Assisant Shannon using our new iTero scanner to scan a patients teeth. iTero is now used in our office rather than using impression materal. This is a faster, more effective and more comfortable way for crowns, bridges, and Invisalign to be produced for our patients.

First ask yourself, why am I anxious and why do I have a  fear of the dentist? People develop anxieties and phobias for many reasons. The most common are pain, loss of control or feeling of helplessness, embarrassment (this is a big one), and negative past experiences. Once you know the root of your fear make a list of things that would help you feel more comfortable and have less of a fear of the dentist while in the dental chair. For example, if you have a fear of the dentist due to loss of control, empowering yourself with knowledge works very well. Ask the dentist and hygienist to explain and describe to you all procedures before and as the procedure is being done. By doing this, you will not only feel in control because you will know exactly what is going on, it also builds up your trust and get rid of your fear of the dentist and dental professionals.

Never be embarrassed by your fear of the Dentist. First, get it off your chest and tell your hygienist you are embarrassed because of your neglect and present condition of your teeth. This will immediately make you feel better if you are in a caring relationship-building dental practice at Dr. Hartman’s in Huntingdon, PA. If you do not get the support you need, look for a new dental office. Remember you are not the only person that has neglected their teeth, and we as dental professionals are just glad you are here seeking treatment.

So you had a negative past dental experience. This also tags along with the top reason people avoid the dentist – PAIN! Good news for you dentistry has changed a lot in the past few years. With the use of lasers, drilling can be eliminated in some cases. Local anesthetic techniques can then make getting numb painless. And if you are still a little nervous nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and conscious sedation may be just what you need. With these two methods you can have pain-free and anxiety-free dental visit. Ask your dentist about nitrous oxide and conscious sedation.

One last technique that can help everyone is deep breathing exercises. Deep breathing is exactly what is says; take big deep breaths through your nose, and exhale also through you nose. Concentrate on your deep breathing and this will naturally help you relax. End Note; Relax, Ask Questions, Express your Fear, Never be Embarrassed, and Ask about all your Pain-Free Options. Schedule an appointment today, and have a great Dental Visit.

Heather Metzler RDH

For more questions or concerns about having a fear of the dentist and how we can help calm these fears please contact us or visit our website.  Smiles for Life Total Health Dentistry, office of Dr Jeffery Hartman at 814-643-9414, and our staff will be pleased to assist your needs.

Periodontitis is a bacterial gum infection that can lead to destruction of the bone that supports your teeth. It can usually be easily treated when discovered early. Signs of this disease may include tenderness, bleeding, swelling of the gums and loose teeth. Although, you may also have no signs at all. Only your dentist or dental hygienist can tell for sure if you have this disease.

So, though a healthy Pregnancy and Oral Health are related, how can peridontitis affect my baby? As in any infection, your body tries to fight it to stay healthy. Scientist believes that this fight produces byproducts and chemicals that can travel through your blood stream into other parts of your body. If theses chemicals reach your uterus, they may cause you to go into labor before your baby has fully developed.

According to some estimates by the CDC, periodontitis may contribute to as many as 45,500 preterm, low birth weight babies every year in the United States alone. This means that pregnancy and oral health have a larger impact in low birth weight than those attributed to smoking and alcohol use.

What can you do? Visit your dentist several times while you are pregnant to have dental examinations and dental cleanings. Also, make sure to brush your teeth two to three times daily and floss at least once a day. Your dentist or hygienist will need to know your pregnancy health history. This includes if you are a high risk pregnancy, the month you are currently in, medications you are taking, changes you have noticed in the gums such as bleeding, swelling, or tenderness.

Take the time to help yourself and your unborn baby. Your role as a mother has already started. For more information or questions you can contact Heather Metzler RDH at Smiles for Life, Dr Jeffery Hartman at (814)643-9414.

For all your dental needs you can click here to visit Dr Jeffery Hartman online, or contact him by Phone: (814)-643-9414 or (800)-732-9630 Dr. Jeffery Hartman is located at 524 Washington Street in Huntingdon, PA 16652

Attrition this is a form of frictional wear induced during movements by repeated contact with opposing teeth. Attrition occurs by teeth wearing one another and is greatly influenced by the consistency of ones diet. Attrition is one of the major sources of tooth structure loss. The deterioration of structure and function of teeth from aging ca casue attrition which is expected in elderly patients. Abrasion, describes the condition in which tooth substance is lost along the gum line due to stresses caused by a traumatic occlusion. It is often mistakenly explained as toothbrush abrasion. Erosion, describes the loss of enamel by the action of ingested or regurgitated acids. The main source of ingested acid is from citrus fruits, vinegars and medications.

The elderly has a tendency to believe that they are poor candidates for restorative work in the dental office. Many believe that ill health, disability and poor oral health is just the inevitability of aging. Therefore they do not seek out a dentist to restore their teeth. Unfortunately poor teeth function can lead to poor eating with nutritional imbalances at a time in a persons life when a consistent healthy diet may be their best defense against problems associated with aging.

The needs of an elderly patient are no different from the needs of any other age group. They need prevention, maintenance, function and aesthetics. They need to have an understanding of the nature of dental caries (decay) and periodontal disease as it relates to nutrition and oral hygiene. It is important to know that restorative procedures will do nothing to prevent either dental decay or periodontal disease. The only function of restorations (fillings) is to replace diseased or missing tooth structure and in some cases to protect the remaining dental hard tissues from fracturing.

The following are some important needs that the staff at Dr. Jeffery Hartman’s office, want to motivate our elderly:

1. Oral Hygiene-Plaque in mature patients can present a problem. Loss of manual dexterity and reduction of the ability to concentrate inevitability reduce the efficiency of controlling plaque buildup challenges. The exposure of root surfaces increases the difficulty of plaque removal. A further difficulty is the sensitivity of the root surfaces when brushing exposed dentin which may discourage brushing altogether. All of these factors combine to make the prevention of dental disease difficult for the majority of elderly patients.
2. Good Home Care-The use of disclosing solutions can help the patient know what they can do and what they should be trying to achieve. It may be that the patient’s dexterity will not support flossing or the use of wood points but the use of small brushes with handles may be possible.
3. Fracture of Teeth-It is important for elderly patients to know that the elderly often suffer from fracture of the teeth without a history of trauma. These may range from chipping the edge of a front tooth to the loss of a single cusp of a back molar or to complete loss of the crown of a tooth. The factors that can be responsible are: Age changes the dental tissues, the effect of previous restorations and old fillings. and Biting/Occlusal Factors.
4. Missing Teeth-Loss of teeth at any age can be demoralizing or a welcome relief from pain. When teeth are missing the remaining ones can change positions and drift into the surrounding space. What follows are choices of procedures which may prove successful at replacing missing teeth. Cost is a factor that determines the patient’s choice.

a. Removable Partial Denture-A removable partial denture helps you to properly chew your food, something that is difficult when teeth are missing. A removable partial denture can help improve your speech and prevent your face from sagging by giving support to your lips and cheeks. The patient needs to know that there may be some occlusal changes and that adjustments are usually necessary over time.

b. Complete Dentures-Periodontal health implies at least 6 mm. of healthy bone around the roots, minimal pockets and a positive attitude by the patient to good oral hygiene. If one of these is compromised and the patient has lost some or all of their natural teeth complete dentures can replace missing teeth and their smile. The denture (s) can be made to closely resemble your natural teeth. Growing accustomed to the dentures can be a challenge for some. New dentures feel awkward and possibly uncomfortable for the first few weeks. Salivary flow temporarily increases. Minor irritations or soreness is not unusual. These problems often diminish as your mouth becomes accustomed to new dentures. Your dentist can make adjustments over time.

Dr. Jeffery Hartman D.M.D. Total Wellness Dentistry believes it’s important to have improved social conditions, advances in the control of illnesses and more positive medical care which results in increased numbers of the elderly population. Death is no longer taken for granted after 70 and a greater effort is made by sons and daughters often in their fifties and sixties, to provide room and board, comfort and compassion for their parents. Today’s elderly have a greater expectation of life and Dr. Jeffery Hartman D.M.D. Total Wellness Dentistry wants to encourage the elderly and provide his professional skills and make them available to these people. We want to renew contacts with the elderly and maintain these relationships. We realize that the elderly need all the encouragement they can receive in order to make the best of their remaining years.

BY: Heather Metzler RDH at Smiles for Life, Dr Jeffery Hartman

For more questions or concerns about aging in teeth and other related issues, please contact us or visit our website.  Smiles for Life Total Health and Wellness Dentistry, office of Dr Jeffery Hartman at 814-643-9414, and our staff will be pleased to assist your needs.

How can tooth decay be prevented? Prevention is simple and the key to long-term health. The plaque that is the home for the bacteria needs to be removed from the tooth surface. Brush, brush, brush, brush a minimum of three times daily. Floss between the teeth daily, doing this will remove bacteria from the areas the toothbrush cannot reach. Keep snacking limited, and brush after enjoying snacks. Nutritious and balanced meals are essential for controlling not only tooth decay, but also overall health. Visit your dentist regularly (twice a year) for professional dental cleanings and oral examinations. The examination will include detection of tooth decay, periodontal disease (gum disease), oral cancer screening, and evaluation of present restorations (fillings). Decay can occur around the margins or edges of fillings and crowns.

Who gets cavities? We are all at risk because of the bacteria in our mouths. Children and senior citizens are more susceptible to decay then others due to a number of factors. People who eat diets high in starch and sugar, especially sticky candy and soda pop, are at a much greater risk. Taking a number of different medications and/or having a dry mouth also increases the caries (cavity) rate. Root decay is decay on the root of the tooth. This happens after a person has had periodontal (gum) disease and the gums have receded, leaving part of the root exposed. Since there is no enamel covering your roots, these exposed areas decay more readily. Most people over the age of 60 have root exposure. Recurrent cavities are cavities around existing fillings. Decay can form here due to these areas not being as smooth as a natural tooth surface. Also over time the bond between the filling and the tooth may weaken and allow saliva and bacteria to leak between the filling and tooth. This type of leak will always cause a cavity over a period of time.

Having a cavity does not always equal pain. You can have a cavity and not know. This is why it is important to schedule biannual visits to your dentist. If your dentist would find a cavity, in most cases, a restorative filling or crown can be placed. The dentist will remove the decay and place a tooth colored filling in its place. If decay is left untreated, loss of the tooth is inevitable. Tooth decay is preventable, although only you and your daily habits can prevent it. Brush, Floss, Eat healthy, and visit your dentist.

Healthy Hints for Smiles for Life – By: Heather Metzler RDH

For more information or questions call the office or visit the website of Jeffery D. Hartman DMD,PC, located in Huntingdon, PA

Call Smiles For Life Total Health Dentistry 814-643-9414 located in Huntingdon, PA

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For more information about Smiles for Life Total Health Dentistry you can contact Dr. Jeffery Hartman at (814)-643-9414 or (800)-732-9630; visit our Huntingdon Dental Office at 524 Washington Street • Huntingdon, PA 16652; or visit www.drhartmandentistry.com.!

Cutting-Edge Technology From Versa Wave Technologies

Dr. Hartman’s office now offers cutting-edge technology with Laser Dentistry using the latest equipment from Versa Wave Technologies. The laser works by using energized water droplets that allow staff to gently and precisely work on dental procedures with no pain or heat. The laser dental system helps sterilize as it cuts, leaving less chance for bacteria contamination. It prepares teeth for maximum bonding of tooth colored enamel with absolutely NO anesthesia.

Advantages to Laser Dentistry Include:

• Ability to place many fillings without local anesthesia
• No high-pitched whine or vibration from the grinding of a drill
• Sterilization of the tooth as it removes decay and reduction of recurrent decay under old fillings
• More effective sealants because the laser removes any debris which can cause decay from the pits and grooves of the biting surfaces
• More effective non-surgical gum treatment because lasers can sterilize pockets painlessly.
• Treatment of canker sores and cold sores
• More effective surgical procedures because there is no bleeding and the surgical field is sterilized by the laser
• No numb lip after patient leaves the dental office
• Desensitization of teeth

Our office has been highly trained on this new laser procedure and welcome patients to experience the benefits of laser dentistry.

For more information about Laser Dentistry you can contact Dr. Jeffery Hartman at (814)-643-9414 or (800)-732-9630; visit our Huntingdon Dental Office at 524 Washington Street • Huntingdon, PA 16652; or visit www.drhartmandentistry.com.

The health of the mouth is a reflection of a person’s total well being. Understanding your life style allows the health-centered practice to assist in guiding you to optimal dental health.

Dr. Hartman is a holistic general dentist in Huntingdon, PA who believes dental patients today increasingly take more responsibility for their own oral healthcare. He knows they tend to be well read, educated by previous dental experiences, and more discriminating in their choice of dental treatment methods. He has a desire to help health-minded patients achieve optimum wellness. Dr. Hartman wants to teach these patients that much more is known about the interactions between the teeth and the whole body functions, about the negative effects of many materials and about the alternatives that are more biologically compatible then the traditional methods.

Dr. Hartman has the knowledge and understands the properties and proper placement techniques required for using more advanced materials. The Smiles for Life health-centered dental office in Hungtingdon, PA has compiled educational materials, new methods and techniques and alternatives to better serve our patients.

Dr. Hartman is able to help you with a variety of dental and holistic services. Click on the links below to learn more about each service:

• Questions You Should Ask before having your dentist remove mercury fillings
• Comprehensive Initial Examinations
• Crown and Bridge Restorations
• Invisalign® – Aligns teeth without braces
• Replacing Missing Teeth
• Periodontal Gum Treatments
• Customized Preventive Programs
• TMJ (Temporo-Mandibular Joint Dysfunction)
• Snore Guards, Tooth Positioners, NTI Splints
• Amalgam (mercury) Filling Removal
• Bio-Detoxification Program
• Teeth Whitening
• Mouth Injuries From Sports
• IV Sedation for relaxing dental procedures
• NEW! Laser Dentistry – No need for local anesthesia!
• Healthy Hints By Heather
• Seminars & Workshops available at your site upon request

For more information about Smile for Life Dentistry in Hungtindon, PA visit our main website at www.drhartmandentistry.com