New CEREC 3-D System

It's an early Christmas at the office!

So the dental nerd in me has me all excited over the new CEREC system we just acquired. Our old system was good, but this one is GREAT, as it allows me to make even more accurate restorations, faster and better, and best of all - completely onsite. Especially for cosmetic restorations which I previously sourced out to various labs.

So what does this mean to you? Well...in short, you can now spend less time in my chair with follow up visits, and more time at work :)

New Website!

Hi Everyone!

I'm pleased to announce the launch of our completely redesigned website www.dentaldesignsd.com. We've made it much easier for everyone to navigate, and have linked important resources such as publications, patient download forms, and procedural information.

Many thanks to the team at Infusion Studios for programming the backend, and building an easy to use platform for us internet rookies to easily update.

Performance Enhancing Mouthwear by Under Armour

If there's anything I DON'T like about my husband, it's the fact that he's REALLY big into martial arts. He trains, he teaches, and then he watches it again when he gets home - as if he hasn't had enough. Our DVR is filled with UFC reruns, and don't get me started on what we pay for pay-per-view subscriptions on fight night. One night while watching UFC, he actually came up with a pretty good idea about performance mouth guards, and wondered out loud if a properly fitted custom mouthpiece would indeed help with preventing knockouts. It was an interesting concept, and although I don't think a mouthpiece can keep your lights on after a Chuck Liddell right hook, based on what I know about Neuromuscular Dentistry, I'm 100% sure that a relaxed jaw can improve breathing and overall athletic performance.

Fast forward a few months, and Beth, our business manager introduced me to the Under Armour Performance Mouthwear. Beth is a HUGE football fan, and looked into this for her own son, who plays for a local high school. After looking into the technology and realizing it was similar to my own solutions for Neuromuscular Dentistry, I thought it would be a good cost effective fit for the weekend warriors that come into my practice.

I received the kit yesterday, and I'm very impressed!

Here's a few shots







So how does it actually work?

The custom mouthpiece is fitted in the office, and is designed to prevent clenching of the jaw and drops the jaw down and forward, creating a measured space between the teeth. Although the website states that relieving pressure on the TMJ changes signal cascades to the hypothalamus, I look at it from a physical perspective and less a chemical one. A properly placed jaw actually balances the entire body as it is connected to your Atlas axis, as well as the shoulder and back muscles. Maybe I'm simplifying it, but think of it like this.

Try running as fast as you can while clenching your jaw as hard as you can. Now, do the same exercise but with cotton rolls in your mouth to prevent clenching. How about trying the same exercise while throwing a punch? What you'll find is that when your jaw is relaxed and unclenched, you can run a bit faster, and punch a bit harder. This is because your jaw muscles are totally related to your entire body's balance.

Now for you folks that are suffering from severe TMJ disorders, ie. Migraines, neck pains, dizziness, etc. This is not the solution for you. Feel free to call me and I can go into additional details on how to treat those particular symptoms.

If you're interested in more technical information, read this months issues of Comprendium, one of our continuing education publications for the field of Dentistry.

You also get more information by visiting www.underarmour.com or www.bitetech.com.

I'll be delivering my first few cases in the next 2 weeks, so if you're interested in adding that extra edge to your football, golf, MMA, or running game - this might be for you!

Call us at (858) 490-4281 to make an appointment or visit www.dentaldesignsd.com.

Dr. A

Hmmm...maybe I'll skip the morning coffee and donuts

Since moving to Sorrento Valley amongst all the technology and biotech companies, I've noticed one common denominator amongst some of my new patients...it's what I call "coffeedoughnut-itis". So I know that I completely made up that disease state, but I hate to break to you fans of the morning cup-o-joe and doughnut, just like your mom said, it's not good for you. I will admit that I am a fan of the doughnut, Stan's donut in the Santa Clara Bay Area being my favorite, however the quintessential professional in me must preach moderation to all you folks in a morning rush.

We understand how it works, you're late for work, skip breakfast and during the commute, pick up a doughnut and cup of coffee and off you go!

"This common quick-fix breakfast scenario can lengthen your time spent in the dental chair, reports the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), an organization of general dentists dedicated to continuing dental education.

The sugars in doughnuts have been identified as a risk factor for gum inflammation and cavities. The AGD has reported findings that show the sugars in oatmeal cookies amount to only one-fifth of the sugars in plain doughnut particles.

The amount of sugar and cream in your coffee also can have a direct effect on the amount of cavity-causing bacteria. Tannins found in coffee etch into the pits and grooves of the tooth enamel, producing a rough, stained surface."

So this isn't anything new to your folks, so consider this posting a friendly public service announcement to brush often, floss like a champ, and try to wake up 30 minutes earlier for some healthy oatmeal and toast. If that doughnut and coffee can't be avoided - we're here if you need us!

Wine stained teeth?

You have all heard that red wine can stain your pearly whites, so the logic is that white wine would be much better right? MAYBE!

A study was done at my own alma mater, NYU College of Dentistry, in which two sets of cow teeth were each soaked in white wine and water for a period of one hour. The sets of teeth were then removed and soaked in black tea to study the staining effects after immersion in both liquids. The result was a noticeably darker stain on the teeth that were originally soaked in white wine versus the set that was soaked in water.

What does this tell us?

“Dipping teeth in white wine for one hour is similar to the effect of sipping the wine with dinner,” stated Mark Wolff, DDS, PhD, professor and chairman, who oversaw the study. “The acids in wine create rough spots and grooves that enable chemicals in other beverages that cause staining, such as coffee and tea, to penetrate deeper into the tooth.”

So all things equal, wine itself can cause changes in the tooth surface that would increase the likelihood of staining. Red wine, long known to stain teeth, contains a highly pigmented substance called "chromagen", thus adding to the staining effect.

So what to do?

Lucky for us, modern technology allows us options to cover up or reverse the staining process. Veneers and whitening is always an option, but daily maintenance with a whitening toothpaste should work just fine. So enjoy life a bit more and feel free to open up that $56,000 bottle of 1787 Chateau d'Yquem - we'll be here if you need to brighten your smile!

If you're interested in reading the full article, click here.

NEW LOCATION!

The Dental Design SD office is now open for business!  Much love to everyone for being patient while we settle into our new home, and for those of you who have already stopped by the office, we hope that you love the new location as much as we do!

We have lot of new toys to play with, and new toys means better care for your oral health!

We'll be updating the new website very soon, but in the meantime please visit www.dentaldesignsd.com for more information.

Our address is now...

Dr. Kathrina Agatep

9450 Scranton Road, #109

San Diego, CA 92121

(858) 490-4281

info@dentaldesignsd.com

Here's what our new storefront looks like!

See you soon!

Dr. A, Beth, Lindsey, Ashley, and Tracy

Wonderful words from Mr. Phil Blauer

Hi Everyone!  It's not often (read: never) that we get a local celebrity in our office, so needless to say I was thrilled and nervous at the same time to see Phil Blauer from CBS 8 in my office!  I'm always tuned into the local news, so I wanted to make sure I had my A-Game on, lest I be featured on one of Phil's undercover stories :)

Phil was nice enough to post a review on DoctorOogle that made the team smile from ear to ear, so I thought I would share this with everyone.  Phil - if you're reading this...THANK YOU!

Having been in TV News for 25 years, maintaining a great smile has always been a huge priority for me. It's especially important now because of High Definition, which is unforgiving.

If you're looking for a pain-free, extremely professional, reasonably priced and dedicated dental experience, look no further!!!! You must go to Dental Design Spa!!!!

Dr. Agatep and her team are simply #1 in San Diego!!!

Shamefully, it had been years since I received dental care..mainly because my last visit was so painful!

Not too long ago, we featured Dr. Agatep on News 8 speaking about oral cancer screening. I remembered her well...so I made an appointment..

Once I was there, I was greeted by warm, friendly smiles, laughter and given incredible dental care.

Lindsey G was a master at getting my full mouth x-rays, very educated and funny as well. Beth S, the dental concierge, effortlessly explained the payment process.. Great Job!

And Dr. A..so thorough, so gentle, so gifted at your craft.

An incredible sense of humor, too! I feel so blessed to have you as the guardian of my smile. I never knew there was so much to learn about my mouth! You have completely removed my dental fear! Thank You!

Phil Blauer

News 8