Hair, Make-up and Braces?

I had to "squeeze in" my patient Miguel of www.MiguelTorresWeddings.com because he is a wedding photographer and it's wedding season. I was surprised to hear from Miguel that brides (and grooms too) after being so careful about getting everything (hair, make-up, gown, suit) just perfect sometimes have to reject an otherwise beautiful photograph because someone's teeth did not look good. If only brides and grooms had the foresight to wear their retainers (or get new ones) just a few weeks before the wedding, they would be ready for those smiling close-ups. A pre-wedding cleaning and whitening will go along way as would polishing out chipped edges and replacing stained fillings.
I informed Miguel that couples with more severe orthodontic problems can enjoy significant improvement of their smile simply by wearing a nighttime retainer for as little as 6 months.
Even the most crooked teeth can be aligned quite quickly using accelerated orthodontics. Accelerated orthodontics is a combination of braces or clear aligners (www.invisalign.com) and gum surgery that works in harmony to allow teeth to move twice as fast as normal (www.wilodontic.com).
To all those couples tying the knot this season may your hair, make-up and smile be perfect for your special day. And for all those couples that are planning that picture perfect day in 2011 0r 2012, log on to www.orthodontic2ndopinion.com and realize your true potential.

Don't Be Bashful

Don't ever be reluctant to ask a doctor for your records in order to get a second opinion. If a doctor is reluctant to cooperate, that would be a good reason to be wary. Good doctors are always open to expanding their knowledge base. They are regularly reading journals, going to lectures and consulting with other doctors. If a doctor is truly interested in your well being his ego will not be bruised by consulting another practitioner. Make it clear to the doctor that you are not leaving his or her care, you are simply interested in getting another perspective to your problem that you will share with him or her. If there are several ways to treat your condition your doctor would prefer to discuss the pros and cons before you start, rather then to deal with doubts once treatment is underway.
Be warned! You must select your second opinion doctor very carefully. This doctor needs to be interested only in what is best for you. He or she has to be ready to provide a second opinion only, in a way that will help you and your doctor. You don't want your second opinion to disparage your doctor in order to steer you to his practice. It is never a good idea to disclose to the second opinion what part of your first opinion that you are not happy with. This will open the possibility for the second opinion to tell you what you want to hear and not what you need to hear. One way to avoid some of these pitfalls is to seek a second opinion out of your immediate geographic area.

Aggresive Dentist

A good friend of mine called me the other day with a problem.

It seems that his dentist was leaving the group he was in and was moving out of the area. On the final visit with my friend a full set of x-rays were taken and my friend was given a clean bill of health. Six months later, my friend was examined, with new x-rays, by a new dentist, in a different practice, closer to his home. He was told that he had a cavity that needed to be filled and that he had a crown that was "leaking" and needed to be replaced.

My friend took the new x-rays back to the old dental practice and was examined by one of the doctors in that group. My friend was told there was no new cavity and that the crown in question was not leaking.

My friend was confused and did not know who to trust. I gave him the following scenario: You pull into a gas station and the attendant tells you that your tires are all worn out and you need to buy a new set from him right away. You drive straight to a tire dealer and after examining your tires, you are told that they are fine for another 10,000 miles. Who do you trust? The dealer that wants to make a sale or the one who tells you that you don't need anything at this time?

Most people know more about tires than dentistry... Get a second opinion!