Care Credit- Helping you get the care you need today!

Dental care can be expensive and just because a tooth breaks doesn’t mean the rest of our life can be put on hold. So what can be done to make sure you get your mouth healthy even when you have other financial commitments? Care Credit is a credit card that gives you flexibility and convenience when managing your family's out-of-pocket dental/healthcare expenses.  The CareCredit card (subject credit approval) can be used as often as you want for
co-payments and deductibles picking up where insurance leaves off.

Getting started with Care Credit is easy.  You can apply in person at the
office, by phone (1-800-365-8295) or in the privacy of your home online
(www.carecredit.com <http://www.carecredit.com/> ).  Applying only takes a
few minutes and you'll get a decision almost immediately.  If  you're
approved, you can begin treatment even before you get the card.

When using your Care Credit card for purchases of $200.00 or more, you are
eligible for our special financing options.   Pick the available option
that's best for your situation:

*        No interest if  PAID IN FULL WITHIN 6 months - available on
qualifying purchases of $200.00 or more - (interest will be charged to your
account from the purchase date if the promotional purchase is not paid in
full with the promotional period.  Minimal monthly payments required and may
or may not pay off purchase before end of promotional period).
*        Reduced Interest (14.90%) with fixed monthly payments required
until paid in full.  Purchases of $1000.00 or more are eligible.
*        Purchases under $200.00 have standard terms as outlined by Care
Credit.

With more than 165,000 enrolled healthcare practices accepting Care Credit, we are confident there may be a way they can help you and your family get the care they need.

Please contact our office so that we may answer any questions you have and
assist you in obtaining Care Credit for your dental/healthcare expenses.

 

Brown and Kupper, DDS Inc

(513)675-8191

What do I do if my child has their front tooth knocked out or knocked loose?

            Even when parents make every effort to protect their children from accidents, they still happen. But what should you do if they suffer trauma to their teeth? Depending on the severity of the injury, there are some different options to consider and below we will discuss some simple signs and symptoms to look for.

            If a child has a baby tooth knocked completely out of the jaw, we typically don’t recommend having the tooth reimplanted since they will eventually be replaced by the permanent teeth. However, if a permanent tooth is knocked out, the goal is to reimplant it as quickly as possible. As soon the injury occurs, you should try to keep the tooth moist by placing it into milk or clean water as an alternative. Then immediately call your dentist because their goal will be to place the tooth back into the socket as quickly as possible. The sooner the tooth is replaced into its original socket, the greater the chance of retaining the tooth.  If the tooth has been cleaned in milk or water and you feel confident about placing the tooth back correctly into the socket, be sure you still see the dentist as soon as possible.

            If the tooth is knocked loose but not completely out of the socket, your first call should again be to your dentist. We would look to see if the tooth needs to be realigned back into its proper position and stabilize the area. Many times we will need to anesthetize the area before moving the tooth back to avoid additional pain and discomfort. If the tooth is very loose, we will need to temporarily splint it to the adjacent teeth during healing and allow the bone to tighten around the tooth.

            In many cases of trauma, the injured teeth will eventually need root canal treatment to eliminate any pain or infection. Depending on the damage to the crown of the tooth, the affected tooth may also need a dental crown to protect against further harm or fracturing of the remaining structure. However, even if every instruction is followed perfectly, the tooth may still eventually be lost or non-restorable. Unless there is very serious trauma that requires you to go to the emergency room, try to contact you dentist as quickly as possible to help increase the chances of saving your child’s tooth after an injury to the front teeth.

For more questions, visit us at www.brownandkupper.com.

Lee T. Brown, DDS

Brown and Kupper, DDS Inc.

(513)860-3660

Are You Getting Too Much Radiation from Dental X-Rays?

            People are becoming more and more conscious about the amount of radiation they are exposed to on a daily basis. So naturally, there is some concern about the exposure to radiation during routine dental x-rays. We feel it is great that our patients our conscious about keeping their families safe from additional radiation, but it is equally as important to stay educated about the reasons why x-rays are recommended and the consequences of forgoing the standards set by the American Dental Association.

            Bitewing x-rays are recommended once per year and are used to check between the teeth, underneath restorations, and diagnose if any issues have begun that are unseen during the clinical exam. Panoramic x-rays are typically recommended every 5 years and are used to diagnose any issues or pathologies in the mandible (lower jaw) or maxilla (upper jaw). The ADA (American Dental Association) states that “dentistry represents a minor contribution to the total exposure from all sources (about 0.2 percent).” While there are many valid medical reasons for radiation, the ADA also states “the majority of manmade radiation exposure is medical-related” and it “is estimated that dental X-rays contribute approximately one percent of the total dose of exposure in health care settings.” This minor additional exposure to radiation that dentists recommend can go a long way in early diagnosis and treatment of any issues. This makes treatment less invasive, less painful, and less expensive to patients.

            Even with such low rates of exposure in the dental office, we take other precautions to keep the levels of radiation as low as possible. By using digital x-rays we are able to reduce the exposure intensity while taking x-rays when compared to the older or traditional x-rays. For each bitewing x-ray we place a lead apron with a thyroid collar over the patient for additional protection. However, after an episode of “The Dr. Oz Show” there has been some concern over not using a vest with a thyroid collar for our panoramic x-rays. We understand the fears some people may have, but using a thyroid collar to take a panoramic x-ray would block out essential structures and hurt the diagnostic value. We feel the clinical value the x-ray provides more than outweighs any additional exposure you may receive.

            Dental and medical professionals alike have carefully weigh the risks and rewards of different x-rays that are recommended for diagnosing and treating problems. These recommendations have been named the standard of care by our professional organizations because they balance the benefits the patient may receive with any potential danger to you. But looking at the overall exposure the average dental patient receives during routine dental care, our recommended dental x-rays provide much more benefit than risk regarding your overall health.

 

For other questions, please visit us at www.brownandkuppper.com

Lee T. Brown DDS

Brown and Kupper, DDS Inc.

(513) 860-3660