Why do the dental insurance companies want me to lose my teeth?
This may seem like an odd question but it seems like they really do want you to lose your teeth. After all, their services don’t quite meet our needs completely. So where is the problem rooted?
Well, to begin with, the insurance companies are there to make a profit — only to make a profit. I do not blame them for this. Businesses need to be financially stable and reasonably profitable in order to continue providing services.
But here is the rub: to gain profit, they need to either collect more money or spend less money. This means they are in complete conflict with paying for patients’ dental care. It is a delicate balancing act between how much they have to pay out to keep the majority of the subscribers’ content. This is you and your company, because you would not knowingly want coverage if you had to pay extra for care, yet your employer would certainly want to see his employees satisfied with their benefits. So the insurance companies need to pay out just enough to keep everyone satisfied, while still making a profit.
You see, they are in an indirect conflict with providing care for you. They manage this by rules and regulations customized for each plan or for each employer. For example, one plan may pay for crowns without a wait time, but another may require a wait time. Consultants are paid to review the treatment, but these are often lay people that have no credentials at all and are not qualified to make dental decisions. When a particular claim comes up for debate, they then bring in a dentist to review it. Like in Las Vegas, “the house always wins.”
Insurance companies will use the power of the printed word to confuse you and escape from covering your claims. They will insinuate that your procedure is not covered, and, therefore, you probably should not have it done. The onus of responsibility of the insurance companies to pay is relieved and future financial problems are avoided. They will also deny services randomly because there are a percentage of people, vulnerable to either ignorance or the companies’ deceit, that do not fight back.
So how can you as the consumer win this game?
1. Do not consider the insurance company your friend or a source of dental wisdom.
2. Develop a health model with standards for your body. This can be done with the help of you dental health practitioner. You should ask the questions about what you need to do to be 100% healthy.
3. Accept the fact that you do not have dental insurance but only a dental benefit.
Remember, be true to your teeth and they will be true to you. Or just floss the ones you want to keep.
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com
Help for Scaredy Patients & Dental Chickens
I have been doing conscious sedation for 3 years now and I can say without a doubt that this is a wonderful benefit for my patients. It is sometimes called “Sleep Dentistry” or “Twilight Sleep”. “Why the benefit?” you ask; well, it is for the fearful patient. Even with all the improvements in the care we now have, people are still afraid. Who is eligible for this service? Surprisingly, it is most people. It can be safer to use than not to use. Because of people’s fear some emergencies are more likely to occur. Conscious sedation helps reduce the anxiety, thereby reducing risks of complications that may arise. It is also used for a patient who does not want to remember the appointment. There is a medication we use that has an amnesic effect. So, even though my assistants and myself have magnetic personalities, it can be a very easy appointment. I do not take it as an affront if you fall asleep on me and snore. Sweet dreams!
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com
Keeping the Saw (or at least my note-taking skills) Sharp
As I mentioned before, I am licensed to perform conscious sedation. I am licensed as #517. That shows how few in this profession have that ability. Part of maintaining possession of the sedation license is keeping up with the continuing education requirements. This is different from maintaining my license to practice general dentistry. This year I will spend 3 days at my alma mater, USC (go Trojans!), to take the required courses. I can honestly tell you that I am excited to attend.
The courses will be on:
1. Physical evaluation
2. Emergency Medicine
3. Monitoring and Clinical Emergency Medicine
Rarely do you hear of dental emergencies, which is good. Most emergencies are related to patient anxiety or fear. So, by preparing and keeping my staff sharp, I feel that we will make it a safer experience for my patients. An important thing patients need to know is that conscious sedation makes it even safer for the patient. You see, if the person is not fearful throughout the procedure, there is much less stress to the body and we avoid accidents that cause emergencies. An added bonus is you will not remember the appointment.
Now repeat after me: “Dentistry can be fun!”
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com
Conscious Sedation in Dentistry
Working with the experts today gave me a new appreciation for their levels of professionalism. I scheduled a dental anesthesiologist for the administration and overseeing of my patients. Some people need the added support that IV sedation provides for common dental procedures. I am licensed to perform sedation, but it is always nice to have the added help on complicated cases…and with squirming youngsters!
I had two patients scheduled for treatment today; they were both small children, ages 2 and 18 months, respectively. The 2-year-old was my granddaughter, Rachel. I did not want her to associate a horrible dental experience with me, her grandfather. So Rachel received an injection in the waiting room and that was all she felt the entire appointment. No tears! Once in the treatment room I was able to perform traditional dentistry without the moving target episode. Another pleasant plus is she will not remember any of the appointment.
Please understand that dentists can perform at their best if a patient’s fear is controlled. I hope to never be a contributor to a patient’s horror stories. I still wonder if – and hope that – a completely safe drug for dentistry is in the making.
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com
TMJ Dental Treatments Stop Your Headaches
It never ceases to amaze me how my TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint) experience comes in handy on a daily basis. About half of my practice is devoted to TMJ treatment so I am always thinking about solving TMJ problems or managing bruxing (grinding of teeth) habits. Patients frequently come in with broken and cracked teeth, and maybe some irregular, strange pain that comes and goes on its own whims. Well, knowing how the TMJ joint works with all the muscles, discs, etc., I can use this knowledge to help determine if those phantom pain symptoms are for an undiagnosed TMJ.
Sometimes a tooth will break because of TMJ, yet anyone might think it was caused by something completely different. The knowledge is best practically utilized in how I repair teeth. Through experience of solving TMJ problems, I know how teeth are supposed to hit when you bite down. This is extremely valuable, because if I were to place a crown or filling in the mouth and it did not hit the opposing tooth correctly, I could have inadvertently caused a TMJ problem for the patient. Yes, you heard right. In my opinion, small mistakes in general dentistry gradually snowball into large TMJ problems.
There is a principle called the DUML rule that I follow religiously. DUML stands for the Distal of Uppers and the Mesial of Lowers. This translates into avoiding bad contact points between teeth that can contribute to TMJ. When I solve TMJ problems, I make sure that I do not have those contacts on the teeth.
These incorrect points are like sitting next to a car booming with ear-grating rap music at an especially long red light. Is there even such a thing as good rap music? I am revealing my age now…
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com
International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT)
I would like to inform you that I am now a member of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, or IAOMT. This is an organization devoted to the education of practitioners regarding the effects of mercury-based fillings, excess use of fluorides and the handling of other harmful dental materials.
IAOMT developed from thirteen dentists in 1984 that formed an establishment devoted to educating other dental specialists and allied professionals in the methods of safely dealing with amalgam fillings, and correctly disposing the waste. It has also led the way in developing more biocompatible approaches towards other areas of dentistry, including endodontics, periodontics, and disease prevention. I encourage you to visit www.IAOMT.org for more information.
As a holistic dental practitioner seeking the healthiest, safest, most natural care for my patients, I find it extremely valuable to be a member of IAOMT. My office practices safe removal of mercury fillings; in fact, everything we do is health-promoting. Safety for the patient and our staff in every aspect is our top priority. We are also one of the approved dental offices for Premier Research Labs and world-renown Dr. Bob Marshall DDS, founder of QRA (Quantum Reflex Analysis).
I am available for consultation or any questions you might have at (310) 670-6944.
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com
We Treat TMJ – Call Us Today
Frequently, people are coming in to see me, wondering if they have a TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint) problem. Also known as TMD (Temporal Mandibular Dysfunction), TMJ symptoms will include, but are not limited to the following: facial pain, headaches, sore teeth, neck aches, shoulder pain, pain all around the neck, recession of the gums, earaches, ringing in the ears, popping or clicking jaw joints, crunching or grinding noises of jaw joints, soreness or scalloping of the tongue, ridges along the cheek, frequent root canals, broken and chipped teeth, short teeth, difficulty in smiling, more prominent facial wrinkles, loss of lip contour, etc.
This list is mind-boggling! One may have one or multiple symptoms, and not everyone suffers from the same ones. Symptoms commonly appear, seemingly without explanation and often under the wrong diagnoses, but people’s lives have been changed through simple TMJ treatment.
So how do we discover if you have TMJ or TMD? Well, we start with a thorough medical background check. How long have you had the symptoms? Do you have a history of trauma to the face, head, or neck? Have you tried any other forms of therapy or treatment? Your answers to these questions will greatly help me determine your problem and how to solve it.
Treatment of TMJ begins with a series of tests to diagnose the condition as accurately and thoroughly as possible. After that, patients are frequently given exercises to perform at home, a splint to aid in correcting the jaw’s alignment, or are requested to arrange meetings with a local physical therapist on a weekly or biweekly basis. Extreme cases may require surgery.
So if you think you are suffering from TMJ, request an examination. Ask your dentist about the things you can be doing to prevent TMJ. It is always better to speak up than to let the problem sit and grow worse!
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com
The Games They Play
Why do the dental insurance companies want me to lose my teeth?
This may seem like an odd question but it seems like they really do want you to lose your teeth. After all, their services don’t quite meet our needs completely. So where is the problem rooted?
Well, to begin with, the insurance companies are there to make a profit — only to make a profit. I do not blame them for this. Businesses need to be financially stable and reasonably profitable in order to continue providing services.
But here is the rub: to gain profit, they need to either collect more money or spend less money. This means they are in complete conflict with paying for patients’ dental care. It is a delicate balancing act between how much they have to pay out to keep the majority of the subscribers’ content. This is you and your company, because you would not knowingly want coverage if you had to pay extra for care, yet your employer would certainly want to see his employees satisfied with their benefits. So the insurance companies need to pay out just enough to keep everyone satisfied, while still making a profit.
You see, they are in an indirect conflict with providing care for you. They manage this by rules and regulations customized for each plan or for each employer. For example, one plan may pay for crowns without a wait time, but another may require a wait time. Consultants are paid to review the treatment, but these are often lay people that have no credentials at all and are not qualified to make dental decisions. When a particular claim comes up for debate, they then bring in a dentist to review it. Like in Las Vegas, “the house always wins.”
Insurance companies will use the power of the printed word to confuse you and escape from covering your claims. They will insinuate that your procedure is not covered, and, therefore, you probably should not have it done. The onus of responsibility of the insurance companies to pay is relieved and future financial problems are avoided. They will also deny services randomly because there are a percentage of people, vulnerable to either ignorance or the companies’ deceit, that do not fight back.
So how can you as the consumer win this game?
1. Do not consider the insurance company your friend or a source of dental wisdom.
2. Develop a health model with standards for your body. This can be done with the help of you dental health practitioner. You should ask the questions about what you need to do to be 100% healthy.
3. Accept the fact that you do not have dental insurance but only a dental benefit.
Remember, be true to your teeth and they will be true to you. Or just floss the ones you want to keep.
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com
A Day With A Master
The last two days for me have been a phenomenal learning time. For years I have been a professional student and I had an opportunity to add to my practical and theoretical database. That’s right, my brain. I have been involved with the diagnosis and treatment complex TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint dysfunction) for the last 20 years. This is also known as TMD.
Jess Bloomquist came to visit for two days. Jeff is the owner of Bioesthetics Laboratory, which is the premier dental lab in the world contributing to the oral repair for patients with TMD and TMJ problems, such as unexplained facial pain or headaches. He comes from the technician’s view, and I from the clinical view. We worked closely with my patients for two days to help find better solutions. It was a rare privilege.
http://bioesthetics.com/home.html
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com
Did You Know Dental Lasers…
I know that I love gadgets and high-tech toys, but this is different. Honestly! I bought a Soft Tissue Laser when I saw the vast benefits my patients would receive. I liked the results so much I went out and bought a second one.
So what makes it great? Good question. The largest benefit on every patient that I see is the ability to completely sterilize a tooth prior to filling a cavity or cementing a crown. Did you know that the best cleansing of bacterial growth on a tooth provided by the traditional method only removes 30% of the bacteria? That leaves a whopping 70% of possible infection enclosed in your tooth! This laser gadget, on the other hand, is capable of removing up to 99.9%. This is great news for those of us that are concerned with dental infections.
Of course there are a great many other uses for the dental laser. But now you see why I received both buyer’s therapy and a clinical reason to buy the laser. We all win!
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com
A Simple Refresher
“It looks like you’ve had more plaque building up lately. Are you flossing every day?” Oops, I haven’t even thought about it since my last visit. “Be sure you brush your teeth at least twice a day. Just five minutes each morning, and five minutes before you go to bed will make a huge difference in the health of your teeth and gums.” I know, I know, you’ve been telling me the same thing for years.
People often do not realize the value of every cleaning appointment made with their dentist. You walk in, browse through a magazine or newsletter as you wait to be called in, take a seat in the operatory, and open wide as the hygienist’s tools whirr and buzz away. Then, when the cleaning is over and your teeth are sparkling, you are told once again that you must keep on brushing and flossing daily.
But are you really convinced that the instructions given you are as important as they say? Or do you nonchalantly drive home, disregarding — even forgetting — the advice given to you, and returning to your hit-and-miss brushing or flossing routine? Well, there is hope! Your next session could open many doors to discover the wonderful benefits associated with the basic instructions your dentist gives you! And that’s the best part: it’s easy!
A very important attribute that people often overlook is the fact that cleanings are more centered on educating you than the actual cleaning itself. The dentist’s office and staff are resources, so take advantage! Maybe the habits you have settled into are incorrect, or perhaps you have been too embarrassed to ask about a particular problem. Don’t ever hesitate to ask questions. They are there to help you and teach you valuable lessons on caring for your oral health. Be diligent in applying the information, and commit to transforming these better habits into YOUR habits!
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com