Dr. Lee Sheldon Let’s introduce a term to you, “neutrophil chemotaxis.” The neutrophil is the white blood cell whose primary function is to engulf and kill bacteria in your bloodstream. Chemotaxis is the movement of a cell toward a chemical stimulant. In this case, bacteria send out a chemical. The neutrophil senses the chemical and moves toward the bacteria with … Read More
The “Have To’s” and the “Want To’s”
Dr. Lee Sheldon When you hear a treatment plan from a dentist, there are several steps involved in such a plan. Sometimes, with many steps and a lack of understanding about each step, it’s easy to get lost or overwhelmed by the treatment presentation. My job as a consulting periodontist is not to sell dentistry. Of course, to be crass, … Read More
Why Fractured Calculus is Dangerous
Dr. Lee Sheldon Last month, we wrote about “fractured calculus” that could be left on the root surface during a scaling procedure for periodontal disease. But there’s more to it than that. The rough shards of fractured calculus have holes like Swiss cheese within them. These holes have a scientific name, “lacunae.” The lacunae are not empty. They are filled … Read More
Calculus–That is the “Root” of Periodontal Disease
Dr. Lee Sheldon Let’s get down to fundamentals, fundamentals of how you can keep your teeth. Let’s let go of the commercials, the promises, the TV ads, many of which say that the only answer to periodontal disease is dental implants. Let’s look at the basics of healing. In a landmark paper about to be released in the Journal of … Read More
How to Tell You Need Your Teeth Extracted Due to Periodontal Disease
Dr. Lee Sheldon Literally every day, people are having all of their teeth extracted due to periodontal disease. They are told that they have deep pockets and that they are only going to get worse; that they need to extract the teeth before they lose all of the bone support. This is a fatalistic view of periodontal disease. And frankly, … Read More
Is it Your Age That’s Preventing You from Enjoying Life?
Dr. Lee Sheldon Do you want to know what one of the most common phrases I hear? “If I were (name the younger age), I could see doing it. But at my age…” Is age the barrier? Or is your age the justification? Restoring teeth correctly or extracting them and putting in implants has a significant cost. Some will want … Read More
How to be Your Own Health Consultant
Dr. Lee Sheldon You can be a successful health consultant for yourself. Here’s how: Create your plan for success. Lee N. Sheldon, DMDDental Implants-Periodontics2223 Sarno Road Melbourne, Florida 32935www.DrLeeSheldon.com(321) 259-9980
I Want to Date Again
Dr. Lee Sheldon You have lost a spouse. He or she means the world to you. As the grieving diminishes, a new thought enters. What do you do to replace the socialization that you once had? Some address that question with anticipation. Others have some reluctance. You may feel that the introduction to dating is sometimes hampered by the … Read More
The Advantage of the Patient Advocate
Dr. Lee Sheldon How important is it for you to have a loved one or friend attend a critical doctor’s visit? Patients often see us to make long-term decisions for their dental care. Things have deteriorated to the point where specialty care is needed. The new patient sees us for a two-hour visit where x-rays, CT scan, and a full … Read More
Why Shouldn’t You Do Dental Implants?
Dr. Lee Sheldon When I placed my first implant in 1986, I had to educate patients on why a dental implant may be a good thing. Now, 34 years later, everyone has heard of dental implants. Moreover, with all of the marketing for dental implants, we often have an inflated view of what dental implants can do. So let’s go … Read More