Payment is made directly to our office at the time of your appointment and the dental benefits company will reimburse you directly. We assist you by electronically submitting your claim to your dental benefits provider and ensuring you are well informed working with your insurance. You will be reimbursed within a few days. We have several payment options available for your convenience such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Direct Debit or cash.
A dental implant is a device, typically made out of titanium or zirconia, which is placed in the jawbone to replace a missing tooth. A crown or cap is then placed on top of an implant to complete the procedure. Implants can also anchor bridges or dentures. Implants are an effective way to replace a tooth in many cases when other options aren’t feasible. If you are interested, discuss with your Living Wellness practitioner whether or not you are a candidate for an implant.
TMJ disorder (or TMD) is pain, discomfort or tenderness around the temporomandibular joint (jaw joint). Signs or symptoms of TMD may include jaw stiffness, difficulty chewing, difficulty opening or closing the mouth, jaw clicking or locking and headaches. It is important to discuss your specific symptoms with your dentist to determine how it can be treated.
Three of our mentors have excellent websites that explain what we believe is the best way to straighten a child’s teeth. Below are those websites with a brief note about each of the clinicians.
Dr. John Mew is an orthodontist in England who developed the Biobloc approach. Our dentists have taken courses from Dr. Mew, and have used his approach on their own families. Since that time, Living Wellness Dental Northland has gained considerable knowledge and experience through treatment of many orthotropic cases. View Dr. Mew’s website here.
Barbara Green is a myofunctional therapist in California who has taught us how to help a person change their mouth postural habits. If the habits that caused abnormal jaw growth and crooked teeth are not corrected, the results won’t be as good and will not be stable. Myofunctional therapy is like piano lessons. You have to come weekly, and if you don’t practice every day at home, it’s all a waste of time and money! View Barbara’s website here.
CEREC (or ceramic reconstruction) is a technological device that allows Living Wellness Dental Northland to design and manufacture dental prostheses and restore teeth for the long-term in a single visit. In many ways this technology has revolutionized dentistry. The CEREC milling machine, located within the dental office, designs and mills custom fitted restorations simultaneously, saving time while maximizing precision. The beautifully designed inlays, onlays, and crowns, carved from durable ceramic material look completely natural. CEREC technology aids in the creation of the most accurate fit without the need to remove excess amounts of tooth material.
Some of our patients have several sensitivities. All patients are put through a screening process to identify sensitivities already established and perhaps some that our patients are not even aware of. We are particular about the chemicals and materials used in the treatment of all of our patients. Living Wellness Dental Northland has investigated several materials we feel are the most beneficial for patients with special sensitivities and goes to great lengths to minimize the risks of material and patient incompatibility. Just like shoes one size does not fit all. Please ask us about how this is done in our office.
Many dentists are committed to using the most suitable materials for each patient. No two people are exactly alike, which is why we perform Clifford Materials Reactivity Testing (CMRT). This screening process helps your dentist identify existing sensitivities you may have to different chemical groups and families of compounds. Upon completion of the testing process, a report is provided and maintained containing the results that guide our treatment plans.
Each person has a unique biochemistry. The substances that we come into contact with on a daily basis will not necessarily affect us in the same way or to the same degree as they would someone else. Some people experience serious health problems due to the effect of a certain substances, or even from their by-products, where others are unaffected by the same substances. Because each of us may respond differently to the effects of various substances, it is important that dental care takes potential sensitivities into consideration. This is especially true for individuals with existing health concerns.
Performing on a patient gives us the in-depth knowledge base from which to formulate an accurate treatment. This test allows us to understand which materials are most appropriate for each given patient.
Galvanic current is not a new phenomenon. This term has been a part of dentistry for over a century. The galvanic current is created by the interaction of dissimilar metals in the mouth when these metals come into contact with saliva.
There are several different types of galvanism:
- Pain may result from the current created when a silver/mercury filling interacts with an opposing or adjacent gold filling and saliva. The contact between these two dissimilar metals shorts the energy circuit, sending an electrical current through the pulp of the tooth.
- The contact between dissimilar metals may occur when the upper and lower teeth come together when you chew.
- Restoring two adjacent teeth with dissimilar metals creates a pathway for the galvanic current to travel from tooth to tooth through the dentine, tissue fluids, and bone, leading to sensitivity and discomfort.