Each and every one of us here at Alaska Center for Dentistry cares and values the community in which we live in and we always strive to give back. We do this by providing the very best dental services and by treating our patients with the respect they deserve, but we wanted to do a bit more. Last year we decided to donate to charity. The following are just a couple examples of our recent actions of giving back to the community that has treated us so kindly over all these years.

The Food Bank Of Alaska

The Food Bank Of Alaska is an organization that helps deserving families put food on their tables. Without assistance, many Alaskan families would go hungry. We couldn’t bear the thought of someone going without so on November 29^th of last year we donated 24 pounds of food. The Food Bank of Alaska sent us this message just after Christmas of 2011.

“The Food Bank of Alaska would like to thank Alaska Center for
Dentistry for donating 24 pounds of food on 11/29/11 and their
commitment to ending hunger. Their gift brings the power of hope to
their neighbors in need of food assistance.”

It warms our hearts to know that we did our part to help at least one Alaskan family sit down to a warm, nutritious meal during the holidays.

The Red Cross Of Alaska

We also recently made a donation to the Red Cross of Alaska. The Red Cross relies on donations to help Alaskans who may have been affected by certain disasters. By doing our part, we hope that we are able to provide warm shelter, blankets and health care to one or more families in need.

Help Us Give Back

These are just a couple of the charities we have donated to. We plan to give even more this year. If you live near our office and you would also like to donate to one or both of the above charities, come into the Alaska Center for Dentistry or call us today.

We are very excited about the upcoming year and the improvements that our office will be implementing.

An Enhanced ACD Experience

We are in the process of renovating and expanding our office in Anchorage to upgrade our dental technology and enhance the atmosphere and comfort for our patients. We have altered our payment policies in order to ease the financial stress of dental treatment. We are also in the process of becoming preferred providers for several insurance companies. We invite you to visit our offices and website to view all of the exciting changes that are happening.

Help Us Thank Our Doctors And Staff

We are thankful for our staff’s dedication and hard work and for the positive contribution our new staff members are making. We are proud to offer experience and expertise through our team of dentists.  In Anchorage, Dr. Sage Sr. continues to be a strong presence in our office and enjoys working part time. We have also had the pleasure of working with Dr. Barbara Churchill for the past year. We are proud to introduce the newest member of our team, Dr. Michael Maxwell. His experience and expertise will complement our philosophy of excellence and patient care. In our Wasilla office Dr. Williams and I would like to welcome Dr. Norman Sharp. Dr. Sharp comes to our practice with an impressive educational background.

The Alaska Center For Dentistry has been teaching their patients what most other Alaska dentistry offices, and dental clinics worldwide have been teaching for years. That brushing and flossing daily, regularly scheduled visits to their dentist’s office, and avoiding excess sugar, are all great ways to maintain and promote good dental health. Ask any family dentist in Anchorage and he or she is sure to tell you that the earlier people start practicing these habits, the more healthy their mouths are throughout their lives. This is why Wasilla dentistry offices and others recommend teaching very young children the benefits of taking care of their teeth as soon as possible.

Even very knowledgeable people however may not know that they can maintain their dental health even more by simply watching what they eat. Most of us have been told from an early age that sugar causes cavities. But did you know there are several other foods that may be damaging to your teeth? Let’s take a look at two types of food and beverage that can be causing your teeth harm, and how to combat this.

Carbohydrates

Most people know that sugar can be bad for their teeth. But did you know that carb heavy foods can have the same effect? This is because carbs break down into simple sugars. The same sugars that you have been warned about that can be turned into plaque by bacteria in your mouth. Plaque is the root cause of both cavities, and gum disease.

Bread, crackers, and other types of carb rich foods have an almost sticky like feature that can make the food stick to the back of your teeth, or easily get stuck around the gum line and even under. This can make the formation of plaque happen very quickly.

You probably won’t be able to avoid carbohydrate rich foods, but you can take steps to reduce the damage they might do. Try not to eat carbs by themselves as snacks throughout the day. When you are eating carbs try to have the majority of them with a big meal of the day. This way your mouth will create more bacteria fighting saliva, and most people will brush and floss after a regularly scheduled meal than they will a snack.

Sodas And Juice

You probably already know that sodas can be bad for your teeth because of their sugar content. But even soft drinks which are sugar free contain acids that can be very harmful to tooth enamel. Many people are shocked to learn that many juices, like orange juice can also be bad for tooth enamel because of the citric acids inside.

It’s pretty easy to combat these things. For juices, you can add water to them to dilute them a little. And if you don’t plan on getting rid of sodas from your diet, at least use a straw. That way you can avoid getting these acids onto your tooth enamel.

Brushing, flossing, and regular dentist appointments are all great ways to maintain great dental health. But knowing which foods can hurt your teeth will help you make even more great decisions to help your smile.

Ask any family dentist in Anchorage what the most common procedures he or she does and they are bound to list dental fillings towards the top of the list. The Alaska Center For Dentistry performs hundreds of dental fillings a year. But this is not only a common procedure for Anchorage dentists, or Alaska dentistry in general. Dental fillings are one of the most common dental procedures done in dental offices worldwide, with some reports showing that the average adult has 7 dental fillings. So what are dental fillings anyways?

Dental fillings are a procedure to treat decaying or damaged teeth. Mot often they are the solution to cavities, although in rare occasions they may also be used to repair cracked and broken teeth due to excessive wear, such as chronic teeth grinding. But mostly they are used to treat cavities. Wasilla dentistry offices will first remove the decayed part of the tooth, and then fill in the missing portion of the tooth with material they recommend or the client prefers. So how does a dentist do a dental filling?

Dental Fillings Step By Step

1. First the dentist will make sure the area is numb. This is usually done with a local anesthetic, often injected near the tooth to be filled. Patients usually report that the injection is not painful, and feels like a quick pinch if anything.

2. Next a drill, laser, or air abrasion instrument will be used to get rid of the decaying tooth material. Drills have always been the most common tool used, but new tools like the laser and air abrasion tools have started to be used in recent years as well. Your dentist will choose the tool he is most comfortable with.

3. After the initial decay removal the dentist will probe the area and check carefully to make sure all the decay is removed. If any is left he will remove it, and check again to ensure that all decay from the tooth is removed.

4. With the decayed matter eliminated, the dentist will then start cleaning the cavity thoroughly. All bacteria and debris from the removal will be removed, and the tooth cleaned thoroughly for the next step.

5. If a lot of decay is removed from the tooth this can sometimes expose the root. If that is the case then the dentist will usually place a liner over it before he fills in the rest of the tooth.

6. Then the dentist will go about filling the hole. This can be done with a variety of materials. They range from gold, silver amalgam, composite resin, and several other materials. Sometimes it will be done in layers.

7. Once the previous step is complete the dentist will now make sure the material fits well in the tooth, trimming any excess material, and then cleaning and polishing down the filling.

Now that you know the steps involved in a dental filling, you should have no fear if you have to get the procedure done. It is one of the most common techniques used by dentists today in the fight against cavities.