We are pleased to announce that Dr. Eric Hull will be joining us on Fridays. Many of our patients can only come in on Fridays, and to meet those needs Dr. Hull will be here from 7:00 am to noon, with the possibility of expanding those hours as demand dictates.

Originally from Midland, Michigan, Dr. Hull graduated from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota with a major in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology. From there he moved to Loma Linda, California and attended the University of Loma Linda School of Dentistry. Dr. Hull chose Loma Linda for his dental education partially because of their emphasis on clinical experience. At both Loma Linda School of Dentistry and Bethel University, Dr. Hull was consistently on the Dean’s List. While a student at Loma Linda, Dr. Hull went on a two week service learning trip to San Marcos, Nicaragua where he performed extractions and restorations. He also worked at a free dental clinic for the underserved in San Bernardino, participated in Loma Linda’s “Clinic with a Heart”, and worked at a free dental clinic for migrant workers.

We are proud of Dr. Hull’s accomplishments and commitment to good dentistry and feel fortunate to have him working with us.

April is National Facial Protection Month and a good time to think again about protecting your children’s teeth (and your own) with a sports mouth guard. Everyone expects football players to wear mouth guards. However, spring sports can be just as dangerous to the teeth as football. Dr. Stewart had an emergency call several years ago from a young man who broke off his two front teeth, one right at the gum line, while playing soccer. About six years ago the son of one of our team members broke his two front teeth playing baseball. He needed root canals on both of his front teeth and will eventually need veneers when the teeth discolor.

The National Youth Sports Safety Foundation tells us that children, high school athletes and adults have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out each year. Many of these injuries can be prevented by wearing a mouth guard. We make clear mouth guards at Dr. Bruce Stewart's office for $95. If an athlete wants to show school spirit by wearing a mouth guard made in the school colors, we can do that for an additional charge.

Dr. Stewart and our team strongly encourage everyone to wear mouth guards when engaging in sports. Please call our office to set up an appointment for the athletes in your family!

Almost everyone is aware of the benefits of fluoride for children. Tooth decay is way down since fluoride was introduced into the water supply in Grand Rapids in 1946. However, are you aware that fluoride can be equally important for aging adults? As we age our gums receed and dentin is exposed near the gum line, increasing the risk of root surface decay. Application of fluoride during your hygiene visit will dramatically reduce this root surface decay, as well as make these exposed areas more comfortable. Ask your hygienist about the benefits of adult fluoride for you at your next visit.

I want to make you aware of some exciting changes with Invisalign, the clear trays (aligners) used to straighten teeth. I've been using Invisalign for almost eight years with good success and predictability.

Invisalign has an engineering team and they have redesigned their use of attachments and how they redirect single teeth. Engineers are trained in studying forces, speed, movement and shape. Who would be better suited to study tooth movement? By analyzing tooth shape from millions of case submissions, the engineers can move teeth with greater predictability. This is done in the laboratory and translated to the software.

Invisalign formerly offered two levels of straightening: Full Case, 11 or more aligners, and Express Case, 10 or fewer aligners. They have added a new level, Express 5, 5 or fewer aligners for minor tooth correction. Aligners are changed every two weeks, so an Express 5 Case would be complete in ten weeks.

Invisalign was a good product, but now it is an even better product. If you have been considering straightening your teeth, come in for a consultation and see what Invisalign can do for you.

- Dr. Bruce Stewart