Summit Dental Center

Dental Records – How Do I Get Copies?

Summit Dental — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:26:34 +0000

On occasion, it is necessary for patients to get copies of their dental records such as when a patient is moving and must change dentists, or when a patient has been referred to a dental sub-specialist for treatment. Though the patient’s dental records are the property of the treating dentist, the American Dental Association’s rules require dentists to furnish the patient or the patient’s new dentist the dental records, copies of the dental records (including X-Rays), or a summary of the patient’s records. The dentist may charge a nominal fee for doing this to cover the costs of copying and postage, and regardless of whether the patient’s account is paid in full, the dentist still has the obligation to provide the patient’s dental records. Be aware that all dentists are covered by HIPAA privacy rules, so if you are not requesting copies of your own records or those of your child, you must have a HIPAA release form signed by the patient. For instance, if you care for an elderly parent and need his/her dental records, you would need him/her to sign a HIPAA authorization form before requesting copies. Summit Dental Center is here to help you and your family with all your dental needs, and we want you to be educated about oral health, as well as how to obtain your dental records.

DDS versus DMD – What’s the Difference?

Summit Dental — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:00:35 +0000

Professionals like dentists, doctors and lawyers, who have gone to school a long time before entering their professional practice sure seem to have lots of letters behind their name! These letters are abbreviations for the degree each professional has earned. For example, DDS stands for Doctor of Dental Surgery, and DMD stands for Doctor of Dental Medicine. There is no difference whatsoever between a dentist with a DDS degree and a DMD degree. Most often, you will see “John Smith, DDS” because most dental schools in the United States and Houston award the DDS degree. However, both a DDS and DMD have the same training, education, and skills to take care of your oral health. Summit Dental Center in Houston offers family and pediatric dentistry services and would like the opportunity for us to become your main dental home in Houston.

What is TMJ?

Summit Dental — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:00:27 +0000

You may have heard a lot in the new about a disorder called TMJ that affects the muscles and joint of the lower jaw. TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, so you can see why it’s easier to refer to this condition as TMJ. The temporomandibular joint is the most complex joint in the body. TMJ is a complex condition that causes pain and dysfunction in the joint and its associated muscles. Women seem to experience TMJ more often than men, and dentists are not 100% certain what causes TMJ. Some symptoms of TMJ include recurring: headaches (including migraines); facial pain; popping/clicking sounds in the jaw joint; pain in the ears and/or face; limited ability to fully open the mouth; difficulty with chewing; problems with the bite; and worn down teeth. Fortunately, most of these symptoms self-resolve or occur infrequently enough that the patient does not experience too much discomfort. The best treatment for TMJ at this time is a conservative one – meaning a treatment that does not require surgery and one that is reversible. For example, patients with TMJ can care for themselves by eating softer foods during a flare up, taking care to avoid extreme jaw movements, avoiding chewing gum, and applying ice packs to the area(s) of discomfort. Other things a patient can do include relaxation and stress reduction techniques and gentle jaw stretches. Of course, the patient can take ibuprofen to help relieve discomfort. The next time you see your dentist at Summit Dental Center, please let him/her know if you have any of the TMJ symptoms so that we can discuss self-care and treatment with you. There are other treatments for TMJ that are advertised by dentists and the news media, but these may not be FDA approved or require surgery. Stay tuned for future discussions regarding TMJ.

Diabetes and Dental Care in Houston

Summit Dental — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:00:51 +0000

Diabetes has become a nearly epidemic disease in the United States affecting the general population regardless of socio-economic status, ethnicity, and in some cases, age. Type 2 diabetes (a/k/a adult onset diabetes) accounts for the majority of the cases, but the good news is that this type of diabetes can be prevented altogether and even controlled through diet, exercise and medication. If you wonder why is dental care important, that’s a good question. Having Type 2 diabetes means that the patient’s blood sugar is way too high over extended periods of time, and having too much sugar in the blood puts major strains on organs such as the vascular system, kidneys, and heart. Diabetes also impacts the teeth and gums in a negative way by making dental diseases like gum disease worse. Signs that your diabetes may not be under good control would be red, swollen gums; gums that bleed easily when brushing and/or flossing. High blood sugar will also encourage the growth of bacteria, and those bacteria attack your teeth and gums. Having diabetes is a full time job due to frequent blood sugar testing, medication and doctor’s appointments, and this also includes extra attention to caring for your teeth. If you have diabetes is it all the more important for you to book and go to at least two dental visits per year for a check up and cleaning. Tell your dentist if you have a family history of diabetes, or if you have diabetes so that we can help you take care of yourself. At Summit Dental Center our patients are our extended family, and we believe in helping them to be as healthy as possible.

Dealing With Dental Phobia – You Can Overcome It

Summit Dental — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:12:13 +0000

About 1/3^rd of adults are fearful of going to the dentist according to a 2010 survey even though well over 90% of dental treatments do not cause pain or discomfort. Lots of this fear is due to hyped up stories people hear from others and the fact that the mouth is one of the most sensitive areas of the body. The same survey reporting the total number of American adults who experience dental visit dread showed that only 5% reported having severe pain after a tooth extraction or a root canal procedure. Both are oral surgery procedures that do cause discomfort that can be managed with anesthetic and follow-up pain medication. If you are one of these adults who dread or even fear your dentist’s office, do not despair. The best strategy is to be up front with your dentist about your feelings. That way he or she can be aware of the situation and work with you to feel more comfortable. Your Summit Dental Center dentist will be very gentle in applying numbing agents, giving Novocain shots and discuss sedation alternatives. What is NOT a good idea is taking a narcotic sedative or pain pill at home before coming in for treatment unless you have a prescription from your dentist to do this. Taking sedatives or pain medication at home before coming in for a procedure is dangerous because your dentist may give you the same or similar drug before beginning a dental procedure, which could cause an overdose or drug interaction. If you have done this, then please inform your dentist or hygienist of what you took, the amount, and time you took the medication. At Summit Dental Center we cater to wimps, so contact us today to make an appointment.

How to Talk to Your Child About Thumb Sucking

Summit Dental — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:00:48 +0000

Even though children’s sucking their thumbs is totally natural and even occurs when your unborn baby is in the womb, parents experience some concerns about how to get their child to stop the behavior. The reason for this is concern over damaging the alignment of the child’s permanent teeth and the expense of braces and orthodontics down the road. Most child development experts (including dental professionals) encourage patients to use positive reinforcement, such as giving the child a small reward when he/she does not suck their thumb, such as stickers, a small toy or an extra few minutes of cartoons. Scolding the child not only makes the experience unpleasant for both of you, but also encourages your child to hide the behavior rather than being honest about it. There are loads of foul tasking topical agents for the thumb as well as devices to prevent your child from sucking, but perhaps a more positive resource is a book you can read to and share with your child. One book geared for children ages 5 and up is titled David Decides about Thumb Sucking. This book serves as an enjoyable story for your child but also serves as a guide to what you can do to help your child give up this habit. Of course, Summit Dental Center dentists and hygienists can help parents with a strategy and even talk to your child to set a good foundation. Contact us today for a convenient appointment!

Bad Breath is Not Sexy

Summit Dental — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:00:09 +0000

Summit Dental Center wants to wish you and your family a Happy Valentine’s Day. Whether you treat your loved one to roses, dinner & a movie or chocolates there is one thing to remember: fresh breath. Like body odor, bad breath is not something we can easily detect in ourselves, but others sure can! Bad breath (halitosis) can be caused by lots of things such as severe allergies, sinus infections, smoking, poor oral hygiene, dry mouth, dental appliances, and your diet. Besides brushing at least twice per day, flossing, scraping the tongue and using mouthwash, it’s a good idea to drink lots of water and replace your toothbrush at least every 2-3 months. Some home remedies for bad breath include chewing on parsley or mint (herbs). However, sometimes you actually need to talk to your dentist about bad breath such as when you discovery sores in your mouth, have chronic dry mouth, have a fever, or if you’ve had oral surgery recently. We wish you all a Happy Valentine’s Day, ask that you keep appointments at least twice per year for optimal dental health, and avoid garlic at your Valentine’s Day dinner!

Toothaches are Serious Business

Summit Dental — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:00:23 +0000

A toothache can make your day (or night) grind to a screeching halt because of pain and discomfort. Symptoms of toothache include swelling around the tooth, pain in the affected tooth (can be sharp, throbbing or only when pressure is applied to the tooth), and in severe instances a foul tasting and smelling discharge around the tooth. An abscess, tooth decay, a damaged filling, or even a crack in the tooth itself often causes toothaches. When you or your child experiences a toothache, this is not something to put off and worry about later – especially if the pain has lasted for greater than 2 days, if you have a fever, and if you have intense pain when opening your mouth or eating. The pain you experience is a sign that you need to seek dental attention as soon as possible because ignoring the pain or delaying treatment can make the situation much worse. Lots of people use home remedies like putting heat on the tooth or around the gums, or even worse, putting an aspirin on the tooth and gum. What you should do in addition to calling your dentist is clean the area of all debris and food using floss if necessary and rinse your mouth with warm water. If you see swelling on the face near the painful tooth, then use a cold compress to help relieve the swelling. Toothaches can often spring up at a most inconvenient time like evenings, holidays and weekends, but the good news is Summit Dental Center has seven locations across Houston with convenient, flexible hours to serve its patients. Making an appointment is easy – just contact us and we will get you seen as soon as possible.

Access to Dental Healthcare in Houston

Summit Dental — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:22:50 +0000

Most Americans have much better oral health than they did 50 to 100 years ago, and this is evidenced by the fact that most of us are able to keep our permanent teeth with little dental intervention for the majority of our adult lives. However, despite improvements in oral health, there is a huge amount of room for improvement in the realm of the uninsured and working poor. Though not all dentists and dental clinics work with patients who are uninsured or who are on Medicaid or whose children receive CHIP benefits, Summit Dental Center is an exception. Our mission as a main dental home for patients is to ensure that patients receive the care they need to not only have good oral health, but also general medical health. This is because poor oral health can lead to or aggravate medical conditions like coronary artery disease and diabetes. Summit Dental Center also focuses on how we can help our littlest patients start out in life with good oral health habits because good dental health habits that are formed early in life are likely to stay with them into their adult years. Please do not let lack of dental insurance keep you or your family from seeking regular dental checkups and necessary treatments. Summit Dental Center is here for your family. Contact one of our seven convenient Houston locations today.

Insurance, The Economy and Dental Care in Houston

Summit Dental — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:00:06 +0000

With the economy still affecting people in the Houston area with either a loss of job and/or dental insurance, many patients are putting off dental care until better times. For example, if you have a crack in your tooth and wonder if you can just ignore it, there are some important considerations. While not every crack in a tooth is an emergency, there are risks for not getting dental treatment. No one can predict when or if the tooth will get worse or if the interior of the tooth will become infected. At Summit Dental Center we understand the struggles of hard working families and their need for quality dental care. That is why we not only accept Medicaid and CHIP, but we also work with patients to establish a reasonable payment plan for services. When you have a dental problem, regardless of your financial status, you need to get the problem addressed by a dental professional because letting the problem linger can cause worse health problems later on and cost more to fix.