Dental Insurance Benefits

If you paid your insurance premiums all year then you have earned your dental benefits - don't let them expire at the end of the year, most of them do.
Your dental insurance plan gives you a maximum of what you can spend on an annual basis. This amount varies for each insurance plan, but the average is around $1000 per person per year.
Whether your employer covers part of your PPO, HMO or custom plan, your benefits do not roll over to the next year. So any existing dental insurance coverage or flexible spending funds you have remaining will be lost entirely when your insurance expires, usually at the end of the year.
That's why we encourage our Patients to check their remaining benefits themselves or contact us early for an appointment, might just be a routine cleaning and exam – if you have remaining dental benefits it could be ZERO cost to you!
This time of the year we go through our records of unused benefits and call our Patients to let them know they can take advantage of this till December 31st. Most of them need minor work, or they can start a Smile Makeover and use the insurance coverage for part of the payment.
But it's also an option that if your dental health is in good shape and our records and exams don't indicate any problems in the near future - we'll tell you that it might be a waste of money to buy insurance and skip a year. Why? Because chances are you are only going to need 2 routine cleanings next year, and it might be cheaper to pay only for them than pay for insurance all year. We'll be honest with you and the amount of dental work you rally need. Plus most of the cosmetic procedures (and some necessary ones, like Implants) are barely covered by insurance anyway, it makes more sense to use CareCredit for those. So get a procedure that is typically not covered by insurance and make low monthly payments instead of insurance payments.
Every case is different and we need to evaluate the best solution for you, the sooner we do this - the better. Plus we have a raffle to win a 10" Samsung tablet this Holiday season so this is the best time to call 949-425-1447 to make an appointment or visit our website: http://alisoviejodental.com/contact.html

Why Biological Dentistry?

Biological Dentistry is not another specialty (like Cosmetic Dentistry) but rather a philosophy that can apply to all the subcategories of dental and to health care in general. It means to always seek the safest, least toxic and invasive way to accomplish the treatment, while treading as lightly as possible on the patient’s Biological terrain. Biological Dentistry also implies a more biocompatible approach to oral health.

There are now so many new ways to make dentistry work better, using modern technologies and biocompatible materials! It's our duty to advocate for the overall well-being of our Patients so we make biocompatibility a high priority in our office.
Everyone accepts that mercury is toxic, handling and disposal are strictly regulated. But if you have mercury in your mouth that is somehow OK apparently. We believe that your fillings should be made out of safe, biocompatible materials and we safely remove and dispose your old amalgam/mercury fillings.

In addition to using less toxic dental materials, we recognize the fact that Patients vary in their biochemical and immunological responses. The more a person suffers from allergies, environmental sensitivity, or autoimmune diseases, the more important Biological Dentistry becomes.
Public health science has failed over the years to verify a protective effect of water fluoridation on children’s teeth. Besides, more and more of the water we drink comes from bottles, it's filtered by our fridge or is coconut water, so dumping fluoride (a toxic byproduct actually, not naturally occurring) in all the water seems useless. Meanwhile, evidence of harmful effects of fluoride accumulation in our bodies continues to mount. There are safer products out there now that that have beneficial effects, we prefer those to fluoride.

In the old days, when the only restorative materials were amalgam or gold, and the only esthetic material were denture teeth, our profession had a hard time. Today, we can do better dentistry, in a less toxic, more individualized, more environmentally friendly way than ever. We have as many choices of attitude before us as we do techniques and materials. When you choose a Biological Dentist you know you are getting the safest experience for your overall health! Call us at 949-425-1447 for more info or visit us at http://www.AlisoViejoDental.com/

#DentistryFromTheHeart

This is the second year we participated in Dr Loberg's charity event, Dentistry From The Heart. He's been doing this for a few years now, and we had the privilege to be invited last year for the first time. Dr Loberg and his team take this opportunity to help a lot of Patients with their dental care needs, and they do it for free for people who otherwise couldn't afford it. It's a national event, follow the hashtag in the title and a lot of similar events all across the country will pop up. We were lucky enough to be invited to help, together with other Doctors  from other offices in the area, usually Dr Loberg's friends. Since his new office is so big they were able to help literally hundreds of Patients for free this past Saturday, but they also needed as many Dentists and Assistants they could get! It was a huge operation and we were happy to be a part of it, it's an unbelievable feeling to be able to offer free dental care to so many in our community! Thank you again Dr Loberg and the entire team at your office for a great event and an awesome opportunity!

Aliso Viejo

Aliso Viejo is one of the youngest cities in Orange County and also one of the most vibrant and diverse! A lot of new businesses and residential buildings popping up all the time and there is always something going on. A lot of people moving in this city every day, mostly because they found a job close by. But they take their decision to move here based on other factors, one of the safest cities in California being one of them. It's also very close to the beach, just a short 15 min drive (unless the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach is on, then all bets are off!), Disneyland and California Adventure, John Wayne Airport, The Spectrum, South Coast Plaza or Fashion Island. Hiking and biking trails are abundant, the Top Of The World is one of the most famous and offers great views of the ocean, it makes it easier to stay healthy!

But there is a lot to do in the city too, the Town Center has everything you need from Ralph's groceries store to Barnes & Noble, PetSmart or dental care. Plenty of restaurants, from Opah to Del Taco, from Stadium Brewery to Thai Bite and from Inka Mama to Subway you can find everything you need! We even joke about having 2 fried chicken places next to each other - Chick-Fil-A and Raising Cane's. There's also a movie theater and a Lowe's, Trader Joe's and CVS and Walgreens and an Pep Boys auto shop too! Did I miss anything? Yes I did, because there are so many small businesses around that would fill up this page and more!

There are a lot of big companies too, that employ a lot of city locals and others, you probably heard of  UPS and Dell, but there are plenty other ones as big that most people haven't heard of, like Microsemi, Fluor and Ambry Genetics.
One of the locals' favorites is Renaissance ClubSport for it's nice gym, pool, restaurant and great amenities.

Aliso Viejo is the home of SOKA University and the famous SOKA International Festival that happens once a year and attracts thousands of visitors from all over for a diversity of foods, cultural events and shows, it's a local "must see"!

Great schools in the city too, Aliso Niguel High School is the home of our beloved Wolverines!
Another great team that we support is the Aliso Viejo Girls Softball the most tenacious we know!

A lot of medical institutions around, the new Hoag Health Center is getting a lot of attention and also is Marque Urgent Care.

But what makes Aliso Viejo great is our people, very supportive for our local causes (just google Aliso Viejo Ranch and you'll understand) and very helpful with one another. All of the above and more make this beautiful city one of the best places to live and work!
https://youtu.be/cc4VEtEZtJs

12 Signs You Need To See A Dentist

Oh, and we can come up with 12 more! Here's why: because you shouldn't see your visit to the Dentist as a "last resort", "I'll wait till it hurts" or "I can take care of this later" kind of thing.
This is what American Dental Association lists as "must see a Dentist" reasons - pain, gums problems, you try to hide your smile, check-ups on previous dental work, medical issues, you're pregnant, trouble eating, dry mouth, tobacco, TMJ, spots and sores in your mouth or regular cleanings.
Yes, if anything bothers you in any way or hurts then definitely see a Dentist. Your pain or your situation will only get worse and it will be harder to treat, will take longer and it might cost more. In some cases if your bones recess with time, it will be harder, or close to impossible to get Implants any more.

But how about when it doesn't hurt? Everything is fine and you had your teeth forever and they worked just fine for you? Well, your smile says a lot about you! Most people say that's how they make their first impression about you these days, actually more important for your looks than the rest of your body. But we care a lot to stay fit, lose weight and have a healthy body, way more than we used to do a few decades ago. Just like that we should care to have a beautiful, bright, healthy smile that says a lot about us! From the first impressions to the perceived social status and health - a lot can come from just our smile. When you see someone with yellow teeth, dark spots or even missing teeth what do you think about them? They are procrastinators, they don't stay on top of things, they don't take care of stuff as they should, or they simply can't afford it (sad, but that's what people's firsts thoughts are). Would you hire or date someone like that? Studies show that - again, sadly- we won't.
So here are a few more reasons you should visit your Cosmetic Dentist even though there is "no problem" with your smile.

• You can get a healthier smile just by getting a cleaning and a few tips about better habits.
• You can get a brighter smile, LASER Teeth Whitening is affordable, fast and easy these days, you can do it in your lunch break.
• You can get Invisalign (adult clear braces) that is barely noticeable and it will straighten you teeth.
• You can get Crowns for your worn teeth (from teeth grinding, see below), you will notice that is easier to chew foods that you avoided lately and you never thought you had a problem with that. That will improve your diet, your digestion and your overall health.
• You can get Veneers that will dramatically improve the looks of your front teeth and your smile overall.
• You can get Gum Treatment that you never knew you had issues with (receding gums are a problem for older people), our Biolase Diode LASER might do wonders for you.
• You can get a Night Guard to help with your teeth grinding during your sleep.
• To get Implants for your missing or decayed teeth to improve your bite and your looks.
• To safely remove old Amalgam/Mercury fillings that you had forever, you know, the dark spots on your teeth that everyone sees when you laugh and they hate them. And Mercury is toxic, by the way.
• To get a Smile Makeover and get a beautiful new smile for the rest of your life!
• And many other reasons that your Dentist will determine at your next visit, go ahead and make your appointment now and change your life for the better!

"But I can't afford this right now" you might say. Well, think twice, we offer CareCredit, a financing program same as cash with no interest for up to 2 years. You can improve your smile now and make affordable payments with no money down.
So let's start improving your Smile today!
http://www.AlisoViejoDental.com

Are old amalgam/mercury fillings toxic?

Yes, mercury is toxic and it makes up to 50% of the fillings composition. You can make an argument that not much is released in your mouth in normal conditions, but grinding your teeth alone scraps a little, right? And some people are more sensitive than others, we've seen huge improvements and healing in some of our patients after the mercury in their mouth was removed. If you break a fluorescent tube or bulb in your house you are supposed to open the windows and ventilate properly, but having more mercury than a bulb in your mouth is somehow fine. We are not supposed to eat fish more than twice a week to keep the toxic mercury levels low, but having new fillings made with mercury (yes, they still make those since are the only ones covered by insurance!) is somehow fine.

OK, if you need to do more research or want to find out more about it please do so, but if you are ready to replace those old, dark, mercury filled spots on your molars in a way that is safe for you as a patient, for the dental staff and for the environment please give us a call. We use special suction tips that cover your tooth and attract particles so they don't end up in your mouth. You will wear a mask and an Oxygen supply so you don't inhale those particles either (and so are the Doctor and the Assistants). They use special grade filters masks that keep out the mercury particles. Also, there is special filter vacuum close to the working area, so no toxic particles are released in the office, that one is on all the time during your visit. After the old filling removal and tooth treatment you receive a tooth-colored filling that is barely visible and above all non-toxic, perfect for your new brighter, beautiful smile!
Find more info on our website http://www.AlisoViejoDental.com/ or stop by if you are in the area, our address is: Aliso Viejo Dental - 26921 Aliso Creek Rd Ste B, Aliso Viejo, Ca 92656

Why Cosmetic Dentistry?

The short answer: because your Smile is the first thing people notice, the first thing they remember about you and probably the most determinant factor for the first impression others have of you, read more about this here.
The long answer? Well, (sadly!) most people only go to the Dentist for their routine cleaning or when a tooth hurts. I guess that's enough if you don't care to move up in your life. But if your goal is to make a good, lasting impression then you should think about improving your already healthy Smile!
The easiest and cost effective way to start is Teeth Whitening! It could take as little as 20 minutes in our office and it will make a huge difference for your overall looks!
Another option for improving your Smile fairly quickly and not too expensive are Veneers. It's much easier and less expensive than most people think Veneers cost. Please call or email and ask for a free evaluation for your Smile Improvement, so you will know if you are a good candidate.
And of course, there are always dental Implants. They replace damaged or missing teeth, and they look and feel like the real ones.
We also offer Invisalign (clear braces) for adults, so you can straighten your teeth while feeling confident that your braces aren't visible!
We can also do a Smile Design, which completely improves both your oral health and looks, a combination of the procedures above, usually in addition to gum treatments or decay removal, most likely done under Sedation. Those are fairly long procedures that go on for hours, but the good part is that while you are under Conscious Sedation it will seem like minutes and you won't remember a thing!
The only thing you'll care about is going to be your #BrighterSmile you'll see in the mirror the next day and the Facebook and Instagram posts where you'll brag about it! Go ahead, you deserve it, you just changed your life for the better!
Find more info on our website and please contact us or walk in and start the process of becoming a New You!
AlisoViejoDental.com
949-425-1447
Office@AlisoViejoDental.com