Category Archives: Uncategorized

All You Need to Know About Dental Implant Treatment

Posted September 2, 2016

If you are interested in replacing your missing tooth with a dental implant but you’re not sure what the treatment process entails, our [practice_name] team is more than happy to inform you!

Dental implants in [city], [state], are strong dental restorations that provide long-term, beautiful results. The treatment might require some time, but it is definitely worth it. When you are receiving a dental implant, you will undergo the following steps:

Step 1: In order to have dental implants, you need strong and healthy gums and jawbones. So, the first step will be an examination. Your dentist will thoroughly examine your entire oral cavity, which may include taking a series of X-rays. If your mouth is in top-notch condition, your dentist will create a treatment plan just for you.

Step 2: To begin treatment, you will first see an oral surgeon. The surgeon will place a small post into the bone socket of your missing tooth. The post is made of titanium, which is a material that works well with your jawbone. The bone will need to heal around the post, which could take about six to twelve weeks.

Step 3: Once your bone has healed around the post, you will come into [practice_name] and your dentist will attach a small connector post to the titanium post to securely hold the new tooth. Then, [heshe] will create a dental crown that will fit perfectly in your smile. When the crown is ready, it will be placed over the post.

To learn more about dental implants so you can be more prepared in the dental chair, please call our office today at [phone]. Your dentist, Dr. [doctor_name], and our friendly dental team are more than happy to help you in any way we can, and we look forward to hearing from you!

What Can I Expect With Dental Crown Treatment?

Posted August 26, 2016

Dental treatment can be a little scary, but if you know what to expect when you head to your appointment, your nerves will wash away. So, to help you be prepared for your upcoming dental crown treatment, our [practice_name] team is happy to tell you what to expect when you come into our office.

During your appointment, you can expect the following steps:

Step 1: Dr. [doctor_name] will first examine your tooth and smile by taking a series of dental X-rays. The X-rays will help your dentist determine the health and condition of your tooth’s roots and the bone surrounding the tooth.

Step 2: When you are ready, your dentist will numb your tooth and surrounding gums with a local anesthetic. This will help you have a positive and painless dental experience. Once your mouth is numb, your dentist will remove a portion of your tooth to make room for the dental crown.

Step 3: Once your tooth is the correct size, your dentist will make an impression of the tooth and will send that impression to the dental lab where your new crown will be created. While you wait, you will be given a temporary crown.

Step 4: You will come back into our office once your new crown is ready. While you are here, your dentist will remove the temporary crown and will cement the new crown into place.

If you would like to know more about dental crowns in [city], [state], or if you have any questions, please feel free to call our office at [phone] and talk to a member of our friendly dental team. Your dentist, Dr. [doctor_name], will also be happy to help you if you schedule an appointment. We look forward to talking with you!

How Floss Has Evolved Over Time

Posted August 15, 2016

Dental floss is an important part of proper oral hygiene. It may come as a surprise to learn that according to the ADA, only 12 percent of Americans floss every day. The flossing concept isn’t a new one. Evidence found by researchers suggests that interdental cleaning has been practiced since Prehistoric times.

Researchers have found evidence of floss use in prehistoric times. Archeologists have found evidence that Neanderthals used toothpicks made from small sticks to clean between their teeth. Horsehair may have been used as floss as well.

In 1815, a New Orleans dentist, Dr. Levi Spear Parmly, began suggesting that his patients use a thin silk thread to clean between the teeth. The flossing idea caught hold and in 1882, unwaxed dental floss began to be massed produced. In 1898, the very first floss patent was granted to Johnson & Johnson. This floss was made from the same silk material used for silk stitches by doctors.

Because silk has a tendency to shred and its costs rose during World War II, nylon replaced silk as the primary floss material in the 1940s. Because floss was now made from nylon, waxed floss could be developed in the 1940s and dental tape in the 1950s.

Floss has continued to evolve since then. Gore-Tex material is used in some varieties of floss. Spongy floss and soft floss have been developed for sensitive gums. Floss picks, which simplify the process of flossing the back teeth and flossing with braces, have become quite popular.

Please contact [practice_name] today to learn more about flossing in [city], [state], and to schedule an appointment with our dentist, Dr. [doctor_name].

Are You Afraid of the Dentist?

Posted July 27, 2016

Few people genuinely enjoy going to the dentist. It’s okay. Our feeling aren’t hurt. We understand that people go to the dentist, because they HAVE to, not because they WANT to.

Some people hate going to the dentist so much, they have “dental phobia.” It’s believed that about 9 to 15% of Americans avoid their dental appointments, because of an extreme fear of the dentist.

The British Dental Health Foundation found that about 36% of people avoided the dentist because of an extreme fear. Fear of the dentist usually occurs early on in life.

Most children with dental anxiety also have parents with dental anxiety. It’s not uncommon for a painful dental experience as a child to follow you into adulthood, causing you to want to avoid the dentist.

People with dental anxiety are at a higher risk of gum disease and tooth loss. Avoiding the dentist can cause cavities to fly under the radar and gum disease to go untreated.

In most cases of dental anxiety, a patient feels uneasy before their appointment and in the dental chair. In more intense cases of dental phobia, a person might even feel physically ill at the thought of the dentist.

Fortunately, dental anxiety can be treated. With advancements in medicine, you can treat your dental anxiety with sedative medications, or you can seek Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Combating Dental Anxiety with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

New research published by the British Dental Journal wanted to find out if Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was an effective treatment for dental anxiety cases.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a type of “talk therapy” that’s based on the idea that all of your thoughts, feelings, and sensations are connected. The belief behind Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is that anxiety stems from a cycle of negative thoughts.

When the cycle is broken down into smaller parts, it can help you understand your problems and change your negative thought process.

They followed 130 participants with intense fear of dental treatments. All of the participants went to treatments after “talk therapy.” About 75% of the patients feared the dentist, and 15% feared some aspect of the dentist, like the drill or needles.

In talk therapy, patients were asked to set goals to overcome their fear of dental treatments, rather than putting a bandaid on the illness by using sedation.

The study found that 79% of the patients were able to solely use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to alleviate their anxiety before their treatments, instead of succumbing to sedation. About 6% of the participants still required sedation for their treatments.

The study found that on average patients only needed a minimum of 5 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy sessions before being able to undergo treatments without sedation.

According dentist, Dr. Ben Atkins, who uses cognitive therapy, he helps patients overcome their dental anxiety by helping them feel in control and pain free.

If you’re suffering from dental anxiety, you should think about seeking help through cognitive behavioral therapy. The best way to overcome fear of the dentist is by talking to your dentist.

The best way to overcome your fear of the dentist is by talking to your dentist and being honest about your anxiety. Communication is key to feeling comfortable in the dental chair.

Top Reasons to Take Great Care of Your Gums

Posted June 23, 2016

Your gums are important parts of your oral health; in fact, they’re so important that Dr. [doctor_name] and our [practice_name] team strongly encourage you to take great care of them. There are many reasons why you should keep your gums in tip-top shape, and some of those reasons are because healthy gums can:

-Help your overall health: If you keep your gums in pristine condition, you will prevent gum disease. Gum disease is a serious dental issue that can affect your smile and alter your overall health. Studies have shown that gum disease can be linked to major health issues, like heart disease, stroke, and respiratory disease. So, keeping your gums healthy and strong will help you have the best overall health possible.

-Improve your nutritional health: If gum disease is left untreated, it can result in lost teeth, and if you have an incomplete smile, eating healthy foods can be extremely difficult. So, if you have top-notch gums, you will be able to eat the healthy and nutritious foods you need to avoid fatigue and dizziness.

-Boost your emotional health: Having healthy gums will help you love your smile. You will have the pink, fresh gums that add character to your appearance, and you will also never have to worry about having an incomplete, gapped, or embarrassing smile.

If you would like to learn more about proper gum care in [city], [state], please call our office at [phone] and talk to your dentist or a member of our dental team. We are here to give you the tips and information you need to have the best oral health possible, and we look forward to talking with you!

Thinking About a Dental Vacation? Think Again

Posted June 16, 2016

If you’re on our dental implants website, then chances are you’re trying to find a solution to tooth loss or decay. As you’re aware, finding a solution to tooth loss is a pressing matter, and it can be expensive. And, when you’re in a hurry for dental care and on a budget, you probably don’t have the time to save money for your treatments.

Every year, thousands of Americans try to get cheaper dental work by participating in a growing fad called “dental tourism.” As the name implies, dental tourism is when someone travels abroad in hopes of receiving cheaper dental care.

On an international scale, the most popular destinations for dental tourism are Costa Rica, Hungary, and Mexico. Sometimes people travel domestically for cheaper dental care. For the most part, dental implants in a large city like New York City will cost you a lot more, than if you travel to a smaller city like Spokane.

If you already have a dentist at home that you trust, it’s usually a better idea to try and find a plan to receive your dental care through him or her. But, if you’re dead set on taking a dental vacation, we recommend going the domestic route. While international dental tourism has the perk of providing you with cheaper dental care, it can end up a gamble in the long run.

Financing Dental Restoration at Home

Running a practice in America is much more expensive than lower income countries. In America, dentists abide by rules and guidelines, remain up to date on dental associations and certifications, purchase the best equipment and materials, as well as purchase insurance for our practice.

Not to mention, the cost of land is more expensive here than in places like Mexico and Costa Rica. All of this adds up to more expensive treatments to keep our practices running. We’re not going to pretend like dental care in America isn’t expensive.

But, before you resort to hopping on the PanAmerican highway for dental care, we recommend exploring your financing options at home first. For one, if you don’t have dental insurance, it has become more and more affordable with the passage of the affordable healthcare act. We suggest finding a policy that will at least cover the partial cost of a restoration treatment.

If you’re really strapped for cash and can’t afford dental insurance, most dentists will help you set up an affordable payment plan to get your treatments. You can also try getting a short term loan from a bank or credit loan, or seek treatments at a family health clinic or dental school.

The Pitfalls of Dental Tourism

The primary perk of taking a dental vacation is that you can get treatments done cheap, but it also comes with a lot of inherent dangers. Dentists abroad don’t have to use treatments and materials that are ADA or FDA certified, so there’s a good chance that you’ll receive the “Great Value” off-brand version of whatever treatment you opt for. And, if you’ve ever bought “great value” trash bags, you’re aware that they don’t hold up as well as the name brand “GLAD.”

If you end up suffering from a dental problem, like a failed implant, after returning home from travel, you’ve spent all that money in vain. Readdressing your faulty dental work at home will then end up costing you even more money.

Secondly, the cost of traveling, such as buying plane tickets, food, and room aboard can add up to costing about the same as getting the treatment at home. Going on a dental vacation with the expectation that you’re going to get a real holiday is another mistake that many people make.

Chances are that you’ll need to avoid tourist attractions after undergoing surgery. The CDC recommends that you don’t drink alcohol, swim, take long tours, sunbathe, or put your body under stress after any kind of surgery. When it comes to deciding on whether you want a dental vacation, you’ll have a lot of factors to take into account. Make sure that you do your research first, because remember, your smile and dental health is worth it.

Essential First Aid Considerations for Taking Care of Toothache Pain

Posted May 31, 2016

A toothache can be caused by several different things. While it is most often a result of advanced tooth decay compromising the sensitive internal structure of a tooth, there are also less obvious things that could be the source. Regardless of the underlying cause, a toothache should always be seen as a warning sign of something that demands immediate attention.

There are a few key considerations and tips offered by [practice_name] to help you deal with toothache pain while you are waiting to see us.

If you’ve experienced direct trauma such as a blow to the face or a hard fall that is associated with the pain, it could be that the dentin, pulp, or root of the tooth was damaged. If you have blood and debris in your mouth, you can rinse it away with lukewarm salt water. This can also soothe injured gum tissues.

You can try to rub the surrounding gums with a topical oral analgesic to help soothe the pain. If the toothache was caused by trauma and there is swelling in your lip or cheek, you can hold a cold compress to your face for 15 minutes at a time.

Toothache pain is commonly related to issues with unaddressed tooth decay. To stop the problem and prevent future complications, you will need Dr. [doctor_name] to repair or restore the decayed tooth as soon as possible. Left unaddressed, it could potentially lead to a serious infection in the gums.

If you have a toothache in [city], [state], you should call [practice_name] as soon as possible, at [phone] to schedule an appointment with our dentist.

How to Strengthen Your Smile Each Day

Posted May 17, 2016

Welcome to Chaffin Dental care, where we are pleased to provide fluoride treatments for our patients in Spokane, Washington and the surrounding areas. If you’re interested in knowing how to strengthen your smile and prevent tooth decay, our [practice_name] team is happy to help you! Fluoride is the key to having a strong, successful, and healthy smile.

Fluoride in [city], [state], is a mineral that is found in many natural resources, and it’s best to receive the proper amount of fluoride each day so you can nourish and strengthen your teeth on a regular basis. To help you do so, Dr. [doctor_name] and our team recommend doing the following things:

–Take advantage of fluoride dental treatment: When you come in to receive a dental cleaning and exam, our team will offer a professional fluoride treatment. This treatment will generally come in the form of a foam, gel, or varnish and it will give your teeth the strength they need to survive.

–Use fluoride toothpaste: It’s best to brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. That way your teeth will be strengthened and nourished on a daily basis.

–Drink fluoridated water: Fortunately, your city fluoridates your tap water, so make sure you drink enough tap water so you can receive the fluoride you need. You can also find fluoridated water in some bottled waters.

–Use fluoride mouthwash: If you rinse your mouth daily with fluoride mouthwash, your smile will be deeply cleaned and strengthened.

–Eat foods that contain fluoride: There are some foods you can eat to increase your fluoride intake. Those foods are pickles, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, asparagus, and beets. For more food tips, please talk to your dentist.

For more tips and information about fluoride, please call [phone] at your earliest convenience and talk to your dentist or a member of our friendly dental team. We are happy to help you in any way we can, and we look forward to hearing from you!

Dr. Chaffin Talks About Halitosis And Your Dental Health

Posted May 10, 2016

Here at Chaffin Dental Care, we see many patients every year for a wide variety of oral health problems. One of the more common problems we see is patients complaining about halitosis. Yes it is true, bad breath can be a serious problem for many dental patients. In fact, estimations claim that more than 80 million people suffer from bad breath related to oral health issues from gums, teeth and tongue. However, it is very important to note that bad breath can be a warning sign of major oral health issues and a result of poor oral hygiene habits.

What Actually Causes Bad Breath?

Bad breath can be caused by a variety of different factors. Often, bacteria, left-over food particles, and poor oral hygiene are the main causes of mouth odor. Once food particles reach certain levels in the mouth, they can produce a compound that is identified by a sulfur odor and the danger of tooth decay. This is why it is very important to keep your mouth clean. Simply brushing and flossing can get your oral health back on track and help reduce that bad taste in your mouth.

Another substance that could be creating bad breath problems is foods with strong odors. Things like onions and garlic can affect your breath for days after ingestion. This phenomenon is due in large part to the fact that odors from foods and drinks do not go away until the foods have been completely digested. Consequently, fouls odors can be detected on your breath sometimes three days after consumption. So if you have a big date or special occasion coming up, avoid the strong flavors of onions and garlic.

Health Issues And Halitosis

Chronic bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth can also be a warning sign of serious problems with your dental health. Dental problems like gum disease, cavities, periodontal disease, chronic sinus infections, yeast infections in the mouth and ill fitting dental appliances can also cause halitosis. Some additional causes of bad breath are: postnasal drip, acid reflux, dry mouth, diabetes, liver or kidney problems, bronchitis, or pneumonia.

How Saliva Helps Bad Breath

Healthy saliva levels keep oral odors at bay by washing away food particles and dangerous bacteria from your mouth and the crevices between teeth. This is why it is so important to keep your mouth moist by drinking enough water and using lubricant mouthwashes if necessary. One of the reasons we have “morning breath” is because saliva production slows and bacteria can grow inside the mouth while we sleep. So get up, brush your teeth and have a nice glass of water for the health of your oral tissues.

What Are The Best Ways To Combat Bad Breath?

The best way to combat bad breath is by simply brushing, flossing and using mouthwash. Other ways to fight halitosis are:

-Scrape your tongue after meals and at least once a day.
-Chew a good quality sugar-free gum between meals or after eating.
-Use fluoride mouthwash and toothpaste.
-Floss your teeth after every meal or at least once a day.
-Keep your dental devices clean.
-Why Check-Ups With Your Dentist Are So Important

You may think that seeing a dentist is just an inconvenience, but this is not the case. Dental check-ups are an important part of preventative care because they can help patients detect problems, reduce plaque levels on teeth and decrease bacteria build-up. Dentists can also help determine the source of bad breath, recommend special products to eliminate symptoms and recommend an additional specialist if your bad breath is not related to your oral health. All in all, seeing a dentist should be a critical part of keeping your body, healthy and strong.

Dr. Chaffin Can Help With All Your Dental Health Needs

Bad breath can be an embarrassing problem that can only get worse if left untreated. Luckily, with proper care, halitosis is curable in most instances and preventable in many. The staff at Chaffin Dental Care would like their patients to know more about the importance of regular dental care and maintenance. If you live in the Spokane, WA area, come see us for a consultation and get started on better dental health today.

Find Your Next Favorite Book at 2nd Look Books

Posted April 22, 2016

Like we mentioned in our last blog, we’re big supporters of small local businesses here in Spokane. With the annual Independent Bookstore Day just around the corner, we could think of no better business to feature than 2nd Look Books. This local bookstore is a favorite spot for many book lovers in the community. Not only can you enjoy an incredible selection of books, but you also get the cozy, friendly atmosphere that you won’t have the chance to enjoy at corporate-owned bookstores. To explain more about this local gem, dental implant provider, Dr. Chris Chaffin gives his readers an in-depth look at 2nd Look Books.

Whether you’re a fan of classic literature or modern best-sellers, you’ll be sure to find your next favorite book at 2nd Look Books. This local bookstore is located at 2829 E. 29th Avenue, in the Lincoln Heights Shopping Center.

As the name implies, 2nd Look Books carries an amazing selection of used books. This brings new life to old, forgotten books that would otherwise be wasting away in the attic. You can even trade your old books in for in-store credit. They take books in the order that they are received, which means you may need to come in at a later time to pick up your credit or books not accepted. 2nd Look Books also limits you to now more than 20 books for in-store credit per day. You’ll receive about 20% of the current book price and the book will be accepted or not accepted based off of the current inventory and condition of the trade-in book. They don’t accept specific items like textbooks, magazines, encyclopedias, book club editions or any book that is in damaged condition.

While you can truly find some hidden treasures in their collection of used books, you’ll also be able to find the latest, most buzz-worthy reads out right now. 2nd Look Books always keeps their shelves stocked with fresh fiction. You can find books ranging in genres from poetry to self-help. With such a vast collection of books, you would figure it can be difficult to track down a specific book. This is definitely not the case for 2nd Look Books! This store is organized perfectly, which makes it easy to readers to browse around or pinpoint the exact book they’re looking for. If you can’t find a specific book, simply ask a friendly staff member and they will be more than happy to help you track down what you’re looking for.

It can be rather easy to lose track of time in this local bookstore. In fact, the welcoming and comfortable atmosphere of 2nd Look Books makes it a perfect spot to relax and enjoy a great read. This is, by far, one of the most charming bookstores you’ll find in Spokane. There are shelves of books stuffed into every nook and cranny of this local bookstore. With Forza Coffee right next door and their cozy reading room on the lower level, 2nd Look Books is a bookworm’s paradise.

Bottom Line: This is a must-stop for any avid book readers here in Spokane. For more information about this local bookshop, visit the 2nd Look Books website.

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