Modern day contemporary dentistry is full of controversies. Issues can always be viewed from more than one perspective. This does not refer to the diagnosis (although two dentists can differ on diagnosis); rather two dentists may have differing philosophies of practice. One’s outlook will direct treatment suggestions by the practitioner, and even how they approach the patient in general. With this is mind, I am not saying any one approach is correct and the other incorrect, but what I am saying is that there are various avenues that a patient can proceed with respect to their oral/mouth health and their general health vis a vis treatment options. You, the patient, need to be educated and versed about the issues, be they materials that can fill a cavity/tooth, root canal controversy, periodontal /gum health etc. You need to ask questions with the understanding that some questions the dentist may not know how to answer. In dentistry, it is the rare case that treatment is urgent and needs immediate attention. Often a temporary stop-gap measure can buy time so you can investigate and think through the options. From the patients’ perspective you must realize that your satisfaction with treatment options is not a criteria for following through with treatment. Sometimes teeth require fillings, root canals or extractions, in spite of what you, the patient, really want, creating a disappointment in the diagnosis. Dentistry has many tools that can offer help at various times, but there are times that the options are limited. You may always find a second opinion which may present a different treatment option but not always.
In this blog, I hope to highlight various dental issues and interesting cases that present themselves to me with a hope to open your mind to issues you, or a loved one, could face in the future. None of what I write about should be misconstrued as advice in regards to a specific dental issue because the full history, clinical exam and possible X-ray is always required to best understand any dental issues.
Your feedback is always welcome and I will try to answer any queries as best as possible without making a diagnosis.
