Sunita Merriman, DDS
Dentistry for Those Who Expect the Best
September 2013
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Invisalign Preferred Provider
 
Straight teeth are within your reach...go wireless with Invisalign!
 
Find out more at our upcoming Invisalign Day this Fall: ONE day, BIG savings!
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Recommend our warm and caring practice to friends and family; when they complete their first appointment you receive a special thank you: $25 credit towards future dental treatment or a $25 donation to the charity of your choice.


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Greetings!

Finding inspiration...

 



While spending time in Italy this summer, I fell in love with Michelangelo. Of course, it's hard not to be impressed by the magnificence of David in Florence and the heartbreaking depiction of a mother's love of Pieta in Saint Paul's Basilica in the Vatican City. However, the story that has remained with me the most is that of the first piece that Michelangelo ever made for Lorenzo the magnificent of the Medici family of Florence. It was the head of an aged faun, a mythological forest spirit. Lorenzo was astonished at the mature mastery of the work, considering that artist was just thirteen or fourteen years old. However, in passing, he remarked that the old faun would probably not have had all his teeth at that age.  It is believed that as soon as Lorenzo left, the Michelangelo immediately chiseled out a tooth and even drilled a hole in the marble gum of the bust!

 

The story has significance for me in many ways. It demonstrates how the pursuit of excellence is never ending and a true artist is always learning and improving. It is also telling of how missing teeth have always been considered a sign of aging and decline. Luckily, nowadays, we can help our patients keep their teeth healthy and beautiful at any age.

 

This picture was taken in a sunflower field in Tuscany. Sunflowers inspire me as well. They always face the sun light. I believe that always moving towards light is the definition of the pursuit of excellence. Perfection is unrealistic and unimportant. But consciously learning and growing and becoming better is my goal.

 

I hope you had a summer of inspiration and that you are looking forward to the rest of the year.

Back to School Tips

Schedule your children's future dental appointments so they do not fall out of their preventive care cycle due to the business of the school year. If your kids are away at college, we are happy to accommodate them when they are back for a short or long break. Schedule your own appointments at times that there is no conflict with your parenting duties Remember that in the event of a flight emergency, you are instructed to put your oxygen mask on first before assisting anyone else. It is important to take care of yourself so you can take care of others. You owe it to yourself.

 

As students participate in school and club sports, they are advised (rightly so) to stay hydrated. Water is the best option for that purpose. Unfortunately, the effect of 'electrolyte drinks' and other 'sports drinks' is sometimes not fully understood by some coaches. Dentistry has seen an epidemic of decay in young mouths that is directly related to these drinks causing multiple cavities/decay in otherwise healthy individuals. I have had to tell kids that are doing a super job with their home care and eating healthy that they have 8-10 new cavities at a single visit. It is devastating! So please check what your kids are drinking during their sports activities. 

 

Do not hesitate to call us. Maria, Claudia and I are happy to discuss this in further detail with you.

229 Charles Street Smile Gallery
Beverly smile
This patient is a vibrant, outgoing and a successful professional woman. However, she did not feel that her smile reflected who she was. Her complaint was that her front teeth kept chipping and all fillings done to fix that, by her previous dentist, would chip off too. She also did not like the color of her teeth.

After a full evaluation of her bite and esthetics, a plan was made for her smile. First her bite had to be corrected and there were some some gum disease issues that had to be taken care of as well. In the end, a new bite and an esthetic smile was created. She has had this smile for almost 5 years now and wonders why she waited as long as she did to have a healthy and beautiful smile. 
Attractive Smiles
A beautiful smile is tied to our social and professional success! First and foremost, an attractive smile is a healthy smile. We can break a smile down as a framed masterpiece. The teeth are the "painting" and the gums are the "frame." The more magnificent a frame is, the better the painting will look. For your teeth to look good, your gums must look good. Read Dr. Merriman's article here: What Your Smile Says About You

 

Practice Updates

  • We are very excited to announce the debut of our video blog, 'Dental Chronicles, Optimal Health and a Joyful Balance' designed to educate, inform and engage you. Your oral health is closely linked to your systemic health. Your general wellness greatly determines the efforts you make to keep your mouth and teeth healthy. What's the point of having a healthy and beautiful smile if it's not part of a beautiful life? Now you can see why we felt the need of a blog titled 'Dental Chronicles, Optimal Health and a Joyful Balance'. You can find our first video on our Facebook page, and now our very own YouTube channel. Please click on any one of these links to go there directly.   
  • The A team has been busy attending continuing education over the summer. September and October are also full of team events and courses that I will be attending as well. The focus is Implant Dentistry and Invisalign. We regularly update our Facebook page with our continuing education efforts.
Don't Put Off That Dental Check-Up
Good oral hygiene results in a mouth that looks and smells healthy! Oral health is more important than you may realize. Did you know that your oral health can offer clues about your overall health - or that problems in your mouth can affect the rest of your body?
 
Daily preventive care, including proper brushing and flossing, will help stop problems before they develop and is much less painful, expensive, and worrisome than treating conditions that have been allowed to progress. 
Read Dr. Merriman's article here: A Healthy Mouth Contributes to a Healthier Body

There are only 4 months left to the calandar year. If you have dental work that needs to be completed, please call us and schedule your appointment today. Your dental reimbursement benefits and your Health Flex benefits will not carry over to 2014. The upcoming months are especially busy times at the practice and we would hate to not be able to accommodate your needs. Also note that we will be on break from the 24th afternoon of December through the 1st of January, 2014 but of course with Emergency coverage for you. We hope that this gives you all enough advance notice so you can schedule your care with us at your best convenience.

 

We wish you a productive September. Until next time,

 

Be well, Do Well, Live Well


Sincerely,
Sunita Merriman, DDS