Cheap dental implants? Be careful…..

If you are trying to figure out the ins and outs of  implants verses the older more conventional methods of tooth replacement, the cost of dental implants at first blush may appear high, and therefore, unaffordable to most people.  But appearances can be deceiving if you examine the beneficial differences and the time involved by your specialist.

4 Factors that Drive the Cost of Dental Implants:

The Material:
The traditional materials – prices of cobalt-chromium alloy and titanium are not the same.  Implants from cobalt-chromium (CC) alloy rods are cheaper than comparable titanium implants. So depending on where the implant is being placed, you may end up with a less than satisfactory result with the less expensive CC implant. Also, special coatings applied to the surface of the implant, contribute to better osseo-integration with the bone, will affect the cost of the dental implant.

Finally, some surgeons are placing implants that are not FDA approved.

The Size:
The bigger the implant, the more material, the more it costs, but also the more it may do.

The Manufacturer:
Different manufacturers put different prices on similar rods made from the same material. This is a lot more esoteric and therefore harder to explain.   It’s like trying to explain the difference between Polo and Hanes T-shirts.

Finally, it may depend on where your dentist gets his implants from.  And this factor may be a function of how motivated your provider is in providing you with the best implant material for the least amount of cost to you.  Some of that may just end up being economies of scale by your provider.  Does your provider have contacts directly with manufactures in China or Israel, where the dental implant cost can be significantly reduced, while the indirect purchase of dental implants from U.S dental suppliers may ratchet up the price?

If the price is too good to be true?

The cost of an dental implant starts from around $1,500 up to $5,000.00 .  Anything less may be an indicator that you’re getting an inferior product or one not designed for a particular location in your mouth.  Short term the implant device may appear to be fully functional.  But if we look at the cost and the cost of other materials for dental implants compared to their operational life, the difference may be likened to the difference between Toyo’s and Michelin tires.

A lot of your choice and cost may depend on the choice of your provider.   It’s not to say the more you spend the better you will be.  Rather, a reputable practitioner, who is truly trained in the placement and restoration (and this may be two providers), may be a significant factor in what you end up with and what it costs.  Trust and reputation are the more difficult factors to define for the patient. In our Sandy Springs and Chamblee offices, we have accumulated over 1000 five star reviews.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

and

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

www.rightsmilecenter.com

info@rightsmilecenter.com

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Live longer with Dental Implants!

Important Facts to Help Make Your Decision

When teeth are lost, the surrounding bone immediately begins to atrophy.  Implant treatment, for tooth replacement therapy, is the optimal treatment plan. Here are some important facts:

• Wearing dentures accelerates bone loss. Waiting may make treatment success of any kind doubtful.
• At the end of a five-year period, only 40% are still wearing the original partial denture made for them.
• One study showed that after 8 years, 40% of the supporting teeth that the partial hooks onto were lost through tooth decay or fracture.
• Patients with natural teeth can bite with about 200 pounds of force.

Denture wearers can bite with approximately 50 pounds of force. Those wearing dentures for 15 years or more can bite with only about 6 pounds of force, and their diet and eating habits have had to modify accordingly.

• Here’s a biggy -Denture wearers have decreased nutritional intake causing a ten year shorter life span.
• The single tooth implant success rate is above 98%, and unlike a bridge, the teeth adjacent to the implant are no more at risk than if no teeth were missing.
• Implant-supported bridges or dentures have 95% success rates over 10 years without the severe loss of supporting bone.

For bone maintenance, the health of adjacent teeth, the longevity of the restoration and patient comfort, implant therapy is the treatment of choice.  If you have questions or want to know if you are a good candidate for affordable dental implants, please call our office in Sandy Springs or Chamblee.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

and

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

www.rightsmilecenter.com

info@rightsmilecenter.com

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Chamblee Dentists | Should you worry about dental x-rays?

For many people, dental x-rays are the only time they are exposed to x-ray radiation in their lifetime. But dental x-rays are an essential part of routine dental care and aid us to diagnose, predict and prevent problems with your teeth and your oral health. X-rays are the only way we can see bone, tissue and hidden surfaces of your teeth. Without X-rays, we cannot give you complete care.

And if you’ve wondered about whether or not the dental X-rays are necessary and/or dangerous, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind.  First, your actual radiation exposure during dental X-rays is quite low. Second, if your dentist uses the latest dental X-ray machines, that exposure is even more minimal.

To quantify it, four bitewing X-rays, which is what most patients get in a routine dental visit, gives you about .005 millisieverts of radiation, according to the American College of Radiology. That’s about the same amount of radiation you get in a normal day from the sun and other sources and less than what you absorb from a plane trip.

It’s important to know the facts about dental X-rays. They are an important part of your dentist’s diagnostic toolbox and should not be avoided. Digital imaging greatly reduces your risk, is faster, and more detailed. Make your appointment to visit our Right Smile Center today!

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

and

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

Info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

Dental Implant Costs: Brookhaven

Before and After Dental Implant face lift

The cost of a dental implant can range from $1800 to $4,500.00.  The exact cost varies in the same way that each patient presents a unique set of circumstances and factors.   The variables that may affect the procedure range from the patient’s age, oral health, jaw bone anatomy, bone grafting to whether or not more complex treatments such as a sinus lift are necessary.  In addition, the type of dental implant and the restorative crown or denture impacts the cost of the total restoration.  Finally, the number of times the patient needs to visit the dentist can affect the cost of the procedure.  It is not a cookie cutter process.

The dental implant procedure involves several steps between multiple specialties.[1]   The first step is a cone beam scan, and then the placement of the dental implant, which may involve the extraction of a tooth and the placement of bone grafting material.  The latter is done to fill the void created from the removed tooth.  Once this is completed, the dental implant needs time to properly integrate with the bone and create a healthy fusion in order for the crown to be attached.  In most cases the healing period is 3 – 6 months. The last step is the restoration, which is placing the crown on top of the dental implant structure.

Coverage under your medical plan may be available, depending on your insurance plan and the cause of tooth loss. If treatment is not covered by your dental insurance, or if you don’t have insurance, you may be able to setup a finance plan. Many dental offices offer financing plans, allowing patients to finance dental procedures, many times with no interest.

During your consultation we provide you with a breakdown of fees.   We also discuss the various dental implant options and try to cover all the costs that are involved.  It is during the initial consult where you should be given payment options and strategies to accomplish the treatment.

Feel free to give us a call to see if you are an implant candidate.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

and

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

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[1] Usually our prosthodontist and implantologist.

Dental Implant Care by Chamblee Dentists

Dental implants cannot decay, but the supporting bone and gum around the implant must be carefully maintained to protect against long term failure.  And although they are visually indistinguishable from natural teeth, dental implants need to be cared for in a slightly different manner.  As a consequence, it is important to maintain healthy gum tissue and supporting bone by building an effective plaque removal routine and practicing it two to three times a day.  We encourage patients to visit our dental hygienist for professional maintenance visit three to four times per year, depending on the prosthesis design and the patient’s abilities to perform adequate home care.

Electric toothbrushes disrupt biofilm better than a manual brush due to the ability to generate more brush strokes than the human hand. Regardless of the toothbrush chosen, you should brush for a full two minutes with a soft bristle brush.

We recommend interproximal cleaning products that promote gingival stimulation such as soft picks, rubber tip stimulators, and proxabrushes with plastic wires.

And finally, the dental hygienist plays an integral role in determining what professional maintenance schedule is best suited for your implant based on the type of implant prosthesis, dexterity, and overall health.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

and

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

Dentist Chamblee: Dental X-rays, necessary or not?

A lot of patients are worried that dental x-rays can cause cancer, but if you’re outside for an hour or fly on a plane, you’re exposed to more radiation than you’d get from a full set of dental x-rays.  Incidental exposure is further reduced by the use of a lead apron, sometimes with a lead thyroid collar.  What I worry about is that if we don’t take an x-ray, we might miss something serious. Dentists use x-rays to find hidden dental structures, malignant or benign masses, bone loss, and/or cavities.

It is the required standard of care.  It is possible for both tooth decay and periodontal disease to be missed during a visual clinical exam, and an x-ray evaluation of your dental and periodontal tissues is a critical part of your comprehensive oral examination.  A competent dentist cannot ethically prescribe treatment without taking an x-ray of your mouth.

Dental X-ray tools and techniques are designed to limit the body’s exposure to radiation and every precaution is taken to ensure that radiation exposure is As Low As Reasonable Achievable (the ALARA principle).  The newer dental X-ray technique be used in our Sandy Springs office is called digital imaging, where the images are sent directly to a computer and can be viewed on screen, stored, or printed out.  There are several benefits of using this new technology including:

• less radiation than the typical X-ray
• there is no wait time for the X-rays to develop — the images are available on screen a few seconds after being taken.
• the image taken can be enhanced and enlarged many times its actual size on the computer screen, making it easier to show you the problem.
• images can be electronically sent to another dentist or specialist.
• certain software can help dentists digitally compare current images to previous ones.  Using this technique, everything that is the same between two images is “subtracted out” from the image leaving a clear image of only the portion that is different.  This helps easily see the tiniest changes that may not have been noticed by the naked eye.

According to guidelines written by the ADA and the FDA, your dentist should evaluate each patient individually.   Some patients with a lot of problems or who are at high risk for cavities may need frequent X-rays. While patients who are not having problems, the need is less frequent.   The question we apply is ‘what’s necessary’?  Because an X-ray allows your dentist to look under the hood – see bones, tissue, and hidden surfaces of your teeth that he or she can’t see with the naked eye.

If we can be of assistance, do not hesitate to contact us for a complimentary consultation in our Chamblee or Sandy Springs office.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

and

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

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Teeth Cleanings Brookhaven Dentist

Oral Health impacts your overall health and wellbeing. At the Right Smile Center in Chamblee and Sandy Springs, preventive dental care is the foundation of our dentistry. Maintaining healthy teeth and gums is the key to not only long-term oral health, but the healthy quality of your life. Poor dental health has been associated with a greater risk for several health problems and systemic diseases.

Preventive care visits give Drs. Scheinfeld and Orland, along with their staff the opportunity to spot potential dental issues in the early stage when conservative treatment is most effective.  A typical preventive care visit to our offices include:

Digital dental x-rays

Professional dental cleaning

Oral Cancer screening

Periodontal screening

Dental caries (cavities) screening

Give us a call or drop us an email.

 

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

and

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

Sandy Springs Chamblee Dentists Treating Patients – Healing People

As oral physicians, dentists save lives.  Americans are aware of the importance of eating right, taking dietary supplements, and implementing vigorous exercise regimens to maintain their health and delay aging.  However, most people are still unaware of the amazing health benefits of healthy teeth and the detrimental impact of poor oral hygiene.  Generally, an infection anywhere in the body can be serious, if not deadly…and is usually treated immediately.  Yet, gum disease is often neglected for years and years because the infection is out of sight and usually persists with no pain.

A recent article in the Journal of the American Dental Association discussed dental implications of “metabolic syndrome”- a combination of obesity, high cholesterol and triglycerides, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. These people need to be exercising as well as eating a diet rich in fibrous fruits and vegetables. Studies have shown that maintaining the natural teeth are critically important for people with metabolic syndrome.

The reason is that as people progressively lose teeth, they will often alter their food selection. The fewer back teeth are present, the harder time they have eating a healthy diet. Instead, they tend to select foods that are softer and higher in saturated fat, trans-fatty acids, and cholesterol. Therefore they get less of the fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, carotene, folate, potassium, and vitamins C, E, and B6 that they need.

And once gum disease starts it does not usually reverse itself without specialized treatment. You are not “too old for good dental care” because the average 65 year old has 17.3 years of life remaining! How do you know if you have gum disease?  Buy maintaining regular daily oral habits and seeing your dentist.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

And

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

Sandy Spring Chamblee Dentists – Healthy Body comes with a Healthy Mouth

Your eyes may be the window to your soul, but your mouth is the gateway to your body. It’s important to your global health.  We are oral physicians who know that ‘people who keep their teeth live an average of ten years longer than people who lose their teeth’ – Charles Mayo, MD.

So what kind of dialogue can we develop from this kind of knowledge and how are we going to interact with you?  Do we send it in a letter?  Or do we mention it face to face?

Heart Disease – Fatal heart disease was twice as common in those patients with periodontal infection.

Stroke – If your gums are infected, you triple your risk of having a stroke.

Diabetes – Studies show that treating periodontal disease may reduce a diabetic’s blood sugar levels.

Premature, Low Birthweight Babies – Woman with dental infections were 3 times more likely to have premature, low-birth weight babies than women with healthy teeth and gums.

Obesity and Weight Loss – Periodontal disease is our body’s most common chronic infection. Bacteria from gum disease may interfere with fat metabolism, leading to elevated LDL cholesterol and total health.

Osteoporosis – As dental bone density decreases, so does hip bone density.

Pneumonia and Respiratory Diseases – Pneumonia and lung abscesses can result from the same bacteria that cause periodontal disease. [1]

Cancer – “In January 2007, a Harvard University School of Public Health study uncovered a strong correlation of advanced gum disease in men to a 63% higher incidence of pancreatic cancer. [2]

These are serious consequences where your periodic oral exams can make a difference in your life.  Call now for your consult and oral exam.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

and

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

[1] Poor oral hygiene and periodontal disease may promote oropharyngeal colonization by potential respiratory pathogens (PRPs) including Enterobacteriaceae (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter species, etc.), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. J. Periodontal 1996 Oct;67(10 Suppl):1114-22. Relationships between periodontal disease and bacterial pneumonia. Scannapieco FA,Mylotte JM.

[2] Cancer risk increases when gum disease is present. Even the presence of moderate gum disease contributed to an overall 14% increased risk of cancer. These include lung, kidney and blood cancers in both smokers and non-smokers. Chronic advanced gum disease was the most frightening – with an additional fourfold increase in head and neck cancer for each millimeter of related bone loss around teeth.”

 

Sandy Springs | Chamblee ? Corporate Dentistry & Over-treatment

Allegations of over-treatment take many different forms, but the majority of such allegations imply an improper motive on the part of in-network dental practices.  Suggesting or providing treatment which is not necessary, often not justifiable, appears to be linked to corporate dental practices that desire to generate additional fees.  Often we have someone leave our practice due to the failure of their dental insurance, only to come back when the corporate, in-network practice is over prescribing treatment.

Over-prescribing of dental treatment can of course occur in any clinical setting, but when it takes place in ‘private’ corporate practices it often becomes difficult to separate the sometimes subjective clinical judgments as to what is and is not necessary, from the financial motives to generate target income. This introduces an uncomfortable dimension to any clinical considerations.

There is considerable anecdotal evidence to suggest that in-network practices tend to recommend or provide more treatment when seeing a new patient for the first time, than they might do if they encountered an existing patient, with exactly the same oral condition under their care for many years.  The new in-network patient appears to present many ‘golden’ opportunities for the first visit.

Unfortunately, in the oral healthcare setting post 2008 recession, this imbalance has fundamental consequences for the patient’s ability to decide for themselves whether or not to proceed with any particular treatment that has been suggested to them.  It’s like taking your car to the auto mechanic.  The patient lacks the expertise to discern whether he/she is being taken for a ride.

In our Sandy Springs and Chamblee offices, we pride ourselves of defining treatment that’s in the best interest despite the pressures on the current insurance system.  And we always present alternatives that might be available.  We been around a long time and has more than a 1000 five star reviews.  Call us for treatment in your best interest.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

And

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

www.rightsmilecenter.com

info@rightsmilecenter.com