Barry R. Franzen, DDS Blog

With the commonality of people fearing dental visits, you would think that fear is genetic, something that is inherently passed on. Scientists have performed some astounding research on this topic in the monkey kingdom. Monkeys born in the wild are naturally afraid of snakes. This is a useful fear because it protects the monkeys’ survival. However, monkeys born in captivity don’t show fear around snakes, even poisonous ones. This suggests that fears are not genetic. Are all fears learned, then, as a product of the environment?

Further research has shown that monkeys who were never afraid of snakes later learned to fear them very quickly. How? By witnessing a fellow monkey’s fear of snakes. This only had to happen once before the fearless monkey adapted the behavior of his friend.

According to Psychologies Magazine, we humans learn from our parents, siblings, friends, and the media what we should fear. We incorporate these fears even if we’ve never had a direct personal experience with them. This might explain why so many folks fear the dental chair.

Whether you’ve had an uncomfortable dental experience in the past or not, rest assured, many others are just like you. Some people squirm at the thought of someone looking closely at their teeth. For others, the fear of pain brings terror. Others fear they won’t be able to breathe and that thought terrifies them.

If you are one who fears the dental experience, I want to acknowledge you. Your fear is real, but I have good news for you. You may have had a bad experience in the past, but nowadays, a comfortable dental experience is your right, not merely luck or privilege. Together we can rewrite the scripts of fear.

Now that you understand the history behind fear, is it time to take that next step and visit a dentist you can trust? The best way to avoid invasive procedures is to have your teeth and gums checked regularly. Don’t live with pain and think you are avoiding further pain. This makes no sense!

You should be glad to know that dentistry has come a long way. A root canal today is easier and less painful than it was 30 years ago and technology has made all dental processes easier and more efficient. Technology has created massive progress in the way treatments are delivered. This allows for a less painful and more comfortable experience no matter what you are being treated for. Learn more about our practice here: https://www.milwaukeedentalimplants.com/about-us.html

Do you wake up in the night with a headache or a sore jaw? This may be a sign of a nightly ritual known as teeth grinding. This issue, also known as Bruxism, is usually associated with children. For them it is often a phase that they outgrow with time. What you may not know is that 8-10% of the adult population grind their teeth while sleeping. For adults it is less likely to be a phase and can cause issues in the long term.

Teeth grinding over the years can wear the teeth down. “It’s much like having a large football player standing on the tooth,” says Dr. Noshir Mehta, chairman of general dentistry at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and director of its Craniofacial Pain Center.

What did he mean by this? Well, during teeth grinding sessions, the upper and lower teeth may come into direct contact up to 40 minutes per hour. The force of this grinding equates to about 250 pounds. (Hence the football player.) While under normal circumstances, a person’s teeth make contact for about 20 minutes a day, while chewing, and with only 20 to 40 pounds of pressure. Now there’s some perspective!

If you think you might be a nightly grinder, it’s important to identify the problem and visit us as soon as possible: https://www.milwaukeedentalimplants.com/contact-us.html

The world of dentistry is now well aware of a link between oral health and cardiovascular disease. Science and dentistry are gathering enough data to support this theory. Other studies suggest a link between periodontal disease and heart attack and/or stroke. The exact cause of such links is not certain yet. It is suspected that plaque build up under the gums leads to the chronic inflammation that taxes the immune system. This in turn, leads to other diseases.

However other scientists believe that unhealthy conditions in the body often result from lifestyle choices such as smoking, poor diet, or alcohol. These negative choices impact the body in many different and simultaneous ways. So one symptom isn’t necessarily causing the others.

Periodontal disease is one of the most common chronic infectious diseases in the world, which results from bacteria. It is perfectly normal and healthy for people to have bacteria. The majority of them are harmless and are even beneficial in keeping the overall system in balance. Certain amounts of certain bacteria however, can cause a shift from healthy to problematic when they gather in large numbers in localized areas of the teeth and gums. This can lead to inflammation which can set off the immune system. When the immunity is weakened, other ailments have a greater chance of being activated.

As your dentist, it is important for me to notice and treat oral inflammation. I do this by removing plaque and encouraging the patient to make healthy lifestyle choices. Call today to get on track to a healthier mouth. It will affect the rest of your body and your life. Call us at 414-543-5432 or visit https://www.milwaukeedentalimplants.com/

The body has a miraculous way of healing itself. A fractured leg can grow back together. A strong immune system can fight off a cold. Yet there is one part of the body that cannot heal itself and that is the teeth. A cracked or broken tooth will not grow back. Gingivitis will not go away on its own. Stained teeth will not re-brighten themselves. This is what makes oral health so different from general health, and so critically important. If left unattended, tooth decay and other oral problems only get worse.

Even though dental care should be considered mandatory, it is also common knowledge that dental care can be expensive. Here is a problem many people face. Have you ever felt forced to forego much needed dental work because of the cost? Some people avoid the dentist entirely, thinking they cannot afford it, especially if they don’t have dental insurance.

We keep costs as reasonable as possible. We work with insurance companies and offer financing options. We encourage our patients to view their oral health as a long-term investment. In the long run, you will end up spending more by postponing needed dental work. By putting it off, the pain in your mouth and your bank account will increase as time passes.

When it comes to your oral health, it is always best to be preventive. By realizing the time versus money issue and taking action now, you can actually save yourself more money than insurance can. Even if you don’t have insurance, isn’t it better to pay $150 today than $3000 a year from now?

Rather than feeling scared or angry about dental expenses, try to see your smile as an asset, something to invest in. Think of your life five years from now and how much you are saving yourself by acting today. For more information on our services and answers to your common questions, please see: https://www.milwaukeedentalimplants.com/faqs.html

“Going Green” is a positive trend in American business today. Companies across the country are becoming more aware of their “carbon footprint” and are taking action to leave a less-destructive mark on the planet. It may seem difficult to make positive changes, but for us, when the digital x-ray came along, we knew we had an opportunity to allow this new technology to make a change for the better.

At the office of Dr. Barry Franzen, dental implant specialist, we want to protect the planet as much as the next person, which is why we decided to “go green” as well, by incorporating digital x-rays into our practice. Now, we can better serve you, and better serve our planet.

The Benefits to Your Health

While the Earth is benefitting from the transition, the most important contribution that digital x-rays have made is to you, the patient. Digital x-rays give us access to more detailed information about your oral health. They can detect periodontal disease, cavities, and other potential problems. We can detect the problems earlier than any time in history, even compared to very recently. The sooner we can make our diagnosis, the sooner we are able to treat you and the sooner you are able to get on with your life.

Digital x-rays offer even more incentives. If you are concerned with radiation exposure – and if you’ve gone through chemotherapy in the past – you can rest assured knowing that digital x-rays reduce the amount of radiation exposure by 70-80%! This is great news for you and us, as we are around this equipment every day.

Additionally, digital x-rays are easier to share between dentists and physicians. Whether we need the second opinion of a specialist, set up a consultation, or even to transfer the images to another office so you can receive treatment we are unable to provide, digital imaging allows us to do this. Without a doubt, the images will reach their destination without a glitch and in the exact condition in which we sent them.

The Benefits to Our Planet

The benefits that digital x-rays offer to the planet are two-fold. First, digital imaging does not require lengthy chemical processing like film does, and therefore, utilizes less chemical waste, and second, digital imaging allows us to share our findings via the internet instead of fax or mail – both of which require paper.

Going green is an expanding trend in our country and one we are glad to be participating in. Dentistry has found its niche within this new era, and it’s here to stay. If digital x-rays can save lives, time, and the planet, what’s not to love? Get on board for change and visithttps://www.milwaukeedentalimplants.com/digital-xrays.html to see more about how our technology serves you and the world.