Cosmetic Dentistry | New Jersey | Livingston

Pankey Dental Access Day

drmiller — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:04:14 +0000

One of the most full-filling things I can do as a dentist is to perform dentistry for free for people who can not afford dentistry otherwise. Once a year I get an email from two of my dental colleagues, Kevin Muench and Kevin Browne. We are all Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education-trained dentists. This dental education is the “Cream” of dental education. Anyway, I received the email stating that “Pankey Dental Access Days Needs You!” The email went on to say: Access to dental care is a critical issue in the United States. The need has never been greater. Pankey-trained dentists are volunteering to provide quality treatment to those who would not otherwise have access to care….You can have an impact on someone’s life by providing this much needed dental care!” I was the first practitioner to sign-up.

The event took place at the YMCA of Eastern Union County. A very nice facility. There is a Pankey-sponsored event planning and event supplying company called “Giving Hands” that supplied everything dental; from the “Novacaine” to the dental chairs to the filling material to the x-ray machine! It was a two day event, this past Friday and Saturday, and it was wonderful to see dentists, Hygienists, dental assistants and office assistants all coming together, working as a team helping and treating all of these patients. These patients are people who had stories to tell and were all very appreciative of the work that we did; over 100 people were treated over this 2-day period. Thank you to my assistant Nikki and all of you who were involved with this event and I look forward to next year!

All Ceramic Dental Implants

drmiller — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:42:41 +0000

Although the Dentists at The Miller Center have been placing dental implants for years, today marked the placement of our first all-ceramic dental implant! Dental implants in the past have all been made of titanium; a metal that has been used, in addition to teeth, for hip, knee and other joint replacement. This particular type of all ceramic implant is manufactured by a Swiss company, Z-Systems. These implants, made from the high-performance zirconium oxide ceramic, are very similar to the condition of real teeth and tooth roots, and they are excellently compatible biologically and are tolerated very well by the gums. Careful development, high-quality throughout and many years of experience have gone into this certified and approved implant system. Advantages that these all-ceramic implants offer: Metal-free, more durable than titanium, very good regeneration of the gums for perfect esthetics.

The Miller Center for Esthetic Excellence in Livingston, New Jersey is one of the first offices in the tri-state area to offer the All-Ceramic Dental Implant!!

Get Back Your Smile, Take Back Your Life (Part 1)

drmiller — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:30:34 +0000

As a cosmetic dentist, I have always been sensitive to cosmetic or esthetic dental issues that people may have. As I’ve travelled the world, people’s dental IQ is very different depending where you are in the world. But that’s ok–I’m here to educate! When you smile, the whole world smiles back at you. Your smile is a very powerful asset in our culture today–it speaks volumes. A smile says “Here I am-take notice” and when others notice, they see you more clearly and hear you better. So, whether you want your smile back or to get a new smile, the time is NOW to consider doing something about it. But not smiling is not a choice: not smiling affects how you behave, generally in a disempowering fashsion. It affects your whole life- how you sit in a chair, how you converse with people. It puts you in a state of mind that is far from peak performance.

Your greatest asset is your smile. It is the FIRST thing that people see when they greet you. A nice healthy smile speaks volumes about who you are. It literally attracts people to you- the way a nice piece of art attracts people in a museum. When people are attracted to you and you smile, people will take you more seriously and listen more clearly. My friend and mentor Bernie Stolz has often said: “The power of communication is a great smile.” I don’t know anyone who doesn’t want to communicate, do you?

It’s Not Just a Nightguard

drmiller — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:18:07 +0000

In these stressful economic times we are presently facing, most of my adult patient base is experiencing teeth trauma due to clenching and grinding their teeth. I see this more now than in the past 20 years of practicing dentistry. Most patients do not know it is happening to their teeth because most grinding and clenching is being done while they sleep. The tooth destruction can only be detected by a dentisit trained in diagnosing excessive wear and tear on patient’s teeth. Dentists that are not trained, will make a comment about tooth wear after the major destruction has been done.

Excessive clenching and grinding could also lead to headaches, migraines and possibly, TMJ(Tempormandibular Joint disorder). Excessive grinding and clenching can also lead to tooth fracture.

The first step in treating a worn down dentition is to find dentists that have been trained in treating worn teeth. Many of these dentists have been trained at The Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education in Key Biscayne, Florida or The Dawson Academy in Tampa, Florida. Other reputible teaching outlets include, but not limited to, are Dr. Frank Spear and Dr. John Kois. The above mentioned continuing education outlets have been my mentors and are all very well respected by well-trained dental practionors all over the world.

The next step in treating clenching and grinding, is the process of the dentist figuring out what is causing the tooth wear and/or headaches. Tooth wear, facial muscle pain and headaches can be related to each other. Many times a night-time appliance is made to aid in the dicovery process to help determine what is causing tooth wear, muscle tenderness, and/or headaches. There are other names for this appliance. Orthodic and splint often refers to the same appliance. It is a clear, hard plastic material that fits over either the upper teeth or lower teeth. Most people call it a Night-guard. I tell all of my patients that a night-guard is made JUST to protect your teeth. It is not a diagnostic tool to help determine dental biting disease such as clenching, grinding and wear. A night-guard can be bought at a local drugstore. A Night-time appliance is custom made to fit the patients teeth and the dentist spends a lot of time adjusting the appliance in such a way as to help in diagnosing the questions of why the patient is experiencing tooth wear, muscle tenderness and/or headaches; nine times out of ten, the answer to the excessive wear is due to stress.

Technologic Advances

drmiller — Mon, 24 May 2010 16:38:53 +0000

The Miller Center is initiating text and email confirmations for appointments. Call us at (973)533-0053 or email info@rcraigmiller.com if you would like to update your email address or cell phone number.

The Miller Center Raises Money For Kids

drmiller — Mon, 17 May 2010 21:16:37 +0000

Dr. Richard Newman and Dr. Craig Miller at Casino Night

Friday May 7th, 2010, was the first ever Casino Night charity event hosted by the Essex County Dental Society(ECDS). Dr. Miller, president of ECDS and chairperson for the event, and Dr. Herko, committee member for said event, are elated by the event’s success! Funds raised will go towards The Saint Barnabas Regional Craniofacial Center and other local dental causes.

The Craniofacial Center, whose funding is very limited, treats children and adults from the tri-state area born with cleft lips and cleft palates.

Our thanks go out to the local businesses and dental related vendors who helped make this event extremely successful. These sponsors include: CareCredit, Inc., Discus Dental, Freud Dental Supply, Kuwata Pan Dent, Microdental, Parkway Dental Services,Inc., Practice Works Systems, LLC, Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Straumann, Sybron, Staff Driven Practices, Stryker Corporation, Village Press Printing, Keystone Dental, David Lerner Associates, Inc., Asteto Dental Lab, Dexis, A.Y.A. Tech Corp., Park Professional Dental Lab and Dorn Dental Supply.