End of the year Dentistry in Highlands Ranch

Dentistry end of the year Dentistry ... don't leave unused dental insurance benefits

Our Highlands Ranch dentists Dr. James DeLapp and Dr. H. Candace DeLapp strongly recommend that patients not leave unused dental benefits on the table.  Unlike certain cell phone minutes there are no roll over of benefits.  If you do not use them by the end of the year you loose them. Something as simple as a dental cleaning can affect your benefits should something unexpected happen in 2010.

Dental fillings choices in Highlands Ranch


Materials used to create a dental filling is quite varied. "old" school" dentistry involves amalgam or silver dental fillings.  The amalgam dental filling is a combination of silver and mercury. It has been used in dentistry since the Civil War.  Newer Composite restorations have what our Highlands Ranch dentist believe are benefits over amalgam dental fillings.  These advantages include but are not limited to:

• Less natural tooth structure is removed in order to place the dental filling
• The filling is bonded to the tooth
• Our opinion is this filling is less sensitive post operatively compared to an amalgam restoration
• It does not expand or corrode like an amalgam filling
• It looks more like natural tooth structure

One disadvantage of white dental fillings is they cost more to produce. "some" dental insurance companies downgrade the white dental filling to the cost of the older amalgam type fillings.The key is... the choice is yours.  If cost is your biggest concern certainly an amalgam filling is appropriate. You should feel free to upgrade to a white dental filling.

Cosmetic Dentistry in Highlands Ranch

Cosmetic dentistry can be something as simple as teeth bleaching and something as complex as surgical orthodontics.  Dental veneers is a procedure that works well with many different cosmetic challenges and can help you get the smile you have always wanted. The key to changing your smile is the diagnosis and planning of your case. This involves a photographic evaluation of your smile and in most cases a diagnostic wax-up to  further evaluate your smile. Please feel free to call our Highlands Ranch  and Lone Tree dentists and schedule an initial no charge consultation to see if  cosmetic dentistry will give you the smile you have always wanted.

Call our Highlands Ranch and Lone Tree Dentists today

Please feel free to call our office today an make an appointment.  We can be reached at (303) 694-9740

Send our Highlands Ranch and Lone Tree Dentists an e-mail


Please feel to send us an e-mail by clicking on the following link E-mail Dentists Highlands Ranch

Thanks to Matt and Scott of US Web Central for their help with our blogs.  They can be reached by clicking on the following link Denver SEO and  Web Development.

Dental Cleanings by our Highlands Ranch Dentist (303) 694-9740

Routine Dental Cleanings

Preventive care is the hallmark of modern dental thinking. If you can prevent or delay the start of dental disease the chances of keeping your teeth a life-time increases dramatically. Dental cleanings or prophylaxis can reduce the accumulation of plaque and calculus which contributes to both dental cavities (decay) and gum disease (periodontal disease). Highlands Ranch dentists Dr. James DeLapp and Dr. H. Candace DeLapp provide preventive dental services to their patients in the Denver, Lone Tree, Parker, Castle Pines, Castle Rock, and Highlands Ranch areas of Colorado.

Time and life fly's by

A patient of our Highlands Ranch dentist came in over a year late for his preventive dental appointment i.e. to get his teeth cleaned. He had not realized that it had been so long. So many things had come up in his life that seeing the dentist was always something he would get arranged next month. Well as can happen a month later turned into "months" later which turned into a year+ later.

to view our dental practice video click the following link

Highlands Ranch Dentistry

Dental Plaque Turns to Calculus

In time dental plaque is bathed in saliva which is rich in calcium. The plaque becomes mineralized and forms tartar or calculus. The calculus is very adherent to the tooth and in most cases can only be removed by a hygienist or dentist. The plaque and calculus have abundant bacteria in their matrix and it is this bacteria that causes dental disease including cavities and gum disease. Removing it becomes a priority!

This is a "before" an after photograph of our Highlands Ranch dental patients calculus
This image show the calculus on the cheek side of the tooth. The parotid gland located on the cheek side of the tooth flows calcium rich saliva which will mineralized the dental plaque. This was removed by our Highlands Ranch hygienist with a dental cavitron (an ultrasonic dental scaler). This was followed by by dental scalers to remove and smooth the tooth. The entire mouth was treated with fluoride varnish to "reduce" the risk of cavities developing.

The "after" photograph of removal of dental calculus or tartar

This is a same day photograph of tartar or calculus removal. The tartar was the "yellowish" deposit on the above photograph

Call our Dentists in Highlands Ranch today

Please feel free to call and make an appointment today by calling (303) 694-9740.

Thanks to Matt and Scott of US Web Central for their help with our Blogs. They can be reached by clicking on the following link Denver web Design and SEO.

Delta Dental Highlands Ranch

Delta Dental Highlands Ranch

Highlands Ranch dentists Dr. James DeLapp and Dr. H. Candace DeLapp offer accept Delta Dental Premiere plan in their office. There are many product line that Delta Dental or any other insurance company might offer so you should take the time to check out which plan you have coverage with. The differences in reimbursement can be substantial or no coverage what-so-ever (EPO)!

to view our dental office video click the following link Dentist Highlands Ranch

We are a Delta Dental Premiere Provider

Our office participates only in the "Premiere Plan". If you have the Exclusive Provider Option or "EPO"plan you will have no coverage what so ever in our Highlands Ranch dental office. The next tier is the "PPO" plan.; In this plan we are considered a "non-paneled" Delta provider and they pay according to the PPO schedule. This means your out of pocket expenses are "some' more but you can still use your insurance in our office. The Delta Dental Premier Plan you get the best coverage available in our office.

Check with your benefits officer for the "type" of Delta plan

We revive calls from prospective patients asking "if" we are a Delta Provider. As you can see from the above the question is not so cut and dry. The answer is... we are on the Premiere plan and definitely not on the EPO plan. All these three letter acronyms are confusing and we try so hard to help you understand your individual coverage. As in all insurance... look to see if your plan meets your needs and you have the ability to use if where you wish. If you are able to upgrade you coverage there may be certain seasons when this is allowed. Again... check with your benefits officer.

Call today

Please feel free to call and make an appointment today at (303) 694-9740.

Sensitive teeth Highlands Ranch

There can be many reasons why teeth are sensitive? Obviously, decay on the tooth can be one very good reason. Most frequently in our Highlands Ranch dental office it is dentin sensitivity from gum recession. Our Highlands Ranch dentists treat root sensitivity frequently and for many... even most of patients it is quite effective. For a minority of patients some "other" type of treatment may be necessary. Dr. James and Candace DeLapp treat patients in the Highlands Ranch area as well as Denver, Greenwood Village, Centennial, Castle Pines, Lone Tree, and Parker Colorado.

How does tooth sensitivity start?

Tooth sensitivity starts in early adulthood usually because of gum recession and the loss of cementum covering the dentin of the root surface of the tooth. Dentin tubules (little channels) provide a path to the pulp where the nerve of the tooth is located. Cold or other stimuli travel down these tubules and stimulate the nerve of the tooth causing tooth sensitivity.

How is tooth sensitivity treated?

Dentin sensitivity is treated by applying substances such as potassium ions which depolarizes the nerve. If the nerve is depolarized the need does not react to the stimuli. Another method is by applying materials which seal the outside of the dentin tubules and block off the channels to the nerve. Another method is applying solutions of calcium and phosphate salts to the teeth to reduce sensitivity.

Over the counter teeth sensitivity tooth pastes

For the most part over-the-counter toothpastes solve the problem of sensitive teeth. These tooth pastes will not solve the problems if the sensitivity is due to cavities and seeing your Highlands Ranch dentist for a diagnosis is a must. Professionally applied solutions may be the next best option followed by a dental filling. Either way... you should make an appointment to see what is going on

Call today!

Please call our Highlands Ranch dentist today for an appointment at (303) 694-9740.

Thanks to Matt and Scott of US Web Central for their help with our Blogs. The can be reached by clicking on the following link Denver SEO

Diet in dental decay Highlands Ranch dentist

Diet in dental decay (cavities)

Dental cavities simply does no occur when there is not a sugar source (fermentable carbohydrates) in the diet. Because of this... dental decay has been termed a "diet-bacterial disease". Essentially the sugar sources are the fuel than fans the flame of dental decay. If you eliminate sugars and carbohydrates from the diet you cut off the fuel source. Sugar the simplest form of carbohydrate is the most efficient fuel for cavities i.e. it is evil. Highlands Ranch dentists Dr. James DeLapp and Dr. H. Candace DeLapp work with their patients to help reduce the fuel needed to cause cavities.

Research of surgar in Dental Cavities

The role of sugar has been a subject of great interest in the past 50 years. Specifically Sucrose (table sugar) is unique in its role a a "substrate for glycosyltransferases in the syntheisis of extracellular glucan". What that scientific mumbo jumbo essentially says is... table sugar is mostly responsible for the progression of dental decay and the plaque that forms.

Timing of sugar exposure

The frequency of sugar exposure is of significance in the formation of dental cavities. The more ofter the exposure to the sugar source the more likely the decay is to progress. That is why dentist recommend limiting between meal snack with high sugar.

Stickiness of the sugar source

In addition the stickiness of the sugar source is significant in the production of dental decay. Sticky sugars like fruit roll ups etc sit on your tooth like napalm and decay your tooth. Liquid sugars like soda while not optimum are easily rinsed off your tooth removing the source of fuel for the cavities.

Call today

Please feel free to contact our Highlands Ranch dentist and make an appointment today at (303) 694-9740.

thanks to Matt and Scott of US Web Central for their help. They can be reached by clicking on the following link Denver SEO

US Dental Labs Dentist Highlands Ranch

US Dental Labs Dentist Highlands Ranch

There was an article in a dental publication that discussed foreign dental labs (China). In order to keep cost low "some" dentists are having dental crowns made in China (e.g.). Our Highlands Ranch dentist 'only" uses dental laboratories in the United States .

Cost and quality Dentist Highlands Ranch

Low cost and high quality are an uncommon occurrence. Most individual believe that the higher cost generally means (not always) higher quality. As an example the salary of Chinese dental lab tech is $4.00 an hour but their currency is only worth 15% of the US dollar. This means that these Chinese dental tech are working for 60 cents and hour. They are frequently provide food and shelter which not indicated in their per hour rate. Can they produce a product superior to a US technician?

Foreign dental labs crowns with high lead levels

There were reports of "certain" foreign dental labs whose dental crowns had high lead levels. Bottom line is this is not acceptable. Our Highlands Ranch dentist do not use foreign dental labs

High quality US Dental Labs Dentist Highlands Ranch

Our Highlands Ranch dentist use Las Vegas Esthetics dental lab in Las Vegas Nevada. They are a highly qualified dental lab that produces very esthetic dental crowns, bridges and veneers. The cost of this lab is substantially higher than any local dental laboratory but their work is worth it.

Call our Highlands Ranch dentist today!

If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment please call (303) 694-9740

Thanks to Scott and Matt of US Web Central. They can be reached by clicking on the following link Denver SEO.

Care Credit Dentist Highlands Ranch

Care Credit a ADA business resources endorsed provide for dental care financing has launched on their website a resource center. Our Highlands Ranch dentist sees the purpose of this being two fold including but not limited to:

• A site that will help their patients make health care and financial decisions


• A site that will make it easier for their dental patients to manage health care line of credit

This site will have a variety of information in both written and video format describing their services. In addition it has information on what out Highlands Ranch dentist provides in regards to Care Credit. We have patients use Care Credit for a variety of dental services. The most used category revolves around cosmetic dentistry or Invisalign orthodontics.

Care Credit is easy to use Dentist Highlands Ranch

Our patients report that Care Credit website is easy to use and easy to navigate. You can access this site from anywhere 24 hours a day. We wish to make this process as easy as possible and in a no pressure atmosphere.

Please call our Highlands Ranch dentist today

Please call our Highlands Ranch dentist today and make an appointment today at (303) 694-9740. If your prefer to send us an e-mail please click the following link Dentist Highlands Ranch.

Thanks to

Thanks to Scott and Matt of US Web Central for their help with our Websites and Blogs. They can be reached by clicking on the following link Denver SEO