The Sourire Experience

Introducing the Sourire Experience
Over the years I have always tried to make the dental visit just a bit better than most people expect from their trip to the dentist. We've done many things at our office to change the perception of dental treatment including the creation of our dental spa concept where the office looks and feels more like a spa than an office, patients can have warm paraffin hand massage, eye and neck pillows, massage dental chairs, acoustic headphones and much much more.We now have added to that mix the Sourire Experience. This revolutionary new concept includes the use of specially designed cosmetics, stress management techniques and more to create a dental visit that just doesn't feel like your Mommy's dental visit. Starting 15 minutes prior to treatment, the patient is provided the opportunity to sit in a darkened room with unique fragrances from Vegan candles, listen to specially prepared Meditation CDs and Biofeedback technology. They can also have wonderful smelling cosmetics applied to erase some of the wear and tear of the daily grind at the same time. This experience continues into the treatment stage where the patient can continue to listen to specially prepared music selections to continue the relaxation, have additional cosmetics applied to erase some of those small wrinkles around the mouth and eyes or possibly a facial mask to soothe the skin. At the end of treatment patients can even have a Cosmetic Lip Expander placed to increase the size and shape of their lips. Finish with soothing music and the stresses and anxieties of the dental visit just vanish.All of this is provided complimentary and is designed to reduce the stresses and anxieties so often attributed to the dental visit.

Mini Dental Implants Make A Patient Very Happy

An elderly patient suffering with a denture for over a year is now happy as can be with her new mini implant supported denture. In just 1 1/2 hours she went from a loose, unmanageable upper denture to an implant supported denture using her exising denture in order to avoid any additional cost. The patient left the office with only Motrin in hand.

Dr. Ganz is The Progressive Dentist on WNYH 740 AM

On Monday mornings from 10:30 - 11:00 AM Dr. Ganz interviews a wide range of professionals discussing a diverse variety of topics including Orthdontics, Eating Disorders and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. These interviews are available for your listening pleasure at http://www.ganzdental.com/theprogressivedentist.htm. If you have any questions you can also find additional information at http://www.theprogressivedentist.com/

Stayed tuned and listen often to The Progressive Dentist where we will discuss other topics that may be of interest to you or your family. We also make sure to talk a bit about other Progressive issues such as politics, technology and health in general.

Feel free to make suggestions for future shows or to ask questions of our guests. You can do this by going to our website at http://www.theprogressivedentist.com and clicking on the links on the left side of the page.

Dental Spa Introduces Mini-Implants

Immediate Dental Implants

That’s right! For those patients currently wearing upper or lower dentures and want an immediate increase in retention and stability, we can now place dental implants in our office and during that very same visit increase the chew-ability of your current or new denture.
The process is relatively simple. During your first visit we take simple impressions of your jaw(s) and a panoramic x-ray. This data is sent to a special dental laboratory for the fabrication of an Implant Stent to guide in implant placement.

On your second visit, we place the implants and the retentive devices into your current or new dentures. Typically there is no significant surgery, no sutures and no post-operative discomfort. Simple over the counter analgesics are normally all that is necessary. You are chewing and eating the very same day! Quite amazing! Call us TODAY for more information!

You can find more information at http://www.ganzdental.com/miniimplants.htm.

The Progressive Dentist on WNYH 740 AM Radio

Well, we've finally accomplished one of our long term goals, getting our own radio show. Starting Monday, Oct 15 we will be on air at 740 AM in NY at 10:30 AM in the morning. Our show will air every Monday morning and will cover a wide range of topics involving oral health but will also get into other areas such as politics, hence the name The Progressive Dentist. We will be interviewing on air dentists, politicians and possibly even my mother. You can check our website at http://www.theprogressivedentist.com for updates and interviews. You can also ask questions which will be answered whenever possible on air. If we don't get to your question, we will respond via email.

You can also take a look at our Pet Peeves page where you can vent your frustrations about just about anything. We will select the best entries and present them on air as well.

Dental Implants Your Way

I get the same question just about every day. Do dental implants really work? Well, the answer is a resounding YES!

With proper diagnosis and treatment planning dental implants in the right patient can provide a real alternative to either bridges or even removable prostheses. Dental implants can be used to replace one or more lost teeth in a wide variety of ways.

Dental implants, as they are currently placed, have been done now for over twenty years with outstanding success rates in the correct hands. Every system can be abused and horror stories abound about nightmares faced by dental implant patients. For the most part, these types of stories are probably related to poor diagnostic and clinical skills on the part of the dentist or an unhealthy patient. When placed by a skilled dentist in a healthy patient, dental implants are highly successful and can provide years of support for a healthy dentition.

Change Your Smile, Change Your Life

As almost every dentist can tell you, there are times when just changing a patient's smile, can truly make an amazing change in their lives. During my thirty years of practice I have seen patients go from introvert to extrovert; I've seen others who were depressed and just generally unhappy become alive.

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a dentist is the change you can make in someone's life in just a matter of a few dental visits. It is common knowledge that one of the first things you notice when first meeting someone is their smile. You make instantaneous judgments based upon that smile and in just the first few seconds, you determine if that person is someone you want to get to know better or if that person is just not for you.

We've hear numerous times how a new smile has affected job placement, personal relationships and even marriage. Dentistry has progressed so far over the past several years in its ability to help people live the lives they want and deserve unhampered by a smile they are ashamed of. Remember, you can change your life by changing your smile. The first step is to ask your dentist what they can do to help.

Show a Little Respect

No Shows and Last Minute Cancellations are just disrespectful. Now, as a practicing dentist, a parent and a member of this planet, I too have last minute problems that arise unexpectedly. Not is not the issue. What is at issue is the constant lack of respect displayed by many patients towards their health care providers. I include in this list physicians, dentists, chiropractors etc. Patients need to understand that all we have is our time. If you are going to cancel an appointment, we need to know with enough time to rearrange schedules. Once is OK, twice is maybe a problem but more than that is just plain disrespectful.

If you really don't plan on keeping an appointment, I would suggest you don't make it. Scheduling an appointment with your health care provider is not an arbitrary task. We organize our days based upon the appointments needed by our patients, last minute cancellations or no shows can ruin our day and also place an obstacle in our helping those patients that might truly want and need that appointment.

So, I plead with all of you out there who are about to schedule an appointment with your physician, dentists or other health care provider. Please make every attempt to keep that appointment. If you can't make it, call way in advance. If this is the first time, no problem. If this is becoming a habit, get counseling to help with your habit and stop wasting the time of someone who is there to help you.

It's All In a Smile

Most researchers agree that facial expressions, such as smiling, are innate, not just something babies learn to do by watching the people around them. That's why athletes that are sightless still smile when they win a race or succeed at some other type of athletic endeavor. It's also the reason why we instinctively smile when someone smiles at us.

Evidence also suggests that people who smile also tend to be happier and more successful in life than those that don't. The smile, as one researcher puts it, is "our most important symbol of cooperation." Using Facial Action Coding (FACS) researchers have been able to catalogue more than 3,000 meaningful facial expressions. One of these, the Ducheene smile where the cheek muscles lift the corners of the mouth and the muscles around the eyes contract, causing a crow's feet wrinkling, often with then outer corners of the eyebrows drawing down, has come to be regarded as the one smile that reveals genuine happiness.

In studies of happily married couples (whatever that may be) when they greeted each other at the end oft he day they tended to show Ducheene type smiles. Unhappily married couples just didn't! Now don't start looking at each other too closely but a smile of contempt, according to these very same researchers, with one corner of the mouth lifting higher than the other, reliably predicted divorce.

The powerful need for a smile has become increasingly more important with our reliance on email, teleconferencing and other substitutes for face to face meetings. We even use such symbols as :) to express a smile in emails and :( to show our dismay. Software manufacturers have decided to help us with this issue by developing avatars, digital stand-ins, that are capable of expressing programmable emotions.

Well, the moral of the story seems to be that a smile really matters. It can make you feel better and make other feel better as well. For over thiry years we havehelped many patients regain the smiles they had during their youth, lost due to accidents or even loss of teeth. If you've lost your smile give us a call. We're here to help!

Excerpts from The Smithsonian Magazine August 2007

Going From Good to Great

What makes one dental practice just "good" and another practice "great". What was a great dental office 10 years ago may just be a good office today. Times change and our patients wants and needs change with them. What dentists need to do is rethink what dental practice is truly about and make the necessary changes so that they can provide what patients will perceive as "great" service. Patients experience "great service" at their local car dealer and hair salon. In this new era of dentistry just giving out a bag containing a toothbrush and floss may just not be enough to create the kind of experience that will create what has been called in the past, "dental missionaries".

This may be far more than just adding a new laser to the office equipment list or providing cookies and cake in the reception area. It may require a total review of how we provide dental service in this era of medical confusion. It may require a rethinking of traditional methods to provide patients with a new dental experience totally.

The Dental Spa in Garden City Understands Patient Communication

DentiGram is a new software program being used by The Dental Spa at Garden City to communicate frequently with patients about information concerning their dental health. Most of our patients prefer to be contacted via email rather than being bothered by telephone calls that very often need to be returned anyway.

They appreciate their email appointment reminders, birthday cards and our monthly newsletter which is chock full of dentally related information. Patients can also request appointments via this format and can also forward our newsletter to their family and friends if they feel that the material might be of benefit to them.

Dentigram has proved to be a very valuable tool in allowing us to keep in touch with a very mobile and busy patient population.

More About my Presidency

Well, I still have not decided what to do but one thing is for sure, nobody else in the field has any idea what they are doing as well. So I guess I'm in good company.

Before I make my decision to make a decision about thinking about running for the presidency, I am going to have my son-in-law, Ari, an eminent Orthopedist, check to make sure I have a spine. I am also going to challenge all of my competition to do the same. I wonder if there is a condition unknown to medical science that occurs in politicians where they start out with a spinal cord but with time, it just deteriorates.

How can these guys and ladies stand in front of any audience and spout the political nonsense each and every day and still be able to stand upright. They just don't get it. Speak your mind and your heart and then let the chips fall where they may. Wouldn't that be refreshing.

I promise if I run, and right now I am only thinking about deciding to run, I will always speak my mind and not the mind of politics.

Gaggers - Help Is On The Way

One of the most dreaded experiences a gagger can have is dental impressions.

There are many patients out there that find impressions or even x-rays and an exam a horrible experience. Just putting anything foreign in their mouth initiates an immediate gag response; something totally out of their control.

Very often, this gag reflex, and the fear of it, keeps patients from receiving all of the dental care they want and need. Well, we can help. There are several techniques that can be used to assist even the most severe gagger in accomplishing their dental goals.

Today we treated our good friend and patient, Ed. Ed is a terrible gagger. Just mention impressions while he is in the elevator and the gagging begins. Our goal today was to get impressions of implants in his upper jaw. We had no choice; either get impressions or the implants were done for naught.

Using topical anesthetic on his palate prior to taking the impression, Nitrous Oxide to help control his gagging and hypnotism techniques (not really putting him into a trance of any kind but rather using a monotone voice with consistent instruction) helped get Ed through impressions without so much as a moan. Truly a terrific experience for all concerned.

If you too are a gagger, ask your dentist to work with you and you too can have the dentistry you want and probably need.

What Are My Choices If I Don't Want a Crown?

Some patients just don't want crowns. They or someone they know may have had a bad experience or the may just not want to reduce their entire tooth to receive a crown. This is totally understandable. The good news is that there are very often alternatives to full crowns. These choices may include one type of inlay or onlay.

Inlays (or onlays) are basically laboratory fabricated restorations made of porcelain or a very hard resin, that can be used to replace missing tooth structure while saving as much of the natural tooth as possible. Onlays usually replace the cusps of teeth while inlays lie within the center of the tooth. For the most part, inlays and onlays for the lay person are basically the same.

These restorations are tooth colored and are typically bonded to the tooth restoring it back to normal function while at the same time strengthening it as well.

Years ago, and still being done today, many teeth were restored with gold inlays or onlays. These restorations, although done less and less, are excellent but have the cosmetic issues of gold metal display.

Inlays and onlays, where possible are great ways to restore teeth. The choice is up to your dentist as to whether inlays and/or onlays will be appropriate.

Don't Take It Personally But I Hate Dentists

Every dentist has heard these words...probably often. The reality is that most patients really don't hate dentists, they hate the inconvenience, discomfort and fears associated with the dental office. As a dentist, I can tell you I hate the medical doctor. Well, not really my physician but going there, having things done to me and not knowing what will occur just drives me nuts.

We, as dentists, can do a great deal to make this type of patient a better patient in the future. By using care and concern rather than drill and fill, we can provide a dental experience that makes a change in the patient's life that is far more important than replacing an old amalgam filling. By creating a better, less fearful patient we can provide that patient with a life long change that will make them healthier and happier.

Just think of the patients that have stayed away from the dental office because of the fears mentioned above that now have significant dental disabilities. People who have lost teeth, are in pain or can't face others because of a dentition that they are ashamed of. If we can make the dental experience more enjoyable by providing a wide variety of patient oriented services, listen to the patient's concerns and address their needs we can move a patient from "I hate all dentists" to " I just love going to the dentist". Well, maybe a dream but we can all hope.

I Just Hate Silver Fillings

It was kind of amazing to me when a patient asked the other day if there was an alternative to silver fillings. In reality, we haven't placed an amalgam (silver filling) in over ten years. White composite fillings are nicer to look at and have many advantages over the older silver fillings. There is no need to remove silver fillings unless they are inadequate or present a cosmetic issue that is important to the patient. The concerns some people have about the mercury contained within amalgam fillings has been proven to be of no real concern.

Most of the time we remove old silver fillings it is because they have outlived their usefulness and replacing them with white, composite fillings or porcelain restorations looks and feels better.

What is the Difference between a Crown and a Cap

Well, in reality, there is no difference. Patients have been asking this question for as long as I have been in practice and it just happened again. Over the years dentists have been using these two terms, caps and crowns, synonymously. At one time a cap was a term used just for front teeth to denote usually an all porcelain restoration. At the present time there is no real difference between the two terms.

A cap or crown is a full tooth covering. It is usually used when there is not enough tooth structure left to place either a filling (silver or tooth colored composite) or an inlay (a porcelain or similar material restoration made at the laboratory). A crown (cap) can be made of all metal, metal covered by porcelain, all porcelain or out of one of a number of new porcelain type materials such as Procera or Empress. In all cases, crowns (caps) cover the entire tooth and need to be either cemented or bonded in place.

Hope this helps to resolve the confusion.

The Tooth Fairy and Stem Cells Have Something In Common

I just read a very interesting article that may be of interest to many of you. Here it is:

"Baby and wisdom teeth, along with jawbone and periodontal ligament, are noncontroversial sources of stem cells that could be "banked" for future health needs, according to a National Institutes of Health researcher who spoke today at the American Dental Association’s national media conference.
Harvested from the pulp layer inside the teeth, jawbone and periodontal ligament, these stem cells may one day correct periodontal defects and cleft palate, and may help restore nerve cells lost in diseases such as Parkinson’s, according to Pamela Gehron Robey, Ph.D., Chief, Craniofacial and Skeletal Diseases Branch, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
The stem cells have the potential to save injured teeth and grow jawbone. Regenerating an entire tooth is on the horizon, and years from now, Dr. Robey said stem cells from teeth and jawbone might be used to correct cleft palate, one of the most common birth defects, sparing children multiple surgeries."

We now have the ability to actually salvage naturally lost baby teeth and save them for use in ways we currently cannot fathom. A company called BioEden has a protocol that can be used in the dental office for banking your child's baby teeth. If interested please give us a call.

It's All About Timing

I've just been listening to some real good information presented by Dr. Paul Homoly. He suggests, and I totally agree, that dentists need to think more about the lifestyles of our patients and a bit less about "drilling and filling". Dentistry is mostly elective. Now I understand that there are many situations where in the case of pain and infection that elective may be not quite accurate. But, if we take this to the nth degree, we really don't need teeth at all to function. Lots of people out there have no teeth, don't or can't wear dentures, and are functioning just fine.

Now that would not be my lifestyle choice but it is reality. Dentistry, especially cosmetics and implant dentistry, is elective. In order for most people to fit this into their complex lives they need to find a way to prioritize it so that there is time and financial resources to make it work. This is no small task.

Helping our patients fit the dentistry they need or want into their lives should be something we truly think about when formulating our treatment plans.

Thanks Dr. Homoly for a great idea.

How Often Do You Need X-rays

One of the things that drives me a bit nuts is the way insurance and toothpaste companies have been allowed to dictate dental treatment. We see the dentist twice a year because way back when one of the toothpaste manufacturers used that as a tag line in their marketing campaigns. We take x-rays (full mouth x-rays) maybe once every three years because an insurance company has decided to pay for them in that manner.

This is totally crazy. When it comes to deciding how often you, as a patient, need to see your dentist, it should be the dentists decision in line with your best interest. How often do you need x-rays? Well, once again that is a treatment decision best left to your dentist and not to some insurance clerk.

The higher your dental disease index (how really bad your teeth may be) the more often you need to see your dentist and probably the more often you will need x-rays to check for decay, infections and the like. This makes a bit more sense than allowing non-professionals to dictate dental treatment.

Just the thought for the day....

More on My Presidential Platform

More on my platform:

4. Taxes - No more new taxes. Well, if that sounds familiar it should. It has been the rhetoric we have heard year after year but somehow I just don't have more money to spend even with "no more taxes. Our taxes should be spent on projects that move our country forward. This money should not be politically spent but rather put where it needs to be and taken away from where it is doing no good. Pork barrel legislation, ear marks etc. must become a thing of the past. Congress has wasted the last dollar of our money should I decide to decide to run possibly, maybe for the Presidency.

Since I will not be beholding to anyone I will make sure that these goof balls in Congress stop playing games with our money as if it was found in a Monopoly box. If I am going to struggle to pay my bills on time, so should the government. If I can't buy something because I don't have the money, neither should these guys we voted into office. One of the questions we should ask someone running for Congress, or any other elected office, is are they running their household on a negative budget. If the answer is yes, they don't get my vote. If they can't balance their household budget, how can they balance the budget of the U.S.?

I also think it is totally unreasonable to tax Estate taxes a second time. If this money was taxed during the individual's lifetime, then why should it be taxed upon their death just to add some money to the government's coffers. This is crazy. If someone can give me another reason to double tax this money, I'm willing to listen. Otherwise no more Estate Tax.

Now there is something else you need to understand before voting for me, should I decide to decide to think about possibly running for President. I am neither a Republican, a Democrat or an Independent. I believe in certain Liberal policies and on the other hand, I believe in some of Conservative ideas as well. I guess I am a political mutt....

5. Abortion - When men can have babies, I'll let them decide who or who cannot have an abortion. How can these clowns in Congress decide whether a woman can or cannot have an abortion. This should and must stay a woman's right to choose.

Summertime – A Great Time for Dentistry

OK. Summertime, to be totally honest, is probably an even better time for vacations, boating and barbeques but even with all of these terrific events, the summer months are also a great time to take care of some of those forgotten dental issues.

During the winter, even in some of our more temperate climates, most people are involved in other, sometimes more pressing, matters such as getting the kids to and from school, soccer and after school activities etc. In some of the areas of the country getting to and from the dental office can be a real challenge because of weather such as snow storms and chilling cold.

The summer provides a great opportunity to take care of some of those dental problems that had to be stalled during the winter. Kids are in camp and parents have some free time to take care of themselves. Now is a great time to not only correct problems that affect your dental health such as fixing broken teeth, periodontal issues and the like but also a great time to just make yourself feel better by allowing time to create the smile you have always wanted.

Just imagine how great you can look with a summer tan and a whiter, brighter smile. Tooth whitening takes only an hour or so in the office and can make a summer smile really shine. Cosmetic veneers and other forms of esthetic dentistry, also taking only a few visits, can make the summer something to really smile about and also take you into the winter looking and feeling great.

Take a moment to give our office a call today and we will be happy to schedule some time to talk about your new summer smile. We promise not to interfere with your barbeques and trips to the beach.

Ganz Presidency - Platform Continues

Yesterday I announced my decision to think about deciding to run for President. (I already sound like a politician). As I stated in yesterday's blog I think anyone reading this should have some idea where I stand on the issues (now I don't sound like a politician. They never take a stand on anything except possibly on trying to keep their jobs.)

3. Healthcare - Now I have to disclose that there are lots of medical/dental people in my life and therefore I am totally biased in my opinion on healthcare. (Now isn't that refreshing, someone admitting they are actually biased) I really believe that our medical professionals are underpaid. If we can pay football and basketball players ridiculous salaries because they can try to hit a ball or sink a basket (understand that I used the word "try") then shouldn't we be paying our medical life savers the same millions to take care of our health and the health of our children? Shouldn't we make sure that our hospitals are the best they can be and are always available for us when we need medical care? Shouldn't medical care be available to everyone, everywhere and at anytime. Well, someone has to pay for this and I guess it's us. If I have to raise taxes to do this, I will. (Kind of crazy I know, raising taxes but someone will figure out how to avoid these taxes anyway so it's really no big deal.) Universal health care is a right not a privilege. If we can find money for all of the other nonsense that becomes part of the federal budget, then certainly we can find the money to pay for the lives of the people that make up our country.

We should make sure that there is oversight of the insurance industry so that profits are reasonable and the return on their investor's money is reasonable as well. There should be no windfall for these companies at the expense of our health. Spending $20,000 per year for a family of 3 for health insurance is nuts.

Our pharmaceutical industry also needs help. Not with making money, they do real well with that. Too well. What they need is for us to invest in new drugs and keep old drugs cheap enough for everyone to what they need when they need it. If this costs money, so be it. What better way to spend our tax dollars then on healthcare? If we get out of Iraq, stop waste in government, stop pork barrel legislation, shrink the government (how many attorneys do you really need in the justice department? Nobody is really doing anything I can see other than watching each others back so they don't get caught themselves in something illegal), allow imports from countries like Canada where we are probably getting most of our drugs anyway, allow competitive bidding by all agencies etc. we can pay for this and have money left over for lunch.

When it comes to healthcare we need to stop thinking politically and start thinking personally. It's amazing to me that we want to limit the amount of money a physician can make (everyone thinks they are so rich) until their own life is on the line, then of course the doctor and hospital are Gods. This is crazy. Unless those NBA ballplayers have someway to save my life, let's get our priorities straight. A great example of taking from the rich and giving to the poor. Think of the as the Robin Hood Healthcare Program. (RHHP - government loves acronyms)

Research - Another area where sanity needs to take hold. Stop cancer, provide funds for Stem cell research and let's get our population healthy. We've sent men to the moon, created IPods but we can't find a cure for cancer. We throw embryos in the garbage instead of using them for valid research because some nut thinks we one way of killing embryos is better than another. Let's try to make these nuts understand that using unwanted embryos for research with the possibility of saving lives is far better that having them taken away by our waste disposal personnel (aka Garbage men).

When I'm President you can be sure that healthcare will be my major priority. Afterall, I have my physician kids to think of....just like a politician.

Cary H. Ganz DDS for President

Sounds crazy I know but after watching the democratic and republican debates I just have to run. These yahoos just have no idea what they are doing. One is more scary than the next. There is no common sense, no honesty of purpose and no thought whatsoever to their constituents. They are purely political animals attempting to survive. In doing so, they look like buffoons and to some extent, lunatics. Creationism versus evolution. Give me a break.

OK. Since there may be one or two people reading this blog I need to give you my platform. So here it goes:

1. Iraq - We get out immediately. No nonsense. No fuss no muss. If the Iraqis want to continue killing each other who are we to stop them. In our civil war we killed each other until a time came when killing just wasn't fun anymore so we stopped and a country was formed. Let's give Iraq the same chance. Now some will say, what about the oil. Now there is the crux of the matter. Oil ! The U.S. is great at forming companies. Let's form a company where the U.S. manages the oil production, maintains our supply line until we can devoid ourselves of the need for fossil fuel, divides the profits up into three portions. One portion each for the three states to be formed; Shia, Sunni and Kurd. The monies from the oil can only be used for infrastructure and to support the governments. The distribution is based upon population size. More later on how the government of Iraq will be constituted but for now it will be formed in a manner similar to our government with representation based upon population in the three separate states.
2. Immigration - This one is easy. If someone is here, for the time being even illegally, but have learned our language, have stayed out of jail, paid their taxes (how they do that and be illegal is still totally mind boggling to me. We allow illegal aliens to pay taxes?), have a job and raised a family then they can stay. They have to become citizens, register to vote etc. All others go home. Then we spend whatever is necessary (money will be available since the war is over) to tighten the borders etc. The idea that we are going to create another state of slavery is just unacceptable. If we need to raise the price of goods then so be it. Slavery was abolished years ago and should not be brought back just to assist landscapers and pizza parlors in obtaining cheap help.

More to come...stay tuned.

It's Not Only About Teeth

When deciding what to do to improve your smile there is something more to look at then teeth. Make sure to have your dentist evaluate your gum tissue during smiling. Mother Nature and most viewers, want to see a geometric, even flow of gum tissue when viewing someone's smile. This means that the gum tissue that is in view during your broadest smile should be even throughout your mouth. The image to the left is a good example of uneven gingival (gum) architecture. Your eye is just drawn to the disparity in the heights of teeth etc.

There should be a symmetry between the length of the teeth and the height of the gum tissue. The gum tissue should not be higher on some teeth and then lower on other teeth. This tends to draw too much attention to one area of the mouth and can detract from a beautiful smile. A simple periodontal procedure, crown lengthening, can correct this problem by recontouring your gum tissue. If longer teeth are a prerequisite to a more natural smile, this should be done prior to having any cosmetic dental procedures such as veneers or porcelain crowns.

A beautiful smile is, as you can see, much more than just teeth.

No Prep vs Traditional Veneers

There has been a lot of discussion in my office over the last couple of months thanks to advertising by the company marketing Lumineers. Today there are a variety of laboratories providing no or little prep veneers. Lumineers is a brand name for just one of these laboratories.

This increases awareness has been both good and bad for dentistry. The good part is the interest it is creating in patients who may have thought that there was no way to fix their smiles without extensive drilling. The bad part has been the confusion it has created in the marketplace. Let's try to fix that by explaining the difference between traditional veneers and the new no or little prep veneers.

No or little prep veneers, are basically used in certain circumstances where little or no preparation of the teeth are required in order to accomplish the patient's goals. They cannot be used in every case especially those where the teeth are exceptionally crooked and may require a great deal of preparation in order to realign the teeth into a more natural look. Additionally, in certain patients with severely stained teeth, such a tetracycline staining, No Prep veneers may just not be the correct treatment option. In order to make major color changes in these types of cases sometimes these no prep veneers may become very opaque looking and lose their natural appearance.

Additionally, it is important to understand that when Lumineers, or no-prep veneers are used, the teeth by necessity will be thicker. Normally this is not a problem but the patient should be aware of this before treatment is begun.

The benefits of no or little prep veneers are 1) as the name implies there is little if any preparation of the teeth, 2) no temporaries are needed and 3) very often no anesthesia is required. For many patients these benefits outweigh the disadvantage of a bit thicker veneers.

It is important to understand that both treatment options, prep and no prep veneers, are just tools in the hands of a dentist. There is no panacea and both treatment options should be evaluated before a final treatment decision is made.

Distinction Magazine | elegant living on long island

This article about the Dental Spa at Garden City appeared in Distinction Magazine in April 2007. It briefly describes what we feel is a new and unique way to provide dental care. The Spa concept in Dentistry was introduced many years ago by us as a means of comforting our patients while we provided the kind of dentistry they wanted and needed. Atmosphere does play a major role in reducing the stresses of dental care and it has always been our goal to treat our patients the same way we would hope to be treated.

Distinction Magazine elegant living on long island

Patients Just Have No Idea

OK. This is frustrating. I have been practicing dentistry for over 30 years and today something happened that just made me stop and think about why I bother to be the best I can be.

A new patient got the name of my laboratory and actually called them, made believe she was a dentist and asked for the lab fee for a specific procedure. She then called me and explained that she was going elsewhere because she felt my profit was too high.

This young lady had no idea what it really costs to practice dentistry. She actually believed that my fee less the lab cost was pure profit. She did not take into account equipment leases and loans, staff salaries, rent, electric and phone, dental supplies, insurance etc. She had no idea that dentistry is really a low profit profession and that most dentists just do OK. No complaints but no millionaires either.

She also had no idea that most dentists do not spend 1/3 of what I do on my lab. This lab, at $350 a unit, is at least two or three times what other dentists pay for what she thought was the same product. This is just nuts.

It's about time that patients understand that not all crowns are the same just because the guy or lady doing it has a dental degree. Not all dentistry is the same and certainly not all dentists are rich beyond imagination. It's about time patients began to appreciate the time and effort some, not all, dentists spend in an effort to be the best they can be in a profession that gets little if any respect. Yes, we know you don't hate us, you just hate dentistry.

But next time try to think a bit about the amount of education, investment, time and sweat that goes into the treatment of even the best of patients (and certainly most patients are not all that great) and give your dentist a break. Evaluate the service and don't think that cheap is just as good. Because I can guarantee you that cheap is never better. Expensive doesn't always buy the best, but certainly the odds are in your favor.

Porcelain Veneers or Lumineers?

Just finished placing 8 Lumineers on a patient that just didn't want her teeth drilled. This is a perfect case for Lumineers, no prep or very little prep veneers.

A veneer is basically a fake porcelain front for a tooth, much like placing fake fingernails on a woman's finger tips. Veneers are made of porcelain and can be used to make changes in the shade of your teeth, chips and cracks, spaces and many other dental issues facing many people who just want a beautiful smile.

Traditional veneers require about .5 mm of tooth reduction. This process is not reversible since tooth structure has been removed. Lumineers, or no/little prep veneers, are more reversible since little or no tooth structure is removed. With these paper thin veneers, tremendous cosmetic changes can be made in just two simple visits with no anesthesia and no temporary veneers to worry about between visits.

The first step in this process is computerized imaging to determine the patient's true cosmetic needs. Next a custom waxup is done to allow the doctor and patient to make any changes they believe necessary prior to the actual fabrication of the veneers. Finally a shade for your new smile is determined.

On your second visit the veneers are bonded to place. With traditional veneers you will need to have temporary veneers placed between visits. With Lumineers, no temporaries are required since no tooth structure is removed.

Depending upon your particular Smile requirements, one or the other of these two processes may be required. The only way to find out is to give us a call at 516 741.1230.

Dental Spa Video Library

For those patients that need a visual reference when educating themselves about their dental problems, we have created a Dental Spa Video Library. This library, developed by OraSphere, can be found at http://ganzdental.dentalpatienteducation.com.

Looking for Pet Peeves

For the past two or more years I have been compiling a list of Pet Peeves, those pesky things that occur daily that just drive us nuts. Things such as slow drivers in the fast lane, deli counter workers who wear just "one" glove and so on. I am hoping to put these Pet Peeves into a book and then have all that contribute to appear as the authors on the cover of the book once it is published.

Anyone interested in providing a Pet Peeve please send them to drg@ganzdental.com. If they are suitable for publishing, you may just see your name listed as an author when this book gets published. The funnier the better....

Free Websites

Had an interesting experience yesterday. I wanted to find a new IP to house my http://www.ganzdental.com/ website. In my search for this new home I found OfficeLive. This is a Microsoft product that will provide a FREE website and FREE URL for anyone interested in creating a new website. Having nothing to do I decided to create http://dentalspagardencity.com/.

Using their online software it took me about two hours to create a five page website. The software is pretty intuitive and caused me only a small bit of frustration. You just have to work through some minor issues and then poof, in twenty four hours your new website is live. Kind of cool...

Getting their AdWords manager to work was a totally different issue. I could not provide a username that satisfied their requirements. I tried everything under the sun with no success. So I gave up for today. I will, however, try again tomorrow and report back if it works.

Anyway, if you want a FREE website give OfficeLive.com a try. You can reach my new site at http://www.dentalspagardencity.com/.

What is a Dental Spa?

Every day we are asked what is The Dental Spa at Garden City. The simple answer is a dental office created with the same concern about customer comfort as other spas. For too long, dental offices were dedicated to providing quality dental care in an environment that sort of suited the doctor and staff. Now, don't get me wrong, that is important but equally or possibly more important is the comfort of the patient.

The Dental Spa at Garden City, the private practice of Cary Ganz DDS, was created many years ago, before it became a buzz word in the profession, to provide our patients with the kind of office they wanted. When you enter our office you find a dedicated reception room with large screen LCD TV, Wireless Hot Spots for Internet Connection with a patient dedicated Tablet Computer. Within our reception room is a Comfort Center with all kinds of fresh coffee and tea as well as our Spa Bakery which has a different fresh baked offering each and every day. Our reception room is also different in that it only has four comfortable chairs. There really is no need for more since we take being on time extremely seriously and also use longer, more structured appointments to insure that patients not only are taken on time but also are completed on time as well.

Moving on into our office you will find the decor to be similar to that you will find in a typical spa. Lots of soft, warm colors fill the hallways with fresh flowers and plants adorning every corner. Aroma therapy is used to mask the unfortunate odors of most dental material.s

Our treatment rooms have personalized TVs, music selections via iTunes and noise reduction headsets. Patients can request their favorite music and we will download it the night before for their listening pleasure. They can also choose to participate in a warm paraffin hand massage, use our eye or neck pillows and specially designed headrests or even our massage chairs.

Every patient leaves with a taste of our daily baked offering and some special gifts in a terrific little carrying case.

Being special has become the signature of our office and we are adding new and exciting ideas daily.

Habeas Corpus - We're Losing Our Constitutional Rights One by One

I just heard something on the radio that blows my mind (pardon the expression). Last year the Republican Congress voted for the Military Authorization bill (the name of the bill may be wrong) that provides for, among other things, the removal of Habeas Corpus for people living in the U.S. but who are not necessarily U.S. citizens as well as allowing this President to allow torture and removes criminal prosecution for those committing torture. This is absolutely nuts.

What is worse is that we hear nothing about this from our new Democratic Congress. They are more concerned about Alberto Gonzales than the Constitution. Now I am all in favor of removing this horrendous AG but let's deal with issues that can possibly destroy our way of life. Invading the Constitution by allowing this military bill to survive paves the way for additional invasion and the possibility of a loss of other freedoms. This has got to stop.

I for one am watching our Democratic leaders (note the lack of a capital L) to see how they respond. If they don't, I plan to leave the Democratic party and start thinking Independent. Now I truly understand that right now I am the only one reading this blog. It feels good though laying this out in writing and placing it on the web for someone else to see. If it affects just one other person and they affect another, then I have done my job.

What's Going on in the Crazy World?

OK. I just had to post some political comments knowing that it might create some comments on both sides. But, what is going on in this crazy world. There is no question that the majority of Americans are in favor of at least shortening thei miserable war, hate the idea of being snooped upon (NSA scandal), don't understand why they need to balance their checkbooks when the government has carte blanche to do with its checkbook as it pleases and the list goes on and on.

When will this stop? When will the politicians that we supposedly elected understand that regardless of which animal they represent (donkey or elephant) that they really represent us, the people that put them into office? When will they understand that we need to be sure that our needs are met before we meet the needs they concock of others?

I am a Democrat. I am a sort of liberal with a slight Conservative slant. But I am on the fringe of leaving the party that I have voted for over the years if they don't have the stomach for a fight. This new funding bill that has absolutely no teeth in it (I had to add a dental metaphor) is, in my mind, a failure on their part to represent the will of their constituents. If they choose to bow to the will of an administration that has failed in everything they have done, then they are no better than the party they replaced. It is about time to stop the insanity and begin the healing. Let's spend the $400 billion on healthcare, a cure for cancer, homes for the displaced in New Orleans etc. When is this going to stop?

Avandia and Possible Increased Risk of Heart Attack

Avandia, a widely used diabetes pill may raise the risk of heart attacks and possibly death, according to a scientific analysis that reveals what some experts are calling another Vioxx-like example of the government failing to protect the public from an unsafe drug.
More than 6 million people worldwide have taken the drug, sold as Avandia and Avandamet, since it came on the market eight years ago to help control blood sugar in people with the most common form of diabetes. About 1 million Americans use it now.

Probably a good idea to speak with your physician regarding possible alternatives should you be taking Avandia to control your Diabetes.

Our Website Has Changed

Thanks to some help from friends in the business we have changed our website to make it load more quickly, be more user friendly and allow everyone to navigate to the areas they need to find more easily. Two sets of navigation tools are available on the homepage. One horizontal and the other vertical. Each has its own set of links that the visitor will find helpful in researching information about our office, our services apnd our concept of dental practice.

Take Your Smile for a Test Drive

We just had a patient, a young girl, that needs to have her entire upper jaw restored. Not important right now why, but take it for granted that the restoration of every upper tooth is necessary not only for aesthetic reasons but more so for proper function.

Her chief concern was "what will I look like". She had specific requests and even brought pictures of herself to show exactly what she was looking to accomplish. Our promise to her was that we would do everything possible to achieve these lofty goals.

Our first step in this process is a cosmetic imaging of her existing teeth. This is accomplished by taking good digital photographs, completing a prescription and then sending this via the Internet to SmileVision. SmileVision has a team of artists that will transfer the image we send to them and create the smile our patient has always wanted. We can then show the before and after and make any changes necessary to satisfy our hopeful patient.

This technique can go a long way to provide the kind of communication necessary between doctor and patient that can insure the results necessary to satisfy our patient.

Guesswork just never works!

Online Registration Now Available

One of the advantages of being an ASP Internet based software user is the ability for our patients to complete their registration forms online . This process online can save time in the office filling out all of those nagging forms manually. It also allows the patient to relax prior to their dental visit instead of having to concentrate on all of the minutia necessary in completing the registration forms.

We have also installed a tablet computer in our reception room for those patients that do not have a computer available to them at home and still want to complete their forms online while in the office. The process is really simple and automatically updates our management software instantaneously.

The paperless office all dentists have looked for is almost here. Stay tuned for future updates on this exciting new development.

Online Registration Now Available

One of the advantages of being an ASP Internet based software user is the ability for our patients to complete their registration forms online . This process online can save time in the office filling out all of those nagging forms manually. It also allows the patient to relax prior to their dental visit instead of having to concentrate on all of the minutia necessary in completing the registration forms.

We have also installed a tablet computer in our reception room for those patients that do not have a computer available to them at home and still want to complete their forms online while in the office. The process is really simple and automatically updates our management software instantaneously.

The paperless office all dentists have looked for is almost here. Stay tuned for future updates on this exciting new development.

A Great New Camera

From time to time a really cool product comes along that needs to be mentioned. Being a tech nut I tend to buy most things early on in the life of that particular product. So beware if you venture forth but so far the SupaCam DVi has been terrific. It is a 12 megapixel digital camera, a video camera, an MP3 player and a Voice Recorder. The nice part about the camera is the use of SD cards to store the data. With a 4 Gig SD card you can store about 3-4 hours of video. Change the SD card and continue shooting. Additionally if you want to start taking video all you do is click on a button on the toggle switch, need to take a digital photo just click on the opposite side of the toggle switch and take your photo. So often we find ourselves in a position where we are taking a video and need to capture a still photo right away. This slick little camera does it very well.

The DVi has a wonderful flip up screen that turns the camera on in a matter of seconds when it is flipped into position. Transfer your avi files or photos to the computer using the included USB cable. It even comes with a wireless remote.

Now the best part is the price. $299. For more info go to www.supacam.com

Please remember I just go this camera at the CDA meeting and have only recently started using it. So if you are adventurous and a bit of a techy this camera may just be for you.

Dear Mr. President

Something was sent to me today that everyone should listen to and pass onto anyone they truly care about. It's Pink's song about our country and the way this administration has driven us to total dispair. This blog is not only a dental palce to provide and obtain dental health information. It should be a forum for commentary and discussion about what affects us all. This four minute song seems to state it very accurately...at least in my opinion. I hope everyone listens and learns so that this does not happen again.

To listen to the video click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB_j5-Z2c78

Our May Newsletter is Now Available

Anyone interested in obtaining complimentary copies of our monthly Handz of Ganz newsletter can join our newsletter group by going to http://www.ganzdental.com, scrolling to the bottom of the pages and filling out the brief form. All of your information will be kept totally confidential. Additionally you will find numerous other publications in our library located at http://www.ganzdental.com/our_library.htm that may be of interest to you as well.

Are Dental Implants Successful

We've recently had some patients inquire about the success of dental implants. Now it's been quite a long time since osseointegration, the implant technology utilized today by most dentists, was introduced to the profession. Based upon a reading of all of the literature, or at least as much as I can find time to read, it appears that implant dentistry is doing just fine. Success rates as published are somewhat different depending upon the area of the mouth, the implant system and reporting mechanism, the practitioner placing the implants, the dentist restoring the implants and the patient's health. All of these factors contribute to the success or failure of any particular implant.

However, if one can generalize, and we all do, implant dentistry today is one of the most successful modalities we can provide to our patients. Rates as high as 98 - 99% have been reported and personally, I have experienced so few failures over the years that I feel totally comfortable recommending this service whenever the situation arises.

For more information I would suggest the following: http://www.perio.org/consumer/2m.htm and http://www.dentistry.uiowa.edu/public/oral/implant.html. A search on Google for dental implant success rates will provide a wealth of information and help anyone in determining if dental implant are for them.

Your Dental/Medical Health

Scientists at the Virginia Commonwealth University have decoded the genome of a bacteria normally present in the oral cavity of a healthy individual. It typically resides in the plaque that forms on teeth. This bacteria, in an individual with preexisting heart problems, can lead to a potentially problematic condition known as Bacterial Endocarditis. Research can now be done to provide treatment that heretofore might not have been possible prior to this discovery.

On another note, Periodontal Disease has been found to be a possible contributor to Pre-Diabetes, a condition manifested by an increase in blood glucose just below the threshold for a diagnosis of Diabetes.

Compromise Never Works

Today I had the experience of interviewing a patient that just had a partial reconstruction done just three weeks ago. Now, I am not commenting on what the previous dentist did because he really had no choice, or at least not a good choice. His treatment decision was based upon the patient's pocketbook which always leads to some kind of compromise. In this case the compromise was huge.

The patient presented with what we tend to think of as a "roller coaster" type occlusal plane. Instead of restoring both the upper and lower jaw to correct this issue, this dentist conceded and restored only one jaw to fit the other resulting in basically a total mess. The patient now needs to have the entire reconstruction redone at an even greater cost or else live with the compromise.

This problem is not unusual. Dentists are often faced with this situation and have to try to work around a myriad of problems. Patients, unfortunately, do not very often understand these complexities and think that they will be just fine. Very often this is not the case and the patient finds out too late. I would suggest that in the future both dentist and patient fully discuss not only the treatment options but are realistic when discussing major compromise. In dentistry like parachute manufacturing compromise just never works.

One Step Closer to a Paperless Office

Very cool. I just received my new Microtek ScanWizard Scanner with a 100 page ADF (Automatic Document Feeder). My staff can now, finally, take all of the paper in our overflowing charts and start to scan them into patient folders in PaperPort for the time being. Being a Denticon user, I am waiting for the ability to do this directly into Denticon. This should be happening in the very near future.

Another new product is OrthoProof USA. This company will scan your preliminary impressions and create a three dimensional digital model viewable on the Internet or in your office. Still a bit costly at around $29.95 but worth it in certain circumstances. Once this becomes main line hopefully the cost will come down where we can start scanning ALL of our impressions and stop storing these models in space in our office that should be used for other purposes.

Changes In Premedication for Dentistry

The current practice of giving patients antibiotics prior to a dental procedure is no longer recommended EXCEPT for patients with the highest risk of adverse outcome resulting from endocarditis.

Those people at highest risk include those with:

1. Prosthetic cardiac valve
2. Previous endocarditis
3. Congenital heart disease for these conditions: – Unrepaired cyanotic congenital heart disease, including palliative shunts and conduits – Completely repaired congenital heart disease with prosthetic material or device either by surgery or catheter intervention during the first six months after the procedure – Repaired congenital heart disease with residual defects at the site or adjacent to the site of a prosthetic patch or prosthetic device (which inhibit endothelialization)
4. Cardiac transplantation recipients who develop cardiac valve abnormalities

The American Heart Association has concluded that an exceedingly small number of cases, if any, of endocarditis may be prevented by giving antibiotics prior to a dental procedure. If such benefit from prophylaxis exists, it should be reserved ONLY for those patients at highest risk (listed above) who would have the worst outcomes if they contract endocarditis.
The American Heart Association recognizes the importance of good oral and dental health including regular brushing and flossing and regular visits to the dentist for patients at risk of endocarditis.

The American Heart Association no longer recommends administering antibiotics solely to prevent endocarditis in patients who undergo a GI or GU tract procedure.

Some Exciting Technology Freebies

On my way back from the CDA Ihad a chance to read the latest PCWorld. Lots of time on the plane so I decided to take advantage and see what I can find to use in my office that has the benefit of being FREE. So here is a brief list of some exciting components that may be of use in either your professional or personal life.

1. Google Desktop - (desktop.google.com) this is a free desktop application that allows similar search capability as Google Internet but now it searches your hard drive as well. Fast, accurate and a real time saver.

2. Zoho - (www.zoho.com) - This site provides a FREE alternative to Microsoft Office and also have the advantage of being a browser web based program. With this software you can not only write documents like Word, create presentations like PowerPoint and spreadsheets like Excel but you can share them with others avoiding emailing attachments etc.

3. Google Blogger - (www.blogger.com) - no more needs to be said. If you don't have your own blog you're just living in the last century. Google makes it easy to set up and even easier to get because it's FREE. Every dental practice should have a blog where they can share ideas, new services with their patients.

4. SPresent - (www.spresent.com) - is another FREE presentation tool like PowerPoint. It has the advantage, like Zoho, of being abelt to be shared and linked to your website.

5. Don't have a website, then try PageFlakes (www.pageflakes.com). Not like other website creators but rather it creates a Webtop. Take a look, you have nothing to lose...it's FREE.

More at another time.

Just Got Back from the CDA

Welcome to The Dental Spa at Garden City Blog. This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the California Dental Association meeting in Anaheim Calif. THe weather was great, the people were fantastic and the meeting was as always, exciting.

I have the unusual advantage of looking at dental meetings from two perspectives, a dentist and a manufacturer. This gives me a different view of the dental meeting and allows me to obtain a great deal of information that might be missed by the casual attendee.

This year there appears to be a greater ineterest in technology with the introduction of such products as Itero, a impressionless digital impressioning system and several companies that are truly looking to provide the dentist with the paperless solution. Seems like these companies finally see that getting rid of some of the stresses in the dental office might also make for a marketable product while at the same time making the dentist a much happier individual.

As always there were numerous glove companies, lots of tooth brushes and other types of hygiene products as well. One of the exciting parts of this visit was the purchase of a new digital video/single shot camera from one of the vendors. Now all was not roses! I got home and the camera just wouldn't work. What a bummer. But, I called the company and they assured me that they would be sending me a new one today. If that truly happens, then this company, who shall remain nameless for now, goes on my list of good guys.

Well, that all for now. I hope that someone actually gets to read this blog, responds to it and we can then open a dialogue on all of the various aspects of dentistry from not only the dentist's perspective but hopefully patients and manufacturers as well.