What are Dental Sealants?

In our current society, we continue to fight dental decay both in children and adults. Preventing these before restorations (fillings) are needed is a good idea.

Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings that can be applied to the chewing surface of teeth. Most of the time they are applied to permanent back teeth, like molars and premolars, to help prevent decay. These teeth are the most susceptible since they have grooves where food and bacteria hide and grow. This bacteria – called plaque, buildup on these teeth creating toxins that eat away at the hard enamel, causing holes that we call “cavities”.

Age Range for Dental Sealants

Dental sealants are usually applied to the molars of children and teenagers when they first come through the gum. The most cavity-prone years are ages 6-14, so sealants are often applied before this age. Dental sealants can sometimes be placed on adults or even baby teeth, depending on the amount of grooves in the teeth. Ask your dentist what is recommended for you or your child.

Applying Dental Sealants

The process of applying dental sealants is quick and pain-free, and does not require any drilling. The sealant can be applied in your dentist’s office with just a few easy steps:

The teeth are cleaned and thoroughly dried.
An acidic solution is placed on teeth to create a rougher surface so the sealant can adhere. The solution is rinsed off and the teeth are dried.
The liquid sealant is painted on the teeth, where it bonds and hardens.
Sometimes a high-intensity light is placed on the teeth to help the sealant dry and harden.
Once hardened, the sealant forms a plastic varnish that bonds the grooves, forming a protective shield.

Dental sealants can be clear or white, depending on the sealant. You may or may not be able to see them. They can last five to 10 years, but should be checked for wear or chipping during a normal dental visit. Fixari Family Dental recommends that dental sealants be checked every 6 months to ensure they are sound and fully protective. If they wear away, dental sealants can easily be reapplied.

Sealants can provide extra protection when used with a child’s regular dental care. They provide a protective barrier on teeth that are hard to reach with normal brushing and flossing. Let’s face it, children are not the best at brushing. If allowed to fully decay, teeth will sustain irreversible damage and must be filled. Sealants can save you and your child the time, money and discomfort of dental fillings!

Adults should also ask their dentist if they would benefit from sealants. Ask our team what their recommendations are for your family’s teeth.

Dental Insurance – What do I do with it?

Dental insurance is a nice benefit if it is valuable to you. Insurances vary greatly in their requirements and payable claims. Some are quite simple, however, most are complex in how they formulate their reimbursement.

Deductible – most insurance companies, including medical policies have a deductible. This amount must be paid by the policy holder before any benefit monies are paid. This varies, depending on the policy and may apply to some items and not others.

CoPay – Insurance companies usually require the policy holder to invest by paying part of the fee. This is a co-payment.

Allowable Fee – Insurance companies will decide a maximum fee amount that they will pay – even if it is a percentage of that allowable fee. Allowable fees vary from insurance company to insurance company. They are also different within insurance companies, depending on each policy.

Assignment of Benefit – Some insurance companies will reimburse the patient only. In that case, the patient is responsible for the total fee, and will be reimbursed later by their insurance company.

If you are unsure about how your particular dental insurance policy works, you can reach us directly at 614-866-7445 and 614-834-3455. We will do a complimentary benefits check for you, exploring your particular dental plan. When we better understand what your insurance is able to supplement, we can help you plan out your dental care to help improve your dental and overall health.

If you do not have a dental insurance plan, please call us and ask about our Fixari Family Dental – Dental Membership Plan. You can visit https://fixaridental.com//dental-membership-plan/ to find out more. The Fixari Family Dental team is always happy to help.

Braces vs. Invisalign

Smiles are first impressions.

Our smiles are an important way that we communicate to the world around us. Kindness, confidence, beauty, health, and encouragement are non-verbal ways we share with others using our smiles.

The option between choose traditional braces and Invisalign can be confusing. How does one decide what is best for them? It truly depends on the patients lifestyle.

Differences

Braces are brackets and wires that are fixed to your teeth 24/7 and move or straighten teeth. Invisalign is a process where removable aligners are used and changed as the teeth move.

Invisalign uses a scanner and computer to create a customized series of trays specific to each patient. One of the benefits is that these trays are removable, allowing patients to sometimes remove them for photos, special events, speaking opportunities, etc.

Aesthetics

Traditional braces use wire and metal. There are other aesthetic options for braces, such as clear tooth-colored braces that don’t show as much metal when a patient smiles or speaks. If someone is not interested in brackets, then Invisalign is the best option. Invisalign trays are clear and blend in with teeth very well.

Eating and Drinking

With braces, eating foods such as chips nuts, gum and sticky candies can be challenging and often is avoided. These can disrupt and loosen the brackets and wires, causing extra trips to the dental office for adjustments. Apples and some meats will need to be cut up.

Since Invisalign trays are removable, you can remove before eating and drinking. As we all know that brushing and flossing is important, regardless of which type of orthodontics you choose.

Both can be done with either kind of orthodontics.

Convenience

With most orthodontic care, occasionally a bracket may come loose or a wire my move and irritate the inside of your cheek. There are ways to fix these issues before and after a trip back into the office. Fixari Family Dental is available with extended hours to assist you when this happens. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for any orthodontic emergency. Availability is an important part of your decision in selecting an orthodontist.

Selecting Invisalign will cut back on orthodontic emergencies. It is a good choice for working adults, college students who are out of town, or simply those on the go. Invisalign offers flexibility.

Complexity of Orthodontic Problem

There are cases when Invisalign is not recommended. Growing children are often given orthopedic devices prior and during orthodontic treatment. Children are not always best at keeping track of trays and specific instructions using aligners. For children and adult cases involving surgery, traditional braces may be the best option.

Conclusion

If you are considering braces or Invisalign in the Columbus Ohio area, please call Fixari Family Dental for a complimentary evaluation with our orthodontist, Dr. Gu. Fixari Family Dental has two locations in Columbus and Canal Winchester with convenient evening hours as well as Saturday hours to fit the needs of everyone. We will decide together what type of orthodontics works best for your life.

Handwashing Saves Lives

As dentists, assistants and hygienists at Fixari Family Dental, we wash our hand so many times during the day that we can’t even keep track of it. We do not take for granted the benefits to our patients, our families at home and our team.

As experts, many ask us which is most effective, soap or alcohol based hand sanitizers. Sanitizers are quite convenient and a quick way to reduce the number of microbes on the skin. Microbes can be good or bad organisms. Germs, on the other hand, are microbes that can cause diseases.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control), handwashing with soap and water is the best way to reduce microbes on the skin. Alcohol based hand sanitizers are to be used when soap and water is unavailable. These sanitizers must be at least 60% alcohol.

Helpful Handwashing Tips:

Use soap and water for at least 20 seconds (time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” song twice)
Rinse well and dry
Keep nails trimmed and clean – germs hide under there!
Keep cracked skin moisturized, especially if you use alcohol based rubs.

3 Ways to Keep your Smile Bright During the Holidays

As the holiday season comes upon us, we are headed toward parties, events and luscious holiday snacks. We also tend to eat more sugary snacks and foods. Time is limited, so it is more important than ever to be intentional about keeping our teeth healthy.

Drink Water after Holiday Beverages

For the kids who are not drinking alcoholic beverages, rinsing with water after downing a sugary soda helps dilute the plaque that takes over. As for Mom and Dad, rinsing after a glass of wine helps too. Plaque produces acid that attacks the enamel of teeth.

Be Careful with Sweet Treats

Candy canes and cookies wreck your teeth, so consume in moderation. This is difficult for many. Chocolate by itself can be beneficial as it creates a waxy layer that temporarily protects the enamel from acid producing plaque. Good News! Also chewing gum with xylitol can benefit the teeth as well following a “sugar surge”.

Try to Keep Stress Low

This is easier said than done, but it can be done. Stress can bring on grinding and clenching and this can be damaging to tooth structure, as well as create pain in teeth, jaws, and joints. Headaches can flair up as well. A low stressed individual is less likely to attract illness producing germs! Keep it cool… Cheers!

How to Throw Away your Dental Benefits

Many dental patients ask questions daily about their dental benefits, because they just don’t understand them. Most dental plans have a 12 month cycle, which means that they are given a certain dollar amount of dental work to have done at no cost to the patient. For most of us, this cycle ends December 31^st, just a few weeks away. For the few of us that understand what these benefits are – as humans, we still procrastinate to do something about it.

Since so many are now asking when they can schedule before the end of the year, we have opened up a few extra appointment times to accommodate. These won’t be around long.

Please call our business team to ask about your particular dental plan if you have one. If you don’t have one, we offer a Dental Membership Plan at Fixari Family Dental too. We want you to maximize the benefits you already have for 2015.

Using a Hookah is Like Smoking 100 Cigarettes

Waterpipe smoking is associated with gum disease, oral cancer, esophogeal cancer, dry sockets, lung cancer, and heart disease. Waterpipe smoking began 400 years ago in ancient India. It has become popular today in Hookah cafes and with students of college age.

Today up to 34% of 13-15-year-olds have tried it, and up to 20% of college students have also smoked a waterpipe according to studies. These sessions last much longer than smoking a cigarette, increasing the toxic effect.

“Whether you are smoking a cigarette, a cigar, or tobacco from a waterpipe, smoking is dangerous not only to your oral health but to your overall health,” says JADA Editor Michael J. Glick, D.M.D.

The World Health organization has stated that one waterpipe session is like smoking 100 cigarettes. If you have specific questions or would like to join others in this year’s Great American Smokeout, please call our office today.