Dr. Hedge attended the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Meeting in April learning the latest procedures and products for cosmetic dentistry. One of the more interesting products was a new professional whitening pen. It allows the patient to paint on the whitening gel with a soft brush at the end of the pen. The professional strength 14% hydrogen peroxide is three times stronger and four times faster than the gel used in other whitening systems. There are no strips to apply or impressions taken. At night before bed, you brush and floss, dry your teeth with a tissue and paint a thin layer on the front teeth surfaces. Wait 30 seconds for the gel to dry and go to sleep. It takes just under two weeks and costs under a hundred dollars. There is no sensitivity. Look ten years younger in ten days!

This is a typical Six Month Smiles case with clear brackets, clear rubber bands, and white wires in Cincinnati, Ohio.

BOTOX

Dr. Hedge just completed a focused two day course on the treatment of facial lines depressions and wrinkles. We now have the ability to improve your smile around your teeth, in addition to your teeth alone. “Gummy” smiles are easily corrected with a small amount of BOTOX Cosmetic in our Cincinnati, Ohio office.

We are offering this new service for our patients who may want the convenience of having their regular BOTOX treatment done during their regular hygiene cleaning visit and for those who are curious but can’t get themselves to a cosmetic surgeon’s office.

BOTOX Cosmetic is a natural purified protein that relaxes wrinkle causing muscles, creating a smoother and improved appearance. Since its approval, BOTOX Cosmetic has been the number-one doctor-administered aesthetic procedure in the United States.

BOTOX Cosmetic is a simple, non-surgical procedure for temporarily smoothing moderate to severe glabellar lines – the vertical frown lines between the eyebrows that look like an “11″ – in adult women and men aged 18 to 65.

BOTOX Cosmetic relaxes the dominant facial muscles that cause the “11s” to form by blocking nerve impulses that trigger wrinkle-causing muscle contractions, creating a smoothed and improved appearance between the brows. Results can last up to four months and may vary with each patient.

We are happy to discuss your aesthetic options and see if BOTOX® Cosmetic is right for you. We will be offering an introductory initial treatment for $300 until the beginning of 2010.

Many of our dental patients in Cincinnati have a high probability of having sleep apnea, but are reluctant to go to a sleep physician and have an over night test done. Some are uncomfortable sleeping in a lab and being watched all night. Many do not want the diagnosis to appear in their medical record for fear of future medical and life insurance denials. We recognize these concerns and are making available the Watch Pat 200. Watch Pat 200 home monitor provides RDI and AHI information as well oxygen level, heart rate, body position, sleep time, sleep stages and snoring intensity. Dr. Hedge is then able to provide next-day evaluation, A Watch Pat screening also offers reduced screening time with quicker outcomes while allowing patients to sleep in the comfort of their own beds.

Dr. Hedge, of Cincinnati, Ohio has his cosmetic smile make overs made by Juan Olivier, a cosmetic dentistry specialist in porcelain veneers. Mr. Olivier just received the “2009 Outstanding Contribution to the Art and Science of Cosmetic Dentistry” at the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s 25 Annual session in Honolulu, Hawaii. This award is given to just one individual each year.

Botox use has exploded in recent years. Many people know of its uses to reduce smile lines and wrinkles but it is very useful in treating some types of headache pain associated with TMJ issues. Dr Hedge is excited about being able to offer new services to our patients in our Cincinnati cosmetic dentistry practice. Why not have a little Botox or Restalane after a smile makeover to make you look younger and more relaxed? Veneers, teeth bleaching and reconstruction procedures can be finished with Restalane to reduce the smile lines and lines in the lips. It may be more convenient to have this done while you are already numb having Dentistry done.

If you are a general dentistry patient in our practice and would like to have your maintenance Botox done when you get your teeth cleaned and checked, we can help you.

I, (Dr. Hedge of Cincinnati, Ohio) spent a full day with Dr. Nasser Barghi this August to make sure he was getting the strongest bond for his cosmetic porcelain dentistry. Dr. Nasser Barghi is Professor and Head of the Division of Esthetic Dentistry in the Department of Restorative Dentistry at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and is a world renowned expert in the field. I was happy to learn that my bonding technique was state-of-the-art, but some improvements were made to improve the results. I work with a number of dental labs throughout the U.S. and Canada. I use the lab that does the best job for a particular case. The surprise I found was the variability in the lab treatment of porcelain. We have come up with a consistent protocol that provides the strongest bond. I am constantly learning, teaching, and writing about my passion, all porcelain dentistry and the best way to deliver it to my patients.

Dr. Tom Hedge, of Cincinnati, Ohio has incorporated the use of Perio Protect, a unique new device created to cure periodontal disease.

Perio Protect is a new, home care treatment program for periodontal disease using a dentist-created and FDA-cleared medical device that can deliver doctor-prescribed medications to the source of periodontal infections. These medications address the pathogens that cause gum disease.

We have had always known that placing medicine that will kill bacteria into the periodontal pocket will stop the disease and allow the pocket to heal. The problem has been that whatever you put in there washes out. The pockets have a natural flow of fluid out. Perio Protect trays solve this problem by sealing around the pockets and forcing the medications in. The best part id that the patient can use these themselves at home.

If you have unresolved periodontal disease or have been told that you need surgery, but are reluctant, Perio Protect may be right for you.

Dr. Hedge is the first dentist in Cincinnati, Ohio to offer OraVerse, a local anesthetic reversing agent. Dr. Hedge delivers the medication to the numb area when he is finished working on the area. The numbness will be mostly gone by the time you leave the office. This a great solution for those patients who hate that numb feeling.

Dr. Hedge spent 16 hours this weekend learning advanced techniques in completing orthodontics in six months. This is a great treatment for crowded or spaced teeth where major bite correction is not needed. Adults will appreciate the limited time in brackets and wires and the fact these are tooth colored. Our fee for this treatment is $3950.

Dr. Hedge has written a new web site on the the diagnosis and treatment of the TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) and TMD (Temporomandibular Disfunction). The information can be found at www.ohiotmjdentist.com.

We have started a new program with Springstone Patient Financing to offer no-interest financing for up to 12 months. This will make our dental treatment in Cincinnati more affordable for more people.

- More than 75% of American’s over the age of 35 have some form of gum disease.
- There is a 1 in 7 chance that a pregnant woman with gum disease will will have a regular healthy child that will grow to a normal size.
- Periodontal disease has been linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Our hygienist, Sarah, is an expert at helping you keep this disease under control. Make sure you are disease free. If your gums bleed, at all, you have periodontal disease.

TopDentists has just put together their inaugural list of approximately 220 Top Cincinnati USA Dentists. This list will reveal some of the region’s top dental professionals across the tri-state. These dentists and specialists are chosen through and exhaustive peer review survey conducted by topDentists, Inc, an independant research group based in Augusta, Georgia. This comprehensive list of dentists will be published in the February 2009 issue of Cincinnati Magazine.

Whoopie Goldberg had recently gone through some major dental surgery and was discusted with herself for letting it go so long. She encouraged others to make sure that they see their dentist or to find a dentist before it is too late. Sounds like she may loose many of her teeth. Click on the link to listen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-t7Npdwi8c

Many of the patients we treat in Cincinnati, Ohio are surprised when they see our list of symptoms that can be caused by TMJ problems. The list includes:

Headaches
Loose teeth
Worn, chipped, or cracked teeth or fillings
Clenching or grinding
Ditched root grooves
Pain or clicking and popping in joints
Shoulder, neck, and back pain
Numbness in arms and fingers
Pain behind the eyes
Facial pain
Difficulty swallowing
Pain and sensitivity in teeth
Crowded teeth
Receding gums
Ringing or congestion in the ears

These can all be due to an incompatibility of the muscles and joints to the position where the teeth hit. This is especially common in patients who have had teeth extracted for orthodontics. After the extractions, the front teeth are pulled back to fill the spaces and this traps the lower jaw in a position that is in conflict with the muscles. This is also a common cause of relapse with the lower teeth getting crowded again.

A “gummy smile” is seen in patients that show a lot of gum tissue between their top teeth and upper lip. Patients often ask if we can correct this with porcelain veneers. Sometimes we can if the teeth are short with gum repositioning and veneers. If the teeth are the ideal length to begin with, this combination of procedures will not help.

the ideal amount of gum to display is around 2 millimeters. When it gets to 4millimeters, it is sen as unattractive.

In cases where the gums cannot be moved up, the upper lip can be brought down utilizing a lip tac procedure. Dr. Warren Wingate, our periodontist (gum specialist), can remove some tissue in the mouth under the upper lip and bring the lower lip down. Call Corine at 513-777-7017 for a complimentary consultation in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Dr. Hedge is now offering six month orthodontics in his Cincinnati, Ohio office. Short term orthodontics utilizes new tooth colored wires and brackets to move the teeth to a beautiful new smile in about six months.

I run across articles in women’s health, beauty, and fitness magazines now and then that have advice about dentistry and dental care. Most of the time the facts are, for the most part, correct, or at least close.

Recently, I had exhausted all of my reading materials at the pool while on vacation and picked up the June ‘08 issue of Self magazine. Under the “beauty NEED TO KNOW” column was an article entitled “Better teeth, happier you”.

“Better Teeth, Happier You Improve your smile and your life—it’s true!”

Self Magazine June 2008, Pages 62-65

Excerpts from this article.

“Smile Wish WHITER BRIGHTER TEETH

Best Fix In fact the near $800 service is the number one most requested dental service… but believe it or not, you can get equally great results for around $40. When used as recommended, at-home teeth whitening products can offer comparable effects to in office teeth whitening treatments”

6 WAYS TO GLAM UP YOUR GRIN Do-it-yourself fixes that lead to a healthier and brighter bite

“Mouthwashes with alcohol can degrade bonding and veneers. Swish with GoSmile Rinse, $25, instead.”

The article also discusses how to straighten your teeth without braces, lengthen your teeth and close gaps with bonding and veneers, and minimizing the effect of a gummy smile.

In reality, there is no comparison between over-the-counter products and professional whitening. Professional products are of prescription only strengths and are often four times the strength. Most dental professionals offer many different types of whitening treatments and costs can be well under $800. The following link is a video I did on the different types of whitening:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XdC1CYvviU

The comment in the article about mouthwashes with alcohol weaking the bond to veneers and bonding is simply NOT TRUE. End of story.

Most of what I read is fairly accurate, but when I see journalism like this, I have to refute it.

We see a large number of new patients for consultations on their smiles and how to improve them. We are often a first and only opinion, but many times we are asked to offer a second or third opinion. We encourage our cosmetic dentistry patients to seek other opinions to make sure that they are making the right choice for themselves. Today we had a patient ask us, what questions they should be asking another dentist about their proposed treatment. Here is a list of questions that are important:

1. Have you ever done a case like mine?
2. How many cases do you do like this?
3. Can I see some before and after pictures?
4. Do you have any patient references that I can call?
5. Tell me about your laboratory.
6. Do you do a diagnostic wax up?
7. Do you use a laser to sculpt ideal gum contour?
8. Where did you get your education in cosmetic dentistry?