Waterford Family Dental Care

There’s An Alternative for Dentures: Dental Implants

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There’s An Alternative for Dentures: Dental Implants

Losing teeth is never fun; whether the loss is due to disease or a physical trauma of the mouth, anything that affects our appearances is difficult to deal with. When you experience tooth loss, you’re also confronted with decisions you never thought you’d have to make:

  • Do I need to replace my teeth?
  • How soon?
  • Will dentures make me look old?
  • Are there other treatments that will allow me to look more like myself?

The good news is that my team and I have another solution for toothlessness that patients love. Find out more.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are surgically implanted posts that, once healed, function just like a tooth root. Because the implants fuse to the jaw bone, they are a secure and permanent anchor for individual prosthetic teeth.

The Wonders of Implants

The reason implants are such an attractive option for our patients is because they offer multiple benefits, such as:

  • Easy Cleaning — Because the prosthetic structure mimics that of a natural tooth, you can clean your dental implants just like you would with a mouth full of the choppers you were born with. Brush after every meal, floss daily, and visit us at least twice a year.
  • Freedom to Feast — Implants are permanent and secure, so they won’t go anywhere when you bite into an apple or tackle a nice juicy steak. Unlike denture wearers, you won’t have to cut your food into small, easily digestible bites; your implanted teeth will do the work for you.
  • Worry-Free Living — With implants, there is no need to worry about someone seeing you without your teeth, fear that your speech has become unclear, or fret when you can’t find your dental adhesive. Without all of these worries, you are free to confidently share your smile with the world.

These are just a few of the benefits of dental implants. If you’d like to learn more, contact our office to schedule a consultation. Your Waterford Family Dentists can’t wait to give you a reason to smile.

What To Do If …

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What To Do If …

No matter how careful we may be, dental emergencies happen. And they don’t just occur during contact sports or other physical activities, either. All it takes is one trip over your dog’s leash and BOOM! There goes that front tooth. Since we can’t avoid dental emergencies altogether, the team at Waterford Family Dental Care wants you to be prepared. Here are three of the most common dental emergencies and what to do if when they happen.

  1. Your tooth gets knocked out: In this case, it’s important to contact my office ASAP. In the meantime, gently rinse the tooth in cold water (do NOT scrub) and place the tooth back in the socket, if possible. If it’s not, don’t force the tooth; instead, place it in a cup of milk or in your own saliva. The faster you act, the more likely you are to save the tooth.
  2. Your tooth gets chipped or cracked: If you can find any tooth fragments, rinse them with cool water and place them in a cup of milk or saliva. If any nerves or dentin is exposed, you may experience severe pain and will be prone to infection, so it is urgent that you contact me if this happens.
  3. Your crown, filling, or veneer gets damaged: While these aren’t emergencies in the traditional sense, it is still important that you deal with them before further damage can occur. While you wait for an emergency appointment, try reattaching the crown or covering the space where the restoration used to be with dental wax. If you’re experiencing pain, use an over-the-counter numbing agent (such as Orajel) to help you feel more comfortable.

We hope you never have to experience a dental emergency, but if you do, having a plan in place will increase the chances of maintaining your gorgeous smile. Whether for a dental emergency or a semi-annual exam, let Waterford Family Dental Care handle all of your family’s dentistry needs. Contact our office today to schedule an appointment. We serve patients in Waterford, Michigan, and the surrounding communities.

Why You Should Smile EVERY DAY!

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Why You Should Smile EVERY DAY!

Your smile is your best accessory! Sure, there are days when you don’t feel like smiling, but even a fake smile can make you feel and look better. Best of all, it can make those around you feel like a million bucks. When you’re feeling frowny, just remember the following reasons why you should smile every day:

 

Smiling Is Contagious

Louis Armstrong said it best: “When you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you.” Want a challange? Try to NOT smile at someone who smiles at you. Smiling makes others feel happy and valued. Another perk? A genuine smile can disarm even the most hostile person. In almost any situation, a smile will make others around you do the same.

 

Smiling Makes You Feel Good

Here’s another challenge: Simultaneously try to smile and feel miserable. It’s simply not going to happen! Not that smiling is the cure to everything, but even a fake smile will get those neurotransmitters going and make you feel good. Smiling stimulates the production of serotonin and other endorphins that ward off depression. The next time you’re feeling blue, try smiling!

 

Smiling Is Good For Your Body

In a 2012 study at the University of Kansas, researchers found that smiling influences the body’s ability to recover from stress. Under stress-inducing stimuli, the heart rates of those who smiled recovered faster than those who didn’t. Smiling also retrains your brain. Each time you smile, your brain tracks the activity; as the activity becomes habitual, your brain “rewires” itself to form more positive thought patterns than negative.

 

Smiling Makes You Successful

Okay…there is no guarantee that it will make you successful, but it will create the perception that you are successful – and that’s half the battle. People who smile are often more productive and more creative; both traits lead to enhance problem-solving abilities. Those who can deal with conflict and resolve it with a smile are more likely to be recognized as successful by others.

 

Smiling Makes You Look Good

For some, this may be the single most important reason to smile. When you smile, the corners of your mouth lift, your cheeks lift, your jaw (or jowls, in some cases) lift – all of which make you look vibrant and youthful. If your smile is genuine, then the corners of your eyes lift, as well. Smiling simply makes you look kind, pleasant, and approachable.

 

What’s keeping you from smiling? If you don’t have the smile you desire, Waterford Family Dental Care can help. From Invisalign to implants, we can give you a smile that you’re happy to share with the world. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Best of the Best … AGAIN!

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Best of the Best … AGAIN!

Dentistry is a people business, and at Waterford Family Dental Care, we take great pride in treating our patients like, well … people! We take time to build relationships, listen to concerns, and communicate with those who matter most in our line of work. Our greatest joy is knowing that a treatment we’ve provided has changed a person’s life, whether by relieving pain, restoring the functionality of their teeth, or giving them the smile they’ve always dreamed of having. When we’re publicly recognized for our work, it’s just icing on the cake.

Guess what? It’s cake time, friends, because we’ve been awarded the Oakland Press “Best of the Best” Readers Choice award for the 10TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR!

How It Works

Every year, readers of the Oakland Press nominate and vote on the “Best of the Best” in Oakland County, Michigan. The categories range from “Best Movers” and “Best Realtors” to “Best Lunch Spot” and “Best Dentist.” For a solid decade, our patients have have confirmed that we offer the best dental care around.

We Owe It All to YOU!

This recognition wouldn’t be possible without the people who give us a reason to get up every day: our patients. Thank you for trusting us with your teeth, your gums, and your general health. Thank you for the reviews and referrals that let others know what we’re all about. And finally, thank you for nominating and voting us the #1 dentist in Oakland County.

Open Hearts and Open Doors

If you’re just now learning of Waterford Family Dental Care, we’d love to welcome you to our dental family! We offer general, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry as well as treatment for TMJ/TMD and sleep apnea. Contact us today to see what we’re all about. We look forward to seeing your smile!

Use Your Dental Benefits Before the Year Ends

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Use Your Dental Benefits Before the Year Ends

With the holidays just around the corner, now may be the perfect time to take advantage of your dental insurance benefits. If your dental plan is like most and runs on the calendar year, then your benefits typically reset after the holidays, each year. Most dental plans have a maximum coverage amount allocated per year; therefore, if you have any remaining funds in your plan and expect to be in need of a procedure in the near future, it would be wise to put these benefits to good use. This is especially a good idea since any unused benefits or dental dollars do not roll over into the new year. Since most insurance companies have a deadline of December 31 before the benefits of that year reset, you may find that there has never been a more ideal time to schedule a visit with Waterford Family Dental Care this holiday season.

Save Money on Necessary Treatment

Your dental benefits should never be wasted when you have standard procedures that still need to be taken care of, such as fillings, implants, or crowns. These are prime examples of how individuals can put their benefits to good use. Once you determine how many dental benefits you have remaining, you can find out how much you will have to pay and if you can have a majority of the procedure paid for by your insurance. It is also possible to divide a procedure into two phases, in which your dentist could do some of the work before the end of the year, and complete the procedure the next year once the benefits reset. If considering this option, it may be wise to consult with your dentist first to ensure that they can divide your procedure into two parts.

Get Preventive Care

Taking the initiative with your health is an efficient way to save time and money by scheduling preventive visits. Once you have used your benefits to ensure that the necessary treatments and procedures are taken care of, you can make use of your remaining benefits by putting them toward preventive care, which may include x-rays, fluoride treatments, and cleanings. This is also a smart option in that the preventive care can detect dental issues before they progress to a more serious issue. By preventing an issue from potentially worsening, you will save yourself significant time, stress, and money.

Schedule Your Appointment

If you find that you still have remaining benefits from this current year in your dental insurance plan, then you can treat yourself this holiday season by taking advantage of your dental dollars. If you are unsure of how many benefits you have remaining or have any additional questions, call our office or your dental insurance company for more information. Make this holiday season extra special with the perfect smile! We serve patients living in Waterford, Michigan, and the surrounding areas.

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