Preventative Diagnosis: The Conundrum of Dental X-Rays

One of the most frequent questions I have received over the almost 34 years I have been practicing dentistry is, "Do I really need these X-rays?" Many people have concerns about cost, radiation and discomfort when taking X-rays, and the fact that they don't like getting them, but there is always some underlying reason for someone refusing to allow a... read more »

Osteonecrosis of the Jaw: A Real Problem

One of the problems we have been seeing more of late is the problem of osteonecrosis of the jaw caused by the many medications that doctors are prescribing for osteoporosis and other conditions related to aging. One of my patients got the gum poked by eating a hard mango slice and she came in and the bone in that area was... read more »

My How Technology Has Changed!

My how much technology has changed since I first entered dental school as a freshman in 1986 at the University of Washington School of Dentistry.  Back then and in the early years of working for my father, who was a dentist here in Vancouver for 59 years, we had paper charts and were writing everything down freehand.  Then the computer... read more »

HELPING SENIORS GET THE QUALITY DENTAL CARE THEY NEED

I have noticed that a big part of my practice lately is addressing the dental problems of seniors.  I am inching toward that category and, as part of the Baby Boomer Crowd, I have reflected on the challenges of caring for people in this category.  I love geriatric dentistry and treating these wonderful people as I would my own family. ... read more »

CURODONTâ„¢ REPAIR FLUORIDE PLUS REMINERALIZES EARLY CAVITIES

We would like to introduce you to an exciting new technology that is now available and we will be among the first in the nation to provide this for our patients. It is called Curodont™ Repair Fluoride Plus from a company called Vardis out of Switzerland. It allows us to remineralize early cavities at the stage before they form a... read more »

TO SAVE (A TOOTH) OR NOT TO SAVE…THAT IS THE QUESTION

One of the most difficult decisions we make in dentistry is whether to try to save a tooth that is deemed fair, guarded or having a poor prognosis. One question I ask myself and communicate with to the patient is this: Is it worth the additional time, labor and cost to save a tooth that may need to be extracted... read more »

A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO BETTER DENTAL HEALTH FOR SENIORS

Dr. Vaughn Teuscher recently came across this article that helps seniors understand how to achieve a healthy, appealing smile and wanted to share it with our patients to deepen their understanding of better dental health. "Adults have fond memories of walking into their grandparents’ bedroom as children, only to see grandma’s teeth in a cup by her bedside table. This... read more »

BEAM ME UP, SCOTTIE

I'll have to confess, growing up in the 1960's and 1970's I was a big Star Trek fan. When my cousins came over we used to play make believe as we got our "pretend" phasers out for a supposed conflict with another extra-terrestrial. Recently, we just purchased a product called a phaser warmer gun by Vista-Apex that reminded me of... read more »

THE BENEFITS OF TOPICAL FLUORIDE TREATMENT

After more than 30 years, we recently were forced to replace our deck on our back patio. We knew it was bad when the deck gave way at our eldest daughter’s wedding reception as more than 50 people rushed out to witness the cutting of the cake, dropping more than a few feet, it was lucky no one was injured.... read more »

DO YOU KNOW THE DANGERS OF ACIDIC DRINKS?

With the exception of a few rare conditions, most all of us are born with a healthy layer of enamel on our teeth. As one of the hardest substances known to man, enamel provides protection, aesthetic beauty, and unparalleled strength; as such, it is very hard to replicate or replace.  Because there are no living cells in enamel, once it... read more »