Dr. Johnson's Dentistry Blog

Wisdom teeth usually come in between ages 16 and 24 for people in the Anchorage community. While not always troublesome, it is important to learn as early as possible whether your wisdom teeth are coming in sideways, or otherwise impacting your other teeth.

Checking your wisdom teeth in Anchorage is a simple and painless process, and can save you trouble down the road.

Our practice, ‘Excellence In Dentistry‘, works with patients from ages 20 to 70, and our caring staff can help you determine whether your wisdom teeth will need to be extracted. We can also help you determine whether your wisdom teeth will require advanced care, or if a simple procedure can solve the problem.

Wisdom teeth can be painful, and we don’t like pain at Excellence In Dentistry, It’s our goal to give you the best care and attention when checking your wisdom teeth.

If you are in the Anchorage area and need to have your wisdom teeth checked, please stop by our office at 1000 East O’Malley, Suite 101, in Anchorage, AK. We also service the greater Eagle River area, including Wasilla, Palmer and Southern Alaska.

We specialize in cosmetic dentistry, and often perform restoring smiles. We can take a look at your wisdom teeth and help you make a healthy decision for your future.

‘for your health, beauty and well-being’

Excellence In Dentistry provides dentistry for child patients. Our dentistry for child patients is performed by our caring staff and always takes into consideration the special circumstances that children require.

A little extra patience with our child patients is critical. We understand that going to the dentist can be a bit frightening for a child, so we make sure they are comfortable with their surroundings, and always invite mom or dad to join them in the room.

Dentistry for child patients requires more than just comfort, however. We take care to notice development patterns and watch for future trouble before it happens. We also teach proper hygiene for our child patients so that we can help you reinforce healthy habits that will produce strong, healthy and lasting teeth.

Dentistry for child patients is a big part of our practice here at Excellence In Dentistry.

If you need dentistry for your child, give us a call: 907-349-0022.

Hello! Welcome to the Excellence In Dentistry blog. If this your first visit, we hope you find useful information about our Anchorage cosmetic dentistry practice. If you have read some of our previous articles, we are glad you checked back with us. We post new articles regularly.

My name is Dr. Kirk Johnson, DDS. I have been practicing dentistry in Anchorage since 1987. Excellence In Dentistry is a full-service dental office located at 1000 East O’Malley, Suite 101, in Anchorage, Alazka. In addition to providing comprehensive examinations and deep cleanings for clients in the Eagle River 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 fillings tooth colored. These fillings are made out of a strong composite resin. Many of our Wasilla 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 Southern Alaska and Palmer 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 907-349-0022 to schedule a consultation. We are currently accepting new patients and would be happy to show you around our Anchorage cosmetic dental office and introduce you to our friendly team.

Smile – it increases your face value!

When is the last time you had a dental checkup? Most people in the Anchorage area between the ages of 20 and 70 need a dental checkup every six months. If you live in Anchorage and are at higher risk for oral diseases, you should have your teeth checked every four months, or at least three times a year.

Come into our office, located at 1000 East O’Malley, Suite 101, in Anchorage, Alaska, or give us a call to make a dental appointment. You can visit our website at http://www.AnchorageSmiles.com for more information.

Most people in our Anchorage community are in a medium to low risk category. However if you use tobacco or alcohol, eat a lot of sugar in your diet (including lots of soda), or have poor oral hygiene habits, you are likely in a higher risk category and should have your teeth checked right away.

I look at a lot of factors to determine your personal dental hygiene, and your dental outlook for your future. I want you to have the healthiest smile possible so that you can enjoy your teeth for many years without significant problems. If you live in the Anchorage area and are ready to have your teeth checked, please give Excellence In Dentistry a call at (907) 349-0022.

Our caring staff will be ready to get you started with a dental checkup.

Talk to you soon.

�Kirk Johnson DDS, Dental check ups for the Anchorage community

Periodontal disease in Alaska is more common than you might think, and can be cured with varying degrees of treatment depending on the severity.

What is periodontal disease? According to this article on Wikipedia, periodontal disease is ‘the name of a collection of inflammatory diseases affecting the tissues that surround and support the teeth.’

Periodontal disease, more commonly called ‘gum disease’, is an inflammation or infection of the gums. Periodontal disease can be very painful in some extreme conditions, and can limit your ability to eat normally. In some cases, periodontal disease can affect your smile, and can create cosmetic concerns.

If left untreated, periodontal disease can cause irreversible damage. When caught early and treated, periodontal disease can be little more than an inconvenience. However the best policy is to practice good dental hygiene to keep periodontal disease at bay.

One of the best ways to avoid periodontal disease is to get a regular dental check up at your local Anchorage dentist.

Give us a call at 907-349-0022 to schedule your next dental checkup; we look forward to seeing you.

� Dr. Kirk Johnson

There are a lot of places to look for a dentist, but its not always easy to find a dentist in Anchorage.

It used to be that in Anchorage you could find a dentist just by walking down to the corner of the street. Like many small towns, there would be a dentist on the corner of ‘north and main’, just up from the fire house, and across from the bakery.

Today, finding a dentist around Anchorage can take a little more time, and a little more effort. Our local Anchorage community is spread out a little more, and there is more than one option for finding a local dentist in Anchorage.

Let’s look at a few of the ways to find a local dentist in Anchorage:

The old timers among us still reach for the yellow pages when we look to find a dentist in our local Anchorage community. The yellow pages have been a standard for dentists since the beginning, and are a quick way to get a good list of local Anchorage dentists.

Studies are showing an ever increasing number of Anchorage consumers are turning to their Internet connection to find a dentist. To find a dentist online can mean more than just a name and a phone number; many dentists, like us, have additional information on their website that will help you gain a better understanding of their practice and the services they provide.

Many people find a dentist in the Anchorage community through printed mailers and flyers that come to your door. Anchorage dentists spend a lot of money on these types of flyers, which can often carry a discount opportunity or special promotion.

The most popular method used to find a local dentist? …Word of mouth. Studies have shown that people in Anchorage are more willing to listen to a family member or close friend when it comes to finding a local Anchorage dentist.

We understand this last point, and make it our job to keep our patients happy, healthy, informed and comfortable during their visit to the dentist. We know if you leave happy, your friends and family in the Anchorage area will hear about us, too.

If you are looking for a dentist in Anchorage, please give us a call. You can reach us at 907-349-0022.

If you know a friend who is trying to find a dentist in the Anchorage area, please pass our name along.

We look forward to seeing you both!

PS: Just click on the words ‘find a dentist’ in this article to visit our online dental website.

Picture the following scenario: You are stretched out in a chair at your Anchorage dentist office holding a remote as you try to tune into your favorite Alaska radio station. A woman clips a paper bib around your neck. Someone switches on a bright overhead light and you see latex-gloved hands moving toward your open mouth. You close your eyes.

As you read this, does your heart start to race? Are your palms sweaty?

If so, you may be a good candidate for sedation dentistry. Oral sedation benefits nervous dental patients in Anchorage every day. Moderate sedation is used for all types of dental procedures such as root canals, dental implants, and wisdom teeth removal. If you are considering extensive restorative or cosmetic dental work, conscious sedation may allow your Southern Alaska dentist to complete multiple procedures in a single visit.

Don’t let fear prevent you from getting the dental treatment you need. Schedule a visit with Dr. Kirk Johnson to learn about conscious sedation dentistry.

Dr. Kirk Johnson DDS

Excellence In Dentistry
http://www.AnchorageSmiles.com
for your health, beauty and well-being

Hi, I’m dentist Dr. Kirk Johnson, DDS. Most every day, I can be found at my Anchorage area dental office treating dental patients with tooth and gum problems or helping patients prevent them. There are many common medical conditions that pose a risk to oral health.

1) Anchorage diabetes patients with high blood glucose often have a higher risk of dental issues. If you have diabetes, let’s talk. My number is 907-349-0022.

2) A persistent dry mouth due to an inadequate amount of saliva can accelerate tooth decay, cause or contribute to gum disease, and trigger chronic bad breath. Many medications used by thousands of Alaska folks, including those for high-blood pressure and depression, cause dry mouth. This side effect is not only unpleasant, it is dangerous. Anti-depressants (especially SSRI’s) and anti-psychotic drugs can also trigger tooth-grinding (bruxism).

3) Acid reflux in children and adults is associated with a host of dental problems such as decay and periodontal disease.

I help many Southern Alaska dental patients prevent problems associated with medical conditions that sometimes seem unrelated to dental health. Regular professional dental care is essential for oral health, and an important part of your overall physical health.

http://www.AnchorageSmiles.com

There is a tooth connection that links osteoporosis and oral health. If you are a woman, you have probably heard about the high rate of osteoporosis in America. The state of Alaska is no exception. Osteoporosis can often progress without any outward symptoms. However, there may be clues in a person’s mouth that indicate compromised bones in the rest of the body.

The following dental and periodontal issues could indicate the presence of osteoporosis:

• Gum detachment
• Ill-fitting dentures
• Jaw bone recession and erosion
• Difficulty with ordinary mouth function such as eating or speaking

There are many Anchorage dental professionals that can determine the presence of bone deterioration with x-rays and other diagnostic tools. If we suspect the possibility of osteoporosis, we can refer you to a local medical professional, whether you live in Wasilla, Palmer or Southern Alaska.

The experienced dentist at Excellence In Dentistry is trained in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the oral health problems sometimes associated with osteoporosis. Schedule a consultation in Anchorage by calling 907-349-0022 and we can discuss your dental concerns. While you are here, we can also tell you about the cosmetic dental services we provide. Aesthetic dentistry continues to improve smiles for our friends and neighbors in the Anchorage area.

If you suspect you may be suffering from osteoporosis, please see your physician right away. While your dentist can help identify some of the symptoms associated with osteoporosis, you should not rely on your dentist to provide a diagnosis of osteoporosis.

When a tooth is threatened by severe decay, periodontal disease, or damage from an injury, a skilled Anchorage dentist or endodontist must make a judgment call concerning the course of treatment. If the pulp of the tooth is infected or inflamed, a root canal is often the only way to save the tooth.

Excellence In Dentistry: 907-349-0022

During a root canal procedure (or endodontic treatment) the soft tissue in the root of the tooth is removed. This tissue contains veins, arteries and lymph vessels. Once the roots are cleaned out and widened, they are filled with a special rubber material. The root canal is only the first step in the complete tooth restoration. After the root canal, without a crown, the tooth will become dry and brittle. The final steps are the core build up and crown.

At Excellence In Dentistry, we fabricate strong, natural-looking crowns that blend perfectly with the surrounding teeth. With proper oral hygiene and regular visits to an Anchorage dentist, a tooth with a filled root can often function problem-free for the rest of a patient’s life.

I am dentist Dr. Kirk Johnson DDS of Excellence In Dentistry. I have been practicing dentistry since 1987. During that time I have seen hundreds of teeth saved by this effective dental procedure. Root canal therapy at Excellence In Dentistry in Anchorage has a very high success rate.

Because teeth with infected pulp tissue often cause no symptoms, it is important to have regular dental examinations. I can determine which (if any) teeth have infected roots. If the infection in the soft pulp tissue is left untreated, it can progress to a point where the tooth cannot be saved. Is it time for a thorough dental exam? Call our office at 907-349-0022.

Call Excellence In Dentistry immediately if one of your teeth is screaming for attention!