Don’t Let A Broken Tooth Ruin Your Vacation

Posted on August 20, 2018 by landerbrookdental

Airline tickets? Check!
Mail held? Check!
Neighbor has a key so they can feed the dog? Check!
Hotel confirmed? Check!
Vacation email autoresponder? Check!
Bags packed? Check!
Time for a relaxing lunch? Check! And CRACK! I think that was my tooth!

We’ve all been there. All the plans are in place. Everything is set for that vacation or trip out of town. We’ll be gone for a week or more. Then it happens – the unexpected thing that we need to deal with before leaving. Or wait for it to get worse while we’re gone.

Some things can wait, like a flat tire on the car you won’t be taking to the airport. Or the cable service appointment needs to reschedule.

Other things can’t wait, like a leaky pipe under the sink. Or your medication accidentally went down the sink. Or your tooth cracks during dinner the night before. You’ve been looking forward to this trip for weeks. The city you’re going to has some of your favorite foods and restaurants. Or you’ve got the presentation to the board several hours after your flight lands. Everything needs to be perfect for this trip. You can’t let a broken tooth get in your way. Food getting stuck while you’re eating. Tooth shocks every time you drink something even a little hotter or colder than room temperature. You want it fixed and you want it fixed NOW!

You don’t have to. You can have it fixed and you can have it fixed NOW! Before you leave for your trip.

Just last week, one of our patients called first thing in the morning. Opening at 7 AM, that gives us the whole day to get things taken care of. He said he was eating breakfast and felt something crunch, and it wasn’t Cap’n! He came right in and before he sat down, he said he was leaving town for a month. They had some family things they needed to take care of out of state and wanted to restore his tooth to working order so they could focus on the family stuff.

The broken part was too big for a regular filling, and too small to justify a crown. We decided on a ceramic onlay. It covered part of the biting surface of the tooth, but left as much natural tooth surface as possible intact.

We removed all the broken and decayed parts of the tooth as we refined and designed the tooth for the porcelain puzzle-piece onlay. We took a 3D picture of the tooth and designed the onlay on the computer. The design was sent to the milling machine we have in our lab and in about 10 minutes, we had the onlay ready to bond into the tooth. And he was able to get on the plane and focus on his family and not a painful broken tooth.

I know it’s not like Superman catching a school bus filled with kids that just went over a cliff, but we were able to remove a pain point for him. I know his trip out of town was much more enjoyable and meaningful than it could have been had he left with that broken and painful tooth.

In about the time it takes to watch a movie, he had his tooth fixed and he was on his way.

Our goal is to get you to a point where you only think about your teeth when you’re brushing and flossing. You shouldn’t have your day disrupted by your teeth. If that’s the case, we can sit down and plan a path to get there for you.

There’s an old saying that goes something like, “When is the best time to plant a tree? About 20 years ago. When’s the second best time to plant a tree? Right now!”

That goes for taking care of your teeth. When’s the best time to take care of a broken tooth? Before it breaks. When’s the second best time to take care of a broken tooth? Right now!

Unless there’s a good reason, the best time to place a crown or onlay is the day the tooth is prepared. The tooth is cleanest. There’s less trauma to the tooth. Less times getting numb. Fewer trips to the office. Less time in the chair. Just to name a few.

You may not be heading out of town tomorrow. Your tooth may not have crumbled during breakfast. But think of that tooth that we’ve been “keeping an eye on” for the past few years. Now may be the time to take care of it while you’re in control of the impact it has on your schedule.

We all have places we’d rather be and things we’d rather be doing, but if it’s doable and fits within your schedule, we’ll do our very best to make sure you get your tooth fixed today.

Call (440) 483-1003 to schedule your appoint to see how same day dentistry can help you focus on the other important things in your life.

Yours in Dental Health,

Jason Schermer DDS

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My Child’s First Dental Visit – When Should It Be?

Posted on March 11, 2018 by landerbrookdental

One of the questions we are asked by patients with their first child (and sometimes with multiple children) is, “when should I take my child to the dentist for the first time?”

That’s a very good question and it’s good that it’s being asked. The best time to ask the question is soon after the birth of the child, or before. But often, it’s asked when the child is 3, 4 or even 5 years old. That’s about 2, 3, or 4 years too late.

The first dental visit should be before the first birthday or when the first tooth appears in the mouth, whichever comes first. This is not just my recommendation, but also that of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Academy of Pediatric Dentists.

The importance of establishing a dental home for your child before the age of 1 is both prevention and educational. The key time to identify any potential issues is a soon as possible. The sooner something is identified, the sooner intervention can start. This limits the extent of damage that comes from allowing that issue to continue. This can be something as extensive as developmental issue such as a cleft palate or something like a hygiene or dietary counseling appointment. Most often, it is the latter. But in the limited instances where it is more significant, the intervention can begin sooner, the right team can be assembled, and a long-term plan can be developed. Our goal is to limit the impact any of these issues will have on the family’s lives. Identification and management is the key.

Some things to keep in mind prior to and during your child’s first visit –

1. Listen to your dentist – it may be your child’s first visit to the dentist, but it’s not their first time seeing a young child – they’ll have a good idea about how and when to schedule your child’s appointment

2. Keep your child’s schedule in mind when scheduling the appointment, but let the office help guide you in the final planning.

3. Bring a list of questions you have specific to your child’s dental health.

Question: When should I bring my child to the dentist for their first visit?
Answer: When their first tooth comes in or before their 1st birthday – whichever comes first.

That’s the question and that’s the answer from the best dentists and pediatricians in America.

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I’m Done With Braces, Now What About This One Tooth?

Posted on February 18, 2018 by landerbrookdental

When the braces go on, the clock starts ticking until they can come off. The closer you are to being done, the slower the time passes. When it’s finally time, the orthodontist and the dentist agree that they’re happy with the way the smile has lined up and the green light is given to set the teeth free!

The first thing you notice is how smooth the teeth feel and how nice it is to be able to eat a meal without carrying half of it around in the braces for the next hour or so. As the next few days go by, you notice that one of the teeth seems to be just a bit off. May be a bit shorter or rotated just a bit. You’re not sure, but as time goes on, you just know it’ll bother you if nothing is done.

The first conversation you have is with the orthodontist/dentist – they may be able to make a little correction – braces / retainer / Invisalign. You may just call your dentist and see if some minor bonding or a veneer could be done to fine tune the result.

Either way is fine. Once you decide which direction works best for you, your dental team is ready to help you get to where you want to go.

We treat cases like this all the time. Sometimes it’s right after the braces come off. Sometimes we do some bonding before the braces go on. Sometimes we do the bonding during the braces (usually to help guide the orthodontist into the final tooth position with a more natural size and shape for the tooth/teeth). Sometimes the bonding isn’t done until years after the braces have come off.

The deciding factor between a plastic bonding and a porcelain veneer is usually the size of the area we need to fix and how color stable we need it to be. Plastic bonding is good for minor areas and when it’s less of an issue if it picks up stain from food and drink over the years. A porcelain veneer is good for larger areas (peg laterals) or larger gap between front teeth. Also, when color stability is more critical.

I’m amazed with how long people will live with something that bothers them every time they see it and how their usual response after it’s fixed is, “I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner!”

If you have just finished your orthodontic treatment (or will soon), and there’s that one area or tooth that just needs a little help, talk with your dental team. They are there to help you get the smile you will love!

Yours In Dental Health,

Jason Schermer, DDS

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My Child is Graduating From The Pediatric Dentist – What Do I Do?

Posted on February 8, 2018 by landerbrookdental

I was just at a meeting the other day and one of the people there, whom I’ve known for several years, came up to me and told me that his daughter is “graduating” from her pediatric dentist. He asked if it would be ok for her to be seen in my office. “Of course, we’d love to see her,” was my response. He said he’d call the office and schedule her appointment. I was glad to have had the conversation with my friend and glad that we were going to meet his daughter soon, but something was bothering me as I walked to my car.

The biggest thing that struck me was that his wife is a patient in my office. Has been for a few years. He is currently seeing a different dentist who was a client of his when he was with a different company, but also wants to make the switch to our office. And he was asking if we could take care of his daughter!
I know the answer is yes. But why was he asking, if it was so obvious to us? Why was he uncertain if we would accept his daughter as a patient? I guess the bigger question was what did we not do to make sure he didn’t have to ask?

I began wondering how could we have been so focused on the daily tasks of patient care and missed out on fostering the culture that would make sure our friends knew that their friends and family would be welcomed with the same open arms that they are welcomed with.

The point of the story is I would hope that our patients consider themselves our friends and part of our family. I know the care we provide is given the same way I would want my parents to be treated. That being said, I want our friends and family to know that because someone is special to you, they are special to us. And we’ll give them the same welcoming care you receive.

Whether it’s your spouse who needs a cleaning, your neighbor who needs their denture relined, or your child who was just told by their pediatric dentist that’s it’s time for them to move to the grown up dentist office – we will welcome them with open arms! No need to ask if it’s ok, just know that we cherish the trust you have in us and are honored that the practice continues to grow through your kind words and referrals.

Yours In Dental Health,

Jason Schermer, DDS

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My tooth hurts when I bite down

Posted on February 6, 2017 by landerbrookdental

Sometimes a patient will come into the office with a history of a tooth that has been painful to biting. They can usually tell the general area of the discomfort, but if it’s only been a short time that they’ve noticed it they may not be able to tell exactly which tooth is the culprit. Sometimes, the tooth makes it very easy to tell. Every time the involved tooth is touched they feel the discomfort. Sometimes, there is a part of the tooth that has broken off or we can see a moveable piece of tooth. Regardless of the situation, we start looking for the answers to where is the pain coming from, what is causing it, and what do we need to do to restore the tooth to it is healthy state and make the pain stop.

1. Tooth Mobility – is the tooth (or part of the tooth) moveable with pressure? When we do this we are looking for a possible bite issue or an issue with how the teeth are lining up and possibly causing the discomfort. In these situations, it may only require a slight polishing of the tooth that is hitting too hard.

2. Pain with biting pressure – does the tooth hurt during normal biting pressure? We use a small plastic or wooden stick that is placed on different areas of the possible teeth and see if we can repeatably reproduce the symptoms. Then we can run other tests to see if the tooth is either cracked and how healthy is the nerve.

3. Is there a crack visible – when we can see a crack in the tooth through visual inspection and it corresponds to the sensitive tooth, we can then move forward with appropriate treatment. How do we see a crack in a tooth? When a crack is present, the light transmits differently through the enamel (or outer surface of the tooth). We also use an intra oral camera with fluorescent lights that make the cracked area show up differently than normal or healthy enamel.

4. X-ray – is there evidence of an abscess or infection at the tip of the root on an x-ray? If there is we then determine what the best treatment for the infection would be and any treatment needed following healing from the infection.

Usually, when there is a crack in a back tooth (premolar or molar), at the minimum, a crown would be needed to keep the tooth from breaking further and to make it so you can chew with it. If the crack goes into the nerve or the nerve is no longer healthy, a root canal will need to be done before the crown is made. Sometimes, a crack can go all the way through the base of the tooth. If this happens, the tooth will likely need to be removed and replaced with either a bridge or a dental implant. We will talk about those two options at a different time.

If you would like to discuss the topic in greater detail as it relates to your dental health, please feel free to call and schedule an appointment so we can discuss. We are always happy to give you the information you need to make a decision about your dental care that is right for you.

Yours in Dental Health,
Jason Schermer, DDS
Noor Almudallal, MS, DMD
(440) 483-1003

Posted in bite issues, cracked tooth, crown, Same Day Crowns, Temporary Crown | Leave a comment

Digital Impressions Continued

Posted on February 2, 2017 by landerbrookdental

When I started working with digital dentistry and CAD/CAM technology in my office, I was hesitantly optimistic. There were a lot of promises – crowns in an hour, easy scanning, easy design, patients will love it. There were also many of the old guard that poo-pooed the whole idea – it’s just not there yet, I know the way I’ve been doing it for my entire career works, I can get a superior product from a lab, my patients don’t care if they have to come back. Well, I took the plunge 8 years ago and haven’t looked back. In fact, I would like to think I’ve been looking forward since that day.

A little history, our youngest daughter had just turned one. My day was tooth related, our evenings were focused on our three daughters. I remember a lot of reading and re-reading the same children’s books. One of their favorites was “If You Give a Pig a Pancake” by Laura Numeroff. In the book, the main character had a pet pig who always wanted more.

My version of that story began like the pig in the story we would read to our kids, once I opened the door to digital dentistry and same day crown, I kept looking for the next thing I could use the technology for (and it hasn’t stopped yet). I had started using a CEREC cad/cam scanner in the office. It was the biggest player in the digital market. I was hooked. The technology was very cool and I couldn’t get enough of learning about it. I took online and hands on courses. I wanted to see how I could use the machine to give a better service to my patients. As I was working with the CEREC, I found things that were good and things that I wanted it to do, but couldn’t because of software limitations. I decided to look for more information and found what I was looking for with its closest competitor – E4D (now Planscan). I met with the local rep and saw the machine in their showroom. Everything I wanted the CEREC to do, but couldn’t, this machine could.

Side note – what led me to this other machine, was this. If I was working on 2 or more crowns, I couldn’t work out the design of all the crowns before committing to them all. I had to design the first crown, commit to the design, then start desinging the second. I couldn’t go back and modify the previous crowns if there was something I saw as I was working on the next ones. This software issue allows for a shorter amount of time to start the milling process while you were designing the next crown. It was adequate for daily use, but like the pig with the pancake, I wanted more.

However, I was focusing my practice on larger cases with multiple crowns. And one of the things I look at with these types of cases is management of how the contours of the teeth next to each other affects their long term health. The E4D (Planscan) let me do this. I was able to design the entire case at one sitting, take a step back, re-evaluate and modify, if needed. Once I was happy with the design, then the milling process could continue. Not a huge issue to many, but big enough to me to make me send back a perfectly good piece of technology and switch software and hardware.

So, I hopped on a plane to Dallas, Texas for the training and to see their production facility. I was able to meet with some of the designers of the software and hardware, techs working with the machine, customer support staff and some of the docs who had been working with CAD/CAM since it’s infancy. As I flew back to Cleveland, I knew I could never let this kind of technology go. While in Dallas, the E4D scanner and milling unit had been installed in my office. The integrator (tech rep to help with first day of use) was scheduled for late Monday morning. We had patients already scheduled for same day crowns starting first thing that day, about 3 hours before the integrator’s arrival. We had already scanned, designed and cemented three crowns before he arrived.

That was just the beginning, as patients became more aware of the technology at their disposal, they would often ask, “can we use your machine for this?” Sometimes it was yes, sometimes it was no. Sometimes it was I don’t know. For the nos and I don’t knows, we started asking why not. Many times, it was just a question of how do we get the computer to do what we want. Not being computer programmers, we had to work within the framework of the program itself. Sometimes it was straightforward, other times it was, “hey, look what we just did!” As the director of our residency program would say, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. As long as the job gets done, and done right.

The short version of the story is technology is pretty cool and finding ways to use it to provide a better result and improving the experience of the process never gets old. I’m looking forward to being an active part of the future of dental technology and sharing its benefits with you.

Find out how digital dentistry can benefit you. Call today to schedule a consultation and we can discuss this during your visit.

Yours in Dental Health,

Jason Schermer, DDS
Noor Almudallal, MS, DMD
(440) 483-1003

Posted in Digital Impressions, Jason Schermer, Noor Almudallal, Same Day Care, Same Day Crowns | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

We Love Seeing Your Entire Family

Posted on February 1, 2017 by landerbrookdental

Many of our families love being able to schedule the entire group during one visit. They find that being able to come in one time keeps their schedules running much smoother. Joey has soccer practice at 4, Cindy has basketball and 3:45, Theresa has debate club at 4. That doesn’t take into account the parent’s schedule. We know your time is valuable and that’s why we do everything we can to help fit your dental needs into your schedule. Your entire family can be seen with one trip to the office. If there is something that you need done beyond your cleaning, we have made it possible for you to get the needed treatment done right then.

I have three daughters and know how busy life can get. I’ve always appreciated it when things can be done as soon as possible when it comes to my family and felt it important to be able to offer the same to yours.

Not everything can be done during that one visit, but rest assured, we will do our best to respect your time and values for your dental care. If it can be done that day and you want it done that day, we will try our hardest to make it happen.

When scheduling your appointments, let our staff know if there are any other family members that we can help at the same time. We’re here to help.

Yours in Dental Health,
Jason Schermer, DDS
Noor Almudallal, MS, DMD
(440) 483-1003

Posted in Family Dentistry, Same Day Care | Leave a comment

3 Things to Know About Digital Impressions

Posted on February 1, 2017 by landerbrookdental

With all the advances in technology, one question I am asked a lot is ‘how does that benefit me?’ Well, the answer can vary from not much to it’ll change your life. Dental implants and full mouth reconstructions can change your life. Using a different white filling placer may make our job easier, but your experience with that technology may go unnoticed. Digital impressions (or 3D optical scans) wind up more than a little bit on the side of life changing. They make our job easier with instant feedback – did we get the information we need? They make your experience a lot better – no more goopy impression material running all over the place. Their improved accuracy allows us to provide you with a much better, long term, predictable result. Things fit much better and when they fit better, they last longer. Your case can be designed much better and there is more instant feedback between us and the lab if they are helping make your dental whatever. I wanted to share with you three of the more common topics that patients ask about – Invisalign, same day crowns (CEREC / E4D), and changes to the mouth over time.

1. Invisalign – ever wondered how you would look with straighter teeth? Well, with digital impressions (or scans) you can see the result within a few minutes. Your scans to Invisalign to begin your braces-free transformation with the click of a button. There’s no reason not to love your smile!

2. Same day crowns and veneers – Since 2008, you’ve been available to have crowns and veneers the same day. No need for a temporary or second visit. You can also watch as your tooth is being designed in the software – if you want 🙂

3. Monitor changes to your teeth over time – you can now see changes over time in the size, shape, and position of your teeth. We are asked time and again if things have changed. How much more wear is there? Is this tooth that’s out of place new? or has it been there for years and just noticed? Now, we can store a digital model of your teeth and compared with future digital models. If its decided that now is the time to start treatment, many times we use the most recent scan to start the appropriate care.

The usefulness of digital impression technology is growing daily. The more we discover how we can better use the technology, the more benefit to you. Now, this is by no means an all inclusive list of the benefits you may receive from digital impressions, but it is a start for our discussion. Stay tuned for future discussions and topics of interest to you.

Yours in Dental Health,
Jason Schermer, DDS
Noor Almudallal, MS, DMD
(440) 483-1003

Posted in Digital Impressions, Invisalign, Jason Schermer, Noor Almudallal, Occlusal Wear, Same Day Crowns | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

To Floss or Not To Floss – There’s really no question

Posted on August 22, 2016 by landerbrookdental

“No more flossing!” stated a recent news story. The news anchor team joked about how they hated flossing and made reference to a poll showing that Americans would rather scrub a toilet than floss their teeth. Even my daughter expressed her delight by saying that the flossing regimen I have them follow was no longer necessary. At which point, I turned into my father and replied, “As long as you live under my roof, you will floss by my rules!”
In all seriousness, flossing is just one part of your dental health care. We were discussing this with many of our patients the days after the story aired and the consensus was that they saw through the flaws in the story and were going to continue to floss. They see the value in taking care of their mouth and we see the difference between flossers and non-flossers daily.
I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but I wouldn’t recommend you do something if it wouldn’t have a significant impact in your long-term health. So, please don’t be upset when I bring up flossing at your next appointment – if I didn’t care about you, I wouldn’t bring it up.

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Updating our blog page

Posted on May 11, 2016 by landerbrookdental

We’re updating our blog page. Our goal is to use this format to talk about topics that you, our patients and friends, would find interesting. If there is a topic or question you would like us to go into more detail, please let us know – either call the office – (440) 483-1003 or send a quick email – office@jasonschermerdds.com. Or better yet, ask us a question at your next visit.
Your dentist,
Jason Schermer

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