Dr. Lee Sheldon is a regular contributor to the local publications. You can read the articles he has written by clicking any of the links below.
It happened again yesterday
DR. LEE SHELDON • December 1, 2023 A patient comes in with his wife and tells me nine extractions have been recommended. They want a second opinion. This happens a lot. And most of the time, when I look at…
Read More What’s the Best Aisle at the Supermarket?
Dr. Lee Sheldon I used to ask my patients, “What aisle at the supermarket do you shop in?” Did I get strange looks? Of course. What’s the correct answer? I don’t shop in the aisles very much. I shop around…
Read More Bad Breath
Understanding and Managing Bad Breath: Tips from Dr. Lee Sheldon Dr. Lee Sheldon About 200 million people in the United States use mouthwash, a $3 billion industry. Is it any wonder why we concentrate so much on bad breath? Bacteria…
Read More Why Do We Use an Endoscope?
You’ve heard of an endoscope. It’s a camera inserted into a body part that allows the doctor to see the body part. It’s the perfect way to explore an area with minimal risk. It’s a standard in joint and GYN…
Read More What Are Your New Year’s Dental Resolutions?
by Dr. Lee Sheldon Here is a dental plan for 2023. Invest in a comprehensive dental evaluation. Get your teeth cleaned. Buy a good electric toothbrush. You can do okay for $60. Cleaning between your teeth is more important than…
Read More They Told Me That I Need…
I don’t care who you hear that from, doctor, contractor, auto mechanic. It makes no difference. “You need” is a very confusing term. Do you need it? Or would it be a good idea to have it? Or might it…
Read More Why Our Treatment Coordinators Make all the Difference
“I go to the dentist. I don’t understand what he or she is talking about. It’s all so new, so different, so expensive.” Are those words that you’ve heard? Maybe said? Our treatment coordinators are the answer to that problem.…
Read More Is Fear Keeping You Away from the Dental Office?
I know it. I hear it often. I’m afraid of the dentist. It’s a real fear. Often it comes from a bad childhood experience. How I wish you didn’t have that experience. But here we are, facing the results of…
Read More The New Method of Doing Full-Arch Implant Restorations
The critical aspect of the esthetics of a dental restoration is the shape of the gum tissue surrounding the tooth. The gum tissue is the “frame” for the tooth. The gum tissue is scalloped. The high point of the scallop…
Read More The Formula to Dental Success
How can people reduce their dental expenses? What are the keys to dental success? What are the common things that people do to ruin their teeth? Here are the items that I find most commonly: Sugar– People are consuming way…
Read More Does Dentistry Have to be Expensive?
You are encountering dental failure. Often that occurs because of years of neglect. Constant sugar intake, medications that dry out the mouth, fear of dentistry, are the three most common reasons that I see for tooth loss. If you are…
Read More The Components of a Good Dental Examination, Part 1
In this multipart series, I’ll write about the different parts of the dental examination and why they are important to me, and ultimately, you. Thorough medical history–Why do I need to know about your medical history? My concerns in the…
Read More The Components of a Good Dental Examination, Part 2
Our previous article listed the importance of the medical history, full mouth x-rays, and the CT Scan. Let’s move now to the clinical examination. Despite the technology, we can’t understand the full function as well as the potential disease components…
Read More What Are You Hearing About Root Canals?
Root canals are good for you if they are done correctly. If successful, a root canal allows the tooth to function normally. If not successful, we can see evidence of an infection on the x-ray as a dark spot around…
Read More Is an Implant Just an Implant?
I see different fees for dental implants. I look at the ads. I’m amazed at the discrepancies. I’m also challenged with explaining the differences to our patients. Because there are differences. And the differences can be enormous. In this brief…
Read More The “No Calculus” Periodontitis
Dr. Lee Sheldon “That’s funny. You have no plaque and no calculus, but you’ve suddenly lost a lot of bone support,” your dentist says. “I wonder what’s going on.” I’ve seen lots of patients like this. The first thing they…
Read More The Case for Saving Teeth in Children
A child over the age of six gets into an accident, maybe hit by a baseball, falls off a bike, gets in a car accident. He or she is hit in the mouth. The front teeth are broken, seemingly broken…
Read More Why Can’t I Chew Better
“You know, I can’t chew my food as I used to,” my new patient said. “I used to be able to chew anything that I want. Why can’t I chew as well now?”If that’s happening to you, here are some…
Read More Computer Generation–What Does it Mean to You?
Today we make a big deal about computer generation, the ability to use the computer to design the restoration of your mouth. Is it just hype or is there something to computer generation? Firstly, there is no substitute for a…
Read More Can General Anesthesia Cause a Dental Failure?
It happened again this week. A patient come into me upset that a bridge that someone else had done had failed. It was actually a longer story than that. She had surgery done at the hospital. She “warned” the anesthesiologist…
Read More Orthodontics is Not Just Straightening Teeth
In this day of instant everything, we ought to pause a minute and understand that instant is not always best. Cooked oatmeal vs. instant oatmeal? Brewed coffee vs. instant coffee? Comprehensive orthodontics vs. mail order orthodontics? So let’s look at…
Read More New Hope for Tooth Grinders
Your teeth are worn down. You are breaking teeth. You awaken with your jaws clenched. You awaken with headaches. First let’s call the problem what it is, sleep bruxism. About 10% of the population has it. And there aren’t a…
Read More My Teeth are Too Short!
Dr. Lee Sheldon Did you ever see someone with a gummy smile? Did you ever have a crown that kept coming off? How are the two related? The teeth are too short. Let’s look first at the upper front tooth.…
Read More The Oral DNA test
Oral DNA Test in Melbourne, FL: Targeted Periodontal Treatment Dr. Lee Sheldon One of my favorite tests in dentistry is the Oral DNA test. This is a saliva test that allows me to understand what bacteria is growing in a…
Read More Does the Tooth Really Need to be Extracted?
You have a tooth that is comfortable. You are told that you have periodontal disease and that ultimately the tooth will need to be extracted. Why not extract it now before the bone deteriorates further? Sounds logical. But is it…
Read More Do I Save My Teeth or Extract Them?
Having done dental implants for over thirty years, I’m often faced with the dilemma, should you extract your teeth in favor of dental implants, or should you keep your teeth? While this question is subject to appropriate diagnosis and treatment…
Read More Do You Really Need to Have your Teeth Extracted?
“You need to have all your teeth taken out,” may be one of the most devastating statements that a dentist can make. The consequences for that decision may be dentures or dental implants, but whatever the treatment, it is bound…
Read More The Fundamentals of Beauty
You look at someone. You say, “She’s beautiful.” “He’s handsome.” Is this beauty just in the eyes of the beholder? Well, to some degree, the answer may be yes, but there are defined proportions that we can use to predict…
Read More What are you looking for in dentistry?
There are seemingly so many options in dentistry, so many procedures. The key element however is not in the procedures that are being done. Sure, you want your dentist to be up on the latest technology. But more important is…
Read More The Decision on Dental Implants
Dental implants are far and away the most predictable and successful method of replacing missing teeth. But are dental implants always the right decision? The answer of course is no. In evaluating your mouth, diagnosis and treatment planning come first,…
Read More Why You May Get Gum Recession
by Dr. Lee Sheldon The problem of gum recession or the “long in the tooth” look is one that has plagued many. Gum recession results in root surfaces, which are designed to be below the gum line, to instead be…
Read More The Dental Implant Center
We have a phenomenon that has hit us over the past several years, the dental implant center. The dental implant center works upon the premise that you are fed up with your teeth, so why not replace them with metal…
Read More Your Smile May Mean More than You Think
Dr. Lee Sheldon How important is your smile? When you look in the mirror, what do you look at first? And what do others look for first? Imagine that you are starting a new relationship. Maybe you’ve recently divorced and…
Read More If You’ve Given Up on Dentistry
You know someone who has said to you, “I used to see the dentist, but nothing ever worked.” Maybe it’s you. If it is, rest assured that there is hope for you. I’m going to tell you a personal story,…
Read More Oil Pulling? I Have No Idea.
I like to stay ahead of the curve. So when I hear about a procedure or a product that is new, I’m not likely to put it down. I get curious, knowing that some new things can be good. Most…
Read More It’s Better to Catch Dental Problems Early
It is hard looking at a patient and knowing that if he or she had done the right thing at the right time, we wouldn’t have to treat him or her now. Want some examples? A patient has bone loss…
Read More The Value of a Second Opinion
We are in the process of getting a new roof for our home. We have had four contractors come out to give us estimates on the new roof. But, as you know, it isn’t always the price that is at…
Read More The Immediate Dental Implant Solution
Here’s the scenario: A person sees the dentist, gets fillings done. Those fillings then deteriorate requiring crowns. The teeth then decay under the crowns and then need to be extracted. Or a person has periodontal disease and the teeth loosen.…
Read More P. Gingivalis, a Bug that Causes more than Periodontal Disease
“But they already scraped my teeth!” is a common refrain that we hear in periodontal offices. And that is the problem. A periodontal procedure is only as good as the diagnosis that accompanies the procedure. I’ll give you a periodontal…
Read More The Link between Dental Disease and Heart Disease
See your dentist to prevent a heart attack? Recently, the research journals and popular press have been pointing to a connection between our oral health and hygiene and our cardiovascular risk. Although there are several mediators, one stands out: periodontal…
Read More Vitamin D For the Flu Season
Anyone have a doubt that flu season is beginning? It’s advertised at pharmacies, on TV, at food stores. There is something that you can do that won’t hurt and may very well help you. Take more Vitamin D. I thought…
Read More Look Carefully at New Technology before You Start Treatment
Those of us who choose the leading edge in health care do so because of the word, “leading,” But the word, “edge,” may be more important to you. An edge is sharp and unless used precisely, it can hurt. An…
Read More The “Gummy” Smile
Surgical Gummy Smile Correction: Expert Care by Dr. Lee Sheldon As we age, some of us begin to get the “long in the tooth” look. The reason for that is that the gum tissue and the underlying bone are thin…
Read More Diabetes and Dental Care
Nearly every diabetic knows the risks associated with the disease. It’s one of the first things that your doctor or nurse talks to you about when the diagnosis is made. And there are some dental nuances that affect the diabetic…
Read More Recurrent Mouth Sores?
You feel a small, sore area on the inside of your lip or tongue. It wasn’t there yesterday. It just showed up. You have a canker sore, or in our terms, an aphthous ulcer. They are usually less than a…
Read More Sjögren’s Syndrome may affect your dental health
There is a debilitating disease that affects at least one million people in the U.S., mostly women. It is one of those diseases that we just don’t hear a lot about. And while not life threatening, it certainly affects your…
Read More Overseas Dental Treatment? Beware!
I just saw this headline in an airline magazine: “World-Class Dental Services at 50-70% Savings over U.S. Prices!” A lot of other verbiage, mostly misleading, continues. Then is the kicker. “With all the money you’ll save, you can vacation in…
Read More Is it always correct to save teeth?
Do you remember how often your dentist pushed you to save a tooth? It seemed like saving teeth was the thing to do and at that time it was. We developed whole specialties of dentists whose jobs it was to…
Read More Play it safe with a Dental Mouth Guard
Spring is in the air! Enjoy the beautiful weather and outdoor activities. But protect yourself and your children from injuries while you play. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and the American…
Read More What to Look for in a Dental Examination
There is no shortage of new, innovative, dental techniques to enhance your dental experience, your ability to chew, and your smile. But today, let’s get back to basics and talk about what you should look for in a dental examination.…
Read More Be Prepared for Dental Emergencies
An emergency, by definition, is unexpected. You can’t plan for it. You can’t schedule an appointment in advance, and you don’t have time to search for the best dentist. Knowing where you will go for dental care is the first…
Read More Pain Relief from Low Dose Naltrexone
From time to time, I depart from dentistry to discuss your overall health. The topic that I’m about to talk about is controversial. And I caution you as I always do when I write on medicine that you should consult…
Read More The Good Old Days of Dentistry
For those of us who are old enough to remember Leave It to Beaver when it was in first run, let’s review where dentistry was and where it is now. Here’s what I remember. My dentist gave me a choice…
Read More But I Don’t Grind My Teeth
So a patient sits there in my chair. He’s a nice guy, says that he doesn’t have a problem. His teeth are just naturally short. “Really?”, I said. The height of a front tooth is supposed to be greater than…
Read More The Cracked Tooth
Cracked Tooth Causes, Symptoms & Treatment in Melbourne, FL One day, I was in my chiropractor’s office. He has that great candy at the front desk, the kind that you are supposed to let dissolve in your mouth. I can’t…
Read More My teeth continue to have cavities
You thought the days of cavities were over when you were a kid. But what happens as we get older? We get cavities again–one of those miracles of aging gracefully. The problem with cavities in an adult is that they…
Read More Before You Do the Root Canal
Here’s the scenario: You’re in the dentist’s office. You have a cavity. You’re numb. The dentist starts the procedure drilling away the decay. He or she finds the decay hits the nerve. The next statement might be, “I’m sorry, but…
Read More Is Snoring the Only Problem
Focus on Seniors: Sawing logs at night? Better have it checked DR. LEE SHELDON • FOR FLORIDA TODAY • May 30, 2010 People snore. It is a normal course of life, isn’t it? Of course, when people snore it becomes…
Read More Sleep Apnea
Can’t Wear a CPAP mask? Your dentist may help Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a chronic condition when it causes disturbances in sleep three or more nights a week. It occurs in males twice as often as in females. As…
Read More Click in jaw will lead to headaches
Does your jaw click when you open and close your mouth? This condition can worsen and cause headaches, ringing in the ears and the inability to open and close the mouth. You get the picture. This condition used to be…
Read More Migraine relief with NTI therapy
Does the pain of migraines stand between you and the life you want to live? Migraines are often debilitating, leading to lost work, canceled social events, unfulfilled obligations, and day after day of misery. Unfortunately, many sufferers have met with…
Read More Understanding chronic headaches and jaw pains
If you suffer from chronic pain, you know how devastating it can be. Your relationships, lifestyle, enjoyment in life, and even your career can be affected. When treatment is ineffective, or your doctor can’t even identify the problem, the frustration…
Read More The Sinus Headache Myth
A patient walks into my practice because she’s heard that I know something about headaches. She’s had lots of different treatments, but no real success. She has what she describes as a “sinus headache”. So I ask her if her…
Read More What is T-Scan?
T-Scan Technology at Solid Bite: Precise Occlusal Force Analysis Technology has transformed many aspects of our lives, and dental care is no exception. At Solid BiteSM in Melbourne FL, our state-of-the-art office is equipped with some of the best new technology…
Read More TMD and dental problems: How bite adjustment helps
TMD is a dysfunction of the jaw joint, which is known as the TMJ (temporomandibular joint). You may not give your jaws much thought, but they are incredibly complex, capable of exerting tremendous force with precision movement. They are also…
Read More The Chronic Headache: A Dental Answer
Over 80 million of us in the United States suffer from chronic headaches, migraine or TMJ/D issues according to the National Institutes of Health. That is more than one in four of every U.S. household. For most, it is a…
Read More Suffering Migraines?
Maybe it’s your bite DR. LEE SHELDON • March 14, 2010 If you’ve suffered from migraines, you know how debilitating the problem can be. Let’s talk about the possible source of the problem as well as a possible solution. Migraines…
Read More Hybrid dentures can alleviate dental woes
BY DR. LEE SHELDON • FOR FLORIDA TODAY • June 13, 2010 You have a bad tooth. You go to the dentist and get the filling. Then the tooth hurts. You need a root canal and a crown. That’s OK…
Read More Dentures don’t fit?
Why Your Dentures Don’t Fit Properly: Causes & Solutions It happened in our office again just last week. And seemingly, it happens almost every week. Here’s the line—”I’ve just had a denture made, and it doesn’t fit right.” I check…
Read More Does your lower denture wobble?
One of the true enjoyments many of us have in life as we age is eating. We have more time to cook or we just look forward to going out to eat. But some of us enjoy eating more than…
Read More The One-Piece, Same Day, Dental Implant
The lower denture is uncomfortable for nearly every person who wears one. Why is the lower denture a problem much more often than the upper? The upper is made as a large suction cup that covers the entire palate. It…
Read More You DO Have Enough Bone for an Implant
It happened again. A patient comes into my office and says that she was told that she doesn’t have enough bone for a dental implant. There may have been a reason to say that 20 years ago. But now? There…
Read More Long in the Tooth?
Gum Recession & Exposed Roots: Periodontist Surgical Treatment Have you noticed that your gums recede? That “long in the tooth” look is actually tooth root exposure. There are basically two parts of the tooth; the crown which has enamel on…
Read More It’s not too late for cosmetic dentistry
At the risk of sounding vain, I’m about to do a procedure that I’ve said for years that I “don’t need.” That is cosmetic dentistry. Yes, I know that many know me and are accustomed to my teeth. They are…
Read More Pearly Whites in a Flash
New technology allows patients to get new teeth in 1 hour or less BY SUSAN JENKS FLORIDA TODAY Instead of a denture flapping around inside his mouth, Robert Redfern has a new set of permanent teeth — at least the…
Read More Seniors’ and Families’ Guidelines on Involuntary Commitment
There are certain facts that are unknown to us, until a crisis arrives. And while I try to write with a certain amount of levity, this subject has no light-heartedness about it. The fact is that seniors can be and…
Read More Sugar Dangers
How Sugar Harms Your Teeth and Health: What You Need to Know When was the last time you went to the store, or to the bakery, or to the restaurant and lulled yourself into that tasty “low fat” dessert. After…
Read More One Answer to a Chronic Cough
It’s interesting how many people ask me about my health. People want to see my new veneers and check to see if my warts are still gone (they are). My guess is that they assume that I have the other…
Read More Indigestion is More than a Nuisance
There’s this idea that as we age we should be able to eat just as we did when we were teenagers. I went to South End Pizza with my friend Sandy when I was 18. I remember it so well,…
Read More Do you have warts?
Dr. Lee Sheldon’s 5-Year Wart Battle & Duct Tape Success Let’s lighten up for a moment. After all, it’s summer. We can talk about dentistry again in a few weeks. Let’s talk about a problem that I had and you…
Read More Mood-altering Drugs are Overprescribed
Today’s message is one that is affecting all of us. It is something that is not talked about enough, but it’s something that requires our attention. And if you read this further, you may scratch your head, shake your head…
Read More Using Statin Drug Look at CoQ10
From time to time, I write about nutrition in this column. Often people think that a vitamin can be used as a drug. Vitamins can be used therapeutically, but you’ll get the most out of nutrition when you eat a…
Read More We Are Overmedicated!
Yes, I know that your doctor said that you have osteopenia, high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc., etc. And I don’t doubt the diagnosis. Your doctor examined you and found the problems. That is diagnosis. It is the treatment that is the…
Read More Sinusitis Won’t Clear Up? It could be your tooth
Over 13 % of Americans suffer from some form of chronic sinusitis. It is one of the most common medical complaints costing 6 billion dollars and 13 million doctor visits a year. While many sinus infections are self-limiting (will go…
Read More Don’t Wait When Signs of a Stroke Appear
I think it was Mark Twain who said, “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.” Denial of stroke symptoms could mean the difference between function and paralysis, between speaking normally and struggling to get a word out, and possibly between…
Read More Don’t De-liver ate
Carbohydrate Control for Liver Health and Your Smile Can your liver deliver? When was the last time you saw an ad that emphasized your liver? We don’t even serve liver and onions any more. Your poor, ignored liver. It sits…
Read More Thin Gums Lead to Sensitive Teeth
When you eat ice cream, do your teeth feel so sensitive that you dare not take another bite? Gum recession can become a gradually worsening problem as we get older. It occurs because the underlying gum tissue on the bone…
Read More New Hope for Gum Recession
We are reaching new advancements in regeneration of tissue. As early as the early 1960’s, periodontists have been well aware of the advantages of healthy gum tissue in withstanding the mechanical stresses that attack the teeth. What do you mean…
Read More Periodontal Disease – Truths and Misconceptions
Here’s the misconception. You or your dentist missed something so as a result you now have a disease. Could that be true? Only if you believe that people get heart attacks because their doctors miss something or people get cancer…
Read More Diabetes May Be Improved by Improving Your Periodontal Health
The statistics on diabetes are staggering. There are nearly two million new diagnoses of diabetes each year. Add that to those who are prediabetic and one of three of us have this problem. And there is more data that may…
Read More Your Gums A Predictor of Heart Disease
Is there a relationship between gum disease and cardiovascular disease? A consensus panel of experts in cardiology and periodontology say absolutely yes. And as a result, both professions are making changes in the interest of improving their patients’ overall health. For…
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