Palm Beach Smiles announces amazing new service!
Straight teeth in just 6 months!
Dr. Barr recently completed training on "6-Month Braces."
Also known as "Short Term Orthodontics," this is the answer adults with crooked
teeth have been looking for. In just 6 months, crowding, spaces, and
crooked teeth can be straightened. Dr. Barr is the first, and currently
only, dentist in Palm Beach County to offer 6-Month Braces.
To learn more about 6-Month Braces, click here!
We're In the News!
Dr. Barr was featured on CBS affiliate WPEC Channel 12 News (and WFLX Fox
29). Click on the play button in the window below to watch this
interesting story!
Dr. Barr has created another website about one of his passions: cars
and auto racing. You can check it out at: www.racingdentist.com.
Dr. Barr
Dr. Barr lectured at the Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics meeting in
Austin, Texas in March 2008.
Dr. Barr spoke at the Florida Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry in September
2007.
Dr. Barr was the featured speaker at the April 2007 meeting of the Central
Palm Beach County Dental Association.
Dr. Barr attended the Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics meeting in
Austin, Texas in March 2007.
Dr. Barr was a featured instructor for the Cosmetic Dentistry course
at the Atlantic Coast Dental Research Clinic 2006 - 2007.
Dr. Barr attended and was a featured speaker at a national meeting in Las
Vegas in March 2006.
Dr. Barr and the Palm Beach Smiles team attended a four day dental
meeting in Miami in April 2003. This was a meeting of some of the
most advanced dental teams in the country with a focus on the latest in
dental care. This meeting was even more of a milestone because it
was Dr. Barr's debut as a featured speaker on a national level. Dr.
Barr spoke for two hours on dental office design to a packed room of about
90 people. The feedback was very positive, and it looks like Dr.
Barr will be embarking on a speaking career in addition to his practice.
Dr. Barr attended a dental meeting in Las Vegas in April 2003. He
attended a number of seminars over the course of 4 days.
Dr. Barr and staff attended a 4-day dental meeting in Orlando in April
2002. They attended a combined 60 hours of continuing
education. A variety of courses were offered focusing on patient
care, five-star service, and cosmetic dentistry. Dr. Barr and staff
are looking forward to implementing many new ideas in the new office!
Dr. Barr completed teaching another course with the Aesthetic Advantage in March 2002. This course attracted
dentists from all over the country, Canada, and even England. Many
patients' lives were changed through today's advanced cosmetic techniques.
In July of 2001, Dr. Barr published an article called "Changing
Lives" in a national dental journal. The article described a
recent case performed by Dr. Barr and how it not only changed the patient's
appearance, but how it may affect the patient's life. This patient
suffered from a smile devastated by severe decay. The final result was
nothing short of dramatic. Dr. Barr received dozens of phone calls,
letters, and e-mails from dentists around the country complimenting the article.
In September 2000, Dr. Barr was
selected to be a clinical instructor
with The Aesthetic Advantage. This is the course Dr. Barr attended
last year (see below) for advanced training in aesthetic / cosmetic dentistry. This
appointment is a great honor for Dr.
Barr. He will be involved in the
training of dentists from all over North
America. The next course will be
in January of 2001.
In July 2000, Dr. Barr published an
article entitled, "The State of
Continuing Education" in the
quarterly newsletter of The Atlantic
Coast Dental Research Clinic.
In June 2000, Dr. Barr and the staff
attended the annual Florida Dental
Association meeting in Orlando.
During the three-day event, they toured
the exhibits and attended a few
seminars. The exhibits were
especially interesting this year, as
dental technology has evolved at an
incredible rate. Dr. Barr
commented, "this is like fantasy
land!" One of the courses
attended was an update on dental
restorative materials. The science
of dental materials is advancing at warp
speed. Keeping up with this area
of dentistry is essential in a practice
like Palm Beach Smiles.
Dr. Barr attended a course,
"Restoring the Worn Dentition"
in April 2000. This course was
given by one of the foremost authorities
in jaw joint problems and reconstruction
of severely worn teeth, Dr. Terry
Tanaka.
Dr. Barr wrote an article about internet
websites in dentistry that was published
in the January 2000 issue of Today's
FDA (Florida Dental
Association). It was the sidebar
article to the cover story about
technology.
On November 14, 1999 Dr. Barr and
Sandy completed the Advanced
Aesthetics Course. (Dr. Barr
completed the Level I Aesthetics
Course in March of 1999.) This course
was an intensive study and
"hands-on" experience which
included treating one of Dr. Barr's
patients. This training places
Dr. Barr among the most highly trained
aesthetic dentists in the country. Of
course, Dr. Barr is dedicated to
continuing his education as Dentistry
evolves at an ever increasing rate.
Dr. Barr wrote an article describing
a clinical technique which was published
in the August 1999 issue of The Journal
Of The American Dental Association (JADA).
Office News
New Technology! The Laser Cavity Scanner!
The way dentists have always looked for
decay has been to run a very small metal
instrument, known as the
"explorer," over the tooth to
feel for a hole or "stick."
Billions of teeth have been saved by the
diligent use of the explorer and X-rays
to detect decay.
However, despite their best efforts,
dentists sometimes can’t find the tiny
surface hole that is just big enough for
bacteria to enter through the enamel to
create decay on the inside. The tooth
decays internally without any evidence
on the surface for the dentist to
detect. Fluoride, which strengthens
enamel against decay, oddly enough, has
compounded the problem. Before fluoride,
the bacterial action left some evidence
of enamel breakdown on the surface of
the tooth which was helpful in
diagnosing decay early. Now, because the
enamel is strengthened, this early
warning is missing, and the bacteria
sneak inside through a hole that is too
small for an explorer to detect. X-rays
may also fail to reveal this decay until
it gets fairly large.
Dentistry is just now able to look at a
generation of people who grew up with
fluoride and we are now able to
understand this unexpected phenomenon.
Fortunately, science has come to the
rescue.
By
using a LASER SCANNER, we
are now able to detect early decay
through the grooves and cracks of teeth
with 90 – 95% accuracy. The LASER SCANNER displays a numerical readout and
an audible signal when it encounters
decay in the tooth.
It
is important to detect decay as early as
possible.
The smaller the cavity, the
smaller the repair. With the advent of
new materials that recreate tooth
structure and "microdentistry,"
we are able to preserve more of your
natural tooth.
Although the LASER SCANNER will not
replace traditional methods of diagnosis
completely, it will help tremendously in
avoiding the repair of big cavities and
some root canals by catching them early.
Dr. Barr believes this incredible new
technology will become standard in
dental offices in the future.
Ask about it at your
next visit!
Dentistry In The News
Researchers have discovered possible
links between periodontal
(gum) disease and heart disease. Floss daily! Even more recently, a
link between periodontal disease to certain types of cancer has been suggested.
Further studies are needed, of course.
Studies indicate that
smoking and smokeless tobacco users have a much
higher occurrence of decay. Dr.
Barr has observed this to be true in his practice and encourages his patients to avoid
tobacco use of any kind.
Another recent report indicates that
the population most prone to decay is
our senior citizens rather than
children. Years ago, children were
the most susceptible. However,
today, children have the advantage of
fluoride and sealants. On the
other hand, seniors are keeping their
teeth longer, and in many cases, for
life. Gum recession leads to
exposed root surfaces which are more
prone to decay since they lack the
protection of enamel. Furthermore, many medications can cause dry mouth
which can increase decay. For this
reason, we are recommending that our
adult patients who may be prone to decay
get fluoride treatments
at their recall visits.
Dr. Barr attended and was a featured speaker at a national meeting in Las
Vegas in March 2006.
