Yelpers use stars based on their experience. So, if someone did not like the way the dentist said hello or he did not wash his hands long enough before putting on gloves, that dentist could potentially get a low rating. That low rating in turn, turns people off to that particular dentist. What other Yelpers may not know, is that dentist could be the best dentist in the state. There are many dentist rating sites, but your best bet, if you like to do research before meeting a dentist, is to review all the sites. You can find incredibly detailed dentist reviews on DoctorBase, then try finding the same dentist on another. If they have good reviews on both or they have qualities that are appealing to you, then try them out.

The great thing about being a patient is that YOU have the choice of who you want your dentist to be. There is no law that says you have to stick with the first dentist you find on Yelp. In fact, a great dentist would encourage someone to find a second opinion – it only shows they are confident in their work. In my opinion, a great dentist would explain all needed procedures, explain the pros and cons of different procedures, allow the patient to have a say and ultimately allow the patient to make their own dental decisions. A great way to know if a potential dentist is an excellent dentist is to ask them when they last went to a continuing education class and what it was. Dental professionals must continue their education beyond graduation. If a dentist is on the cutting edge and is responsible to keep up with their profession, they will actively go to continue education.

Remember, Yelp is still a good way to find dentist reviews, but if you need more accurate reviews do some searching, that is the great thing about Google, there is always a site for something. I don’t know how I would rate this dentist…

Don’t forget to floss!

-Alissa

The Waterlase system, invented by Biolase, acts like a drill and scalpel but has no sharp edges and doesn’t even touch your tooth. That’s right, I said it, it doesn’t even touch your tooth! What does touch your tooth? Water. Waterlase is a comfy combination of a laser beam and water.  A variety of dental procedures are now being performed with a laser instead of the traditional and often painful drill and scalpel. That means no more novacaine injections, and just as importantly, no sippy cup for that post-dentist drink.

How is it possible that our dentists can now fill our filings and root our root canals with a simple stream of H2O? Easy. The system uses a very accurate stream of water that is energized by the laser to cut through tissue or tooth. It sounds sci-fi but I promise you it’s the real deal. Biolase has even come out with a “Turbo” version of this technology.  If turbo means I get in and out of my appointment quicker, I’ll take two!

Can Waterlase be used for all dental procedures? Not quite. For example, Waterlase can’t be used to remove silver fillings. But Waterlase can be used to perform a variety of dental procedures, such as:

Treating mild to moderate periodontal disease
Remove decay
Fillings
Root canals

All of this with little or no pain. No more needles, no more vibration or heat or loud drilling noises. Believe me when I say, the face of dentistry is changing.

In 1998, Waterlase was the first device of it’s kind to receive FDA approval for use on soft and hard tissue. You might be doing the calculations in your head. 1998… 2010…hmm… Don’t ask me why you haven’t heard of this before, ask your dentist.  Or better yet, use DoctorBase to find a dentist schooled in this technology and be on your way to a fast, easy and painless dental procedure.

For more information on pain-free dental visits, you might enjoy How to Achieve a Pain-Free Dental Visit.

Check out this great video about Waterlase technology:

If you’re a dentist who has used Waterlase to treat patients, please enlighten us all by leaving a comment regarding your experience with this technology.

So how does this too-good-to-be-true braces thing actually work? First, have a consultation with your orthodontist to decide if Invisalign is right for you. If you decide to move forward with it, your orthodontist will take a mold of your teeth, work up a treatment plan and send the molds and the plan off to Invisalign. The company then makes a series of clear “alignment” trays that you wear continuously except when you’re eating and brushing. Typically, you wear a new tray every two weeks until you’ve completed your treatment plan; at which time your teeth should be perfectly straight!

Now let’s talk advantages and disadvantages. The most obvious advantage is that it isn’t obvious. Because it’s clear. You also won’t get a sore mouth from metal wires sticking into your cheeks and gums. And they’re removable so you can brush and floss like you normally would, whereas with metal braces you need some sort of 007 special gadget to get the floss under the wire and between the brackets.

A disadvantage is that Invisalign’s effectiveness is limited. It can only correct your teeth so much, so if you have a serious over-bite or massive structural problems, Invisalign probably won’t do the trick. And then there’s cost. I can’t tell you what your orthodontist is going to charge you, but I can tell you that his office has to pay up front for all of the trays, which means it’s likely you’ll be required to pay a much larger down payment than you would with metal braces.

In a dentistry.com  forum, you can read about patients’ experiences with Invisalign. One popular complaint is that when the trays are removed to eat, patients just forget to put them back in. If you’re eating at home it’s not such a big deal, but if you’re stuffing your face at Mc Donald’s and you wrap the trays in a napkin for safe keeping, you can kiss them goodbye. Of course you could always try your luck at dumpster diving, but chances are you won’t find them. After all, they’re invisible.

If you’ve been thinking about trying Invisalign, visit a Doctorbase orthodontist and discuss it. Decide whether you’re going to try this new, stealthy method or kick it old school with metal.

Keep in mind there are many variables that will help determine the right teeth-whitening method for you. What color are your teeth? What is the cause of the discoloration? How much money and time are you willing to spend on whitening? Is this something you want to accomplish while watching an episode of Heroes? Or are you willing to spend a few hours in the dental chair? And last but not least, how do you know which ones really work and which ones will leave you yellow-toothed and broke.

Your best bet is to find a dentist who is knowledgeable about the latest and greatest teeth-whitening techniques. Spend some time together, give a great big smile and let the evaluation begin. Once evaluated, your dentist will make some recommendiations as well as review the pros and cons of each option. They will also be able to steer you away from the companies who promise you whiter teeth and then don’t deliver. Don’t get me wrong, your teeth will look whiter, in comparison to your beat red face at the realization you’ve just been duped. One company very popular among the complaint boards is Dazzle White. So do your research! And then get to your dentist so your pearly whites can live up to their name.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, dentists would use x-rays to see what was going on inside our pearly whites. Today, x-rays are starting to take their place next to cassette tapes and VCRs as digital images steal the spotlight. And for good reason: Among other advantages, digital images are a much cleaner, greener way to go.

To take an x-ray, the dentist places a square piece of film in our mouth, which is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, while we hold real still and get doused with little bits of radiation. Then the dentist or the dental assistant disappears for a bit while the x-rays are processed. They then return with the x-ray in hand to show us what not brushing after every meal has done to us. With digital imaging, the dentist places a simple sensor in our mouth, takes a “picture”, and voila! Everything you ever wanted to know about your teeth pops up on the computer screen in seconds, with our precious selves exposed to a fraction of the radiation.

Now for the real improvement: Traditional film x-rays require an x-ray machine, x-ray film, developer and fixer (both chemicals), lead foil and lead shields. Stay with me here… fixer contains silver and is considered hazardous. The developer is not considered hazardous unless it gets mixed with the fixer. The x-ray developer cleaner may contain Chromium, which is also considered hazardous. Not to mention the lead in the lead aprons and shields. Yikes! I feel contaminated just writing this! Now add all that hazardous waste up and remember that it needs to be disposed of. Somewhere. Somehow.

Other advantages of digital use include:

• No more waiting for x-rays to be “processed”.
• We are subjected to less radiation. No two-headed offspring for us!
• Easy manipulation of the image, such as enlarging it, adjusting contrast and brightness and ability to improve a not-so-great image without having to retake the x-ray.
• Ability to email or place the x-ray on a disc. Great use if you are being referred to a specialist or move out of state.

Not every dentist out there has become a convert of the digital image just yet, and possibly for good reason. After all, it can cost thousands of dollars to make the switch from film to digital imaging and some dentists are perfectly happy with their old technology. But, if you’re a fan of Mother Earth, keep digital technology in mind when searching for a dentist and reading dentist reviews on DoctorBase.