Scott Greenhalgh DDS - Cosmetic Dentistry

Friday, March 12, 2010

If you are afraid of the dentist, what helps most?


Statics say that 50% of the population doesn't visit the dentist regularly. That would be like if NO women ever went to the dentist. That's a lot of people. I have found that one of the most profound reasons people don't see the dentist is because they are simply afraid.

It often starts with some crummy childhood dental visit. Something to the effect of he didn't believe me when I said that it hurt. The dentist just ignored them, just kept doing his thing....didn't really have time to be bothered.

It's really sad. I saw at least three new patients this week who hadn't been to the dentist for many years. They took a chance again, that maybe THIS time, the experience would be better, that things would work out (they did great!).

After seeing people with a range of issues from normal nervousness to paralysis, or that they can barely get in through the door of our cosmetic dentist office, to being deeply emotional, to a the cold sweats. I have seen about every severe type of anxiety about visiting the dentist.

So, what helps most? Get a pencil and write this down. LISTENING.

There are some really great advances with sedation and sleep dentistry. They do have a profound role in helping heal these anxieties, but really, most can be healed with listening.

I have found that by listening for the clues to want went poorly before, strategizing a new way to specifically avoid that problem, and then discussing it together, well, it fixes things a lot.

SO, if you are anxious about care you have put off, first look for a dentist with a track record that listens (see our dentist reviews for examples).

No need to put it off any longer, start the healing today.

It all starts with a simple conversation... so contact us today.

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posted by Dr. Scott at 11:04 PM

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Stem Cells and Cosmetic Dentistry

I am looking forward to attending the seminar tonight entitled; Stem Cells: Emerging medical and dental therapies and the dental profession. I have been interested in the potential of stem cells for years now. In fact a number of years ago Christine Chang of Channel 7 News did a segment featuring our dental office (here's the dental stem cell video).

I am currently working with two different companies (for example, BioEden and StemSave) that help patients collect stem cells from their children and even from wisdom teeth. The thought is to preserve these cells that can have the potential to regrow certain tissues (such as dental enamel). As these sciences develop I think those who save these cells now, will have some huge opportunities to treat some of their own complex medical problems in the future. There is no better tissue match than your own, or your direct family members.

While it's yet to be seen how stem cells will help in cosmetic dentistry, any advances that help people preserve their own teeth, or provide new options to repair them, ultimately leads to a better, healthier smile.

So, I'm sure I'll have some new information for you about advances in dental care and how to use stem cells. It may be possible to collect them from you, your kids or even grandchildren. For now, the first step will be to contact my office so that we can help you collect and preserve these precious cells.

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posted by Dr. Scott at 3:07 PM

Monday, March 8, 2010

Headaches Caused by Dental Issues

Millions of people suffer from frequent, recurring headaches and are unable to find out the real cause. What many don’t realize is that the origin of the problem may be in their teeth. Not many people think of dental issues as the cause of headaches, but actually bruxism (grinding/clenching teeth) and TMD cause far more recurring headaches than most people know.


Bruxism (Grinding/Clenching)


Bruxism is a stress-related condition characterized by grinding and clenching of the teeth while asleep. Many people who have bruxism are not aware of their symptoms until they ask their spouse or partner about it. In addition to directly damaging teeth, which cosmetic dentist Dr. Greenhalgh can fix, bruxism can also cause nasty headaches.


The strain on the nerves and muscles from grinding and clenching all night is also painful, which is the cause of bruxism-related headaches. If you suffer from bruxism or believe your headaches may be the result of nighttime grinding or clenching, schedule a consultation with general, cosmetic, and neuromuscular dentist Dr. Greenhalgh about mouth guards or other medical procedures for bruxism.


TMD/TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder)


A different dental headache culprit is temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD/TMJ). TMD is usually caused by malocclusion, or a misaligned bite. Malocclusion forces the jaw in an uncomfortable resting position that in turn strains and displaces the TMJ joint. The muscles of the jaw are controlled by the trigeminal nerve, which also carries pain signals from all over the head and neck. Thus, strain on the jaw can quickly become an all-over headache.


Dr. Greenhalgh has extensive experience dealing with TMD and TMD-related headaches. The pain can be reduced through neuromuscular dentistry, which tries to achieve a more natural jaw position by relaxing the strained muscles around the TMJ. Cosmetic dentistry works to realign the bite to that the jaw rests comfortably. The first step is figuring out it if TMD is causing your constant headaches by scheduling a consultation with neuromuscular or cosmetic dentist Dr. Greenhalgh.


For more information about how your headaches can be relieved through neuromuscular or cosmetic dentistry in Denver or Lakewood, please contact Scott Greenhalgh, DDS today.

posted by Megan P at 2:11 PM

Dentures, bleeding and muscle weakness



I don't speak a lot about dentures. The reality is that there are a lot of them out there, and that many do not fit well. Many don't look very good either, since I see a lot of patients want to finally have the perfect white straight teeth that they never had naturally. Except...now it just looks UN-natural.

As a cosmetic Dentist in Denver, I have found that there is even an art to making dentures have great smiles. Natural, harmonious, one that just goes with that person's face. I find it usually means bringing in some element from their smile from early in their youth.
I received a notice from a manufacturer of denture adhesive saying that they had stopped the manufacture and distribution of it because of "myeloneuropathy and blood dyscrasias". I don't think either of us wants that. Here's what seems to have happened: there is some zinc in this adhesive, people swallow some of it, over years it causes a copper deficiency, then weak limb and difficulty walking.

Here's why the problem developed: the manufacturer says use a little bit, and only once per day. I suspect that many people use MORE of it and MANY times per day.

The best denture adhesive is a dental implant. Even better, get rid of a standard denture by using "all on four", which means real teeth that don't come out, connected to four dental implants.

The next best denture adhesive is a great fit. Tricky for some people, virtually impossible as decades of tooth loss add up, since the jaws continue to get thinner and thinner as the years go by.

ALL dentures need some regular care and maintenance. ALL dentures need to be relined every three to five years. In that time the jaw shape changes significantly but the shape of the denture does not. Refitting it by relining, is a way to keep a good fit.

Dentures cure unrepairable dental problems or uncontrollable periodontal disease. They are a replacement for NO teeth, but they are not real teeth. In much the same way as a prosthetic leg is not a real leg, but allows someone to be mobile, walk and maybe run. Still not without pain, discomfort and frustration, but still much better than not have a prosthesis.

Dental implants provide a way to overcome this. If you are frustrated with the limitations of your denture or the unnatural look of your denture then contact Denver cosmetic dentist, Dr. Scot Greenhalgh, DDS today!

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posted by Dr. Scott at 10:06 AM

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Why you need a GREAT Dental Examination


I see new patients almost everyday. I see people that are new to Denver, haven't been to the dentist for years, or have had a major disappointment with their old Denver dentist. I would say that 80% of these people hope to have one of those "check-up" examinations that last about 5 minutes like when you have your teeth cleaned. What they seem to want is to run in and run out, and largely get the blessing on their teeth, you know, "I don't have any cavities, right Doc?"

When we see new patients, our examination takes at least an hour. We commonly see people who have had some sort of an issue that still isn't resolved, or some problem that no one else could fix (see my other dental blog about clues, Cosmetic Dentistry and Sherlock Holmes).

Here's part of what is important on that first visit (for more detail see "what to expect on your first visit"). One, the history of what has happened to your teeth (and why it happened) is critical. Why you went or didn't go to the dentist before, along with how you feel about going to the dentist now. These impressions and opinions affect how likely you will be to really take care of your teeth well for the future.

Here's another critical part: your X-rays. One of my pet peeves is when you go for a medical X-ray. No one gives you any information. If you are lucky, maybe they'll let you look at the image, but it's like the whole X-ray department is run by the CIA. No one will tell you anything about what it means or what's on the darn X-ray.

I sit down with our new patients and spend 10 minutes just showing you your X-rays. I know that's sort of controversial stuff. Actually SHOW you what's there, TALK about what it means, and discuss anything important in that whole set (another aside, YES, you really do need those periodic X-rays-they show changes and the things that start as small problems before they start to hurt).

After that we start checking the outside of your face and mouth. Yeah, the OUTSIDE. Things like the TMJ, your facial muscles, and glands. These all are windows to your overall health and how well your jaw joint works (or sticks) and how prone you are to clench or grind your teeth. And how balanced your bite is.

After that THEN we start to look at teeth. It usually takes FORTY minutes before we even start looking at teeth. That's how important all of these other things are. FORTY minutes.

So, this is really just the beginning of a great examination. The point is that we study YOU, we talk about YOU and then tailor the recommendations to YOU. So whether you are looking for a Denver cosmetic dentist or a family dentist in Denver, it all starts with a great exam. Contact us today to see the difference for yourself.

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posted by Dr. Scott at 9:39 AM

Monday, March 1, 2010

How to make your mom have dentures

Recently I was finishing up some crown work for my mom. She's a great patient; she worries about if she is sitting still enough, and making my work easy enough for me. She's happy that my dental office has a fish tank-somehow every dentist should. Last week, I finished a new crown for her. As I sat her up and we were chatting at the end of her appointment, it dawned on me...

A little background though. When I was in high school, I was decent at math. Somehow in the grand sorting out process, my mom was convinced that I should become an accountant. For years, she was convinced that this would be a good field for me (and I suppose, that I would be good at it). As the years go by, I do enjoy some good number crunching, and you can make some pretty cool things in Excel, but somehow I was never really drawn that direction. In fact, when I had the letter of acceptance from my dental school, even then, she still thought I should be an accountant. I think even at my graduation from dental school and actually becoming a dentist, she still thought that maybe this dental fad would pass, and that one day I would still be an accountant.

So, now we return to my dental office. As I sat her up finishing that crown appointment, I reviewed in my mind the dental work I had done for her over the years. She had told me that her mom had dentures from a fairly early age. She thought that she would probably have dentures one day, and that that would be no big deal. In fact every time I planned or brought her in for any sort of major dental work, she would say to me, "why don't we just pull them out and you can give me dentures?"

It dawned on me...If I had become an accountant my mom would have dentures!

We actually had a laugh about this. If I had gone down this different career path she would have had a different dentist, she would have been convinced that dentures would be OK, and then just have started losing teeth.

As I have practiced as a Denver dentist for almost 22 years now, I have seen that dentures are rarely the solution. Most people have no idea of how miserable a mouthful of plastic teeth can really be (that's part of why dental implants give amazing results for people). I'm really glad my mom still has all of her own teeth!


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posted by Dr. Scott at 2:05 PM

Thursday, February 11, 2010

What's New? (dental implants)


What's new right now? EVERYTHING! There really is a lot happening in modern dentistry right now. Dental implant technology is exploding and becoming more and more commonplace. Many people have either had dental implants or know someone who has. We will keep seeing advancements that make it easier and easier to have dental implants (see our short dental implant video). Once of the best innovations recently has been the process called "All on four".

Four implants are used to replace all of the teeth on one jaw. They can be done rapidly and in some circumstances, patients can have their new implant teeth or bridge the same day. In the past it often required six to eight implants, possibly sinus surgery or sinus bone grafting, then wait six to twelve months, then wait another two to three months to make the new teeth.

We can look forward to more and more advancements like this, ones that make lessen the complexity, lessen the amount of surgery necessary and shorten the time that it takes until you receive your final teeth. And now more than ever before, we have great cosmetic dentistry to connect to those implants, making them not only work well, but look better than ever! Contact us today to learn more about how implants can fit your lifestyle. we are happy to offer dental implant dentistry in Denver.

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posted by Dr. Scott at 10:06 PM

3190 South Wadsworth Blvd., Suite 300 | Lakewood, CO 80227

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