As the holidays approach, holiday pictures, parties and social events come up on most of our schedules. It’s a time for your holiday dress, your new haircut or hairstyle and for a beautiful smile.
Keep in mind that you can give your smile an immediate boost with teeth whitening, which is the easiest way to quickly improve the cosmetic appearance of your smile. If you want that little extra boost for your smile and your family photo or holiday party is right around the corner, we can brighten your smile in just one day. In fact, we can do it on your lunch hour.
If you are interested in a more dramatic and permanent improvement, why not take a little time during this holiday season to learn about cosmetic reconstruction. Being an accredited cosmetic dentist and an instructor at The Las Vegas Institute, you can rest easy knowing you are in qualified and caring hands.
Maybe you want to consider this as a gift for a loved one or maybe this is something you have always dreamed of for yourself. Either way, why not start asking some questions now. A new, beautiful, confident smile may be an important part of 2010 for you.
If you have been thinking about improving your smile, please contact me today at 605-342-0989.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Neuromuscular science and sports
Check out this article on Neuromuscular mouthguards and how they improve performance.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Improving Athletic Performance
No doubt there are some Monday night football fans out there. Well, last week the power of Neuromuscular Dentistry hit the airwaves.
When Jonathan Vilma was traded to New Orleans he brought with him more than his talent, he brought a mouthguard called the PPM which is based upon the science of what I specialize in....Neuromuscular Dentistry. The general manager Mickey Loomis was so
impressed, he had the entire team fitted!
PPM stands for Pure Power Mouthguard. The PPM was created by one of my colleagues at LVI, Dr. Anil Maker. Neuromuscular Dentistry considers the entire system that controls the position and function of your jaw. It seeks to establish a jaw position based upon a harmonious relationship of the teeth, muscles and jaw joints. When this is accomplished, it affects the nervous system in a big way.
The purpose of this blog isn't to sell you a PPM. It is to create awareness around a science and a service that we use everyday as your dentist. We use the same medical grade testing equipment when we relieve the headaches of pain patients, create a snore guard for the sleep apnea patient, or reconstruct a severely damaged bite.
With the likes of Shaq and other pro athletes now benefiting from the science of Neuromuscular Dentistry, we hope that it soon will become a household word.
Until then, I'd love to let you know more about how you may personally benefit!
Go Saints!
When Jonathan Vilma was traded to New Orleans he brought with him more than his talent, he brought a mouthguard called the PPM which is based upon the science of what I specialize in....Neuromuscular Dentistry. The general manager Mickey Loomis was so
impressed, he had the entire team fitted!
PPM stands for Pure Power Mouthguard. The PPM was created by one of my colleagues at LVI, Dr. Anil Maker. Neuromuscular Dentistry considers the entire system that controls the position and function of your jaw. It seeks to establish a jaw position based upon a harmonious relationship of the teeth, muscles and jaw joints. When this is accomplished, it affects the nervous system in a big way.
The purpose of this blog isn't to sell you a PPM. It is to create awareness around a science and a service that we use everyday as your dentist. We use the same medical grade testing equipment when we relieve the headaches of pain patients, create a snore guard for the sleep apnea patient, or reconstruct a severely damaged bite.
With the likes of Shaq and other pro athletes now benefiting from the science of Neuromuscular Dentistry, we hope that it soon will become a household word.
Until then, I'd love to let you know more about how you may personally benefit!
Go Saints!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Do you snore
Do you snore? If so, there is important information and a special offer in this blog.
Snoring is not normal! In 1/3 of the people who snore it is just a social inconvenience or irritant and actually causes more health problems for your bed partner than yourself. They loose , on average, 1.5 hours of sleep a night thanks to you. However, for the remaining 2/3rds who snore, it is a sign of a very serious and dangerous disorder called sleep apnea/hypopnea.
Sleep apnea is where the body stops breathing entirely for 10 seconds or more. Hypopnea is where only very shallow breaths are taken. Not a big deal if it happens occasionally, but when it is happening hundreds of times a night, there’s a big problem…a lack of oxygen going to the brain and vital organs.
Other risk factors besides snoring include;
➢ Overweight
➢ Aging
➢ Large neck size (men >17…women >14.5)
➢ Narrow dental arches
➢ Enlarged tonsils/adenoids
➢ Allergies
➢
Disorders associated with chronic oxygen deprivation include:
➢ Heart disease
➢ Diabetes
➢ Inability to loose weight
➢ Stroke
➢ Fatigue
➢ Loss of libido
➢ Depression
➢ Irritability, Mood swings
➢ Memory Loss / Mental fog
That statistics are alarming. Studies show a 47% increase risk of premature death if sleep apnea goes undiagnosed and untreated. And if it doesn’t kill you, it may kill someone else. It’s one thing to fall asleep while watching TV and totally another thing to have an episode of “micro-sleep” while behind the wheel with the grandkids in the back seat.
Testing yourself for this silent but serious problem has never been easier. Instead of spending $3500 at a sleep center for a full blown sleep study, there is a home screening test available for only $350. The unit looks like a wrist watch with a couple of sensors attached to it that fit over the index and ring finger. One button is pressed and you go to sleep! It’s that simple. When the unit is returned the next morning the information is downloaded into the computer and your results are printed out for immediate review.
If the results show simple snoring with no sleep disorder then a snoring appliance is indicated. Believe me, your bed partner will appreciate it! I know I do. (On our last trip my husband forgot his appliance and I was a bit grouchy the whole trip because I didn’t sleep well.)
If the results show a problem, then treatment is available for that as well in the form of a custom made appliance specifically designed to keep the airway open at night and allow for maximum oxygenation of the brain and organ systems. Nutritional and lifestyle counseling may also be needed if there is a pH imbalance involved.
If you would like to be tested and have the piece of mind knowing that your snoring isn’t killing you or harming your loved ones, please give us a call at 605-342- 0989.
Yours for better health,
Dr. Kelly
P,S. Snoring in kids can be problem too! I will look at your kids for free and let you know if there’s a potential problem. Just call me at 605.342.0989 and mention this.
P.S.S. The first 3 to call will receive a 10% courtesy off of the home screening test.
Snoring is not normal! In 1/3 of the people who snore it is just a social inconvenience or irritant and actually causes more health problems for your bed partner than yourself. They loose , on average, 1.5 hours of sleep a night thanks to you. However, for the remaining 2/3rds who snore, it is a sign of a very serious and dangerous disorder called sleep apnea/hypopnea.
Sleep apnea is where the body stops breathing entirely for 10 seconds or more. Hypopnea is where only very shallow breaths are taken. Not a big deal if it happens occasionally, but when it is happening hundreds of times a night, there’s a big problem…a lack of oxygen going to the brain and vital organs.
Other risk factors besides snoring include;
➢ Overweight
➢ Aging
➢ Large neck size (men >17…women >14.5)
➢ Narrow dental arches
➢ Enlarged tonsils/adenoids
➢ Allergies
➢
Disorders associated with chronic oxygen deprivation include:
➢ Heart disease
➢ Diabetes
➢ Inability to loose weight
➢ Stroke
➢ Fatigue
➢ Loss of libido
➢ Depression
➢ Irritability, Mood swings
➢ Memory Loss / Mental fog
That statistics are alarming. Studies show a 47% increase risk of premature death if sleep apnea goes undiagnosed and untreated. And if it doesn’t kill you, it may kill someone else. It’s one thing to fall asleep while watching TV and totally another thing to have an episode of “micro-sleep” while behind the wheel with the grandkids in the back seat.
Testing yourself for this silent but serious problem has never been easier. Instead of spending $3500 at a sleep center for a full blown sleep study, there is a home screening test available for only $350. The unit looks like a wrist watch with a couple of sensors attached to it that fit over the index and ring finger. One button is pressed and you go to sleep! It’s that simple. When the unit is returned the next morning the information is downloaded into the computer and your results are printed out for immediate review.
If the results show simple snoring with no sleep disorder then a snoring appliance is indicated. Believe me, your bed partner will appreciate it! I know I do. (On our last trip my husband forgot his appliance and I was a bit grouchy the whole trip because I didn’t sleep well.)
If the results show a problem, then treatment is available for that as well in the form of a custom made appliance specifically designed to keep the airway open at night and allow for maximum oxygenation of the brain and organ systems. Nutritional and lifestyle counseling may also be needed if there is a pH imbalance involved.
If you would like to be tested and have the piece of mind knowing that your snoring isn’t killing you or harming your loved ones, please give us a call at 605-342- 0989.
Yours for better health,
Dr. Kelly
P,S. Snoring in kids can be problem too! I will look at your kids for free and let you know if there’s a potential problem. Just call me at 605.342.0989 and mention this.
P.S.S. The first 3 to call will receive a 10% courtesy off of the home screening test.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Migraines and TMJ
If you suffer from migraines headaches, you know it is an intense head pain that can last for hours or days. For some, it can be totally debilitating. If you have frequent headaches and the best your doctor can do is prescribe pain medication for your migraines, you should look into what neuromuscular dentistry can do for your headaches. The alternative might be migraines for the rest of your life and the need for dulling medications to live with them.
Migraine headaches are a common symptom of TMJ. This is a misalignment of the jaw that can cause numerous pains and discomforts in the head and neck. Most people think of TMJ (tempromandibular joint disorder) as only a cause of jaw pain. However, migraine headaches are a very common symptom and, because of their severity, they are a major cause for people to seek out more advanced treatments. Informed family doctors will also recognize persistent migraines as a symptom of TMJ and make a referral to a neuromuscular dentist.
My training at The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies qualifies me as one of this area’s top professionals treating TMJ. The neuromuscular approach to treating TMJ is non-invasive. Through the use of measuring technologies, I am able to determine the proper alignment of your jaw to relieve the stress on the jaw joint. In turn, this eliminates all the issues that misalignment is causing on all the connected tissues. The neuroumuscular approach is an effective and non-invasive way to treat TMJ and restore normal function to the jaw joint.
Along with normal function comes relief from TMJ symptoms including migraines. If you suffer from migraine headaches, why not ask me about how TMJ treatment works?
Migraine headaches are a common symptom of TMJ. This is a misalignment of the jaw that can cause numerous pains and discomforts in the head and neck. Most people think of TMJ (tempromandibular joint disorder) as only a cause of jaw pain. However, migraine headaches are a very common symptom and, because of their severity, they are a major cause for people to seek out more advanced treatments. Informed family doctors will also recognize persistent migraines as a symptom of TMJ and make a referral to a neuromuscular dentist.
My training at The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies qualifies me as one of this area’s top professionals treating TMJ. The neuromuscular approach to treating TMJ is non-invasive. Through the use of measuring technologies, I am able to determine the proper alignment of your jaw to relieve the stress on the jaw joint. In turn, this eliminates all the issues that misalignment is causing on all the connected tissues. The neuroumuscular approach is an effective and non-invasive way to treat TMJ and restore normal function to the jaw joint.
Along with normal function comes relief from TMJ symptoms including migraines. If you suffer from migraine headaches, why not ask me about how TMJ treatment works?
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
What is Bruxism?
Many people are not aware that they have a condition called Bruxism. But, if you wake up in the morning with a sore jaw or a headache, you may be grinding your teeth at night and that is bruxism.
This can be caused by short-term stress but it can also be part of a chronic, bigger picture issue such as TMJ. In high stress situation, we tend to bear down and grind our teeth. Most people do not realize when they do this during the day and they certainly don’t realize it when they are sleeping. The tension in the muscles from the grinding is what causes inflammation and pain.
If your bruxism is due to stress, stress relief techniques ranging from exercise to counseling to muscle relaxants might be the answer. But in the case of chronic bruxism, treatment for TMJ may be the relief you need. Treatments can range from custom fit nightguards to full treatment for TMJ is the bruxism is a symptom of the TMJ. It is important to treat bruxism to avoid putting undue stress on the teeth, which can lead to receding gums or damage to the tooth.
If you are grinding your teeth at night, causing stiffness in your neck and jaw or headaches, please contact me today about treatment for your bruxism.
This can be caused by short-term stress but it can also be part of a chronic, bigger picture issue such as TMJ. In high stress situation, we tend to bear down and grind our teeth. Most people do not realize when they do this during the day and they certainly don’t realize it when they are sleeping. The tension in the muscles from the grinding is what causes inflammation and pain.
If your bruxism is due to stress, stress relief techniques ranging from exercise to counseling to muscle relaxants might be the answer. But in the case of chronic bruxism, treatment for TMJ may be the relief you need. Treatments can range from custom fit nightguards to full treatment for TMJ is the bruxism is a symptom of the TMJ. It is important to treat bruxism to avoid putting undue stress on the teeth, which can lead to receding gums or damage to the tooth.
If you are grinding your teeth at night, causing stiffness in your neck and jaw or headaches, please contact me today about treatment for your bruxism.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Thinking of whitening your teeth?
There are lots of reasons why teeth whitening is a topic this time of year. Summer is a time for weddings, family reunions, travel and outdoor fun. Generally it is a time when a lot of photos are taken and people want to look their best. That often means teeth whitening.
Whitening is a very common treatment that can be done a number of different ways. It is often the first step someone takes when it comes to cosmetic dentistry and it is also one of the easiest and quickest treatments you can have to improve your smile. That is why teeth whitening is so popular.
When it comes to teeth whitening, you can get over the counter products at your local grocery store or drug store. These over the counter products can be effective but lack the strength of the treatments you can get from a dentist. And, in this case, strength of the chemicals equates to the amount of product and time you need to achieve a result. And, in the end, it makes a difference in what kind of result you will see. Most people who are serious about whitening their teeth wind up at the dentist asking for options even after they have tried the over the counter products.
Most dentists have a take-home whitening kit that you can purchase. Generally, it is more effective than the over the counter products. However, when someone comes to me for whitening, it is usually all about laser whitening. This is the one-hour whitening process we offer where we apply a special chemical to your teeth. That chemical reacts to a light source we place in your mouth and the results are whiter teeth. This is known as chairside whitening or laser whitening.
If you would like more information on whitening your teeth for an upcoming occasion, please contact me.
Whitening is a very common treatment that can be done a number of different ways. It is often the first step someone takes when it comes to cosmetic dentistry and it is also one of the easiest and quickest treatments you can have to improve your smile. That is why teeth whitening is so popular.
When it comes to teeth whitening, you can get over the counter products at your local grocery store or drug store. These over the counter products can be effective but lack the strength of the treatments you can get from a dentist. And, in this case, strength of the chemicals equates to the amount of product and time you need to achieve a result. And, in the end, it makes a difference in what kind of result you will see. Most people who are serious about whitening their teeth wind up at the dentist asking for options even after they have tried the over the counter products.
Most dentists have a take-home whitening kit that you can purchase. Generally, it is more effective than the over the counter products. However, when someone comes to me for whitening, it is usually all about laser whitening. This is the one-hour whitening process we offer where we apply a special chemical to your teeth. That chemical reacts to a light source we place in your mouth and the results are whiter teeth. This is known as chairside whitening or laser whitening.
If you would like more information on whitening your teeth for an upcoming occasion, please contact me.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Join our social network
Over the summer, we will be starting a Facebook page for our practice. If you haven’t tried social networking online, you should give it a try. It a great way to stay connected with people and share information with each other.
I will post it in my blog when we are ready for you to search us out and become our friend on facebook. Until then, you may want to try out Facebook. If you are unfamiliar with it, it is a free service with a lot of important privacy options. Users will tell you that it is a good way to keep up with what is going on with friends.
This is why we are making a Facebook page for my practice. As you, know, my practice is not your average dental practice. We make all kinds of efforts to ensure your comfort and to keep you posted on the important advancements in dentistry that can be of benefit to you and your family. Our Facebook page will allow us to do that even better, so we want to encourage anyone who is not on it to join up. We’ll be out there looking for you to become a Facebook friend really soon.
I will post it in my blog when we are ready for you to search us out and become our friend on facebook. Until then, you may want to try out Facebook. If you are unfamiliar with it, it is a free service with a lot of important privacy options. Users will tell you that it is a good way to keep up with what is going on with friends.
This is why we are making a Facebook page for my practice. As you, know, my practice is not your average dental practice. We make all kinds of efforts to ensure your comfort and to keep you posted on the important advancements in dentistry that can be of benefit to you and your family. Our Facebook page will allow us to do that even better, so we want to encourage anyone who is not on it to join up. We’ll be out there looking for you to become a Facebook friend really soon.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Do you have chronic headaches?
Most people would not consider going to the dentist for a headache but, for a lot of people, it can save you a lot of time and trouble. If you have chronic migraines, it could be caused by your bite.
I have a special post-graduate training in treating TMJ, a jaw joint disorder that causes all kinds of chronic pains, including headaches. In a nutshell, if your bite does not site properly, the jaw joint and connective tissues become irritated causing pain the jaw, head, neck and more.
Most people just go to their family physician when they have a persistent headache. Almost always, a family doctor will prescribe pain medication because the cause of the headache is usually apparent. I do my best to let area doctors know that they should refer patients with chronic, undiagnosed head, neck or jaw pain to me for a TMJ exam. Our TMJ exams are not invasive and the treatments are non-invasive as our goals are to realign the bite to alleviate the irritation in the jaw joint and surrounding tissues.
Treating TMJ when it is the cause of chronic head, neck and jaw pain is more preferable than relying on painkillers to numb back pain. It is healthier and almost all my TMJ patients tell me they feel like they have their life back now that the pain is gone. If you or someone you know suffers from chronic head, neck and jaw pain, please contact us for help.
I have a special post-graduate training in treating TMJ, a jaw joint disorder that causes all kinds of chronic pains, including headaches. In a nutshell, if your bite does not site properly, the jaw joint and connective tissues become irritated causing pain the jaw, head, neck and more.
Most people just go to their family physician when they have a persistent headache. Almost always, a family doctor will prescribe pain medication because the cause of the headache is usually apparent. I do my best to let area doctors know that they should refer patients with chronic, undiagnosed head, neck or jaw pain to me for a TMJ exam. Our TMJ exams are not invasive and the treatments are non-invasive as our goals are to realign the bite to alleviate the irritation in the jaw joint and surrounding tissues.
Treating TMJ when it is the cause of chronic head, neck and jaw pain is more preferable than relying on painkillers to numb back pain. It is healthier and almost all my TMJ patients tell me they feel like they have their life back now that the pain is gone. If you or someone you know suffers from chronic head, neck and jaw pain, please contact us for help.
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