Long Term & Preventive Dentistry
A question asked recently on a nursing home survey was, “If you were able to live your life over again what would you do differently?” The number one answer was, “I would take better care of my teeth!” Most people live a long life now and would like to keep their teeth; often one of the last things people can enjoy is eating. In all likelihood you will live into your 90’s so it is important to seek long-term dentistry.
We have found that many teeth break because of excessive decay or drilling. Each time a filling is replaced or patched the tooth gets weaker, can die and need root canal therapy, and then need a crown, or need to be removed. The average life of a large filling is usually less than 7 years, so for all but small fillings, and if any visible cracks are present, it is better to obtain a long-term solution, such as a crown, to stop the continual treatment and damage to your tooth.
We highly recommend that our patients practice “preventive dentistry” to save their money and teeth. You will be provided with much free advice along the way to help maintain health and reduce expenses, we try to teach you how. However, there are times that more expensive treatment will provide the best, longest-term solution, and less money and frustration over time.
At all ages, the simple treatment of ‘sealing’ not-yet-decayed teeth, protecting them at a third the cost of a filling, and not weakening them, will often be recommended. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is certainly true in dentistry. We encourage prevention and early treatment of problems to reduce expenses and more complex treatment later.
We also highly recommend a home-use prescription of advanced formula fluoride toothpaste to reduce cavities and lessen gum-disease at all ages.