Missing Teeth

So you dentist tells you that one of your teeth can't be saved, it has to be pulled.  What do you do?  Well there are several different options.  But best longest lasting most predictable option is a dental implant.  Dental implants have been studied for many years with some studies lasting for a period of 30 years.  These studies show a 95-98% success rate.  Nothing else in dentistry will last as long and serve you as well as a dental implant.  If your dentist tells you that you need a bridge ask about an implant.  If he says its not possible get a second opinion.  There are very few instances where a dental implant won't work. 

Dental implants can also be used to help keep dentures in a persons mouth.  You may have seen videos of people losing their dentures in very embarrasing situations.  If they as few as two implants those teeth would have stayed put.  I am a huge fan of dental implants.  I would never consider any other option if I were missing teeth.  I would never let my family choose another option.  If your dentist doesnt work with them much perhaps you should seek a new dentist.  They are the latest and greatest in replacing one or more missing teeth.

Sick Kids

Why is it that when your kids get sick and vomit it's always in the middle of the night??  Now I admit that isn't always the case, but with my kids it sure seems like it is.  There is nothing better than being jarred out of sleep by a child telling you her sister just threw up in her bed!!!  YEEE HAAAA.  Let the good times roll.  Look at the clock 2am.  Great!!

Cruises

I recently took my wife on a cruise.  I had not been on a cruise ship in almost 20 years.  I was quite excited to go.  We sailed out of San Diego California and had 5 nights aboard the Carnival Spirit.  One of the things that really struck me about a cruise is how much stuff they try to sell you. 
They offer presentations on various aspects of cruise life.  For example they had one presentation on shore excursions, the cruise ship director told us that the only safe excursions were the ones booked through Carnival, and that we shouldn't take any water taxi's.  I of course looked at the excursions but they were horribly over priced.  How did I know this?  We had several e-mails from our booking website with shore excursions we could purchase through them.  The most expensive excursion offered through the booking website was less than the cheapest one on board the ship.  So moral of the story buy your excursions once you get there.  Trust me there will be plenty of locals more than willing to take your money for an excursion.  In addition I was able to negotiate a cheaper price with every excursion we took part in. 
Another presentation was about how to find the best places to shop.  I was excited to go to this one because I love to find a good deal.  I like walking through the open air markets where the locals try to sell all kinds of stuff.  I went to the presentation and all he talked about were the jewelery stores that would be in Cabo.  Not a single tip on the type of shopping I wanted to do.  Then I looked at the small print on the map he handed out and every store he mentioned pays Carnival money to talk about them.  LAME!!!  Needless to say that was the last presentation I attended.  I am not sure what I expected, I know they need to make money and that is really their ultimate goal.  I enjoyed my time on our cruise and almost ate myself into a coma (SO MUCH FOOD).  Some more advice, don't cruise if you or anyone in your party gets very motion sick.  That is all.

Cabo

My wife and I just got back from a cruise to Cabo Mexico.  We had a great time down in Cabo.  We don't drink but we had so much fun on the beach.  We went to a beach called lovers beach.  It is a fairly popular beach and can only be reached by water taxi.  The cruise ships cant dock in Cabo so we took a tender from the ship to a little dock in Cabo.  As soon as we get off the tender there are tons of Cabo residents trying to sell us shore excursions.  They offer anything from scuba diving to para sailing.  We took a "glass bottom boat" tour the first day.  I use the term "glass bottom" loosely as the bottom wasn't glass but a small strip down the middle of the boat was Plexiglas. Our second day is the day we went to lovers beach.  When we told the "captain" that we wanted to go to lovers beach he kind of tried to talk us into going to another beach.  He said that the surf was big that day and that getting on the beach would be difficult.  We said we wanted to go there and he relented.  We arrived to find that there is no dock at the beach so the boat would "surf" in to the shore and we hopped out.  Our unloading went without incident.  I sat on the bow of the boat and held my wife's hand she jumped off with perfect timing and I hopped of just after her.  We had fun on the beach.  The waves were really quite big especially on the other side of the beach called Bull beach. We sat in the sun and did some exploring and collected some shells.  The funny part was when we had to get back on the water taxi.  The surf was still fairly large.  We saw our taxi flagged him down and headed out toward the boat.  He pulled in and I am proud to say my wife and I hopped on almost like pros!!  Then we got to watch other people try to get on.  Alcohol, heavy surf, and water taxi's don't mix.  I wish I had a video camera  I would win Americas funniest home videos for sure!!  I saw many people more concerned with saving their beer than they were with their own safety.  I saw women falling completely under the water but keeping their beer held high so as to not ruin the beverage.  I couldn't stop laughing.  Good times.  That is all.

Pain Threshold

Ok now I know you all know I am a dentist.  I like to do surgery, and by surgery I mean pulling teeth and placing dental implants.  I always find it very interesting how every one has a different pain tolerance.  For example, I had two patients last week and we took all their teeth out.  One had this procedure done in my office and we also placed two dental implants.  His lower denture will attach to these implants.  He will be very happy because his lower denture wont move around and fall out. 
Anyway, he was in my office today and was doing great ask him how they feel and he says good.  No complaining.  The other patient had her teeth removed at the local surgery center because she is very dental phobic.  She is full of complaints, She wants her new dentures to feel like real teeth.  She cant afford implants but wants a result like she has them.  It isn't going to happen!!!  It is the same as losing one of your legs and expecting the new prosthetic leg to feel exactly and function like her old leg. 
But I digress.  I find it fascinating how dynamic out bodies are.  One person may go through a procedure and come out with very little pain while another may experience the same procedure and be fine.  Now I know that it can all be related to a variety of factors but all of us know people who are very pain tolerant and some who are not.  Just a thought.  That is all.

Diet Coke

It seems that everyone has a favorite beverage.  I don't drink alcohol or coffee so right away that eliminates most of the favorites.  My one vice is Diet Coke.  I don't drink diet because I think I am fat, although I could lose a few, I drink it because I love the taste.  I really don't know what it is but a Diet Coke just seems to compliment certain meals and activities so well.  So whatever your beverage is enjoy.

Professional Service

Why do people who rely on your business think that customer service is not important?  Just a question.