It’s Time To Smile Again

Commercial and recreational boaters alike were dealt a disappointing surprise a couple of years ago when the Canadian-based parent company of Evinrude outboard motors announced it would no longer be making its popular engines.

Martin Nyberg of Hill Marine Service in Fort Myers was among those greatly affected by the news.

“I work for an Evinrude dealer doing outboard motor and pleasure boat repair,” Martin reveals. “We are a warranty and service center for Evinrude motors but, unfortunately, Evinrude is not making the boat engines anymore.

“The good thing is, we’re still going to be doing warranty work on all the motors that are still out there, so I’ll be working on them for the next eight to 10 years. We’re just not going to be selling any new ones, which is kind of a bummer.”

Martin repairs. In his spare time, the 44-year-old has been restoring a 1966 Pontiac Tempest that he’s had since he was 19. The engine and transmission have been replaced, and he’ll soon move on to the interior.

“It was the second car I ever owned, and I guess you could say I’ve grown attached to it,” Martin says. “I’ve got it back in pretty decent shape, with all the lights and exterior things working the way they should, so I’m almost there. It’s a fun hobby.”

Like the boat engines he works on and that Pontiac, Martin’s teeth fell into a state of disrepair over the years. But it wasn’t until last year, after a friend asked him to be in his wedding, that Martin decided to take care of the problem.

“I knew I wouldn’t look good in the wedding pictures, so I figured it was time to finally do something about it,” Martin explains. “My biggest worry was a missing tooth in the front. I lost that tooth about 20 years ago when I fell and hit a concrete wall around a pool.

“My dentist at the time put a post in there, but 12 years later it came out. By then, my old dentist had retired, and I never did anything about it. Ever since then, I’ve always been a little hesitant to smile or even go out much in public.

“But then my best friend asked me to be in his wedding, and I wanted to make sure I looked good for it. Thankfully, my friend’s mom works at a dentist office, so I went there to see what could be done about that tooth.”

Lost in Space

The office is Advanced Dentistry of Fort Myers. During Martin’s first visit he met with Dr. Katrine A. Farag, DMD, who found more than just a missing tooth that needed repair.

“What inspired Martin to visit us was that missing right lateral incisor, which is the tooth right next to the two front teeth,” Dr. Farag says. “When I started my examination, I discovered he was missing a number of other teeth, especially in the back.

“He told me he had been missing those teeth for many years, and unfortunately, when you’ve been missing teeth for many years you begin to lose bone structure and eventually your whole bite collapses.

“That’s what happened to Martin. He was missing a lot of teeth, mostly on the top, so when he would bite down, the lower teeth went straight up to the gum where he was missing the upper teeth.

“The same thing was happening with that missing tooth in front. A lower tooth was going straight into the space where that missing top tooth had been, so the challenge was fitting something into that space.”

In taking on that challenge, Dr. Farag determined she would need to rebuild Martin’s bite. To do that and correct the aesthetic problem created by the missing front tooth, she would need to extract a few other teeth as well.

The fact that some of Martin’s remaining teeth were infected made that decision easier. The difficult part for Martin was deciding how to replace all the missing teeth. He had three options, though Dr. Farag quickly cut it to two.

“A lot of people in a situation such as Martin’s come in thinking they’re going to need to get dentures,” Dr. Farag reports. “Many of them assume that’s their only option. But that’s not the case at all. In fact, I told Martin, You’re too young for dentures.

“So, we talked about dental implants, but because he had so little bone left in the area where he lost the teeth, the surgery to prepare him for implants would have been very extensive. That’s why he decided to go with a fixed upper bridge.”

The fixed upper bridge would include replacements for all the teeth previously lost, including the missing incisor in front, and it would be secured by new crowns placed on healthy existing teeth.

The first step was to extract Martin’s failing teeth. That included removing what remained of the missing incisor, which still had some structure beneath the gums.

“For this kind of bridge, you need to have enough good anchors to support it, and we were fortunate that Martin did,” Dr. Farag explains. “We prepped those good teeth with crowns to serve as the anchors.

“The other replacement teeth were connected to those crowns so it’s all one piece. Then, for the missing tooth in the front, we added what we call a pontic. A pontic is a fake tooth, but it’s connected to the other anchors and looks and functions just like a real tooth.

“The whole thing is done from a mold, and from that mold the lab makes a temporary bridge that Martin wore until the permanent bridge was ready. But even with the temporary, he could eat and smile and do everything normally.”

Confidence Builder

Martin smiles a lot these days. He was fit with a temporary bridge in time for the wedding and later received the permanent bridge, which he’s ecstatic about. He says his new smile has made him a lot more confident and outgoing.

“It has changed my whole outlook,” Martin raves. “Dr. Farag did a beautiful job and took great care of me. I haven’t had a full set of teeth for a long, long time, but I do now, and they look awesome.”

Martin visits Advanced Dentistry of Fort Myers for regular cleanings. He’s also planning to have Dr. Farag restore his lower arch, which will require the placement of a partial. Martin says he’s confident Dr. Farag will do a great job on that as well.

“Dr. Farag and her whole staff are great,” he enthuses. “They made me feel very comfortable and took away any fears I had right away. I let my teeth go for far too long, and Dr. Farag did a great job reconstructing the damage.

“I’m thrilled about all that they’ve done for me and love the new smile they gave me. That’s why I readily recommend them to anybody. In fact, I just recommended them to a neighbor. I told him, You definitely want to see Dr. Farag. She’s great.

“She makes you feel comfortable, gives you options for the work that has to be done and explains everything that’s going on. She tells you what they’re doing and why they’re doing it, and the staff is absolutely wonderful.

“Everyone there is very kind and conscientious. As far as dentists go, you won’t find anyone better in the area.”

Don’t Be a Stranger

Jeremy* was two years into an uneventful college basketball career when he realized his skill set wouldn’t earn him regular playing time. So, he started focusing more on his studies. To say that was a smart career move would be an understatement.

After abandoning his playing career, Jeremy went on to earn a master’s degree in sports psychology and spent 10 years counseling athletes. Since then, he has established himself as a highly sought after motivational speaker and life counselor.

“My focus now is on relationships and motivating people to achieve massive goals in life,” says Jeremy. “I also help people overcome addiction and rape, so I deal in some very intense issues.”

In addition to seeing people privately, Jeremy provides services to groups and through webinars. His heavy public exposure is one reason Jeremy works so hard at staying physically fit and maintaining a good appearance. He considers himself to be proactive in both areas and is especially fervent about dental care.

“I’m a motivational speaker, so I need to have the best smile I can,” Jeremy emphasizes. “That’s really important to me, so when the dentist I’d had for 40 years retired a few years back, I was in a bit of a predicament.

“I really trusted my old dentist, but his office was a half-hour away, so it wasn’t always convenient to visit. When a new dentist took over his practice, I went to see her, and I remember thinking, I’m going to give this dentist one shot to win me over.

“During that first visit, I asked her every question in the book, and she really impressed me, not just with her answers, but with her mannerisms and expertise. I immediately felt very comfortable, and so I’ve stuck with her ever since.”

A Regular Visitor

The dentist Jeremy came to trust is Dr. Farag. She took over the practice from Jeremy’s previous provider six years ago, renaming it Advanced Dentistry of Fort Myers. Upon meeting Jeremy, she was as impressed with him as he was with her.

“What impressed me was how good a job he does of taking care of his oral health,” Dr. Farag explains. “It was obvious to me right away that he’s really good with his home care and understands the importance of making regular visits to the dentist.”

Jeremy goes to Dr. Farag at least three times a year for cleanings. That’s in accordance with most dentists’ recommendations. That includes Dr. Farag, who says it’s a myth that going twice a year for cleanings is enough.

“I think that came to be because two cleanings a year is what insurance covers,” Dr. Farag explains. “But no dentist ever said two cleanings a year is all you need. Some people can get away with two cleanings a year, but it really depends on the patient’s oral health.

“If someone comes in and their gums are super healthy, we’ll probably tell them to come see us for cleanings twice a year. But if you have a lot of recession or bleeding in your gums, I’ll probably ask you to visit us three or four times a year.”

Jeremy could probably get away with two annual visits, but he goes three and sometimes four times for cleanings and checkups because he wants to stay on top of more than just receding or bleeding gums.

“I know people who do not take care of their teeth the way Dr. Farag prescribes, and because of that they have run into other major health problems caused by poor oral health,” Jeremy explains. “We know now that bacteria in the mouth that’s not taken care of can lead to heart disease. And there are other issues that poor dental hygiene can lead to, so that’s one reason I visit Dr. Farag as often as I do and take care of my teeth the way I do.”

Stick to the Basics

Jeremy’s daily routine is not extravagant. It’s simply in line with what most dentists recommend, meaning he brushes at least twice a day – morning and night – and flosses each night.

“I also don’t smoke or drink or do some of those things that can hurt your teeth, but other than that it’s basic oral hygiene,” Jeremy says. “It’s truly brushing and flossing. But you need to be sure you do it.

“With flossing, for example, I don’t think I’ve missed a night of flossing in 40 years. I think that’s critical. Another thing that is critical is that when I brush, I always use an electric toothbrush. I think electric toothbrushes are absolutely essential.”

So does Dr. Farag. She strongly recommends using an electric toothbrush, in part because most electric toothbrushes have a timer that makes it easier for users to spend at least 30 seconds brushing each quadrant of their teeth. That way, people are more likely to meet the recommended requirement of brushing at least two minutes. That’s a goal many fail to meet by a wide margin, Dr. Farag says.

“Electric toothbrushes are very effective, but they need to be used right,” Dr. Farag notes. “You never want to apply too much pressure with an electric toothbrush because that can actually be damaging. You need to let the toothbrush do the work.

“That electric toothbrush is going to brush your teeth with proper technique, and that’s important because a lot of people who brush and floss regularly still have problems because they’re not using proper technique. Proper technique is how you get into all those areas where the bacteria hide. If you’re not getting into those areas, you’re wasting time. And nobody wants to waste time, especially when they’re brushing their teeth.”

Another device Dr. Farag recommends for the fight against gum disease and tooth decay is a tongue scraper. She says tongue scrapers help eliminate a bacteria-filled film on the tongue that can damage gums and teeth and even alter the way food tastes.

“Once you use it you’ll say to yourself, How did I ever go without this? Food tastes so much better after you’ve used it. It’s that extreme,” she says.

Act Fast

Jeremy seldom runs into extreme dental issues because he takes good care of his teeth. There are times, though, when even the best care can’t prevent a problem.

“It was about eight months ago that I was eating something at home one night, and I felt a tooth crack,” Jeremy says. “Right away, I thought, Oh, my gosh, major surgery. I went to Dr. Farag and she looked at it and says, We can just bond that.

“A lot of dentists in that situation might have said, Well that’s going to require an expensive crown. But she was fiscally responsible, and I appreciated that she was honest with me about using Plan A instead of jumping right to a more costly option.”

Dr. Farag doesn’t take all the credit for recommending the less expensive fix. She says Jeremy had a lot to do with that because he was quick to address the problem.

“He wasn’t in any pain, but he came to see me right away,” Dr. Farag says. “And at that point, we were able to repair the tooth by bonding it. A lot of people in a situation like that will wait and not go to the dentist until they feel pain. By then, more damage has been done and the dentist might not have a choice but to crown the tooth.

“That’s why it’s always important to address issues like that early on, before you feel any pain. You can save yourself a lot of trouble and money.”

Jeremy could save a lot of time by seeing a dentist closer to his home, but he gladly makes the half-hour drive to Advanced Dentistry of Fort Myers because he respects Dr. Farag’s skill and trusts her judgment and work.

“Another thing that I like about her is that she’s so personable,” Jeremy says. “She’s extremely nice and caring. And she clearly works hard to make sure that you’re comfortable and feel relaxed in her environment. Her staff is the same way.

“They all know me because I’ve been going there for so long, but they always call everyone by name and treat everyone with such great respect. Everyone there is super. It’s why I absolutely recommend Advanced Dentistry of Fort Myers.”

Teeth And Your Health

When you look at the statistics, it seems obvious that paying attention to dental health could be the key to attaining overall, long-term health.

According to the US surgeon general, 80 percent of the adult population has some form of gum disease.

An article in Reader’s Digest tells of an 18- year study that concluded people with gum disease were twice as likely to die from a heart attack and three times more likely to die from a stroke.

Periodontal disease is known to wreak havoc on blood sugar levels, adding to the US diabetic crisis. People with diabetes and bleeding gums have a 400 to 700 percent greater chance of dying from diabetes-related illness.

More than 30,000 Americans are expected to die from pancreatic cancer this year. Periodontal disease appears to be strongly linked to pancreatic cancer, according to a Harvard study on 63,000 male health care professionals in which a 62 percent increase in pancreatic cancer presented in those with periodontal disease.

With so much evidence on the link between healthy teeth and bodies, it seems wise to pay attention to your mouth and find a dentist who takes the time to closely monitor your oral health.

*Patient’s name changed at their request.