Before                                              After

Are your front teeth. . .

•  Stained?

• Crooked or Uneven?

• Too Short, Wide, or Fat?

• Chipped or Worn from Grinding?

• Bonded with old, discolored filling material?

If so, they can be greatly improved by fabricating porcelain veneers and placing them on the surface of the affected teeth.

Veneers are thin pieces of porcelain cemented over the front of your teeth to change their color and shape.  Veneers have a longer life expectancy (approximately 15 years) and color stability than bonding, and highly resist permanent staining from coffee, tea, or even cigarette smoking.

 We love completing porcelain veneers because it is a truly life-changing experience.  However, not everyone is an ideal veneer candidate.  It is important to be knowledgable about both the advantages and disadvantages of Porcelain Veneers.

Disadvantages

Removal of Enamel: Although my goal with veneers is to be as conservative as possible, we do need to remove .5-1mm of enamel in order to fabricate veneers that fit properly.  This is very minimal, but it is irreversible.

Expense: We do try to keep our cost down for this procedure because Dr. Dan does love to do them, but this can be an expensive procedure.  If you are interested, we would be happy to provide a complimentary consultation to give you a quote of what your case would cost.

Advantages

Esthetics: In many cases, we are able to achieve truly dramatic, life-changing results.  If you are embarrased to smile, please consider Veneers.  No one should have to hide their smile.

Speed: Veneers are typically a two-appointment process.  The first appointment cosists of preparing the teeth, taking impressions, and fabricating temporary veneers.  Two weeks later you will return to have your new veneers cemented and be able to show off your new smile immediately!

Periodontal: Since Veneers are individual units, they are very easy to take care of.  You can eat, drink, brush, and floss just like normal.

If you are interested in seeing what Veneers could do for you, please give our office a call at (312) 726-3135 to set up a complimentary consultation.  

3 Things Everyone Should Know about their Dental Insurance

1) There are MANY different types of policies out there!

There are a lot of options when it comes to Dental Insurance, and what type of policy you or your employer has chosen will affect where you can go and whom you can see. The most common types of dental insurance are:

DHMO (Dental Health Management Organization):This type of policy requires you to stay within your insurance carrier’s contracted network of dentists. While often the most affordable, it is also the most limiting of the different policy types.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization):There are two types of PPOs. Overwhelmingly popular is the variety that allows the patient to see doctors in or out of network with set percentages for each type of provider. There also exist PPO policies that require you to stay inside their network of doctors, though this is less common.

Fee for Service:Often known as Dental Indemnity of Direct Reimbursement plans, this type of plan allows the patient to go in or out of network and pay a specific percentage for each procedure regardless.

Of the above, the Dental PPO is probably the most prevalent. Let’s take a look at what that typically comprises (you’ll see a lot of similarities in break-down here with DHMO and Fee for Service plans).

2) How a Dental PPO policy typically breaks down

While every policy is different, there are some over-arching similarities in PPO dental insurance policies. Insurance companies will almost always break your coverage down into four major categories:

Preventative:This will include services like cleanings, exams and often xrays.

Basic:You usually see fillings, root canals and periodontal work (dealing with your gums and bone) in this category.

Major: Crowns, bridges, dentures and other extensive work appear here.

Ortho:Insurance carriers may add orthodontic coverage to their policies, though often when they do it is limited to children. This varies WIDELY, so if it’s something you are interested in pursuing, make sure to call your carrier and check what benefits you have!

Each category will be covered at a different percentage by your policy, and may or may not be subject to a deductible. While this varies quite a bit from plan to plan, a typical policy will have:

Preventative:               80 – 100%, deductible does not apply

Basic:                            60 – 80%, deductible applies

Major:                           40 – 60%, deductible applies

A typical deductible will be between $25 and $100, with an annual maximum benefit of $1000 – $2000.

There are a few other key features of dental insurance that are worth noting when choosing a policy or examining your existing one. They are:

Waiting Periods:Some policies will institute waiting periods, either as a general rule or due to late entry to an existing group policy. These are typically in the 6 - 12 month range and usually only apply to basic or major services.

The Missing Tooth Clause:  Plans will either provide benefits for teeth you’ve lost before you had the policy or not. This is called the missing tooth clause. Some plans will put one in effect for only the first year or two that your coverage is in effect, creating a specific kind of waiting period.

Preventative Frequencies:Most plans will limit the number of times you can get preventative services within your benefit year (which may be different from a calendar year!). Typically you’ll see cleanings and exams allowed either twice a year or once every 6 months. These are not the same! One allows the cleanings to be anywhere in the year where the other dictates how far apart they must be. You’ll see a similar situation with xrays, which may need to be separated by anywhere from 1 to 5 years depending on the type. Make sure you and your dentist are paying attention to when these services are performed to get the most out of your benefits!

3) You may have Out of Network Benefits you’re not using

A lot of people think that the benefits they have only work for them if they stay in network. Not necessarily true! What we see in our office most often is out of network benefits that equally match in network for preventative services, and match or cost only 5 – 10% more for more serious work. Many times the only difference comes in how the insurance companies determine their allowable charge (what they’ll pay for each procedure). When going in-network, allowable charges are based on contracted rates determined by the insurance company. When outside of the network, these charges are based on the Usual, Customary and Reasonable fee (UCR) for the geographical area you are receiving service in. If your dentist bases their charges similarly on what is common in the area, you may see very little difference in these out of network rates.

If you have a fee for service or PPO policy and the dentist you want to see is not in your network, all is not lost. Check with your dentist or with your insurance company directly for the lowdown on what your plan offers; you may have more benefits than you think! 

The skinny on brushing: what to do and how often to do it

Research shows that, above all else, TIMING is key when it comes to brushing. Ideally you should brush at least two times a day, for 2 MINUTES at a time. Most adults don't come close to brushing that long. One good trick for getting your time in appropriately is to use a stopwatch, focusing for 30 seconds on each quadrant of your mouth (upper left, lower left, lower right, upper right). To take the guess work out of it, you can always invest in an electric toothbrush, many of which are timed to lead you through a proper brushing experience.

Now of course, timing isn't EVERYTHING. Technique is also critical in maintaining excellent oral health. You want to use short, gentle strokes and pay extra attention to your gum line, keeping the bristles at a 45-degree angle to your teeth. Make sure to hit the outer, inner and top surfaces of each tooth, focusing on two to three teeth at a time. To help keep breath fresh, don't forget to brush that tongue!

Once you've got the timing and technique down, it's time to consider the right instruments to use. We recommend a toothbrush with a small head and soft bristles (make sure you replace it every 3 months!). If you are interested in an electric toothbrush to take the guesswork out of the equation, the two we really like are:

http://www.oralb.com/products/professional-care-smart-series-5000/

http://store.philips.com/store?Action=DisplayProductDetailsPage&Locale=en_US&SiteID=rpeusb2c&productID=156572700

Toothpaste choice will ultimately depend on your needs and your doctor's recommendation. We like to recommend a fluoridated toothpaste to help keep your teeth strong. If you experience sensitivity or are interested in whitening, there are a world of options out there: talk to your dental professional about which is right for you!

Finally, you'll want to finish it up with the right mouth rinse. Listerine, or any mouth rinse that bills itself as antiseptic, is essential in reducing dental plague and gingivitis. Twice a day when you brush will help keep those germs at bay.

Be sure to combine this with our post on flossing to get the complete lowdown on oral home care.

Benefits Of Flossing
You might be interested in the variety of at-home tooth-bleaching products that are available if you think your pearly whites have become off-white. But remember that no teeth whitening product replaces twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing as a consistent dental care routine.
The majority of stains that we see in our office are NOT on the teeth themselves, but rather on the tartar from sugars and acids that adhere to the tooth surface. Regular use of dental floss removes plaque and tartar, helping to prevent "stained teeth."
Think of a carpet before and after you vacuum. You may not really see the dust and dirt, but once you vacuum and the dust and dirt is removed, the carpet looks brighter. The same principle applies to flossing. So while you’re thinking about using a teeth whitening product, try re-committing to daily flossing and twice-daily tooth brushing, which can improve the appearance of stained teeth in some cases. Many whitening toothpastes have extra chemicals or polishing ingredients to improve their stain-removing properties.  However, you should avoid these toothpastes if you have any gum recession.
If you have tooth-colored fillings or tooth-bonding material on your front teeth, bleaching agents won’t affect the color of these materials. Instead, ask your dentist about replacing your current stained bonding with either new bonding or porcelain veneers.

Congratulations to Dr. Greg Strobel who was named by Chicago Consumers' Checkbook as a "Top-Rated Dentist" in Chicago.  Dr. Greg received 100% ratings in numerous categories including "Maintainging a pleasant, clean office and pleasant staff", "Keeping down time in waiting room", and "Overall care and service."