Dr. Rachel Squier, Treasure Coast Dental
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National Prosthodontics Awareness Week: April 8-14, 2018
For residents of St. Lucie and Martin Counties, Dr. Rachel Squier is the architect of a new smile
What is a prosthodontist?
Well, if you’ll pardon the pun, the word itself is quite a mouthful. The work prosthodontists do is complicated, but the word is pretty simple: it’s a dentist who specializes in prosthetic devices of the mouth. Prosthetic means artificial or manmade. You know, like a prosthetic limb? So, a prosthodontist is a dentist who spends several extra years learning and practicing how to work with prosthetic devices like implants (more on that later), dentures, bridges, crowns, veneers, etc.
Why is there a specialty in dentistry for these things? Well, dentistry at its simplest is pretty simple, but at its most complex can be life-changing. Most people would agree that the mouth and all of its moving parts are both complicated and important. When the strongest muscles in the human body (the jaw muscles) push together thirty-two teeth, a lot can go wrong and does. When one thing goes wrong, other troubles often follow. A prosthodontist, along with working with those prosthetic devices of the mouth, is trained to look at the big picture and, like a symphony conductor, get all the players in harmony.
As with most other things these days, technology has advanced quickly, and prosthodontists are at the forefront. One technology, dental implants (titanium screws that are combined with a crown) are the state-of-the-art tooth replacement. Prosthodontists can use dental implants to replace one or more teeth, or to anchor a denture or a bridge. These specialists receive extra training in planning, choosing, and placing the implants correctly, and they are experts at matching and designing the replacement crown. It’s exacting, detail-oriented work.
“If you had a heart problem, you would go to a heart specialist, a cardiologist. The same is true for missing or damaged teeth,” said Dr. Rachel Squier of Treasure Coast Dental. “Whether it’s chewing your favorite food or creating the smile of your dreams, prosthodontists are your partners in healthy, long-lasting restored teeth.”
Dr. Squier completed her prosthodontics training at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine (she went to Harvard as an undergraduate). She is board-certified, one of only handful in the country and the only female in the state of Florida. Her practice, Treasure Coast Dental, is a prosthodontics group. Together, she and her fellow specialists and staff have provided the best dental care for St. Lucie and Martin county residents for thirty-five years. From routine general dentistry, to life-altering cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry, Dr. Squier has the unique skills to provide meticulous, individualized treatment. She takes the time to listen to patients’ goals and concerns, and to educate them on treatment options to help them make the best decisions for their long-term dental health and happiness.
Prosthodontics may be a complicated word, but the colleagues and patients of Dr. Squier’s practice trust her to be a master of a complicated job.
April 8-14 is National Prosthodontics Awareness Week, the perfect time to explore your options for a brand new smile. Visit GoToAPro.org to learn more about what a prosthodontist can do for you or visit Dr. Rachel Squier’s website: www.tcdentalpros.com to learn more about her and what she can offer.
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Research Supports Recommendation To Brush Teeth For Two Minutes, Twice A Day.
Noting the American Dental Associationrecommends brushing teeth for two minutes, twice a day, SELF Magazine (3/13, Lanquist) states that “experts didn’t just pluck this number from thin air – science shows it really can boost your oral health.” The article notes “a 2016 systematic review of 33 articles published in Journal of Dental Research found that brushing fewer than two times a day was consistently associated with more tooth decay,” and ADA spokesperson Dr. Sally Cram “says some research gets even more specific, showing that brushing your teeth for two minutes leads to a greater reduction in plaque than brushing for one minute does.” The article points to “a 2012 systematic review of 59 papers published in International Journal of Dental Hygiene,” which “found that, on average, people who brushed for one minute removed about 27 percent of plaque,” whereas “when people brushed for two minutes, they removed around 41 percent of the plaque on their teeth.” Cleaning between teeth daily and visiting the dentist regularly is also important. “Most dental problems – like tooth decay, gum disease, and other common problems – are really preventable,” Dr. Cram says.
The Oral Health Topics on ADA.org and MouthHealthy.org provide additional information on toothbrushing methods and toothbrush care for dental professionals and for patients.
