This blog is inspired by a good friend, recently diagnosed with internal resorption...who's wife happens to be a hygienist! Internal resorption is an unusual condition where the dentin and pulpal walls begin to resorb centrally within the root canal. Basically, your body's own cells are eating away at the tooth structure. Patients suffering from internal resorption will be asymptomatic early on. Teeth with internal resorption typically respond normally to pulpal and periapical tests until the lesion grows significantly in size. The first evidence of the lesion may be the appearance of a pink-hued area around the crown of the tooth, this is the vascular pulp tissue filling in the resorbed areas. Once necrosis (death) of the pulpal tissue takes place, the typical signs/symptoms of an abscessing tooth occur. Some of these symptoms include; bitter taste, bad breath, fever, pain with chewing, sensitivity to hot and cold, swelling of the gum or a pimple on the gum. So now you're … [Read more...]
What’s New in Dentistry?
Do you ever wonder what advances have been made in dentistry? Have you put off going to the dentist? Now IS the time to go! Depending on when your last dental visit was, a lot has changed. Digital x-rays have improved a dentist's ability to look for problems in your mouth. Digital x-rays are faster and more efficient, cutting down on the amount of radiation you receive. Besides looking for cavities, dental x-rays can detect the amount of bone below the tooth, look for placement of dental implants, and check to make sure all of the root has been cleaned out during a root canal. Digital x-rays can also be saved on a computer and used to compare future dental x-rays, allowing your dentist to give you better care by detecting the changes in your oral anatomy earlier. A dental veneer is a thin layer of porcelain that is place over your existing tooth to correct cosmetic defects. Dental veneers are now thinner than ever and thin is good! Thinner veneers help preserve more tooth … [Read more...]
Dental Trivia
We know you wanted to brush up on your dental trivia, so here it goes! Who invented dentures? Around 700BC, Etruscans in northern Italy made dentures out of human and animal teeth. George Washington was a famous denture wearer, but did you know his teeth were NOT made out of wood? George Washington's teeth were actually made from hippopotamus ivory, and human, donkey & horse teeth. "Doc" Holliday may have been one of the most famous dentists. Did you know his real name was John Henry? "Doc" Holliday earned his degree in dentistry from Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery at 20 years old. (Dr. Bomstad was 26) He ultimately died at the age of 36 from tuberculosis. Pennsylvania College of Dental surgery has now become the dental schools of Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania. Famous People you didn't know were dentists: Edgar Buchanan- Actor known for his roles in … [Read more...]
Mother’s Day with Laura!
We have lots of wonderful mothers at Bomstad Dental, but this Mother's Day we are spotlighting Laura and her two daughters, Brenna and Brooke. Laura has been Dr. Bomstad's assistant since 2012 and we are quite certain Dr. Bomstad could never function without her! Laura and her husband, Scott, live in Plymouth and are blessed with two beautiful girls and one very unique cat. Brooke is a junior at Wayzata High School and involved in many community service activities-most of these activities revolve around her love of kids. She has recently been chosen to participate in a new program at Wayzata High School called "Intro to Education" and is very excited about this opportunity. Next year she will get to go into her old elementary school and mentor kids. Laura and Brooke have recently taken up yoga and are loving it. Their cat loves it too. Believe it or not, their cat does yoga with them! Hmmm, a cat that does downward dog, now that's something I've gotta see-ha! Brenna is Laura … [Read more...]
Root Canals Should NOT Be Feared!
The word 'root canal' conjures up feelings of fear and anxiety for a lot of people. However, this should not be the case. Root canals need to take place when the pulp inside of the tooth becomes infected. This can happen when there is a deep cavity, repeated dental procedures, trauma, a cracked or broken tooth. Patients at Bomstad Dental report root canals to be no different than any other dental procedure they have had done; easy and painless. Dr. Bomstad and Dr. Karban pride themselves on making their patients very comfortable in the dental chair. You may be in need of a root canal if your tooth becomes sensitive to hot or cold food or beverages or hurts when you bite down, it may mean that your tooth has become infected. Another sign of infection is if the tooth becomes discolored or if the gums around the tooth swell. In some cases, a tooth will have no symptoms, but a dental exam and x-ray will reveal a tooth that requires root canal. Again, if you find yourself if the … [Read more...]
Enamel Hypoplasia
BeforeAfter Dr. Bomstad fixed the front teeth of this young patient. He has enamel hypoplasia, this is the lack of normal enamel. Although this patient's case is not severe, it can be quite drastic for many people. It is believed to have happened to this patient due to medications he was taking when his teeth were developing. Other causes of enamel hypoplasia are malnutrition, illness, infection or fever while teeth are developing. You can see in the before picture there are yellow and white spots on the lower portion of his front teeth. After Dr. Bomstad finished removing these spots he filled them back in with composite filling material that matched the patient's tooth color. Now this patient has the teeth he was meant to have. It is amazing what dentists can accomplish today. If you would like help improving your smile, give Bomstad Dental a call today or click HERE for an appointment. 952-938-7746 … [Read more...]
Mazatlán, Mexico
With all of this dreary weather, here are some of Shelley's wonderful trip pictures to brighten your day! If you missed last week's blog, Shelley (our resident trip advisor) was on vacation in Mazatlán, Mexico. This week she is sharing pictures from her trip. I think these will leave us all ready for summer!!! … [Read more...]
Shelley Has Been with Bomstad Dental Since 1990!
Longevity is one of the reasons why Bomstad Dental is such a special place, and Shelley certainly makes the office special. Talk about longevity, she has been at Bomstad Dental since 1990! She started her career assisting Dr. Hatcher and currently assists Dr. Karban. When she's not assisting, you can see Shelley's smiling face at the front desk. Shelley plays an integral role keeping the office running smoothly. Not only is Shelley a true dental professional, but she is our resident travel professional as well! She has traveled extensively throughout Mexico, as well as Dominican Republic and Jamaica. Shelley's favorite location is Jamaica because of the water color and clarity, but her favorite memory came in Ixtapa. In Ixtapa, her husband may have ended up with bidet water in his face-I guess you shouldn't push buttons if you don't know what they do?! Oh, Lawrence! Shelley is currently enjoying Mazatlán with her family. Although we have been spoiled by the weather this … [Read more...]
Lunch Is On Us!
Bomstad Dental is having a photo contest. We want to see your best fall photos. The winner will be picked on November 6th, and will receive a Panera gift card. Upload your photos to our Facebook page, make sure to like the page first! Good Luck, we can't wait to see your photos. … [Read more...]
The Dental Wand is Pure Magic!
If you have never heard of a dental wand, you are missing out! The days of painful injections are over. At Bomstad Dental we believe in making your dental experience as pleasant as possible, this is why we use a dental wand. A dental wand is a small computer that aids in the delivery of anesthetic. Most patients don't feel a thing when the anesthetic is being delivered. The dental wand is light weight, affording your dentist better control when administering injections. The dental wand also warms up the anesthetic, making for a more comfortable injection. Most importantly the dental wand slowly administers the anesthetic in a controlled manner making sure your tissue is numb. The dental wand has revolutionized the dental industry, truly making for "painless dentistry". If you have been putting off dental work due to the fear of it being too painful, don't put it off any longer. Call Bomstad Dental today, 952-938-7746, or click HERE to request an appointment. … [Read more...]