Orange County Dentist! Vanek Dentistry - Eric Vanek, DDS

Trouble Sleeping? take this test…

Dr. Vanek — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:42:56 +0000

Its a household word, right? Sleep Apnea is a common condition on the rise in America. As we increase our awareness, lets review some info…

(if you are impatient like me, here is the TEST that I promised)

Apnea is the Greek word for "without breath." If you stop breathing, an "apneic event" occurs when oxygen levels in the body fall. Depending on your condition, blood oxygen levels can plummet; this leads to serious health consequences.

Sleep Apnea has been linked to:

Heart disease

Liver Disease

Excessive Snoring

Weight Gain

Diabetes

Memory loss

Fibromyalgia

GERD

ADD

Impotence

Traffic Accidents

As age increaases, so does the percentage of people who have sleep apnea. There is no question that lack of awareness by the public and healthcare professionals means the vast majority of sleep apnea sufferers are not diagnosed or treated!

So, what should we do about this? For starters, take this brief 8 question TEST to determine if you should seek further information. Next, talk to someone (your dentist or primary physician) about it next time you come in. Dentists typically have attempted to treat the cases if applicable by making an intraoral appliance like a 'retainer' that would help position the lower jaw in a more favorable position. In my experience, this has to be done with special attention to the orthodontic side effects to the jaw and the patient's bite (occlusion). Nightguards are made in a similar way and its all to often that the patient will not wear the device because its hard to get used to in the beginning. This course of treatment is usless if the patient is not compliant with recommendations. With this in mind I have searched out ways to treat the less serious/severe cases by alternative means.

I have seen much success with this product: Silent Snore spray. If you or a loved one has troubles with simple snoring, I don't think you can beat the risk to benefit ratio of trying the Silent Snore product. I was exposed to this product because I am a snorer and it was driving my wife crazy! Through a family friend we met the creator Dr. Frank & he is an amazing person. I have to tell you, that I tested the results myself with a blind test to see if my wife noticed the difference in my snoring & it works very well. Although I do know Dr. Frank I am not in any way gaining financially for endorsing his product.

Ok, so getting back to the more serious OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) Condition. If you have scored a total of 10 or more on the Epworth Sleepiness Test, consult your doctor/dentist regarding potential solutions. This may include an overnight sleep evaluation from someone like this: www.remsleeplabs.com It can be serious and may be due to extra tissue in the back of the airway such as the soft pallet or large tonsils. The tongue falling back can close off the airway while a decrease in the tone of the muscles holding the airway open could be part of the problem. My last recommendation is that if feel like you may be carrying a few extra pounds you are probably right! Talk to someone who cares and we'll get you on the right track. Regarding overall health and wellness here is a great place to start:

IMAGINE IF fitness.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
additional side notes: some additional information can be found at www.remsleeplabs.com

"The research study, "A New Tongue-Retaining Oral Appliance" by Rosalind Cartwright, et al. at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago was presented at the 18th Annual APSS Convention at Philadelphia in June 2004. The Abstract was published in the Journal of Sleep, Vol. 27, June 2004, 412. The result: nasal breathing can effectively control snoring and mild sleep apnea."

DID YOU KNOW ? (raise your dental IQ PART III)

Dr. Vanek — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:33:57 +0000

There are a lot of things that we do wrong as dentists… THATS RIGHT! I SAID IT! I’M ADMITTING FAULT!

The ‘latest’ news comes and goes, becomes part of our general understanding, or what I like to call our “Dental IQ” & then us dentists forget that some of these newsworthy items are still new news to the majority of the population! I came across this ‘older’ information list recently and (although its not new news) is still VERY relevant and important.

“Bad gums could be as strong a risk factor for heart attacks as smoking cigarettes, which is to blame for about 40,000 heart-related deaths a year.” (Daniel Haney, AP Medical Director, February 17, 1998)

“A new study of fatty deposits lodged in the carotid arieries of stroke sufferers shows that 70% contain bacteria and 40% of that bacteria comes from the mouth.” (USA Today, April 14,1998)

“Men with periodontal disease have a stronger propensity for cardio-vascular disease than men without periodontal disease, with those under 50 with periodontal disease having a greater lisk than those over 50.”
(J Periodontal 1998: 69:841-850)

“Diabetics with gum disease were three times more likely to have heart attacks then those without gum disease.” (USA Today, April 14, 1998)

“Under the surface…are pockets of infection that contain billions of bacteria. If this oozing mess was out where it could be seen, it would be a bone-deep sore the size ofthe palms of both hands.”
(Daniel Haney, AP Medical Director, February 17, 1998)

“Women with gum disease are seven to eight times more likely to give birth prematurely to low birth-weight babies.” (USA Today, April 14, 1998)

“Bacteria in plaque are linked to lung infections in people with chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.”
(USA Today, February 17,1998)

“It appears that the extent of sites with probing depths >3mm is strongly related to the incidence of total coronary heart disease.” (Annals of Periodontology, Vo!.3, #1, July 1998; 127-141)

“Studies also suggest that good oral hygiene habits may improve fertility in sub-fertile males.”
(Internet, Dentist: Oral Health and Hygiene, September, 1999)

For those of you that enjoyed this article (and made it to the end)… here is a quote from a bumper sticker for fun: “Life is short – Running makes it seem longer”

ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM RESEARCH

Dr. Vanek — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 22:31:50 +0000

(click on the photos to enlarge)

In the austral summers of 1996 and 1997 (click on the photos to enlarge) Dr. Vanek was part of two unique research expeditions funded by the National Science Foundation. Located here is a brief overview of some of the research that took place including personal photos and accounts of the experience. The attached slides were from a powerpoint presentation given to the Orange County Alumni Chapter of Sigma Chi on August 31st, 2011.MVI_1456

White Spots (raise your dental IQ Part II)

Dr. Vanek — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:54:06 +0000

In reponse to my patient Stephanie’s great question…

“What’s the cause of white spots in people’s teeth? I don’t have any but just a question.

Best Wishes,

Stephanie
UCLA School of Law
J.D. Candidate, c/o 2012”

Great Q… I think I’ll make my response my next blog! (so excuse my lengthy response)

White spots can be the result of a variety of factors. I’ve come up with this short list to describe the most common ones…

#1 Everyone who has had braces was lectured about keeping their teeth clean. Bacteria are constantly in our mouths & are in a constant fight trying to attack our teeth. They like places where they can hide from our toothbrush. Braces give them a home that is more difficult for us to clean, as a result they attack just above the brackets. Anytime they attack their job is to try and decalcify the enamel in order to break it down. White spots can be the result of this ongoing war like scars on an old European building. The war is won when the braces come off and you can clean the teeth easier, but unfortunately for some the damage is permanent.

#2 Believe it or not, a white spot (alson known as enamel decalcification) on the front of a permanent tooth is often caused by trauma from a baby tooth! Many years prior to getting our permanent anterior teeth we all need to learn to walk. During these stages as a toddler falls are frequent & as a result can result in tiny traumas to our front teeth. When a child bumps her chin on the floor (or the back of their brother’s head in my family’s case) that ‘baby’ tooth will sometimes bump into the permanent tooth that is forming underneath. The white spot left behind is the disrupted (decalcified) enamel like a scratch on the tooth. Its not until many years after the trauma that we notice the white spot, but it can be diagnosed based on its shape and location. Unlike white spots due to braces this kind is usually only on one or two teeth.

#3 Now that you understand a little about decalcified enamel (white spots) we can discuss some of the its more complex manifestations. As the teeth are formed the enamel is layered like rings of a tree in an orderly manner forming crystals known as hydroxyapatite. This process can be disrupted by systemic disease that may be effecting other parts of your body. The most common is a viral infection which causes a high fever common in infants. When you are little, your permanent teeth are forming. At this time the enamel is susceptible to irregularities (white or brown spots) at the time the “bricks” of enamel crystals are being laid down. We know this happens during formation because it will usually affect more than one tooth and in different places in the mouth (unlike tooth trauma). The most common occur as white and brown spots around the four first permanent molars (form most that is the second tooth from the back).

#4 If you search fluoride or fluorosis on the internet you will hear a lot of things that may scare off the advantages of fluoride. This is correct off Wikipedia: “Dental fluorosis is a health condition caused by a person receiving too much fluoride during tooth development.” The key note is the difference between topical and systemic fluoride. You can only cause fluorosis by ingesting the fluoride, which in some cases will cause white spots because it affects the development of the enamel. We highly recommend fluoride because it is one of the top 3 health discoveries to prevent disease. ( Penicillin & Polio Vaccine being #1&2 respectively)

Now that we have discussed some of the causes… lets look at our possible solutions. Depending on the severity of the white spots the first option is always no treatment. These can be minor and hardly noticable to the untrained eye, so if its not bothering you – chances are its not bothering anyone else. Obviously, some white spots can be part of ongoing dental disease (i.e. the beginning of a cavity). If this is the case a ‘filling’ needs to be done. Today we use tooth colored materials that look identical to the natural enamel, so even if its on a front tooth we can simply ‘fill’ the damage by ‘bonding’ our tooth colored composite in place. Take a look at this patient that I just treated… Be sure to click on the photos so you can zoom in and see the fix up close….

in her case we were able to smooth off the white spots on one tooth without doing anything else. On the other front tooth we had more significant damage so the tooth was rebuilt (by me) with layers and multiple colors of composite resin bonding to give a natural look. In cases that are more extensive or severe (commonly on multiple teeth caused by poor dental hygiene during braces) we can talk about porcelain veneers. This is reserved for those who are unhappy with the shape and color of their teeth & would like to “hit 2 birds with one stone” by eliminating white spots and changing their tooth form and coloration. There are also some other techniques that have inconsisent results… Muriatic Acid is one, but most commonly we can first try to simply whiten your teeth; See my blog about “Getting your smile ready for summer (raising your dental IQ Part I)” .

A comment by the great Dr. James Drake on our Facebook page that “ICON works well for some. Not a big fan of trying it interproximal but on facials it seems great” brought up a great discussion. There is a product from DMG America which takes some previously known techniques and nicely “packages” them into a system they call ICON:

“Icon, a caries infiltrant that works by capillary action, is an entirely new, revolutionary approach to treating white spot lesions as well as incipient (or early) dental caries. Previously, dental professionals had only more invasive options for treating anterior tooth discoloration that could not be eliminated by tooth whitening, including microabrasion, veneers, and bonding. Caries infiltration is a major breakthrough in micro-invasive technology that fills, reinforces, and stabilizes demineralized dental enamel without drilling or sacrificing healthy tooth structure. ”

At the end of the day, you need to have someone you trust who is open-minded to all the potential techniques available. That person, your dentist, will explain the options & should give you their professional opinion. Each case is distinct & (if your dentist keeps up to date with the latest technology) you’ll be in good hands.

The CHOPPER Says… about Diet & Your Teeth

Dr. Vanek — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:02:14 +0000

As a dentist its amazing to see the negative health effects that so-called "Nutrition Experts" have helped inflict within the United States. We are in an obesity crisis which in my opinion is largely an issue of education & motivation. Its simple… we should just listen to "TheChopper"

I've recently come across a page with some excellent dietary information, but at the same time I see red flags on the type of comments and advice. For example read this post:

"I need a diet plan and exercise program. Please help?
Posted by admin | Under Diabetes diet plan

Wednesday Jun 8, 2011

question of Amberlynn : I need a diet plan and exercise program. Please help?
Here are a few ting. eat-you should 5-6 times daily in small quantities. I go to school from 7.45 bis 02.45 clock in classes and no food. Allowed you say that you pay to drink 8 glasses of water every day, but not all at once. Now here’s the thing, no water is in classes. allowed-they say the exercise, but I do not believe in mass, that I want to burn up and slim down fedt.-I is an overuse person.Kan someone please help me become an easy diet plans only to find breakfast, lunch and dinner! And help me lean / fat burning exercise plan. Or at least me a site to help me make both plans FREE? I really need to lose weight! I’m 5 ’8 “196 lbs. Everyone tells me I look like I get a total of 130, but the thing is, I do not see, I know that to be the 165th Actually my doctor said that 165 would be overweight do for me. I considered overweight and diabetes runs in my father’s side of the family, I do not need to lose ASAP, but I need to lose it PLEASE HELP "

I think that we should all recognize something: 3 meals a day will satisfy both your caloric and nutritional requirements. Eating more often as a significant negative effect on the plaque formation and bacteria count in your mouth. This is where 8 glasses of water a day is very helpful because it will help restore a neutral PH (bacteria that cause cavities love low- acidic PH and thats why Sodas or ANYTHING carbonated is really bad including diet drinks).

The tough part is that a big part of the obesity crisis in the United States is due to cultural and psychological factors. We need to recognize that a huge mental component is the root cause and that through education and motivation we can solve these issues.

My advice was based on personal opinion and my observations as a health care provider.
#1 Do what your Grandma would say…
"Variety is the spice of life… An apple a day keeps the doctor away… eat your veggies"

The people in my office that live the longest (my oldest patient that I have treated was 113) don't fuss with their diet. I always say "use it or lose it." The same thing that works for your teeth works for your body. Does anyone remember the old The Chopper video from School House Rock "Exercise your Choppers on some good hard food…"

Dental Health TV Interview “Phenomenal Health”

Dr. Vanek — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:23:21 +0000

Get your Smile Ready for Summer (raise your dental IQ PART I)

Dr. Vanek — Tue, 31 May 2011 22:23:36 +0000

I often get asked the question "If I want my teeth to look whiter… how should I do it?"

The #1 thing anyone should understand is all the options available so that you can make a good informed decision for yourself. So, if you want some general background on tooth whitening's FAQ then click here.

In today's discussion I'm going to start by outlining all of the options available, then we'll followup with unbiased pros and cons for each. As an insider in the business I'll give you my personal recommendations (the skinny) as well.

The following are the 4 basic catagories:

A. Whitening Rinses (H2o2, Act, etc) (1% Peroxide)

B. OTC (Over the counter) options like Whitestrips, Paint-Ons, etc. (5% Peroxide)

C. Custom Prescription Gel & Whitening "Trays" made by your dentist (10-22% Peroxide)

D. In-Office Prescription Whitening (BriteSmile, Zoom, Boost 35% Peroxide)

The Rolls-Royce of the whitening world is the in office procedure. Pros: It works great! Custom Results… its Fast. Cons: It can cause significant tooth sensitivity (temporarily). Its expensive.

I always say that whitening will take 2years, 2months, 2 weeks, or 2 hours depending on which road you want to take… so if you are getting married on Saturday, then choose the Rolls-Royce option, the results will be worth the cost! In our office we recommend Boost Chairside Whitening the following due to its performance in many unbiased clinical evaluations like the JADA article here.

One thing that I believe to be true is that you either have a lot of money and no time, or lots of time and no money… for some reason its always one or the other & if its the latter then At-Home prescription whitening is likely the best choice for you…

This second (and most common) option, is to have your dentist take impressions to make you Custom Whitening Trays. Pros: Excellent Results. Cost Effective. Cons: Takes some homework. Not as fast as in-office whitening. These trays can last more than a decade and the refill gel is significantly more powerfull than OTC methods.

OTC whitening options are becoming more and more common. Pros: Available without a visit to the dentist! Effective. Cons: Low concentration of the active ingredients. Takes longer. Some expense due to inefficiency.

The mistake I see people make most often is choosing the OTC options becuase its a quick impulse buy. Over time it is not cost effective in my opinion, but the fact that it is readily available is worth something.

The final category is most overlooked. Whitening rinses are the oldest forms of tooth whitening. Pros: Its SUPER CHEAP! Healthiest Solution & no sensitivity. Cons: Effect takes years, and/or is barely noticable. You can buy OTC Hydrogen Peroxide for $1. This gets diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio to be used as an oral rinse/antimicrobial. The side effect is that it simultaneously whitens your teeth. Everyone should be doing this. In my opinion, it counteracts our daily food intake, but does not significanltly whiten. When I treat my octagenarian patients I can easily distinguish the ones who have been rinsing for 20–30 years, their teeth and gums look great!

At the end of the day, the choice is yours. With all of this information you should have an easier time deciding. I would like to post the following great (but dated) article for your benefit…. the topics and discussion are still great, but the cost evaluations are out of date.

No More Fillings? Gel Regenerates Teeth

Dr. Vanek — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:56:55 +0000

by Eric Vanek on Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 10:32am

In response to the forwarded article below:

cool title… but bad journalism… MSH can be used to affected Dentin , but because Hydroxyapatite Crystals (99% of Tooth Enamel) are an inorganic mineral, the natural processes that occur during bone regeneration will not work on infected enamel…

Now (in the same way that overzealous green peace members can have a positive effect on the enviornment regardless of their radical actions), this new peptide which is imbedded in a soft gel CAN help enamel that has been affected.

The difference is when there are irreversible changes made to the structure of the tooth. When bacteria penetrate through the enamel and reach the dentin, there are some irreversible changes. But, if at the onset of dental disease large amounts of fluoride, calcium are administered… then the 'start' of a cavity can be reversed. This is the process of remineralization and is frequently seen as a black spot in the grooves of the teeth or on the sides of teeth prior to orthodontic treatment. We (dentists) band the back 4 molars during traditional orthodontics and use a glass ionomer cement which releases fluoride directly onto the enamel while it is in place (it works like a rechargeable material full of fluoride ions).

So, if a patient has the start of cavities when they are 11 (the first molars have been present for 5 years at that time) the band will cover and seal them. When we remove the bands after ortho (2 years later) a black spot but no cavity is left behind… it almost looks like the tooth has a burn mark. It is usually located in between the teeth where "flossing cavities' are likely to have begun.

MSH is being used intraorally already in products to promote healing during endodontic (root canal) procedures. And I have personally seen amazing results with gum grafting over previously treated teeth. The filling can be removed, then treated and the root of the tooth gets covered again with healthy gum tissue hiding the previous recession and tooth defects…

–
Eric Vanek, D.D.S.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
visit www.Dr-V.org
for the promotion
of Oral Health

On Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 4:01 PM, posted:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37978810/ns/health-oral_health/

ATTACHED IS THE ARTICLE MENTIONED ABOVE:

No more fillings? Gel regenerates teeth
New technique made cavity disappear in about a month, mice study found
by Eric Bland

updated 6/28/2010 1:24:05 PM ET

Dentists could soon hang up their drills. A new peptide, embedded in a soft gel or a thin, flexible film and placed next to a cavity, encourages cells inside teeth to regenerate in about a month, according to a new study in the journal ACS Nano. This technology is the first of its kind.
The new gel or thin film could eliminate the need to fill painful cavities or drill deep into the root canal of an infected tooth.
"It's not like toothpaste," which prevent cavities, said Nadia Benkirane-Jessel, a scientist at the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale and a co-author of a recent paper. "Here we are really trying to control cavities (after they develop)."
Drilling teeth and filling them is safe and effective. Dentists fill millions of cavities each year across the United States. However, though dentists numb the tooth, many patients still rue the sound of that drill.
The new research could make a trip to the dentist's office more pleasant, said Berkirane-Jessel. Instead of a drill, a quick dab of gel or a thin film against an infected tooth could heal teeth from within.
Cavities are bacteria and pus-filled holes on or in teeth which can lead to discomfort, pain and even tooth loss. When people eat acidic foods, consume sugary snacks or simply don't maintain proper oral hygiene, bacteria begin to eat away at the protective enamel and other minerals inside teeth.
The causes of cavities are varied. But for most cavities, the treatment is the same: drilling into a tooth, removing the decay and filling in the hole to prevent further damage.
The gel or thin film contains a peptide known as MSH, or melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Previous experiments, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that MSH encourages bone regeneration.
Bone and teeth are fairly similar, so the French scientists reasoned that if the MSH were applied to teeth, it should help healing as well.
To test their theory, the French scientists applied either a film or gel, both of which contained MSH, to cavity-filled mice teeth. After about one month, the cavities had disappeared, said Benkirane-Jessel.
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Benkirane-Jessel cautions that the MSH-containing films or gels only treat cavities; they don't prevent them. People will still need to brush, floss and use mouthwash to help prevent cavities from forming in the first place.
Treating cavities without drilling "would have its advantages," said Hom-Lay Wang, a dentist at the University of Michigan. Cavities and drilling can destroy the nerves and blood vessels inside a tooth, making it more brittle and likely to fracture. Regenerating a tooth could help avoid crowns after a cavity has been filled.
That said, regenerating a tooth from within would only be useful in a relatively small number of cases. Most cavities would still need to be drilled and filled.
In the meantime, patients can't slacken their oral hygiene either. Numerous clinical trials over several years will have to be completed before the MSH-containing gels or films are available to treat cavities in humans.

Tiffany J – Success

Dr. Vanek — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 01:04:28 +0000

"Thank you so much for improving my smile before I left for Hawaii and Fiji. My close friends noticed the difference and say you did a flawless job, I agree."

Tiffany J. – Laguna Beach, CA

Joe F – Success

Dr. Vanek — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 01:02:32 +0000

"Dr. Vanek is great. My dental implant on the front tooth was A WALK IN THE PARK. I was told by other dentists I would have to wear a denture as a temporary. Dr. Vanek gave me my tooth back on my first visit!"

Joe F. – Mission Viejo, CA