Radiation and YOU

A common question we hear in our office is, "Are dental x-rays safe?"

Dental radiation exposure produces the lowest amount in the medical field. Because your teeth are right next to your cheeks, the x-ray only needs to penetrate through that skin and through the tooth. Inside of a dental x-ray unit are small filters used to concentrate the effective amount of rays that reach your teeth, getting rid of the rays that will not produce quality images.

There are other factors that go into protecting patients. We offer lead aprons that cover the entire abdomen and the thyroid glands. The lead reflects the x-rays and protects you from unnecessary exposure. We will never expose a patient to unnecessary radiographs, reducing the overall exposure.

To put radiation exposure into perspective, we have a chart to help explain.

Dental radiation is on the lowest end of the spectrum. A full mouth set of x-rays includes eighteen films of only the teeth and their roots, where a panorex image is one full image of the entire mouth and surrounding cranial areas.

The average person in the US is exposed to about 360 mREM per year from naturally occurring background sources like the sun and radon from the ground. Simple things like cooking with natural gas adds an extra 10 mREM each year, living in a brick building adds 10 mREM, and flying in an airplane cross country can add 3-5 mREM. It would take 20 full series of x rays to equal the amount of radiation the average person is exposed to from background sources each year!

At our office, we use digital radiographs which reduce your exposure to 1/3 that of traditional film x-rays!

Dental Implants

Here at Gehred and Horacek Dental, we're paving the way for the newest dental implant technology. Dental implants are the modern solution to missing teeth and there are now over 2.5 million satisfied patients nationwide who have chosen them. Dental implants improve your quality of life!

Why Should I Choose Implants?

Dental Implants preserve the facial structure
They help to keep you looking younger
They allow you to eat what you want, not what you have to
They are a lifelong solution
We can save healthy teeth
Implants improve the quality of your life!

Are There Consequences of Not Replacing Missing Teeth?

Yes! If you do not replace missing/extracted teeth, you may experience...
Loss of natural facial contours
Increased wrinkles
Loss of youthful appearance
Loss of lip support
Nose and chin are closer together
Difficulty chewing
Digestive problems due to the inability to chew food properly

Well, What IS a Dental Implant?

Implant-supported replacement teeth look, feel, and function like natural teeth.

When you lose teeth, you lose bone levels. Bone loss is the end result of tooth loss unless the tooth root is replaced by a dental implant. Preserving bone with dental implants is a replacement that is a close to natural teeth as possible.

It is possible to do a fixed bridge which is fully implanted, a single tooth, or an implant supported bridge. They are made with materials that are well accepted by the body, allow bone to form a mechanical bond with the implant, and could provide a base to build a replacement tooth or teeth.

Implants Could Work for YOU!

Dental implants could minimize oral bone loss
Reduce compromise to adjacent healthy teeth
Preserve natural facial contours and appearance
Restore oral function in a manner that most closely resembles natural teeth


Why Not a Denture?

Dentures can accelerate bone loss! Complete tooth loss causes the jaw to shrink and significant bone deterioration leads to facial structure collapse. Dentures, partial or full, may cause serious problems. They may move during speech which could become physically and psychologically uncomfortable. It may make it harder to eat and chew food properly. Dentures require ongoing visits to the dentist office for adjustments and relines, costing you time and money! What's worse is that you may need to replace these dentures every 3-5 years.

Are Dental Implants Expensive?

Implants have become more cost effective versus crowns and bridges in the long run. Because crowns and bridges are not built to last a lifetime, you may end up replacing these. Dental implants are made to last! A single tooth dental implant and implant crown may initially cost more than the traditional crown or bridge, but this cost differential will be equalized in about seven years. Invest in your good health!

Are Dental Implants Hard to Care for?

Implants are replacements for your real teeth, so caring for them are similar. Brush and floss your teeth after every meal. Be sure to clean all areas of the implant tooth and use a small brush to reach areas that your toothbrush cannot. Schedule regular appointments to be sure that your implants are working properly and to care for your remaining teeth.

I'd Like to Learn More

We'd love to see you in our office for a consultation! Give us a call at (503) 254-2068 to schedule an appointment with us and to learn about your options regarding our implant surgeries.

--Dr. Gehred and Dr. Horacek