COULD THIS BE YOUR STORY?

For most of his life, Bernie G. loved to be among people, enjoying the energy of a crowd. But when life turned on a dime and his dental health faltered, losing one tooth after another, he no longer sought out the people who gave him so much joy. Instead he kept to himself, fearing his own smile.

That changed the day he met the man who promised a fresh start. And Bernie, a man who always took time with such important decisions, knew almost immediately this was someone he could trust.

Thanks to Dr. Sheldon Sullivan and a cutting-edge dental procedure, Bernie is his old self again. In fact he’s even better, as Bernie credits Dr. Sullivan’s help for improving his smile as well as his overall health.

Bernie now sports a healthy, confident smile thanks to a relatively pain-free procedure that Dr. Sullivan not only practices, but teaches. “As soon as I found out Dr. Sullivan teaches other dentists how to do implants, I knew he was the man I was looking for,” Bernie said. “He definitely knew his stuff.”

Years ago, Bernie retired to take full-time care of his ailing wife. As time passed and Bernie’s devotion increased, his health deteriorated. He was diagnosed with diabetes, and his teeth also began to decay and fall out.

His granddaughter, who’d recently graduated as a dental hygienist, told Bernie about a revolutionary method in which life-like teeth are affixed permanently with titanium screws. Bernie, who’d for years resisted dentures because of the problems that came with them, was intrigued. She introduced her grandfather to Dr. Sullivan, who described the procedure.

Using X-rays and 3D-scans, Dr. Sullivan would design the perfect set of teeth that are non-removable. The new sets would be so detailed and lifelike, no one could tell they were made of a nearly indestructible material known to mimic the look of a tooth’s natural enamel.

Working hand in hand with his team, Dr. Sullivan is able to provide a smile transformation in just one day with minimal discomfort or none at all.

Bernie felt good as he sat down in the chair on the day of the procedure, knowing he’d wake up hours later with a different, much improved look. But even he was surprised how smooth everything went pre- and post-op. “They gave me pain pills afterward and I didn’t need one,” Bernie said. “Not even baby aspirin. I couldn’t have been happier. They did everything they said and more.”

His new look now gives Bernie the confidence to leave his house. One benefit he didn’t expect, Bernie said he has since saved as much as $3,000 a year on prescribed medications.

“Bad teeth can lead to so many other health problems,” Bernie said. “Since Dr. Sullivan helped me out, I haven’t needed to take all those pills anymore. I’m in my 80s and haven’t felt this good in years.”

Dr. Sullivan said Bernie’s story is one he hears often. “It’s a transformation,” Dr. Sullivan said. “Lives are forever changed in such a positive way. It’s a gift, one I feel so fortunate to be able to give.”

Though Dr. Sullivan has taught the procedure to hundreds of dentists around the country as well as internationally, he still takes joy in being able to offer the plan to Valley patients.

“People come to me so dentally exhausted,” he said. “It’s gratifying to make such a difference in their lives.”

And Bernie? Not only does he embrace the company of others, he also takes advantage of every mirror he sees, shooting himself a dazzling smile.

If you want to know more about this amazing transformation call our office today at 480-507-1993 to schedule your free consultation!

Excellence through Education and Professional Development

In his effort to provide excellent care for his patients, Dr. Sullivan attends professional meetings, conferences and continuing education events every year. Recently he was at the annual meeting of the Academy of Osseointegration. The academy is dedicated to the highest standards in patient care, research and education.  Specifically, this meeting provides some of the best education in implant technology and dentistry around the world. As a patient, you can be confident that Dr. Sullivan has the knowledge, artistic skill and professional judgment to provide you with excellence in care.

New Product!

by: Margo RDH

In some of our past posts we’ve talked about choosing the right dental care products. While there are many great products out there, we’re really excited to offer a new product in our Gilbert dental office, Periosciences. Most oral care research has focused on bacteria. Periosciences approach focuses on the mouth’s natural defense system – salivary antioxidants. Periosciences utilizes many natural ingredients with well documented antibacterial properties. Their products use antioxidants to help maintain a healthy mouth and to help reduce inflammation due to infection or trauma.

At Dr. Sullivan’s Gilbert office we offer two types of kits, one for sensitivity and one for dry mouth. Each includes toothpaste, hydrating mouth rinse and gel.

The sensitivity kit includes toothpaste containing fluoride and potassium nitrate which help to reduce sensitivity. The mouth rinse is a mild mint rinse which is soothing to the gums but contains antioxidants to help reduce inflammation. There is also a gel in the kits which quickly reduces inflammation and sooths tissues.

The dry mouth kit is very similar to the sensitivity kit, but the important difference is the gel. The Periosciences dry mouth gel is hydrating and non-irritating to the tissues in your mouth. Patients that have dry mouth get tooth decay more easily due to the saliva not buffering the low pH in the mouth caused by acidity in food and drinks. Also, because the saliva flow is reduced, it’s not rinsing plaque and food off the teeth. The dry mouth gel helps moisten the mouth, keeping you more comfortable.

I personally have used the Periosciences sensitivity kit after I had a crown done by Dr Sullivan. I was experiencing a little sensitivity and decided to try the kit and was honestly surprised by how much I loved the products. The toothpaste is now my favorite toothpaste! The rinse and gel helped the gums around the new crown to heal quickly. I only recommend products that I’ve used and believe in, and I absolutely recommend the Periosciences products.

Call our office today at 480-507-1993, to schedule your appointment and ask about Periosciences

Too Many Choices…

One thing that frustrates me when shopping for dental products is the abundance of choices. Our patients often ask what products are best, so we wanted to share our recommendations with you.

TOOTHBRUSH

When choosing a toothbrush the one word that should come to your mind is “Sonicare”. We definitely believe this is the best toothbrush available. An electric toothbrush is better than a manual toothbrush, but if that’s not an option for you right now there is one thing to remember, soft bristles and a compact head. Medium and hard bristles over time can cause recession of your gums and create grooves in your teeth. We love the Gum brand of toothbrushes, which are difficult to find in stores, so come visit us for your hygiene appointment and we will give you one to use.

FLOSS

The type of floss we love to use in our office and we all use at home is the Johnson and Johnson Listerine woven floss. The packaging says Gentle Gum Care. The woven floss tends to remove more plaque and is a little gentler on your gums. If you have extremely tight contacts between your teeth, a thinner waxed or tape floss might be a better option.

TOOTHPASTE

When you’re looking for toothpaste make sure it has fluoride. Sodium fluoride is your best option, stannous fluoride can cause staining and tissue sloughing, so check those labels! Fluoride helps to strengthen your enamel and help re-mineralize areas in the enamel that have started to decay. If you have sensitive teeth, look for sensitivity toothpaste that contains Potassium Nitrate, which helps occlude the open dentin tubules that cause sensitivity. Sensodyne is a good one because it doesn’t contain Sodium Laurel Sulfate or SLS, which is a foaming agent also found in soaps and detergents, and has been linked to canker sores.

If  you’re not sure what dental products to buy, come see us, we would love to guide you through those confusing dental aisles in the store.

What’s a DIAGNOdent?

X-rays are a great tool for diagnosing decay. However,  x-rays are a 2-dimensional image of a 3 dimensional object  and don’t show decay on the biting surfaces of teeth clearly. There are occasions where there is a suspicious area on a tooth that doesn’t show up in the x-rays and is visually difficult to diagnose. Here in Dr. Sullivan’s office we have technology that allows us to determine if those suspicious areas are active decay.

Altered tooth substances and bacteria fluoresce when they are exposed to a specific wavelength of light. The DIAGNOdent operates at a wavelength of 655 nm. At this specific wavelength, clean healthy tooth structure exhibits little or no fluorescence, resulting in very low scale readings on the display. However, a decayed tooth structure will exhibit fluorescence, proportionate to the degree of caries, resulting in elevated scale readings on the display of the DIAGNOdent.

Many of Dr. Sullivan’s patients here in Gilbert, AZ love the DIAGNOdent because it is easy to use, is painless, and helps us accurately diagnose any area of decay so we can provide minimally invasive treatment. The DIAGNOdent helps us detect early decay, thus allowing us to place a smaller restoration and leave you with a healthy smile. Click here for more information on the DIAGNOdent

If you’re worried you might have a cavity, call our office today to schedule an appointment. With an xray and the DIAGNOdent, Dr. Sullivan can determine if you have decay and can treat it as soon as possible to avoid further decay.

Why is fluoride important?

We recommend fluoride to all of our patients, but we often hear this question…..Why is fluoride important?

Why is my mouth so dry?

Have you ever used any of these words to describe your mouth; cotton mouth, dry mouth, parched, or even Sahara desert? You’re not alone! Dry mouth is common for many adults and 20% of elderly people. The clinical term for dry mouth is xerostomia, but we’ll call it “dry mouth”. It’s not a disease but a side effect of an underlying condition or the treatment of that condition. Not only is it uncomfortable but it can also interfere with your speech and swallowing,  it causes bad breath, makes wearing dentures difficult, and can worsen your oral hygiene by lowering the pH in your mouth and increasing bacterial growth. What many patients don’t realize is that prolonged dry mouth can cause severe tooth decay.

The most common culprit for dry mouth is medications. According to RDHmag.com, the types of medications most likely to create the symptoms of dry mouth include antidepressants and antianxiety drugs, antihypertensives, antihistamines and decongestants, some analgesics, antidiarrheal medications, muscle relaxants, and drugs that treat urinary incontinence and Parkinson’s disease. The website www.drymouth.info provides list of medications associated with dry mouth.

Another common cause is head and neck radiation therapy. Systemic diseases can cause dry mouth including autoimmune diseases (particularly Sjogren’s and lupus), poorly-controlled diabetes, hyperthyroidism, Parkinson’s, and 60% of bone marrow transplant recipients.

So you’re probably asking what you can do about it? Here’s a list treatment options to help moisten the mouth and protect the teeth against decay.

• If possible, change the medication that’s causing the dry mouth
• Sipping water or melting ice in the mouth (don’t chew on ice!)
• Prescription fluoride toothpaste such as Fluoridex or Prevident
• Biotene and ACT Dry mouth rinses
• Avoid using products containing the drying agent SLS (Sodium Laurel Sulfate) Sensodyne does not contain SLS and is a great toothpaste.
• OTC fluoride or xylitol mouth rinses (ACT Dry Mouth Mouthwash)
• Regular use of xylitol products (first listed ingredient) that stimulate salivary flow and discourage decay causing bacteria (Spry and Ice breakers gum)
• Gels that neutralize oral pH such as Biotene gel.
• Application of vitamin E-containing ointment to dry lips
• For many of our Gilbert dental patients we make customized fluoride trays for use with remineralizing agents such as MI Paste.

I was shopping at Wal-Mart last week in Gilbert and thought I’d share a photo of the products that we recommend to our Gilbert patients.

 

The Biotene and ACT dry mouth rinses are great products and many of our Gilbert patients prefer to use them. Biotene’s dry mouth gel or spray is great to apply on the insides of your cheeks and gums prior to bedtime to reduce that dry mouth discomfort which often disrupts sleep. ACT has recently started making a dry mouth lozenge as well.

If you feel like you’re experiencing dry mouth, our team at Dr Sheldon Sullivan’s Gilbert office can recommend the best product for you. Call today for your appointment 480-405-1007.

Navigating all the choices in the dental aisle.

Are all the choices in the dental aisle at the store overwhelming you? Margo will help you make the right choice.

What can you expect at your visit?

What’s a visit to Dr. Sheldon Sullivan’s office like? Jennifer gives you a tour.

Bernie’s life changed in just one day!

For most of his life, Bernie loved to be among people, enjoying the energy of a crowd. But when life turned on a dime and his dental health faltered, losing one tooth after another, he no longer sought out the people who gave him so much joy. Instead he kept to himself, fearing his own smile.

That changed the day he met the man who promised a fresh start. And Bernie, a man who always took time with such important decisions, knew almost immediately this was someone he could trust. Thanks to Dr. Sheldon Sullivan and a cutting-edge dental procedure, Bernie is his old self again. In fact he’s even better, as Bernie credits Dr. Sullivan’s help for improving his smile as well as his overall health.

Bernie now sports a healthy, confident smile thanks to a relatively pain-free procedure that Dr. Sullivan not only practices, but teaches. “As soon as I found out Dr. Sullivan teaches other dentists how to do implants, I knew he was the man I was looking for,” Bernie said. “He definitely knew his stuff.”

Years ago, Bernie retired to take full-time care of his ailing wife. As time passed and Bernie’s devotion increased, his health deteriorated. He was diagnosed with diabetes, and his teeth also began to decay and fall out. His granddaughter, who’d recently graduated as a dental hygienist, told Bernie about a revolutionary method in which life-like teeth are affixed permanently with titanium screws. Bernie, who’d for years resisted dentures because of the problems that came with them, was intrigued. She introduced her grandfather to Dr. Sullivan, who described the procedure.

Using X-rays and 3D-scans, Dr. Sullivan would design the perfect set of teeth that are non-removable. The new sets would be so detailed and lifelike, no one could tell they were made of a nearly indestructible material known to mimic the look of a tooth’s natural enamel. Working hand in hand with his team, Dr. Sullivan is able to provide a smile transformation in just one day with minimal discomfort or none at all.

Bernie felt good as he sat down in the chair on the day of the procedure, knowing he’d wake up hours later with a different, much improved look. But even he was surprised how smooth everything went pre- and post-op. “They gave me pain pills afterward and I didn’t need one,” Bernie said. “Not even baby aspirin. I couldn’t have been happier. They did everything they said and more.”

His new look now gives Bernie the confidence to leave his house. One benefit he didn’t expect, Bernie said he has since saved as much as $3,000 a year on prescribed medications. “Bad teeth can lead to so many other health problems,” Bernie said. “Since Dr. Sullivan helped me out, I haven’t needed to take all those pills anymore. I’m in my 80s and haven’t felt this good in years.”

Dr. Sullivan said Bernie’s story is one he hears often. “It’s a transformation,” Dr. Sullivan said. “Lives are forever changed in such a positive way. It’s a gift, one I feel so fortunate to be able to give.”

Though Dr. Sullivan has taught the procedure to hundreds of dentists around the country as well as internationally, he still takes joy in being able to offer the plan to Valley patients. “People come to me so dentally exhausted,” he said. “It’s gratifying to make such a difference in their lives.”

And Bernie? Not only does he embrace the company of others, he also takes advantage of every mirror he sees, shooting himself a dazzling smile.

If you’d like to know more about this revolutionary procedure or reserve an appointment with Dr. Sullivan, call our office today at 480-405-1007.

Bernie before

Bernie after