95) takes just 5-10 minutes to apply and has been clinically proven to whiten teeth by up to 6 shades in 2 weeks with a gentle but effective non-peroxide formula, in particular lifting stains caused by smoking. Other products in the Rapid White range include a Starter Kit (£7.95), the ultra quick and convenient Brightstick (£12.99), Extreme Whitening Toothpaste (£7.95) and Daily Whitening Toothpaste (£6.95).

Affiliated Group of Delta Dental Companies Report Strong Sales, Financial Gains; Gain of 1.2 Million New Enrollees Anticipated in 2006
SAN FRANCISCO March 2, 2006–The holding company system that includes Delta Dental of California, Pennsylvania and affiliates in 15 states and the District of Columbia, and Delta Dental of New York, announced today their strong performance during fiscal year 2005.

The enterprise, which operates under a single, shared management structure led by President and CEO Gary D. Radine, will add more than 1.2 million enrollees this year based on 2005 sales, while retaining 98 percent of its prior enrollment. Consolidated gross revenues for the enterprise are estimated at $4.7 billion.

Total enrollment for the combined enterprise is projected to exceed 21 million in 2006 once all new business sold becomes effective.

Delta Dental of California and its two affiliates, PMI Dental Health Plan and Delta Dental Insurance Company, will add about 925,000 new enrollees in 2006. Delta Dental of Pennsylvania and its affiliates will add another 333,000 new enrollees over the course of the year.

Among several marquee commercial accounts added last year were the New York Times Company, Southwest Airlines, Dr Pepper/Seven Up Bottling Group, Mervyn’s and Gymboree. In addition, Delta gained significant enrollment in several large national, group voluntary and state government programs:

– The TRICARE Retirement Dental Program, administered for the Department of Defense, added 95,200 enrollees. By year’s end there were 912,000 uniformed service and family members in the program.

– The Delta Dental/AARP dental plan, underwritten by Delta Dental Insurance Company, added 138,000 members and dependents.

– Delta Dental’s State Government Programs division was selected to launch a children’s dental program for the state of Texas, also underwritten by Delta Dental Insurance Company. The program will cover an estimated 323,000 children from low-income families.

AM Best recently re-affirmed its “A-” (excellent) financial strength rating for the overall holding company system, an “A-” rating for Delta California, PMI and Delta Dental Insurance Company and a “B+” (very good) for Delta Pennsylvania and its affiliates.

“The important thing is that we grew in every one of our regions with a product line that retains good competitive strength in each of our target markets,” said Radine. “Our challenge going forward is to not lose momentum, and not lose sight of the difficult position many of our customers face with their increasingly limited benefit dollars, given the continuing escalation in health care costs.”

Dental benefit premiums, however, are expected to remain relatively steady at an average rate of increase of around 5.8 percent in 2006, according to a joint Delta Dental / National Association of Dental Plans (NADP) survey. That trend has held steady over the last several years.

Affiliated companies within the holding company system are also part of the larger Delta Dental Plans Association (DDPA), based in Oak Brook, Ill. DDPA consists of 39 Delta Dental member companies licensed in all 50 states. The association collectively covers about 46 million of the 159 million people nationwide with private dental insurance, making it by far the largest national system of dental plans.