Monthly Archives: May 2007

Pain At the Dentist is “Old School” For this New Brand of Dentistry

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The reasons most people like to avoid the dentist are remedied in this new approach of dentistry. People are living day to day worried about deteriorating teeth with painful, bleeding gums, perhaps embarrassed to smile and simply afraid of going to the dentist. There’s a new manner of dentistry that is actually changing the whole feel and sentiment of going to the dentist. Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, Kourosh Maddahi, strives to provide gentle, pain-free dental care. First, making sure that each of his patients is comfortable, their needs are understood and that they will receive the best treatment possible, using his state-of-the-art tools. Dr. Maddahi schedules one patient at a time, so that he can give the highest quality of care individually to each patient. The x-ray procedure is simplified and tempered with the use of digital x-ray equipment, there’s no long wait for them to be developed, it takes only a few seconds for the image to appear on the computer screen.

Mini-cameras that go into the mouth show dental problems and progress are used, as well. “I have found every new tool that is available to me and implemented them into my practice.”, said Dr. Maddahi, “I want my patients to have the a completely trauma-free visit when they are here. This new approach to dentistry is completely changing this field.” There’s also a new way to anesthetize the mouth for dental work. A Citoject is a pen shaped devise that works to numb only the tooth, not the tongue, cheek, face and lips, making anesthetic injections essentially painless. He explains, “What causes the pain of an injection is not the needle but the rate of delivery of the anesthetic. Before the Citoject, using conventional methods, few dentists would be painless. However with the Citoject a micro compressor controls the rate of the injection so patients feel only a slight pressure, no pain. I try very hard to put the patient’s comfort first. I have used the Citoject since it first became available to us.” When there’s new decay, often drill-free dentistry can be utilized which is air-abrasion, like a mini sandblaster aimed to take the decay out of the tooth with a fine aluminum oxide (baking soda) powder. Dr. Maddahi says, Drill-free air abrasion dentistry is every patient’s dream. No whining drills, no burning smell (the teeth never get hot), no vibration, and no anesthetic required. It’s almost no dentistry!” Laser dentistry is the latest technological advancement in dentistry. It is used for soft tissue surgery, curing, and sterilizing with the benefit of no anesthetic needed or just topical anesthetic to get started.

Hygienists routinely use the laser to kill bacterial caused periodontal disease for up to 60 days. Dr. Maddahi explains, “The benefit to the patient is that it is more effective and less traumatic than conventional methods because it uses the power of light to vaporize soft tissue without bleeding. The precision of laser dentistry helps the patient heal with the least post-operative pain.” Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, specializes in creating beautiful, natural smiles and can be found on the world wide web at www.DrMaddahi.com.

He is located in Beverly Hills at 436 N. Roxbury Drive, Suite 202 and can be reached at 310-888-7797. He can be contacted via email at info@DrMaddahi.com.

Toxic Mercury from Old Fillings Can Affect the Health of Unborn and Nursing Children

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Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, Beverly Hills Biocompatible Dentist, warns women of this dangerous health hazard and describes proper methods for removal of potentially damaging amalgam fillings.

Almost ten years ago, a group of the world’s top mercury researchers announced that mercury from amalgam fillings can permanently damage the brain, kidneys, and immune system of children. Despite that discovery, many children today are still given mercury fillings by their unsuspecting parents who have not been warned about these dangers. Often dentists will assume that because the teeth may fall out in a few years, that there is no danger.

Also, women who have mercury fillings in their teeth may jeopardize the health of their unborn or nursing child. Mercury poisoning is very easily passed through the blood to the child either through the uterus or breast milk.

Beverly Hills dentist, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, a biocompatible dentist, warns his patients of this risk and never uses silver (mercury) amalgam for fillings. He is especially concerned for the young babies of women who have old mercury fillings existing in their mouth. “I want women to understand how at risk an unborn or nursing child is, if the destructive mercury is released from amalgam (silver) fillings. If you are thinking of pregnancy, I urge you to replace your mercury with a biocompatible material. If planned properly, your dentist can remove and replace numerous fillings in one or two appointments. But no, pregnant and lactating women should not have amalgam fillings removed.”

He continues, “Mercury vapor is continuously emitted from dental fillings and accumulates in the body over time. The damaging effects of this exposure may not manifest for years or even decades. Studies repeatedly demonstrate that even low levels of mercury cause measurable adverse health effects. Mercury in the tissues of a fetus or infant correlates significantly with the number of dental amalgam fillings in the mother. Newborns may be at risk for learning disabilities because of mercury their mothers absorbed during pregnancy. Many physicians are testing their patients for mercury toxicity and referring them to biocompatible dentists. Across scientific disciplines, health professionals are realizing that mercury may adversely impact patient health.”

MAMA is a national organization “Moms Against Mercury Amalgams, that is enlightening mothers and mothers-to-be about the hazardous use of mercury in dental care. The website mercuryfreenow.com offers great insight for women and their families.

Dr. Maddahi continues, “There are very safe, and thorough methods to remove mercury fillings that are used by a knowledgeable office such as ours. To prevent additional mercury exposure, find a biocompatible dentist properly trained in mercury filling removal. We ensure that an efficient suction system in the oral cavity is used with a special tip or its equivalent to contain amalgam particles and mercury vapor and that it is operating a vacuum system at maximum efficiency. We always apply copious amounts of water to the filling during removal while we remove the amalgam in large segments to minimize the generation of mercury vapor and amalgam particulate. We have also made sure that the patient and dental staff are provided with a mercury-free source of air.”

Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, has been specializing in creating beautiful, natural smiles for 20 years and can be found on the world wide web at www.DrMaddahi.com. He is located in Beverly Hills at 436 N. Roxbury Drive, Suite 202 and can be reached at 310-888-7797. He can be contacted via email at info@DrMaddahi.com.

Can Your Overall Health Be Affected by Dental Wellness?

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Beverly Hills Dentist, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, a biological dentist, warns there are numerous dental factors that can be harmful to your heath on the whole.

Health and longevity are very popular subjects in these first years of the new millennium. You can’t open a paper, magazine or watch television or listen to the radio without hearing or seeing some mention of how to be healthier and how to live a longer life.

Beverly Hills Dentist, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, a biological dentist, enlightens his patients on the importance of dental health and its effect on the overall health of the body.

Often considered minor and something that can easily be ignored, dental disease can contribute to more injurious ailments and actually shorten life expectancy. If a patient ignores infection of the mouth such as infected cavities, gum disease, infected root canals, and other unhandled oral disease, the effects can be serious.

“Gum disease alone has been found to have increased the risk of heart attack, increased risk of stroke, raise the severity of diabetes, contribute to respiratory disease, interfere with proper digestion and even contribute to low pre-term birth weights.”, Dr. Maddahi explains, “It has also been seen to play a role in osteoporosis, severely stress the immune system and of course, lower resistance to other infections.”

Dr. Maddahi’s Beverly Hills office uses the newest high-tech tools to work on gums and teeth, making the visits less painful, faster and more precise. They use IntraOral Cameras, to view with clarity each tooth and gum surface in the mouth. A high resolution, state of the art, 40x by 1600x Trinocular Compound Microscope allows the patient, the hygienist, and the doctor to digitally view moving bacteria from the mouth on a computerized video screen. A laser is used for soft tissue surgery, curing, and sterilizing with the benefit of no anesthetic needed or just topical anesthetic to get started.”

“There is another cause of ill health that your dentist can alleviate.  Silver (mercury) amalgam fillings have been found to often greatly affect the health of patients, especially when the filling leaks into the system.” Dr. Maddahi explains, “A wide range of problems have been associated with mercury poisoning such as chronic tiredness, digestive troubles, muscle and joint aches and stiffness and sinus troubles. Due to its poisonous nature, mercury can adversely affect the immune, urinary, cardiac, respiratory and digestive systems.”

When someone is affected with ill health, not only a trip to the doctor is necessary, but a trip to the dentist could also help to alleviate the problems. Dr. Thomas McGuire, D.D.S., has been an innovator and leader in preventive dental education for over 30 years. He founded the Dental Wellness Institute in 1997 with the goal of bridging the gap between the dental and medical professions. He stresses, “You will also discover that if dental disease, with its related oral health issues, is not acknowledged as an obstacle to achieving overall health, any efforts to accurately diagnose and treat disease, improve health, and extend life, will be less effective, and will fall short of the desired goals.”

Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, has been specializing in creating beautiful, natural smiles for 20 years and can be found on the world wide web at www.DrMaddahi.com. He is located in Beverly Hills at 436 N. Roxbury Drive, Suite 202 and can be reached at 310-888-7797. He can be contacted via email at info@DrMaddahi.com.

Restorative Dentistry is a Highly Skilled Technique

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There are many choices these days, with veneers, crowns, caps, bridges, dentures or implants available. Restorative dentistry is the art of reproducing a tooth that has been lost. Crowns are primarily the most common restorations, however dental implants, caps, dentures and veneers fit this category as well. Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, has a cosmetic dentistry office in Beverly Hills and feels that the underlying all of these is the quality of the work done. “We all know that when we send something precious out to be restored we expect it to look like the day we bought it when the work is done. This is where Shade Vision enters the scene. With a computerized camera aimed at the tooth the Shade Vision System reads off the variations of hue, value, and color of each tooth to map the shade of the restoration exactly while saving the reading on the computer screen.”

All-ceramic crowns are often the first choice. These are made of high quality porcelain, and more closely imitate the properties of teeth to give the most natural and aesthetic appearance. They are the restoration of choice on the front teeth because the translucency of an all-ceramic crown creates a beautiful, natural look. The existing teeth are kept and used as a base for crowns. Dental implants or implant restoration is a tooth replacement process which can have a success rate proportional to the dentist’s skill. With a steady hand, the eye of an artist, and years of experience, a dentist can expertly diagnose the quantity and quality of the implant site in conjunction with the patient’s medical profile to determine how to best proceed to form the structural and functional connection between the bone and the implant.

Once the implant is anchored, the carefully crafted prosthetic tooth or crown is attached to the implant, then the patient will have teeth that appear completely natural without the inconvenience of dentures. “Creating beautiful, natural smiles is what I like to do.”, says Dr. Maddahi. “The dental implant procedure is one that I pride myself on. My years of experience allows me to have complete certainty that I am giving my patients the highest quality restorations available. Also, I make sure that I am always researching the cutting-edge technology of dentistry and offering that to my patients.” The use of digital x-rays greatly shorten the time it takes to get the work done. Three seconds after as the camera is clicked, the X-ray image transfers to the computer. Using digital X-rays the dentist has the ability to magnify, colorize, and alter the density of the image.

IntraOral Cameras are small cameras in the shape of a pen that the dentist uses so a patient can see on a computer screen with crystal clarity every tooth and gum surface in his or her mouth as the camera is moved from structure to structure. It is an important diagnostic tool for the doctor and gives the patient the same view of what the cosmetic dentist is viewing. Digital Cosmetic Imaging shows each patient a computerized split image photograph of his or her smile. On the top one half of the screen is their current smile and on the bottom is a digital simulation of their smile after the cosmetic dentistry has been performed, allowing an immediate decision on work to be done. Dentures are artificial teeth that are used when a person has lost their real teeth.

There are removable dentures and fixed (bridges) dentures. Porcelain dentures came into use in the 1700s. The famous Wedgwood Potters of Stoke-on-Trent, England, supplied some of the first porcelain paste for dentures. It has only been since the 20th century that plastics and acrylic resin dentures have entered the market. One of the drawbacks of dentures is that after many years of wearing them the underlying ridge upon which the dentures rests can deteriorate. This is avoided with implants. Thus implant dentistry is the preferred option where possible since implants stop bone re-absorption. Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, has been specializing in creating beautiful, natural smiles for 20 years and can be found on the world wide web at www.DrMaddahi.com.

He is located in Beverly Hills at 436 N. Roxbury Drive, Suite 202 and can be reached at 310-888-7797. He can be contacted via email at info@DrMaddahi.com.

Mercury in Dental Fillings Disclosure and Prohibition Act (Introduced in House)

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Mercury in Dental Fillings Disclosure and Prohibition Act (Introduced in House) HR 2101 IH 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2101 To prohibit after 2008 the introduction into interstate commerce of mercury intended for use in a dental filling, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 1, 2007 Ms. WATSON (for herself and Mr. BURTON of Indiana) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce ——————————————————————————– A BILL To prohibit after 2008 the introduction into interstate commerce of mercury intended for use in a dental filling, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the `Mercury in Dental Fillings Disclosure and Prohibition Act’. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. (a) General Findings- The Congress finds as follows: (1) Elemental mercury and mercury compounds are known to be toxic and hazardous to human health and to the environment. (2) Mercury is number three on the 2003 CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous Substances, behind arsenic and lead. (3) A dental amalgam, commonly referred to as a `silver filling’, consists of 42 to 58 percent mercury . (4) Consumers may be deceived by the use of the term `silver’ to describe a dental amalgam, which contains substantially more mercury than silver. (5) Dentists purchase 34 tons of mercury per year, the Nation’s third largest purchaser of mercury . Dentists place millions of amalgam fillings in children each year, even though interchangeable substitutes of non-toxic materials could also fill those cavities. Each amalgam filling contains 1/2 to 3/4 of a gram of mercury . (6) The mercury contained in dental amalgam is continually emitted in the form of mercury vapor, and the total amount of mercury released depends upon the total number of fillings; their age, composition, and surface area; the intra-oral presence of other metals; dietary and lifestyle habits; and other chemical and metabolic conditions affecting the mouth. (7) When mercury vapors are inhaled, most of the mercury (about 80 percent) enters the bloodstream directly through the lungs and then rapidly deposits preferentially in the brain and kidneys as well as other parts of the body. (8) Mercury toxicity is a retention toxicity (total body burden) that builds up over years of exposure, and is therefore dependent on all sources of mercury to which an individual may be exposed. (9) The National Institutes of Health has concluded that when inorganic mercury is located in brain tissue, researchers are unable to demonstrate an appreciable half-life, or decrease, of mercury over time (more than 120 days). The implications of this conclusion are that dental amalgam exposure will permanently increase mercury body burden. (10) According to the World Health Organization, the estimated average daily intake and retention of mercury from dental amalgam ranges from 3 to 27 micrograms per day, and is greater than all other sources combined. (11) The California Dental Association, by court order, requires postings of warnings about mercury fillings in California Dental Offices as of March 9, 2003. The warnings read `NOTICE TO PATIENTS: PROPOSITION 65 WARNING: Dental Amalgam, used in many dental fillings, causes exposure to mercury , a chemical known to the state of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm’. (12) United States consumers and parents have a right to know, in advance, the risks of placing a product containing a substantial amount of mercury in their mouths or the mouths of their children. (13) According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the mercury from amalgam passes through the placenta of pregnant women and through the breast milk of lactating women, increasing health risks to both unborn children and newborn babies. (14) The National Academy of Sciences estimated that `over 600,000 children are born each year at risk for adverse neurodevelopmental effects due to in utero exposure to methyl mercury’ . This report urged the need to understand the relative amount of mercury attributable to dental amalgam and to thimerosal in vaccines. (15) Studies show that a variety of commonly found human intestinal and oral bacteria can methylate mercury . In this way, the mercury vapor from fillings biotransforms into the highly neurotoxic and teratogenic methylmercury. (16) The use of mercury in any product being put into the body is opposed by many health groups, such as the American Public Health Association, the California Medical Association, and Health Care Without Harm. (17) Highly effective and durable alternatives to mercury -based dental fillings exist, but many publicly and privately financed health plans do not allow consumers to choose alternatives to dental amalgam. (b) Environmental Findings- In addition to the findings of subsection (a), the Congress finds as follows: (1) Mercury wastewater released from dental clinics has been shown to fail the Environmental Protection Agency’s toxicity characteristic leaching procedure and, therefore, is regulated as hazardous waste. (2) Research from the Naval Dental Research Institute indicates that, when discharged to the environment, conditions may be right for waste dental mercury to methylate, become bioavailable, and subsequently biomagnify in fish as methyl mercury , the most toxic form of mercury . (3) Forty-eight States, the District of Columbia, and the United States Territory of American Samoa have issued 2,362 fish consumption advisories to their residents due to mercury contamination. (4) The Food and Drug Administration has issued fish consumption advisories due to levels of mercury in commercially-caught fish and, in January 2001, warned pregnant woman and young children not to eat certain marine fish. (5) According to the Environmental Protection Agency, United States dentists use approximately 34 tons of mercury per year. (6) A report issued on June 5, 2002, by the Mercury Policy Project, the Sierra Club, Health Care Without Harm, Clean Water Action, and the Toxics Action Center stated that, because of mercury fillings, dental offices are now the leading source of mercury in the Nation’s wastewater. (7) Mercury from dental amalgam can enter the environment during any point of the product’s life-cycle. This includes placement or removal of fillings; through bodily excretions; when sewage sludge is incinerated, spread on crops, or dumped in land fills; when vapor is released or land filled; when vapor is released directly from the filling (which increases with brushing, chewing, and consuming hot foods or salt); and during cremation. Currently there are no requirements for mercury capture before or during cremation. (8) The Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies reported human wastes from individuals with dental amalgam fillings to be the most significant source of domestic mercury entering publicly owned treatment works, greater than 80 percent of the total contributing factors. (9) According to the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies, removal of mercury from publicly owned treatment works has been shown to cost $10,000,000 to $100,000,000 for every pound removed. (10) Mercury use by the dental industry increased from 2 percent in 1980 to 22 percent of the total use of mercury in the United States in 2001, because of drastic declines in mercury use by other industries over that period. (11) Amalgam restorations were estimated to be 55 percent of the total mercury product reservoir in 2004 by the Environmental Protection Agency, and will therefore be a source of environmental contamination into the future. (12) According to a joint study by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Cremation Association of North America, approximately 238 pounds of mercury , mostly from dental amalgam fillings, were released from crematoria nationally in 1999. (13) Cremation is chosen in approximately 30 percent of all deaths, and this percentage is expected to increase every year. (14) According to industrial hygiene surveys, 6 to 16 percent of dental offices exceed the exposure levels for air mercury permitted by Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards. SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON INTRODUCTION OF DENTAL AMALGAM INTO INTERSTATE COMMERCE. (a) Prohibition- Section 501 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 351) is amended by adding at the end the following: `(j) Effective January 1, 2009, if it contains mercury intended for use in a dental filling.’. (b) Transitional Provision- For purposes of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), effective December 31, 2007, and subject to the amendment made by subsection (a), a device that contains mercury intended for use in a dental filling shall be considered to be misbranded, unless it bears a label that provides as follows: `Dental amalgam contains approximately 50 percent mercury , a highly toxic element. Such product should not be administered to children less than 18 years of age, pregnant women, or lactating women. Such product should not be administered to any consumer without a warning that the product contains mercury , which is a highly toxic element, and therefore poses health risks.’.

Porcelain is a Favorite for Cosmetic Dentistry, Why?

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The durability, strength and ability to match the natural look of teeth, porcelain is the first choice for many dentists. Porcelain is a favored material for dental work. Also referred to as ceramic, when used for fillings and other dental work the material can look exactly like a real tooth. Porcelain work is also significantly stronger than other dental materials.

Porcelain inlays are considered durable, with a manufacturing process that enables a high degree of accuracy in placing the inlay. Porcelain inlays bind onto the tooth and increase the overall strength of the tooth and can be used to repair somewhat damaged back teeth. They are made of very strong and durable industrial ceramics. Bonded into place with special adhesives, they hold the damaged parts of the tooth together. Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, explains the use of porcelain in his practice, “The teeth that have points or cusps can have a ceramic inlay that lies inside the cusp tips of the tooth. Custom-made, they fit the cavity after it is prepared and are cemented into place. More substantive reconstruction can be needed that covers one or more of these cusps and that is an onlay.”

Porcelain laminate veneers may be used when the demands of cosmetic changes in the mouth are too great for simple bonding. Sometimes referred to as laminates, veneers are painless, quick and can completely change a smile. These are used to alter color, shape, size and the arrangement of the teeth. This choice is often used instead of orthodontic work. Porcelain can also be used for a crown. When most of the tooth is missing or strength is needed for chewing, jacket crowns made of porcelain can be suggested. They are known to be the most realistic look of all crown restorations. Porcelain jackets are pure porcelain crowns placed on a fully prepared tooth. There are occasions when biting pressure is too great or teeth are loose because of periodontal disease, or the patient has missing teeth that must be filled in, then metal alloy must be placed under the porcelain for strength.

The porcelain is fused to the metal. Less tooth structure is removed to accommodate both metal and porcelain. Once an impression is taken, a metal coping is made on the prepared tooth. This is then covered with porcelain.  If individual back teeth are broken down but some good healthy tooth structure remains, porcelain fused to gold inlays are often used.

Dr. Maddahi explains, “This is the strongest and longest lasting back teeth restoration procedure. Porcelain adheres to gold better than any other metal and additionally, gold is a hypoallergenic material. The benefit of this restoration is the advantage of gold underneath which supports the tooth during heavy biting, therefore protecting the tooth and the nerve.” Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi,  has been specializing in creating beautiful, natural smiles for 20 years and can be found on the world wide web at www.DrMaddahi.com. He is located in Beverly Hills at 436 N. Roxbury Drive, Suite 202 and can be reached at 310-888-7797. He can be contacted on the web via email atinfo@DrMaddahi.com.