Dental Trivia: Famous Dentists in History

We all know the story of Paul Revere's “Midnight Ride” during which Revere alerted the Colonial militia to the pending arrival of British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord. While Paul Revere's Patriotic efforts and famous (albeit misquoted) phrase (“The British are coming!”) may be what most people think of when his name comes up, Revere was a regular Renaissance man– Revolutionary style, of course.

It turns out that he had a knack for dentistry, too. Paul Revere studied under dental surgeon John Baker and learned to make false teeth out of ivory and place them with wire. On September 19, 1768, Revere advertised his skills as a dentist and prided himself on the aesthetic and functional quality of his handiwork. After the Battle of Bunker Hill, Paul Revere had a chance to attest to his craft in an instance of early forensics.

Dr. Joseph Warren had been killed in the Battle and was buried along with the other casualties in an unmarked grave. Almost a year later, the bodies were exhumed to be examined, and Revere recognized Warren by a false tooth he had previously given him. This turned out the be the first recorded body identification done by dental recognition– which makes Paul Revere a very historic guy, indeed.

Modern dentistry has come a long way. Give us a call at (301) 839-0055 or (301) 652-3444 to schedule an appointment with us today!

Your Sleep Apnea Treatment Options

Today our team is going to give you an inside look at four common treatment options for patients who struggle with sleep apnea, a condition that affects a person’s breathing while they sleep. Home Treatments

Surprisingly enough there are treatments for mild cases of sleep apnea you can treat quickly on your own. Losing weight, avoiding sleeping pills or alcohol, changing the way you sleep and quitting smoking are beneficial behavior changes you can make to treat sleep apnea.

CPAP

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a common sleep apnea treatment where a mask covering the nose and/or mouth delivers a continuous flow of air into the nose allowing the airway to remain open.

Dental Devices or Oral Appliance

Your dentist can help treat sleep apnea with an oral appliance, which is a mouth guard-like device that when worn at night can help keep your airway opens while you sleep. When you wear it, your body will receive the proper amount of oxygen and you will no longer wake up throughout the night or feel extremely tired in the morning.

Surgery

There are times when surgery is required to treat sleep apnea. The more common surgeries performed include: nasal surgery, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty or UPPP, and mandibular maxillar advancement surgery. These surgeries will only be used to treat sleep apnea if you have a deviated nasal septum, enlarged tonsils or a smaller jaw that is causing the throat to become too narrow.

If you have questions about sleep apnea or would like to schedule an appointment for a dental device, please call our office today at [phone].