Why Should You Keep Your Dental Appointment

You get the email reminder. Your finger hovers over the reschedule request button. You just don't have time to go get your teeth cleaned. Does this sound like you? I cannot tell you how many times we hear this scenario in our office. Thankfully for them, our patients generally click confirm appointment and take care of their dental health. We hope this is because we have promised to partner with them to take care of their smile.
Countless dental research has proven that regular visits to your dental care provider helps to maintain dental health. Regular dental cleanings by a professional helps to remove calculus that cannot be removed by home care alone. Additionally, decay is always easier and less costly to treat when diagnosed and treated early.
We look forward to each appointment and enjoy sharing our knowledge with our patients. We care about your oral health!
So, the next time you get that email or text reminder, just go ahead and reply confirm. We promise to greet you with a smile and you get to leave with a healthy and clean smile!

The Smile Team at Dr Brian Johnson's dental office

Hello again...

Things have been busy around our office lately and the blog posts have been neglected! We have been busy taking care of our patients and working toward a complete website over-haul. The new website will be multi-functional and help us to help you even more efficiently!

I ran across some powerful articles that I think can help to reinforce the concept of the link between overall health and oral health. Since the writer did such a great job with the series of articles, I am simply going to share them with you. The author is Trisha O'Hehir, RDH. She is the Editorial Director for Hygienetown Magazine. I encourage you to read the entire series over the next few weeks.

Dr Brian Johnson

How Clean are Your Teeth? How Fresh is Your Breath?

Don't you just love that "fresh from the dentist office" clean and fresh feel? That day, my teeth so clean! I am sure that there is nothing nasty hanging out below my gums to ruin my fresh breath. Unfortunately, the minute I eat, that feeling goes away. I try so hard to brush and floss. I also enjoy things that make my breath not so fresh...coffee, onions, garlic, ....

I must admit that I notice bad breath and discolored teeth. I'm sure that it is because I sit in the dentist office day in and day out. I see the difference of our patients teeth from entering to the last good bye. Believe you me, there is a difference. That's why you go to the dentist, right? Sure, we are taking care of our teeth, but we don't want Yuck mouth.

I was driving one our younger patients in a carpool recently and noticed that her teeth looked stained. I told her she was due for a cleaning. She said, "I know, it is just hard. I don't want to miss school, and I can't miss swim practice". Even young people have scheduling issues. This young person is one of my person favorites, she is our DAUGHTER! Yes, it is even hard for us to manage good cleaning schedules!

Debbie Johnson
Brian Johnson
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
(770)993-9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Breaking News....Rampant Tooth Decay Has Hit Roswell GA

We have seen an unusual amount of tooth decay especially in the teens -30 year olds.
Why? This is what we find when we ask them about their everyday habits.

• Lifestyle habits- we hear that they don't brush and floss enough or at all.
• Diet habits- they drink way too many soft drinks. Drinking anything that has sugar, and carbonation puts your teeth as risk. This includes sparkling water, and diet sodas. This age group seem to be sugar junkies and love sticky candy. The sticky stuff gets in the grooves of the teeth and has a feast on your enamel.
• Eating late at night after they have brushed their teeth, and not rebrushing.
• Infrequent visits to the dentist. Early intervention is key. Small cavities become bigger cavities. Big cavities become crowns. Crowns become root canals. Failed root canals become missing teeth. Missing teeth are EXPENSIVE to replace.

If you haven't visited your dentist in the last six months, pick up your phone right now and call. We are ready to help you and educate you about your dental health. Are you ready to change your ways? Do you want to have a beautiful smile?

Brian D. Johnson
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Do You Have Dental Baggage?

It seems that we hear almost every day patients telling us that their spouse won't go to the dentist because of a bad experience. It is understandable to shy away from any experience if the last time wasn't pleasant. To put it in perspective, think about a hair cut. Most of us have had a bad hair cut. Most of us also do not stop getting hair cuts because of that. We just find a different hair stylist.
So, if you had a bad experience at a dentist, keep trying to find someone you can trust and feel comfortable with. If anxiety is part of the problem, we have several options to help you. It is always nice to hear a great  referral when choosing a new dentist or doctor. We ask our patients to give us feedback and want you to see what they say. Have a look at what one patients said.  If you would like to see what others are saying, click on this link for other testimonials.

 Exceptional Dentistry!

If you want exceptional dental care, expert cleanings and superb customer service.....then visit this practice!
Brian Johnson has put together a team of professionals who care for their patients' every need. I am pleased to add my voice to the many other patients who sing the praises of this dental office. All dentists are NOT the same...so treat yourself to the best! ~Pam P

Debbie Johnson
Brian D. Johnson, D.M.D
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Time is Ticking Away

We make every effort every day to maintain a tight schedule around here. Why is that? We know that your time is precious; and we are guessing that you don't want to waste any of it sitting in our very comfortable waiting area. We schedule ample time for each and every appointment from regular cleanings to complex restorative work.

The thing is, for our scheduling magic to work, we need our patients to value our time as well. We need for you to be punctual for your appointments. If you are just 5-10 late for your appointment, that tends to trickle down and effect every one's appointments.
How can you help us manage our schedule and keep the magic going for everybody?

• allow time for traffic delays
• turn your cell phone off
• put your appointment in your calendar on the correct day and time
• just show up on time

Debbie Johnson
Brian D. Johnson, D.M.D.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Are Your Gum Measurements Lucky Numbers?

We see numbers everywhere, every day. There are lottery numbers, lucky numbers, sleep number beds, ages, addresses, and phone numbers. Your gums have numbers too. When you visit our office, Dr Johnson or the hygienist will exam your gums and measure the "pocket depth" and call out a bunch of numbers. We do this every visit on every adult. Why do we think this is so important? Well if your gum measurements are  1-3mm, you are doing a good job cleaning your teeth on a regular basis. If they are 4-5mm, you have some work to do. You need to go get new floss and interdental cleaners; and, then get busy changing your oral hygiene routines. If the numbers are 6mm or above, you have a problem. At this point , tartar has built up and hardened. Many times it is well below the gum line. This means, even if you started brushing and flossing like crazy, you won't be able to remove it. This "plug" of calculus is
trapping bacteria in your gums. If the numbers are about about 7 or 8 , you may already be in danger of losing your teeth due to bone loss.

So, you see, regular visits to the dentist really is important. Some people seem to be  genetically programmed to build up plaque and calculus and require cleanings 3-4 times per year. Some can get by with 2 times per year. The important thing is to find out what your numbers are!

Call us today to make your cleaning appointment. If you are looking for a dentist, we welcome you to see what our patients think of us. Our patient testimonials are available for review.

Brian Johnson DMD
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
(770)993-9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Roswell Dentist - Team Spotlight, Meet Dr J!

It has my pleasure to talk about our entire team. It seems fitting to complete the series giving you a personal look at Dr Johnson. Dr Brian Johnson is caring dentist. He is also a devoted family man. He happens to be my husband. He puts up with me in the office and at home. Some say that this partnership requires a strong marriage, and there is alot of truth in that that.

• A few reasons his patients and I think he is the best:
• He gives his patients honest dental advice.
• He understands that dental work can be expensive.
• We try our best to create a treatment plan to fit our patients' budget and their long and short term dental goals.
• He always gives a couple of treatment options.
• He teaches and educates each and every patient.
• He does beautiful cosmetic work
• He gives a painless shot...no kidding!
• He offers laughing gas

We get great comments all the time about his technique. Don't believe me, check them out for your self...GREAT PATIENT TESTIMONIALS

Thanks for playing along. What dental questions do you have?

Debbie Johnson
Dental blogger extraordinaire

Brian Johnson, DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell,GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Roswell Dentist Now Accepts Delta Dental Insurance

We are frequently asked what dental insurance plans we accept and if we are accepting new patients. One of the plans we accept are the Delta Dental Premier/PPO plans. Many of the larger companies in the area offer this as their dental insurance carrier. We have partnered with Delta Dental for many years and have developed a good working relationship with their team.

They typically cover preventative services at 100%. Regular cleanings/prophys/exams are allowed two times per calendar year. This means that you can decide when during the year to have your check ups done and not worry about the "timing". This is a really nice option. One limitation of many of the Delta Dental plans that they pay only for the silver fillings, which means the patient must pay for the difference between the silver/amalgam and the tooth colored/composite filling. Another limitation is that many times they do not pay for the build up portion of a crown. Most times a build up is necessary for crown retention. So, again , this becomes an additional expense to the patient. Unfortunately, Delta Dental has started delaying approval of pretreatment estimates and dental work. For this reason, we try to have the approval prior to beginning treatment.

I hope this helps to answer some questions regarding your Delta Dental benefits. If you have more questions, please contact me.
Debbie Johnson
Brian D. Johnson DMD,PC
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770-993-9809
www.brianjohnsondmd.com

Roswell Dentist Now Accepts Guardian Dental Insurance

We are frequently asked what dental insurance plans we accept and if we are accepting new patients. One of the plans we accept is Guardian Dental. We have partnered with Guardian for many years and have developed a good working relationship with their team.

They typically cover preventative services at 100%. Regular cleanings/prophys/exams are allowed one time per six months. This means that you have to be careful about the  "timing". One limitation of many of the Guardian plans that they pay only for the silver fillings, which means the patient must pay for the difference between the silver/amalgam and the tooth colored/composite filling. Another limitation is that many times they do not pay for the build up portion of a crown. Most times a build up is necessary for crown retention. So, again , this becomes an additional expense to the patient. Another important limitation that many Guardian plans have is the replacement frequency of crown and bridges. Many times that frequency is as much as ten years.


I hope this helps to answer some questions regarding your Guardian Dental benefits. If you have more questions, please contact me.



Debbie Johnson
Brian D. Johnson DMD,PC
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770-993-9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Is Dental Insurance a Necessary Benefit?

I get several calls per week asking about advice from self employed and unemployed patients regarding dental insurance. My response is generally that you need to add up and compare the numbers. How much do you have to pay per month for premiums? Then we can calculate the costs of preventative care for your family without dental coverage. Are you or a family member prone to decay? If so, we'd need to include the cost of a filling or two. Do you have any dental restorations that need to be replaced? Keep in mind that dental insurance typically only pays for two cleanings per year. Some people need more than that, so they would be coming out of pocket for any cleanings outside of that allowance. Also, remember that crown and bridge is usually only covered at 50% up to a predetermined yearly maximum. Also, many insurance companies have a missing tooth clause. So, if a tooth was extracted prior to the coverage beginning, they will not pay for restorations to replace the missing tooth. This is called a "missing tooth clause". Sometimes, there are waiting periods for certain procedures.
Lastly, if you are interested in dental implants, insurance usually doesn't provide any benefits for these procedures.
Generally, I find that it is not beneficial to carry dental insurance unless an employer is paying the premiums for the plan. It is important to us that our patients visit us regularly for routine care. Good preventative care is far less expensive than restorative and cosmetic dentistry.

Debbie Johnson
Brian Johnson, D.M.D., P.C.
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell,GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Do You Eat Off of Dirty Dishes?

O.K., nobody would consider eating off of dirty dishes. Would you eat off of dishes that were just wiped off? Just rinsed off?  Cleaned partially? ...Would you consider going to bed without  brushing your teeth? Most would reply Nooooo  to all of the above. How about, Would you consider going to bed without flossing your teeth? Now, there is some gray area. "If I'm tired", yada yada yada.

Unless you brush AND floss your teeth at bed time, you are eating off of dirty dishes. Simple daily habits will keep you and your teeth and gums healthy. Brush and floss your teeth, use a daily fluoride rinse, and visit our office on a regular basis. Simple. Effective. Never eat off of dirty dishes(teeth) again.

Dr Brian Johnson
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell,GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/