OUR SINCERE THANKS TO TIM GALLAGHER of the Sioux City Journal for his recent article about our dental practice. We appreciate it so much, Tim!
Here are a few highlights from Tim’s article…
We wanted to be sure each of you—our valued patients—are aware of all the fantastic technological advancements in dentistry that effect your (and your family’s) comfort, health, and appearance.
On Patient Communication:
While the telephone works fine for a great percentage of patients, others lean toward the Internet. They log on to Dr. Lilly’s Facebook page to see what the practice is up to. “Patient communication is one area that’s changed,” said Dr. Lilly when asked to highlight advancements in oral health care over the past couple of decades.
On The Links Between Oral Health And Overall Health:
On a related note, Dr. Lilly said the public is becoming more aware of the link between gum disease and other health issues like heart disease and diabetes.
On Digital Scanners And One-Appointment Crowns:
Another recent advancement involves the use of a Cadcam milling machine for crowns. Usually, said Dr. Lilly, a dentist would prepare a tooth for a crown in one visit. The crown was then fabricated at a dental lab off-site. The patient would wear a temporary crown for a short period before returning to the office for a fitting. “Now you can prepare the tooth and a digital scanner takes a picture in a computer and shows what shape it is,” he said. “It is then milled out on the spot.” The technology has advanced recently and is gaining wide acceptance in its third or fourth generation. “We still do some crowns traditionally,” Dr. Lilly said. “But this eliminates having to wear a temporary crown for two weeks.”
On Oral Cancer Screening Tools:
“Oral cancer is something that if it’s caught early, it is very treatable,” Dr. Lilly said. “Too often now it is discovered at a late stage.” Cases of oral cancer in North America outpace cervical cancer, for example, by 3 to 1.
This fall, Lilly Family Dentistry is going with an oral screening device that literally sheds light on possible cancerous areas in the mouth. “You shine the light into the mouth and the way it reflects the light can tip us off to an area that might need to be looked at more closely,” Dr. Lilly said. “When you shine a light onto tissue, some light is reflected and some is absorbed. If an area of tissue is reflecting light at a different rate than normal tissue, that is something I’d have to evaluate.”
“We’ve always screened for oral cancer visually,” he stressed. “This tool is something that helps us even more.”
The videos below will help you better understand the concept:
Once again, our thanks to the Sioux City Journal and to Tim Gallagher for their story about our dental practice. And thanks to each of you—our valued patients—for the friendship and trust you extend to us and to each member of our team!
If you would like to read the entire article, click on the Sioux City Journal logo below:
