Pain shouldn't be motivator to visit dentist

Rick Monroe

Special to the Village News

It's better to avoid the pain – and even save money – through regular dental visits, according to Dr. Jordan Colby of Fallbrook Village Dentistry.

"The body is incredible in how it works and tells us about pain," Dr. Colby said during a recent interview. As a cavity grows and approaches the nerve, it becomes painful."

That's our warning sign, he said, but if treatment is delayed, the consequence could be a dead tooth. That's why it is better to catch problems earlier.

The new technology of 3D X-rays makes it possible to discover a cavity that could lead to more serious health issues including sinus conditions, headaches, blurred vision, and back or neck problems, the dentist said.

"Just yesterday a woman came in who had traditional X-rays at another office and found nothing wrong," Dr. Colby said, "The 3-D image showed a large abscess the size of a grape in the upper left side that had grown to her sinus area. Ten years ago, she had a root canal, which means the tooth doesn't have a nerve so she could not feel pain, but the tooth becomes a reservoir for a bacterial infection. In her case, it caused headaches and low energy."

"When I took out the tooth, you could see a pocket, which I cleaned and rinsed, and the same day put in a titanium implant," he said. "A crown is then placed in two or three months."

Sometimes a primary care physician is unable to diagnose a problem that in fact may be caused by dental issues, Dr. Colby said.

"Once the dental problem is fixed, other conditions disappear," he said. "Sinus infections and chronic headaches are often caused from a tooth infection."

"Root canals don't last forever," Dr. Colby added, "and need to be monitored often."

He treats each patient individually in developing a comprehensive treatment plan.

"The nerve is severed with a root canal," he explained. "People think that if there's no pain, they are fine, but that's not always the case. There may be bacteria growing in the tooth and it's not able to send a signal to the brain."

"Traditionally, if a cavity is big enough and reaches the nerve space, it can kill the tooth rather quickly," Dr. Colby said. "This infection can cause an abscess and result in a systemic problem if not dealt with in a timely fashion. Implants today have a 99% success rate and are an incredible treatment choice."

"It will look and feel like your own teeth," the dentist said. "The technology we have today is awesome! We can remove a tooth and put in the implant during the same appointment, saving time and money for the patient."

Dr. Colby didn't want to call himself an expert in the technique, but he is teaching the procedure in Long Beach at a continuing education program for dentists.

"We're enthusiastic about this kind of work, helping others," he said. "That's why we encourage regular dental cleaning. It's better to fix a smaller problem because it's less costly and it's better for the body."

There are other conditions like bacteria spreading to the jawbone and/or being responsible for periodontitis that can enter your bloodstream through gum tissue, possibly affecting other parts of your body. For example, periodontitis is linked with respiratory disease, rheumatoid arthritis, coronary artery disease and problems controlling blood sugar in diabetes.

"When gum disease turns to periodontitis, it's possible for teeth to wiggle and come loose," the dentist said. "When gums are neglected, we evaluate the whole mouth and sometimes do deep cleaning."

Dr. Colby said the 3D X-rays are a real game changer and not only to give a closer look for cavities, but also because it releases a fraction of the radiation from older technology. "It's as much (radiation) as an afternoon at the beach," he said.

"The goal is optimal health and being able to spend less time with dental visits," he said.

When the dentist is finished, the patient is able to relax with comfortable music and a hot aromatherapy towel. "We like to make it an enjoyable experience," he added.

The owner is joined by two other dentists at Fallbrook Village Dentistry, Dr. Jordan Thomas, DMD and Dr. Erica Janik.

Dr. Colby and several others on his staff are fluent in Spanish, he said, making it a "world class dental office." He has been in his Fallbrook office for six years. He also has had an Oceanside office the past three years.

Fallbrook Village Dentistry is located at 521 E. Alvarado St. For more information, call 760-723-3535 or visit fallbrookvillagedental.com.