Jan 20, 2021
As we begin a new year, one cannot help but think about the future. What lies ahead? How will things change? How will our lives improve? When it comes to oral health care, there are a lot of interesting developments in the works and on the horizon. To gain a better understanding of what the future may hold for dentistry, we spoke with Dr. Brunacini.
1.When you think of the future of dentistry, what is most inspiring to you?
Itero Element 2 Digital Scanner
Dr. Brunacin: The digital workflow in dentistry will be a significant gamechanger. By using a digital scanner (pictured, right) instead of traditional impressions, we can achieve better fitting crowns and dentures in a much more efficient and comfortable manner. Digital scanners are a wand-like device that allow us to capture a 3D image of a patient’s mouth.
We can now begin planning oral rehabilitations digitally before performing any surgeries as well. This helps us better anticipate any challenges that may arise and creates improved predictability, which also helps us achieve one of our top priorities: a much better patient experience!
Also, replacing teeth with dental implants will continue to increase in prevalence because they combine both great esthetics and function for the patient. There are so many advances to look forward to in dentistry!
2. Have there been any takeaways from the COVID-19 pandemic that you think will impact the future of oral health care?
Dr. Brunacini: During the pandemic, I’ve been struck by the power that stress has on our bodies. The increase in stress and anxiety that we all feel has correlated to a significant increase in TMJ symptoms and broken teeth. Of course, we need to treat teeth with cavities due to decay, but broken teeth due to bruxism (grinding/clenching) is new to a lot of people and really can do significant damage to the teeth and gums over time. As we’ve discussed before, it will continue to be important for patients to consider their whole body health as part of their oral health. It’s all connected…when you’re stressed, it shows in your mouth.
3. Integrative Dentistry is an important part of the oral health care philosophy at FDA. How do you see that evolving in the years to come?
Dr. Brunacini: Integrative Dentistry is a care philosophy that views the oral cavity – mouth, teeth, and gums – as another system in the human body that requires a whole body approach when thinking about care. I’m looking forward to the continued increase in collaboration between medicine and dental care. For so many years, dental care has always been separate from the medical model. Over time, I expect more connections between oral health and overall health to increase, which will create more motivation for both the patient and provider to improve oral health.
4. Technology is advancing all the time. What are some of the exciting technological advances taking place in oral health care?
Dr. Brunacini: As I’ve mentioned before, the digital workflow using digital scanners and 3-D printers will continue to improve in quality; therefore, it will soon become the preferred way to fabricate crowns and dentures. This will create a more efficient and more effective treatment for the patient, which is really sensational!
5. What’s one thing patients can do to improve the future of their oral health?
Dr. Brunacini: Proper homecare and diet continue to be the best way to improve oral health. I tell patients repeatedly that the best dentistry is no dentistry. If a patient can maintain proper oral hygiene plus a healthy diet to minimize decay risk, then a majority of dental problems can be prevented. So keep brushing, flossing, and eating healthy!
Thank you, Dr. Brunacini!
Your teeth have a lot to look forward to in the future! As Dr. Brunacini recommends, keep those teeth healthy and happy by following a proper home care regimen: brush twice-a-day, floss daily, and come in for your regular check ups! And don’t forget to eat well and find ways to reduce stress in your life, too. If you have any questions about your oral health care, or need to schedule an appointment, call us today at 207.781.5900.
*Scanner image courtesy of www.itero.com
Jul 2, 2018
Perhaps the Tooth Fairy should start looking for a new job! Researchers have had success in locating stem cells in dental tissue and in regenerating new dental tissue. Dental stem cells have the potential to grow not just teeth, but also show promise in the repair of bone tissues and optic neurons. In fact, there are now companies that will extract stem cells from wisdom and baby teeth and store them for you until needed, a process similar to cord-blood banking. This is an exciting discovery with enormous potential, but is it worth the expense to invest your child’s teeth now? We decided to look in to this further.
What’s so Special About a Stem Cell?
Stem cells have the remarkable potential to grow into many different types of cells as well as aid the body’s internal repair system. For example, a stem cell can become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell or a brain cell. Stem cells have been found in bone marrow and in umbilical cord blood, and in 2003 were also found in teeth.
Scientists at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research noticed that when a tooth gets a cavity, it also produces something called reparative dentin to protect itself. This led researchers to hypothesize that stem cells were within teeth activating the dentin when needed. Having the ability to create dentin could allow a dentist to grow replacement teeth as needed, rather than rely on implants or bridges. Even more potential lies in the stem cells that have been found in baby teeth, known as SHED (stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth). SHED cells also seem to be able to make something similar to bone.
Enter tooth banks, which promise to safely extract the SHED cells from your child’s baby teeth and store them for later use.
How do Tooth Banks Work?
Extracting SHED cells from baby teeth is a process that involves the cooperation and expertise of your dentist. Rather than wait for a child’s loose baby tooth to fall out, it’s best to extract the tooth when there’s about one-third of the root remaining to ensure there are viable stem cells. According to the former American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) President Dr. Jade Miller, “It really requires some planning, and so parents need to make this decision early on and be prepared and speak with their pediatric dentist about that.” Tooth banks offer a dental kit for the dentist with all the necessary components to collect the SHED cells.
From there, the tooth bank extracts the stem cells from the dental pulp inside the tooth, and then processes and tests the cells before they are cryogenically preserved.
What do the Experts Say?
Currently, the scientific community is divided as to whether or not storing teeth is worthwhile. The AAPD released an official statement saying it “recognizes that harvested dental stem cells is an emerging science which may have application for oral health care but at present there are no treatments available using harvested dental stem cells from a tooth or follicle. As the technology continues to evolve, the process of procurement of dental stems should be accomplished only with deliberate integrity and appropriate informed consent to assure the highest ethical standards and quality of outcomes.”
Meanwhile the AAPD’s former president, Dr. Miller has decided, as a grandparent, to use a tooth bank. “It’s really in its infancy, much of this research. There’s a very strong chance there’s going to be utilization for these stem cells, and they could be life-saving. There’s going to be a significant application and I want to give my grandkids the opportunity to have those options.”
Says Dr. Brunacini: “Stems cells are exciting in their potential to help a lot of people with multiple ailments, including missing teeth. Here at FDA, we are excited to see how the technology progresses to hopefully provide an all-natural approach to replacing missing teeth.”
If you would like to learn more about Tooth Banks or the potential of dental stem cells, we are here to answer your questions!
*Image courtesy of www.toothbank.com
May 29, 2018
Oral care is important and with ever-changing technology, there are more and more options to help make it just a bit easier. In the early ‘90s, the electric toothbrush entered the market, helping to improve oral care for millions of Americans. But in 2018, inventors are setting out to create even more options to make brushing your teeth effortless. We found three toothbrushes that can help make your daily routines faster, cleaner, and more convenient…and can make you feel like you are one of the Jetsons!
Image from http://www.unico-smartbrush.com
Ever heard of Unico? Invented in Italy, this toothbrush looks like a mouthguard and claims to completely clean your teeth in just three seconds! While this might sound crazy, the inventor’s logic isn’t wrong. As you’ve heard since you were a child, we recommend brushing your teeth for at least two full minutes. If you do the math, that comes to spending 3.75 seconds per tooth, or 1.25 seconds for each of the three exposed surfaces of your tooth. The unique design of this futuristic toothbrush allows each surface of every one of your teeth to be cleaned at the same time…meaning your teeth can be brushed in the same amount of time it takes you to spray on cologne or put on mascara.
Aura Clean is the smartphone of the toothbrush world. While it may just seem like a standard sonic toothbrush, this brush delivers up to 40,000 strokes per minute to safety remove food particles and polish your teeth. Like many electric toothbrushes, it has a two minute timer, but what is unique about this brush is that it also features an interval alert every 30 seconds, letting you know when to change “zones.” The Aura Clean Brush also comes with a pod that, using a UV light, cleans your toothbrush head after every use. It also has drying capabilities to get make sure no germs settle in between your bristles.
Quip is another cool toothbrush we have found that can make taking care of your teeth easier. While the technology isn’t quite considered “futuristic” the concept definitely is. We recommend changing your toothbrush or toothbrush head every three months. However, it is easy to forget. With Quip, you don’t have to remember! Every three months, a new toothbrush head (and a new tube of toothpaste) is delivered straight to your door automatically! This ensures your bristles are fresh and working effectively.
Whether you use a “smart” brush or the tried and true manual brush, what we care about here at Falmouth Dental Arts is that you are taking the time to brush your teeth at least twice a day. Due for a new brush? Schedule an appointment today to see your hygienist and get a free manual brush on us!
Mar 19, 2018
We can tell a lot just by taking a look around your mouth while you are sitting in our chair. But sometimes, we need to take a closer look at your teeth to get to the root of a problem you may be experiencing. X-rays are most commonly used to help us to find issues that can’t be seen with a visual exam. While these images do provide valuable information, they don’t show everything that’s going on in your mouth. Plus, they aren’t always the easiest images to help explain what might be causing an issue. That’s why you might see Dr. Brunacini or Dr. Karagiorgos using an intraoral camera.
What is an Intraoral Camera?
An intraoral cameral is a tiny digital camera that takes pictures of hard-to-reach areas in your mouth. Our intraoral cameras look similar to a pen and are equipped with a tiny lens on the end. During an examination, the camera is moved throughout the inside of the mouth, allowing us to see detailed images of the surfaces of your teeth, gum conditions, and other tiny details about tissues, cavities, etc. The camera also captures clear video and images of corroded or tarnished fillings, hairline fractures, bleeding gums, plaque, and other problems. To our patients’ delight, the camera is painless and can be used while you are sitting comfortably in the dental chair.
How do Intraoral Cameras work?
The first intraoral cameras were introduced back in the late 1980s and required a lot of bulky technology. Images were saved to a floppy disc and videos were saved to film and had to be viewed in a VHS player. Over the years, the design changed drastically allowing for improved function with significantly smaller equipment. Today’s intraoral cameras are connected directly to a computer and the images it can immediately be viewed by both the dentist and the patient in real time. These images can then be examined in-depth for a better diagnosis and stored for future reference.
Why do we use Intraoral Cameras?
Intraoral cameras offer numerous benefits to the patient. Dr. Karagiorgos explains it like this: “Showing our patients photographs of what we are looking at in their mouths is a great way to communicate ideas about conditions or possible treatments. Photography becomes a great tool in our toolbox to engage patients so that they feel more included in the decision-making process. It lets the patient see with their own eyes and helps make what might sound complicated much easier to understand.”
With the video and images captured by the camera, we are able to give you a better look at a particular diagnosis and to help you understand a treatment plan more completely. Instead of just explaining to you what might be happening in your mouth, we are able to show you exactly what is going on. In many cases, an issue might not present with tangible symptoms. For example, you might not have any pain in a back molar, but the intraoral camera might discover a fractured tooth. The cameras are also useful in the tooth restoration process, allowing you to see the before and after pictures of your treatment.
No matter the issue, the intraoral camera helps you make treatment decisions with confidence. Want to learn more? Let us show you what the camera looks like at your next visit! Call us at (207) 781-5900 to schedule your appointment today.
Mar 28, 2013
Dentistry has changed quite a bit over the past twenty years, most notably in the new forms of technology available to dentist offices. Things like digital x-rays, water cooled electric drills, lasers and even the use of microscopes have given us the opportunity to offer more effective treatments to our patients.
Because of the rapid changes in technology, the team at Falmouth Dental Arts puts a strong focus on continuing education for the entire staff. It is something we really take pride in and get excited about! Can you believe that the combined years of experience of our staff is 275?! Most recently, our hygiene team attended a class on dealing with gluten intolerance, sensitivity and celiac disease. In January, we took courses on periodontal disease diagnosis.
Our main focus is on the prevention of future dental problems with the use of fluorides and sealants on children. We also recognize that many of our patients are interested in the cosmetic treatments available to them, such as teeth whitening, veneers and orthodontics. With the new sleep apnea devices (can we link this to the sleep apnea page?) that are now available, we can even treat sleeping disorders with a custom fit mouthpiece.
Technology is changing dentistry, and we are committed to having the knowledge, education and training needed to deliver these new advances to our patients.
