Six-Month Braces if you have Gum Disease? YES!

Patients with periodontal (gum) disease often end up being very embarrassed about their smiles, because as the disease progresses and more bone is lost, the teeth start drifting.  It’s not uncommon to see the teeth flared out with a lot of spaces between them, or the bottom front teeth really crowded as the teeth shifted with the bone being lost.

Very often, these cases are the kind that would respond very well with our 6MonthSmiles Clear Adult Braces, but there’s a little problem……if you try to move teeth with braces while there is active gum infection going on, you will only make the situation worse, with the result being even more bone loss, more gum recession, and eventually even looser teeth than before you started.  While it might seem like your smile is improving during the process, once the braces came off, and the support they provided was gone, you’d suddenly realize you were closer than ever to losing your teeth entirely.  So it’s not uncommon that people simply become resigned to not only having gum disease, bad breath, etc., but to living with a smile that embarrasses them.

Now There is a Way!

As one of only 4 dental offices in the city of Charlotte (along with 1 in Salisbury and 1 in Fort Mill, SC) with the Periolase MVP-7 dental laser, with which we perform Laser Periodontal Therapy^(TM), a patented procedure that treats gum disease more effectively and more comfortably than any other procedure currently available, we can actually regenerate bone and healthy gum attachment.  And THAT is why it allows us to offer patients a way to not only save their teeth from gum disease and dentures, but also to give them a smile to be proud of once again.  Why is that exactly?  Because – in the absence of active gum infection – moving teeth with braces actually stimulates bone growth!  When you combine the major reduction in infection and inflammation with the healing effects of the laser, AND you add the bone stimulation of tooth movement and alignment through braces, it’s like a double benefit.

In the case of crowded teeth, improving alignment also makes it easier to brush and floss, too, and this is still an important part of maintaining healthy gums and teeth over the long term.

Over the next 6-10 months, be on the lookout here for some truly dramatic smile transformations for patients by combining 6MonthSmiles and LANAP.

If you are unhappy with your smile and are worried about losing your teeth and being forced into dentures, call us at 704-364-7069 or Request an Appointment Online.  This is a great time of year to plan for LANAP, because we can divide the treatment into 2 halves (right side then left or vice versa, starting with the worse side) in December and January, which will allow you to use 2 years of dental insurance benefits and reduce your out-of-pocket expense.  If you don’t have insurance, you’ll love our Quality Dental Plan, a terrific dental discount plan that we offer in the Charlotte area, that gives you a 20% discount on all treatment ; if you want monthly payments to fit the cost into your budget, we also offer CareCredit Interest-Free Dental Payment Plans.  Our goal is to make it affordable for you to get the treatment you need, so you can have the smile you want!

Advertisement

2009 is Almost Over – Use Your Dental Benefits/Flex Plan $ or Lose Them!

USE IT OR LOSE IT!

Your Dental Insurance, that is.  Did you know that, when your dental insurance year runs out, you LOSE whatever benefits you have left?  Unlike phone minutes, there’s no “roll-over” for your insurance, so once they’re gone, they’re GONE.

We are rapidly approaching the end of 2009, and our schedule is already filling up for those last appointments of the year; if you don’t schedule now, you could easily miss out on the opportunity to use your benefits to help you get the dental treatment you need.  If you want to use Flex Plan dollars (‘cause you lose those, too, don’t forget!) or Dental Insurance that is still available, please call Liz at your first chance so you don’t miss out.

END-OF-YEAR SPECIALS

In addition to using your Dental Benefits, we are offering some really cool End-of-Year specials to help you out (hey, if you save some money and I get to stay busy, we BOTH benefit, right?)

1)      Get up to an ADDITIONAL $500 off our amazing Six-Month Braces! This has been incredibly popular, and patients tell us almost every day that they can’t believe how fast their teeth are straightening out.  Many are going to have the smiles straight and white by Thanksgiving or Christmas already.  Since we already have the coupon for $500 off, if you chose this option, you can save UP TO $1000!  If you’re doing 1 arch, you save $250 extra, but $500 off if you do both top and bottom teeth.

2) SAVE YOUR TEETH FROM GUM DISEASE AND $500 OFF! If you have gum disease and we’ve talked with you about LANAP, here’s the best way to go: We are scheduling blocks of time in the last week of December and the first week in January JUST for LANAP patients.  By doing the first ½ of your mouth in Dec., then the second ½ in January, you already get to use TWO years of dental benefits, which will really save you money.  But if you call to schedule now, you can save $500 off your total treatment fee, too!  Because we’re reserving 4-5 hours of time for you this far in advance, we do require a deposit so we know you’re serious. If you’re worried about how it will feel, especially around the holidays, visit us at www.YouTube.com/SmilesbyPayet and you can see some video testimonials from 2 of my recent patients and from other patients around the country.  It’s amazing – all you’ll need is a little ibuprofen and the next day you’re back up to normal .

3) 15% OFF ALL OTHER TREATMENT! Regardless of what other dental work you need, you can save a full 15% off from now through December 31^st.  Just call Liz to schedule your appointment ASAP before others take them all.

So start planning and calling now, before time runs out, your dental insurance is gone, your flex dollars are gone, and our End-of-Year Specials are gone.  We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Request an Appointment Online or Call 704-364-7069

Quality Dental Plan: Charlotte’s BEST Dental Discount Plan

Thanks to some connections across the country, I am very pleased to announce another exciting development in our dental practice that we truly believe will benefit patients, and that is the Quality Dental Plan, the first nationwide dental discount plan that is truly designed to be AFFORDABLE to both employers and individuals.  In fact, we plan on going out into the small business community to promote this as an affordable way to offer dental benefits to their employees and for their employees to get better dental coverage than with traditional or even PPO dental insurance.  So just how does the Quality Dental Plan work?

For Employers:

Talk about economical and simple to administrate: all you have to do is pay a 1-time annual fee of $345 per employee……AND THAT’S IT!  You have now provided each employee with dental benefits that far exceed what they can usually get from typical dental insurance.  No monthly deductions, no monthly payments, and I’d bet about anything that you will be paying less than you currently pay for your company’s dental benefits.  It COMPLETELY eliminates your administrative work except that all you have to do is let us know if you add or subtract any employees during the year.  THAT’S IT!  And if you want to add a little more value for your employees, you can sign up their family members for ONLY $195 EXTRA PER PERSON!

Theoretical Employer Scenario:
10 Employees x $345 = $3450 annual enrollment.  You’re done.  🙂
Say each employee has 1 family member, so you decide you want to cover them, too.  So 10 family members x $197 = $1970; so now you’ve paid a TOTAL of $5,420 and ALL of your employees and their 1 family member now are members of the Quality Dental Plan and have benefits in our office.  And you’re done!  🙂

Individuals/Families:

If you read the scenario for employers above…..it’s the same idea.  All you do is pay $345 annually to enroll, and you only add $197 extra per family member per year.  So you can enroll a family of 4 for a TOTAL of $936.  So it’s pretty darn simple.

So what do you GET with the Quality Dental Plan?

This is the best part (what you’ve really been waiting for 🙂 ):

• Initial Comprehensive Exam, Complete Set of X-rays, and Routine Child or Adult Cleaning
• At your 6-Month Check-up, you get your Six-Month Exam and Routine Child or Adult Cleaning
• Free Custom Whitening Trays!
• And for the entire 12 months following enrollment, you get 20% OFF ALL OF OUR SERVICES WITH NO ANNUAL LIMIT!

Yes, you read that correctly – 20% off all kinds of treatment. Of course, there are some conditions that go along with the deal, but compared to what so-called “dental insurance” companies offer, they’re insignificant.  So let’s compare the Quality Dental Plan with “dental insurance:”

“Dental insurance” – you only get $1,000-1,500 per year, which has to cover your 2 “free” cleanings/exams/x-rays,  and then you get whatever is left.  Maybe a few fillings or 1 crown, and after that it’s all out of your pocket.

OR

Quality Dental Plan: Your 2 routine child/adult cleanings and x-rays and exams are all included in your enrollment fee, and thereafter 20% off everything with NO LIMITS.   Say you need 5 crowns, well, you get 20% off of each crown, which means that by the time you’ve paid for 4, the last one is almost free when looking at our standard fees.  10 veneers?  20% off!  Six-Month Braces?  20% off! Say you need 5 crowns, 10 veneers, AND Six-Month Braces?  20% off EVERYTHING.

Ok, so you may be thinking, “What’s the catch?  Why does Dr. Payet do this?”  Well, it’s for a few simple reasons:

1. It SERIOUSLY simplifies our administrative work, ’cause we don’t have to deal with insurance companies (that’s reason enough to do it right there, honestly).
2. When you’re able to afford the treatment you want and need, it keeps me busier (my staff much prefers that to me being bored and stir-crazy).
3. It does help you afford the treatment you want and need.

Updates on Invisalign

ALIGN Technology, the company that makes Invisalign orthodontic aligners, has not yet made any indication that they will be reversing their decision on June 1st to require dentists and orthodontists to do a minimum of 10 cases each year and complete 10 hours of their Continuing Education courses each year.  The backlash among dentists and orthodontists, however, continues to get stronger, as this is a fairly blatant move by a for-profit corporation to intrude on a doctor’s autonomy and decision-making rights as to which cases are appropriate for Invisalign and which are not.  Several professional organizations, including the Academy of General Dentistry and the New York State Dental Association, are already responding with letters to ALIGN Technology’s Board of Directors and President, stating that there is simply no evidence that the so-called “proficiency requirements” have any basis in science, and unless they can come up with something to substantiate the claims the company is making, they should immediately withdraw the requirements.  If ALIGN Technology continues on this course, patients should fully expect to see an enormous drop in the availability of Invisalign as more and more dentists and orthodontists simply drop their service.

The good news is that there are alternatives to Invisalign, and they work as well or better, AND they’re even less expensive!  For some info and examples, check out our Six-Month Smiles in Charlotte!  Then you can Request a Complimentary Consultation to see how fast you can feel good about your smile again with straight, white teeth!  And if you’re concerned about cost, if you sign up for our Dental Discount Plan or choose Interest-Free Payment Plans with Care Credit, you can save some real money, too.

Dental Discount Plan for Cosmetic Dentistry? You bet!

I’ve talked about our Smiles by Payet Dental Discount Plan several times, but something that may be overlooked is that this even covers Cosmetic Dentistry!

Imagine you’re looking for a Smile Makeover and want to get Porcelain Veneers, like Craig’s  in the below picture, and you’re concerned about the total fees:

A Smile Makeover by Dr. Charles Payet - 8 Porcelain Veneers

Depending on the complexity of the case and your cosmetic desires, a Smile Makeover can run from $1200-2000/tooth in Charlotte, so 10 Porcelain Veneers will cost you $12,000 – $20,000.  But imagine that now……simply by enrolling in our Smiles by Payet Dental Discount Plan with the $295 enrollment fee, you would automatically receive a TWENTY PERCENT (20%) DISCOUNT!!!!! That would save you $2400-4,000 on your Smile Reconstruction by me – a highly skilled and experienced cosmetic dentist, right here in Charlotte, NC in the South Park area.

All you have to do is either:

1. Call 704-364-7069 and make an appointment with Liz for a Free Consultation, or

2. Request an Appointment Online

Just how outrageous is dental “insurance?” Check this out!

As a practicing dentist for almost 11 years now, in a practice that does accept assignment of dental insurance benefits, I have seen almost every conceivable attempt by dental insurance companies to hold up payment, deny payment, or anything they can do to keep the money that should rightfully help pay for your dental care.  But this one took the cake for me, and I have to share.  Which insurance company?  Metlife.  Seriously……..they said there was not enough missing tooth structure due to decay or fracture on these teeth, and therefore they don’t need crowns.  Are they CRAZY!!!!!?!?!?!?!?

Amazing - a dental insurance company said these broken and decayed teeth don't need crowns. Can you believe it?

A story about Kat, her migraines, and her NTI nightguard

I’d like to supplement the last post about Kat’s treatment with the story of a discussion we had after an appointment sometime in 2008, when she’d had her NTI-tss nightguard for about 18-20 months.  It demonstrates just how “miraculous” a treatment the NTI can be for chronic migraine headaches.

When Kat first came to us, she had suffered migraine headaches for as long as she could remember (I’m not allowed to tell you how long that is, of course – a gentleman never asks nor tells a lady’s age!), and she had tried practically every medication, had every scan done, had allergy testing done, massage, chiropractic, physical therapy……….you name it, she’d tried it.  I think the only thing she hadn’t done was Botox, ’cause she doesn’t like that idea.

2 weeks after starting to wear her NTI, Kat came in for her first follow-up visit and told us in amazement and pleasure that the ONLY headache she’d had in those 2 weeks was the day after drinking a bit too much and forgetting to wear her NTI.  It was one of the first days in years she had no headache and no migraine!  And that continues today…….

But the cool thing…..because sometimes people are hesitant to pay $600+ for a “nightguard” from a DENTIST, of all people, to treat their headaches……after she’d had her NTI for those 18 months, I asked her the following question:

“Kat, if I were to offer you $1,000 (One Thousand Dollars) to buy your NTI back from you, with the condition that you could never get another one, would you take it?”
Kat looked at me as if I were crazy for a moment before bursting out laughing and asking, “Are you crazy????  No way!”

So there you go…she wouldn’t even accept $1,000 for a piece of acrylic and lexan, because it’s made that big a difference in her life.

Would you be willing to pay $1,000 if all you had to do to get rid of your migraine headaches was to wear a custom-fitted and adjusted dental nightguard?  Instead of all the medications?  What if your insurance would not cover it?

Given that I occasionally suffer migraine headaches myself (usually when I’m overworked, not sleeping well, not eating enough, AND most importantly, not wearing MY NTI), and I know just how excruciating the pain can be, I am often amazed that someone would not pay $650, which is our usual fee, to stop the suffering, but they would prefer to keep suffering because their insurance won’t take it.  Huh?  I don’t get it……

Some exciting new offers for new dental patients in Charlotte, NC

We’ve recently begun offering some new New Patient promotions, so I realized I should post them here, too, and not just on our website.  Duh, right?  LOL  Anyway, just click on the Coupon to go to our website, where you can actually download the coupon, print it, and bring it in with you.  Be sure to tell us you found it here on the Smiles by Payet Dentistry blog!

3 Offers for New Dental Patients in Charlotte, NC

Dental payment plans, interest-free dental financing in Charlotte, NC

As I mentioned in my last post about patients without dental insurance, I would like to add that there is another great option that we offer at my dentist’s office in Charlotte, NC, and that is CareCredit.  A tremendous number of my patients have used the 3-, 6-, and 12-Month Interest-Free Dental Patient Financing to help them get their dental work done without putting them in a bind.

Check our website for the link to their Online Application, and you can have that ready when you come in, too.  The more you have done before you come in, the easier your appointment flow will be, and you can rest assured that you’re covered financially.

Interest-Free Dental Payment Plan offered by Dr. Charles Payet in Charlotte, NC

Smiles by Payet Dental Discount Plan

I thought I’d just mention this again, as we’ve had increasing interest in our Smiles by Payet Dentistry Dental Discount Plan; as far as I know, it’s the only Dental Discount Plan in Charlotte, NC that’s offered.  Patients are finding some real savings with it.  We are only offering this for patients with NO Dental Insurance; alternately, if you have an HMO or DMO plan and don’t want to see the dentist your network says you have to see, this option would work for you, too!

Discount Plan for Dental Patients in Charlotte NC offered by Dr. Charles Payet, Smiles by Payet Dentistry