The Dental Mirror

--a publication with tips, news, and other things--

​Visit us on Facebook at:  Florence Dental 

Ph:  402 455 5500
Emergency: 402 681 9487

Technology doesn't stop and exciting new additions to Steiner Dental - Introducing Steiner Dental Manufacturing

Dr. Steiner has seen a massive evolution in the profession of dentistry over his career.  Yet, several deficiencies have remained to this day.  With that said, Dr. Steiner is in the process of designing and manufacturing instruments to fill that missing niche with the development of Steiner Dental Manufacturing.  Extensive study of metallurgy was done to find the best alloys, along with the new designs.  If you are a fellow practicing dentist, give us a call.

Management software has improved to a point where patients can keep better track of their accounts and insurance benefits.  In the past where patient records became almost unmanageable, they can now be managed in very secure data bases.

Cumbersome and messy dental x-ray film technology can now be handled in a higher resolution and lower radiation dosage digital environment.  Measuring the length of a tooth for root canals can now be accomplished by digitally calibrating and measuring the length of the root, as opposed to taking multiple x-rays of a tooth to get the proper length.  

Digital panoramic radiology has greatly increased in definition to a point where carotid artery stenosis can be more easily seen with that technology.  It gives the dentist more tools in advising the patient to seek further medical care, potentially catching a stroke before it happens.  It doesn't stop here.

Digital 3-d radiography now gives the dentist the ability to see facial structures in all three dimensions, better detecting pathology and giving a greater ability to accurately place implants, and to better understand individual tooth anatomy as well as offering a better view of the patients bony structure.

In the past, all crowns and fixed bridges required a series of dental impressions, placing temporary crowns/bridges, and then waiting two weeks before the permanent prosthesis could be placed.  It can now be a same day procedure for most crowns and some bridges.  However, there is still a place for the multiple appointment prosthesis.

Masks and gloves are now a requirement with newer requirements for sterilization procedures having greatly lessened the possibility for transmission of infectious diseases.  We not only sterilize our instruments in packets for that procedure, and open them just before the procedure, we now send sterilization monitoring capsules to a third party source to independently check on our sterilization processes.  We strictly follow the Covid virus protocol.  While not perfect, wearing masks properly, covering your nose, even when you just have a cold, helps immensely.  Don't make the rest of your family and your friends sick.  That little droplet barrier makes a difference.  Wash those hands and use hand sanitizer. 

We love continuing education.  It is an entire staff office event.  In fact, we often seek out continuing education programs that have testing requirements to receive the certification.  As recent as this last summer Dr. Steiner took a clinical psychopharmacology course that required testing to receive the certificate.

Bottom line.  We wish to thank all those dedicated professionals who have made the profession of dentistry so much better for all of us, practitioner and patient alike.

Attaining optimum dental health

Attaining optimum dental health is a team effort.  That team is our dental team AND the patient team. However, we can do no more for the patients than the patient does for themselves.  Here are some helpful hints from the dental team to the patient team.  While dental disease is very much associated with one's genetics, it is no excuse to neglect one's teeth.

• Regular dental care is critical.  Make those timely dental appointments.  It is especially important for those suffering from periodontal disease, which is considered incurable but considered manageable.
• Daily maintenance is critical.  While it is ideal to brush after every meal, brushing twice daily is very important, especially before going to bed.  Don't let that bacteria attack your teeth and gums all night long.  Daily flossing is vital and for those with receding gums, use a proxabrush to clean between your teeth.
• Diet is critical.  Stay away from sweets, as those bacteria that destroy gums and teeth love their sweets.  Stay away from highly acidic drinks and sodas, as it eats away at the enamel.  Drink or even swish with water after consuming sugars and acidic drinks.  For the gum chewers, use gum with the sugar called xylitol in it.  Harmful bacteria don't like xylitol.   
  
• Be careful with your teeth.  Parents.  It is important that your child wears a mouthpiece while participating in sporting events.  We cannot count the number of beautiful young teeth destroyed by accident in sporting activities and falling from bicycles, especially early in the spring when the bikes come out in force.  Because you have incisors, it does not mean you have scissors.  Because you have molars, it does not mean you have a pliers.

 Humorous anecdote - "Plagued with boogers"

We love kids and generally have a bunch of them running around the office, especially during summer hours when they are out of school.  Alaina has her two girls and Amanda has her two boys.  Our families spend a lot of time together in the off hours, too.  Treks to the zoo are common.  Dr. Steiner and his wife, Pam, are now the proud grandparents of seven children, with Kaia being the latest addition.
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However, while Alaina was hauling her two girls around one day the following happened while she was driving.  She noticed her three year old daughter Gabrielle was picking her nose.  The conversation went as follows:

Mommy:  Gabrielle, why don't you wait until we get to Target so mommy can take care of that bugger in your nose?
Gabrielle:  OK mommy.

Mommy then looks into the mirror again, and Gabrielle has her finger in her nose, again.

Mommy:  Couldn't you wait until we got to Target to get that bugger?
Gabrielle:  I was just putting it back so you could take care of it at Target.

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