Welcome to my Ann Arbor cosmetic dental blog. Today’s topic is energy drinks and the damage they can cause to your teeth. I am seeing more and more Ann Arbor teens and adults with tooth enamel erosion caused by frequent consumption of sport drinks.

Most of these Ann Arbor general dentistry patients take good care of their teeth, brush and flush, and come into Gary Sasaki DDS, MS for a twice-yearly exam and deep cleaning. But guess what? If you drink energy drinks regularly, your enamel can erode even if you practice immaculate oral hygiene.

Energy drinks like Red Bull, Rock Star, and Monster are a cocktail of powerful acids and other enamel-eroding substances. Most of them contain citric acid, fruit juices, loads of sugar, and a potent chemical that gives them their bright fluorescent color.

Perhaps, like myself, you have often noticed young people walking out of Ann Arbor convenience stores swigging 32-ounce energy drinks. I am concerned that area teens do not understand the serious dental consequences of frequent acid baths.

The following is from ABC Sports:

“Sports drinks are increasingly damaging the teeth of professional and recreational athletes, one of Australia’s top sports dentists has warned. Dr. Brett Dorney says he has witnessed a huge increase in dental erosion since the Sidney Olympics, when he was the event’s deputy director of dental services.”

Here is an excerpt from a recent CNN Story:

“Researchers at the University of Iowa’s College of Dentistry found the energy drinks and sports drinks eroded the enamel more than soda and fruit juices.”

I need to add the caveat that soda and fruit juices also contain acids that can damage teeth.

If your teeth have enamel erosion, whatever the cause, we can restore your smile with advanced cosmetic dentistry in Ann Arbor. Crowns, porcelain veneers, inlays and onlays can correct both structural and cosmetic problems.

Our phone number is 734-482-7466. Whether you are interested in re-designing your smile or full-mouth rehabilitation, come in for an exam and consultation. With cutting-edge cosmetic dentistry, we can repair acid-damaged teeth and dramatically increase your face value.

The World Health Organization defines General Dentistry as “the science and art of preventing, diagnosing and treating diseases, injuries and malformations of the teeth, jaws and mouth”.

According to Wikipedia :

A dentist is a healthcare professional qualified to practice dentistry after graduating with a degree of either Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), Bachelor of Dentistry (BDent), Bachelor of Dental Science (BDSc), or Bachelor of Dental Surgery/Chirurgiae (BDS) or (BChD) or equivalent.

In most western countries, to become a qualified dentist one must usually complete at least 4 years of postgraduate study. Generally, 2 years of clinical experience working with patients in an educational setting are required.

If you have a need for anything from general dentistry to full mouth rehabilitation in the Ann Arbor area, please give our practice a call. We are Gary Sasaki DDS, MS, and our general and cosmetic dentistry office is located at:

1900 Packard Rd
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48197

We provide general dentistry services to the greater Ann Arbor area, which includes general dentistry services for anyone in neighboring areas.

Give us a call at 734-482-7466 to schedule a general dentistry appointment in Ann Arbor, or to ask questions about general dentistry.

A Dental Spa to Transform Your Smile, Relax Your Body, and Rejuvenate

At Gary Sasaki DDS, MS, each dental professional on our team allows our practice to operate smoothly and provide the highest caliber of dental care. Today’s Ann Arbor dentistry article will focus on the duties of a dental assistant.

You probably think of the dental assistant as: “The one who suctions my mouth while the dentist is working on me,” or “The one who attaches the bib around my neck,” and you are correct. However, his/her knowledge of patient care and dental lab procedures is probably more extensive than you realize.

Competent dental assistants work behind the scenes at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS in Ann Arbor. They assist dentist Dr. Gary Sasaki during all dental procedures including basic oral examinations, tooth prep and cavity filling, as well as lengthy cosmetic dentistry smile makeovers involving multiple procedures. Our competent assistants also work with our dental hygienists during dental cleanings and patient instruction.

When a dental client arrives for his/her appointment, the dental assistant has already been preparing for the visit. Before he/she is escorted to a comfortable chair in one of our pleasant patient rooms, the assistant has made sure the room is ready for the particular treatment being performed.

Whether the patient is receiving porcelain veneers, having their teeth whitened, undergoing a routine orthodontia adjustment, or settling in for a two-hour smile redesign, the dental assistant has set the stage for a comfortable and efficient procedure.

At Gary Sasaki DDS, MS, infection control is always foremost in our minds. Our dental assistants, dentists, and hygienists are vigilant about the sterilization of dental instruments and follow strict infection control protocols. The health of our patients and employees is our highest priority.

Dental assistants in Ann Arbor dental offices may also prepare tray setups, make impressions for restorations, schedule appointments, take x-rays, and maintain and retrieve patient records. They must have a keen eye for detail and an excellent memory as they organize and stock the many different dental supplies in a typical office.

Gary Sasaki DDS, MS is located at 1900 Packard Rd. in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We provide general and cosmetic dental procedures including porcelain veneers, dental crowns and bridges and general dentistry. You can read more about our services at http://midentalspa.com/about_drs.htm.

To make an appointment for an examination, consultation, or cleaning, call 734-482-7466. Thanks for visiting our Gary Sasaki DDS, MS blog!

The skilled Ann Arbor cosmetic dentist considers the length and angle of the facial midline to properly position porcelain crowns, veneers and dental implants. When front teeth restorations do not line up with the facial midline, it is called a canted midline. This is a common mistake found in the cosmetic work of inexperienced Ann Arbor cosmetic dentists.

Most Ann Arbor dentistry patients do not realize the level of 3-D engineering required in cosmetic dentistry. In addition to the orientation in relation to the facial midline, there is also the angle and size of the teeth in relation to each other and in relation to the size and shape of the lips and gums.

If you are considering an extensive smile makeover, you do not want to trust your smile to an inexperienced Ann Arbor cosmetic dentist. When you have a smile design consultation with Dr. Gary Sasaki feel free to ask probing questions about Dr. Sasaki’s experience and technical design procedures. We are confident that you will feel comfortable choosing dentist Sasaki for your smile makeover.

Gary Sasaki DDS, MS is located at 1900 Packard Rd. in Ann Arbor. We offer a full range of general and cosmetic dental procedures. Ask us about veneers, clear braces, tooth whitening and cosmetic dentistry. We look forward to meeting you. Call us today at 734-482-7466.

Ask us about cosmetic and general dentistry.

Q: For Ann Arbor residents: When is the least expensive tooth replacement method really the most expensive?

A: When it ends up costing far more in the long run.

Many Ann Arbor dentistry clients who lose a tooth do not understand the importance of replacing it with a dental implant. They wrongly believe that one missing tooth is not a significant problem. In fact, some Ann Arbor people who have an abscessed tooth extracted are so glad the pain is gone that they forget that the extraction is not the solution. When a tooth is lost, the risk of losing the adjacent teeth increases dramatically.

Dr. David Scharf, a Board Certified Periodontist and Dental Implant Surgeon and a Clinical Assistant Professor at New York University College of Dentistry says:

“Many times consumers will choose to replace a missing tooth with a removable partial denture because it is the least expensive option. In the long run however, removable partial dentures may be more costly due the loss of adjacent teeth and the need for future replacements. Many people opt to replace teeth with dental implants because they do not compromise the survival of the adjacent teeth.”

Dr. Scharf notes…

“With the price of gasoline and food soaring people try to cut back wherever they can. Unfortunately choosing the least expensive options for tooth replacement can have some very costly ramifications down the road.”

If you are missing a tooth, you may still be able to save the adjacent teeth if receive an implant soon. An implant bonds chemically with the jaw bone and helps maintain its stability.

To schedule a dental implant consultation, call Gary Sasaki DDS, MS at 734-482-7466. In addition to cosmetic dentistry, we provide comprehensive general dentistry for families in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area.

Gary Sasaki DDS, MS, is a general dentistry practice in Ann Arbor Michigan.

You find your family dentist at 1900 Packard Rd., in Ann Arbor Michigan. We serve the 48197 zip code with family dentistry.

Our specialties include cosmetic dentistry services such as dental implants. We often perform a porcelain veneers, dental crowns and bridges, and full mouth reconstruction.

Family dentistry requires a comfortable, friendly, professional and relaxing staff. Our commitment is to provide the most comfortable care for your family. Our staff is comfortable, friendly, professional and relaxing, and ready to greet your family with a friendly smile and home town care.

We look forward to meeting you and your family.

Lasers are now used in some technologically-advanced Ann Arbor dental practices on both hard (tooth) and soft (gum) tissue. Lasers allow Ann Arbor cosmetic dentists a degree of precision that was previously impossible.

How do lasers benefit our Ann Arbor dental patients?

• Fewer stitches (some surgical procedures require no sutures)
• Shorter healing time
• Decreased chance of infection
• Less damage to surrounding tissue/bone
• Increased patient comfort – anesthesia is often unnecessary

Ann Arbor dentists use lasers in crown lengthening, decay detection, bacteria removal in root canals, gum recontouring, biopsy, lesion removal, and tooth whitening.

If you are interested in any of these procedures, call Gary Sasaki DDS, MS at 734-482-7466. dentist Dr. Gary Sasaki has been providing unsurpassed general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry since 1971.

The latest dental technology is useless without the skill and experience necessary to deliver the best possible outcomes. Let us show you some photos of the results we routinely achieve at Gary Sasaki DDS, MS in Ann Arbor.

-A Dental Spa to Transform Your Smile, Relax Your Body, and Rejuvenate

Though advanced dentistry would not be possible without drilling, the sound of a dental drill can make many Ypsilanti patient’s hearts pound. However, there is another way your cosmetic dentists can remove decay. This technique is known as air abrasion or drill-less dentistry. An air abrasion instrument removes material by spraying tiny aluminum oxide particles onto the tooth. The particles work like a sandblaster spraying away the affected tooth structure.

The many advantages of air abrasion make it a popular procedure for Ypsilanti cosmetic and general dentists. Because air abrasion is usually pain free, the need for anesthesia is reduced. The air abrasion instrument does not create vibrations or pressure. Ypsilanti cosmetic dentistry patients appreciate the fact that air abrasion instruments don’t produce that whiny drill sound that rings in your ears and makes your palms sweat. Because of this, air abrasion can be a less-frightening option for young dentistry patients. Air abrasion is often quicker and more precise than traditional drilling, leaving more of the healthy tooth intact.

To learn more about the comforts and benefits of air abrasion, call our office today.

It used to be that in Ann Arbor you could find a dentist just by walking down to the corner of the street. Like many small towns, there would be a dentist on the corner of ‘north and main’, just up from the fire house, and across from the bakery.

Today, finding a dentist around Ann Arbor can take a little more time, and a little more effort. Our local Ann Arbor community is spread out a little more, and there is more than one option for finding a local dentist in Ann Arbor.

Let’s look at a few of the ways to find a local Ann Arbor dentist:

The old timers among us still reach for the yellow pages when we look to find a dentist in our local Ann Arbor community. The yellow pages have been a standard for dentists since the beginning, and are a quick way to get a good list of local Ann Arbor dentists.

Studies are showing an ever increasing number of Ann Arbor consumers are turning to their Internet connection to find a dentist. To find a dentist online can mean more than just a name and a phone number; many dentists, like us, have additional information on their website that will help you gain a better understanding of their practice and the services they provide.

Many people find a dentist in the Ann Arbor community through printed mailers and flyers that come to your door. Ann Arbor dentists spend a lot of money on these types of flyers, which can often carry a discount opportunity or special promotion.

The most popular method used to find a local dentist? …Word of mouth. Studies have shown that people in Ann Arbor are more willing to listen to a family member or close friend when it comes to finding a local Ann Arbor dentist.

We understand this last point, and make it our job to keep our patients happy, healthy, informed and comfortable during their visit to the dentist. We know if you leave happy, your friends and family in the Ann Arbor area will hear about us, too.

If you are looking for an Ann Arbor dentist, please give us a call. You can reach us at 734-482-7466.

If you know a friend who is trying to find a dentist in the Ann Arbor area, please pass our name along.

We look forward to seeing you both!

Have you been wanting to professionally whiten your teeth, but thought you couldn’t afford it? The demand for professional teeth whitening has risen dramatically in the last few years. Now, getting a brighter, healthier smile is easier and more accessible than ever!

More than ever before you now have the opportunity to transform your smile with safe, reliable whitening treatments. It used to be only the wealthy and glamorous that had dazzlingly white teeth, but now our The Dental Spa team is helping people in Ypsilanti, as well as in surrounding areas, to have their smiles professionally whitened with 100 percent of the proceeds going to kids’ charities.

Nothing projects confidence, youthfulness, and health quite like a bright, attractive, whitened smile.

This March through the end of June, Children and Family Life at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital of Ann Arbor will be receiving 50 percent of the donations raised to help children here and in our area.

So, improve a child’s life today by visiting www.thedentalspa.forgreatdentalcare.com. Or, you can call our Smiles For Life office coordinator, Shelley, directly at 734-482-7466.

ALSO, PLEASE HELP US SHARE THIS MESSAGE WITH OTHERS by becoming a fan on our Dr. Sasaki Facebook Fan Page AND THEN sharing our page with all of your Facebook friends!

Thanks so much!

– The The Dental Spa Team