After graduating from dental school, he attended Columbia University for his residency in orthodontics. He was recognized for his clinical expertise and excellence by the American Board of Orthodontics and was honored with the distinction of being a board certified orthodontist.

In his free time, Dr. Nguyen enjoys playing tennis, jogging around Golden Gate Park or the beach with his wife and dog, and trying the many great restaurants San Francisco has to offer.

Knowing it is essential that he stay abreast of developments in his field, Dr. Nguyen maintains active memberships in several professional organizations, including but not limited to the American Board of Orthodontics, American Association of Orthodontists, and the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists.

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A large number of mouth cells exposed to e-cigarette vapor in the laboratory die within a few days, according to a study conducted by Université Laval researchers and published in the latest issue of Journal of Cellular Physiology.

Dr. Mahmoud Rouabhia and his team at Université Laval’s Faculty of Dental Medicine came to this conclusion after exposing gingival epithelial cells to e-cigarette vapor. “Mouth epithelium is the body’s first line of defense against microbial infection,” Professor Rouabhia explains. “This epithelium protects us against several microorganisms living in our mouths.”

To simulate what happens in a person’s mouth while vaping, researchers placed epithelial cells in a small chamber containing a saliva-like liquid. Electronic cigarette vapor was pumped into the chamber at a rate of two five-second “inhalations” per minute for 15 minutes a day.

Observations under the microscope showed that the percentage of dead or dying cells, which is about 2% in unexposed cell cultures, rose to 18%, 40%, and 53% after 1, 2, and 3 days of exposure to e-cigarette vapor, respectively.

“Contrary to what one might think, e-cigarette vapor isn’t just water,” explains Dr. Rouabhia. “Although it doesn’t contain tar compounds like regular cigarette smoke, it exposes mouth tissues and the respiratory tract to compounds produced by heating the vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, and nicotine aromas in e-cigarette liquid.”

The cumulative effects of this cell damage have not yet been documented, but they are worrying, according to Dr. Rouabhia, who is also a member of the Oral Ecology Research Group (GREB) at Université Laval: “Damage to the defensive barrier in the mouth can increase the risk of infection, inflammation, and gum disease. Over the longer term, it may also increase the risk of cancer. This is what we will be investigating in the future.”

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Dr. Han is a board certified periodontist and a member of American Academy of Periodontology and the American Board of Periodontology.

When not practicing periodontics, Dr. Han devotes her time to her family. She lives with her husband, her son, and a cat.

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REBLOGGING A POST FROM Whole Smiles Blog

The age old story

The most common adult patients we see in our practice are those who had braces as a teenager, wore their retainers for a few years and then lost track of them at some point in college. Unfortunately our teeth are never static – they’re constantly changing and the previously corrected crowding or spacing generally returns and becomes more visible at some point in our late 20’s and 30’s. Our patients will often refer to a recent photo of themselves and say, “I never realized it had gotten so bad until I saw this picture!” Or sometimes our patients will walk in with an old retainer that they’ll try to force on their teeth periodically – which will often do more harm than good! Excess intermittent pressure from an ill-fitting retainer can damage your teeth and gums. A good retainer should fit passively to hold your teeth straight, they aren’t designed to force your teeth back to your teenage straight smile.

The dilemma

However many of our patients are generally busy, active young professionals who don’t want to go through years of braces again. And they want their teeth perfectly straight as soon as possible with minimal visibility.

How to get there

What are the best options these days? Your best options are primarily dependent on your specific malocclusion (bite) and the severity of the dental relapse. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of your treatment alternatives during your initial consultation. Remember that the treatment options presented to you are customized for your teeth and your specific bite.

Metal or Clear Braces

Quite often I still recommend standard metal braces (stainless steel) or clear (ceramic) braces to most efficiently treat with optimal results. Braces allow us to control each tooth in all three dimensions with the most precision and efficiency (reduced treatment time). Treatment time is generally the shortest and costs are the lowest for our patients. (Our clear brackets (Radiance) are by American Orthodontics – they offer optimal translucency, and the smallest bracket size with high durability.)

Lingual Braces

Lingual brackets are another great option especially for certain mild relapse cases. We place lingual brackets behind your teeth to correct the crowding or close the spacing. While these “hidden” braces may take some getting used to since the lower lingual braces are adjacent to the tongue and create some initial irritation, they are nearly completely invisible to everyone else. (Read more about the brands of lingual braces we use here and here.)

Invisalign
Invisalign is another popular option among our patients since the trays are removable enabling easy hygiene and maintenance throughout treatment. We do still have to bond clear attachments (composite buttons) onto select teeth to which the trays engage, otherwise it’s a very esthetic option. The control of the teeth generally isn’t as precise or as efficient as with braces- however for mild relapse cases Invisalign is an excellent option – especially if you tend to clench or grind, as the trays protect the enamel of your teeth and can alleviate some TMD symptoms.

Partial treatment

Depending on your case we may discuss an option to start your treatment with a fixed appliance like braces or an expander, and then finish with Invisalign – giving you the efficiency of fixed appliances and the esthetics of Invisalign for the remainder of your treatment. This is a popular option among our patients since they get the best of both worlds – limiting their time in treatment and finishing with optimal results.

What sets us apart

Our specialty at King St. Dental Wellness Center is in working with and accommodating the needs and lifestyles of our busy adult patients while delivering excellent results with efficiency. Our practice provides individualized patient care in a modern, private and spa-like environment-likely not reminiscent of your childhood orthodontics experience. Orthodontics not only gives the benefit of a beautiful straight smile but dental and periodontal health are also enhanced due to improved dental function, reduced wear, and improved oral hygiene that accompanies dental alignment. I hope this post helped to clarify the best options available to you if you’re considering orthodontics. I’m happy to answer any further questions specific to your case during your initial consultation.

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