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The Secret to Happy Patients

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Did you know that going to the dentist is #2 on the list of most common fears after public speech? Have you ever wondered why?  You are right! It is because of injections. 
What if I said, "allot of dental treatment can be done without any pain."  Wouldn't that make you a happy patient?
The secret to painless dentistry and happy patients is Early Treatment.
In the old days, when dentistry and technology was not so advanced, as it is today, dentists had to wait for visual evidence to diagnose cavities either clinically or on the X-Rays.  The truth is, whenever cavities are visible to our naked eyes, it is actually much larger than it appears. Therefore, treatment for those visible caries is more invasive, requires shots, which is our nightmare, it requires more drilling in the tooth which in turn makes the tooth weaker, and last but not least, large fillings don't last very long.  Large fillings start leaking at the junction between the tooth and the filling material, they break, and the patient may eventually need a Root canal and a crown.
Allow me to explain my philosophy in pediatric dentistry.
Even though, as adults we tolerate shots, discomfort,  and long appointments at the dentist, kids may have nightmares from shots in their mouth. This may be why today's adults hate the dentist and neglect their oral health.  In addition, kids don't like to sit on a dental chair for very long. So, what is the secret to happy patients?
Early treatment with advanced technology (Laser Cavity Detector). Some dentists have this great device in their offices and can detect cavities even when they are small. It is best to treat cavities while they are small so treatment is easy for the child, painless, shotless, fast, less invasive, and the filling would last longer. Isn't this a dream come true?  I think it is.  
Other reasons for early treatment in children is poor oral hygiene and diet habits. In other words, a small cavity in a child's tooth is not the same as a small cavity in an adult tooth.  You see, kids are not as capable of brushing well and flossing regularly as adults are.  Also, since kids are more active and constantly growing, they snack more frequently. Therefore, a small cavity grows bigger much faster in a child's mouth than it does in an adult's.
New technology makes our lives easier. Think of smart phones we have now! Would you change it for anything?

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