Most of us are procrastinators when it comes to our dental health. You know the story...you visit the dentist, we tell you that you have some old fillings that are leaking, breaking down, and we see decay around the margins. You should either have them replaced with composite (tooth colored, resin) fillings or even have them replaced with a crown due to extensive decay or cracks. You know you should just pull the trigger and schedule the appointment, but you don't really want to. So, you wait, and wait, and wait. Then you schedule a trip out of town and you break your tooth. All of a sudden, you wish you had just had the work done when you could have planned it. Now you have to wait to get back in town before you can get your tooth fixed.
Please treat your teeth like you want to keep them and take care of your necessary dental work! Trust me, it isn't all that scary...read the last post, "Diary of an Anxious Dental Patient". I did it..and I'm married to the dentist! We have so many distractions that we will be finished before you know it! There are T.V.s at each operatory, headphones with your choice of music, nitrous oxide ( laughing gas), and the best dentist and staff around. So, what you waiting for???Just call and do it!
Debbie Johnson
Brian D. Johnson, DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/
Friday, April 29, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Diary of Anxious Dental Patient
I sat down at the dentist office today. He had told me some time ago that I should replace some old fillings. I had waited for a while; but, since I am his wife, I figured that I should practice what we preach. I should mention that I am a TERRIBLE patient. I blame my dentist growing up. He was "rough as a cob" as my Daddy says. I don't require alot of dental work. I guess I could give the same dentist some credit for that. I think I will attribute good genes and my current dentist(my hubbie) for my good overall dental health. I get my teeth cleaned three times a year, but I digress.
I put the bib on, I opted to forgo the nitrous oxide(laughing gas) because I was trying on my big girl pants and didn't want to appear too needy. First, Dr. J applied the topical anesthetic. So far, so good. Then my tongue and throat started to go numb. My childhood memories of the fillings he was replacing started racing through my mind!!!Here comes the shot...not so bad. Now I remember that Dr J, aka Brian, gives an excellent shot. Oh good. Then I sat to let it take effect. A few minutes pass and here HE comes. Leans the chair back, the blood pressure goes up...I should have had Kim snap a picture of me. Head phone on, orange glasses in place, listening to some contemporary praise music, I will get though this! The drill begins, I can't hear the music because my panic is rising! I force myself to breathe in, breathe out, breathe out. What is this? I don't feel any pain! The next thing I know he has applied the new fillings and we are all done. What was I so nervous about? He didn't step on my chest to pull anything, I didn't even feel the shot.
Have you ever felt nervous about anything that was irrational. Take it from me. It ain't so bad...just do it! I now have beautifully white fillings!
Thanks for playing along, and yes it is true!
Debbie Johnson
Brian D. Johnson, DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
www.BrianJohnsonDMD.com
I put the bib on, I opted to forgo the nitrous oxide(laughing gas) because I was trying on my big girl pants and didn't want to appear too needy. First, Dr. J applied the topical anesthetic. So far, so good. Then my tongue and throat started to go numb. My childhood memories of the fillings he was replacing started racing through my mind!!!Here comes the shot...not so bad. Now I remember that Dr J, aka Brian, gives an excellent shot. Oh good. Then I sat to let it take effect. A few minutes pass and here HE comes. Leans the chair back, the blood pressure goes up...I should have had Kim snap a picture of me. Head phone on, orange glasses in place, listening to some contemporary praise music, I will get though this! The drill begins, I can't hear the music because my panic is rising! I force myself to breathe in, breathe out, breathe out. What is this? I don't feel any pain! The next thing I know he has applied the new fillings and we are all done. What was I so nervous about? He didn't step on my chest to pull anything, I didn't even feel the shot.
Have you ever felt nervous about anything that was irrational. Take it from me. It ain't so bad...just do it! I now have beautifully white fillings!
Thanks for playing along, and yes it is true!
Debbie Johnson
Brian D. Johnson, DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
www.BrianJohnsonDMD.com
Saturday, April 23, 2011
If It Ain't Broke, Should You fix It?
We've all heard the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". While I agree with it as a general rule, there are exceptions. Your teeth is one such exception. You may be walking around with old fillings that allowing bacteria to take up residence deep inside your teeth. This causes decay and if left untreated, can be a serious source of infection, aka abscess. These kind of infections can leave your tooth/teeth unrestorable. This means that extraction becomes necessary. While dentistry has come a long way in the last 20 years in regard to tooth replacement options, they can be costly and time consuming. A single filling can usually be accomplished in less than an hour and for under $300. If you are lucky enough to have dental insurance, your out of pocket expense will likely be under $100.
So, you may not want to leave well enough alone, you need to decide what is well enough. In many cases, it is already broken to some degree. So just fix your tooth!
Brian D.Johnson, DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell,GA 30076
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/
770.993.9809
So, you may not want to leave well enough alone, you need to decide what is well enough. In many cases, it is already broken to some degree. So just fix your tooth!
Brian D.Johnson, DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell,GA 30076
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/
770.993.9809
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Family Dentistry in the Newly Aging Patient
What does family dentistry mean? In our office, it means that we provide comprehensive dental care to your entire family. It means that our family takes care of your family. It means that we care about our staff like they are members of our family.
We have found that the patient in their fifties and sixties to be very enjoyable and easy to treat. Generally, they have raised their children to an age that they have gained great perspective. With that perspective comes the understanding that they need to take care of themselves and their health. They are enjoying or will be enjoying retirement very soon. Some of our patients have had implants placed recently to replace lost teeth and are thrilled with the results!
Our patients in this age range are aging very gracefully and we learn from all of them! I think we learn more from them than we teach them about oral health! It is our pleasure to serve our patients needs. We hope you have enjoyed the series on Family Dentistry at the various stages of life. Please take a moment to read all of the posts!
Debbie Johnson
Brian D. Johnson, DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/
We have found that the patient in their fifties and sixties to be very enjoyable and easy to treat. Generally, they have raised their children to an age that they have gained great perspective. With that perspective comes the understanding that they need to take care of themselves and their health. They are enjoying or will be enjoying retirement very soon. Some of our patients have had implants placed recently to replace lost teeth and are thrilled with the results!
Our patients in this age range are aging very gracefully and we learn from all of them! I think we learn more from them than we teach them about oral health! It is our pleasure to serve our patients needs. We hope you have enjoyed the series on Family Dentistry at the various stages of life. Please take a moment to read all of the posts!
Debbie Johnson
Brian D. Johnson, DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Family Dentistry....Am I Really Middle Aged?
What does family dentistry mean? In our office, it means that we provide comprehensive dental care to your entire family. It means that our family takes care of your family. It means that we care about our staff like they are members of our family. Since family dentistry is so important to our mission statement, we have alot to say about it. Today, our topic is the oral health of our patients in their forties.
When we hit our forties, many things start to fall apart. I'm there. I feel your pain. From a dental perspective, old fillings will start to break down and require either replacement or crown placement. Your life begins to be more stressful. I'm blaming my stress on my teenagers! I hear complaints every day of jaw pain related to teeth clenching and grinding. A simple solution to this is wearing a night guard to prevent night time grinding. Debbie and I both wear them and have seen marked improvement. Besides the jaw pain of grinding, you will also see a gradual wearing of your teeth. So, early intervention is very important.
This is the age group that we begin to see in increase in endodontic problems(root canals). It is really important to take care of these as they become a problem. Left untreated, they will get worse. I promise. While a root canal and crown is expensive, it is still less expensive than what will happen next if left untreated.
Men and women in their forties have the financial stresses of raising a family, paying for the children's activities, clothes, etc. It just seems like everyday expenses take priority over their dental health. We hear all the time how families are paying for expensive sports, schools, etc but haven't budgeted money to care for their teeth. This is unfortunate. We try to offer some payment options for the more expensive procedures.
Dr Brian Johnson
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/
770.993.9809
When we hit our forties, many things start to fall apart. I'm there. I feel your pain. From a dental perspective, old fillings will start to break down and require either replacement or crown placement. Your life begins to be more stressful. I'm blaming my stress on my teenagers! I hear complaints every day of jaw pain related to teeth clenching and grinding. A simple solution to this is wearing a night guard to prevent night time grinding. Debbie and I both wear them and have seen marked improvement. Besides the jaw pain of grinding, you will also see a gradual wearing of your teeth. So, early intervention is very important.
This is the age group that we begin to see in increase in endodontic problems(root canals). It is really important to take care of these as they become a problem. Left untreated, they will get worse. I promise. While a root canal and crown is expensive, it is still less expensive than what will happen next if left untreated.
Men and women in their forties have the financial stresses of raising a family, paying for the children's activities, clothes, etc. It just seems like everyday expenses take priority over their dental health. We hear all the time how families are paying for expensive sports, schools, etc but haven't budgeted money to care for their teeth. This is unfortunate. We try to offer some payment options for the more expensive procedures.
Dr Brian Johnson
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/
770.993.9809
Monday, April 11, 2011
What Does Family Dentistry Mean? "Youth is Wasted on Young Adults"
What does family dentistry mean? In our office, it means that we provide comprehensive dental care to your entire family. It means that our family takes care of your family. It means that we care about our staff like they are members of our family. Since family dentistry is so important to our mission statement, we have alot to say about it. Today, our topic is the oral health of the young adult.
For the most part young adults enjoy the most carefree oral health. They are diligent in caring for their teeth, and generally have a minimal of decay and major restorative needs. This age group just needs encouragement to to keep on keeping on. On occasion, we will need to fill a small cavity or replace an old filling. Oral health during pregnancy is very important and we try to provide the necessary support to our expecting moms.
Brian Johnson DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/
For the most part young adults enjoy the most carefree oral health. They are diligent in caring for their teeth, and generally have a minimal of decay and major restorative needs. This age group just needs encouragement to to keep on keeping on. On occasion, we will need to fill a small cavity or replace an old filling. Oral health during pregnancy is very important and we try to provide the necessary support to our expecting moms.
Brian Johnson DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
What Family Dentistry Means...Teaching Teens
What does family dentistry mean? In our office, it means that we provide comprehensive dental care to your entire family. It means that our family takes care of your family. It means that we care about our staff like they are members of our family.
Since this is at the heart of our mission statement, we have alot to say about family dentistry.
For the most part, teenagers can be prone to tooth decay. This can be due to less than diligent oral hygiene, poor diet choices, or a genetic predisposition to decay. Teens as a general rule don't listen to their parents, even about oral hygiene. Teen should be brushing and flossing ideally three times a day. Most do not comply with this recommendation. Our hygienist routinely encourages our teen patients to improve their habits. Teens make many poor decisions regarding their diet. They love sugary carbonated soft drinks. We try to educate them on the importance of brushing and flossing after enjoying soft drinks. Minimally, they should rinse with water. If teens were lucky enough to receive orthodontic treatment, wearing their retainer as prescribed by their orthodontist is important to preserve their new beautiful smile. If they have a permanent retainer, oral hygiene is imperative to prevent decay from forming around the hardware.
Brian Johnson, DMD
Since this is at the heart of our mission statement, we have alot to say about family dentistry.
For the most part, teenagers can be prone to tooth decay. This can be due to less than diligent oral hygiene, poor diet choices, or a genetic predisposition to decay. Teens as a general rule don't listen to their parents, even about oral hygiene. Teen should be brushing and flossing ideally three times a day. Most do not comply with this recommendation. Our hygienist routinely encourages our teen patients to improve their habits. Teens make many poor decisions regarding their diet. They love sugary carbonated soft drinks. We try to educate them on the importance of brushing and flossing after enjoying soft drinks. Minimally, they should rinse with water. If teens were lucky enough to receive orthodontic treatment, wearing their retainer as prescribed by their orthodontist is important to preserve their new beautiful smile. If they have a permanent retainer, oral hygiene is imperative to prevent decay from forming around the hardware.
Brian Johnson, DMD
Saturday, April 2, 2011
What Does Family Dentistry Mean?
What does family dentistry mean? In our office, it means that we provide comprehensive dental care to your entire family. It means that our family takes care of your family. It means that we care about our staff like they are members of our family.
We are frequently asked when children should begin to see a dentist. While many pediatric dentists will see children as early as one year old, we typically like to see a patient for the first exam and cleaning between three and four years old assuming they are not having a problem. Debbie's background is pediatric nursing and loves to make that first visit a positive experience for our little patients. Don't be upset if we only get an exam accomplished at the first visit. We try to do cleaning; but feel that a positive experience is the primary goal. Most pediatric dentists only do an exam at the first visit and bring them back in a week for the cleaning. We do not attempt to x-rays on that first visit. We will let them see and touch all of the unfamiliar dental instruments that we use. We will "count" their teeth and see "Mr. Thirsty" (the suction). If your child is still apprehensive, we have several pediatric dentists that we can refer to.
We recently saw a three year old. Dr Johnson has treated his mom since she was a little girl. So, we now treat three generations in that family. THAT is family dentistry! If this sound like something that you want to be part of, call to meet our dental care team!
Debbie Johnson
Brian D. Johnson, DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
www.BrianJohnsonDMD.com
We are frequently asked when children should begin to see a dentist. While many pediatric dentists will see children as early as one year old, we typically like to see a patient for the first exam and cleaning between three and four years old assuming they are not having a problem. Debbie's background is pediatric nursing and loves to make that first visit a positive experience for our little patients. Don't be upset if we only get an exam accomplished at the first visit. We try to do cleaning; but feel that a positive experience is the primary goal. Most pediatric dentists only do an exam at the first visit and bring them back in a week for the cleaning. We do not attempt to x-rays on that first visit. We will let them see and touch all of the unfamiliar dental instruments that we use. We will "count" their teeth and see "Mr. Thirsty" (the suction). If your child is still apprehensive, we have several pediatric dentists that we can refer to.
We recently saw a three year old. Dr Johnson has treated his mom since she was a little girl. So, we now treat three generations in that family. THAT is family dentistry! If this sound like something that you want to be part of, call to meet our dental care team!
Debbie Johnson
Brian D. Johnson, DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
www.BrianJohnsonDMD.com
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