Dr. James Austin, DDS - Blog http://www.jamesaustindds.com Blog Sat, 19 May 2012 09:36:04 +0000 http://www.jamesaustindds.com/ en weekly 1 Blog Posting Infection Control in the Dental Office http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/infection-control-in-the-dental-office http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/infection-control-in-the-dental-office#comments 2012-03-24 16:00:00 The Center for Disease Control (CDC)  and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) working with the American Dental Association (ADA) have created a comprehensive plan to prevent the spread of disease in the dental setting. These stringent guidelines are taken seriously at Dr. James M. Austin's practice. Before a patient ever steps into their operatory for treatment a series of steps have occurred prior to their visit to insure their room is completely safe from cross contamination. All counter tops, drawer handles, dental light and dental chair have been cleaned sprayed and decontaminated with special microbial wipes and sprays that kill viruses and bacteria. Heavy use items such as dental light handles, suction lines, air/water syringes are than covered with barriers which are removed and replaced between patients for additional protection. Handpieces, air/water syringe tips, and the dental tools are packaged and sent through sterilizers. Sterilizing is usually completed using steam(autoclave) or chemical sterilization(chemiclave). At Dr. Austin's office these machines are checked weekly  using spore testing that is sent to an independent lab to insure the machines are working properly at all times. Used disposable items such as gauze, cotton rolls and suction tips are placed in special bags after use and needles are placed in specially made hard sided containers.  During your individual treatment both you and your dental team will wear protective eye wear.  Your dental team will also use disposable gloves and mask to protect them and you from cross contamination. 
This overview of our safety procedures will hopefully help you understand the lengths we go to protect your health and safety. If you should ever have any questions concerning our infection procedures please feel free to call our office at 425 643-5778. If you would like a personal tour of our sterilization area, please do not hesitate to ask any of our staff members. They would be happy to show you! 

 
]]> http://www.jamesaustindds.com/feed/blog-54 0 Blog Posting Porcelain Crowns are not Created Equal http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/porcelain-crowns-are-not-created-equal http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/porcelain-crowns-are-not-created-equal#comments 2011-12-05 10:00:00 While gold continues to be an excellent material for making crowns, many patients object to the gold color and temperature sensitivity of these crowns. Historically, patients have pushed for a strong, esthetic, long lasting natural looking all porcelain restoration. There is now porcelain on the market that has these characteristics. The material is made by Ivoclar Vivadent Inc. and is called Emax, which is a lithium disilicate glass ceramic.
 

Emax is monolithic in nature meaning the material characteristics are the same all the way through the material. Other porcelains, such as the very popular Zirconia porcelain uses a very strong substructure and layers esthetic porcelain over this substructure. The finished result is a very nice looking porcelain crown with a flexural strength of 90 mPa. In contrast, Emax has a flexural strength of 360-400 mPa. Other popular porcelains such as Finesse All Ceramic, Authentic, VitaMark II, Hera Sun Press, GC Intial PC and Cergo Press have a flexural strength that ranges from 114-150 mPa. These tests showed Emax has a flexural strength 3-4 times stronger than other popular porcelains. In load testing until failure, Emax was again the strongest, and was 40% stronger than a traditional porcelain metal crown. 

 

Dentists have known for a long time that porcelain can excessively wear opposing tooth enamel. In contrast, using an OHSU machine to simulate 5 years worth of wear, Emax porcelain showed a very low wear rate, lower in fact than enamel itself and much lower than other porcelains. Further, in cytotoxic testing in accordance with ISO guidelines, Emax was found to be very biocompatible.

 

Patients who want porcelain restorations should definitely consider the new Emax porcelain. It has beautiful esthetic properties, is 3-4 times stronger than other porcelains, and will not wear opposing tooth structure as traditional porcelains do. This is definitely the porcelain of choice of Dr. James M. Austin. He can be contacted at 425 643 5778 or www.jamesaustindds.com

 
]]> http://www.jamesaustindds.com/feed/blog-21 6 Blog Posting Dental Care for the Whole Family http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/ http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/#comments 2011-11-28 09:00:00 Dr. James M. Austin has been practicing dentistry, specializing in family dental care for over 30 years. His patients range from age three to eighty three and beyond. “Family Dentistry” encompasses a large range of differing dental care but a focus on the individual person and their needs is always a very important part in the delivery of care. At the practice of James M. Austin DDS we care about each individual patient and our treatment is uniquely tailored to each individual patients needs. 
 

Our dental services include:

 

1.      Dental cleanings to maintain healthy teeth for all ages

2.      Periodontal cleanings to preserve bone and restore dental health to the supporting jawbone and general overall health of the individual by reducing chronic inflammation which has been linked to heart disease.

3.      One appointment CEREC crowns using Emax porcelain, the strongest porcelain on the market today. No longer do you have to wait for two weeks with a temporary crown for two weeks. We design, fabricate and seat your crown in about 90 minutes from start to finish.

4.      Invisalign treatment for both adults and teenagers.

5.      TMJ treatment using a variety of treatment options with the goal of eliminating chronic jaw pain.

6.      Implant placement to replace lost teeth.

7.      Routine cavity control composite restorations.

8.      Smile enhancement treatments for patients of all ages.

 

If you are looking for a dentist who practices family dentistry in Bellevue, please give our office a call at 425 643-5778 or visit our website at jamesaustindds.com for more information.
]]> http://www.jamesaustindds.com/feed/blog-20 6 Blog Posting Traumatic Tooth Loss & Mouth Guards; Treatment Steps Anyone Can Do. http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/traumatic-tooth-loss-and-mouth-guards-treatment-steps-anyone-can-do http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/traumatic-tooth-loss-and-mouth-guards-treatment-steps-anyone-can-do#comments 2011-11-02 19:00:00
 
Traumatic tooth loss due to dental trauma is very common both inside of sports and inside the home. For sports, prevention plays an important roll. Wearing a well fitting mouth guard can prevent the traumatic loss of a tooth altogether.   Mouth guards for football are common, but mouth guards should be worn for soccer, basketball, rugby and virtually any sport where running and contact are involved. While prevention plays an important part in protecting you and your children’s teeth, what happens in the first 20 minutes after a tooth is knocked out will be the key difference in whether the tooth can be saved or eventually lost. If you witness the loss of a permanent tooth follow the simple steps below;

 


  1. Locate the lost tooth

  2. Grasp the tooth by the crown end avoiding the root end, with a cloth, tissue or anything that will allow you to grip the tooth firmly. ( teeth are slippery)

  3. If water is available, rinse the tooth gently to remove any debris. Do not touch or scrub the root surface.

  4. If water is not available and the tooth is dirty forget step #3 and move on to step #5. Your dentist can deal with any infection that may occur due to a dirty tooth.

  5. Place the tooth with moderate pressure back into the mouth. Hold the tooth in position and immediately go to a dentist or an emergency room for permanent stabilization with a bonded wire. 


 It is critical that the tooth be re-implanted in the mouth within the first 20 minutes. If the tooth is put back in the mouth within this period of time it’s chance of survival is excellent. If the tooth is not put back within 20 minutes, the chances of that tooth’s long term survival go down dramatically.

 

 Placing a tooth back in a traumatized individual is not an easy thing to do, but when it comes to a lost tooth the sports quote “JUST DO IT” is all you need to remember! Dr. James Austin has been practicing dentistry for 31 years. His office can be reached at jamesaustindds.com or 425 643-5778.





 

]]> http://www.jamesaustindds.com/feed/blog-19 2 Blog Posting Don't like to Floss? AirFloss! http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/dont-like-to-floss-airfloss http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/dont-like-to-floss-airfloss#comments 2011-10-26 21:00:00 A new product by the makers of Sonicare toothbrush has been developed that can take the place of flossing. This product is called the Philips AirFloss. This is great news for many of Dr. Austin’s patients who don’t like to, or can’t find the time to floss. This new device shoots microdroplets of air and water in a targeted manner between the teeth. Instead of water, your favorite mouthwash can also be used. This targeted spray has the ability to remove the biofilm called plaque from between your teeth the same way flossing does. The difference between flossing and the Philips AirFloss is the ease of use. For some patients flossing is just to difficult. With the AirFloss you simply push a botton to activate the sprayer, moving from tooth to tooth throughout your mouth. The process can be completed easily and simply in about 60 seconds. To watch a short video showing how this new product works, simply click on Airfloss.]]> http://www.jamesaustindds.com/feed/blog-18 1 Blog Posting Bellevue Dentist Dr. James Austin announces new associate http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/bellevue-dentist-dr-james-austin-announces-new-associate http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/bellevue-dentist-dr-james-austin-announces-new-associate#comments 2011-10-19 15:00:00 Dr. Hilarie Galloway D.M.D. is the newest member of our team as an associate with Dr. Austin.  She received her Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry at Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine in May of 2006.  She than went on to attend the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, graduating in May of 2010.  She completed a general practice residency program in July of 2011 at the Danbury Hospital, an affiliate of Yale University School of Medicine.  Truth be told, Dr. Galloway is an east coast girl at heart. Her husband, a fellow Seattlelite, had to talk her into coming out West.  Lucky for us he did! Dr. Galloway is very personable and outgoing. She brings to our practice a fresh perspective on dentistry that Dr. Austin is looking forward to drawing from.



]]> http://www.jamesaustindds.com/feed/blog-17 6 Blog Posting CEREC Blue Cam has Arrived! http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/default-category/default-posting http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/default-category/default-posting#comments 2011-09-30 16:00:00 Dr. Austin has just completed his first restoration using the new Blue Cam CEREC technology.  The Blue Cam technology makes it possible for Dr. Austin to create your porcelain crowns, onlays, inlays and anything inbetween much faster, and with even more precision than was ever before possible.  Dr. Austin has been using CEREC technology for over 10 years now, and has always been amazed with the results.  The new Blue Cam technology is a major advance into 21st century dentistry.  We didn't think it was possible, but Dr. Austin is even more excited about CEREC restorations than ever.   



If you would like more information, please contact our office or call 425 643-5778

]]> http://www.jamesaustindds.com/feed/blog-2 5 Blog Posting Flossing & General Dentistry http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/this-is-the-blog-title http://www.jamesaustindds.com/blog/general/this-is-the-blog-title#comments 2011-09-25 11:00:00
Over the years we have found that most of our patients are very diligent when it comes to brushing their teeth, but struggle to find a significant level of consistency when it comes to flossing. A growing body of evidence is showing that neglecting the flossing step can have negative health consequences that effect the entire body. Specifically, many studies are now showing a direct link between chronic inflammation, which is exactly what gum disease is, and an increase chance of heart disease, stroke, and pancreatic cancer. It has become increasingly clear how important brushing AND flossing is not only to the health of your teeth, but to your overall health as well.


If you notice that your gums bleed when you brush or floss your teeth, chances are you have gum disease, and you should immediately make an appointment to have your teeth and gums evaluated by Dr. Austin and his great staff of hygienists. If you should have any questions please give us a call at 425 643 5778. We treat patients from all around the Seattle and Bellevue area.




]]> http://www.jamesaustindds.com/feed/blog-13 6