| 1. How is your office
different from others? |
| You will find that we are
dedicated to providing care that is comprehensive, courteous and
responsive to individual needs and preferences. We utilize the most
recent, proven techniques and take great pride in the quality of
service we offer. You will find that our approach to dentistry is
much more comprehensive than other experiences that you may have
had. We take a significant amount of time with our clients to get to
know them and help them discover what type of treatment is right for
them. |
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| 2. What is “Comprehensive”
dentistry? |
| Nature has an ingenious plan for
the way your bite functions. The teeth are only one part of a
complex system. The foundation of comprehensive dentistry is that
your dentist identifies and corrects problems, not only with
individual teeth, but also with how the teeth, gum tissue, jaws, and
muscles function together as a unit. To achieve stability, health,
comfort, and long-lasting beauty, all of these components must
operate in harmony. If any one of these is out of balance the entire
system will be affected. Comprehensive dentistry treats the cause of
problems rather than just the symptoms. |
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| 3. What is a “Bioesthetic”
dentist? |
| A Bioesthetic dentist is a
dentist that has had specialized training for evaluation, diagnosis,
and restoration of the whole chewing system…not just the teeth.
Bioesthetic dentists recognize that successful and predictable
esthetic dental treatment must be functional and in harmony with all
parts of the chewing system. OBI dentists are uniquely trained to
accurately diagnose problems with the chewing system and provide the
most conservative dental therapies necessary to correct the
underlying causes of tooth wear, not just the symptoms. Thus,
Bioesthetic Dentistry can help you preserve the function and provide
lasting natural beauty of your teeth and smile for a lifetime |
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| 4. I have frequent headaches
and have not been able to find a cause. Can this be dental related? |
|
Abscessed teeth or teeth with
inflamed nerves can indeed cause headaches. Another, more common
cause of headaches is muscle soreness. Soreness, spasm, or straining
of the jaw related muscles is a very common and frequent symptom of
“TMJ” or “TMD.” Knowledgeable Bioesthetic dentists have been helping
headache patients successfully for years. However, headaches are
just one of many symptoms of a dysfunctional chewing system. |
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| 5. Is it normal for my jaw and
muscles to be sore when I wake up in the morning? |
| No it is not normal. Jaw and
muscle soreness in the morning is a sign of some kind of abnormal
jaw muscle activity when sleeping. There can be many reasons for
this excessive muscle activity. Most often, it is due to some kind
of discrepancy or instability in the chewing system. |
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| 6. I have noticed that my
teeth seem to be getting shorter as I get older. What causes this? |
| When the teeth, muscles and jaw
joints are all working in harmony there will usually be no wear of
the teeth. When the individual components of chewing system are out
of balance or unstable, a destructive chewing pattern can result.
This often causes wearing down of the front or back teeth. |
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| 7. What are the signs of a
failing chewing system? |
When one or more of the
components of the chewing system (jaw joints, jaw-related muscles,
and teeth) are not functioning in harmony with each other we may see
any of the below listed symptoms:
- Painful facial or neck
muscles
- Upper back or shoulder pain
- Jaw joint soreness or pain
- Difficulty or pain with
chewing
- Grinding or clenching of the
teeth
- Jaw popping or clicking or
grating noises
- Loose teeth or receding gums
and bone
- Unattractive smile
- Worn, chipped, cracked, worn
or broken teeth and dental work
- Headaches or migraines
- Shifting bite
- Ear pain, congestion or
ringing in the ears
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| 8. How does gum disease affect
my overall health? |
| The New England Journal of
Medicine has reported that inflammation like you find in gum disease
causes the liver to produce C- Reactive Protein which is a better
indicator of future heart attack and stroke than cholesterol. Think
of all the fuss we’ve heard about cholesterol over the years and now
imagine a heightened concern that actually causes people to return
to the dentist. It now should be standard protocol for physicians to
send their stroke and heart risk patients straight to the dentist to
get their gum disease under control as their first line of defense.
The Journal of Periodontology (oral gums and bone) showed that
pregnant women with high levels of bacteria in their mouth are at
high risk for delivering preterm low-weight babies. Doctors believe
that the bacteria from the mouth travels to the uterus and
interferes with the pregnancy. We have always known that gum
infections of the mouth can spread to other parts of the body like
the heart and even the brain! The news about gum disease and its
connection to our overall health continues to come up again and
again in research and medicine. It’s time to get deadly serious
about periodontal disease.
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| 9. Does Dr. Orazio do cosmetic
dentistry? |
With the number of exciting
developments in dentistry over the past few years, we are able to
offer patients the latest cosmetic procedures. It’s now possible to
give patients dazzling smiles, and many of them report that cosmetic
dentistry has been a life-changing experience. Dr. Orazio is
qualified to consider the entire chewing system to ensure any
cosmetic treatment will be long-lasting. From non-metal fillings to
porcelain veneers to gum re-contouring, Dr. Orazio offers patients
the latest cosmetic procedures, including:
- Tooth colored fillings
- Porcelain veneers
- Whitening or bleaching
- All porcelain crowns, onlays
and inlays
- Cosmetic reshaping of teeth.
|
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| 10. Besides cosmetic
treatment, what other types of dental restorations does Dr. Orazio
provide? |
| For our patients who want the
longest-lasting, most conservative restorations available we can
provide gold inlays and onlays. As a member of Tucker Gold Study
Clubs for over 10 years Dr. Orazio has become an expert in providing
gold restorations that are long lasting, conservative of tooth
structure, and yet, still esthetic. Teeth that need protection from
fracturing can be restored with onlays or crowns. These can be gold
or white. Dr. Orazio can replace missing teeth with bridges,
removable partial dentures, full dentures, or implants.
|
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| 11. What is a dental implant? |
| Today, the preferred method of
tooth replacement is dental implant treatment. Dental implants
replace missing tooth roots, and form a stable foundation for
replacement teeth that look, feel and function like your natural
teeth. Dental implants also preserve the remaining bone by providing
the stimulation previously provided by the natural tooth roots.
Dental implants are an ideal option for people in good general oral
health who have lost a tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease, an
injury, or some other reason. While high-tech in nature, dental
implants are actually more tooth-saving than traditional bridgework,
since implants do not rely on neighboring teeth for support. With
dental implants it is not necessary to grind down the adjacent teeth
for a bridge, or secure a partial denture to adjacent teeth with
clasps which can cause tooth loosening. Implant-supported
replacement teeth spare patients many of the disadvantages of
traditional false teeth. Dental implants are so natural-looking and
feeling; you may forget you ever lost a tooth. If you are missing
one or more teeth and would like to smile, speak and eat again with
comfort and confidence, there is good news! Dental implants are
teeth that can look and feel just like your own! Under proper
conditions, such as placement by an experienced and skilled surgeon
and diligent patient maintenance, implants can last a lifetime.
Long-term studies continue to show improving success rates for
implants. Modern techniques have made it possible for nearly
everyone who is missing teeth to qualify as a candidate for implant
treatment. The determining factors are a sufficient amount of
quality bone, good oral hygiene, and generally good health.
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Call (503)
245-0082 Now To Make An Appointment