Author Archives: DrRisbrudt

The biggest single thing that gives you the most bang for your dental buck??  DIAGNOSIS! Thought I was going to give you something really profound, right??  The usual “diagnosis” is what’s causing the short term problem, like:  toothache, sore bleeding … Continue reading →

Ever had a C-Reactive Protein test?  Know what it’s for???  The test itself measures the presence of inflammation in the body.  Chronic inflammation has been associated with numerous diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, arteriosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes. Recent … Continue reading →

So we’re going to talk about testing for snoring and sleep apnea diagnosis in this thread.  The gold standard is PSG, which is an anacronym for polysomnography.  This study is typically accomplished in a designated sleep center under the supervision … Continue reading →

So, you suspect you are experiencing a sleep disturbance problem.  You’re probably wondering:  “Why am I snoring, anyway, and if I snore, does that mean I have sleep apnea as well?”  Or:  “All I know is my sleeping partner is … Continue reading →

Used to be snoring was just an embarrassing social problem, but now……..Lots of stuff in the media and the literature these days!  You might be thinking to yourself: “So I know snore sometimes–what’s the big deal??” “I occasionally get tired in … Continue reading →

So you’re suffering with migraines??  We’ve talked about migraines that may be related to occlusion (bite) issues before in our “Got TMJ?” series.  A bite splint or orthotic can be very helpful with pathological bite relationships.  Often, TMJ/TMD problems can be misdiagnosed … Continue reading →

Perimolysis? Sounds ominous!!  Perimolysis is a phenomenon of tooth wear that is accelerated by erosive dietary or environmental factors. For instance:  A person likes to drink soda, swishing it between the cheeks and teeth, or eats a lot of citrus … Continue reading →

Does your dentist have a philosophy?  Why would that be important?  For instance, if your dentist’s philosophy is:  “The Bottom Line,” that would be different than, say, if “The Dentist’s Philosophy” was the bottom line?  A subtle but powerful difference! … Continue reading →

How do you know if you’re a candidate for dental implants?  These days, there’s almost no impossible situation for implants.  Adequate bone to support these titanium root forms is a must.  That being said, there’s one rule of thumb that’s … Continue reading →

Appliances sound like something you install in the kitchen, but there are numerous mouth appliances out there, so let’s explore the uses and descriptions: Mouthguard: Usually used for protection of the teeth in contact sports.  Function:  Pretty much injury prevention. … Continue reading →