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Cool Dental
in Lethbridge, Alberta

Dr. Karstan Lachman

Dr. Lachman is a general dentist whom has taken numerous extensive post-graduate courses in craniomandibular and temporal mandibular joint disorder diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Lachman has a special focus on various treatment modalities for treating temporal mandibular joint disorders and works closely with other health practitioners.
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General Dental Services Lethbridge, Alberta

Dr. Karstan Lachman

Whether your dental needs are a complete exam and cleaning, a full-mouth restoration, or anything in between, we promise to provide you with exceptional care as we enhance the natural beauty of your smile. Come in and find out how we can help.
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(403) 382-2273

Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice, and you may have seen this during your visits to our office. Our infection control processes are made so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable.

Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the Alberta Dental Association and College (ADA&C), Health Canada and the Canadian Centre For Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS).

We want to tell you about the infection control procedures we follow in our practice to keep patients and staff safe.

To ensure the health and well-being of our patients and team members, we have installed 2 different types of air purifiers at our dental office. Both of these are manufactured by the Canadian company, Surgically Clean Air.

CASCADE WHITE - The Cascade White is the first unit you will see when you enter our office. We have placed this in the waiting area because this is the largest room in our office. The Cascade White is able to filter up to 576 cubic feet per minute.

The Cascade White filter has 6 stages of filtration including UV sterilization, plus two additional negative ion chambers to ensure the air is as fresh as possible. These six filters capture 99.998% of dust particles, pollen, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), mold, allergens, viruses, odors (like formaldehyde and smoke), bio-aerosols, laughing gas, and many other pollutants that are found in the inside air. The negative ion generator makes the indoor environment feel more pure, clean, and energized.

JADE - The Jade filter is what you will find in each of our operatories. The Jade filters still have the same 6 stage filtering system and will move 383 cubic feet per minute. This means the Jade will filter all the air in a 10 x 10 room in about 2 minutes.

Both of these filters perform their duties without being loud, (an industry-leading low level of about 55DB) or creating a “breeze” that can be uncomfortable for our patients.

Some additional changes you may also see when it is time for your next appointment. For example:

Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office. We will not allow patients to enter our office who have symptoms or have traveled outside of Canada in the last 2 weeks.
We have hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use when you enter the office. You will also find some in the reception area and other places in the office for you to use as needed.
You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
In the interest of physical distancing, we are advising all adult patients to attend the office alone to prevent crowding.
Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.
We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time.
For our safety and yours, we currently cannot accept walk-ins.

We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice. To make an appointment, please call our office at (403) 382‑2273.

So come on in to get your dental work done and enjoy Surgically Clean Air!

Myths and Facts about Cavities

From: Dr. Karstan Lachman

Below the Cool Dental team clears up the most common myths and facts about the cause of cavities. Read on to get the details.

Sugar Is the Prime Cause of Cavities

Myth. Cavity causing bacteria cause cavities, specifically streptococcus mutans'. When you ingest carbohydrates the bacteria in the oral cavity also like to eat them as well. The by-product of this digestion by the bacteria is acid. It is the acid in the mouth that can break down the hardest structure in the human body-enamel. Once the acid penetrates the hard outer enamel, an initial cavity has begun and can become much larger over time. At this point the process is still reversible. Saliva and fluoride are both important factors in the mouth that can help buffer the acid and also remineralize the tooth structure before an initial cavity turns into a large one. Continual snacking on carbohydrate-rich foods and drinks throughout the day put you at higher risk for dental decay vs. regular meals. Water is recommended throughout the day instead of coffees, teas or pop which have added sugar or milk. Foods that should be limited to mealtimes include crackers, chips, rice, pasta, potatoes, milk, juice, bread and anything else with sugar/carbohydrate content.

All Fillings Eventually Need Replacing

Myth. A silver or white filling needs to be replaced only if it breaks, a cavity forms around it or if it is leaking. If a filling is stable and serving the purpose it should be left alone. All fillings have a life expectancy, most do not last a lifetime. How long your filling lasts depends on each individual's oral factors such as oral hygiene habits and grinding/clenching habits. Good oral hygiene with daily brushing, flossing, rinsing and wearing a splint if you grind/clench may help prolong the life of your fillings.

Cavities Always Occur Only Between Teeth

Myth. Cavities can start anywhere on the tooth where bacteria are left. If you leave bacterial plaque on the teeth in areas you are unable to brush or floss a cavity can start. Besides in between the teeth, a common area for dental decay to occur is on the deep pits and fissures on the biting surface of the teeth. Dental decay that occurs between the teeth are typically due to a lack of regular flossing, as you are leaving these areas untouched as the toothbrush cannot reach these areas to clean.

Cavities Are the Only Reason for Root Canals

Myth. Root canals are needed for teeth that have damaged and/or an infection in the pulp of the tooth (where the nerve resides). Cavities that are left and not treated can lead to needing a root canal, but other causes such as fractures, cracks and trauma to teeth can cause damage to the nerve which may also necessitate a root canal. Severe clenching or grinding may also damage the nerves to the teeth to the point they need a root canal.

Brushing, Flossing, and Rinsing Is the Best Way to Prevent Cavities

Fact. Definitely! Dental decay and gum disease are both caused by different types of bacteria. You need to remove these bacteria from the mouth in order to facilitate health and prevent disease. It is recommended to brush 3x a day for 2 minutes preferably with a high quality electric toothbrush, floss once a day and rinse daily. It is recommended to use fluoride toothpaste to help prevent cavities and fluoride is naturally antibacterial as well! Antimicrobial mouthwashes reduce bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease. If you are diligent with daily care at home your incidence of cavities and gum disease will be reduced.