Orthodontics has come a long way from the old days of “metal mouth” and “head gear”. There are so many options available – no more suffering with huge appliances and ugly wires. White brackets can blend in with your smile, braces can be placed on the tongue-side to shield them from view, or you can dare your friends to notice the clear retainers hiding in plain sight.

Orthodontics can also be used to correct damage already done to your teeth or jaws. Sometimes we use orthodontics to close gaps or move teeth into ideal positions that allow for placement of crowns or veneers. This can be crucial when treating people that have short, worn, or broken teeth from a lifetime of grinding or acid erosion. Orthodontics is also used to “upright” teeth that have shifted place after another tooth has been lost. This allows us to re-open the space required to replace missing teeth with dental implants or fixed bridges.

Interested in Orthodontics?

Speak with your dentist, contact my office, or schedule a consultation with an Orthodontist!

At Horizon Dental, I am proud to offer Invisalign for my adult patients – and if you have any questions, you can contact us by clicking here.  I hope this post got you thinking. If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you. If you like what you see, please share with your friends and follow me on Google +, Facebook, or Instagram!

Mouth Guards

• If your child participates in sports or other physical activities, it’s wise to consider getting a mouth guard. These devices are worn over the teeth to protect your child’s teeth from being broken or loosened following a blow to the face. They have also been proven to reduce the severity of concussions.
• We recommend that all patients involved in a contact sport such as wrestling, football, or hockey wear a mouth guard because of the high risk of injury.
• The best mouth guards are custom-made by your dentist. But if you have a growing child, investing in a less expensive boil-and-bite mouth guard from the drugstore can be a good alternative to keep that smile intact.

Eat Smart

• Focus on a healthy balanced diet with limited sugary snacks and drinks.
• Ideally, have treats with a meal so your child’s the saliva is ready to reduce the impact of the sugar.
• The very best snacks for your child’s smile are veggies and proteins – even the sugar in fruits can cause cavities when eaten throughout the day.
• Drink lots of water.

I hope this post got you thinking. You can learn more about our children’s services here. And if you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you. If you like what you see, please share with your friends and follow me on Google +, Facebook, or Instagram!

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

They say your smile is the nicest thing you can wear – I think at some point, everyone has considered making some changes to those pearly whites. Maybe make your smile whiter and brighter? Or maybe you’re interested in straightening the teeth or repairing a few chips or stains.

I would be delighted to help you achieve your goal, meet your New Year’s resolutions, and get the smile of your dreams! And with today’s technology, the possibilities are endless. Here’s a quick summary of some very common cosmetic procedures available to you at Horizon Dental:

• Teeth Whitening: Aging, tobacco, red wine, soda, coffee, and tea can all dull and yellow our teeth over time. With teeth whitening, years of staining can be erased from your smile in a matter of hours. We offer Zoom! Whitespeed, which is a professional in-office whitening system that can lighten your teeth up to eight shades in just one visit! Take-home trays for touch-ups are included, and the procedure takes about 60 minutes with virtually zero sensitivity as it’s tailored to each person’s needs!

• Crowns or Veneers: Veneers are thin, custom-made “shells” of porcelain that permanently attach directly to your teeth. In comparison, crowns cover the teeth fully to provide extra support in case of existing cavities, fillings, or broken teeth. Both options can be used to fix gaps between teeth or improve the appearance of teeth that are badly stained, misshaped, crowded, or out of place and are designed specifically for you! You can choose almost any colour or shape, we can even match your favourite celebrity’s or family member’s smile.
• Bonding: Bonding corrects gaps, stains, and chips by using tooth-coloured composite resins (filling material). It’s a more cost-conscious option compared to crowns and veneers, but can only be used to repair minor issues and is not often used in a complete smile makeover.

• Invisalign: By using a series of computer-designed, clear trays, Invisalign can be used to straighten crowded teeth or close spaces without altering natural tooth structure. Treatment can be completed quickly, sometimes in 6-9 months for simple cases – and no one would ever know you were wearing the trays!

I hope this post has got you thinking. If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you. If you like what you see, please share with your friends and follow me on Google +, Facebook, or Instagram!

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

“‘Twas the Week Before Christmas with plans winding down. Not a dentist was working, it seemed in our town.”

And most dentists in Kamloops, myself included, will be closed at some point during the holidays – possibly for several weeks. December is also a very busy month, as we try to get the most out of patients’ yearly benefits before they renew in January.

So if you run into any trouble, here’s my advice for handling 5 Common Dental Emergencies:

1) Missing Fillings –  might be sensitive or sharp to the tongue but most teeth will be okay. Best way to cope is grab some orthodontic wax from the drugstore and use that to fill the hole. It will insulate the tooth from cold and keep food from getting stuck.

2) Missing Crown – just don’t swallow it and everything will be fine! Gently clean and dry the tooth and crown as best you can, stick toothpaste in the crown and gently replace it over the tooth. Your dentist can usually put it back permanently later.

3) Chipped or Broken Tooth – if the nerve isn’t exposed, refer to #1. If there is cheek swelling or pain, use ice. If the nerve IS exposed (and this will really hurt) then it’s time to call your dentist and get some help.

4) Knocked-Out Tooth – only a problem if it’s an adult tooth. In this case, you need to see a dentist within 4 hours to save it. In the meantime, try to put the tooth back in the socket to keep it alive. If you can’t, hold it gently in the cheek or, if all else fails, a glass of milk is better than nothing.

5) Infection – always a big deal, but can need antibiotics before the offending tooth can be treated. This is because swelling can make it hard to open your mouth or for the local anesthetic to work properly. Call your dentist’s emergency line – he/she can usually prescribe an antibiotic or will arrange to take a look.

Hope you all enjoy your holiday festivities, and always know that if you really need me, I’m here for you!

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

What is hypnosis?

Hard to say and even experts can’t quite agree on that one… I like to think of it as the quieting of the conscious mind. Hypnosis can help you achieve a state where you can more readily access your subconscious mind, and then give suggestions to help you visualize what it is you want to accomplish. In this sense, I find hypnosis to be very similar to guided meditation.

Hypnosis has been used with great success for stress reduction, smoking cessation, motivation, and treatment for a lot of mental health issues.

It has also been used in medicine for decades as a pain management tool and to enhance healing by giving the body post-hypnotic suggestions.

And of course, hypnosis is also used in dentistry to help with anxiety, pain management, and healing. But it can also be used to reduce the gag reflex, reduce saliva flow, and stop bleeding.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work for everyone. It requires an open mind and a willingness to try something new.

My goal is to use these techniques to enhance my day-to-day dentistry and see what happens. I believe that hypnosis will work very well in additional to some tools I currently use, such as laughing gas (Nitrous Oxide). As in any skill, I expect to get better results as I become more practiced. And I am especially excited to see if I can help those patients with a strong gag reflex to have a more enjoyable experience with dentistry.

If you’d like to know more about my own experience with hypnosis, please check out my YouTube video below! What I will say is that hypnosis works – even though I was not in a “trance” so to speak, my experience very successful.

I hope this post got you thinking. If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you. If you like what you see, please share with your friends and follow me on Google +, Facebook, or Instagram!

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

What’s the Difference?

“Silver” fillings are actually a combination of silver, tin, copper, and typically about 50% liquid mercury. The term “amalgam” refers to the “amalgamation” of these metals to form a solid material!

“White” fillings are also a blend of other materials, hence the term “composites”. In these fillings you’ll find a liquid resin that binds fillers like silica, zirconia, and sometimes acrylics.

The Controversy

A short history of Dental Amalgam

Tin-mercury fillings have been around since 600 AD in China

Western dentists started using it in the 1830s and shortly after, something called the amalgam wars started in America. Apparently there were 3 of these “wars” and I’m hoping to find or write a book on this subject because it sounds amazing.

So from the beginning, there have been pro-amalgam and anti-amalgam dentists that have never managed to agree on whether or not the material should be used.

In recent years, several European countries have banned the use of amalgam fillings in children and pregnant women though it is still widely used in North America.

And the controversy in modern times surrounds the fact that one of the main ingredients, mercury, is toxic and has been linked to several diseases, including:

Brain damage/neurological problems, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Cancer, Crohn’s disease, etc.

However, the correlation between amalgam and these conditions (so far as I can find) is based solely on self-reported improvements in symptoms when the amalgam restorations were removed. Which means we can’t disprove the connection, but we can’t prove it either.

And what medicine and dentistry try to do is evidence based research to figure out how to best serve our patients.

What we do know is that mercury is released naturally in our environment – in amounts much larger than we’ve been able to measure coming from dental fillings. Most of the research cited by the “anti-amalgam” groups usually cite evidence of diseases caused by environmental mercury.

And the research so far indicates that the only measurable danger of mercury exposure happens when the dental amalgam is placed – hence the use of high-vacuum suctions and ideally the dreaded rubber dam. But even then, it’s considered well within safety limits.

However, what is also clear from the research that it’s hard to measure how much mercury is actually released from dental fillings.

Now if you love your conspiracy theories, here’s something to think about – what reason would the dentists or dental associations have to lie about the safety of dental amalgam? It’s a cheaper material, so dentists aren’t making extra money.

AND if it was linked to all these awful diseases, wouldn’t it make sense for dentists and their assistants to have a higher incidence of these problems? And wouldn’t the associations want to protect themselves from disease? 

Why do some dentists still use amalgam?

It’s less expensive, easier to place, lasts a long time, and many dentists  still believe it’s a better alternative to composites for children or people with a high risk of getting cavities

Also, there are some downsides to using the white composite fillings: they are not tolerant of water/saliva/blood so more technique-sensitive, more expensive, and some materials have BPA in them (although there are alternatives if you’re looking)

So why don’t I use amalgam?

Not because it’s toxic but because it’s outdated!

Composite resin (white) fillings can conserve more tooth structure because you’re not counting on the shape of

 the preparation to hold the filling in place.

We also have composite materials that can release fluoride and other ions to “recharge” the 

enamel. 
Esthetics also play a big role for many people, even kids.

And I see many more teeth break apart around amalgam fillings than I do composite fillings, although with a big enough filling, any tooth is bound to break no matter the material.

And on the chance that they do one day prove that amalgam fillings are toxic, I will already be ahead of the game.

I hope this post got you thinking. If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you. If you like what you see, please share with your friends and follow me on Google +, Facebook, or Instagram!

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

We have just 8 weeks left in 2017 – 8 weeks! We have navigated the turkey-comas of Thanksgiving and the sugar-rush of Halloween. Now it’s onto Remembrance Day and in a flash the Holiday Season is upon us! The holidays bring their own special kind of busy, and if you’re anything like me you’ll find that things start piling up quickly this time of year. Parties and shopping, decorating and baking. Then before you know it, I’m closed for a week and its New Year’s Day!

Some of you probably postponed some dental treatment until now. Summer holidays and the back-to-school rush will do that to a person.

Well, there’s no time like the present! Especially when you take into account that most dental insurance plans renew January 1^st. This gives us a unique opportunity to maximize your plan before the deadline!

Any pending treatment can be completed before December 31^st, aiming to use up your maximum yearly limit. For example, if your insurance plan allows for $1000 per year, let’s get your root canal done now. And in January, we have another $1000 to put towards your crown.

Also remember, your benefits don’t carry over to the next year – so if they lapse, you’re giving the insurance company all those premiums for nothing.

And don’t forget inflation! Like all services, dental fees are subject to increases every year. In British Columbia, the BC Dental Association releases a new fee guide in February. It’s usually only a few dollars but these things add up quickly.

But don’t worry! I’ve still got some room in the schedule. But the clock is ticking and we are booking up fast!

I hope this post got you thinking. If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you. If you like what you see, please share with your friends and follow me on Google +, Facebook, or Instagram!

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

Halloween is almost upon us – we’ll be seeing all kinds of superheros, princesses, and scary monsters. But there’s nothing scarier out there than tooth decay!

Parents are always in the scariest position: not only giving out candy but handling the sugary hyperactivity and possible tummy aches. Not to mention trying to maintain good oral hygiene in the process.

Of course, a single sugar-filled night isn’t going to hurt anyone – but keeping the spoils and indulging over and over again can become problematic.

Here’s our top tips for preventing tooth decay!

1. Choose wisely – Not all treats are the same. Encourage kids to eat candy that melts fast, like chocolate bars. Avoid sticky sweets like caramel that concentrate sugar on the teeth and can hurt fillings or braces. And stay away from sour snacks that can dissolve enamel.
2. Drink Water – if you can’t brush your teeth right away, just rinsing with water after a sugary snack will help prevent cavities.
3. Hide the extras! Store the excess and distribute over time – or better yet, find a Candy Buy Back and get some $$$!
4. Avoid grazing – use the candy as dessert after meals, not as snacks during the day. Then the sugar-acid challenge is more easily buffered by the saliva and can’t damage the teeth.
5. Eat a healthy meal before Trick or Treating – it’s much less tempting to eat all the candy spoils on a full stomach!
6. Xylitol – stick with xylitol whenever you can. It’s a natural sweetener that doesn’t cause cavities and improves saliva flow.  Dr. Johns has an excellent selection and we have some samples in the office!

One thing I know for certain about oral cancer is that I will know it when I smell it. Cancer, especially in the mouth, has a truly distinct odour that is so much more than even the worst case of bad breath. For this valuable skill, knowing when to follow my nose, I’ll always be grateful for the time I spent as a resident in the Foothills Hospital in Calgary in 2013. Most of my patients were recently diagnosed with head and neck cancer, and it was my job to screen them for tooth and gum disease before starting any radiation or chemotherapy. We saved a lot of lives in that hospital, but it would have made such a difference if the cancer could have been prevented in the first place.

April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month. To do my part, this article will cover what you need to know about cancer of the head and neck. Also, I am planning to be at the Hamlets in Westsyde in April performing free oral cancer screenings – TBD, see more details on our Facebook page @HorizonDentalKamloops!

What to Watch Out For

At first, oral cancer is usually painless and asymptomatic, so screening by a dental professional is important in making an early diagnosis.

Early Signs & Symptoms

• White or dark red patches in your mouth, on lips or tongue
• Lumps or changes in the texture of mouth tissues
• Bleeding or numbness
• Sores/ulcers that do not heal

Late Signs & Symptoms

• Difficult or painful swallowing
• Changes in taste or tongue sensation
• Hoarse voice
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
• Difficulty moving tongue or jaw

Risk Factors

The biggest risk factors for developing oral cancer are tobacco and heavy alcohol consumption.
The chemicals cause chronic irritation and have been shown to damage DNA, allowing cells to become cancerous.

In recent decades, the human papilloma virus (HPV) has been linked to more and more cancer diagnoses, especially the silent ones. This virus typically infects tissues in throat, causing cancers that can’t been seen until late symptoms, such as neck swelling and a hoarse voice, show up. 75% of Canadians will have an HPV infection in their lifetimes. It is also the number one cause of cervical cancer for women, which pushed for the development of two vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix.  Thankfully, there is now a program in BC that offers the Gardasil vaccine to both girls and boys ages 9 to 26 in an effort to combat the rise in HPV-related cancers.

Other risk factors include a poor diet low in antioxidants, a positive family history of cancer, and chronic sun exposure.  Males are also more likely to develop head and neck cancer than females.

Diagnosis

At Horizon Dental, all new patients get an oral cancer screening during their first exam. This starts outside the mouth, by checking the lymph nodes in the neck and below the jaw, and feeling the jawbones and joints. Inside the mouth, I will use my fingers to gently pull on the lips and cheeks to see into each corner and feel around for any lumps or bumps. I also look at the palate and tonsils, feel under the tongue, and lightly pull on the tongue itself to see the sides and feel the muscles. We also take several photos of the mouth and head, which can help me compare to any future changes.

If I have any concerns, the first step is to biopsy – remove a sample of the tissue and send it to the pathologist for investigation. I was trained by the best in Calgary, so the biopsies I perform are very small (typically under 1 cm) and absolutely pain-free, so it’s worth the effort to rule out a cancer. Also, I will take an x-ray of the area to ensure there are no changes to the teeth or bone structure that might give a clue as to what’s going on.

Unfortunately, some things can’t be biopsied so easily. So if I find a patient with a swollen lymph node, or any of the later signs of cancer, it’s an immediate referral to a family doctor or nurse practitioner to get checked out.

KEY POINTS

• Tobacco and alcohol are the biggest risk factors for oral cancer
• HPV infection can be prevented with a vaccine, which can in turn prevent oral cancer
• A biopsy is the best way to rule out oral cancer
• Prevention is key so it’s critical that your dentist perform regular oral cancer screenings

For more information or to book an appointment, please call 778-765-3928