My ultimate goal in life is to become a specialized dentist, therefore I decided to shadow Dr. JR Mercho. Dr. Mercho practices traditional dentistry but is also specialized in Head and Neck medicine. The main tasks that Dr. Mercho completes are cavity fillings, crown and bridge installation, and preventative care. Dr. Mercho’s practice had a great work environment, the office was a small home like setting that consisted of a waiting room, and several operation rooms including a lab. Dr. Mercho co-owns to practices with his partner Dr. Heather Ireland, they have formed an LLC. Currently, Dr. Mercho usually practices at the Grant county location, while Dr. Ireland practices at the Indianapolis location. I shadowed a little under 8 hours and at …show more content…
Mercho’s practice was how well trained his staff was. One of the hygienist was actually an instructor for the Dental hygienist school and taught me a lot about dentistry from the different terms used, how to avoid malpractice, and how to create great relations with your patients. It was the little things that I really appreciated when shadowing. I learned that the teeth that are used to anchor the prosthetic tooth are called abutments, and the tooth that they anchor is called the pontic. The hygienist also informed how transplants are better than getting bridges because they don’t affect the surrounding teeth unlike bridges which are less expensive but can slightly shift your teeth. Luckily transplants are becoming more and more affordable as modern technology aids the development of new methods to make transplants …show more content…
The first appointment I shadowed was just a periodontal exam which is used to examine the condition of gums. The dental hygienist checked every tooth and gave 3 numbers on a scale of 1-9 that indicated the pocket depth in millimeters. The numbers 1, 2, and 3 all indicated that the teeth were at no risk, but any number higher than 3 represented a risk of the teeth needing to be pulled up. The larger the number the more severe gum damage is, and the more likely that the tooth needs to be pulled. The cause of damaged gums is due to the buildup of tartar. Plague is the white sticky substance that comes from eating, if plaque is not regularly brushed off it will collect and harden to form tartar. Tartar causes bleeding and can ultimately Periodontal disease which induced bone loss around the jawbone. Periodontal disease can also spread the harmful oral bacteria from the patients mouth into their bloodstream, and ultimately to their heart and lungs. If the bacteria reach any organs then the patient will be sent to a physician to start an antibiotic that kills off the bacteria, if the bacteria isn’t killed then future implications could pursue. Starting with the outside of top row of teeth also known as the buckle, or facial depending on the tooth’s location, the hygienist’s quickly listed numbers and eventually moved onto the inside of the teeth which are called lingual teeth. The coolest
According to the American Dental Association, gum disease, also referred to as periodontal disease, occurs when the tissues that support and surround your teeth become infected. Many people are unaware they even have gum disease, because it isn’t a painful disease. Periodontal disease is caused by a film of sticky bacteria called plaque forming on the teeth.
For those that have bad habits with cigarettes, Tobacco Cessation Counseling is available. Cigarettes cause tooth loss, rotting, and surface stains; hygienist make sure to pass this information to the patient and help them to understand that quitting is the best option if they want to keep their teeth. As said before, a hygienist informs the patient on what foods to avoid. Nutritional Counseling is provided if a hygienist believes there is danger with a patients teeth such as diseases. (Dental Hygiene Clinic) Any foods with high acidity is something a dental hygienist would recommend avoiding. For example, apples, hard candies, popcorn, diet sodas, and salad dressing. Enamel is the hardest structure in the human body. It’s even harder than bones. When the enamel is exposed to acid, it wears down and erodes. This is how tooth erosion and decay happens. They will educate the patient with what foods to replace the bad ones with. Although, a dentist is who performs the restorations, a hygienist can still inform what will happen. Because of the fact that hygienists usually see patients before the dentist, they will give feedback to the dentist and recommend restorations in the mouth. They specialize in providing clinical and educational services (Sealy Dental Center) so they are very useful to dentists. When a patient has missing, chipped, or sharpened teeth, a restoration is done to replace the originals. Some examples
The most recent classification system for periodontal diseases was developed in 1999 and is broken into seven major categories. The only reversible category is the first category. All of the subsequent categories are considered a destructive disease because damage caused by the disease cannot be undone and is permanent. The seven categories, in order, are as follows; (1) Gingivitis, (2) Chronic Periodontitis, (3) Aggressive Periodontitis, (4) Periodontitis as a manifestation of a systemic disease, (5) Necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis/periodontitis, (6) Abscesses of the periodontium, and (7) Combined periodontic-endodontic lesions. These seven categories are used to diagnose specific patients, as well as refer to a group of patients that suffer from one of the above conditions. Periodontitis is considered local if less than thirty percent of the mouth is affected, and generalized if more than thirty percent of the mouth is affected.
The article Poor Teeth was written by Sarah Smarsh with the goal in mind being to shed light on the issue between upper and lower class society in a particularly concrete way. Teeth and dental health are an easy thing for people to imagine in their head because everyone has a set whether they’re white and shiny or black and rotted. This makes it easy to draw a comparison between people that care for their teeth and those who don’t. However, access to dental knowledge and services which the lower class often times doesn’t have is very different between the poor and the rich. While the rich stroll through life showing off their perfect glossy white rows of teeth, there are less privileged people out there with barren mouths whose weak pale gums
Dentistry as a profession over the years has evolved rapidly in light of new scientific evidence. Rapidly evolving science and technology have implemented changes within dentistry as evidenced by new standards and guidelines being produced by nationally recognised associations including National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP) and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) in Scotland, in provision of new scientific evidence. The latest standards and guidelines produced, endorse everyday clinical practice through evidence based dentistry (REF). All dental professionals as part of continued professional development are expected to keep to date on relevant guidelines and knowledge related to their practice (REF). This is supported by the General Dental Council who state all clinicians must maintain their professional knowledge and competence throughout their working career (REF).
The dentist will review your general medical history as well as your dental history and examine your oral cavity properly and in great detail. He/she will also check your bite and also take the appropriate x-rays. All these are aimed to determine if you require treatment.
I can remember being a little boy sitting at the piano in church, listening to the preacher talk of how Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, which symbolizes the idea that we are here to serve. That message profoundly resonated with me throughout life. It was not until I began accompanying my grandmother to her multiple dental visits that I was able to see how I could put this calling of service into action. I saw firsthand the significant positive impact my grandmother’s dentist was able to make in her life, which encouraged me to want to learn about the field of dentistry. I then started researching dental health and learning of the importance of oral healthcare and how it affects the entire body. I then began to learn of how patient access to proper dental care was limited because of several factors such as, financial barriers, transportation, and dental fear, especially in the underserved minority communities. Given the shortage of black dentists, I realized I could make a positive difference by being an inspiration to those in the community, as well as serve in a professional career that would provide needed healthcare to the community. This is when I began to develop such a strong passion for
Picture yourself with a toothache or someone with poor hygiene and knowing you cannot do anything to change it without a dentist. A dentist is specialized individual that treats the diseases and conditions that affect the oral cavity.
I decided to do my research report on dentistry because it is a perfect blend of science and art. It is a science in that you must fully comprehend on the different types of diagnostic and procedures you are doing. It is an art in that you are constantly working with your hands to create a beautiful smile. The impact you make on helping a person achieve an impeccable smile is not one to compare with materialistic things like money or cars. People often mistake dentist as only doing practices when in fact they could do more, like research. I was fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to interview Dr. Sarah Pham, DDS, a close family friend who practices dentistry in her own private office in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Pham was
Dental Hygienist: Have you been flossing? If not, the Dental Hygienist will know. A Dental Hygienist examines and makes sure that you have been flossing, brushing, and much more on your teeth. You really should make sure that you schedule cleanings every couple months or so. Your teeth are a big part of your health, and if you don’t take care of them, you will eventually end up with fake teeth, or the proper name would be Dentures.
On his initial examination dated 23/06/13 the patient was seen for a routine full mouth scale and polish with reinforced oral hygiene instruction including flossing technique. He presented with excellent oral hygiene at this appointment which was a reflection of his commitment to good oral hygiene; tooth-brushing twice daily and dental flossing once daily. This was further supported by the patients plaque scores at 5% and bleeding scores at 4% with only minimal supra gingival calculus on lower anterior teeth. There was no erythema or oedema present on the gingival tissues.
The gum tissue begins pulling away from the teeth. This creates pockets that allow bacteria to build up, which leads to an infection. As your body fights the harmful bacteria, the bone and tissue holding the teeth in place begin breaking down. The pockets deepen and begin filling with pus. Once you reach this stage, you may need to have surgery to save your teeth. If not treated, the infection begins destroying the bone around the teeth. If the bones, tissue and gums supporting your teeth are destroyed, the teeth may begin to shift, loosen and/or fall out.
Introduction: In Canada, general dental health is not part Canada’s national system of health insurance (Medicare) (1) except for some dental surgical procedures that are performed at hospitals. Since Oral health does not come under the Health Act about ninety-five percent of the oral health care services are offered on a fee-for-service basis. Oral health care is under provincial or territorial jurisdiction like other health care services and publically financed dental care programs provide the remaining five percent of oral health care services (2). Thus, majority of Canadians receive oral health via privately owned dental clinics. Privately owned dental care gives these services providers control over dental service charges, types of available treatment for the patients and number of follow-up appointment for treatments or routine care. Service users pay for the dental expenses from their own pockets or utilize insurance coverage (1).
Dental hygiene is a dynamic and challenging career that offers team work, personal growth, and extraordinary benefits, and it is the perfect career for me. As a health care professional, the dental hygienist is an important member of the dental team providing patient care. Good qualities for a dental hygienist are compassion and enjoying talking to people which are two qualities that fit my personality. I love the thought of knowing I made a positive impact in a person's health. Becoming a dental hygienist professionally requires you to obtain an associate degree in dental hygiene. They affect the average American by educating them about dental care. A dentist helps people with their dental health, which can greatly impact a person’s day-to-day life.
In the past, diseased or damaged teeth could not be salvaged and in most cases, had to be pulled out. However, in the last three decades, endodontic dentistry has evolved to quite an extent and today, professionals trained in this specialty can help save teeth and repair any inherent damage. Common endodontic procedures include root canal therapy, fixing of broken teeth and repairing dental trauma.