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Making and keeping a dental appointment, especially at this time of year, is very important and makes complete sense. People also want to look their best for the holidays, or are realizing that they need work done before this year’s dental benefits expire.

No worries! We invite you to call us so that we can schedule an appointment for you to ensure that your regular checkups are on track if you don’t already have one.

Also, please refer your friends, colleagues, and family members to us. When you refer, it’s an excellent reminder to others that preventive care is a top priority. We hope you know how much we value your referrals – they are high praise, and for that we are grateful to you!

Dr. Konanec, Dr. Flanagan, Dr. Flanagan, & Dr. Turcotte

smileFall 2011

Thank you for all your referrals. We appreciate them!

Produced for the Patients of Drummond Dental Group

Dr. Lloyd Flanagan

Dr. Terence Flanagan

Dr. Taras Konanec

Dr. Antony Turcotte

Un Mot De Remerciement

L’automne est une période de l’année qui est souvent très occupée et stressante pour tous. Avec le travail et l’école qui occupe toute la famille, il est difficile de trouver le temps de faire toutes les tâches que nous devons accomplir. Même notre clinique dentaire travaille avec détermination pour rester à jour avec les nouveautés du milieu dentaire et les besoins grandissants de nos patients en ce temps de l’année.

Malgré le fait que nous sommes très occupés, nous nous assurons de toujours avoir du temps pour les personnes qui sont importantes pour nous. Dans notre clinique, les patients sont la priorité numéro un de notre travail. C’est pourquoi nous voulons prendre quelques minutes pour vous remercier de nous accorder votre confiance.

You may not think much of it, but your ongoing loyalty, cancellation notification, referrals and each and every kept appointment go a long way toward making this practice run smoothly and efficiently. That makes the dental office a more comfortable and rewarding place for everyone.

These are exciting times for dentistry. You’ll read about some of the latest developments and treatments in the pages of this newsletter. If anything

catches your eye, or if it’s time for a checkup, just give us a call ... we’d really like to say thank you in person.

Time To Give Thanks

N’oubliez-pas votre langue!La plupart d’entre nous savons très bien la routine de base idéale pour avoir une

bouche en santé: se brosser souvent, se brosser bien et passer la soie dentaire une fois par jour. Voici un autre détail qu’il ne faut pas oublier d’ajouter à cette liste … se brosser la langue. C’est une partie importante pour avoir une haleine fraiche.

La langue possède de petites projections qui contiennent les papilles gustatives. Comme les dents, ces petites papilles peuvent accumuler une partie de la nourriture que vous mangez chaque jour. Si ces débris ne sont pas enlever avec le brossage, vous pouvez développer un film blanc sur votre langue qui renferme les bactéries qui peuvent vous donner une mauvaise haleine.

Pour y remédier, vous pouvez simplement brosser votre langue avec votre brosse à dents régulièrement. Certaines brosses à dents possèdent même une brosse à langue à l’endos. Un simple nettoyage biquotidien vous procurera une haleine fraîche pour toute la journée au plaisir de tous.

Gum disease is a chronic bacterial infection that is a major cause of tooth loss in adults and triggers an inflammatory response in your body. Scientists believe it may be linked to other inflammatory diseases such as heart disease and stroke, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, respiratory diseases, cancers, arthritis, and osteoporosis. As if this weren’t worrisome enough, research suggests that the incidence of gum disease may be 2-3 times higher than previously thought. This is alarming because only about 3% of those afflicted seek treatment.

7 Factors You Can’t IgnoreDo they apply to you or someone you love?

Here are 7 factors that

could make you vulnerable to

developing gum disease…

Depuis les quatre dernières années, moi et un groupe formé de cinq dentistes, deux assistantes et quatre étudiants en médicine dentaire de l’Université McGill ont participé à une mission humanitaire au Pérou. Ces missions se sont déroulées dans la région de Tarapoto dans le nord du Pérou. Lors de ces quatre missions, l’équipe a dispensé des soins dentaires gratuits à la population locale dans le besoin et au total, plus de 3000 patients ont été traités. Pour dispenser ces soins, nous apportons avec nous tout le matériel et les équipements nécessaires.

À chaque année, ce voyage apporte son lot d’inspiration et d’émotions. Au fil du temps, nous avons eu la chance de voir l’impact que ces missions ont sur les gens locaux. Nous pouvons évidemment soulager leur douleur due à un abcès dentaire par exemple mais aussi améliorer les habitudes dentaires et leur qualité de vie. Chaque fois que nous retournons dans la région de Tarapoto, les sourires que nous voyons et qui nous accueillent nous comblent et en disent long sur leur reconnaissance. Pour en savoir plus sur ces missions, rendez-vous sur : http://mcgillkia.wordpress.com.

Dr. Turcotte en mission...

Dr. Turcotte on a mission!

Sometimes a dentist can improve your smile with a few changes here or there and everyone is happy. Other times a more comprehensive intervention is appropriate. In the case presented here, the patient had waited patiently for years until the time was right to fix his lower teeth properly. The teeth were stained, decayed and, in his mind, unsightly so a makeover with crowns and bridges was recommended as a good solution. The teeth were in good shape as far as the gums and bones were concerned so we had a green light to fix things. The first picture is the lower teeth before treatment. Note the worn out and discolored appearance of the teeth compared with the healthy appearance of the gums. The second picture is of the temporary crowns and bridges. We place these plastic provisional restorations in order to assess the shape, color and function of our planned restorations. Once the patient has worn the temporaries for a while, the bite, speech and overall function are assessed as well as the appearance. Adjustments are made as necessary and, once the patient has approved the temporaries, the final restorations are made. The final photo is of the completed case … the patient is very happy!

Dr. Terence FlanaganA

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See How Drummond Dental Group Can Change Your Smile!

Top – Before treatmentMiddle – Temporary restorationsBottom – Final Restorations

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7Tobacco &

AlcoholSmoking or chewing tobacco and drinking

alcohol are the leading causes of

oral cancers. Doing both could put you at 15 times greater risk

than others.

DiabetesDiabetics are at higher risk for

infections including gum diseases which

can make it more difficult to control

blood sugar.

Hormonal Changes

Life stages that bring natural

changes in hormone levels include

puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and

andropause.

Avoiding Dental VisitsRegular exams and

confirmation of proper home care techniques can help you

prevent gum disease. Our professionals can identify gum disease symptoms

before you can, and help you to halt or even reverse its

progression.

Genetic SusceptibilityAbout 30% of the population inherits the tendency to be six times more at

risk for gum disease.

Clenching Or Grinding Teeth

Excess force on the supporting

tissues of your teeth could speed their

deterioration.

StressStress has been linked to cancers and can make it

more difficult for you to fight off oral and

other infections.

A clean mouth looks healthy and feels terrific. Regular cleanings and a good home hygiene regimen are important for healthy teeth and gums, but they also do wonders for your breath.

If you’re concerned about your breath, we can help. Visit us at least twice a year for professional cleanings and checkups. We can detect and treat infection, dry mouth, or other issues that may be causing odor. At home, you can maintain your fresh smile between dental visits by…

BreATHFrom a healthy mouthnaturally fresh– Brushing and flossing regularly.

– Brushing your tongue & roof of your mouth.

– Replacing your toothbrush every three to four months.

– Using saliva-producing sugarless gum or candies.

– Drinking plenty of water.

If you’re concerned about your breath, let us know. We can help identify the cause and develop a treatment plan to help you. Regular dental visits are your best defense against bad breath.

Check out our website www.drummonddental.com

Information included is not dental or medical advice. For your specific information be sure to consult our office. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please contact us directly.

Contents may not be reproduced without permission from the publisher. © PATIENT NEWS (800) 667-0268Printed with vegetable-based ink.

Drummond Dental GroupDr. Taras Konanec Dr. Lloyd Flanagan Dr. Terence Flanagan Dr. Antony Turcotte909-1414 Rue DrummondMontreal, QC H3G 1W1

Office HoursMon/Wed/Thu 8:00 am – 5:00 pmTuesday 7:00 am – 5:00 pmFriday 8:00 am – 3:00 pm

Contact InformationOffice (514) 842-7311Fax (514) 842-2954Email info@drummonddental.comWeb site www.drummonddental.com

Office StaffMari .......................Clinical CoordinatorJanice .........Continuing Care Coordinator Sydney, Lori, Denise ..............HygienistsFareeda, Sonia, Cynthia ......... Assistants

37621-76077 CUSTOM

office information

We’re pleased to announce that we’ve added a leading-edge laser system to our practice. The NV Diode Laser is very patient-friendly. It provides you with comfortable, preventive, minimally invasive treatment options. It provides us with greater flexibility in administering them.

The term “laser” stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation – a device that produces and amplifies light. NV Diode Laser’s wavelength has been precisely calibrated for soft-tissue applications. (Please note that this is not a laser that will perform fillings).

The light can be focused into a tiny point to do very fine, exact work. It is so precise in dental surgery that there isn’t as much tissue swelling and there’s less need for sutures. It is gentle on soft gum tissue and can stop bleeding from even the tiniest blood vessel. The heat from the laser also has a sterilization effect. Many patients report a pleasant anesthetic effect, as the laser seems to desensitize the area being worked on.

We have many uses for our soft tissue laser. We remove diseased gum tissue to prevent gum disease, painlessly remove canker sores, and

we can even help cold-sensitive teeth. The laser is also excellent for cosmetic dentistry such as recontouring an overly“gummy” smile.

The leading edge technology of the NV Laser is just one more way that we’re making your visits more comfortable while increasing the level of care we provide.

nV diOde LAseR

Giving back to the education process is something that we at the Drummond Dental Group have always committed to doing. Presently both I and Dr. Antony Turcotte are on staff at the McGill University Faculty of Dentistry. As a faculty member, I have been involved for the past 12 years in lecturing on restorative dentistry to the 2nd year students. Dr. Turcotte has been involved the last 3 years as a clinician supervising the 3rd and 4th year students at the Montreal General Hospital. Being in such close contact with the university gives us the added benefit of accessibility to the latest research and current trends in dentistry. We also have great access to the continuing education courses put on by the faculty on a monthly basis.

Also, over the years we have developed relationships with many of the dental assistant schools in Montreal. Because of this, throughout the year we accept “stagiaire” assistants into our office as a means to help teach them their practical component. If you see an “extra body” present in the room during your treatment, this will be a dental assistant in training who is

“learning the ropes”. We hope that you also will value the time that we put in to bettering ourselves and training others. It has become part of the way we provide the best treatment for you.

We hope that you have enjoyed this second edition of SMILE and we thank you once again for your continued trust and your referrals.

Dr. Taras Konanec

Our COmmitmeNt tO eduCatiON