One of the key elements of a good dentist-patient relationship is trust. Many people choose a dentist based on an ad in the yellow pages, a google search, or from a directory of providers on their dental insurance plan, but choosing the right dentist that makes you comfortable, treats you well, and makes you want to come back is not that simple. Dr. Jim Erpenbach believes that it is important for dentists and their patients to have a mutual trust and respect.
By stepping foot in a dentist’s chair, you are giving the dentist and his or her staff a great deal of power and control over you. You are trusting that they are going to find and appropriately treat your gum disease, cavities, and any other oral problems they see. You are trusting that they are not going to recommend and charge you for unnecessary work that doesn’t fit within your budget. You are trusting them to manage any potential pain the procedure might cause, and in the event you are put under general anesthesia you are trusting them with your unconscious body.
If any one facet of this trust is breached, it can turn a routine dental experience into one that is traumatic emotionally, financially, or physically, and can keep patients from coming back to get the routine care they need for years, decades even. Every year, more studies come out linking more chronic diseases and increased health risks such as heart attack and stroke to oral bacteria. This means that the trauma that keeps you out of the dentist’s office today could be seriously damaging to your overall health in years to come.
Dr. Erpenbach makes a point to spend quality time with each patient explaining every decision, how much it will cost and what to expect before the work takes place. Our staff prides itself on getting to know our patients as individuals and establish clear pathways for communication before, during and after care. To learn more, contact our office at 865-240-2035.
It’s been in use since the 1980s, but most people never knew, that the bonding agents used for braces and porcelain veneers and a variety of other dental purposes was actually derived from NASA research developing porcelain tiles that were fused to the metal heat shield of the Apollo space capsule. Dr. Jim Erpenbach is a dentist who specializes in fitting patients with veneers and other dental restorations.
The team at NASA was tasked with creating a thermal protection system to prevent the 1650⁰C atmospheric re-entry heat from destroying space craft that were returning to earth. They developed an alloy called Tilite that was capable of absorbing heat at the same rate as ceramic tiles it was used to mount on the space shuttle, while at the same time eliminating the stress and strain of the porcelain against metal.
Once created, scientists began looking at other uses for Tilite as a bonding agent, and in 1986 it was approved by the FDA for use with dental restorations. Cosmetic dentists found it to be an excellent bonding agent for porcelain veneers, bridges and fillings because it was beyond capable of handling the environmental forces at work in the human mouth from the exertion of bite force to changes in temperature related to the consumption of hot and cold beverages and variation of balance in moisture and acid content in saliva.
To learn more about dental bondings, or to request a consultation about veneers or other dental restorations, contact our office at 865-240-2035.
One of the most common and painful oral health problems people encounter is when an oral infection spreads to the interior of the tooth resulting in the need for a root canal. Dr. Jim Erpenbach offers a biomimetic approach to taking care of your teeth that is less invasive and preserves more of your natural tooth structure. This results in reducing the chances of ever needing a root canal!
Biomimetic dentistry offers a more moderate approach to treatment, focusing on the idea of “less is more”. Traditional dentistry destroys the natural structure of healthy teeth during the restoration process. However, Dr. Erpenbach rebuilds the teeth he treats with biomimetic dentistry by using components of your natural tooth structure as part of the restoration process. This allows for less work needed in the future because your tooth has remained as close to nature as possible. Dr. Erpenbach always wants the best for his patients and for him this means less drilling and less pain. Treating the existing problem with the best procedures and latest biomimetic knowledge now will prevent needing more invasive, destructive, and painful procedures later.
If you have a tooth ache or need dental attention, please contact our office at 865-240-2035 to schedule an appointment.
June is National Candy Month, and with that in mind, we wanted to share with parents that there is actually one candy that studies have found benefits teeth. When you or your child decide to indulge, it’s good to know that dark chocolate has properties that are actually beneficial to your teeth and overall health. Dr. Jim Erpenbach offers traditional and biomimetic dental services in the Knoxville, Tennessee area.
Studies in the US, Japan and the UK indicate that extracted compounds found in the cocoa bean, the main ingredient in chocolate, are actually as effective, or more effective, than fluoride at fighting tooth decay. This compound, called CBH, is used in some toothpastes and mouthwashes. CBH is antibacterial and aids in the prevention of plaque buildup.
In powder form, CBH has a similar chemical makeup to caffeine, and its crystalline particles help harden tooth enamel in animals, making their teeth more resistant to decay. Research is currently underway to determine if this same benefit holds true for human teeth.
Organic dark chocolate is also low in sugar, with less than 6-8 grams per serving, which means less sugar is present to start the chemical processes that drive tooth decay, and for your kids, less of the undesirable effects sugar brings related to energy level and concentration.
Of course the best thing for your teeth is no candy, and maintaining your routine brushing and flossing twice daily along with twice yearly professional cleaning. But if you must indulge, choose dark chocolate. To schedule a routine professional cleaning for yourself or your child, call our office at 865-240-2035.
In December, 2015, the University of Buffalo published a study of more than 73 thousand post-menopausal women found that those with periodontal disease were at 14% higher risk of developing breast cancer. The women who developed breast cancer were studied over 6.7 years as part of the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study and did not have cancer at the start of the study. Dr. Jim Erpenbach offers periodontal services to help patients keep gingivitis and other periodontal disease at bay.
Breast cancer, is merely a new addition to an already extensive list of diseases that have been linked to gum disease. Inflammation of the gums has been linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke, diabetes, pericarditis, dementia, Alzheimer’s and a number of chronic autoimmune conditions. Additionally, research has shown that poor oral health also correlated with more rapid cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients, and 6 times greater morbidity rate for patients with kidney disease.
The cause-and-effect relationship between inflammation of the gums and inflammation in other areas of the body has not been clearly established, but many researchers believe that these disease processes begin or are exacerbated by bacteria entering the bloodstream through the gums.
Dr. Erpenbach recommends that all patients brush and floss at least twice daily and get a professional teeth cleaning every six months. Patients with chronic inflammatory diseases may benefit from getting professional cleanings on a quarterly basis to help further curtail the buildup of bacteria in the mouth. To schedule a cleaning, contact our office at 865-240-2035.
Every parent knows that daily brushing and flossing are the key components to your child’s preventive dental care. But there are other things parents can do to help ensure their children enjoy good dental health. Dr. Erpenbach believes that maintaining a healthy balance of bacterial flora in the mouth is another important part of preventive care.
Using an antiseptic mouthwash like Listerine or Scope can help eliminate bad bacteria. One way of protecting the good oral flora in your child’s mouth is preventing dry mouth.
Dry mouth can be caused by climate, diet, medication and a variety of other problems, but there is one way to minimize dry mouth that children find to be a lot of fun. Chewing sugarless gum that is sweetened by an ingredient called Xylitol has been clinically proven to help produce saliva, thereby helping eliminate dry mouth.
In addition to helping eliminate dry mouth, chewing a Xylitol based gum can also help your child exercise the muscles that control the jaw and stimulate the roots of the teeth to promote bone density and growth of new teeth.
To choose the right sugarless gum to promote your child’s dental health, look for Xylitol on the label. Some gum brands are made specifically for this purpose and will list Xylitol as an active ingredient. These products can be found at Whole Foods and other organic grocery providers. Other sugarless gums that contain Xylitol as the main ingredient can be just as beneficial. You can identify whether xylitol is the main ingredient by it being listed first in the order of ingredients on the nutritional label.
To schedule a regular professional cleaning and checkup for yourself or your child, contact our office at 865-240-2035.
Just as the eyes are considered windows to the soul, the mouth is the gateway to the body. We use our mouths to eat, to breathe, to chew, to talk, and so many other things that are easily taken for granted. Oral Systemic Dentistry came about from the partnership between medical practitioners and dentists who understand that oral health is linked to overall health. Dr. Jim Erpenbach, D.D.S., partners with patients and their physicians to make sure that signs of disease evident in the mouth are examined to determine when they are indicative of systemic health problems.
Researchers have found links between the bacteria found on teeth and in the gums, often referred to as oral biofilm; and chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Mouth sores can indicate any number of chronic illnesses, and getting routine professional cleanings and examinations by an OHS dentist can be the first line of defense in preventing or minimizing the effects of these conditions.
Researchers have not verified the cause effect relationship between oral biofilm and chronic illnesses, but studies have proven that reduction of bacteria in the mouth correlates with less disease activity in the body.
Dr. Erpenbach recommends patients floss and brush their teeth at least twice a day, and get routine professional cleanings every six months. To schedule your next cleaning, contact our office at 865-240-2035.
Biomimetic Dentistry is a special discipline of dentistry that stems from the philosophy that what the dentist does should preserve and imitate nature as much as possible. Traditional dentistry, referred to as Amputational Dentistry by the Academy of Biomimetic Dentistry involved restorative materials and procedures that required extensive drilling and breakdown of healthy teeth and tissue to support the creation and application of crowns, bridges and fillings. Dr. Erpenbach offers patients a biomimetic alternative that is far less invasive.
The hallmark of the Biomimetic approach is the effort to preserve as much of the natural tooth and use bonding agents to repair cracks and chips before more damage occurs. Ideally, one takes care of his or her teeth and does not need fillings or tooth replacements, but when the damage is done, a Biomimetic dentist will take the least invasive approach to repair the tooth and prevent further decay.
There is also a strong emphasis on preventative care and maintenance to prevent future problems. Sealants can seal the tooth away from bacterial intrusion preventing the need for more invasive fillings and root canal procedures.
For more information, or to schedule an appointment, contact our office at (865) 240-2035.
After deciding to take the leap and get dental implants, many patients want to know what they should do to prepare for their big day when the implants will be placed. Dr. Erpenbach believes that preparation and aftercare can play a big role in the success of your implant placement and your satisfaction with the results.
A few weeks prior to implant placement, we will take your medical history, ask about any medical conditions or illnesses that might affect the surgery and its outcome. You may be prescribed antibiotics to clear any infections you may have prior to the procedure to help prevent the spread of bacteria into the bloodstream.
We recommend that if your dental habits were not stellar before, that you take extra care to make sure you are brushing and flossing after every meal. A dental hygienist will perform a tooth cleaning and examine your teeth and gums to make sure that there are no signs of gum disease.
Gum disease can leave pockets of extra tissue between the gums and teeth where bacteria can get trapped and cause peri implantitis, an inflammation of the gum tissue around the implant that can cause failure for the implant to bond with the jawbone.
Once your implants have been placed, they require the same care as regular teeth. Regular brushing and flossing should continue as usual. There may be tenderness at first, but this will go away in a week or two and you can resume eating as usual.
Currently, for those who need their teeth straightened or their jawline adjusted, there are a variety of options: traditional braces, clear braces and ClearCorrect. As a leading practitioner of biomimetic dentistry, Dr. Jim Erpenbach offers ClearCorrect alignment as a less damaging alternative to braces.
The key difference between ClearCorrect and traditional or clear braces is that instead of a system of brackets adhered to the tooth surface and manipulated by a wire, whereas the ClearCorrect method for tooth realignment is a series of clear removable orthotic aligners that are gradually swapped out every three weeks.
So why choose ClearCorrect?
Traditional and clear braces are fixed to the surface of the tooth and cannot be removed until the realignment is complete. This can be problematic to brushing and flossing, leaving teeth and gums vulnerable to bacteria caught in or around the wires and brackets leading to tooth decay and gingivitis. As an alternative, ClearCorrect orthotics are worn at all times except when eating, brushing and flossing, and may be removed for those purposes.
When braces are removed after alignment is complete, there can be a difference in tooth color when tooth staining has occurred but not underneath where the brackets were adhered. Because ClearCorrect aligners are removed for eating, brushing and flossing, there is no danger of visible differences in coloration of teeth.
The cement used to adhere brackets to the teeth can also cause damage to teeth as brackets fall off or get removed. Solvents and tools used to remove brackets at the end of realignment can leave tiny, even microscopic holes in the surface of the teeth so small that regular brushing cannot remove bacteria to prevent cavities from forming on the front side of the teeth. Because ClearCorrect aligners do not adhere to the teeth, this does not present an issue.
And of course the most obvious reason to most people is cosmetic. Even clear porcelain braces are visible up close, while ClearCorrect is barely noticeable to most people.
To schedule an assessment to determine if you or your child is a candidate for ClearCorrect, contact our office at 865-240-2035.