2012 June | Poss Dental Designs

June 18, 2012

Nashville Patients Find Relief for Jaw Pain and Headaches

Filed under: Oral Health — bdavis @ 7:09 pm

Stress can wreak havoc on a person’s body, causing a wide variety of symptoms. Sometimes people attribute the causes of their pain to stress when it is a byproduct of a medical condition, not the cause. Headaches and jaw pain may be caused by problems with the alignment of the jaw or conditions such as teeth grinding or teeth clenching.

Often, people experiencing grinding or clenching will have these incorrectly attributed to stress. They may attempt to seek relief by consulting their general practitioner, or even chiropractors, masseuses, or hypnotists in their quest for relief. While any of these may be able to offer temporary relief, they will not be able to identify and treat the root cause of the headaches and jaw pain.

Consulting the proper dentist, one who is trained in neuromuscular dentistry, can help to identify the problems with the system of facial muscles, nerves, teeth, and jaw joints that must work together seamlessly to relieve the pain.

In addition to diagnosing the cause of the discomfort that the patient is experiencing, it is important that the condition is treated in a manner that eliminates the pain while also treating the root causes. This provides a more permanent solution to the patient and keeps them from having to rely on medications for relief.

When patients are suffering from temporomandibular disorders (or TMJ) , they can experience jaw pain, headaches, ear pain, jaw clicking, teeth grinding, teeth clenching, damaged teeth, and even tingling in the hands and feet. A common cause of these problems is transmandibular joint dysfunction.

A dental professional who has been properly trained to identify the causes of this dysfunction will be able to identify where the deficiencies are occurring using advanced technology. Once the problems have been identified, dental devices can be created to gently correct the problems and bring the joint into proper alignment, usually while the patient sleeps. Over time, the muscles in the jaw will be re-programmed so that proper alignment can be achieved, eliminating jaw pain and headaches. Once this goal is met, any damage that has been done to the teeth can be corrected using cosmetic techniques.

This not only ensures that the person is free of pain and able to share a bright, healthy smile, but it also prevents any future damage from happening. The patient can then approach any social situation with the confidence they need to be happy and successful.

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$25 Gift Card for Patient Referrals

Filed under: Uncategorized — bdavis @ 5:55 pm

Refer a new patient for cleaning & exam we’ll give you both a $25 gift card!

Have your friends and family call the office at
615-373-1056 to schedule an appointment for their cleaning and exam. Have them let our scheduler know that you referred them and we’ll a gift card in the mail once they’ve visited our office for a paid appointment.**

**Must be a first paid appointment for qualified referral. Gift card will be sent after the new patient has had their appointment. New patient must let us know who referred them.

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June 13, 2012

Patient Starts Around the World Motorcycle Ride

Filed under: General Health,Patient Good News! — bdavis @ 5:26 pm

On July 28^th Brad Thompson, one of our patients, leaves Nashville on a solo, around-the-world motorcycle ride to support Rally Foundation and its mission of empowering volunteers to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research. Rally Around the World will mark Brad’s 20^th anniversary of being cancer-free. The struggles these children endure reach far beyond the personal challenges Brad faced when fighting testicular cancer and will face on an around-the-world motorcycle ride. Every school day, two classrooms of children, about 46, are diagnosed with cancer. Cancer is the #1 disease killer of kids ages 0-15 in the US!

In 2002 celebrating his 10^thanniversary of being cancer-free, Brad made a solo bicycle trek from San Diego, CA to St. Augustine, FL covering 3,000 miles in 35 days raising money for cancer research.

www.rallyfoundation.org/rallyaroundtheworld

Keep up with Brad’s progress the following website:

www.rallyaroundtheworld.com

Brad – we’ll be thinking of you!

- Dr. Poss, Michele and the Team!

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Sleep Apnea Linked to Cancer

Filed under: General Health,Sleep Apnea — bdavis @ 5:20 pm

OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) is a disorder known to cause fatigue, snoring, and pauses in breathing during sleep. When left untreated, it can lead to a number of serious health complications. As OSA lowers the body’s oxygen level, the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, hypertension and diabetes is greatly increased. Recent studies have shown a strong link between the oxygen deprivation caused by OSA and the development of many forms of cancer. For individuals experiencing symptoms of OSA, a visit to a dentist specializing in sleep apnea treatment can help ease the symptoms and decrease the likelihood of developing related health complications.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Some of the main symptoms of OSA include loud snoring, choking and gasping for breath during sleep, extreme daytime sleepiness, and issues with concentration, memory and personality changes. Headaches, heartburn, a sour taste in the mouth at night, sweating and chest pain during sleep, and swelling of the legs are additional symptoms to look for. The number of non-breathing episodes an individual experiences during sleep in an hour determines the severity of the disorder.

Sleep Apnea and Cancer

Recent studies have shown a strong connection between OSA and the development of many major forms of cancer. Sleep doctors have labeled OSA a top concern due to the correlation between hypoxemia (low blood oxygen pressure) and cancer diagnoses. A study of mice with tumors that were deprived of oxygen suggests that oxygen-deprived bodies experience an increase in the development of blood vessels, and this creates an environment highly conducive to the growth of cancerous tissues and tumors. Individuals suffering from OSA can experience cessations in their breathing hundreds of times a night, depleting the body’s oxygen supply. These studies suggest that people suffering from OSA will die at a rate of almost five times higher than those without the disorder. Individuals whose oxygen levels dipped below 90 percent for 12 percent of their sleeping time were found to have a 68-percent higher risk of developing cancer than those whose levels did not drop below 90 percent.

Long-Term Consequences of OSA

In addition to the development of major forms of cancer, OSA is also linked to the development of hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. When blood oxygen levels are low, the branch of the nervous system in charge of heart performance is kicked into high gear, and this increases blood pressure and places stress on the heart. It is estimated that 50 percent of people with OSA have hypertension. This extra strain on the heart increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure. As blood sugar levels are higher in people with OSA, the disorder is also linked to the development of type 2 diabetes.
If you or someone you know is experiencing loud snoring and cessations in breathing during sleep, visiting a dentist specializing in sleep apnea can be the first step on the road to diagnosis and treatment. Dentists can fit patients with oral appliances that keep the airway open during sleep, easing the symptoms of OSA, as well as decreasing the related risk factors of developing cancer, hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.

Don’t forget that Dr. Poss has successfully treated thousands of patients for persistent snoring and sleep apnea when they couldn’t find relief elsewhere. Contact our office for an initial consultation.

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June 7, 2012

Changing Your Life with Veneers

Filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry,Veneers — Tags: beautiful smiles, brentwood cosmetic dentist, cosmetic dentist, cosmetic dentist nashville, cosmetic dentistry, nashville cosmetic dentist, veneers — bdavis @ 3:05 am

Getting along in life is made much easier when you can greet others with a great smile. Unfortunately, some people have teeth that make their smiles less than perfect. The teeth may be yellowed or cracked, making open-mouth smiles embarrassing. For many people, this can lead to a lack of confidence and a negative preoccupation with how others see them, regardless of what others actually think. Veneers can transform an unsightly grin into a beautiful smile that exudes confidence and success.

Veneers these days are typically made from porcelain and they are bonded to the teeth using specialized cosmetic bonding agents, allowing them to last for 10 to 30 years in most cases.

For those who are ready to start showing the world their smiles again, veneers are the best possible solution. They are safe and much less invasive than crowns or implants. The process of getting veneers takes a total of about 3 hours covering two separate appointments. Once the veneers have been put on the teeth, the results are astonishing. In fact, many patients are known to gaze at themselves in the mirror for long periods of time, admiring their new, twinkling smiles. Those who had been afraid, previously, of engaging in social activities are eager to go out to confidently show off their pearly whites.

It may be difficult to believe that veneers can be so impacting, but there is no end to the ways in which they help people become more confident and comfortable around others. They help transform someone in job interviews, during social interactions, when dating, and in every day life. In fact, most would agree that the transformation is truly remarkable, and people who had waited for years before getting veneers typically wish they had done so much sooner.

Even people with minor cosmetic dental issues can benefit greatly from the use of veneers. Not everyone needs to have every single tooth treated for the Hollywood look. Some people just want to improve the straightness of a couple teeth. Others want to fix their gum line, make their teeth larger or simply permanently eliminate discoloration. These minor improvements make a major difference, leading to increased confidence and a greater sense of self-worth.

A smile can make or break any interaction with others. Those individuals who have been keeping their lips sealed for fear of exposing their embarrassing teeth live life thinking that they might never be able to make the right impression. Smiling is simply not an option for them. However, there is a simple solution – veneers.

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June 6, 2012

Regular Visits to the Dentist Can Save Your Life!

Filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry,Dentist,General Health,Nashville Cosmetic Dentistry,Oral Health,Sleep Apnea — bdavis @ 3:53 pm

Many people are unaware of the crucial connection between oral health and the body’s overall health. The mouth is often described as the gateway to the body and poor oral health and lack of dental checkups and screenings can leads to a variety of health complications: jaw pain, headaches, heart disease, sleep apnea and oral cancer. Many of these complications can be prevented, diagnosed and treated by practicing good oral hygiene with regular dental checkups.

Gingivitis and Heart Health

Good dental care is as important for the heart as it is for the mouth. Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums that often signals more serious dental health issues. Gingivitis can be easily avoided by regular brushing, flossing, rinsing, and regular dental checkups. As people with gingivitis are almost twice as likely to develop heart disease, practicing good dental hygiene is a crucial aspect of protecting the health of heart patients. When the gums are inflamed, the inflammation and chemicals released can deteriorate the gums and surrounding bone structure, resulting in severe gum disease, jaw pain and headaches. When the bacterial build up in the mouth moves into the blood stream, it sticks to the sides of the arteries, narrowing and blocking them. As these plaques block blood flow, the result can be heart attack and stroke.

Sleep Apnea

Regular dental checkups can help identify and treat OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) and the problems it can lead to. OSA is a disorder during which sleeping individuals experience shallow breathing and pauses in breathing caused by an airway obstruction. The disorder can cause low blood oxygen levels and contribute to coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, hypertension and has also been linked to cancers outside the mouth. Regular checkups allows your dentist the necessary time and conversation to learn about these problems. With new discoveries in technology, modern dental appliances are instrumental in treating sleep apnea.

Oral Cancers

As OCS (oral cancer screening) is the best way to detect the presence of oral cancers early on, dental hygienists screen for oral cancer as part of every dental checkup. Regardless of age, patients are educated on detecting oral health problems and the risk factors of developing oral cancers. Through extra- and intra-oral examinations using sight, sound and touch, the presence of any mouth abnormalities are monitored and detected. HPV (human papilloma virus) is a common virus group that affects the body’s mucosal areas, and exposure to HPV is one of the main paths leading to the development of oral cancer. As HPV16 appears at the bottom of the tongue, the tonsils and the throat’s posterior, early detection of the disease through regular dental checkups is key to survival. When it comes to oral health, the old adage of “An ounce of prevention is worth a dose of cure” definitely applies. Through practicing good oral hygiene coupled with regular dental checkups, issues of jaw pain, headaches, gingivitis, sleep apnea and oral cancer can be monitored, identified and treated.

Dr. Stephen Poss, Nashville Cosmetic Dentist, practices a wide variety of dentistry. He specializes in cosmetic dentistry, treatment of sleep apnea and tmj, oral cancer screenings, general dentistry and much more. Please call our office if you think you may be suffering from any of these problems.

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1646 Westgate Circle | Suite 100 Brentwood, TN 37027

615-373-1056