Blogs

Your dental practice needs new patients. They’re essential to keep your practice thriving and your client base growing. The only problem is, it can be tricky to attract new patients, because many people already have a dentist they enjoy going to, and the rest don’t regularly see a dentist.

You can actually attract new patients to your practice from both categories. Here are three innovative ways you can keep your practice growing.

1. Offer Incentives for Referrals

Using a referral system is a great internal marketing method. Referrals are typically a high percentage of dentists’ new patient numbers. In fact, 70-80% of new patient referrals for most practices come from their existing patients.

So why not reward your loyal patients for telling their friends, family and coworkers about your practice? Set up a referral bonus system that incentivizes existing patients when people they refer visit your office. It’s a simple yet effective motivation.

But don’t start a competition among your patients where you only reward one patient who brings in the most referrals. That can work against you because patients won’t try when they think they’d only get a couple of referrals anyway. Instead, offer smaller incentives for each successful referral, like a free dental product, free teeth cleaning, or discount on a special dental service.

If a patient brings in a certain number of referrals, and you can do something a little bigger and better, get creative and reward them with something exciting, like a gift card or a free iPad. Then watch the good buzz about your practice spread like wildfire!

Referrals are not only a way for you to attract new patients; they’re a way to build better relationships with your existing patients. And good relationships with patients is one of your most cost-effective ways of marketing.

2. Beef up Your Online Presence

In today’s world, every business needs a website. Many, if not all, of your existing and potential patients are online. They get their news, communicate with friends and family, shop, bank and do just about everything else you can think of on the Internet. Having a good website and good social and content-marketing strategies need to be top priorities!

Your website needs to be a place where existing patients can find convenient information and prospective patients will be informed and attracted to your practice. On your website, be sure to have:

• patient testimonials
• calls to action
• contact and new patient forms
• your office’s phone, fax, email, and address
• a convenient and secure method of paying a bill
• a link to your blog

You may be surprised by that last item, but blogging is one of the best ways to attract new visitors to your site. When you create and post interesting, quality content on a blog, it can inform and entertain as well as answer patients’/potential patients’ questions. Use various types of content to provide your patients with dental industry news and information, and keep things interesting.

The next step after creating and posting content to your blog is promotion. Create social media accounts for your practice on websites like Facebook, Twitter, or Google+, and use them to promote your business website and blog. When content promotion is done right, it helps your practice rank higher in the search engines. This in turn will generate leads and get more exposure with your target audience, which allows you to get more new patients and more revenue.

Remember to not just post links to your site through these social accounts, but use them to interact with your audience. Ask readers to comment on your postings with their thoughts or questions, and then be sure to respond to their comments.

Another way to cultivate an awesome online presence is by offering online-only deals. People love deals and constantly look for them online, especially your young adult patients and their families. Offer a special deal to people who find your practice online and come in for a treatment. You can also reward existing patients who like your Facebook page, follow you on Twitter, subscribe to your emails, etc. Or host an online contest via social media with deals and special offers to generate buzz.

3. Get (and Use) Patient Reviews

You want reviews―as many as you can get. You may think reviews aren’t a huge deal since your existing patients know you’re a great dentist, and you expect them to tell people how wonderful your practice is. Of course, word-of-mouth marketing is good and many patients do it on their own, but when you want to attract new patients online―which every dental practice should―you need reviews. Online reviews play a huge role in whether you get new business.

When potential patients find your site or hear about your practice and want to find out more, they look for online reviews. They want to know what kind of experiences your patients have had. People trust what customers say more than a business. The more positive reviews your patients give you, the better your chances at attracting new patients.

Don’t be afraid to ask your pleased patients for their reviews. Make it easy for patients to leave a review by making available an iPad or computer with a preferred comments website before they even leave the office. Even patients who aren’t computer-savvy will hand write comments (that you can later enter online) if you have forms and a box conveniently located. Then watch those online reviews―and patients―multiply!

Of course, you’ll probably receive a few negative comments because you just can’t please everyone. You can, however, turn negative reviews around to be beneficial to your practice. By responding to and handling negative reviews in an ethical and effective way, you earn respect from potential clients and appreciation from those reviewers. People who leave reviews, especially the negative ones, just want to know they’ve been heard and that their opinion matters, so let them know your practice cares by responding.

Correctly responding to and using your patient reviews to your advantage is a surefire way to get you more patients that are looking for a dental practice online.

Your dental practice needs new patients, and when you follow these three innovative ideas of offering incentives for referrals, beefing up your online presence and using patient reviews to your advantage, you’re guaranteed to attract a continual flow of new patients for years to come.

About The Author

Allen Crow is the marketing manager for Easy Dental, an affordable and simple dental practice management software.

Oral Conscious Sedation Going Away?
It would appear so!
According to the recent ADA News the ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure (CDEL) is seeking comments on proposed changes to two sets of their guidelines, "ADA Guidelines for the Use of Sedation and General Anesthesia by Dentists" and "Guidelines for Teaching Pain Control and Sedation to Dentists and Dental Students". 
The proposed changes can be read by clicking here.

For information on training that meets the requirements in new guidelines visit.

http://www.SedationConsulting.com

Many people think of porcelain veneers as a very quick way to get a gorgeous smile.

That part is true.

But there are many misconceptions about veneers: you could be thinking that veneers will solve all your oral health problems, while they really can and should only be used for certain situations and circumstances.

Read below for more information.

Veneers can – and do! – create beautiful smiles. But they’re not without their issues.

One major misconception people have is that they can get veneers for all their teeth. It’s possible to place a veneer on every tooth, but it’s not wise or really economically feasible for most people because of the expense (veneers usually aren’t covered by insurance).

One veneer (a Lumineer, or “traditional” veneer) can cost anywhere between $800 to $2,000. Multiply that by 28 or 32 teeth (the number of teeth most adults tend to have) and you can see how expensive getting veneers on all teeth could be. Factors that raise the cost per tooth include the tooth’s location in the mouth as well as its condition.

If you’re looking for a dazzling smile, with beautifully white and straight teeth, many dentists recommend getting about six veneers on your top front teeth and then bleaching the remaining teeth. This usually creates a gorgeous smile.

Another misconception is that a veneer can replace a missing tooth. A veneer can’t do this because a veneer is placed on the front of a tooth, so a veneer won’t help you if a tooth is missing (you’d need a denture or implant to replace a missing tooth).

Not every tooth is a good candidate for a veneer. The tooth must be in good health and can’t be too weak from decay, large fillings and – while many veneers are used to beautify a chipped or broken tooth – the tooth can’t have too large a fracture.  (You may need to get a crown if a tooth is considerably weak from decay.)

In addition, you should know that once your dentist starts the procedure (he will shave away a portion of the front of your tooth so that a veneer can be placed over it), the process can’t be reversed.

What’s, more, your tooth may become more sensitive to cold and hot foods and liquids because some of your tooth’s protective enamel will be removed in the shaving process.

image courtesy of imagerymajestic/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Dental Crown Treatment is the best option to restore a damaged tooth and extend its life. Read on to know all the reasons for taking this treatment.

A dental crown is a restoration which caps a tooth or a dental implant for maintaining dental health. Dental Crown Treatment is an essential part of dental implants, and is also useful in many other circumstances for improving the strength and/or appearance of the teeth.  The crowns are typically bonded to the tooth by a dental cement, and fully encase the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line. Dental Crown Treatment is needed in the following situations :

Root Canal Treatment
Root Canal Treatment (RCT) for removal of tooth’s dead pulp, leaves the tooth hollowed out and predisposes the remaining tooth to cracking. Hence, a tooth that has had RCT almost invariably needs to be restored with a crown immediately to prevent it from fracturing.

Dental Implants
Once the dental implant is set in the jaw bone, a crown is needed to restore spaces left from missing teeth. Dental crowns, either be screwed into implants or cemented on to them, function as well as look like natural teeth.

Large Filling
A cavity or a fracture of more than half the width of a tooth, needs to be covered with a dental crown, because the remaining tooth becomes weak, and is prone to damaging further. Sometimes a crown is also needed to replace an earlier filling showing signs of stress and cracks.

Damaged Tooth
A crown is badly needed in case of fracture of a tooth or damaged cusps, causing pain while chewing. Since the cusps are the part of the tooth that take the most stress during chewing, they need to be completely covered otherwise the tooth will keep fracturing.

Excessive Wear of Teeth
The teeth often wear off due to regular intake of acidic diet, or a habit of grinding teeth, or if the enamel is worn off. In all these cases, the only way of restoring the teeth is to cover them by dental crowns.

Undesirable Appearance
Teeth having bad appearance due to color, shape, or spaces in between, can be made to look beautiful and natural by capping them with crowns, thus enhancing the look of the front teeth
Along with the above reasons, Dental Crown Treatment may help to hold a bridge or denture firmly in place, thus making it a necessity for restoration of damaged teeth as well as for improving their appearance.

Ref :- http://www.axissdental.com/why-is-dental-crown-treatment-needed/

The world of dentistry sure has evolved over the years and these changes are mostly for the good of the patients. Dental implants have taken the dentistry world by storm as they happen to be very effective and help people in regaining their lost self-confidence. There are many things to note about a dental implant as no important detail can be missed out. First of all it has to be noted that implants can be done on single tooth and the whole jaw too. Other than that the whole process of implants can be a bit of the expensive side but it is definitely worth it. 

Dental implants are permanent dental treatments and the implanted tooth or teeth looks and feels like real teeth. The process of implants help the patients in ways more than one as they help them live a good life that involves many attractive smiles on the way. What exactly is an implant anyway? A dental implant primarily is metallic root that is inserted in order to support the replaced tooth. A dental implant is generally made of titanium which is a metal that can conveniently go with the human body. When one makes up his or her mind for getting an implant then it becomes very important to gather all the required facts and also the myths related to the process. 

Some people consider dental implants only for some exclusive set of people but that is certainly not the case. It is the dentist who will decide and advice the patient that he is fit for the process or not. There are many dental clinics which offer implants services to the people. One must not make a hasty decision while choosing the dental clinic for getting the implants done. The dental clinic must have qualified and experienced dentists on its panel and only experienced hands can carry out this process in the right manner. 

Other than that the dental clinic must be transparent about the process and must attend to all the queries the patient or his family has. Some clinics offer some discounts for the implants treatment so one must confirm every single detail beforehand. There are several kinds of implants one must know about and many advantages can be associated with the entire implants process. These benefits appeal to the people as an implant offers a good and normal life to the people who have missing or broken teeth. Implants are quite durable in nature and can be regarded as a smart investment.

Other than that an implant can also help in stopping the loss of jaw in the future. Dentures are definitely becoming the thing of the past as the implants help people smile in a much more confident manner. After getting the implants done the patient can lead a normal life and there will be no restrictions on which food to chew and which one to avoid. Implants certainly are a good decision and that is why their popularity is growing with every passing day.

Ref : http://www.articlesbase.com/dental-care-articles/dental-implants-the-complete-guide-7275978.html

A missing tooth looks good to no one and getting it treated is probably the best option available. Dental implants treatment is the process of inserting an artificial tooth root that can support a new tooth or an entire denture. Dental implants have managed to take the whole world of dentistry by storm and have gained trust of many people across the globe. The dental clinics today offer specialized dental implants services to their patients and by expert hands. It has to be understood that dental implants are expensive when compared to other dental treatments.

One has to be cent percent sure when he or she agrees for a dental implants treatment. In order to get that surety it is important to gather all the facts and information regarding dental implants so that an informed decision can be made. Dental implants are better than removable dentures and every expert would agree to the same. The implants are long lasting and of a much better quality. It has high cost undoubtedly but the entire process is quite safe and the results are quite good. The replaced teeth cannot be easily distinguished from the original ones which is definitely a good thing.

The removable dentures come with many drawbacks and most of these drawbacks are covered with the help of dental implants. For instance, a denture will be of no use at all when the jaw line shrinks but the dental implants preserve the jaw line and gums. The issue of ill-fitting dentures will no longer trouble the patient when he gets dental implants. What exactly is the procedure of dental implants one might ask? This process basically includes insertion of screw like small titanium cylinders in the jawline of a patient.

Titanium is a wonderful metal as it has a natural quality of fusing directly in the bone and the bone begins to grow around the titanium screws. In most cases the dentists advise the patients to wear artificial crowns for a period of three to six months in order to cover the missing teeth and give time the bone to grow. After providing the adequate healing period the dental surgeon can insert the crown on the anchor. Dental implants have undergone many tech advancements with time and now it is possible to complete the entire process in easy steps.

Some people are worried about the pain that might be caused during the dental implants treatment but the entire implant treatment is carried out by giving the patient a local anesthetic. Following the treatment the patient has to take extra care and abide by the instructions given by the surgeon. There are reliable clinics today that offer genuine and expert dental implants services and that too at very affordable prices. The main point to understand is that the patient needs to find such clinics and then go ahead with the process. The question that arises in most minds is that is dental implant worth considering then it definitely is and has many benefits to consider.

Ref: http://www.articlesbase.com/dental-care-articles/dental-implants-treatment-worth-considering-or-not-7272375.html

When it comes to your teeth, the more you know, the better.

With that in mind, here are nine things everyone should know about teeth. (Note: some are “just for fun,” while others are truly “good to know”):

1. Some people don’t lose all of their baby teeth. Most of us have about 20 baby teeth by the time we turn 3. We then start to lose these teeth around age 5 or 6, replacing the baby teeth with “adult’ tooth, finishing up the process by the time we hit our early teens. But if we don’t have a tooth to replace the baby tooth, the baby tooth stays put.
2. As children we have about 20 baby teeth, but a grown adult has between 28-32 teeth, with the final four (leading to the total of 32) of four wisdom teeth that appear between the ages of 17 and 25.
3. Most of us are born toothless, but our teeth start to form while we’re still in utero. Most baby teeth start to erupt when an infant is around 12 to 18 months.  But some people come into this world with tiny teeth on the bottom half of their mouth. Known as natal teeth, these teeth usually have weak roots. Most natal teeth are removed not long after birth to make breast feeding less painful for the mother.
4. The U.S. and other Western cultures may revere beautiful, white, straight teeth, but some folks in Japan prefer their teeth slightly crooked, so much so that people with perfectly straight teeth sometimes opt to don crooked veneers to alter their smile to the coveted non-perfect look.
5. Enamel, the substance that covers your tooth to protect it from the elements, is the hardest substance found in the human body.
6. As hard as enamel is, it’s surprisingly susceptible to erosion due to plaque and the bacteria that grow on plaque. Enamel also can become stained, yellow or even a grey-ish color from such things as tea, coffee, wine, strawberries, cigarettes, etc.
7. Sharks grow a new tooth if one is lost (some sharks will go through 30,000 teeth in a lifetime). Humans, however, have just two sets (baby and adult teeth). Once your adult teeth are in, take very good care of them: you won’t grow any more.
8. Picture the size of an average swimming pool. Then picture two of them. Now think of your saliva. You will produce enough saliva in your lifetime to fill both of those pools (about 25,000 gallons total)
9. The average man in American today has a lifespan of 76 years. That’s 27,740. The average person spends the equivalent of 38.5 days of that life brushing his teeth. Considering that practicing good oral hygiene habits (of which brushing is one) can help prevent heart attack and stroke, we think that spending just .0013878 of it is well worth the “hassle.”

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Oral health is far more important to your overall health than you may realize. Neglect your teeth and gums by not brushing, flossing, visiting the dentist for regular checkups, etc. and cavities/gingivitis/periodontal disease will be in your future.

Neglect to visit a dentist for serious issues such as loose teeth, gum issues, painful teeth and advanced periodontal disease and you very well could end up with heart disease.

So while you may not want to visit your dentist regularly and brush your teeth, it’s critical that you do so.

What’s more, your dentist truly does want you to talk to him. He wants you to ask him questions. We too often discuss just the pleasantries when we go in for our dental checkups and leave with a quick goodbye.

But your regular dental visit can be goldmine of good information for you. Use this time at your dentist’s office wisely by asking the following five questions:

1. “What’s this thing on the roof of my mouth?” If the dentist or hygienist doesn’t do so (but you can bet your last dollar they more than likely will), ask them to check the inside of your mouth for lesions. A lesion often is an indication of oral cancer and dental professionals often are the first to detect the disease.

2. “Should I be worried about my bleeding gums?” If you’re gums bleed regularly and/or every time you brush, you definitely should bring this up to your dentist. The occasional bleeding of gums after brushing vigorously or flossing isn’t cause for concern; bleeding consistently is a problem. If your gums bleed, it’s a sign of inflammation – your mouth is infected and the infection could spread to other parts of your body.

3.“I’ve heard that abrasive toothpastes, such as those that claim to whiten my teeth, can ruin my enamel. Is this true?” Probably not. The mild abrasives such as papain and silica – often found in OTC tooth whitening toothpastes will help in removing stains and whitening and polishing your teeth.

4.  “I never eat candy, cookies, pies, or cakes. Yet you’re telling me I have a cavity! What gives?” Candy and sugary foods aren’t the only cavity-causing foods. Starches found in breads and pastas also can cause cavities, as can the sugars in fruit juices and wines. Starches and acids can make your mouth too acidic, which can then become a nursery for the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.

5.“My doctor is having me take a low-dosage aspirin every day. Is that a problem?” It could be, particularly if you’re there to have a tooth extracted. Aspirin – even at low dosages – can cause bleeding. You should tell your dentist about all medicines your taking.

Your dentist can be your first-line of defense for a variety of health issues. Talk it up during appointments! Don’t be shy!

Image courtesy of gubgib/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

- See more at: http://www.dentaltown.com/Dentaltown/Blogs.aspx?action=VIEWPOST&b=254&bp=2303#sthash.FFwiPVdV.dpuf

With the advancement of medical science, a number of advanced dental technologies have been invented. Using state-of-the-art tools and scientific procedures, these technologies ensure perfect solutions for the traditional oral and dental problems. The ultimate purpose of making use of these advanced technologies is to make the entire process of dentistry more durable, comfortable and efficient. At the same time, it’s also ensured that such dental solutions not only look aesthetically beautiful, but are also as natural as possible. With the help of these advanced technologies, it has now become easier to complete difficult and time consuming procedures at one go. If you are planning to opt for a dentistry surgery, you must know about the dental lab technology would be the most suitable to opt for.

• Laser dentistry - It is a popular dental laboratory technology and is considered to be an effective alternative to many other procedures. The reason why a large number of people opt for laser dentistry is that it's a painless process and needs a short healing period. Laser dentistry is followed mostly for curing problems like cold sores, tumors, decay removal, crown lengthening, gummy smile changes, tongue tie and dental fillings. Apart from these, laser dentistry is also used for curing tooth sensitivity, conditions that are related to sleep apnea, and nerve regeneration for damaged blood vessels and nerves. This method is known to be effective for improving speech impediments as well.

• Dental implants - This is one of the most advanced dental technologies in the field of dentistry. In this procedure, patients can expect the best possible function and fit since the tooth root is replaced with an advanced unit. The dental implants are integrated with the jaw bones. Anyone who wants to replace a missing tooth can opt for this method of treatment. One of the greatest advantages of this procedure is that it requires a shorter healing period. Following this process, the crown can be attached to the implant immediately after extracting the tooth. Earlier, one had to wait for six long months for the completion of the entire process.

• CAD CAM dental technology – This is one of the latest technological advancements in the field of dentistry. It's a software that enables dentists to perform complicated dental operations with efficiency.

The benefits of CAD CAM dentistry are multiple. Studies show that with the advancement of technology, the restorations have become way stronger as compared to those that are milled from conventional materials and manufactured in the old fashioned process.

Greater Efficiency - Dentists having in-office CAD CAM systems provide their patients with efficient and assured services. For instance, if there is any required tooth preparation, dentists who use CAD/CAM dental technology will be able to do it with the help of a slight local anesthesia.  

Fast Process - One of the biggest advantages of CAD CAM dentistry is that you can expect a fast treatment process. If a dentist has the technology ready in his office, he will be able to perform the operations faster. This ensures same day treatment for patients. Usually, E4D dental systems or CREC in-office are the systems that are used to design the inlay, onlay, crown and veneer.

Assured Accuracy - One of the biggest advantages of CAD CAM dental technology is utmost precision. Since the technology is completely computer aided, there are very less chances of error. This ensures greater user satisfaction and accurate results.

With the help of these advanced technologies, dentists can offer the best possible services to their patients. You should choose the right method after consulting your dentist and considering your budget as well as requirements.

Local anesthesia is used in dentistry to ensure that your patients do not feel extreme pain or discomfort during the procedures, while they can continue to remain conscious for the dental procedure. This can be administered via gel drops, spray, and injections. However, the most common type is injectable anesthetics. This employs a needle, cartridge, and syringe. While the cartridge and needle are not typically reusable, the syringe can be reused in most cases. An estimated 300 million anesthetic cartridges are used each year in the United States.

Injectable anesthetics follow the principle of numbing, as it selectively targets specific nerves and ensures that they do not transmit pain signals and communicate them to the brain. Depending on how long the procedure will last, the dose of anesthesia can be controlled to ensure that pain block lasts. Usually, the standard dose of an injectable anesthetic will last for up to eight hours. Not only will it be effective during the procedure, it will also ensure that the patient will have relief for a few hours after. If the procedure requires it, this does can be increased to cater better to the needs of the patient.

Local Anesthetic Injections

There are two types of injectable anesthetics that can be used, depending on the procedure to be performed. A block injection might be used to numb the whole section of the mouth. For instance, the left side of the upper jaw can be totally numbed for fixing a dental bridge. Alternatively, an infiltration injection can be used to numb a specific area like in the case of a root canal treatment or extraction of the wisdom tooth. Before administering the injection, a numbing gel can be used so that the patient does not feel the pinch owing to the injection. There are many anesthetic products available to help you choose the right one for your patient.

Make Procedures Easier

In most traditional injectable anesthetics, non-buffered lidocaine with epinephrine is used. However, this relies of the patient’s metabolism to let the effects of the anesthetic act. This could take anywhere between 5 to 15 minutes. By switching to pH-buffered lidocaine injections, the dentists can save time, saving the 10 to 15 minutes that is wasted to let the effects of the anesthetic set. The pH-buffered anesthetic sets much quicker, sometime even less than two minutes. The dentist will have the option of adjusting the pH of the anesthetic, which allows quicker procedures. Not only does it better the patient’s experience, it also allows practitioners to plan their schedule better.

If you have missing, crooked, chipped, and/or diseased teeth, you may be considering having some cosmetic dentistry performed.

Your options could include porcelain veneers, braces, Invisalign, a crown, dentures, etc.

But if you’re missing a tooth or your teeth are chipped or broken, perhaps your best bet from a cosmetic standpoint is the dental implant.

Dental implants offer the best bet for your time and money than another type of cosmetic work for chipped or missing teeth.

Read below for six benefits of dental implants.

1. Implants will last a very long time. A dental bridge typically lasts about seven years, at most. But an implant can last your lifetime, so long as it’s implanted into your jaw properly and you take good care of it.
2. Dentures can be uncomfortable. What’s more, many people report that they worry the denture may move in their mouth. But dental implants allow you to eat, chew and smile each and every day, and every moment of every day, as is they were your natural teeth. They don’t move. They look like real teeth. They feel like real teeth in your mouth.
3. Implants are so natural looking that we defy anyone looking at your mouth as you speak or smile to detect that they are not your natural teeth.
4. As natural looking as they appear, implants look far better than a tooth that’s chipped, stained, crooked, or broken. In other words, they can improve the look of your smile ten-fold. (In fact, some implant wearers swear that their smile has improved a hundred-fold!)
5. Having even one missing tooth can mean health issues for your remaining natural teeth. Such issues could include the deterioration and even loss of some of your jawbone. This could take place because your jawbone isn’t being used to support a tooth, so it loses firmness and strength. A dental implant, however, will preserve and even stimulate the growth of your natural bone. Dental implants are the only restorative dental option that does so.
6. No more cavities! The part of your implant that looks like your natural tooth actually is a dental crown placed on top of the implant itself. Since the crown isn’t alive, it can’t be attacked by plaque and decay or get cavities. (Important note: It’s critical that you clean and floss your implants the same as you would your natural teeth It’s also imperative that you visit you dentist at least twice a year for a checkup, during which your dentist will inspect your gums and make sure the implants are doing well.)

There are two things “wrong” with dental implants:

1. They are expensive and may not be covered by dental insurance.
2. Not everyone is a good candidate for an implant. Your periodontist or cosmetic dentist will inspect your jawbone and gum health – as well as your overall health – to ascertain if you’re a good candidate for one or more dental implants.

Image courtesy of stock images/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you’ve decided to opt for clear braces to help straighten your teeth, read below for tips on how to keep them clean and clear – and how to make sure they work well to give you a gorgeous smile.

First, a bit about what clear braces are:

These braces are different than the traditional metal braces While they are called “clear braces,” they’re actually made of clear plastic or even porcelain, making them less noticeable.

They are very different from traditional braces in that they move your teeth by using a series of clear plastic aligner trays. You place a tray in your mouth to straighten teeth slightly. You use one aligner tray for two weeks, then swap it out for another tray for two weeks, and so on until your teeth are straight.

The trays are made from a mold of your teeth. The first tray is one that is a tiny change from your teeth’s current alignment. The last tray is how you and your dentist/orthodontist want your teeth to look once the treatment is complete. Most clear braces treatments take about a year.

Getting clear braces involves a few steps. The first is a consultation with your dentist to see if you’re a good candidate. The dentist will take digital x-rays of your teeth as well as photos and impressions. The aligner trays are made specifically for your mouth.

Once your teeth have straightened, you’ll wear a retainer for a few months in order to ensure your teeth stay straight.

Invisalign is a brand of clear braces.

Tips for best results:

·         You shouldn’t drink hot beverages because the heat can warp the trays so that they no longer fit over your teeth as they should.

·         You also should drink only water while the trays are in your mouth. Remove the trays if you drink soda, tea, coffee, orange juice, etc. because they could either a) stain your teeth and/or b) enhance tooth erosion because the acids and sugars in the sweet colas or juices can get between your aligners and your teeth and, if allowed to stay there for a few hours between brushing, could erode the teeth/cause stains.

Never drink orange juice while wearing clear braces. The acid in the juice could erode your tooth enamel.

·         You also shouldn’t smoke while wearing the aligners. Nicotine can stain your teeth.

·         You should remove the trays to eat.

·         To keep your trays in great shape, clean them by rinsing them at least once a day to remove bacteria and plaque that may develop on them.

Your dentist/orthodontist will give you instructions on how to best wear and care for your clear braces. Follow his instructions as closely as possible for best results.

Photo courtesy of tiverylucky/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you’ve lost a tooth due to accident or due to advanced periodontal disease, you may have been considering getting a dental implant and are wondering if you’re a good candidate for the procedure.

Read below to learn who is – and isn’t – a good candidate when it comes to getting one or more dental implants.

Dental implants are artificial teeth that are placed in your jaw. They are designed to hold one or more a replacement/prosthetic teeth. These prosthetics look exactly like natural teeth; even better than natural teeth.

An x-ray of teeth with three implant screws. Prosthetic teeth will be placed on the screws/implants

Most people are good candidates for dental implants. You should have healthy gums (your dentist, periodontist or oral surgeon will examine your teeth, gum and jaw to see that you are). You also need to have enough bones in your jaw so that the implants can be well-anchored.

You also should be highly committed to taking care of your implants and the gum tissue surrounding them. This entails brushing twice a day, flossing at least once a day and visiting your dentist regularly for follow-up appointments.

Those who probably aren’t good dental implant candidates tend to be those who:

• Are heavy smokers. Smoking restricts blood vessels, which hinders healing. Heavy smokers have a lower chance of having an implant “take” successfully.
• Are pregnant.
• Are young (jawbones are still growing). Many dentists believe boys shouldn’t get implants until they are at least 17 years old; girls may be able to get implants as young as 14 or 15. Your dentist will examine the young person to ascertain if jawbone growth has reached maximum.
• Abusers of alcohol or other substances, particularly if they aren’t ready to follow the dentist’s instructions to the letter. Such instructions could include no smoking and returning regularly for follow-up appointments.
• People who take some types of medications, particularly those that suppress the body’s immune system.
• Those who have undergone high-dosage radiation treatments to their head or neck.
• Individuals who have a chronic disease or systemic problems such as hemophilia, immune deficiencies, connective-tissue disease, or uncontrolled diabetes. Individuals with these conditions still may be able to get dental implants depending on the severity of the condition.
• People who clench their teeth severely because doing so can put too much pressure on the dental implants, increasing the risk of failure.

If you’re interested in seeing if you’re a good candidate for one or more dental implants, speak with your dentist. If he or she doesn’t perform this procedure, your dentist will be able to refer you to an oral surgeon or periodontist who can evaluate you.

Image by Partynia (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Inventory control of dental materials is essential for good management and control of their overhead. Successful control of inventory goes far beyond having everything you need. What is the current approach to inventory control in dental offices? In my experience, it is based on two things: do not lose what you need and spend as little as possible. Definitely this approach provides no control and is very inefficient.

So what should be the approach? It should focus on cost control. Look, I do not mean "price control". What should be the cost of inventory? Many authors speak of a 3% to 12% of your gross monthly income, but it really should point to 6% ± 1%; by the way, that includes all the supplies in their practice. (Not including equipment).

After learning these data we can identify a number of steps for effective inventory control:

1. Weekly, the person in charge of the acquisition of dental materials must update the current inventory list. When we have accurate inventory control, which will be useful to stock up product without excesses and without missing, and we will know for sure fluctuations in the stock information.
2. Acquired dental materials are used in reverse order of their acquisition, and avoid the expiration of some items.
3. When purchasing products is important to verify that all items are received in good condition.
4. Once a year is important to do a complete and thorough inventory and be able to determine any deficiencies or excesses that are having.
5. The relationship with your dental deposit is essential: In dental materials DentPro know your clinic often asked and with this information we seek the best offers of interest.

Advantages of an effective inventory control:

• Customer Service: Your customers receive the proper environment and which no shortage of products and consultations will be held with complete fluency. Remember, your customers are not only their patients, clients are also co-workers.
• Inventory Costs: Lower cost of inventory is a definite plus for the practice, as these expenses include the cost of capital, storage and costs (including risks of obsolescence, damage, theft and damage), plus tax bases corresponding.
• Labour cost: Policies of well-defined inventory control can reduce labor costs associated with inventory management, and that its staff will not waste time and can optimize their functions.

It is important to be clear about the concept of "opportunity cost". Very simple, the cost of lost opportunity to spend the money on inventory and not something else. If you buy dental impression material a year, plus expenses listed in the "Inventory Costs", you've tied the money you could ever want or need to spend on something else. Once the money has been spent, just it is gone.

In conclusion, look for a good dental deposit that gives you a good deal, effectiveness and good prices and focus on cost control rather than price controls. Check the cost of your inventory by performing an approximate value of one month of inventory and assess periodically to make sure it is around 6% of their gross income. If you exceed this percentage, find out why and correct it. Maintain proper inventory control becomes more efficient your time, reduce costs and maximize their income.

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." Albert Einstein

Eleazar H. Marcano Lazo
CEO
DentPro - Your dental dealer
www.dentpro.es

We live in a technology-driven world where every day more and more processes are becoming digitized, which is causing privacy to be a major issue for various businesses, including dental offices. Patients put their complete trust in their dentists when they provide them with their personal information, and the costs involved with losing or exposing that sensitive information could potentially ruin a dental practice. This is exactly why the top two things on a dentist’s mind are providing quality patient care and protecting patient privacy.

Enter, the cloud.

A cloud-based dental practice management solution is how dental offices can best protect their practice and their patient data. Security is a serious matter in the dental industry, and while some may be skeptical of using the cloud, a cloud-based solution actually improves the security of patient’s protected health information.

How, you might ask? Below are the 7 ways the cloud better protects patient data.

1. Using state-of-the-art technology.

The Internet’s reputation for protecting people’s privacy isn’t the greatest thanks to a few website security breaches that have been highly exposed over the years. But that shouldn’t sway a dental office from thinking they can’t put their trust in the cloud. A cloud-based solution delivers more advanced, enterprise-level security abilities than any on-site practice management software. By accessing environments capable of providing the highest expertise and security technology levels, this advanced technology safeguards offices, their patients and all their data.   

2. Providing a full-time security team.

Dental practices have several full-time employees, but these employees can’t work 24/7. They put in 40 or so hours a week, but they also use vacation and sick days. The one team member that won’t take any days off, including nights and weekends, is an office’s cloud-based dental management software. It works around the clock ensuring every patient electronic record is safely stored in a high-quality data center. These sophisticated data facilities have the most high-level protection measures in place to keep patient data secure every minute of every day.

3. Offering immediate, automatic data backups.

According to studies, up to 40-60% of backups aren’t conducted properly — the end result being unrecoverable data. Practices that rely on manual backup processes face numerous potential failures, like forgetting to perform a scheduled backup or dealing with high breakdown rates due to bad media quality. Performing manual backups is severely time consuming, and when a committed IT department isn’t in place, the responsibility falls into the hands of an office manager or dentist, who has neither the time nor skillset to accurately complete these backups. Using the cloud means receiving automatic data backups. These backups are done regularly and immediately, so information is always up-to-date and complete. Even if a computer crashes, the latest information has been backed up so the information is recoverable by simply using another device.

4. Issuing automatic software updates.

Doing manual software updates are just as frustrating and time consuming as performing manual backups. They’re also easy to forget to do if a notification is given to do one right in the middle of a busy workday. But this isn’t even an issue with cloud-based software. The software updates are done automatically. This automation prevents productivity losses and downtime — which equals lost revenue — for an entire practice because it minimizes the risks of virus and malware threats by using the latest anti-malware technology to protect all office devices.

5. Lowering the risk of online hackers.

The risk of online hackers always lingers in people’s heads when they store their information in the cloud. But a recent study stated that most security breaches are due to theft of hard drives and paper records. Only 6% of incidents involved hacking. When an office uses a cloud-based service, their risk of online hackers decreases even more because their data is in the secure hands of topnotch security professionals trained to design the most advanced protections that keep hackers at bay. Small and large dental offices just don’t have the knowledge or available resources to maintain that kind of preemptive observation of their patient data.

6. Turning catastrophes into small inconveniences.

Computers and mobile devices are great, but they aren’t 100% reliable. Something is always going to break down causing them not work, and that something can sometimes be at the fault of an employee who accidentally spills their morning coffee on a keyboard. These types of breakdowns could wreak major havoc in an office, but they don’t when an office is using cloud-based software. Data is stored in an offsite data center, which makes the data easily and immediately accessible simply by logging in from another device. What could be major catastrophes are nothing more than minor inconveniences.

7. Meeting the HIPAA privacy requirements.

Practices not only have to convince their patients their data is secure, they also must convince the government by meeting specific HIPAA privacy regulations. Violating these requirements results in severe fines and penalties. A traditional practice management system requires dental practices to meet, monitor and be responsible for all these requirements, which can be up to 19, a stressful and costly responsibility. On the other hand, a cloud-based solution already has the security measures in place that keep practices compliant with the HIPAA patient privacy requirements.

It’s clear that the only way for dental practices to stay up with the technology times and keep themselves and their patient data protected is by using the cloud.

This article was co-authored with Trevor James, who is the marketing manager for Dentrix Ascend, a cloud based dental practice management software.

Oral hygiene is very crucial and must not be ignore at any cost. A reliable dental clinic in Delhi is one’s key to maintain good oral health.It is a much known fact that there is more than one Dental Clinic in Delhi. However not all of them can be regarded as the good ones. It is important to find a good dental clinic and there are many factors to consider in the process. The first one is that the clinic must be in the locality as it will be easier to access. One can look on the internet or go through the Yellow pages to find a list of clinics in the neighborhood. Other than the location of the clinic its reputation is also very important point to consider.

A dental clinic in Delhi with a good market reputation is certainly a wise choice. The regular patients of the clinic can vouch for its services and extend a genuine review of the clinic. If the clinic is good then it will definitely be recommended by other people around a person. The next factor to consider on the list is the services offered by the dental clinic. Most of the clinics today offer many services but it is essential to know that whether or not the clinic offers the service required by the patient. Almost every other clinic today has a website and all the information is available online.

While choosing a dental clinic in Delhi it is also pivotal to know about the dental and insurance plans offered by the clinic. The dentistry world has evolved over the years and it is all thanks to the advancement in technology. The dental clinics today offer the advanced treatments to the people. It is important to note that the faculty at the clinic is expert and has extensive experience in the field. Another very important point to consider is the cost of treatments at the clinic.

Every treatment will have a different cost but doing ample research is very important. A wise person will do a good amount of research before deciding on a dental clinic so that he or she gets the best treatment and that at very affordable prices. Oral health is very essential to maintain and paying regular visits to a good dental clinic can help in maintaining oral health.

Ref:- http://www.axissdental.com/how-to-find-the-best-dental-clinic-in-delhi/

Advantages of the system:

Stable yet removable solution that offers the comfort of a fixed prosthesis

Easy to clean

Optimal chewing and function

Desirable phonetics and esthetics

A cost effective solution