Louis Malcmacher DDS MAGD Printer Friendly Version

Clinical Myths in Dentistry

As I travel around the country and speak to thousands of dental professionals every year, there are certain myths that keep coming up again and again that I would like to take the time to debunk. The general dental attitude I find is that if dental clinicians or academics have not or do not work with a certain clinical technology or technique, then they somehow are comfortable in saying that it does not work. This does such a disservice to our profession, especially to our patients. There are many good new technologies and materials that, when you learn to use them properly, work quite well, offer superior benefits and provide a great service to our patients. Let me share with you a few of these common myths:

1. Lasers don’t work. How and why this myth is still around is amazing to me. This myth is totally based on ignorance. Let me proudly proclaim that hard and soft tissue lasers are here to stay and they work extremely well. I’ve had a Waterlase MD Dental Laser now for close to two years and I can say unequivocally that they work well in preparing teeth, work just as fast as a high-speed handpiece when you learn to use it properly and performs just about all soft tissue applications faster and easier. In fact, most of these procedures and applications can be done without injected anesthesia. Patients love the concept and the practicality of the dental hard and soft tissue laser. At this point, in my opinion, it is not if you, the general dentist, will get a laser, but when you will get a laser for your dental office. If I were you, I would probably make it sooner than later. It will change your life and it will change your patients’ perception of your dental office.

2. Veneers require aggressive preparations. There are tens of thousands of dentists in the United States proving this myth wrong every single day. The concept of a no/minimal prep veneer restricted to the enamel has been around for 30 years. With the right materials and techniques (like Lumineers by Cerinate), dentists around the country are able to provide their patients with beautiful veneers with no painful reduction of tooth structure. Lumineers with Cerinate porcelain have a long history of success. It is the way veneers were meant to be. I treat a number of dentists each year, and when they want veneers, they come to my office for Lumineers. If dentists don’t want their own teeth cut down, why do they think their patients would want aggressive preparation? Lumineers has caused a revolution in the esthetic dental world and it’s refreshing to finally see a reversal of the overly aggressive preparations that are often done on virgin teeth in the name of esthetics.

3. One-hour whitening doesn’t work. One-hour whitening is here to stay whether you like it or not. I will tell you that because of the popularity and ease of use of Crest Whitestrips by Proctor and Gamble, making bleaching trays for patients will probably become a thing of the past. Learn how to do one-hour whitening properly with the Sapphire Supreme light and you will eliminate the sensitivity associated with it and get good, long-lasting results for your patients.

4. Gold is dead. Gold is probably the finest dental material that we have ever been able to work with. It is very biocompatible with the gingival tissues and has enabled some of the longest-lasting restorations we have ever done. Captek Crowns by Trident Dental Laboratories have changed the way I practice because my patients no longer come in with the complaint of a gray gingival margin after I place porcelain fused to metal crown. Gold is not dead and really is the king of all dental materials. It’s time to start using gold again in our porcelain to metal crowns and bridges.

Start opening your mind and learn to embrace new and proven techniques and technology instead of going through your dental career with blinders on. I hope this has been helpful; I am sure it will create some discussion in your offices. Next month I hope to debunk some of the most common practice management myths, so stay tuned!

Dr. Louis Malcmacher is a practicing general dentist in Bay Village, Ohio and an internationally known lecturer, dental consultant and author, and consultant to the Council on Dental Practice of the ADA. Interested in knowing more about how to truly enjoy dentistry? Click here.

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To reach Dr. Malcmacher, email him at DrMalcmacher@thedentistsnetwork.net or call 1.800.952.0521.