Kantor Dental Group
What’s The Difference Between Inlays and Onlays?
Most people are familiar with dental crowns. Crowns are used when the damage to the tooth is severe. There are, however, other options if the damage is not as drastic as to require a crown. Inlays and onlays can be used to repair the tooth. Unlike a filling, however, they normally require two office visits, one to make the mold and then another to apply them. They are a better alternative to a filling because a filling can weaken a tooth whereas an inlay or an onlay can actually strengthen the tooth structure. Inlays and onlays are also good options to replace large old metal fillings because they are the actual tooth color as well. While they are similar, there are some differences between inlays and onlays.
Whether it is inlays or onlays, we at Kantor Dental Group in San Rafael can help determine your dental needs. Give us a call at San Rafael Office Phone Number 415-492-1616 or use our Appointment Request Form to schedule an appointment.
What are inlays?
Inlays repair the surface of teeth. Inlays are used when there is decay within the cusps of your teeth. The cusps are the bumps on your back teeth. There are different options for the material of your inlay, such as porcelain, composite resin, or even gold. The first two options can be matched to the rest of the tooth so that visually you cannot even tell there was ever anything wrong with the tooth. Inlays are incredibly durable and will not crack your teeth if exposed to hot and cold. Some dental offices are equipped to make inlays on a same day appointment, but many will send the mold out to laboratory to create your inlay and this will take two appointments. The onlay will be bonded to the tooth on the second visit and the dentist will ensure everything is okay with your bite and the margins of the onlay are smooth.
There are numerous benefits to inlays, many of which were mentioned above such as the fact that they strengthen teeth and are better than fillings. Inlays match the color of the tooth, unless gold is chosen, and provide a natural look. Inlays are also one of the best options to preserve the tooth and give it the greatest life expectancy. Inlays are tailor made and fit the tooth so well that care of the tooth is easier. Inlays are less expensive than crowns and if they are an option should definitely be considered as they save as much of the healthy tooth as possible.
What are onlays?
Onlays are incredibly similar to inlays except they are located in a different area of the tooth and treat larger areas. Sometimes onlays are referred to as partial crowns because they can cover a fairly extensive area of the tooth. Unlike inlays, which are located on the cusps, onlays are located on the biting surface and extending to one or more cusps. Like inlays, onlays can be made of porcelain, composite resin, or gold. Onlays are better than crowns because even though there is more damage to the tooth than with an inlay, more of the healthy tooth can still be saved as opposed to a crown. Just like with inlays, onlays can also be used to replace old metal fillings and create a beautiful replacement that matches that tooth and the surrounding teeth.
Inlays and onlays are both excellent alternatives to the drastic nature of crowns. They both save the most amount of healthy tooth possible and have a natural look that matches the rest of your smile. Not only do they do this, but are less costly as well, which can mean a lot for individuals who do not have dental insurance. Unfortunately, they are not an option in all cases. If the damage to the tooth is severe, an inlay or an onlay may not be a viable choice and a crown will need to be considered. In many cases, however, an inlay or an onlay can be a great choice. You and your dentist can discuss your needs and decide which course of treatment will be best as well as what material you would like to use. If you choose an inlay or an onlay, you can most likely expect two office visits to complete the procedure.
If you have questions about inlays or onlays, contact us today. We’d be glad to answer your questions.
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Jul 30th, 2016
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When Dental Fillings Become a Treatment Option
Tooth decay can happen to anyone, even with good oral hygiene. When tooth decay wears away through your enamel, a cavity can form. When this occurs, dental fillings become a treatment option. Dental fillings have come a long way in recent years and there are many choices one can discuss with their dentist in terms of the procedure and what materials will be used. Your dentist will then remove the decay and replace it with a filling to prevent further decay. It is important to address cavities immediately before they penetrate the tooth and a filling no longer becomes an option and more drastic action, such as a root canal, is needed.
If the decay is minimal enough so that a dental filling is still a treatment option, there are several different materials your filling could be made from such as:
- Amalgam Fillings: These are the traditional silver fillings that most dentists used to use. These fillings have been used for over 100 years. You may have older fillings in your mouth that are amalgam. While they are resilient, one of the biggest drawbacks to this type of filling is the color as they are quite visible within the mouth.
- Composite Resins: These fillings, unlike amalgam fillings, are tooth colored. They can be used on front or back teeth and are fairly strong, able to withstand small to mid-sized fillings.
- Gold Fillings: Even older in dentistry than the amalgam fillings, gold has been used for over 1000 years. While strong, gold fillings are also highly noticeable and can be very expensive, therefore they are not as common as other types of fillings.
- Ceramics: Often made from porcelain, ceramic fillings are expensive, similar to gold fillings. They are natural looking and typically last about 15 years. One of the positives to this type of filling is that they do not stain easily.
When dental fillings become a treatment option, your dentist will usually take an x-ray to explore the extent of the decay. He/she will then use a local anesthesia so that you will not feel them working on your tooth. The dentist will remove all of the decay using a drill or a laser. Once all of the decay is removed, the dentist will then place the filling in the material which you discussed. When the filling is in place and has set, the dentist will polish the tooth to smooth off any hard edges.
After you receive your filling, you want to care for your teeth carefully and continue to floss and brush regularly. Notify your dentist immediately if there are extremely rough edges, problems with your bite, or increased pain and/or sensitivity that does not go away. Pain is never a good thing and may signify that there is a more serious problem.
Ideally, your filling can last you a decade or more, however, there are many instances in which a filling may need to be replaced. If your filling falls out, leaks, wears out, is subject to teeth grinding, or cracks, you may need your filling to be replaced. Your dentist will check your fillings during your routine exams for signs of wear. Today, it is common for people to request their amalgam fillings to be replaced with other materials that are tooth colored so that their smile looks better aesthetically.
Dental fillings are a great treatment option when cavities are caught early. It is essential to schedule routine cleanings and exams so that your dentist can catch decay as soon as possible. The smaller the filling, the more material options there are available. When you go to the dentist, they will visually look for cavities and can possibly use other tools as well such as an x-ray or cavity detecting dye.
The best kind of filling, however, is not having to have a filling at all! Be sure to try and stay on top of brushing, flossing, and using a fluoride based toothpaste to try and prevent decay the best you can. If you suspect you have a cavity, contact your dentist’s office immediately for the quickest intervention so that a dental filling is still a treatment option for you.
If you want to learn more your treatment options, be sure to contact us today.
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Jul 30th, 2016
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How Do You Get Cavities?
Hello, I’m Dr. Grey Kantor. I work here with my father at Kantor and Kantor, DDS, Dentistry for Healthy Living in San Rafael, CA. Today I want to talk about a very important topic with how you get cavities, and that is where you get cavities. If you know where you get cavities, you can keep those places clean, and make sure that you never get cavities. So there’s three main places that you get cavities: These are at the base of your tooth by the gums, in between the teeth where you should be flossing, and on the biting surface of the teeth, otherwise known as your pit and fissure area, where you have deep pits and fissures that can collect plaque. The reason these areas are important is because these are the areas that the plaque can collect, and they’re tight, small areas that are hard to clean.
Take this, for example, are two teeth next to each other. If we watch and we don’t clean this area right here, we’ll notice that it’ll start to decay, and that’s because we didn’t clean or floss our teeth right there and that will lead to a root canal. The same goes for the biting surface of our teeth. If we watch right here, right at the biting surface of the teeth, we’ll notice that you can get decay there too and that will again lead to needing a root canal. The last place is down at the bottom of the tooth right by the gums. If you look if our gums don’t get cleaned and it recedes back we’ll start to get decay down at the base of the tooth. These three areas if kept clean will defend against cavities forever.
So how do we clean those areas? One, when you have a toothbrush, brush down here. Always brush by the gums, you’re not only massaging the gums but you’re keeping that area of a plaque track clean. Two, floss your teeth. If you floss right in between your teeth, you won’t get a cavity there. And finally of course, the biting surface pit and fissure decay. That on the other hand is hard to clean. You imagine you have these deep pits and fissures, how are you supposed to clean those? Your toothbrush isn’t going to fit right down into those little spots. Go see your dentist. Your dentist will look into those pits and fissures and determine whether or not they have a propensity to decay. If they do, the dentist may suggest either a small filling or a sealant in order to defend against decay in those areas.
Overall, though, if you can defend those three spots, by the gums, in between the teeth, and on the biting surface, you’ll never have to worry about a cavity again. Again, my name’s Dr. Grey Kantor, and we hope to see you here soon at Kantor and Kantor, DDS, Dentistry for Healthy Living.
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Jun 18th, 2016
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Tags: Cavities, Dental Fillings, Floss
Fear Of Dentist? We Have A Solution For You!
Hi, I’m Dr. Ezra Kantor, and this is Dr. Grey Kantor, who can’t hear a word I’m saying now because he’s utilizing our noise-canceling headphones, along with our audio-visual system which completely occupies his visual and audible senses so that he is left out of whatever we’re doing in the office. Now this as a patient is important to you because the sounds we make, which sometimes you don’t like, in fact most of the time you don’t like, are blocked out, they’re canceled, and all you can do is hear and see whatever is up on that entertainment system.
Sometimes we use this with sedation when we’re doing some particularly extensive procedures, and this adds another layer onto our ability to isolate the patient from the procedures that we’re doing, make it much more comfortable, much less stress-producing and allows people to say to me, and they have, that they would never do dentistry any other way again. In conclusion, I am Dr. Ezra Kantor and Grey! This is Dr. Grey Kantor who are showing you our noise-canceling visual and auditory system. Hi, Grey.
Hi. Well, I also heard that there’s studies that show that listening to music or watching tv actually reduces the amount of any pain or sensitivity that you feel. These things can really help in just ignoring the environment around you and even fall asleep in the chair. I’m not even joking, when patients use this, about half of our patients fall asleep in the chair. Excellent time at the dentist.
We stay awake, though. Just so you know. We can still concentrate, we’re not distracted. Thank you.
Thank you. Dr. Grey Kantor and Dr. Ezra Kantor… Dentistry for Healthy Living in San Rafael, CA.
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Jun 11th, 2016
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Your Kids First Dental Visit – Make It A Positive Experience!
Hello. I’m Doctor Gray Kantor, Dentistry for Healthy Living. Today, I’m going to talk to you about your kids’ first dental visit. Here at Kantor and Kantor Dentistry, we like that first visit to be calm, relaxed. It should be a visit where the kid comes to the office and just realizes that the dentist is a good time. They just leave with a prize, and somebody just counts their teeth. And that’s really it. The important part of that first visit is how they think of the visit when they’re coming. The way you could really help us out, is when you’re coming to the office, act like you’re going to say, getting a haircut, or going to get ice cream. It doesn’t need to be a scary visit or something that scares you, the parent, but it may not scare the child. These days, how dentistry works, it is not a scary visit, and we can make it that way for your kid. So when your kid first comes to our office, we’ll greet you first, and then we’ll introduce ourselves to your son or daughter. We’ll bring them on back and show them around, show them some things about the office, make them feel comfortable, as comfortable as they can be. And then we’ll have them sit in the chair.
If they’re younger than two or three, we’ll probably have them sit on your lap, and that makes it a little bit easier and they feel more comfortable. So what we do for the first dental visit, is all we’re doing is, we just kind of take a look. We want it to be as easy as possible. We just count their teeth, I show them the mirror that I’m using, I show them everything that I’m using so that they don’t feel like it’s something strange. They can touch it, they can kind of play with it. Just so they know everything that’s going on, ’cause kids are really curious. So I’ll take the mirror and I’ll start counting their teeth. I always ask them how many teeth they think they have, and I get the funniest answers, but always so cute. So I’ll count their teeth, and what I’m actually doing when I count their teeth, is I’m checking each tooth, tooth-by-tooth. I will only take x-rays if I see something during the time that I’m counting their teeth. I try to take as few x-rays on kids as possible. Well, in everything we do, we try to take as few x-rays as we can. But with kids, we don’t always have to take x-rays, only if we see the signs of cavities will we take x-rays. Another reason we’ll take x-rays is because if a tooth is missing and we don’t know where it is.
What we’ll do is we’ll take a panoramic and that’ll show us where that tooth is, where did it go, and we’ll have more information. The next step is to go over the treatment with you, and then that’s really it. We’ll usually do some fluoride, unless you the parent doesn’t like fluoride. We have some alternatives to fluoride as well, like Xylitol. Once that’s all done, and we’ve talked about treatment, the kid’s done. That’s really it. It’s a real quick appointment, we’ll do some slight teeth cleaning, but most of it’s talking. We talk to the kid about how to clean their teeth, we talk to them about how to floss, we have floss forks to let them practice. And we’ll even polish their teeth a little bit to just make sure that they have that extra protection. During that appointment when we’re teaching them, we’ll teach them how to brush their teeth, and we’ll go over circular strokes, how to touch every surface of their teeth, angles that are helpful. Things like that, that are really helpful for kids to learn to really clean their teeth well. The first time a kid can really clean their teeth by themselves is after seven years old. I would help your kids clean their teeth before that. That way can make sure to reduce the amount of cavities.
Really that’s it. And at the end of that appointment, they get a prize. This is kinda the fun part. Kids love this part. They get to come into our little treasure chest, and they get really cool prizes. We have glow in the dark stick ’ems so they can put them on their wall if they want. A little ice cream cone that shoots, if you want to use that one. Toy snakes, poppers, things like that. Things that kids like. So we really love having kids here, and they love this part. And then finally, if your kid does happen to need treatment, we do make that as easy as possible. We always try to have that at a separate appointment, that way the first appointment is considered fun and easy. And their thought of the dentist is, “Well, that was pretty easy, you just come in, he counts my teeth, and that’s it.” And so it really makes for a happy environment. If there’s treatment that’s necessary, not to worry, we make that easy as well. We have multiple methods of making this an easy appointment. We have noise canceling headphones. These headphones make it so that they can’t really hear the high-pitched noises of Mr. Whistle, our drill. Then we also have laughing gas. Laughing gas for kids is safe and it is so fun for the kids to use because it reduces the amount of time they feel like they’re here.
It makes them feel like, “Oh, the appointment’s over.” Sometimes they even fall asleep. We have a lot of kids that fall asleep in the chair. So nitrous, we really suggest nitrous for kids. It’s very helpful, and makes the appointment more quick. With our noise canceling headphones you might ask, “What do we do with these?” “What are they listening to?” Well, they could just listen to music, but we also have a TV above the chair. On that TV, we have Netflix where they can watch their favorite shows, anything they want. Of course, we ask the parents if there’s something they shouldn’t be watching. Especially if the kid chooses a rated R film, which does happen sometimes. So we’ll make sure that we check with you. So with those things going on, noise canceling headphones, watching their show, nitrous oxide, the laughing gas. They’re having a good time, they’re not noticing what we’re doing. Next time you need a place for your kid to be relaxed and enjoy the dentist, really enjoy the dentist, come to us… Gray Kantor, Dentistry for Healthy Living.
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Jun 4th, 2016
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Tags: Children, First Visit, X-Rays, Xylitol
Why Dental Implants Come In 3 Pieces
Dr. Grey Kantor: Hi, I’m Dr. Grey Kantor.
Dr. Ezra Kantor: I’m Dr. Ezra Kantor. And together we are… Kantor & Kantor Dentistry for Healthy Living in San Rafael, CA.
DK: When somebody refers to an implant, that actually consists of three separate pieces. The implant itself is this bottom screw that replaces the root of the tooth. There are two other pieces other than the implant. There is the crown, which is the top part that you actually see.
Then there’s the head, otherwise known as the abutment. The abutment connects the crown to the implant.
There’s three pieces: The implant, the abutment, and the crown. We always make the crowns tooth-colored, that way it matches your other teeth and no one will be the wiser.
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May 27th, 2016
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The truth about SPF: Common Rashes and Growths Around the Mouth
Common Rashes and Growths Around the Mouth at McInnis Park Club Restaurant, San Rafael on 5/18/16
Has anyone ever told you that any sunscreen above 30 SPF is useless and offers hardly any more protection? Well, this statement is only partially true. While it is true that there is a minimal increase in sun protection above 30 SPF, the SPF rating itself is misleading. It turns out SPF rating is determined by a 2mm thick layer of sunscreen! Do you apply a 2mm thick layer? I think not. By rubbing your sunscreen in, you reduce the SPF by about 1/4. 40 SPF after rubbing it in is now 10 SPF. Not to worry 10 SPF is giving you significant sun protection; however if you would like to reach peak sun protection, try using 50+ SPF. Another option is applying one layer of sunscreen, letting it dry, and then apply another layer. So which sunscreens should you buy? The two dermatologists at this lecture liked mineral sunscreens with zinc, some of the brands suggested can be seen below. After doing my own research, I have decided to carry the EltaMD UV Lip Balm to help my patients protect their lips with a safe, broad-spectrum lip protectant.
This course was for our monthly Marin County Dental Society Meeting where all the Marin dentists get together to mingle and learn current topics. Today’s topic was on orofacial dermatology by two local dermatologists Drs. Renee Howard and Haydee Knott who talked about common diseases that both dermatologists and dentists see and how we can work together. They updated us on the presentation of the new Coxsackie Virus (Hand foot and mouth disease) which is currently going around our community and how to treat it.
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May 20th, 2016
12:12 pm
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How Much Are Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers are becoming more and more popular these days as a simple method to improve your smile. Not only can veneers improve the color of your teeth, but they can also fix problems associated with their alignment, reduce gaps, cover chips and wear, and even reshape the entire smile. Plus, porcelain looks and feels natural, allowing your smile to be better than ever before. It’s no wonder that we get questions about porcelain veneers from our patients every day.
Perhaps the biggest concern holding people back from getting veneers, however, is cost. Few dental insurance plans cover the entire cost of veneers, which means that much of the cost will be out of pocket. Exactly how much this will be depends on many factors. The following are some of the most common factors that will affect the cost of veneers:
- Quality of material,
- Location of veneer placement,
- Total number of veneers,
- Issues to be fixed by veneers,
- Artistry and training of the ceramist and the cosmetic dentist placing veneers, and
- Length and extent of procedure.
Veneers Are an Investment in Yourself
After all of these factors are taken into consideration, full veneers can cost several thousand dollars. For many of our patients, the confidence and enhanced looks are worth the cost. Veneers are an investment in yourself, so you need to decide if you’re worth it. Veneers can totally transform a smile, which can make you feel more confident in your career and your love life–not to mention in photos. If you feel the need to hide your teeth, veneers can quickly resolve any issues and allow you to put your best foot forward. This transformation lasts for years to come, making it a long-term change for the better.
Like any investment, you’ll need to carefully weigh the decision and learn about all your options from an experienced and trusted professional. At Kantor Dental, we are happy to offer you a preliminary consultation where you can simply ask your questions with no pressure to move forward. We want to make sure you get exactly what you want and need out of your veneers, so we encourage you to discuss all your options first and only choose porcelain veneers if they truly are right for you.
We believe that you deserve to have the smile of your dreams. Porcelain veneers may be able to help you get there. Let us help you understand how.
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May 17th, 2016
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California Dental Association Convention, “The Art and Science of Dentistry” at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Ca
This is always a fun event as I get to see all my colleagues and talk shop. Throughout the convention there are many continuing education courses offered reinforcing subjects and increasing knowledge. This year I focused on esthetics, including facial esthetics, anterior tooth esthetics, and porcelain fracture. These were excellent refresher courses to ensure quality and beautiful restorations in the front teeth (aka the sexy six). There are many proportions in our face that are innate for humans to find esthetically pleasing. One that I find interesting is the golden proportion 1:1.618. This proportion is seen all over our face, one example is from the bottom of our chin to the midline of the mouth (1.618) and from the midling of our mouth to the bottom of our nose (1). The picture below shows other proportions that we use to diagnose problems in the bite or TMJ.
I also attended a course on acute pain and methods to treat symptoms. The most interesting part of this lecture was an analysis of some new studies showing that NSAIDS (like ibprofen and Tylenol) are more effective at reducing pain than opioids (like Percocet and Vicoden). Most patients want an opiate after surgery believing that this will give them the most effective pain relief when, on the contrary, an over the counter drug is more potent. Within these studies, using two over the counter drugs is even more effective. Tylenol and Advil work in two different areas of the body (direct hypothalamic action and cyclooxygenase inhibitor reducing prostaglandins respectively) allowing them to work in tandem to produce the highest level of pain relief.
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May 15th, 2016
1:16 pm
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Missing A Tooth? Why We Prefer Dental Implants
Hi, I’m Dr. Grey Kantor. And I’m Dr. Ezra Kantor. And together we are… Kantor & Kantor… Dentistry for Healthy Living.
Of the possibilities of restoring a missing tooth, we favor the implant. The other possibilities, a removable bridge needs clips around the adjacent teeth and it needs to extend to the other side of the mouth, it creates a spider-like metal base that is a food trap. Patients often dislike this and are looking to replace it with something else which is usually one of the next two choices, which is a fixed bridge which would involve putting crowns on the teeth adjacent to the space. This traumatizes the adjacent teeth and creates a prosthesis which when and if it fails down 10, 20, 30 years has to be replaced as three units again or very frequently one of the abutments is lost, so it tends to expand.
The implant, again, the modality we favor, just replaces the tooth in that particular missing area and doesn’t involve the adjacent teeth and doesn’t involve a prosthesis that extends all around the mouth, is isolated to this one spot. It involves placing this titanium alloy implant into the bone which integrates with it and then adding the superstructure which is this head and crown about three to four months down the line. It is treated like a normal tooth, nothing has to be removed, no special techniques have to be employed to clean underneath the false teeth as it would be with a fixed bridge, it stands on its own and basically becomes part of the dentition, undetectable by the senses of the person in whom it’s installed. And frequently and most of the time, it’s aesthetically invisible to anybody who sees it and that’s why we favor it.
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May 14th, 2016
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Tags: Crown, Dental Implant, Missing Tooth