tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1 2010-09-02T21:38:17Z Tooth Talk is the blog of Dr. Joseph Spina. Dr. Spina practices family and cosmetic surgery out of his Wayne, PA office. Movable Type Publishing Platform 4.0 tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1.24 2010-09-02T21:36:40Z 2010-09-02T21:38:17Z

This is a great patient that got a great result from two veneers. This once again shows that even a small correction can have a big impact on your smile....

Dr. Spina This is a great patient that got a great result from two veneers. This once again shows that even a small correction can have a big impact on your smile. This patient had bright white staining (fluoride stains) on her two front teeth, a fracture on the left tooth, and a slight overlap of the two front teeth. In order to correct her smile, we placed two porcelain veneers that corrected the color, fracture, and the alignment. Both the patient and myself are very happy with the result and we are happy to share it with you. Cut and paste the link below in your browser window to see before / after pictures: http://drspina.posterous.com/this-is-a-great-patient-that-got-a-great-resu tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1.23 2010-09-02T21:34:39Z 2010-09-02T21:36:28Z

A patient in the practice is involved with the Drives for Life Golf Outing scheduled on October 11 at Green Valley Country Club located in Lafayette Hill, PA. I would like to share the information with you and hope you...

Dr. Spina A patient in the practice is involved with the Drives for Life Golf Outing scheduled on October 11 at Green Valley Country Club located in Lafayette Hill, PA. I would like to share the information with you and hope you will participate. Read on for more event information. Dear Friend, It is with great pride and tremendous gratitude that we announce our 7th Annual Golf Outing. LDSG, Inc. is proud to announce that we have teamed up with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation to bring this event to you on Monday October 11, 2010 at the Green Valley Country Club located in Lafayette Hill, PA. Here in our seventh year, we are especially excited to again work with individuals and businesses that have so generously supported this worthwhile event in the past. Last year, with help from donors like you, we were able to donate close to $15,000. As in previous years, the entire proceeds from this outing will benefit local charities. We at LDSG, Inc. have dedicated ourselves to drawing in more supporters and increase the contribution to these local charities to help battle this devastating disease that impacts so many lives in our community. Included in this mailing is a brochure detailing your options for participation and making contributions. LDSG, Inc, a 501 (c)(3) designated organization, was established with the purpose of administering this event. This means your sponsorship contributions are tax exempt. To learn more about what we do, please visit our website at www.ldsgoutings.org. Thank you and we look forward to this being another very special outing. Sincerely; Steve Marino President and Co-Founder of LDSG, Inc. tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1.22 2010-08-13T00:40:29Z 2010-08-13T00:42:23Z

This is a really interesting and important finding linking general physical fitness to periodontal disease. It is another illustration of the link between dental health and general health....

Dr. Spina This is a really interesting and important finding linking general physical fitness to periodontal disease. It is another illustration of the link between dental health and general health. Overall fitness reduces risk of periodontal disease People who maintain a healthy weight and good physical fitness have less periodontitis, according to a new study in the Journal of Periodontology (August 2010, Vol. 81:8, pp. 1124-1131). Using body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat as a measure of weight control and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) as a measure of physical fitness, researchers from Kyushu University compared subjects' weight and fitness variables with the results of a periodontal examination. Those with the lowest BMI and highest levels of fitness had significantly lower rates of severe periodontitis, the study authors concluded. Research connecting overall health and periodontal health should motivate people to maintain a healthy weight and get enough physical fitness, noted Samuel Low, D.D.S., M.S., associate dean and professor of periodontology at the University of Florida College of Dentistry and president of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP). "Research continues to demonstrate that our overall health and oral health are connected," Dr. Low stated in an AAP press release. "Weight management and physical fitness both contribute to overall health; and now we believe staying in shape may help lower your risk of developing gum disease. Since gum disease is related to other diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, there is even more reason to take care of yourself through diet and exercise." Copyright © 2010 DrBicuspid.com ]]> tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1.21 2010-07-20T01:09:46Z 2010-07-20T01:15:05Z

Here is an interesting article I found about the link in tooth decay in mothers to tooth decay in their children....

Dr. Spina Here is an interesting article I found about the link in tooth decay in mothers to tooth decay in their children. If mom has tooth decay, child likely does too Untreated tooth decay in mothers almost doubles the odds of tooth decay in their children, according to a University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) study that examined the oral health of rural Hispanic families (Journal of Dental Research, May 2010). The population-based study included low-income Hispanic families working in agriculture in a small, rural community in California's Central Valley. The analysis included 179 mothers and their 387 children, and found that 46% of mothers and 27% of children had untreated tooth decay. "These results translate into key messages for parents, dentists, and policymakers," said Jane Weintraub, D.D.S., M.P.H., director of UCSF's Center to Address Disparities in Children's Oral Health, in a press release. "The oral health of parents, especially moms, can impact the oral health of children, so dentists should include the whole family in the dental care process -- not just the individual in the chair -- to prevent future disease." Although a specific population was analyzed in this study, its conclusions are likely to be valid for other demographic populations because bacteria that cause tooth decay can be transmitted from person-to-person, including mother-to-child, the authors said. Almost half of the mothers studied and more than a fourth of the children and adolescents in this population had untreated tooth decay. "This can occur, for example, from a mother tasting a child's food and then using the same spoon to feed her child," Dr. Weintraub said. The findings underscore the need for families to have access to dental care, especially those within underserved populations. Instead of cutting Medicaid dental benefits for low-income adults and excluding adult benefits from healthcare reform, the authors recommend that adults be included in dental programs and policies to improve the oral health of children and families. For family dentists, the findings emphasize the importance of asking about the oral health of other family members. "Dentists should encourage all family members to get treatment, especially if a child already has tooth decay, and provide the family with the preventive measures, knowledge, and skills to help prevent future disease," Dr. Weintraub added. Copyright © 2010 DrBicuspid.com ]]> tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1.20 2010-06-30T13:26:29Z 2010-06-30T13:29:55Z

This is a really interesting article I saw recently that looks at the link between coffee and a decrease in the rate of several forms of cancer....

Dr. Spina This is a really interesting article I saw recently that looks at the link between coffee and a decrease in the rate of several forms of cancer. Coffee may cut risk of head and neck cancers June 22, 2010 By: Reuters Health NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Jun 22 - Coffee might stave off more than just sleep, according to research showing that those who chug a lot of java have a lower rate of head and neck cancers. Prior research on the link between coffee and cancer has yielded mixed results. Some studies, for example, have found lower rates of kidney and ovarian cancer among coffee drinkers, while there appears to be no effect for colon cancer. For the new report, scientists pooled results from nine earlier studies on head and neck cancers, which also included information on coffee or tea drinking. In each study, cancer patients had been compared to either the general population or to hospital patients who didn't have cancer. Overall, the risk of developing head and neck cancers was 12% lower in people who drank coffee compared with those who didn't, after accounting for a variety of factors, including cigarette smoking. And the more coffee consumed, the lower the cancer risk. In those who gulped more than four cups a day, for instance, the risk was reduced by more than a third. Still, the odds of getting this type of cancer are slim to begin with: in the U.S., only about 1 in 10,000 does so every year. For cancer of the voice box, or larynx, coffee didn't seem to play a role; nor did tea or decaffeinated coffee for any type of head and neck cancer. Strictly speaking, the data don't prove that coffee itself protects against cancer. There could be other factors associated with coffee drinking that explain the lower cancer risk, or people with the disease might have cranked down their coffee intake for some reason. If coffee really does make a difference, there are several ways this could happen, although all are speculation at this point, the researchers note in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. "Besides caffeine, coffee contains more than a thousand chemicals," they say, adding that the compounds cafestol and kahweol may be protective against carcinogens that would normally damage our genes. Source: cebp.aacrjournals.org Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, June 22, 2010. ]]> tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1.19 2010-06-17T02:21:06Z 2010-06-17T02:22:11Z

Many patients have asked me recently about changing their old amalgam (silver) fillings to composite or white fillings. We just did this for a patient and the results were fantastic. Both the patient and myself were really happy with the...

Dr. Spina Many patients have asked me recently about changing their old amalgam (silver) fillings to composite or white fillings. We just did this for a patient and the results were fantastic. Both the patient and myself were really happy with the results and we are both happy to share the before and after pictures! Cut and Paste this link into your browser: http://drspina.posterous.com/replacing-amalgam-silver-fillings-with-compos tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1.18 2010-05-23T21:19:25Z 2010-05-23T21:24:13Z

We have just installed Gendex Digital X-ray systems in each of our treatment rooms. There are many advantages to digital radiographs for both the dentist and patient....

Dr. Spina We have just installed Gendex Digital X-ray systems in each of our treatment rooms. There are many advantages to digital radiographs for both the dentist and patient. In my opinion, the greatest advantage of digital radiographs is the extremely low amount of radiation that is required to get a great image. Because the digital sensors are so sensitive, we can use 75% less radiation to take the picture. We are proud and excited to introduce our patients to this great technology!]]> tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1.17 2010-05-23T21:02:59Z 2010-05-23T21:05:21Z

As many of you know, we have many patients who are involved in charities. We try to contribute where we can either by raising awareness for a particular cause, raising money for a particular cause, or by donating time or...

Dr. Spina CHF-PA has become a part of the AT&T National's Ticket for Charity program. If you or any of your friends plan on attending the AT&T National golf tournament, which is June 30-July 4th at Aronimink Golf Course, go to www.attnational.org , click on Purchase Tickets and put in our code, CHF10. CHF-PA will receive 50% of every $40 or $45 gallery pass. This is a wonderful opportunity for CHF-PA.]]> All the proceeds support research on congenital heart defects, the number one birth defect in the country. One out of every 100 babies is born with a heart defect. The Children's Heart Foundation, which has just three paid employees in the country, has distributed $3.4 million through 37 research grants, including a project at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Please help us spread the news about AT&T National's generous program. If you need any further information, please call our office and we can provided you with addition phones number, links, etc. tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1.16 2010-05-02T22:33:15Z 2010-05-02T22:38:22Z

A professor of mine once called stress the silent killer. Stress can cause damage to your teeth by leading to bruxism....

Dr. Spina stress the silent killer. Stress can cause damage to your teeth by leading to bruxism. ]]> NightGuards are used to prevent the teeth from locking together thus helping to prevent the damage from clenching and grinding. I use a hard/soft nightguard. It is soft on the tooth surface and provides a cushion (like a shock absorber) to prevent damage from clenching. The outer surface is hard and smooth so the lower teeth can slide past the upper teeth with no resistance. The cause of bruxism is not completely agreed upon, but daily stress may be the trigger in many people. ]]> tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1.15 2010-04-21T20:12:09Z 2010-04-21T20:13:49Z

A patient today asked me to explain what a porcelain veneer is and how it works. A veneer is a very thin piece of very strong porcelain that is placed on the front surface of a tooth. They are used...

Dr. Spina very thin piece of very strong porcelain that is placed on the front surface of a tooth. They are used to achieve a cosmetic goal such as brightening the smile, correcting poor alignment, or to lengthen the teeth. Because they are cosmetic, they are usually done on the upper or lower front teeth. ]]> They are made of a strong porcelain (for example Lumineer porcelain, Empress porcelain, or zirconium) and they are very thin, often less than 1 millimeter. They are bonded to the tooth with a bonding material that is similar to a white filling material. Once bonded, the veneers are extremely strong cosmetic restorations. Because they are so thin, very little drilling needs to be done on the patient's teeth. However, the amount of drilling does change depending on what cosmetic goals need to be achieved. Minor tooth position changes or color changes can be achieved with little drilling, while dramatic color changed or tooth shape changes will require more drilling. Once placed, the patient needs to care for the teeth with veneers just like they were normal teeth. Proper brushing and flossing is important. Tooth grinding (bruxism) has been shown to decrease the lifespan of porcelain veneers and cause them to fracture. If the patient does grind their teeth a night guard to protect the veneers is essential. For a life long cosmetic correction, porcelain veneers are a great option for many patients. tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1.14 2010-04-12T01:39:05Z 2010-04-12T01:42:35Z

A patient recently asked me what dental procedure is the most beneficial to the patient. The patient knows that I perform many procedures from crowns, veneers, and implants to white fillings. Although every patient's needs are different, I would say...

Dr. Spina most beneficial to the patient. The patient knows that I perform many procedures from crowns, veneers, and implants to white fillings. Although every patient's needs are different, I would say that dental cleanings and exam (good old-fashioned checkup!) is the most important. ]]> Periodic cleanings help keep your gums healthy and prevent the development of periodontal disease. Health of your gums has been linked to many systemic diseases. Also, an oral cancer exam and screening can be done at the same time. This is extremely important as patients age. Plus, a dental exam can identify problems with the teeth (decay, fracture, etc.) that can be repaired. It is always easier to repair something when it is small than when the problem gets worse. So, to answer the patients question, I would say that a dental cleaning and exam is the most important and beneficial procedure we perform at the office. tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1.13 2010-03-15T02:43:39Z 2010-03-15T02:46:08Z

This is a great patient who had a great cosmetic makeover with six porcelain crowns. She was unhappy with the color and shape of her front teeth. We were able to give her a beautiful smile in just two visits....

Dr. Spina This is a great patient who had a great cosmetic makeover with six porcelain crowns. She was unhappy with the color and shape of her front teeth. We were able to give her a beautiful smile in just two visits. Both myself and the patient are proud of the result and we are both happy to share it with you. Cut and paste this link into your browser: http://drspina.posterous.com/six-porcelain-crowns tag:www.drspina.com,2010:/blog//1.12 2010-02-12T04:27:27Z 2010-02-12T04:32:22Z

This is a great patient who had a great result using Invisalign. Her four upper front teeth were overlapped. She wanted to straighten them and improve her smile. We were able to give her a new smile with Invisalign in...

Dr. Spina This is a great patient who had a great result using Invisalign. Her four upper front teeth were overlapped. She wanted to straighten them and improve her smile. We were able to give her a new smile with Invisalign in about 12 months. Both the patient and myself are proud of the result and we are both happy to share it online. Cut/Paste the following link to your browser's toolbar: http://drspina.posterous.com/invisalign-beforeafter tag:www.drspina.com,2009:/blog//1.10 2009-07-16T23:51:35Z 2009-07-16T23:52:53Z

I just want to thank everyone who helped vote me one of the "Top Dentist of the Main Line" for 2009. The fact that our patients took the time to think of me and vote for me is truly flattering....

Dr. Spina I just want to thank everyone who helped vote me one of the "Top Dentist of the Main Line" for 2009. The fact that our patients took the time to think of me and vote for me is truly flattering. Thank you so much for your confidence and support. tag:www.drspina.com,2009:/blog//1.9 2009-02-16T03:29:44Z 2009-02-16T03:31:49Z

The Children's Heart Foundation is a great organization the goal of which is "to bring health, hope and happiness to children impacted by congenital heart defects, the number one birth defect in the United States. CHF accomplishes this goal by...

Dr. Spina Joseph Spina III DMD Family and Cosmetic Dentistry). If we meet our goal, we will donate $1000 to CHF. We hope to accomplish this goal be May 16, 2009. This is the date of the annual fund raising dinner dance that is being held in Newtown Square, PA. Information about Children's Heart Foundation as well as information about the dinner can be found on www.childrensheartfoundation.org. Please join us in making the goal ]]>