Weston Dental Office Offers Tips on How to Choose a Sports Guard

Our Weston Dental Office Offers These Tips on How to Choose a Sports Guard

Fall means back-to-school which for a lot of kids means back-to-sports. When it comes to sports guards contact sports like football, hockey, basketball and soccer are the ones you may think of first but your mouth and teeth are still at risk with non-contact activities like skate boarding, roller skating and horseback riding. A properly fitted sports guard is the first line of defense for both teeth and gums if your mouth is ever struck. It is essential to a sports guards’ effectiveness that they are professionally fitted. Sports guard can protect against teeth being misaligned, chipped, pulled out or forced down into the gum, wherever there is a possibility of a fall there is a possibility of damaging your mouth.

3 Types of Sports Guards

A sports guard should fit your mouth, not interfere with breathing and not interfere with speaking. Here are three types of guards available:

1. Boil and Bite. These guards are boiled in water to make the material malleable.  The user then bites down on the guard to give it some measure of customization.  These guards are also widely available at sporting goods stores and department stores. They offer better fit and protection than stock guards but can impair breathing. They also have a shorter service life than a stock guard.
2. Stock sports guards. These are the least expensive of the guards and are widely available. They have curved troughs made of plastic and are commonly found attached to "starter" football helmets for kids. They come in small, medium and large and offer no customization. They often don’t fit well and can obstruct breathing and fall out when the mouth is opened.
3. Custom Fit. These guards are fabricated by your dentist from a full mouth impression. Custom fit guards offer the greatest protection to teeth and jaw, are without question the most comfortable to wear, can accommodate braces and do not interfere with breathing or speaking. They are also the most durable of the three classes of guards.

At our Weston dental practice we offer a full line of family dental services including custom sports guards for kids and adults. If you or your children can use a sports guard to better protect your mouth give us a call today and set up an appointment.

Dental Insurance Weston Dentist | Dental Practice in Weston

What You Need to Know About Dental Insurance to Start the New Year From Weston First Dentist 

It's the start of a new year and Dr. Stephen J. Pyle DDS, the first dentist to establish a dental practice in Weston, suggests that now is a good time to review your dental insurance plan. Dental insurance policies come with a benefit period (usually January through December) that defines the benefits that can be paid during a 12-month period.

Typically dental plans offer generous benefits for 2 preventive dental visits each year covering 80% to 100% of the cost. Preventive visits include regular exams, cleanings, sealants and x-rays. The insurance companies are no fools. They know that regular dental exams prevent more costly procedures like fillings, root canals, extractions and implants. The more healthy their insureds are the less thy have to pay out.

The truth of the matter is your annual dental insurance premium is significantly greater than the cost of 2 routine dental exams. You stay healthy and they make money. They make even more money if you miss one of those dental exams during the 12-month benefit period.

When your oral health requires more advanced treatment don't be surprised when your dental insurance only picks up 50% to 80%. They are generous with their preventive benefits but not so much when it comes to advanced care.

Reviewing Your Dental Insurance Plan Now Minimizes Surprises in the Future

Let's make this year the year you maximize the benefit of the premium dollars you invest. Planning for those things that can be planned for will help manage your household cash flow. Here's where you need to start:

• Understand your dental insurance policy. Take the time to learn the ends and outs of your policy including maximum benefit for 12 months, coinsurance rates for different classes of service, and any limitations on your choice of dentist and claims procedures.
• Budget for medical expenses. If your employer has a Cafeteria Plan (and most do) you can reduce your taxable income and save on employment taxes by having your employer withhold a budgeted amount each paycheck to place in your "cafeteria account." These funds can be used to reimburse you for almost any medical expense (excluding over the counter drugs) you incur during the year. Braces for the kids or Lasik eye surgery are popular "cafeteria" projects. Just make certain that you use your account up within the benefit period otherwise you lose any remaining balance.
• Plan now for dental exams. It is not too early to flag a date for each person in the family to get their preventive exams. Your dentist may or may not accept appointments that far in the future but the important thing are you have a reminder set to ensure everyone gets their exams. Keep in mind that the "busy season" for most dental offices is October through January as patients try to meet their benefit period requirements.

Like health insurance, dental insurance can be confusing to understand unless you work with it every day. If you are a patient of Dr. Pyle's feel free to call the office and we will be happy to answer your questions.

The Advantages of Implants Explained by Weston’s First Dentist

The Advantages of Implants Explained by Weston’s First Dentist

If you find yourself in need of replacement teeth you'll want to understand your treatment options before making a decision. While implants are not "new" to dentistry it has been our experience that patients know far less about them than they do about bridges and dentures even though implants are often a superior option.

To help you with your decision we have put together a short list of the advantages of dental implants:

• Preserves natural bone. When teeth go missing there is a chance that the jawbone will deteriorate somewhat. When the jawbone is not being used to anchor teeth it can lose some of its strength and firmness. An implant actually stimulates the jawbone and encourages the growth of new bone.
• Easy and natural care. You care for implants the same way you care for your natural teeth. They require the same brushing and flossing as their natural enamel neighbors. Bridges and dentures have to be removed, brushed, and soaked overnight to retain their shape and color.
• Complete self-confidence. Because implants look exactly like natural teeth and are firmly attached to bone you can smile, speak, enjoy your favorite foods, sing and kiss without fear of embarrassment. The change in the quality of life once implants are in place is absolutely amazing.
• Most natural like replacement. Because these teeth are implanted into bone they are far more stable than other options and strongly mimic natural teeth. An implant looks, feels, fits and performs just like the other teeth in your mouth. Bridges that are anchored by other teeth don't provide the stability of an implant and can shift or even come out while eating, laughing or even sneezing.
• Most durable option. Implants, if properly cared for, will last a lifetime. Good quality bridges and dentures will last between 7 and 10 years before they have to be replaced.

If you would like to learn more about dental implants, call our Weston dental office today and make an appointment with Dr. Pyle. You'll be happy you did.

Weston’s First Family Dentist Explains the Importance of Back To School Check-ups

The Importance of Back To School Check-ups From Weston’s First Family Dentist

Guess who's going back to school in a couple of weeks?

Can you recall your dental health experiences from back in grade school? Can you remember a time when you had a cavity that hurt so bad you couldn't keep your mind on the class? You didn't want to tell your parents because that meant a trip to the dentist and in your 8 year old mind that was the same as a trip to a torture chamber.

Family dentist Stephen J. Pyle, "Weston's first dentist" wants to remind you that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 19% of kids age 3 to 12 have undiagnosed tooth decay.

Child dentistry has changed significantly since you carried a lunchbox to school. Today's technology and techniques are far more comfortable and the preventive care methods can make cavities a rare event. If you want to prevent your child from reliving your experience, we suggest you do the following:

• If your child is going to participate in any contact sports, this may be the time to have him or her fitted with a custom sports guard. Even if all their permanent teeth have not come in, a sports guard will protect their gums and the permanent teeth that have arrived.
• Some small children will benefit with time spent with Dr. Pyle educating them about oral health in a language and method that kids understand.
• Begin a tradition in your family and schedule your children for a back to school dental exam at our Weston dental office to deal with any issues before they head off to class.
• Our dental exam will seem like something out of Star Trek compared to your experience in grade school. We use digital x-rays, advanced sealants, Carifree cavity prevention and provide orthodontic evaluations.

Pick up the phone now and make an appointment at our Weston dental practice for your kids' back to school dental exam. Believe it or not, at some point in their lives your kids will thank you.

Weston’s First Dentist Offers Tips on How To Choose a Sports Guard

Weston’s First Dentist Offers Tips on How To Choose a Sports Guard

The purpose of the sports guard is to provide a level of protection for both teeth and gum in the event the mouth is struck. Use of a properly fitted sports guard can protect against teeth being misaligned, chipped, pulled out or forced down into the gum. Obviously when there is trauma to the teeth the gum will also be affected.

Obvious examples of where sports guards should be used are the contact sports like football, hockey, basketball and soccer but your mouth and teeth are still at risk with non-contact activities like skate boarding, roller skating and horseback riding. Wherever there is a possibility of a fall there is a possibility of damaging your mouth.

Types and Characteristics of Sports Guards

Ideally a sports guard should fit your mouth, not interfere with breathing and not interfere with speaking. Basically there are three types of guards available:

1. Boil and Bite. These guards are boiled in water to make the material malleable.  The user then bites down on the guard to give it some measure of customization.  These guards are also widely available at sporting goods stores and department stores. They offer better fit and protection than stock guards but can impair breathing. They also have a shorter service life than a stock guard.
2. Custom Fit. These guards are fabricated by your dentist from a full mouth impression. Custom fit guards offer the greatest protection to teeth and jaw, are without question the most comfortable to wear, can accommodate braces and do not interfere with breathing or speaking. They are also the most durable of the three classes of guards.
3. Stock sports guards. These are the least expensive of the guards and are widely available in sporting goods shops and big box stores. They are basically curved troughs made of plastic and are commonly found attached to "starter" football helmets for kids. They come in small, medium and large and offer no customization. They rarely fit well, can obstruct breathing and fall out when the mouth is opened.

If you or your children can use a sports guard to better protect your mouth give us a call today and set up an appointment. We'll be happy to see you.