Dental Waste Management-safe disposal of silver/mercury amalgam fillings

Quite a lot of patients still have silver/mercury amalgam fillings from either back in the day when this was the only option or from more recent times, since some dental offices still offer these. The issue of mercury waste from removed fillings impacts nearly every dental office, but very few talk about this. Research in the United States and other countries has repeatedly demonstrated that dental offices play a significant role in releasing mercury into the environment. Much of the concern is due to the fact that when mercury is released into the environment it is known to poison the ecosystem for years, thereby harming plants, animals, water, and soil.
Many cities and counties have mandated separators in all dental offices, and many more are considering doing so, unfortunately Orange County isn't one of them. Amalgam Separators can remove over 99% of the mercury from the waste water of a dental office before it gets released into the environment and eventually ends up in our water and food. Aliso Viejo Dental has taken the initiative to install an Amalgam Separator in our office to minimize the impact of toxic waste. These filters are changed annually to maintain maximum performance and the bigger debris in traps are safely disposed monthly.
Together with the special suction tips we use when removing silver/mercury amalgam we have created a safe environment for patients and our staff. Please contact us if you need more info about safe removal and disposal of silver/mercury amalgam fillings.
AlisoViejoDental.com

LASER Teeth Whitening

There are so many ways to brighten up your pearly whites these days that it might sound confusing for some and hard to chose for others. The best way to do it is in the Dentist's office, since they are the most qualified and have all the "tools" you can think of. There are "at home" or "to go" kits too and most of them work fine but it best to use them periodically in addition to your "in office" teeth whitening.
In the Dental office most whitening techniques apply a gel on your teeth, usually in a tray, that gets activated by Zoom or LASER and cleans the "pores" in your enamel making it translucent and so it appears whiter. Easy, right? Well, it depends on the gel, how log you apply it and how hot the activation light is, besides other factors. The Zoom system was popular for a while and it did a good job, people would put up with high sensitivity and time spent in Dentist's chair just to get a beautiful smile and more compliments from their friends. But things have evolved and these days you can achieve more, faster with LASER and a better gel.
When the LASER shines on the teeth patients experience a warm sensation, but it is not painful or discomforting, it shines on your teeth for only short, 30-second intervals, compared to other light-based in-office whitening systems (like Zoom) that shine a heat-producing lamp for several minutes at a time.
Our teeth naturally lose their white color as we age, from external influences such as smoking, coffee, tea, red wine, soy sauce, caramel color, chocolate, etc. The whitening procedure will have a lot of cosmetic and medical benefits on your teeth. The increased awareness for a healthy smile rapidly increases the user's hygiene. As a result, patients generally have significant improvements in oral and systemic health from whitening thier teeth! "Having your teeth whitened makes you feel good, it's like wearing a great outfit or a wonderful accessory!"

Current promotion: Only $299 special price!

 

Good oral care goes a long way!

Many people don't know but the health of your mouth can affect the rest of your body. They are interconnected and just because the effects are most of the time delayed they get ignored or overlooked.
Bacteria from teeth and gums can affect your overall health in many ways. The reverse is true too, having good oral care habits isn’t just about keeping your choppers healthy.
Probably the most common connections associated with poor mouth health are heart diseases and diabetes. Periodontal disease is associated with atherosclerosis, meaning arteries getting clogged by fats.
Regarding diabetes it seems to be a two-way street: diabetics tend to have trouble processing sugar because of a lack of insulin, and gum disease can further intensify this problem.
Other studies suggest that infections in the gums that can lead to tooth loss may release inflammatory substances which, in turn, can aggravate brain inflammation that causes neuronal (brain cell) death and eventually leads to memory loss. That is the gate to Dementia.
There are other links to lung diseases or cancer and they can all be prevented by taking better care of your oral health. Floss every day (those travel floss picks you can keep in your car do wonders!) and brush your teeth twice a day.
Need a cleaning or any kind of treatment? Please make an appointment and use any of our promotions you can find at http://www.AlisoViejoDental.com/Promotions.html

Does your Dentist have this? The secure Credit/Debit card liability shift is here!

The well-publicized EMV mandate (Credit/Debit card liability shift) is looming for merchants as we quickly approach the October 1st 2015 deadline. That is the date when the counterfeit and, in some cases, the lost or stolen cards info liability shifts from the big banks to the merchant, and yes, that means your Dentist too! In a few days if a chip enabled card is presented for payment and the merchant is unable to read the chip on its terminal, the merchant assumes the burden of the fraud risk. Yes, you read that right: the merchant, not the issuing bank, assumes the risk, and if there are fraudulent charges on your card a simple call to your bank won't fix it any more You will have to get money back from the small business responsible for that. Yes, that is as hard as it sounds, why would you take that risk?
Aliso Viejo Dental has already upgraded to a secure system that takes the "chip" credit or debit cards, and on top of that it accepts Apple Pay and Android Pay! Yes, that means you can pay with your Apple watch or your phone (more info here: http://www.alisoviejodental.com/contact.html)
Keeping your information secure is part of our plan to keep you smiling!

Don’t Let Unused Dental Insurance Benefits Expire!

2015 is quickly coming to a close and so is your chance to use your remaining dental insurance benefits! Book your appointment before busy December to help you maximize both your insurance benefits and your flexible spending accounts.  All dental services, including cosmetic services like tooth whitening, qualify for most flexible spending accounts. Don’t miss out on the benefits you have paid for by not scheduling to complete your dental treatment before the end of the year!

Did you know that many individuals who are paying for dental insurance do not realize that their plans provide coverage up to a certain dollar amount each year? Consequently, some patients are not scheduling for necessary dental treatment even though they have insurance to cover many of these costs.  Similarly, if you do not complete services before the end of the year, you may
have unused, non-refundable money in your Flexible Spending Account. 
The bottom line: Use it or Lose it!
Take advantage of our promotions early!

INVISALIGN Treatment Provides Many Benefits!

INVISALIGN isn't the solution for everyone, but if you’re a good candidate there are LOTS of reasons for choosing Invisalign—and they’re not all simply about going metal-free!
Clear, removable Invisalign trays are a less invasive orthodontic treatment method. With Invisalign technology, your teeth can be straightened without causing inconveniences to your daily life.

Benefits You Probably Didn’t Expect:
The most obvious difference between Invisalign treatment and braces is their appearance, but there’s more to it than that.
For example...
•Less office visits. We’ll see you only once every 4 to 6 weeks.
•Invisalign trays can sometimes double as whitening trays or protective mouth gear for sports.
•The removable trays allow you to brush and floss normally, which results in better oral health during treatment.
•You can enjoy the foods you choose, without the dietary restrictions of braces.
•The smooth plastic trays are more comfortable, so you won’t deal with the irritation metal brackets sometimes cause.

Straight Teeth Provide More Than A Great Look!
Aesthetics aside, having straight teeth is important for a number of reasons. Straight teeth are easier to clean and floss. They also guard against uneven wear, and painful TMD problems. Straighter teeth allow for more efficient chewing and enhance food digestion. Straight teeth can even cause better pronunciation and speech!

Is Invisalign Is Right For You?
Schedule an appointment with us for a free evaluation! We’d love to see what we can do to improve and preserve your beautiful smile. Thanks in advance for your trust!
Find more information here:
http://www.alisoviejodental.com/Invisalign.html

Smile To Work

At Aliso Viejo Dental we change lives one smile at a time! We've seen it numerous times and each and every day how people's lives improve and how their new smiles work for them! Their improved smiles work for their confidence, work for their self esteem, work for their personal lives and at work they get a better perception and maybe are considered for going up on the promotions list!
It's not just that the pain is gone after a visit at the Dentist but your whole life can change and this is what we are working on!