Posts Tagged ‘cosmetic dentists in rochester’

Cosmetic Dentistry. It brings to mind the photos of your favorite movie star with their $1 Million smile that probably cost that much to get.  What is often times missing from the doctor-patient discussion regarding cosmetic dental procedures is the health benefits of having these procedures done.

You might be wondering, “How can cosmetic dentistry benefit my health?”  It’s a great question, one that many dental professionals do not regularly communicate to their patients.  Cosmetic procedures include teeth whitening, veneers, crowns, dental implants, and Invisalign© Invisible Braces, just to name a few.  All of these procedures have benefits that can affect your oral health and total wellness.

A well-aligned smile is not just a part of a pretty face – it’s the mark of a healthy mouth.  Straight teeth allow you to brush your teeth more efficiently, improve speech, and allow for better digestion, leading to overall better health. Having crooked teeth isn’t just an eyesore, it also provides more nooks and crannies for food to get trapped making them harder to clean. This will lead to a build up of plaque or an abscess, or even gum disease, which can result in one or several teeth being removed.  Recent studies have shown patients with gum disease are at significantly higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other serious health conditions.  Well-aligned teeth trap fewer particles, develop fewer areas of decay and are easier to floss, all of which are vital to good gum and oral health.

Missing, crooked, or worn teeth can cause changes in your bite and jaw that can lead to functional problems when chewing and pain in your jaw. Procedures like, dental implants, veneers, or crowns restore the strength back to teeth that are weakened from large fillings, cracks and wear.  Crooked teeth are often the result of overcrowding, which can be easily fixed with Invisalign© Invisible Braces, which will straighten and align your teeth over a few short months.  Having a missing tooth is not purely a cosmetic problem either.  It can leave your gums exposed, making it difficult and painful to eat on that side of your mouth.  A missing tooth can also upset the balance of the other teeth in your mouth.  This can result in the teeth shifting & moving around your jaw in order to compensate for the missing tooth. Your teeth can then become more crooked which can result in other problems. Missing teeth can easily be replaced with dental implants and crowns which will restore the strength and functionality of the missing tooth, prevent bone loss and prevent the rest of your teeth from shifting due to the loss of a tooth, which could affect your bite and ability to chew efficiently.

In your mouth there are more enzymes that break up food than in your stomach, making digestion easier.  People who chew longer and eat slower digest their food better and have a tendency to be slimmer! Straight, strong, and healthy teeth do a better job of breaking up food, allowing for better digestion.

Ensuring your smile is as healthy as it can be does include cosmetic dentistry!  Remember strong, well-aligned teeth are easier to brush & floss and this can reduce your risks of developing serious oral health problems, including gum disease.  Cosmetic dentistry also has a profound impact on your self-confidence, romantic, and career success. So, next time your dentist or hygienist talk to you about cosmetic procedures, remember the treatment they are recommending can have a profound impact on your oral health and total wellness.

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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A smile is a very simple thing that means a lot.  It can transform the world around you and revive the lonely spirit of a person.  Having crooked or misaligned teeth can have a serious impact on your confidence and your life.  There are many reasons that inspire people to change and improve their smile. Are you the only one not smiling in your holiday photos?  Do you feel self conscious when meeting someone new or giving a presentation at work?  You are not alone, with surveys showing that a huge proportion of people in the Western world would change something about their smile if they had the chance.  From aging baby boomers to brides and grooms-to-be to job seekers, patients are getting the smile they’ve always wanted.  New research has shown more than half of brides-to-be and about 40% of grooms-to-be consider cosmetic dentistry.  About 60% of women have considered teeth whitening and 75% of men have considered porcelain veneers.

With the recession underway and thousands of people out of work, the job hunt has become more and more competitive.  While a great resume, strong interview skills and a solid work history play a role in the interview process, looks still matter.  A recent telephone survey indicates that 73% of working women believe that their good looks help them climb up the corporate ladder quickly; 80% of working women agree that cosmetic procedures can increase self-confidence and self-esteem, making it much easier to perform better at the job (especially in ‘visible’ positions such as sales, marketing or PR), and to get another job quickly.

At our practice in Family & Cosmetic Dental Practice in Shelby Township, Michigan, we have had more requests recently for services like teeth whitening and even porcelain veneers.  People want to feel confident in life, when they walk in the room for an interview, when they walk down the aisle, or when the meet someone new; they want to put on their best smile.  If their teeth are stained or crooked, they may not feel comfortable doing that.  A lot of their true personality can be hidden behind a tarnished smile.

At HPS Advanced Dental Care, we see many patients who are looking to improve their smile.  A simple procedure like whitening the teeth can take years off of someone’s appearance.  In today’s career marketplace, every little edge helps.

Our Practice offers many different options for people who want to brighten their smile or straighten crooked teeth.  Clear braces like Invisalign are a popular alternative for teens and adults looking for a discreet way to straighten teeth.  And in as little as 1 hour, patients can get brighter, whiter teeth, with the removal of stains caused by tobacco, coffee, red wine, soda and more.

Having the renewed confidence that a new, perfect smile can bring can transform your life.

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For years we have heard of the ever-growing connections between dentistry and medicine, with articles written in medical and dental journals as well.  For decades dentists have looked at the increasing body of evidence that what we are doing in the mouth can affect the rest of the body.

The mountain of evidence that supports the oral health-overall health connection has seen incredible growth and advancement over the past few years.  There is no longer a question as to “if” the soft tissues in the mouth are connected to the rest of the body. For example, we can easily find evidence of gum disease-causing bacteria creating challenges in tissues throughout the body. However, the mouth-body connection is not limited to just infections in the soft tissues of the mouth. The impact of the mouth also extends to such monumental things as blood flow to the brain.

Each year we learn more and more about how poor oral health is linked to problems elsewhere in the body.  It has been linked to serious conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s Disease, respiratory diseases, and even increased risks of some cancers.  Today, more than ever, it is vital to make regular trips to the dentist a part of your plan to achieve optimal health and wellness.

At our practice we don’t just look in your mouth, we look past your mouth to see the whole picture of you individually.  Your mouth is the window to your overall health and wellness.  The state of your oral health can offer clues about your overall well-being.  Oral Health and total health and wellness are more connected than you might realize.

As we have learned more about the relationship between oral health and overall health, we have also learned much about how the materials and techniques that we use everyday can affect your overall heath as well, both positively and negatively.

At our practice, we are committed to practicing dentistry with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy.  In using the terms ‘biological and biocompatible’ we are not attempting to carve out a new specialty in dentistry, but rather to describe an attitude and philosophy that can apply to all facets of dental practice, and to health care in general.

To us, the best way to describe Biological Dentistry is Individualized Dentistry.  It is dentistry that is completely focused on You. Not just who you are in terms of your teeth and oral health, but also who you are as a whole person physiologically, emotionally, and dentally.  Since every person does not react the same way to the same procedures, medications, or materials, why should we treat every person the same way?  We do not just treat teeth and oral disease at our Practice.  We treat People. And in our experience, every person is unique and different in their own ways.

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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Throughout the years research has shown links between poor oral health and heart disease, stroke and diabetes, as well as Alzheimer’s disease.  Now researchers from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York have found gum disease could also influence brain function through several mechanisms, such as causing inflammation throughout the body, a risk factor for loss of mental function.

 The study, reported in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, included more than 2,350 men and women who were tested for periodontitis (gum disease) and completed a number of different thinking skills tests as part of a national survey.

 What they found was among adults 60 years of age and older, those people with the highest amount of a gum disease causing bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis, were three times more likely to have trouble recalling a three-word sequence after a period of time.  Also, people who had the highest levels of this bacteria present were nearly three times more likely to struggle with verbal memory tests, and twice as likely to fail on both delayed verbal recall and subtraction tests.

 This study is another of many that have shown the importance of maintaining your optimal oral health.  Your mouth and oral health are connected to more than just chewing and eating.  Taking care of the health of your teeth and gums through regular visits for hygiene therapy will not only improve your oral health, but it will affect your overall health and wellness as well.  Call us today to reserve your time to shape up your teeth and gums.

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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Did you know that every time you visit our office for your routine hygiene therapy appointment you are screened for oral cancer?  Screening for the early warning signs of oral cancer is one of the most important reasons why you should visit our office on a regular basis.  More than 34,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year. It will cause over 8,000 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day. This is a number which has not significantly improved in decades.  In fact, recent statistics published by the American Cancer Society indicate that while the incidence and death rates for cancers overall have decreased, both the incidence and the death rate for oral cancer have increased.  Early detection and diagnosis are essential in successful treatment of the disease.  Oral cancer is 90% curable when found in its early stages.

As your dental team, we are the front line of defense in early detection of this disease.  It is estimated that only about 50-60% of the US population visits the dentist every year.  Unfortunately, only about 15% of those who visit a dentist regularly, report having had an oral cancer screening. This is unfortunate and unacceptable in my opinion, when you consider that historically, the greatest strides in combating most cancers have come from increased awareness and aggressive campaigns directed at early detection. It is now commonplace to annually get a PAP smear for cervical cancer, a mammogram to check for breast cancer, or PSA and digital rectal exams for prostate cancer.  Oral cancer is no different.  Actually, it is easier to follow through with oral cancer screenings, since unlike many other cancer screening procedures, there is no invasive technique necessary to look for it, no discomfort or pain involved, and it is very inexpensive to have your mouth examined for the early signs of disease.

It is our goal to have 100% of our practice family screened for oral cancer on a yearly basis.  It is important to realize that a visit to our office is no longer about a filling, a crown, or “just a cleaning,” but is actually a matter of life and death. Dental examinations, when properly done and which include a screening for oral cancer will save lives.  How do we do it?  At our practice we utilize a 3 pronged approach:

1. A comprehensive visual examination of the oral cavity, head, and neck by Dr. Heather and Suzy
2. At least a yearly screening with the Vizilite Plus Oral Lesion Identification and Marking System
3. Comprehensive Oral Cancer Risk Assessment with the Previser™ Risk Assessment Software

Please help us reach our goal of screening 100% our practice family for oral cancer every year by starting with you and your family. Call our office today to schedule your regular routine hygiene therapy appointment and oral cancer screening today.

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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There are many tests that help doctors predict our risk of developing certain diseases.  We routinely get our blood pressure taken to assess our risk of hypertension.  A blood pressure of higher than 120/80 is considered high risk and in need of treatment.  We get our cholesterol checked to assess our risk of heart disease.  A cholesterol score of higher than 200 is considered high risk and in need of treatment.  There are even genetic tests for breast and ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer that tell us if we are in an extremely high risk category for developing these cancers.  Most of us do not question the validity of these results and accept that the treatment that is recommended by our doctor is necessary to better our overall health and reduce these risks.

We are very excited to announce that we now have a risk assessment tool for gum disease!  PreViser™ is an easy tool that you will receive at every routine hygiene therapy and oral cancer screenings appointment at no cost to you!  PreViser™ analytic reports provide you and I with an easy to understand and scientifically validated risk and disease score for gum disease.  The PreViser™ Risk Score tells us, on a scale from 1-5, the probability you have of developing gum disease in your lifetime.  The PreViser™ Disease Score, on a scale of 1-100, tells us how health you are right now.

Why is this important?  The earlier that gum disease is diagnosed the faster we can halt it in its tracks.  Gum disease affects more than just your teeth and gums.  Recent research has linked gum disease to other health problems including heart and respiratory diseases; diabetes; preterm, low birth weight babies; stroke; osteoporosis; and even some cancers.

At our practice in Shelby Township, Michigan, we strive to provide you with the best care available.  The addition of PreViser™ to our practice gives us another tool to ensure that we reach our goal of providing you with Optimal Oral Health Care on Every Visit.

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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Dental caries (tooth decay) is the single most common chronic childhood disease – 5 times more common than asthma and 7 times more common than hay fever.  Recent studies have also shown a link between oral disease and low birth weight, cardiovascular disease, respiratory infection, and diabetes.  All of this reinforces what we have all known for a long time – the health of your mouth affects your overall health.

The good news is tooth decay can be prevented with self-care (daily brushing and flossing), fluoride, and sealants.

So, how does poor oral health affect your child’s learning or performance in school?  Dental disease is one of the top causes of absenteeism among elementary school children.  The Office of the U.S. Surgeon General calls dental and oral diseases a “silent epidemic.”   The report stated that nearly 52 million hours of school are lost each year due to dental-related illness.  The symptom that goes hand-in-hand with dental disease is pain.  Pain from oral disease will keep students from concentrating and learning.  Any kind of pain or discomfort around the head will be a big distraction and keep their mind from focusing on the tasks at hand, like math, science, English, history, etc.  Pain and swelling are both symptoms of severe disease.  Sadly, these severe cases are common in our classrooms.

What can we do to improve our children’s oral health?  Unlike taking care of your ears, caring for your mouth requires daily attention, as well as visits to the dentist office for professional care on a regular basis – every 6 months.  Remember, tooth decay is preventable.  That is why it is vital that all children start seeing a dentist at an early age, as early as 12 months old.  Children that see visit a dentist on a regular basis take better care of their teeth and gums and do not have the significant problems that are often present in children who never visit the dentist.  This also gives us the opportunity to identify problems early before they escalate into larger, more expensive problems to treat.

Many people are not aware that poor oral health can have serious effects on overall health.  I have often heard people say, “Oh, they’re just baby teeth, they’ll fall out anyway.”  What they don’t realize is that if you have tooth decay early in childhood, you have a good predictor of future decay.  Establish good oral health habits early. When your child is 12 months old, you can begin using toothpaste, without fluoride, when brushing his or her teeth. However, only use a pea-sized portion on the brush and press it into the bristles so your child won’t eat it.  And, when the gaps between your child’s teeth close, it’s important to start flossing.  Serve as a good role model by practicing good oral health care habits yourself.  Check your child’s mouth for any signs of gum disease, including bleeding gums, swollen and bright red gums, gums that are receding away from the teeth and bad breath.  Let’s all work together to ensure that nothing, including tooth decay and gum disease, is standing in our children’s way of getting the most out of the classroom.

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township,Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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It seems that everyone you talk to these days has been affected by tough economic conditions.  Do you know anyone who isn’t trying to save money by cutting back on discretionary purchases that they may have taken for granted just a few months ago?  A new car?  It can wait.  New kitchen cabinets?  They can wait.  Caribbean vacation?  Make that a “staycation.” Gourmet coffee?  Home-brewed tastes pretty good these days.  Being frugal in an uncertain economy is not a bad thing – we’re all doing it to some extent.

However, there are some things that should always remain on the “must have” list unless your financial situation is critical.  One such example is oral healthcare for you and your family.  For many Michiganders, maintaining proper oral health via regular dental visits and compliance with a dentist-recommended treatment plan are being given a very low priority that can only be described as neglect.

To be completely frank, your Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait!  Unfortunately, many people still believe that the only time they really need to see a dentist is when they feel pain.  Ouch!  That hurts us because, as caring dental professionals, we’re primarily focused on disease and pain prevention when our patients allow us to do so.

However, we see it time and time again – patients wait until emergency conditions arise, i.e. – broken tooth, severe pain, swelling etc. In virtually every one of these cases, the necessary and immediate course of treatment is much more invasive and costly than if the patients had been proactive and allowed us to diagnose these conditions early or take steps to prevent them entirely. Perhaps you yourself have “been there, done that.”  If so, you should agree that oral healthcare is a perfect example of an “ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure.”

Did you know that what you can’t see or feel happening in your mouth can still hurt you?  Recent studies have linked undiagnosed and untreated periodontal disease with increased complications for patients with heart disease, diabetes, and other systemic health conditions including some cancers. The latest medical research also indicates that maintaining optimum oral health is vital for one’s overall health and well-being.

Although many are postponing dental treatment due to economic factors, the fact is that many Michiganders actually have adequate dental benefits that they are not taking full advantage of – even though they pay for a portion of the dental benefits! Our office staff can help ensure that you are taking full advantage of your allotted and deserved dental benefits – especially those routine hygiene visits that can go a long way in preventing cavities and periodontal disease.

Even if you don’t have dental benefits, you can maintain the oral health of you and your family by discussing flexible, interest free payment plans with our office staff or using a major credit card, which we accept as well.

Our goal it to help you achieve your Optimal Oral Health based on what is most important to you.  We strive to provide you, your family, and friends with the highest level of care in the most trusted, modern, state-of-the-art, friendly, relaxed, and enjoyable environment.  Call us today to schedule a visit to begin your journey to the smile you have all ways wanted!

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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