The study, titled “Dental X-Rays and Risk of Meningioma,” was led by researcher and neurosurgeon Elizabeth B. Claus, M.D., of Yale University School of Medicine and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. It concludes that “exposure to some dental X-rays performed in the past, when radiation exposure was greater than in the current era, appears to be associated with an increased risk of intracranial meningioma.”

Dental researchers, such as Dr. Alan G. Lurie, a radiation biologist and head of radiology at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, are questioning the findings because the study is basing its scientific results on the subjective ability of the study participants to be able to accurately remember how many and what kind of dental x-rays they had as long as 40 years prior. Dr. Lurie has many concerns about the study’s design and outcomes. “I think it’s a very flawed study,” he said. The American Dental Association continues to stand by its recommendation of dental x-rays for accurate diagnosis and treatment. The ADA released a statement in response to the study saying, “The ADA has reviewed the study and notes that the results rely on the individuals’ memories of having dental X-rays taken years earlier.”

So, Are Dental X-Rays Really Safe?

There’s no question that dental x-rays are invaluable tools for evaluating your oral health by allowing us to look at what is happening beneath the surface of your teeth and gums. Plain and simple, in many cases without dental-x-rays we cannot provide you with the diagnosis accuracy or high level of individualized dental care that you deserve. Dental x-rays reveal important information including:

• the start of decay between teeth or below existing fillings
• infections in the bone
• periodontal (gum) disease
• abscesses or cysts
• developmental abnormalities
• and certain types of tumors

With your safety in mind, Boger Dental began using digital x-ray technology many years ago. The level of radiation you receive from a digital x-ray is minimal and we only take them when it is deemed medically necessary for diagnosis and to keep your dental records up to date.

To give you some perspective for how the radiation you receive from digital dental x-rays compares with other sources you may experience during your day, please refer to the chart we have included. [chart coming soon]

Boger Dental Has Your Safety As Top Priority

Particularly when it comes to cancer and other life-threatening conditions, our patients’ safety is our top concern. You can trust that the dentists and team at Boger Dental are on top of the latest dental news and technology and take new findings, such as in this study, to heart and will give you candid information so that you can make the best choices for your dental treatment. In response to this study, Boger Dental believes that digital dental x-rays are a necessary component of providing you with efficient and effective dental care and that our recommended regimen of when to take x-rays for diagnosis purposes does not put our patients at risk.

Enabling our patients to make make educated and informed decisions when it comes to their dental care has always been a core value at Boger Dental. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to ask a member of our team by email at patientcare@bogerdental.com, by calling Boger Dental at (763) 546-7707, or at your next dental visit. We will be happy to help!

We could use your help this year to raise support for two wonderful local charities, The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile and Smile Network International. Don’t miss out. Come join in on the fun!

What Is Smiles For Life?

Smiles For Life is the charity arm of an organization called the Crown Council. The Crown Council is an alliance of leading-edge dental teams that are passionately committed to promoting oral health, fighting oral cancer and serving their communities through charitable work.

Now through June 30th, hundreds of Crown Council member dental practices throughout the U.S. and Canada are raising donations for children’s charities in their local communities and around the world. 100% of the donations go to the Smiles For Life Foundation. Since 1998, they’ve raised over $30 million, benefiting hundreds of children’s charities around the world.

How Your Smile Whitening Donation Works:

1. Philips Oral Healthcare donates 100% of the tooth whitening supplies.
2. Our practice donates 100% of our time.
3. Your smile gets beautifully, professionally whitened.
4. 100% of your donation goes to the Smiles For Life Foundation to help children’s charities.

Your Teeth Have Already Been Whitened? No Problem!

If you would still like to help support the cause, you can text your $10 donation.
Text: smile(space)130
To: 84465

How Texting Your Donation Works:

1. You text a $10 donation using the information above.
2. The donation will be billed to your cell phone through your service provider.
3. Children’s charities get 100% of the money raised.
4. Half comes back to our designated charity partner, once we reach $1000. The other half helps worthy children’s charities around the world.

So, Whiten Your Smile & Brighten the Life of A Child!

Ready to get started? Click here to schedule your appointment.

Lead by their lead hygienist with a background in education, Erin Mastro, they have developed 30-40 minute programs including PowerPoint presentations that are age-appropriate for preschoolers through third grade. The kids will learn about:

• The effects of sugar on your teeth with a hands-on experiment
• Making good food and drink choices
• Home care techniques
• And each child will receive dental goodies to take home

For the younger children, the visit also includes a cameo appearance from the Boger Dental Tooth Fairy!

Reserve Your Spot For Dental Health Month 2013

Due to an overwhelming (but welcome!) response, the time slots have been filled for this year. If you are interested for the future, email robyn@bogerdental.com and we can either arrange another time or inform you of the opportunity again next January.

• Pounding headaches that feel like migraine headaches
• Persistent face or jaw pain
• Aching neck and shoulder muscles
• Swelled jaw or face muscles
• Toothaches, earaches and hearing problems
• Limited ability to open jaw
• Misaligned bite

Treating The Source Of Your Jaw Pain

There are different ways to treat TMJ symptoms. You could have surgery. Other approaches include taking medications or muscle relaxants which merely mask the pain without acknowledging or correcting the cause. The neuromuscular technique focuses on correcting the origin of the problem instead of simply treating the symptoms to relieve pain. As one of the few dental practices in Minnesota with a dentist trained extensively in neuromuscular dentistry, Boger Dental  uniquely offers a TMJ/TMD therapy that addresses the source of your pain.

After an initial consultation where we diagnose your TMJ, we use special technology to relax your jaw, face and neck muscles. Then using a high-tech computer program, we measure your optimal jaw position in its relaxed state. Using this as a guide, we design a specialized plan to realign the bite and teeth to their optimal location. This TMJ treatment approach offers a long-term solution to eliminate headaches, jaw pain and other symptoms of TMJ.

Relieve Your Pain

To find out more about TMD therapy and how it can alleviate your pain and provide headache relief, contact our dental office in Plymouth, MN for a free consultation. We want to help you be pain free!

Photo: 702gazette.com

• Closing unsightly spaces and gaps between teeth
• Reshaping teeth
• Whitening stained or darkened teeth
• Protecting chipped or worn teeth from further damage

The Look of Natural White Lovely Teeth

Porcelain veneers provide a natural appearance while still keeping your real teeth. There’s no pulling of teeth and veneers install easily to existing teeth. Gum tissue generally does very well with veneers.

No More Dark & Stained Teeth

Have you been cursed with naturally dark or yellow teeth? Well, veneers can take care of stained or darkened teeth, because veneers are stain resistant, and their color can be selected before they are installed, to match your other teeth.

Less Invasive Shaping Option

If you have abnormally shaped teeth, veneers are an excellent option for reshaping your teeth. With veneers, there is often little reshaping required to the original tooth. The veneer just fits over the top and front and covers the abnormal shape.

Routine Care is All They Need

Veneers require the same normal cleaning process that your other teeth do. You treat them just like your other teeth. You still need to go in every six months for your cleaning and dental exam and make sure you still brush, floss, and rinse at least twice a day.

Practically Instant Results

The process to get veneers is very stress free, pain-free, and takes a relatively short amount of time. There is no recovery period and hardly any negative side effects. The preparation process generally involves two appointments where impressions are made to make the veneers, and then they are put in.

Dental veneers are excellent option when you quickly want to create the smile you’ve always dreamed of. If you are ready to learn more and would like to speak with a Minneapolis cosmetic dentist to assess your unique options, we invite you to schedule a complimentary consultation. We look forward to answering you questions and providing you with the information to make the right treatment decision for you.

Again this year, through the end of June, Boger Dental and other Crown Council dentists across the country are donating their time, Discus Dental is donating the materials and YOU can have your smile professionally whitened for a substantially-discounted fee (a.k.a. a tax-deductible donation) and the best part is that seriously ill, disabled and underprivileged children in our community and around the world will get 100% of the money. YES, IT’S WAY COOL.

The cost is $540 for Advanced Zoom! in-office whitening (reg. $790) or $200 for an at-home teeth whitening system (reg. $390). Half of all proceeds will be contributed to the Garth Brooks Foundation and half to the Boger Foundation’s selected local charities, Smile Network International and the Ronald McDonald Mobile Care Unit.

Since 1998, Smiles For Life has raised over $20 million for children’s charities. Thanks to the generosity of our patients, Boger Dental has been among the highest fund-raising practices in the country, raising over $200,000.

You can help in another way, too…tell your friends!

Whiten your smile & brighten the smile of a child…Call 763/546-7707 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

The Crown Council is a prestigious alliance of leading-edge dental teams throughout North America that are strongly committed to promoting oral health, fighting oral cancer and serving their communities through charitable work.

Before I answer that question, let me tell you a little bit about xylitol:

Xylitol is a natural sweetener that was first discovered in birch tree bark but is also found in many fruits and vegetables. Unlike most other sweeteners (natural or synthetic), xylitol is actually good for your teeth. Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated that xylitol prevents the growth of the bacteria that initiates decay. It also reduces plaque and strengthens tooth enamel.

Xylitol has other benefits, as well. Because it is low on the glycemic index, many of my diabetic patients enjoy it as a healthy alternative to sugar. If my patients complain about frequent dry mouth, I recommend Xylitol gum or mints to stimulate saliva production without promoting tooth decay.

Now, back to the golden question. Is xylitol gum just as effective as brushing your teeth and seeing your Plymouth family dentist regularly? Absolutely not! If you cannot brush your teeth after a meal, chewing xylitol gum for five or ten minutes is probably a good idea. However, you should still brush your teeth thoroughly (with a soft brush) after meals and get twice-yearly exams and oral dentistry deep cleanings at your Plymouth dentistry clinic.

At Boger Dental, our goal is to keep your smile healthy and beautiful for life by preventing dental problems before they start. If you postpone dental visits until you feel pain, you risk losing teeth and most certainly will require more extensive treatment than if the problem was caught earlier. Is it time for a dental exam with your Plymouth family dentist? Call us at 763-546-7707 to book an appointment. Our friendly and advanced is waiting to take care of all your dental needs.

In recent days, some of our patients may have seen media reports outlining new research examining the safety of some dental products, sealants and fillings.

In the new research, some chemical compounds used in select dental products are shown to break down in a way that can potentially expose patients to bisphenoal A (BPA).  While researchers do not conclude such products are necessarily unsafe, Boger Dental understands the confusion these media reports can cause for our patients, and wants to take the opportunity to help clarify the standing of our practice.

Because the health and safety of our patients is our number one priority, Boger Dental does not use dental materials that contain BPA or can break down and expose our patients to BPA.

Instead, our practice uses products which contain a compound known as Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether methacrytlate, or BisGMA.  While the two sound similar – they are not the same. Studies have shown that BisGMA is safe and stable for use in the mouth.

If you have any other questions or concerns, we welcome you to ask questions during your next visit to Boger Dental.

LVI Global (LVI) for Advanced Dental Studies proudly announces the completion of Full Mouth Reconstruction- Essential Tools for Finalization of Neuromuscular Rehabilitation program by Dr. Chad Boger. This six day, live-patient treatment program focuses on teaching dentists to deliver comprehensive dental care to their patients through full mouth reconstructive principles combining their occlusal and restorative training.

Dr. Chad Boger completed the Full Mouth Reconstruction- Essential Tools for Finalization of Neuromuscular Rehabilitation program under the world-renowned Dr. William Dickerson, Founder and CEO of LVI Global. While at LVI, Dr. Chad Boger underwent intensive training on how to evaluate, diagnose and treat occlusal and restorative cases to not only make patients look good but feel good as well.

Dr. Chad Boger’s desire to provide the best possible care in his practice is evidenced by his commitment to continuing education in advanced dental studies. For more information, call LVI at (888) 584-3237 or Dr. Chad Boger of Boger Dental at (763) 546-7707.

Our names are Dr. Stephen & Chad Boger, DDS.  We have been practicing dentistry in Plymouth since 1978. Boger Dental is a full-service dental office located at 2720 Annapolis Circle N., Plymouth MN. In addition to providing comprehensive examinations and deep cleanings for clients in the Minneapolis area, we perform all types of tooth restorations.

When a tooth has decay or has been damaged, a dental restoration is needed to ‘restore’ the tooth to its previous intact condition. A dental filling is one of the most common and well-known types of restorations. A dental filling is used to repair decayed or damaged tooth surfaces. Most people have a few fillings in their mouth.

If you have old silver amalgam fillings, we can replace them with nearly-invisible tooth-colored fillings. These fillings are made out of a strong composite resin. Many of our cosmetic dentistry patients have replaced their old silver fillings with fillings matched to their teeth. You can improve your smile instantly and relatively inexpensively by getting rid of the ‘metal’.

Another reason some Twin Cities, Plymouth, and Minneapolis clients have had their old fillings replaced is because they are concerned about the possible heavy metal toxicity of the mercury in the silver.

If you would like to replace your amalgam fillings, call us at 763-546-7707 to schedule a consultation. We are currently accepting new patients and would be happy to show you around our Plymouth cosmetic dental office and introduce you to our friendly team.

Smile – it increases your face value!