|
|
OTTAWA, ON — Ottawa cosmetic dentistry practitioner Dr. Pamela Li is taking a series of orthodontic courses for general dental practitioners. These courses enhance dentists’ knowledge of orthodontic treatment and further enable practitioners to diagnose and treat patients more effectively. Dr. Li is completing her training with Rondeau Seminars and at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI).
Dr. Li is one of several Ottawa dentists that seek additional training from Rondeau Seminars. She will complete her training in functional orthodontics at Rondeau Seminars in March 2010. This program prepares a dentist to provide early interceptive orthodontic treatment. It also provides intimate knowledge of removable and fixed functional appliances. This decreases the need for tooth extractions and surgery. The training also includes orthodontic treatment for TMJ disorders and facial pain. (more…)
OTTAWA, ON — Ottawa dentist Dr. Pamela Li will be utilizing a newly opened ICAT scanner to more accurately treat her patients in need of dental implants or TMJ care. The ICAT scanner allows dentists and surgeons to read 3D scans of a patient’s head and neck, with much less radiation exposure than CT scans.
Thanks to the ICAT, dental implant surgery is far easier and less risky. Using the 3D scans, surgeons can accurately determine the best site for a dental implant based on bone mass, jaw structure, and the arrangement of teeth and roots. It is easier to plan the restorations of multiple implants if the dentist knows exactly where the implants will be placed ahead of time. Because of this, the procedure and results are much more predictable. (more…)
Happy New Year!
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday. I am happy to announce that the winner of the crossword puzzle is Leann McGovern. She won the $70 gift certificate to Fratelli’s Restaurant. Thank you to everybody who called in with an answer.
We are implementing a new reminder system for your check up and cleaning appointment. We will be sending out either an email reminder or a postcard two weeks prior to the date. This will give you a heads up for your upcoming appointment. Please confirm with Donna as soon as possible when you receive the reminder. Thanks so much.
Seasons Greetings!
This past year has gone by so quickly. My daughters are counting down the days until Christmas. These are the good years and my husband and I are enjoying every day with them.
I have continued taking courses in neuromuscular dentistry, TMJ (temporamandibular joint) disorders, treating headaches, migraines and facial pain. I have also completed courses in orthodontics, snoring and sleep apnea. They adhere to the same philosophy of trying to achieve the optimal jaw position.
Many Canadian adults and children suffer from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea increases the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke and diabetes. Snoring and sleep apnea can be treated with oral appliances. By wearing an appliance while sleeping, the jaw is held in a downward and forward position. This prevents the tongue from falling back and obstructing the throat and the airway. Dental appliances may be a good alternative to the CPAP machine, which forces air down the nose. Oral appliances are more comfortable than the CPAP machine. Our practice now has a Medibyte portable PSG (polysomnograph) machine available for patient use. Our Medibyte machine is similar to the ones used at hospital sleep clinics; but you can use it in the comfort of your own bed. This is an excellent screening tool to assess snoring and sleep apnea.
Early orthodontic treatment in children follows the same philosophy of optimizing the jaw position. It is important to encourage proper growth and development of jaws in the child. Proper jaw development is necessary to ensure healthy TMJs and good airways. By doing early interceptive orthodontics, many crowding and other orthodontic problems can be avoided or minimized.
I encourage you to visit my website, www.drpamelali.com. I have made changes and updates to it this fall. I welcome any comments about my website or my practice.
The office will be closed from Dec. 22, 2009 to Jan. 3, 2010 inclusive. I wish you and your family a safe, healthy and happy holiday.
Pamela Li
OTTAWA, ON — There are dozens of variables to consider when having crown or veneer treatment in the smile zone. The shape of the restoration, tooth shade or the texture of the porcelain are all crucial elements in creating new teeth that feel natural to the patient and don’t look like fake teeth.
“When dealing with esthetic dental treatments like crowns and veneers, it’s impossible to treat a patient to his or her satisfaction without the patient’s input,” says Ottawa dentist Dr. Pamela Li. “It’s imperative to provide the patient with options and understand their goals before starting treatment. Otherwise, patients won’t feel comfortable with their own teeth.”
Dentists use a plethora of tools to work with patients in finding the perfect smile for each individual patient. These tools include digital photos, smile catalogues, wax models, and temporary restorations. (more…)
OTTAWA, ON — Chances are that if you personally don’t snore, you know someone who does. And if you know a snorer, then you may very well have been disturbed by it. Snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea, and according to the National Institutes of Health, sleep apnea affects more than 12 million Americans. Sleep apnea is a medical condition where an individual suffers from breathing irregularities during sleep due to blocked airways in the nose, mouth, or throat.
Figuring out that snoring is caused by blocked airways is easy enough. But there are far greater problems caused by sleep apnea than obnoxious nightly sounds. Breathing problems associated with sleep apnea deprive oxygen to the body and brain, which can contribute to severe conditions such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, premature death, low blood-oxygen levels, and other conditions as well. All of a sudden snoring and sleep apnea are much more than nighttime nuisances for bed partners. They’re risk factors for life-threatening illnesses. (more…)
OTTAWA, ON — One of Ottawa, ON dentists, Dr. Pamela Li has recently registered her practice as a care facility for the Give Back A Smile program. As an acting volunteer of the program, Dr. Li will provide free smile restorations to women who have been abused.
Give Back a Smile is a program founded by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Charitable Foundation (AACDCF). The program asks for dentists and laboratory technicians to volunteer their services to restore broken or damaged teeth and other oral damages as a result of domestic and intimate partner violence. The foundation aims to erase the scarring memories of an abusive relationship by restoring the smiles of victims at no financial cost to the patient.
“To be a part of the Give Back A Smile program is very important to me as a person and as a professional,” said Ottawa, ON cosmetic dentist Dr. Pamela Li. “I am in a position to make a difference for these women and boost their self-esteem.” (more…)
OTTAWA, ON — Ottawa, ON dentist Dr. Pamela Li has recently added a new antibiotic treatment to her periodontal treatment. Dr. Li plans on using this new treatment method to keep bacteria from building up after periodontal disease treatment.
The antibiotic, Arestin, is a powder-based antibiotic that kills bacteria living in periodontal pockets. After a dentist or periodontist performs scaling and root planning (SRP) on an infected periodontal pocket to remove bacteria, Arestin is used to release an antibiotic (minocycline) that eliminates any bacteria in the recently treated area for up to 21 days after the SRP procedure.
“Arestin is a great tool for dentists in that it targets the specific infected periodontal pocket,” said Ottawa, ON dentist Dr. Li. “It can reduce the depth of the pocket, help promote bone growth, and helps long-term maintenance of the pocket.” (more…)
|
