Monday Night Football

Did you see Monday night football when New Orleans played? The announcers talked about the advantage the Saints had that night. What was that advantage? The Saints General Manager had the team fitted with the Makkar Pure Power Mouthguard(R). Studies have shown that this mouthguard increases strength, flexibility and balance.

The Pure Power(R) mouthguard can only be fitted by a dentist trained in Neuromuscular Dentistry as I have been. The technology is the same that we use to treat TMJ disorders including headache and migraines. The mouthguard improves performance in any sport that requires strength, balance and/or flexibility such as golf, baseball, football, hockey, tennis, martial arts, etc. Other companies have recently come up with their own mouthguard, however, they are not backed by science.

To learn more about the Makkar Pure Power(R) mouthguard visit www.makkaradvantage.com for a demonstration of how it works or call our office in Traverse City, MI @ 231-933-9000 for a free consultation.

Women's Expo

We had an Envision Dental booth at the Expo on Sept. 19 and 20th. We had a great time meeting so many wonderful people and Grand Traverse Resort was a great place to have it.
We gave out tooth brush cases to all and had a drawing for Zoom Whitening and one for a Sonic Care power tooth brush.

We also gave a 20 min. presentation at the Expo. Lynne, our hygienist, talked on a very timely subject. More and more people are taking bisbiophosphates, such as Boniva, to increase bone density. However, for some people there can be necrosis of the jaw bone. Lynne will be posting a blog on this subject, going into greater detail. Holly, our treatment coordinator, talked about some of the areas we specialize in; such as, Smild Makeovers, Implants, TMD treatment - along with related Headaches and Migraines, Snoring and Sleep Apnea treatment, and Sedation Dentistry. Holly will also be posting a blog on these topics.

We would like to thank every one that stopped by the booth to say hello; and invite them to stop and visit us at the office.

I would like to thank my office team for all their hard woud and dedication to making the Expo a success. Thanks to Janet, Kyle, Holly and Lynne.

Tom

Sleep Apnea

I have just finished my third "lunch and learn" in as many weeks. I met with the area sleep physicians and we talked about how we could help each other to provide the best possible treatment for people who suffer from Sleep Apnea. People with Sleep Apnea often snore loudly and stop breathing many times during the night. This can be a life threatening condition. It can lead to high blood pressure, stroke and even death. Not to mention those who are injured or killed due to day time sleepiness, falling asleep while driving.



Some signs and symptoms of Sleep Apnea are:




Excessive daytime sleepiness

Loud, disruptive snoring or nocturnal pauses in breathing

Gasping or chocking for air while sleeping

Restless sleep

Depression and irritability

Morning grogginess and headaches; inability to concentrate



If you have and of the above, we can screen you for Sleep Apnea. And if there are positive signs, we would send you to your physcian or one that specializes in sleep problems. An over night sleep study is the best way to diagnos sleep apnea.



Our role in all this is to aid the Sleep Physcian. First, by screening our patients for this deadly conditiion. Secondly, to aid in treatment. In most cases, the best treatment for Sleep Apnea is a CPAP machine. It is a device worn at night that sends pressurized air into your nose thus keeping the airway open. However, some people find it uncomfortible and won't wear it. For these people, especially with mild to moderate Sleep Apnea, an oral appliance such as the Somnodent MAS works as well. It is an oral appliance, fitted by us, that opens the airway up and allows you to breath, by moving your jaw done and forward. No chords nor machines to carry around. If you have and questions, please give us a call.



Thanks,



Dr. Tom Berard

Just finished another implant course, this one on min-implants. These can be used to anchor a loose denture in place.

If you have loose dentures or missing teeth, we now have multiple ways to help.

It has been a long time coming, but the web site is finally up. There may be a few bugs with it, so let me know of any you find. TAB

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