What's Up Magazines

Top Dentists 2006

The man with a toothache thinks everyone happy whose teeth are sound.
--George Bernard Shaw

Going to the dentist twice a year may seem like a painful obligation for some people. But the alternative-suffering from cavities and other dental afflictions-is likely to be a lot more painful.

The concept of dentistry dates back to ancient times. The first written reference to dentistry was a text about tooth decay dating back to 5000 B.C. Monks practiced the skill during the Middle Ages and tooth decay and extraction were featured in several books from the 1500s.

The best ways to prevent dental problems are to brush twice a day, floss regularly, and get a checkup and cleaning from a dentist twice a year. But if you develop a dental problem, you can find dentists who specialize in everything from proper care of children's teeth to surgical replacements for teeth.

In 1930, with the recognition of the American Board of Orthodontics, orthodontics became the first of nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association. Today in the Annapolis area we have a wide selection of qualified dental professionals in all those specialties and more.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Most people brush their teeth twice a day, floss regularly, and visit their dentist for cleaning. But many people desire whiter teeth than this normal regimen can provide. Tooth whitening, which lightens discolored teeth, is the most common form of cosmetic dentistry, according to the American Dental Association. Some people opt for in-office bleaching, which the dentist performs in 30-minute to 1-hour sessions. Other people choose to bleach their own teeth using peroxide-based solutions and gels with mouth guards. Still others choose to use whitening toothpastes to remove surface stains. Bonding is used to correct chipped and cracked teeth. When bonding, the dentist applies enamel to the surface of the tooth, then shapes, hardens, and polishes the enamel.

Cosmetic dentistry can include work in all the other specialties, including the treatment of gums, realignment of the bite, and the creation of prostheses.

Dr. Deborah Caruso
Dr. Kian Djawdan
Dr. Larry Epstein
Dr. Scott Finlay
Dr. Gary Goodman
Dr. Paul Kinsey
Dr. Karen Klocko
Dr. Albert Lee
Dr. Gail Meyers
Dr. Lynn Morgan
Dr. Ian Schuman
Dr. Harry Schwartz
Dr. Brian Valle

Endodontics

People who have had a root canal have probably met a dentist who specializes in endodontics. Endodontics deals with the changes, physiology, and pathology of dental pulp and tissues. Pulp is the soft tissue inside the tooth, where nerves, arteries, veins, and lymph tissue are located. If diseased pulp is left untreated, it destroys hard tissue, most likely requiring removal of the tooth. During a root canal, which is used to save unhealthy or ill-treated teeth, the dentist removes soft tissue, cleans and enlarges the canals, and temporarily fills and seals them. At a second visit to the dentist, the fillings are removed and the canals are sealed with a crown.

Dr. Louis Berman
Dr. Jeffrey Luzader
Dr. James Roahen

Family Dentistry

A dentist known as a family dentist has a general practice that caters to a wide variety of concerns for patients of all ages.

Dr. Jay Abramson
Dr. Robert Andrews
Dr. Tom Bonfiglio
Dr. Earl Chambers
Dr. Maria Colucciello
Dr. John Cutting
Dr. Roger Doyel
Dr. Barry Grosshandler
Dr. Andrew Gruver
Dr. David Handelsman
Dr. Robert Leigh
Dr. Jay McCarl
Dr. Joseph Passaro
Dr. Martha Sidlowski
Dr. Edward Vesely
Dr. James Wooddell

Handicapped-equipped

Dr. Kevin Doring

Oral Surgery

Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a branch of dentistry specializing in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of diseases, injuries, and defects. Dentists who specialize in oral and maxillofacial surgery often remove buried and impacted teeth and cysts, use dental implants to replace missing teeth, provide rehabilitation for patients with tumors, and perform surgery for people with cleft lip and palate or trauma to facial structures.

Dr. Richard Garden
Dr. Borek Hlousek
Dr. Gene Kohler
Dr. Karen Mygil
Dr. Neil Sullivan
Dr. Cliff Walzer
Dr. Edward Zebovitz

Orthodontics

Orthodontics is a specialization of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis, prevention, and correction of improperly aligned teeth and abnormally proportioned jaw structures. You might seek an orthodontist for functional and aesthetic reasons. Orthodontists use devices such as braces and headgear to improve your bite or to improve the general appearance of your teeth. Orthodontists also prescribe and create retainers, which keep teeth in an improved position while bone forms around them. Orthodontists often help correct problems brought about by the crowding of teeth, which requires braces or the removal of teeth. It has been suggested that many of the common problems that orthodontists correct are the result of evolution and modern western lifestyles.

Orthodontics-Adult

Dr. John Benkovich
Dr. Edwin Berkinshaw
Dr. Todd Bonner
Dr. Jeffrey Cramer
Dr. Dorie Eger
Dr. Stephen Labbe
Dr. Robert Martin
Dr. Kendall Miller
Dr. Mairead O'Reilly

Orthodontics-Child

Dr. Steven Siegal
Dr. Lamon Stewart
Dr. Phil Philbin
Dr. Robert Winnard
Dr. Ben Wright
Dr. Robert Yoon

Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric dentistry focuses on the oral health of children.

Dr. Gregg Behling
Dr. Jerome Casper
Dr. Nilda Collins
Dr. Angelica Jahnigen
Dr. Kweku Jangha
Dr. Marla Prokop
Dr. Jay Tull

Periodontics

Periodontics is derived from the Greek words peri, meaning around, and odons, meaning tooth. Thus, periodontics is a specialization that deals with the tissues that support and surround the teeth. These supporting structures include the gums, jaw, and roots. Periodontal work often includes salvaging teeth and the jawbone from gum disease and using dental implants to replace missing teeth.

Dr. Richard Aufderheide
Dr. Richard Gartner
Dr. Angela Miele
Dr. David Mugford
Dr. Lawrence Nurin
Dr. Deborah O'Dell

Prosthodontics

Prosthodontics is a dental field centered on the function, comfort, and health of people with conditions that require the fixing or replacement of missing or deficient teeth. Prosthodontics deals with congenital disorders and those caused by trauma or decay. They can include temporomandibular joint (TMJ) jaw disorders and sleep disorders, and treatment can involve the creation of prostheses such as dentures, crowns, and implants.

Dr. Robert Cook
Dr. John Davliakos
Dr. Meredith Esposito
Dr. Kathy Farley
Dr. John Ostrowski

Temporomandibular Disorders

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are commonly characterized by pain or tenderness of the temporomandibular joint and or surrounding muscles as well as limitation or loss of jaw movement. Dentists working in this specialty try to resolve any problems preventing the complex system of muscles, bones, and joints from working together correctly.

Dr. April Calton
Dr. John Droter