Smoking and your Heatlh

These days even the Marlboro Man and Joe Camel know that smoking causes lung cancer and heart disease. But another, less well-known location of smoking-related health problems is your mouth.

Smokers and tobacco-users experience a variety of oral health problems at higher rates than normal, including:

Oral cancers
Gum disease
Tooth loss
Loss of bone in the jaw
Gum recession
Delayed/impaired healing process after oral surgery and other treatments
Decreased success rate of dental implant (tooth replacement) procedures
Mouth sores
Loss of the senses of taste and smell
Bad breath
Tooth and tongue stains

Smokers lose their teeth more often than non-smokers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data indicates that among people over age 65, about 20 percent of those who have never smoked have lost all their teeth, while more than 40 percent of daily smokers have lost all their teeth. And the American Dental Association estimates that smoking may be responsible for almost 75% of gum disease among adults.

Although many of the statistics surrounding health problems apply to cigarette smokers, recent data shows the fallout is similar for pipe and cigar smokers, as well as for those who use smokeless tobacco products such as chewing tobacco and snuff. In addition to cancer-causing chemicals and addictive nicotine, smokeless tobacco also includes sugar, which increases the risk for tooth decay, and grit, which can wear down the enamel coating on your teeth. Further cancer risks come into play with smokeless tobacco, with users experiencing more cancers of the cheeks, gums, and inner lips than non-smokers.

Because nicotine is an addictive chemical, quitting cigarettes is tough. Cigars and pipes are just as addictive, while chewing tobacco and snuff can be even tougher to quit, due to higher levels of nicotine. The good news is that quitting is possible, and according to the American Cancer Society, 10 years after quitting, the lung cancer rate is half that of a continuing smoker's, and after 15 years, the risk of heart disease is the same as that of a non-smoker's.

If you're interested in protecting your oral health (as well as that of your heart and lungs), we strongly recommend quitting. Based on the experience of those who have successfully quit smoking, the Surgeon General recommends the following steps to help you quit permanently:

Get ready: set a quitting date and remove all smoking materials from your home, office and car.
Get support: let friends, family and colleagues know that you are quitting, join a support group, and let your health care providers know (that's us!).
Learn new skills and behaviors: drink lots of water, distract yourself from smoking urges with other activities, and take actions to reduce your stress level.
Get medication and use it correctly: use an over-the-counter medication or talk to us about your prescription options.
Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations: eat healthy and stay active to avoid weight gain, avoid other smokers, and avoid alcohol because drinking makes it tougher to succeed.

If you are making a decision about quitting and we can help in any way, please let us know. We are dedicated to protecting your oral health, and quitting smoking is a significant step in the right direction.



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Surgical Orthodontics FAQs

Surgical orthodontics, also known as orthognathic surgery, consists of a combination of orthodontic treatment (usually braces) and jaw surgery. This combination is often employed in cases of jaw problems – including bad bites and jawbone abnormalities – that are too severe to be solved by orthodontics alone. What are the benefits of surgical orthodontics? Depending on the particular jaw problem, patients can be relieved of biting and chewing difficulties, as well as breathing difficulties and sleep apnea. The treatment is used to improve both “gummy smiles” in which an excess of gums show above the teeth, and “toothless smiles” in which the lips cover the teeth. For patients with overbite, underbite, cleft palate, or facial injuries, the balance of the face is restored. Who is a candidate for surgical orthodontics? While the initial stage of orthodontic treatment may begin earlier, this type of jaw surgery is only appropriate in adults who have stopped growing. This group generally includes females 16 and older and males 18 and older. In younger patients, early intervention can often correct jaw problems and eliminate the need for future surgery. What results can be expected? When surgical orthodontic treatment is complete, overall dental health is improved, since a bad bite is eliminated and jaws are aligned properly. The treatment also results in a more stable, functional and healthy placement of the jaw. Patients enjoy easier speaking, breathing and eating. Frequently facial appearance is improved as well. Because surgical orthodontics is only employed in response to a significant problem, the improvement can be dramatic and have lasting positive effects. What does the process include? The process begins with orthodontic treatment. We'll use braces to move your teeth into the correct position prior to surgery. During this time, it may seem as if your bite is getting worse; this is because the jaws are still out of place. After the jaws are moved during surgery, you'll find your teeth fitting together better. Once surgery is complete, we will continue the orthodontic treatment to move all of your teeth into their final positions. What happens during surgery? The strategy varies according to the patient’s need. If the lower jaw is the source of the problem, it will be moved forward or backward. If the upper jaw is the issue, it can be moved forward, backward, up or down. In some cases bone will be removed or added to achieve the correct alignment and stability. Are there any risks involved? Surgical orthodontic procedures are performed routinely and carry only the usual risks associated with any type of surgery.

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Top 10 Tips for Cleaning Your Braces

Keeping your teeth clean is more important than ever when you have braces. Food bits have more spots than usual to hide in your mouth, so you must be diligent in order to avoid bad breath, swollen gums, discolored teeth and cavities. If you remove plaque regularly during treatment, you'll experience better results and shorter treatment time. Keep plaque at bay with these top ten tips:

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1. One tooth at a time. When you brush, take time with each individual tooth – at least 10 seconds each – and pay careful attention to the spots where your teeth touch your braces.
2. It’s all about the angles. Brush the tops of your teeth and braces with your brush angled down toward where they meet. Brush the bottoms of your teeth and braces with your brush angled up.
3. The tooth, the whole tooth, nothing but the tooth.  While the front surface of your teeth may seem like the most logical to clean, it’s equally important to clean the inner surface of your teeth (tongue side) as well as the chewing surface. And be sure to clean along your gum line – a key spot for plaque buildup.
4. Step 1: eat, step 2: clean. While you’re in treatment, it’s important to brush after every meal. Bits of food can easily get caught between braces and teeth, and these food bits interact with bacteria in your mouth to cause decay. The longer food is in contact with your teeth, the greater opportunity for plaque to form. If you are eating somewhere that you can’t brush, thoroughly rinse your mouth with water.
5. Like a Boy Scout, always be prepared. The easiest way to be sure you can brush after every meal is to get in the habit of taking a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss with you wherever you go. Designate a special container just for your teeth-cleaning tools and keep it in your purse, backpack, or laptop case.
6. Remove the moving parts. If you have elastic bands or headgear, remove these parts before you brush or floss.
7. Fluoride is your friend. Fluoride helps prevent cavities. Be sure to brush with fluoride toothpaste, and rinse with fluoride mouthwash.
8. Pointy brushes reach tiny places. Interproximal brushes (sometimes called proxa brushes or interdental brushes) are cone-shaped and come in very handy for reaching spots around your braces that standard brushes can’t.
9. Find the floss for you. Regular floss works for some patients, but others find it easier to work with a floss threader, which helps you get the floss into tight places. Other patients like an all-in-one product called Superfloss, which comes with a stiff end for easy threading, a spongy section for cleaning wide spaces, and regular floss for narrow spaces.
10. Make time for the pros. It’s your job to take care of the everyday cleaning. But make sure to visit your dentist regularly while in treatment, to get the deep, thorough cleaning that only a professional can provide.

Sincerely,
Dr. Miller & Staff

Photo Book

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The Right Time for an Orthodontic Evaluation: No Later Than Age 7

Even though most people think of pre-teens and teens when they think of orthodontics, there are good reasons your child should have an orthodontic evaluation much sooner. The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), recommends a checkup with an orthodontist no later than age 7. At our office, we typically tell our parents: Third Grade. At this time, the incisors and molars are erupting and the orthodontist can evaluate your child's occlusion.

Early treatment may give your orthodontist the chance to: 1) guide proper jaw growth, (2) lower the risk of trauma to protruded teeth, (3) correct harmful habits or crossbite, (4) improve appearance, self-esteem, and speech, (5) eliminate crowding and avoid extractions. In essence, Phase I treatment lays down the proper foundation.
 
Please feel free to respond with any questions or requests for any future information.

Respectfully yours,
Dr. Miller

ANNOUNCING OUR NEW CONE BEAM CT

 Drs. Miller & Eidenmuller are proud to announce that they now have a new state-of-the-art Cone Beam CT unit in their office! The new KODAK 9000C 3D System enables us to obtain low-dose, high-resolution, three-dimensional (3D) images, as well as panoramic and cephalometric ones, at an affordable price.

Added   Patient   Convenience  

To better serve our patients, we now have the ability to take all of our records at our office.   Also, 3D CT Scans can be taken to check bone levels for future Dental Implants and to visualize impacted teeth, check pathology, or investigate any area in 3D.    All data and information can be sent digitally on a CD or printed and mailed to our referring doctors!!  Having highly detailed, true-to-life 3D images helps dental professionals provide quicker and more accurate diagnoses, improved treatment planning and better patient care.

Dr. Miller recently lectured at the Orange County Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. His topic was New Trends and Techniques in Modern Orthodontic Care. Overall, the lecture was well received by the group -  which consists of many of Orange County's most accomplished and skilled Cosmetic Dentists.

News and Calendar

October 13, 2010

Modern Interdisciplinary Orthodontics - New techniques and Trends

Shawn L. Miller, D.M.D., M.Med.Sc

Event

Navigating complex interdisciplinary orthodontic cases can be quite a challenge for both orthodontic specialists and general dentists, but many new techniques and tools have been recently developed to maximize efficiency and enhance treatment results. Some of these leading edge concepts will be discussed and illustrated - including Accelerated Osteogenic Orthodontics (AOO), Temporary Anchorage Devices (TADs), Cone Beam CT, Invisible orthodontics (iBraces/Invisalign), and the Digital Revolution. Dr. Miller utilizes all of these treatment modalities, often in combination, in his private practice on a routine basis. Many of these will become the new ‘standard of care’ for adult interdisciplinary treatment.