Our Weston Family Dental Practice Offers Tips on Heading Back to School

Dare we say it but it’s almost that time. Summer will be over before we know it and the kids will be heading back to school. As you start your back to school shopping and planning we’d like to offer a few things to add to you list.

1. Make a dental appointment. You should bring you child at least once a year and the beginning of school is a good time to do it. This will help your child avoid dental problems during the school year by hopefully catching them early or preventing them all together. A dental assessment prior to the return to school can prevent sudden toothaches and missed days of school. 

2. Start a brushing and flossing routine. While most parents know children should be brushing twice and flossing once a day during the summer many kids skip brushing, flossing or both. Schedule a set time in the morning for your kids a few weeks before school starts to get back into a good routine. Even if this means you have to personally supervise your child’s teeth-cleaning routine.

3. Teach kids to rinse during school. We should all brush after every meal but it doesn't always happen. Teach your kids to rinse by either bringing mouthwash to school or taking a trip to the water fountain.

4. Get fitted with a custom sports guard. If your child is going to participate in any contact sports, this is the time to have them fitted with a custom sports guard. A sports guard will protect their gums and the permanent teeth that have arrived.

Pediatric dentistry has changed a lot since you were a kid. Today's technology and advanced dental techniques provide a far more comfortable experience for children. Make an appointment at our Weston dental practice for your kids' back to school dental exam. At some point your kids may even thank you.

Why You Should Choose an Accredited Weston Sleep Apnea Specialist

If you are finally taking your sleepless nights and heavy snoring seriously and you are looking for a Weston sleep apnea specialist, look no further than Dr. Stephen J. Pyle DDS. Weston's "first dentist" Dr. Pyle has been treating obstructive sleep apnea with comfortable and convenient dental appliances for years.

Recently Dr. Pyle joined the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM). The AADSM is the foremost authority on an area of dental practice that focuses on the use of oral appliance therapy to treat sleep-disordered breathing, including snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It encourages the continuing education of dentists working with patients suffering from sleep apnea.

Dr. Pyle holds the AADSM Qualified Dentist designation as a result of his experience with dental appliances and ongoing work with patients with obstructive sleep apnea and their sleep disorder physicians.

A Comfortable Alternative to CPAP Therapy

For decades the default treatment for obstructive sleep apnea was CPAP therapy. This device is worn at night. It fits over the nose where air under pressure is pumped in via a hose connected to a compressor. The forced air provides the pressure to keep the airway clear while the patient sleeps. With a clear airway there is no snoring or gasping.

Of course this therapy has its drawbacks. It's uncomfortable and patients have a low tolerance for its use. It is cumbersome to transport if you travel away from home. It requires a plug in within reach of the pump's cord; a problem in some hotels.

There is an alternative and it is the therapy that Dr. Pyle specializes in. Custom formed dental appliances are worn at night much like a sports guard. The appliance slightly adjusts the position of the jaw preventing a collapse of soft tissue into the airway.

With the appliance in place the patient gets the same advantages of CPAP therapy without the inconveniences. With appliances the patient can speak normally and even drink water.

If you believe you are suffering from sleep apnea, call our office today and make an appointment to see Dr. Pyle. Your sleepless nights and daytime fatigue can quickly become a thing of the past.

Tips on Traveling When You Have Sleep Apnea from Broward County’s Sleep Disorder Experts

If you are a Broward County resident suffering from sleep apnea and you are using a CPAP medical device to control your condition, traveling away from home overnight can present some challenges. Broward County dentist and sleep apnea expert Stephen J. Pyle DDS offers up some helpful tips on traveling with your CPAP device to ensure you can enjoy your trip without worrying about missing a session of your therapy.

Traveling With Your CPAP - Don't Leave Home Without It

We all travel. Sometimes it's vacation, sometimes it's business, sometimes it's to visit family and sometimes it might be camping out in the great outdoors of the backyard with the kids. Regardless of where you go, if you are a CPAP user you are going to need your medical device with you when you go to sleep.

Here are a few tips to make sure your CPAP sleep apnea therapy goes without a hitch:

• If there are parts on your device that are near their replacement date, replace them now. You don't want to have a part fail when you're in an unfamiliar place and unsure where replacements can be found.
• Inventory your parts before you pack to be sure you have the entire kit. Make sure the humidifier chamber is empty and completely dry.
• If you are flying, you can carry on your CPAP as a required medical device. It will not count against your carryon allowance. Keep the mask and tubing in your carryon and put the CPAP in a large zip lock bag before placing it in the x-ray tray. To be on the safe side, carry a copy of your prescription or letter of Medical Necessity in case TSA needs further assurances.
• Include an extension cord in your luggage. You don't know how close an outlet will be to your bed and an extension cord will ensure you have power available without rearranging the furniture.
• Speaking of power, you may want to purchase a rechargeable battery; an absolute must if you plan on camping and great insurance against a power outage.

Travelling with a CPAP can be bothersome but is obviously necessary to keep your sleep apnea under control.

There is however, an alternative therapy available to persons with sleep apnea in Broward County that doesn't require the cumbersome and restrictive requirements of a CPAP. For many sleep apnea sufferers a simple dental appliance worn at night can replace the mask, hose and compressor of a CPAP.

Dr. Pyle is an expert in evaluating the potential effectiveness of the simple mouth guard-like appliance for sleep apnea patients. If you are tired of dealing with the hassle and restrictions of a CPAP and would like to learn more about a simpler alternative, don't hesitate to call our Broward County dental office today!

Benefits of an Independent Dental Practice Over a Corporate Practice

The Downside of Corporate Dentistry If you are looking for a Weston dentist to care for your family's oral health and pediatric dentistry needs, you probably are looking for a dentist whose approach to the practice is focused on the best possible treatment for the patient. You want an experienced professional like Stephen J. Pyle DDS, whose reputation for personal attention has kept, literally, generations of patients coming back for dental care. You might logically think that all dentists have this same "patient first" business model. That has always been the traditional business model. However, "corporate dentists" or "Dental Service Offices (DSO)" have been popping up all over Florida and they often bring a different approach to dental service than the independent dentist. What is a Corporate Dentist Office and how is it Different from Dr. Pyle's Practice? Let's start with the basics. In Florida a dental practice has to be owned by a licensed dentist. Corporations or other business entities are forbidden by law to operate dental offices. So what do DSOs do? They provide all the essentials to run a dentistry practice except the talent. They can provide the office, equipment, supplies, non-medical personnel (front desk, billing etc.) insurance, marketing and more. Often DSOs can offer dentists exceptional discounts on all supplies because they are buying in volume for many offices. Everything a dentist needs to open a practice or expand an existing practice can be provided by a DSO…for a price. In essence the DSO is "investing" in the dentist and of course they expect a return on their investment. One of the ways that a DSO ensures they get a return is tying the compensation of the dentist to the types and volume of services that he or she performs. This results in the dentist needing to meet "revenue goals" in order to get paid. Naturally "upselling" becomes a routine practice and if there is an adequate but less expensive treatment available, it is often not recommended in favor of more expensive procedures. In short the dentist is now working for the DSO and has no input into the business model he or she follows. When You Want a Dentist with your Best Interest in Mind, See an Independent Practitioner Like Dr. Pyle When you own the practice and employ all of the staff you can determine how the business is run. An independent dentist can determine what services will be offered, what patient care policies will be followed and most importantly, what the culture of the office will be. At Dr. Pyle's practice the difference between corporate dentistry and a professional independent practice couldn't be more obvious. From your first contact with the staff to the conclusion of a treatment you will know that you, and your particular care requirements are what drives the service, not a "revenue goal." Call us today for an appointment and experience the difference first hand.