19060 Standard Road, Suite 4, Sonora, CA 95370
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FAQs

Dental Care Questions

What is the most common clinical concern patients face today?

In my opinion, as patients enjoy longer lives, the biggest concern is foundational support for the aging dentition, both soft and hard tissues included. That means while teeth in general are lasting longer through better preventive care, the structures they are housed in don’t. That means the bony and gum tissues, (the periodontium), requires as much if not more attention so they can stay healthy for a lifetime. Periodontal disease is present in one form or another in almost fifty percent of our adult population, that means people over the age of forty-five. Follow the links below to get an overview of treatments available in our office for periodontal disease.

What is the best way to replace missing teeth?

Today, the standard of care for tooth replacement includes a variety of options, some fixed and some removable. That means anything from implants, bridges or removable dentures have to be considered if a patient is missing one or more teeth. If possible, titanium implants give us the best and most stable result for single and multiple tooth replacement in the field of dentistry today. It requires solid bone support, some of which can be added at the time of implant placement, and usually a six month time period for integration with jawbone. This has become the most desired treatment modality, because it si the only option that mimics a person’s real tooth. They are a wonderful option in the right situation clinically, and you can click on the links below to get an overview of this technology.
http://ada.org/2966.aspx

My time is precious and limited. What do you suggest to people with these concerns?

All of us are subject to the demands and constraints of to few hours in the day.  Clinical practice requires one to one interaction between a treating  doctor and a compliant patient.  At Mikkelsen Family Practice, your time is of the utmost concern to me and my staff.  I spend a considerable amount of time consulting and talking to patients before the actual treatment begins.  This helps get to know you and your medical/dental situation, and also allows you to field any questions you may have before treatment commences.  Once that is done, I work quickly to get you in and out of the office, usually within one hour.  Our newer technologies help greatly with this.

What is all the fuss about root canal therapy?

Endodontic, or root canal, treatment is the choice for disease processes of the internal tooth.  Inside the tooth lives a neurovascular bundle, which defines the tooth as an organ.  This bundle is comprised of a nerve, lymph, arteriole and venule system that keeps the tooth healthy and functional.  When a tooth gets infected, it becomes sick and compromised just like any other organ.  Bacteria invade the internal tooth and cause it’s eventual death.  The function of root canal treatment is to remove the infection and dead tissue, and then fill it with a bacteriostatic rubber or resin, depending on the clinician’s choice.  If people come in with pain, discomfort can be kept to a minimum with antibiotics and analgesics, but it is always best to treat these early, and usually without any level of discomfort.  Look at the link below for an overview of endo treatment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endodontic_therapy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_canal

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