Steveston Smiles, Author at Steveston Smiles

Massage Therapy for TMD – Part 1

Lets start with what is massage therapy? Massage therapy is the manual manipulation of soft body tissues including muscle, connective tissue, tendons, and ligaments to enhance a person's health and well-being. So now you know. When most people think of massage therapy, the common notion is that, that person has had a sports injury, car accident or over did it at the gym. There are many people who will also seek out massage therapy for chronic back pain caused by hours at the computer or behind the wheel of a car. But we forget the muscles we use thousands of times over and over again every day, the ones we use for chewing and speaking. The majority of people do not actively seek out massage therapy until [...]

By Steveston Smiles|2015-06-20T07:58:32-07:00June 20th, 2015|Oral Health, TMJ|

How Acupuncture Treats Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders

For many people experiencing pain and dysfunction in their Temporomandibular joint and the muscles that control jaw movement - a condition commonly called “TMJ”, acupuncture serves as one of the most effective drug-free treatments available. TMJ can be caused by a combination of muscle tension (teeth grinding or bruxism), anatomical problems, and injury. Sometimes, there may be a psychological component from someone clenching their jaw during a time of emotional tension, intense determination, or desperation, with most people completely unaware these muscles can remain contracted for long periods of time. Over time and repetition, the symptoms include everything from severe headaches, neck/shoulder pain, earaches or dizziness to pain whist chewing or opening your mouth. Fortunately, for those suffering from TMJ, acupuncture is extremely helpful in relieving the inflammation, pain and [...]

By Steveston Smiles|2015-06-09T07:59:41-07:00June 9th, 2015|Oral Health, TMJ|

TMD Headaches –Putting The Bite On Pain

I have patients come in complaining of headaches; of course I ask if they have been under any more stress and if they have noticed if they are clenching or grinding their teeth. Unfortunately, people are under a lot of stress these days and most clenching or grinding occurs while we are sleeping and unaware so most people aren’t sure how to answer. Many have managed their headaches with over-the-counter painkillers and prescription drugs, but few have considered their pain may stem from their jaw (Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD)) and they never thought to mention it to me. Often, they have heard the term, but have no idea how it might apply to them. As a dentist, I’m trained in all structures related to oral health and dentition including the muscles [...]

By Steveston Smiles|2015-06-01T13:09:17-07:00June 1st, 2015|Oral Health, TMJ|

One Appointment Crowns: Cerec

Cerec At our office we have the ability to make crowns in one appointment using Cerec technology. Cerec technology was developed in 1980 and we have been making crowns in-office at Steveston Smiles since 2006. The Cerec machine uses 3D CAD/CAM technology to repair teeth in a single visit. A conventional crown requires two appointments; one for impressions and one to seat the crown in your mouth. A temporary crown is placed on the tooth in-between visits. Using Cerec you leave the same day with your final crown, no second appointment needed. How does Cerec work? First your tooth is prepared to remove any decay, damaged tooth structure and defective restorations. Digital images are taken of your prepared tooth, the opposing teeth and your bite using a special [...]

By Steveston Smiles|2015-05-25T20:24:38-07:00May 25th, 2015|Cosmetic Dentistry, Services|

Oral Health Month

Every April at Steveston Smiles we celebrate Oral Health Month by going out into the community to educate kids about oral health with out famous Tooth Talks. Kids are important to us and we are passionate about educating kids and their parents about proper oral care. We want the kids in our community to have strong healthy teeth and mouths for a lifetime. Countless studies have shown that children pick up their oral habits early and that they are hard to break. The goal of our tooth talks is for children to know the importance of oral care and help set them up for a lifetime of good oral health. I am surprised every year as to how many kids do not know about floss, brush without help from an [...]

By Steveston Smiles|2015-05-04T11:28:25-07:00May 4th, 2015|Children, Office news|

I Won!

On Saturday March 7th, I participated in the Richmond Community Hospice Foundation’s Dancing with the Richmond Stars fundraiser and competition. Myself and five other Richmond celebrities danced. I was the event’s double winner taking home both the people’s choice award for fundraising the most money as well as the judges award for best dance. This wonderful evening of dinner and dance raised $25,000 for the Richmond Hospice. The event took place at the Riverside Grand Ballroom and included dinner, a dance competition, judge's comments, returning champions showcase, a professional dance showcase and to cap off the evening, dancing for all. I knew immediately after hearing about the Richmond Hospice Association Dancing with the Richmond Stars event last March that I wanted to participate. In February 2013, I was [...]

By Steveston Smiles|2015-04-25T15:57:33-07:00April 25th, 2015|Office news|

10 Facts about Baby Teeth

Often parents think don’t worry those are baby teeth and they will fall out – this is incorrect baby teeth are important for many reasons; they hold the space open for permanent teeth, helping to guide them into position, as well as allowing your child to chew food and speak properly and have a healthy smile The importance of your child's baby teeth and oral health is often underestimated and misunderstood. Here are the facts: A healthy mouth is as important as a healthy body Pain from cavities can affect sleep, diet and the ability to grow Tooth decay is the #1 most common chronic childhood disease - 5x more common than asthma and 7x more common than hay fever How cavities form: If plaque and food residue are not [...]

By Steveston Smiles|2015-04-09T14:37:21-07:00April 9th, 2015|Children|

Going Green

In March 2014 we made the bold statement in our spring newsletter and on our Facebook page: "Starting January 1, 2015, we will no longer be sending out reminder cards for your routine dental check-ups, instead we will be contacting you via phone or email; whichever you would prefer. Over the next few months we will be asking you for your updated contact information so we can continue to preserve our environment and still make sure you are up to date on your dental health." Here at Steveston Smiles we are environmentally conscious on a daily basis. However, paper in the form of statements, mailings, and cards is still the biggest environmental concern at our office. We are proud to announce that we just sent out our last batch of [...]

By Steveston Smiles|2015-02-11T15:36:49-08:00February 11th, 2015|Office news|

Dancing With the Richmond Stars

On March 7, 2015 I will be participating in the Dancing with the Richmond Stars Fundraiser and Competition present by the Richmond Community Hospice. This elegant evening of dinner and dance in support of the Richmond hospice will take place at the Riverside Grand Ballroom, 1231 Burdette Street, Richmond, Doors open at 6 pm. This event pairs local celebrities (me) with Richmond's best professional ballroom dancers (my partner David Marasigan) and consists of dinner, dance competition, judge's comments, returning champions showcase, a professional dance showcase and dancing for all to cap off the evening. So, how did it come to be that a self-proclaimed extreme introvert is dancing in a competition to raise money for the Richmond Community Hospice? It started in February 2013 when I was diagnosed with a [...]

By Steveston Smiles|2015-01-22T16:40:24-08:00January 22nd, 2015|Office news|

It’s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Christmas is my favourite time of year. I love the connection and celebration of family and friends. I have a December birthday, which also makes Christmas an extra special time for me and my family. When I was growing up my parents made sure that no Christmas decorations went up before my birthday. My birthday was celebrated and then the tree went up. The Christmas tree decorating, with the smell, lights and hallmark decorations grew to be my favourite part of the season. As I got older I encouraged and eventually insisted the tree go up earlier and earlier in December so it could be enjoyed as long as possible. Another Christmas tradition that the women in my family enjoy is afternoon tea downtown Vancouver which is followed by a [...]

By Steveston Smiles|2014-11-28T12:10:03-08:00November 28th, 2014|Office news|

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