5 Great Reasons To Smile

1.    A smile can help lower your blood pressure. Don’t believe it? Try it next time you take your blood pressure.

2.    Smiling can help boost your immune system. Smiling reduces stress, which causes your immune system to beef up.

3.    When you smile you look younger. A smile can go much further than plastic surgery. Smile and watch the age fade away.

4.    Smiles make us more attractive. When you smile you attract more positive energy.

5.    Smiles are FREE. Not much in this world is truly free but you can improve your quality of life by just remembering to smile.

If your teeth are giving you a reason to not smile contact an experienced and knowledgable dentist team like the team at Ban R. Barbat DDS, Michigan Cosmetic Dentist.

Yet another reason why we always are harping on having a healthy mouth

If you have bleeding gums you may have gum disease.  This can cause many problems including heart disease and increased risk of cancer.  However for pregnant women the effects can be deadly for their unborn child.  Scientists have linked a stillborn child to gum disease and the associated bacteria, as reported by MSNBC.  Even if you are an expecting father, you need to be careful because you can spread gingivitis to the mother of your child, potentially harming your family.

Bleeding gums, tooth pain, sore gums, and gum disease can be treated with a proper plan and you need to be proactive about the health of your mouth.  Regular checkups and screening are very important.  Please contact an experienced and caring Michigan  dentist today if you have any of the symptoms or have not had a dental checkup in the past 6 months.

What Is The Best Toothbrush to have?

These days, toothbrushes come in many shapes and sizes.Some have angled heads, raised bristles, and handles that change colors with use. While each claims superiority, there is no evidence that one is etter than another. Most important is that you brush long enough to thoroughly remove cavity-causing bacteria. Although most brush for less than a minute, brushing two to three minutes is advised.

What Is The Best Choice Of A Toothbrush?
The toothbrush head should be approximately one-inch long and a half-inch wide for easy access to all areas. Our preference is soft nylon bristles with rounded ends.

Should I Use An Electric Toothbrush?
Electric toothbrushes cover tooth surfaces faster using bristles that stimulate gums as they clean teeth. These are particularly helpful for those with limited manual dexterity as well as those in orthodontic treatment. Use light force and slow movements as the bristle action does the work. Be sure to supervise children under 10 who use electric toothbrushes.

How Often Should I Change My Toothbrush?
Toothbrushes are less effective once the bristles become splayed and frayed. Too, toothbrushes used longer than three to four months may harbor the bacteria that contribute to gum disease. If you have had an illness, replace your toothbrush at the onset and again when you are well.

How Do I Brush?

With the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle, gently rub back-and-forth. Brush outside the teeth, then inside, giving particular attention to chewing surfaces, between teeth, and the surface of the ongue. Brush at least twice a day and floss daily to maintain good oral health between your hygiene visits.

At our Metro Detroit Cosmetic Dental office we want to make sure our patients know the best way to keep a healthy smile.

If ridges on tooth surfaces look flat or you occasionally wake up with jaw soreness, you may be grinding your teeth while you sleep.

Nighttime teeth grinding is a habit of one-third of Americans and employs ten times the force of normal chewing. Not surprisingly, it contributes to problems such as loose teeth, headaches, and pain in the temples and jaw.

To keep your upper teeth from rubbing against lower teeth, a custom-made mouth guard is recommended. This gives an exact fit so it is comfortable for sleeping. The firm plastic material of which it is constructed often eliminates the urge to grind.

If you suspect you are grinding your teeth, or hear grinding from your spouse, call our Michigan Cosmetic Dental office at (586) 739-2155 or mention your concerns to Dr. Barbat at your next visit.

It is my hope that this blog will bring to light information about our practice for our patients of record as well as for potential new patients.  Not only will I be sharing news from the practice, I will also include information on special offers, tips, behind the scenes stuff, and some fun stuff too.

There will be LOTS to share!  So, please stay tuned as we get the ball rolling…

Until then, please feel free to catch up with previous newsletters or our Facebook page.

Ban R. Barbat, DDS

The quickest and most effective way to have whiter teeth right away is through in-office whitening.  We use the Zoom Advanced Power System which can give you a whiter smile within the hour!  The procedure is quick and easy.

The regular price for this procedure is $399.  For a limited time, you can get “Zoomed” for $99; that’s a savings of $300!!  This great deal is available to any new patient who has completed a new patient visit (which includes an exam, x-rays, and a cleaning).

Are you a patient of record wondering how you can get this great deal?  Just refer a new patient to use and we’ll extend to you the special price of $99 for Zoom.

This offer is available through October 15^th, 2008.  So, call us soon 586-739-2155 or contact us via our website.

Ban R. Barbat, DDS

Our practice has been using the K7 Evaluation System by Myotoronics since February of 2007.  Coincidentally, in that same month, Japan’s Health Ministry recognized the K7 Evaluation System as a requirement for orthodontists to receive payment from the National Health Insurance Program.  Also, all 29 dental universities in Japan have the K7 system and 23 of 60 medical schools have one as well.  This is significant recognition for the neuromuscular approach in managing a patient’s bite.

We use the K7 Evaluation System to help us treat patients with Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) pains such as migraines, headaches, facial pain, as well as head and neck pain.  Many of our patients who have undergone treatment with the K7 tell us that their headaches and pains are greatly reduced and/or eliminated.  Let me share some patient testimonials with you.

This testimonial was posted on Dr.Oogle (a website for patients to post reviews) no 7/26/08:

“After years of battling headaches & migraines and spending thousands in medical doctors & testing, my 16 year old son finally found relief with Dr. Dan Barbat. Her advanced training in neuromuscular dentistry quickly diagnosed & treated my son for a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. Every week following Dr. Barbat’s TMJ procedures , my sons headache pain has reduced. I can’t thank Dr. Barbat & her staff enough for giving my son’s life back!”

This testimonial was mailed to us on 11/28/07:

Dear Dr. Barbat:

I just wanted to thank you for all your time and services to help relieve me of my migraine headaches.  I have been suffering with migraines for over 10 years, averaging a headache at least 5 times a week.  The orthotic that you recommended has truly been a blessing.

Thank you again for all that you did…

It is very gratifying for me to help my patients in this manner.  If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact us at (586) 739-2155 or on the web.

For many Americans going to the dentist is a frightful event, even though dentistry has changed so much in the past years. A visit to the dentist can now be relaxing and fun. Unfortunately, this is not enough for the approximately 145 million people who avoid the dentist due to fear.

Together with my caring team, I’ve recently completed special training to update our skills to allow us to treat these fearful people. Using a small pill, people can now have their dental care accomplished while they are totally relaxed and absolutely comfortable.

Since I started offering sedation about 8 years ago, I have learned that building trust takes more than a pill though.  You have to work with your entire team to be very sensitive to patients with high fear and apprehension.  It’s unfortunate that so many good people are avoiding needed care due to fear. I hope that these people learn about this safe and wonderful technique of anxiety-free dentistry.

I’ve been a member of the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation (DOCS) since 2000.   The purpose of DOCS is to provide the education necessary for dentists to provide needed care to the large population of people who are avoiding the dentist and to improve their lives with better dental health.

Dentistry is very high tech today with all sorts of gadgets that get the job done better and quicker.  With anxiety-free dentistry, I can bridge the gap between technology and comfort. You should see the look on the faces of my patients when they complete their care and they have a healthy mouth – there aren’t words to describe it! That look is why I love dentistry. I helped to change someone’s life.

We are proud of this commitment to our community.

To experience serene care, call us soon 586-739-2155 or contact us via our website.

Ban R. Barbat, DDS

For many Americans going to the dentist is a frightful event, even though dentistry has changed so much in the past years. A visit to the dentist can now be relaxing and fun. Unfortunately, this is not enough for the approximately 145 million people who avoid the dentist due to fear.

Together with my caring team, I’ve recently completed special training to update our skills to allow us to treat these fearful people. Using a small pill, people can now have their dental care accomplished while they are totally relaxed and absolutely comfortable.

Since I started offering sedation about 8 years ago, I have learned that building trust takes more than a pill though.  You have to work with your entire team to be very sensitive to patients with high fear and apprehension.  It’s unfortunate that so many good people are avoiding needed care due to fear. I hope that these people learn about this safe and wonderful technique of anxiety-free dentistry.

I’ve been a member of the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation (DOCS) since 2000.   The purpose of DOCS is to provide the education necessary for dentists to provide needed care to the large population of people who are avoiding the dentist and to improve their lives with better dental health.

Dentistry is very high tech today with all sorts of gadgets that get the job done better and quicker.  With anxiety-free dentistry, I can bridge the gap between technology and comfort. You should see the look on the faces of my patients when they complete their care and they have a healthy mouth – there aren’t words to describe it! That look is why I love dentistry. I helped to change someone’s life.

We are proud of this commitment to our community.

To experience serene care, call us soon 586-739-2155 or contact us via our website.

Ban R. Barbat, DDS

Everyone notices a new smile, but no one needs to know…

I just ran into Tony V at Level Health And Fitness when we go to talking about cosmetic dentistry.  He was blown away by my husband’s smile because he thought it looked so natural; he didn’t believe that his teeth were actually covered by veneers.  He looked at a few pictures of my patients who have had “smile makeovers” and he was amazed that these were all done without braces.

This got me thinking that maybe I take for granted that everyone understands the miracle of cosmetic dentistry in the hands of an experienced dentist.  Not only does cosmetic dentistry give you a beautiful smile, it also gives you healthy gums and teeth.

There are many reasons to want a beautiful smile.  Maybe you want to be more attractive to others.  Maybe you understand a great smile will give you much more credibility in business meetings.  Or maybe you simply don’t like what you see when you smile in the mirror.

You may not know that we can provide you with a breathtaking smile that is virtually indistinguishable from the ‘real thing’.  With the newest porcelains available, creating a smile that others see as simply a ‘great smile’ (instead of looking like ‘false teeth’ or ‘caps’) is only a couple of dental visits away.

Come see for yourself what we can do for YOUR smile — we will be happy to show you numerous photos of our own patients.  If your smile bothers you, take care of it now.  It will be the best investment of your life.

Call us soon 586-739-2155 or contact us via our website

Ban R. Barbat, DDS