Today, more Americans than ever have dental insurance; however, one-third of adults don’t visit their dentist regularly. Often, people delay scheduling appointments because they worry about a large bill, but you have nothing to fear when using your insurance. You can get the affordable services you need for minimal out-of-pocket expense. It’s often recommended you visit a dentist who is in your network to make the most of your coverage, but you still have the freedom to visit one that’s out-of-network. Are you asking yourself, “how does my dental plan work if I’m out-of-network?” Here’s what you need to know to make the most of your benefits.
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Ritchie Dental Group Blog
How Does My Dental Plan Work with an Out-of-Network Dentist?
October 17, 2019
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Periodontal Disease Is Linked To Systemic Diseases
October 4, 2019
When most people think of periodontal disease they think it’s limited strictly to the mouth. Did you know it is also linked to systemic diseases? That’s why our team at Ritchie Dental Group believes in educating our patients in the Brady and Marble Falls, Texas area about the merits of maintaining optimal oral health. Oral health and overall health are directly connected!
What do your gums do?
The soft tissue in your mouth, like skin, has an important job. It protects the roots of your teeth. It also provides a barrier for the connective tissues and ligaments that hold your teeth in their sockets. Plus the alveolar bone in which your teeth are anchored.
What is gum disease?
Gum disease starts with inflammation. Gums become swollen and tender. In its early stages, gum disease is called gingivitis. As the disease proceeds, the gums pull away from the teeth, developing pockets. This is called periodontitis or periodontal disease.
What causes periodontitis?
Bacteria are always present in the oral cavity. When it is left on the teeth and gums, it turns into plaque. Plaque is a thick coating of bacteria on your gums and teeth. Plaque accumulates if it is not removed by rinsing, brushing, and flossing. If plaque builds up in the pockets, the gums can start loosening. When plaque hardens, it is called tartar or calculus. You can’t brush away tartar with your toothbrush. You need to have a professional dental cleaning.
What are signs of gum disease?
- Inflamed gums
- Bad breath
- Detached gums
- A change in the color of gums
- Loose or shifting teeth
- Pain and tenderness
- Pus between teeth and gums
- Teeth that appear longer
- Growing spaces between teeth
- Changes in your bite
How does periodontitis threaten your health?
Gum disease increases your risk of:
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Heart attacks
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Osteoporosis
- Asthma
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Low infant birth weight
Can gum disease be prevented?
Yes. Daily dental hygiene, professional dental cleanings, and a healthy, balanced diet help keep gums healthy. For more information on periodontitis treatment or to schedule a gum disease exam, call us. Ritchie Dental Group serves the Marble Falls and Brady areas. We offer a broad scope of preventative, restorative, and cosmetic dental services including sedation dentistry, general dentistry, porcelain veneers, and teeth whitening. Call us today.
Contact Ritchie Dental Group:
830-637-7227
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1000 Marble Heights Dr, Marble Falls TX
Marble Falls, Texas
78654
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You Know Alcohol Impacts Your Body, But Did You Know It’s Also Bad For Your Teeth?
September 30, 2019
Does alcohol affect your teeth? After years of sipping on a glass of red wine here and the latest seasonal beer there, you’ve hardly considered how your nightly wind-downs after work could impact your oral health. While moderate alcohol consumption is a completely normal part of life, excessive consumption can have long-term effects on your entire body. Read on to learn how cracking open too many cold ones can alter the health of your gums, oral tissues, and pearly whites. (more…)
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5 Ways Stress Impacts Your Teeth and Gums
September 29, 2019
If you’re naturally a more anxious or worried person, you’re fully aware of how it impacts your wellbeing and daily life. Were you also aware of how your mood affects the health of your teeth and gums? Recent research has connected chronic stress with declining oral health. Your body develops various coping mechanisms, like teeth grinding and unconscious nail-biting, to handle your emotions. These can impact your oral health in a variety of ways, leaving your pearly whites vulnerable to harmful oral bacteria and the development of issues like cavities. Read on to find out how to protect teeth when you’re stressed. (more…)
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The Most Important Procedure For Smile Makeover Patients
September 27, 2019
If you want to upgrade your smile with cosmetic dentistry, we invite you to visit Ritchie Dental Group for an exam and consultation. We believe that the consultation is the most critical component of any smile makeover.
During your consultation we will review the following:
- Your expectations of how you want your smile to look and feel after the makeover.
- The current condition of your dental health.
- The features of your teeth and gums that you wish to repair.
- The combination of treatments needed to reach your goal.
- A detailed explanation of each procedure such as porcelain veneers, dental crowns, or teeth whitening.
- You can see before and after pictures of cosmetic dental smile makeover patients.
- Your options for how to schedule the makeover process (all at once or over time).
- Information about oral conscious sedation.
- Answers to all of your questions and concerns.
By listening carefully, communicating clearly, and asking the right questions, we can fully assess the many variables unique to your needs.
Ritchie Dental Group serves the Marble Falls and Brady areas. We take pride in caring for our patients and we want them to have healthy, beautiful smiles. Our practice specializes in:
We hope to hear from you soon! Call us today for an appointment.
Contact Ritchie Dental Group:
830-637-7227
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1000 Marble Heights Dr, Marble Falls TX
Marble Falls, Texas
78654
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Dental Care For ICU Patients Lowers Infection Risk
September 20, 2019
At the Ritchie Dental Group, we’d like to focus on an article that appeared in ScienceDaily.com. The article describes a study of Brazilian ICU patients that compared infection rates of those who received enhanced oral care instead of routine oral care. The patients who received the more intense dental care were 56 percent less likely to develop a respiratory infection during their stay.
“Bacteria causing healthcare-associated infections often start in the oral cavity,” said Fernando Bellissimo-Rodrigues, MD, lead author of the study. “This study suggests that having a dentist provide weekly care as part the ICU team may improve outcomes for vulnerable patients in this setting.”1
If a member of your family has serious health issues, you may want to talk to their doctor about the oral health implications of their condition. In unfortunate cases where one of my patients experiences severe health issues, I am happy to work with their medical team to ensure that their dental health is not compromised. Even some managable chronic conditions can require more frequent exams and cleanings.
Though this study pertains to ICU patients, it is also a reminder to all of us. Receiving consistent quality dental care and practicing proper daily oral hygiene is critical for everyone.
We see ourselves as key members of your healthcare team and are dedicated to your physical, mental, and emotional health. Ritchie Dental Group serves the Marble Falls and Brady areas. We offer a broad scope of preventative, restorative, and cosmetic dental services including sedation dentistry, general dentistry, porcelain veneers, and teeth whitening. Call us today.
Contact Ritchie Dental Group:
830-637-7227
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1000 Marble Heights Dr, Marble Falls TX
Marble Falls, Texas
78654
1Wanessa T. Bellissimo-Rodrigues, Mayra G. Menegueti, Gilberto G. Gaspar, Edson A. Nicolini, Maria Auxiliadora-Martins, Anibal Basile-Filho, Roberto Martinez, Fernando Bellissimo-Rodrigues. Effectiveness of a Dental Care Intervention in the Prevention of Lower Respiratory Tract Nosocomial Infections among Intensive Care Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 2014; 35 (11): 1342 DOI: 10.1086/678427
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Smile Necessities And Possibilites At Ritchie Dental Group In Marble Falls
September 13, 2019
With cosmetic dentistry, the team at Richie Dental Group in Marble Falls and Brady creates brilliant smiles for patients. We use cosmetic dentistry every day to create fabulous new smiles for our patients. We call this a “smile makeover.” What exactly does it entail?
A smile makeover means using the techniques of cosmetic dentistry to make positive changes to your smile. Possible techniques might include:
- Teeth whitening
- Porcelain veneers
- Bonding
- Gum contouring
- Dental implants
A beautiful smile is the sum of its parts. With your input, we do a smile analysis to evaluate your smile. Our goal is to bring the teeth, skeletal structures, and muscles into harmony. It’s a complicated endeavor, requiring an understanding of how all of these components relate to one another.
Any one of the the techniques listed above will go a long way toward transforming your smile. Two or more can leave you with the smile of your dreams.
Ritchie Dental Group serves the Marble Falls and Brady areas. We take pride in caring for our patients and we want them to have healthy, beautiful smiles. Our practice specializes in:
We hope to hear from you soon! Call us today for an appointment.
CONTACT RITCHIE DENTAL GROUP:
830-637-7227
LOCATION (TAP TO OPEN IN GOOGLE MAPS):
1000 MARBLE HEIGHTS DR, MARBLE FALLS TX
MARBLE FALLS, TEXAS
78654
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5 Compelling Reasons To Consider Dental Sealants For Your Child
September 6, 2019
The team at Richie Dental Group wants to keep their patients healthy. A key factor to good dental health is having sealants placed on back molars.
Why to Consider Dental Sealants
- Children without sealants have almost three times more tooth decay than children with sealants. (Centers For Disease Control)
- Your dental insurance plan may cover sealants For parents without dental insurance, sealants are worth the price. You will likely skip fillings and additional dental visits. Ritchie Dental Group recommends having sealants applied as early as possible.
- With proper care, sealants can last for many years. They protect your child during the years they are most likely to get cavities. By practicing proper oral hygiene and refraining from biting into hard objects, your child can maximize their lifespan.
- The application process is painless. Our team will clean, dry and then place the liquid sealant material to your child’s teeth. It hardens quickly. Your youngster won’t need to skip meals after the procedure.
- In some situations, we can place sealants over existing tooth decay to prevent further damage. Dr. Ritchie will determine if your child is a good candidate for this application.
Sealants, oral hygiene, a balanced diet, and dental cleanings are essential for pediatric dental health.
Ritchie Dental Group serves the Marble Falls and Brady areas. We offer a broad scope of preventative, restorative, and cosmetic dental services including sedation dentistry, general dentistry, porcelain veneers, and teeth whitening. Call us today.
Contact Ritchie Dental Group:
830-637-7227
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1000 Marble Heights Dr, Marble Falls TX
Marble Falls, Texas
78654
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The Benefits of Laser Dentistry
August 23, 2019
At Ritchie Dental Group,our patients are treated like family.
You know what puts a smile on my face? When I use advanced cosmetic dentistry to create a dazzling smile transformation for one of my patients.
Our team can guarantee you quality preventative, restorative, general, and cosmetic dental care.
Laser Dentistry
Let’s discuss laser dentistry. It may sound scary, but laser dentistry provides a fantastic alternative to drills. Many services performed with lasers don’t require patients to be medicated, allowing for quicker healing times.
Less Stress
Many patients become distressed while waiting for a shot of painkiller before a dental procedure. Laser dentistry allows for a more relaxed, less stressful dental visit. My patients also appreciate going home without a numb mouth or drool dripping down their chin.
People in need of oral surgery will experience less bleeding thanks to laser dentistry. Some of the procedures that are performed with lasers are:
- infected root canal treatment,
- gum and bone reshaping,
- wisdom teeth extraction, and
- teeth whitening.
Ritchie Dental Group serves the Marble Falls and Brady areas. We take pride in caring for our patients and we want them to have healthy, beautiful smiles. Our practice specializes in:
We hope to hear from you soon! Call us today for an appointment.
Contact Ritchie Dental Group:
830-637-7227
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1000 Marble Heights Dr, Marble Falls TX
Marble Falls, Texas
78654
Source:
“What is Laser Dentistry?,” Know Your Teeth, February 2011, http://www.knowyourteeth.com/infobites/abc/article/?abc=L&iid=780&aid=3803
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Have Sensitive Teeth? Here’s Why, and How You Can Get Rid of It
August 16, 2019
If you experience a sharp pain in your mouth when you eat of drink something very hot, sweet, cold, or acidic, you probably have sensitive teeth. Tooth sensitivity is more than just an annoyance. It can make eating and drinking difficult, and it could also be a sign of a more serious underlying problem, such as gum disease or tooth decay. Continue reading below to learn how to get rid of tooth sensitivity in Marble Falls.
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