Chula Vista Dentist

So you ask, "What do automobile accidents and breathing have to do with each other?" Well you might be surprised to know that the number one cause of automobile
accidents on North American roads each year is tired driving. Unfortunately, obstructive sleep apnea is a huge contributing factor. It deprives people of the rejuvenating sleep that their bodies require. Disruptive sleep fill with arousals, increasing heart rate and high blood pressure does not allow the solid sleep your body requires. Did you know that people suffering from this sleep disorder are seven to twelve times more likely to be involved in an auto accident because of their excessive sleepiness? Limited sleep slows your response time. In fact, sleeping only four hours a night results in reaction times that are equivalent to someone who has a blood alcohol level of .08%.

Sleep apnea is one of the most under-diagnosed life threatening medical disorders in our society today. Despite the lack of attention, tired driving and obstructive sleep apnea are statistically more dangerous than drunk driving. Once you know the statistics, driving down the highway can be a scary proposition.

This sleep disorder is also directly implicated as contributing to heart disease, cerebrovascular insult, diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) and obesity. The list truly goes on and on. If you suffer from bruxism, or awake multiple time through the night, or have morning headaches or if your bed partner has witnessed you snoring and then gasping for air, the likelihood that you are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea is very, very high. It is not necessary for you to have any or all of the aforementioned to have sleep apnea. Realize that not everyone that has apnea is tired. Some people have symptoms with very mild apnea while others don't have symptoms with sever apnea. Bottom line, don't let how you feel make the determination. This is one area that "guilty until proven innocent'" is probably sound advice.

One very good screening tool that has been shown to be predictive of sleep disordered breathing is called the Adjusted Neck Circumference screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Here is the formula: ANC = NC + H (4) + S (3) + C/G (3). ANC is Adjusted Neck Circumference, H is Hypertention, S is Snoring, C/G is Choking/Gasping. The way it is used is that the neck circumference (measured in centimeters) is adjusted if you have hypertention (4 cm added), or a habitual snorer (3 cm added) or chocking or gasping most nights (3 cm added). A low clinical probability corresponds to an adjusted neck circumference of less than 43 cm, an intermediate probability (4 to 8 times as probable) to a neck circumference of 43 to 48 cm, and a high probability (20 times as probable) for a neck circumference of more than 48 cm.

The gold standard for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea is CPAP therapy; however oral appliances can be equally affective, particularly in mild and moderate sleep apnea. If you suspect you have sleep apnea, take it seriously and talk with your physician or a dentist that is trained in the treatment of sleep apnea. It could be a conversation that saves your life.

There are a variety of procedures that exist to help achieve a person's cosmetic dentistry goals, it's best to get familiar with all of the options first and then choose a personal cosmetic dentistry plan with the help a licensed cosmetic dentist.
Therefore, for those considering a cosmetic dentistry, the top 10 procedures are as follows:

1. Laser Teeth or Tooth Whitening-In just one office visit, a person can lighten their teeth up 6 shades by undergoing laser teeth whitening (or single tooth whitening for isolated trouble spots). The procedure is fast, effective and lasts considerably longer than over-the-counter whitening methods.

2. Porcelain Veneers-Porcelain veneers are used in cosmetic dentistry to change either the color or shape of the teeth. Specifically, porcelain veneers are placed over existing teeth to correct areas of discoloration, teeth that are too small or too big, cracked teeth or irregularities in a person's smile.

3. Dental Implants-This procedure allows for people with missing teeth to receive a natural looking implant, provided there is enough bone available to anchor in the new tooth (if not, another procedure called a bone graft may be necessary).

4. Bonding-Bonding is used to cover natural flaws in the teeth including spots of discoloration, gaps between the teeth or crooked teeth. This is done by applying a thin layer plastic material to the front of teeth, which is then hardened with a high intensity light for permanent results.

5. Dental Bridge-A dental bridge is basically a permanent denture that is held in place by a crown attached to the tooth on either side of the denture. This helps to fill holes caused by missing teeth for a more natural and complete smile.

6. Dental Reshaping and Contouring-This procedure seeks to reshape crooked, overlapped or cracked teeth in as little as one session by sanding and shaping the trouble areas of the mouth. The procedure is very non-evasive and generally does not require the use of anesthesia.

7. Cosmetic Gum Surgery-This procedure seeks to fix the appearance of a "long tooth smile," or the shrinking of the gum's under the teeth, which is the result of aging, gum disease or a poor bite. To fix the problem, a cosmetic dentist will remove tissue from the roof of the mouth and graft it back into the gum's to create a more proportional look to the teeth.

8. White Fillings-White fillings are used to replace unsightly metal fillings that were once the only alternative to cavity repair. White fillings have a more natural look and are also better for the body.

9. Custom Dentures-Individuals with missing teeth can choose from a variety of denture options to fill the gaps in their smile. Complete dentures obviously provide a full set of teeth for those that have had them removed or lost them due to natural aging, while other techniques such as over dentures or partial dentures help to replace random missing teeth without going to a full set of dentures.

10. Accelerated Orthodontics-In this procedure, cosmetic dentists will physically reshape and reposition the teeth in 3 to 8 months, which is half the time that braces would achieve the process by natural means.

Step-1: Identify the Ethical Principles at Stake

• Beneficence

* Caring about and acting to promote the good of another * The hygienist must always give priority to the best interests of his/her clients * In this scenario the hygienist must care for and act to promote the health of his/her clients, rather than giving more importance to the monetary interests of the dentist.

• Autonomy

* Pertains to the right to make one's own choice * By communicating the relevant information openly and truthfully, dental hygienists assist client's to make informed choices and to participate in achieving and maintaining optimum oral health. * The hygienist must communicate openly and honestly with the clients about all the treatment options available and their pros and cons to gain optimum oral health rather than promoting the most expensive option recommended by the dentist.

• Professionalism

* Professionalism means being competent, honest and fair * Competence: refers to providing high quality care * Honesty: being truthful both in your statement and your omission. * Fairness: appropriately balancing competing interest * In this scenario the dental hygienist must be completely honest and fair to her clients even when it competes with her personal monetary interests and employer pressure.

• Conflict of Interest

* A conflict of interest occurs when a dentist/dental hygienist has a personal interest (monetary, moral or personal belief) that a reasonable person might think could improperly influence his/her professional judgment * In this situation the hygienist must not allow her personal monetary interests or employment prospects to jeopardize the client's oral health or influence her professional judgment.
Step-2: Identify the various options for action * Take no action and do as the doctor has mentioned * Advise the client to research his or her options and decide what is best for them. * Try again by explaining to the dentist about why you think the policy is not in the best interest of the clients * Call the regulatory authority and report the dentist and or ask for their recommendations in solving the issue * Follow the right informed consent way by telling the various options of treatment and advantage and disadvantage of each treatment. * Leave the office and find another that is suitable to your ethics.
Step-3: Assess Options * You are misleading the dentist by being silent, and preventing the office from taking appropriate steps to ensure appropriate treatment measures are in place and are failing to look after the best interest of your client. Harm the client loose reputation from your client. * You may lose clients * You may lose the dentists trust * The dentist may agree or disagree with your opinion. * If you call the regulatory authority to report the dentist, his license may get revoked * If you leave the present job you will be relieved from the present ethical dilemma
Step-4: Implement the action * Provide various procedure to correct or remedy his/her dental issue. * Provide information about the necessity of performing each procedure on the client. * Enumerate the benefits of the procedure. * Enumerate any harmful effects of the procedure according to the medical condition of the client even if those effects are minor or negligible. * Inform about the cost of each procedure. * Inform the client about the gain sharing policy of the practice * Tell the client that his/her choice of procedure will contribute proportionately to the offices gain sharing policy.
Step-5: Evaluate outcomes * The Dental hygienist will gain the client's trust for her being honest. * The Dentist could lose the client's trust because he/she would think that the office's primary goal is to optimize its profit margin. * Client might check the costs of similar procedure at other offices and potentially have/his treatment done at a different office. * Dentist/Dental hygienist might lose clients. * Dental hygienist might lose his/her job.
The information is based on CDHO guide updated in 2008.

If you are stuck in a dead-end job looking for an exciting new career, a dental assistant school can have you smiling in no time. Dental assistant schools train students to take on various responsibilities of patient care, as well as office duties and laboratory work. Future dental assistants learn to work in conjunction with dentists to examine teeth and gums and to prepare patients for treatment.
Dental assistant schools teach the use of hand instruments and materials, preparation of trays of instruments for dental procedures, sterilization and disinfection methods of instruments and equipment, and instruction of patients on postoperative and general oral health care.
Laboratory duties are also taught in dental schools. Students will learn to make casts of the teeth, clean appliances, and make temporary crowns. Dental assistant schools also teach students to prepare materials for making impressions and restorations and to take and process x-rays. Dental assistants also become proficient regarding safety procedures that minimize risks associated with the use of x-ray machines.
Sometimes programs in dental schools teach assistants how to remove sutures, apply topical anesthetics, remove excess cement used in the filling processes, and how to place rubber dams on teeth to isolate them for individual treatment. Dental assistants will often be trained for performing office duties, such as scheduling and confirming appointments, receiving patients, keeping treatment records, billing and receiving, and ordering dental supplies and materials.
Dental assistant programs generally require a year of study for earning a professional certificate or diploma. Two-year programs offered in community colleges can lead to Associate of Science (AS) degrees. Course of study will include dental terminology, anatomy, preventive dentistry, nutrition, disease transmission, pathology, radiology, pharmacology, and anesthesiology.
Entry-level positions as dental assistants begin around $22,000. Advanced degrees and experience can double that figure.
If you would like to learn more about Dental Assistant Schools and even Online Dental Assistant Schools, you can find more in-depth information and resources on our website.
DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.
Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved by SchoolsGalore.com, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc.
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  Just a few of the latest dental blogs, wanting to get as many dental related blogs as I can so I can then get article writers to submit to them.

It's generally accepted that regular moderate exercise is good for your health, but what if you exercise too much? Do you HAVE to exercise every day? What happens when you don't exercise for a few days? Do you feel more tired and irritable if you skip a few workouts? Does intense vigorous exercise make you feel good? Does skipping a workout make you feel stressed?
Despite all the known benefits of exercise, if you overdo it, this can be a sign that you may be compensating for something else that may be going on. For example, one of the most common conditions that I see in my practice is when people are unable to get a good night's sleep, they compensate in various ways, such as regular exercise, increased caffeine consumption, relaxation or breathing techniques. You'll automatically take part in activities or habits that make you feel more energetic or relaxed. Eating is another form of relaxation, since it stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system (the relaxation half of your involuntary nervous system).
I know a lot of endurance distance runners in my running club, and almost invariably, no one can or likes to sleep on their backs. They can only sleep on their sides or more commonly their stomachs. What does their sleep position have to do with why their addicted to exercise? It all comes down to my sleep-breathing paradigm.
To summarize, my sleep-breathing paradigm proposes that all modern humans have difficulty breathing at night to various degrees due to our unique upper airway anatomy. The voice box is located underneath the tongue, as opposed to animals, where the voice box is located behind the tongue. This location of the voice box under the tongue is necessary for complex speech and language. But this is also what unprotected our airway, leading to all the various breathing and swallowing problems that modern humans have. Comparative anatomists and evolutionary biologists have said that speech and language development was ultimately detrimental to humans.
What's worse, it's thought that due to a radical change in our diets (highly processed foods and refined sugars) over the past century, our jaws are getting more narrow with increased dental crowding. Furthermore, dentists have stated that introduction of bottle-feeding to infants can aggravate dental crowding and malocclusion, which makes everything much worse. All these factors aren't the only reason for everyone's sleep problems, but everyone, by definition, is along a continuum. Your ability to breathe properly while sleeping is ultimately determined by your genes (the anatomy that you're given by your parents), your diet, and how you were fed as an infant.
So why is breathing a problem only when we're sleeping? There are two components to this issue: When lying flat on your back, your tongue falls back partially, due to gravity. This narrows the breathing passageway behind your tongue to various degrees. As you fall asleep, the deeper level of sleep you enter, the more your muscles relax, and at at a certain point, your tongue can fall back and obstruct your breathing. The more narrow your airway (due to smaller jaws or inflammation due to a cold or allergies), the more likely you'll stop breathing and wake up to turn over. When you were young, you tossed and turned and eventually figured out that you can sleep much better when sleeping on your side or stomach. The problem is that even on your side or stomach, it's never perfect, and you're not able to get deep, efficient sleep, no matter how long you sleep.
It's also not too surprising that many personal trainers and fitness professionals have very similar features: Almost invariably they prefer to sleep only on their sides or stomachs. The same can be said about bodybuilders-a personal trainer/natural body builder friend of mine told me that almost every one in her gym snores. Working out intensely for 2-3 hours is invigorating and energizing, but maybe for some people, this is a way to overcome the expected fatigue and lethargy that would result from inefficient sleep.
We know that professional football players have a much higher incidence of obstructive sleep apnea. About 1/3 of all linemen were found to have mild or moderate sleep apnea. It's not only the fat in the neck-it's also the muscle mass that impinges on the soft tissues of the upper airway. So in theory, the more muscle bulk you have in your neck, the more breathing problems while sleeping, which can promote more intense workouts. It's hard to say which came first, but once it's started, it ends up being a self-perpetuating vicious cycle.
The worst case scenario is when you fit the profile above, and you suddenly get injured. Let's say you either can't run anymore. You become more lethargic, and you may end up eating more due to increased levels of stress from increased sleep deprivation. As you gain weight, your upper airway narrows even further, leading to worse deep sleep quality. Another scenario is if you injure your neck or shoulder. This will prevent you from being able to sleep on your side or stomach, which again, aggravates the vicious cycle.
What I just described may seem a little far fetched, but even if a small fraction of the people I mentioned has this anatomic condition, then it can potentially explain various health issues and problems down the road. One way to see where you're headed to to look at your parents. More often than not, one or both your parents may snore heavily, and in many cases will have one or more of the complications of untreated obstructive sleep apnea: depression, anxiety, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, heart attack or stroke.
Many people will be just fine with their regular exercise regimen, but some others will have various health issues such as chronic nasal or sinus congestion, headaches, throat clearing, hoarseness or post-nasal drip. A thorough history and physical exam is the first step towards feeling better. Educating yourself about your condition is another step-I describe my sleep-breathing paradigm in much more detail in my book Sleep, Interrupted. I also take you through the steps you need to take to finally be able to breathe better, sleep better and feel better.

What is Dental Sleep Medicine? Dental Sleep Medicine refers to the branch of dentistry devoted to the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea with an oral appliance similar to a retainer. When a patient is diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, they are usually prescribed a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine which functions like a reverse vacuum cleaner to keep the airway open.

It consists of a mask fitted over the mouth and nose which is attached to a compressor-like machine via a hose through which room air is forced. Compliance is shown to be very low due to common complaints of the machine being too noisy, the mask irritating the face, claustrophobia due to wearing the mask, inconvenience of being tethered to a machine and inability to sleep in all positions. In many cases, oral appliances are an effective alternative to CPAP therapy for sleep apnea.

Why do airway testing? A specially trained dentist utilizes airway testing with a Pharyngometer and Rhinometer to verify airway size and collapsibility as well as to predict success with an oral appliance. This technology utilizes sound waves in acoustic reflection much like a fish-finding device. The Pharyngometer measures the cross-sectional airway in the throat to determine where there is an obstruction and whether movement of the lower jaw with an oral appliance will be effective in clearing that obstruction. The Rhinometer measures the nasal airway and determines whether there is blockage in the nose. This is critical because oral appliances are unable to open the nasal airway and should not be used if the obstruction exists in the nasal passages only. Airway testing with the Pharyngometer/Rhinometer is crucial for predicting before treatment even begins whether the oral appliance will work or not.

When can we treat with Oral Appliances? Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs when the tongue falls back into the throat and blocks the airway. Partial obstruction typically causes snoring and complete obstruction causes a cessation of breathing in addition to snoring. Oral appliances are designed to bring the lower jaw forward and thereby bring the tongue forward to open the airway. Oral Appliances were approved by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine as a first line of therapy for patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea. Patients with severe sleep apnea who cannot or will not wear a CPAP machine can also benefit from oral appliances but they are not as effective as CPAP therapy. It is still better than no treatment at all.

Where is Obstructive Sleep Apnea Diagnosed? Only a physician can make a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea and classify its severity. For many years, diagnosis had to be made from an overnight sleep study, Polysomnography or PSG for short. This study is conducted in a hospital or sleep laboratory.

Just recently, unattended home sleep studies such as the Watch-Pat 100 are available to physicians and dentists and approved by the FDA for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea. Diagnosis still must be made by a physician but the advantages of being able to conduct the study in the patient's own bedroom can often provide a familiarity which lends itself to increased patient comfort and decreased anxiety.

Dentists treating sleep apnea can also use the Watch-PAT 100 to verify the effectiveness of an oral appliance. No patient should be given an oral appliance without the follow-up of an unattended sleep study or repeat PSG.

Who is practicing Dental Sleep Medicine? This field requires a commitment to education and a commitment to technology. Most dental school curriculua do not offer any training in this arena. Numerous books have been written on this subject and many continuing education courses are offered in this area.

Utilization of airway equipment and follow-up testing are imperative for the dentist to treat this properly. Guessing at severity of sleep disorder, jaw-position or effectiveness of oral appliances can be at the very least frustrating and potentially life-threatening.

Dentist! Does the very word makes you frightened? If yes, then you need to face this to have the perfect dental health. Overcome your fear of the dentist, his office and the dentist’s chair if you really want to have strong and healthy teeth. If you happen to be residing in New York then you have an excellent chance to get services from the best dentist in New York. This is simple because New York dentists are fully capable of doing what is required for perfecting and correcting the dental heath of individuals. So find out the best dentist in New York if you are encountering any kind of dental defects.
Dental problems can be of several types. So if you want to find out exactly what kind of ailment ails your tooth, the dentist is the best person who can help you out of this condition. There are many technologically advanced types of equipment that are used by dentists to find out the exact cause of a dental defect. The dentist will conduct several tests to determine and find out the exact condition of your dental health. After completion of the tests, the dentist will prescribe you what treatment methods should be undertaken to correct the condition.
You can find several dentists in your city, but if you want to undergo the best treatment you will surely have to find out the best dentist operating in your locality. Talking with people who have undergone any kind of dentistry procedure, either cosmetic or restorative is a good way of setting yourself to find out a good dentist in your area. These people have undergone the treatment procedure and are in the best position to guide you towards finding out the best dentist.
The internet is also a very good source to find out a good dentist who will help you in treating any kind of dental condition. Finding out information about a dentist on the web is very simple. Just type in the keyword with which you want to make a search about the dentist. After you type in the word and make a search, you will be literally flooded with information on the web. Make a careful analysis of the information that you have in hand and search out the best dentist who will perform the dentistry procedure on you.
While finding out all you can about the dentist, make sure to check out the album of the dentist. In the album you can check out the pictures that show the results on a person of the procedure undertaken. Also make sure that before you settle down for any procedure to be undertaken by the dentist, you have proper knowledge about the procedure.
Dental ailments affect almost everybody at some point in their life or other. So keeping your teeth clean and healthy goes a long way in preventing you from encountering any kind of dental problems. Feel comfortable while discussing anything with related to your oral health with your dentist. After all, the dentist is the best person to help you in curing your dental conditions and he must know all about the condition that you are facing.

Health is wealth…..a saying that seems to be as true as the words…..health is definitely the greatest and the biggest wealth and asset of any person. In fact maintaining a good health makes one feel confident and happy and this confidence further makes one look beautiful. A shiny and beautiful set of teeth is also an asset. They not only help in having a beautiful and gorgeous smile but also help us to be healthy as they help us to chew our food. But many are not lucky to have a great and a healthy set of teeth. This can be caused due to age, high intake of tea, coffee, too much of smoking and definitely if one fails to take proper care of teeth. In such a case and especially if one is staying in New York then the best person to visit for any tooth problem is a dentist New York.
A dentist New York can help you with any sort of a dental problem and makes you feel healthy, good, confident and beautiful.
Science and technology have made easier and better. Thanks to the great technological advancements, today there is a solution to each and every problem and these problems can be related to anything. Just like any other health problem, aggravated teeth problem can also be a threat. You can even lose out on your precious teeth. To avoid these aggravated teeth problem you can always visit a dentist New York. A dentist New York can propose you a treatment for any kind of a dental problem. If you are suffering from the problem of yellow stains, a dentist New York will help to undergo dental whitening treatment. By undergoing this treatment, a dentist New York will help you to clean up the yellow stains of your teeth.
There are various kinds of dental problems that can occur to anyone at any point of time. In today’s fast paced lifestyle it is not only aging that can aggravate any teeth problem. To match up with the fast lifestyle we often tend to eat fast food, smoke, have loads of tea and coffee and these are some possible reasons that harm and decay our teeth. In this case a dentist New York can be of the greatest help and can offer you with some solutions for your decayed tooth. Before you visit any dentist New York you will have to make sure that you visit the dentist New York who has specialized in the problem you are facing. For this you will need to do some research and this can be best done through the internet. The internet can help you find the dentist New York who shall be able to provide you with the best and the most suitable remedies for your dental problems.
A flashy, gorgeous and a beautiful smile is something that everyone loves to see. But you can not sport a flashy and a beautiful smile unless you have a set of healthy, bright and beautiful teeth. And to have a beautiful smile you will have to make sure that all your dental problems have been solved and this can be best done by a dentist New York. And if you feel that you have lost all the confidence to step out and flash that beautiful smile then you need not worry. All you will need to do is visit a dentist New York and get your dental problem fixed up.