Congratulations to Mr. Frank Devereaux of  Savanna Oaks Middle School!

He was nominated by his 6th grade student, K.M., who said:

“I would like to nominate Mr. Devereaux my info [tech] teacher because he is a great teacher.  He loves his job and the kids he works with. Mr Devereaux takes time to answer the question you ask and not just with a short answer. He is always finding new ways to teach us more about technology so we can use it when we get older. And I know computer programs and things that we use on the computer are expensive . So I hope you will consider Mr. Devereaux as the teacher of the month.”

Mr. Devereaux won a $50 Target gift card.

Do you know a great teacher who could use a $50  gift card for his or her classroom?  Submit your nomination, along with a short paragraph on why he or she deserves to win, to our email address:  schacherldental@tds.net.

Be sure to include his or her contact information so that we can notify the winner.  The gift card can be picked up in our office.

Watch for updates on our blog as teachers are selected during the remainder of the 2012 Spring Semester.  Good luck!

We wanted to share the exciting news that 2012 is the year Main Street Dentists will be incorporating office practices to move towards being a “paperless” office.  That’s right, we’re “Going Green!”

Over the next 12 months, each patient will be given the option to receive fewer paper communications with our office.  We will soon have the ability to email updates about upcoming needed and already scheduled appointments, eliminating the need for reminder cards.  Additionally, patients will be encouraged to set up payment plans prior to dental treatment to eliminate paper waste from billing statements and envelopes.  Stay tuned as even more environmentally friendly practices are put in place throughout the office in 2012.

For two days in January, Dr. Kate attended the Scottsdale Center for CEREC training. For the last 10 years, Dr. John has been providing all-ceramic restorations (crowns, inlays, onlays, veneers) that are made right here in our office using advanced computer technology.  Now, for the first time, Dr. Kate will be able to offer all of these same services.

In this photo, you can see an example of how a crown is designed using this advanced technology after taking a series of photos of the patient’s teeth.

The crown is then milled out of a solid block of porcelain here in the office.

One new super-strong porcelain we are pleased to offer is emax.  This porcelain is so advanced that it is able help stop cracks that could form over time.  The next time you need a crown, ask if emax is right for you!

There are a lot of exciting new technologies that CEREC has been developing.  Watch for updates as we incorporate them into the office to make your 1-visit appointment for permanent restorations even shorter, and, hopefully, more enjoyable!

Thanks to cerecdoctors.com for the photos.

Wow, January was a busy month!  Expect 3 blog updates in February.

First up, Dr. John spent a week in Scottsdale, AZ at the Damon Brackets annual orthodontics symposium.  Damon Brackets is a super-fast, super-cool new way to have wire braces.  The system is faster and more effective than traditional braces because of the technology placed into the brackets and wires.  If you aren’t a candidate for Invisalign, ask if Damon Brackets would work for you!

In the picture below, check out the size difference in the brackets—also, no rubber bands to draw more attention to your teeth!

Next week, read about Dr. Kate’s CEREC 1-visit crown training at the Scottsdale Center for Dentistry!  Also, we have some very exciting news from the front office regarding new upgrades to enhance your office experience.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

The black band on the extracted tooth in the above picture is calculus.  This calcified plaque is full of bacteria that cause inflammation in the body which, over time, can lead to bone and tissue loss creating “pockets” alongside teeth.  Bone and tissue loss result in a condition called periodontal disease.

Once there is bone and tissue loss, everything changes at the dental visit.  Regular “cleanings” can no longer reach down below the gum tissues to clean these pockets out.  This calculus is what Tanya, Denise and Kari remove from tooth root surfaces during periodontal scaling and root planing.

Here’s the important part:  Once a patient has periodontal disease, he/she will always have periodontal disease.  This is why after scaling and root planing treatments a patient is put on a more frequent “cleaning” schedule called periodontal maintenance.  A “regular cleaning” is no longer appropriate because our hygienists need to clean below the gum tissues to maintain these deep areas (pockets) of bone loss.

Curious as to what other body systems are affected by periodontal disease?  Refer to our older blog posts.

On behalf of our team at Main Street Dentists, we are wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2012!   

(oh, a little snow would be great, too…)

In honor of Anne Schacherl’s 30 years in the teaching profession, Main Street Dentists is beginning a “Teacher Appreciation Program” starting January, 2012.  

Anne Schacherl, Dr. John Schacherl’s wife, and Dr. Kate Schacherl’s mom, has been a member of the full-time faculty at Madison Area Technical College since 1981.

Anne is currently the Program Director for Paralegal at Madison Area Technical College, which offers both an Associate Degree in Paralegal as well as a Paralegal Post-Baccalaureate Certificate.

She teaches paralegal program courses that include Administration of Estates, Legal Writing, and Legal Research.  Anne is also a member of several College committees, including the Academic Integrity Steering Committee, and is the co-author of the College’s policy on Academic Integrity.

In 2007, Anne was the sole recipient of the Madison Area Technical College Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award, and that same year was honored in Austin, TX as the recipient of a NISOD Teaching Excellence Award.

Anne is a past lecturer at the University of Wisconsin – Madison Law School and a frequent volunteer speaker to area civic and professional groups on the subjects of Estate Planning and Settlement.

Do you know a great teacher who could use a $50  gift card for his or her classroom?  Submit your nomination, along with a short paragraph on why he or she deserves to win, to our email address:  schacherldental@tds.net.  

Beginning in  January one teacher will be selected to receive this award. 

Be sure to include his or her contact information so that we can let the winner know.  The gift card can be picked up in our office. 

Good luck!

Questions?  Send us an email!

‘Tis the season for warm coffee drinks!  The possibilities are endless . . . caramel, mocha, whipped toppings, shaved chocolate and cinnamon are just the starting point.  Often the opportunity exists to add extra syrups and flavors to an everyday treat.  The fitness clubs will warn about the calories these drinks can pack on, but the sugar content in some is almost unbelievable.  Watch the nutrition menu as some drinks can pack on a whopping 90+ grams of sugar.  We’re not going to pick on one coffee house or another but we want you all to choose your holiday drink treats carefully.  As with anything, indulgence in moderation isn’t bad!

Here are the photos from our recent dental trip to Siguatepeque, Honduras.  From Nov. 5-12, Drs. John and Kate Schacherl, along with Dr. Angela Cotey from Mt. Horeb, Assistants Brenda and Tashina, and Hygienists Tanya and Denise,  completed dental work on 121 patients.  It was the perfect combination of doctors and staff that allowed us to see so many patients, many of the 121 back for more than one appointment.

The majority of the patients were children, the youngest being 2 years old, with average age in elementary school.  It was heartening to see many of the children back again without any cavities.  On our last day, Tanya and Denise gave a presentation on brushing and flossing to a group of 3-4 year-olds and their parents.  It was a lot of fun and the kids loved their new toothbrushes.

The hygienists had a good challenge educating many adult patients on oral hygiene while completing much-needed periodontal (gum therapy) work.  One man traveled several hours to receive his first teeth cleaning and had never used floss before!  Tanya and Denise did a great job!

Our assistants were just as fabulous in Honduras as they are back home.  Brenda and Tashina worked hard to keep our patients happy and comfortable, our instruments sterilized, and the mood light.

Our hours were much longer than they are back home but the days flew by.  Our stash of chocolate in the supply closet helped keep ourselves and our wonderful translators happy.

Many thanks to all who helped make this a successful dental trip.  We can’t wait to go back again next year!

We had another successful trip to Honduras Nov. 5-12!  Please check our blog this coming Saturday, Nov. 19, for a full report and lots of photos!

From “UH-Oh…Ouch!” to “Oh, My, Amazing!”:  

The Story of New Front Teeth

When retired professional Nordic skier  Justin Easter’s front teeth starting “popping” and feeling painful when he was outside in cold weather, he knew that something wasn’t quite right.  Years earlier, he had a painful bicycling accident that resulted in damage to both of his upper front teeth.  The teeth were restored with tooth-colored filling material and he was warned that someday these teeth might start to die and require further work.  On those cold mornings that he was outdoors skiing, his teeth let him know that they needed further attention.

Dr. Kate evaluated his front teeth and compared new x-rays with older ones from his previous dentist.  She made the determination that both of Justin’s front teeth were dying and would require root canal therapy.  After local anesthetic, Dr. Kate performed root canal therapy on both teeth, removing all of the irritated nerves and blood vessels, and placing a biocompatible filling material.

In Justin’s own words, after the root canal therapy,  “I was pain-free all the time.”

Because the majority of Justin’s front teeth were filling material, they required crowns to bring them back to full-strength and protect them from further breakage.

Dr. John Schacherl prepared Justin’s teeth for crowns.  Here is Justin’s photo before both teeth were prepared for crowns.

Justin left the office with two temporary crowns and returned two weeks later to have his permanent crowns cemented.  Here is a close-up photo with his two new front teeth.

Justin was thrilled with the result and is looking forward to being outside, pain-free, this winter.

Where in the world is “Dental Pig”?

A better question might be, “Who in the world is Dental Pig”? Well, first it’s important to know that Dental Pig belongs to Dr. Kate Schacherl. He came to the United States from his home in England back in August, 2006. His former home was a beautiful city whose nickname is “Venice of the Cotswolds.”Mystery #1: Can you provide the real name of Dental Pig’s hometown in England?Dr. John Schacherl found Dental Pig at a flea market in the basement of an old church in England. And, since Dr. Kate collects pigs of all kinds and shapes, he bought Dental Pig (all 25 pounds of him!) and hand carried him through many airports until he arrived, safe and sound, at his new home in Verona. The man at the flea market said to Dr. Schacherl, “You win the award for buying the heaviest parcel to carry home!”

Dental Pig now lives at the home of Dr. Kate.  In Spring, 2008, when Drs. John and Kate began their advanced Dental Implant class, Dental Pig wanted to come along. The Dental Implant class was held in a city outside of Verona, and Dental Pig really likes to travel. So, they agreed that he could come. After all, this time they were traveling by car, so this would be much easier than all of those airports and planes. Dental Pig was very excited to be able to go on this trip!Mystery #2: Look at the photo of Dr. Kate holding Dental Pig at the conference center hotel. If you look outside the window, you will get some clues to help you figure out what city they are in. Can you name this city?Dental Pig is proud that Drs. John and Kate have worked so hard to complete the Dental Implant course. Look at the photo of them at graduation with course instructor, Dr. Arun Garg. And, there’s another photo of Dental Pig reading the map. He was anxious to get back to his home in Verona. But, we’re sure he will want to come along on our next adventure. Stay tuned!

John A. Schacherl, DDS

Dr. John Schacherl, a Wisconsin native, established his dental practice in Verona in 1976 following graduation from Marquette University School of Dentistry. For more than 30 years, he and his staff have been dedicated to providing unsurpassed patient care. Dr. Schacherl has completed hundreds of hours of post-graduate training, including course work in full-mouth reconstruction, orthodontics, and dental implants. He is passionate in his attention to detail resulting in beautiful smiles for his patients.Dr. Schacherl is the parent of two grown children, Kate and Jeff, and has been married to his wife, Anne, a Madison attorney and law instructor, since 1977. In his spare time, he enjoys cross-country skiing and sailing.Member, American Dental Association Member, Wisconsin Dental Association Member, Dane County Dental Society Member, Academy of General Dentistry Member, International Association for Orthodontics Diplomat, International Congress of Oral Implantologists Katherine (‘Kate’) C. Schacherl, DDS Dr. Katherine Schacherl received her undergraduate degree (biology major, chemistry & economics minors) at Edgewood College, Madison, WI, and her Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from Marquette University School of Dentistry.Kate especially enjoys endodontics and oral surgery, and has recently completed post-graduate training in dental implants. She is committed to providing unparalleled care to her patients. In her spare time, Kate enjoys cooking, cross-country skiing and bicycling.Member,American Dental Association Member, Wisconsin Dental Association Member, Dane County Dental Society Member, Academy of General Dentistry Diplomat, International Congress of Oral Implantologists Our Staff Our Staff is simply the best! Our team of dental hygienists, assistants and front office staff make it their mission to know you by name and treat you like family. You will not find a more friendly, professional, and caring staff anywhere.

September has been a busy month at Main Street Dentists!  Over Labor Day weekend, Dr. Kate celebrated her birthday with family and friends and worked on overcoming her fear of heights by hiking to the summit of Quandary Peak, 14, 265 feet in Colorado.  
 
 

Two weekends later, Dr. John and Dr. Kate traveled to Detroit, Michigan for a hands-on extraction course with Physics Forceps.  While learning a new and less-invasive extraction technique, all doctors attending the course were able to provide extractions at no cost to the local homeless population.  See if you can spot the doctors in the photos below.  Photos are courtesty of the Physics Forceps by Golden Dental Solutions Facebook page.
 
 

The last weekend of September, Dr. Kate will be attending a dental implant course here in Madison.  Photos will follow in our next blog entry.  Until next month, GOOO Badgers!

On Thursday, April 28, 2011, Dr. Kate Schacherl and Office Coordinator, Anita Nesheim, visited Mount Horeb Intermediate Center to participate in Career Day.  Over the course of the morning, they spoke with 12 third through fifth grade classes.  Dr. Kate began each of the 25-minute sessions by asking the students what they thought a dentist did at work and she received a variety of answers ranging from “fillings” to “bridges.”  She then explained that her main job is to examine each patient’s teeth and mouth and x-rays to make sure there are no cavities or other diseases present.  If there are, then it is her job to either fix the areas of concern in her office or refer the patient to another doctor who can help.

Several students got to be dentists for the morning and look at different “patient” cases.  The students noted how everyone’s teeth are slightly different and noted areas where flossing was very important.  They got to read about what the “patient’s” ate for snacks and discuss if these “patients” were likely to get cavities.  The students also got to look at pictures of the chewing surfaces of teeth and discuss if they thought that dental sealants would be a good idea to prevent cavities in the grooves of back teeth.  Finally, they looked at pictures of teeth to try and find cavities.  All of the students did a great job finding the cavities on the chewing surfaces of teeth, but with their eyes alone they couldn’t find cavities between the teeth.  Dr. Kate explained how x-rays are important for finding cavities between teeth and for looking at the bone around teeth to make sure it is healthy.  The students got a chance to look at x-rays and make observations about what they saw.

Finally, Dr. Kate discussed the classes that are important to take to become a dentist.  She had to take a lot of science classes, which she loved, and math classes, which weren’t her favorite!  The students were surprised to learn that the only dental school in the State of Wisconsin isn’t in Madison, but is actually at Marquette University in Milwaukee.  Wisconsin is lucky to have a dental school, because some states don’t have one.

By the end of the day several students expressed an interest in a career in dentistry.  Dr. Kate and Anita appreciated the opportunity to speak with the students and enjoyed responding to all of the great questions and comments!

With Labor Day weekend behind us, the school year is in full swing.  Here are several dental tips to make it a “dentally successful” school year.

With many contact sports in session, it is important to wear a mouthguard. Trauma to the face can be lessened with regular use of a mouthguard. While it may seem obvious, the mouthguard should be worn at all times while participating in a contact-prone sport – this includes practice. We have seen several traumas to the face, lips, gingiva and teeth from injuries that occurred during practice when the athlete left his/her mouthguard in the locker room. Some school programs offer mouthguards for their student athletes, while others do not. If your school does not offer a mouthguard, please contact our office as we do fabricate custom sports mouthguards.

As more children are undergoing orthodontics, appliances such as Invisalign and removable retainers are more frequently being brought into the school. It is important to always bring the case for the appliance, as well as a toothbrush and toothpaste. Many students have wrapped up an appliance in a napkin on a lunchtray, only to realize after lunch that they had thrown their appliance away. For students undergoing Invisalign treatment, it is important to brush their teeth prior to putting the trays back in after lunch. Not doing this can lead to an unattractive decalcification (white spots) of enamel that can progress to cavities.

Finally, it is important for students to have healthy snacks for their morning snack break. As most students won’t have the time or inclination to brush after this snack, try to make the snack something that won’t stick in their teeth or contain too much sugar. Good options for healthy, filling snacks are trail mix (without raisins or cranberries), string cheese, raw veggies (such as carrots, celery and broccoli), apples, and pretzels. Some common choices that can get caught in teeth and lead to cavities are granola bars, gummy snacks, and some sticky dried fruits. If your child is prone to cavities on the chewing surfaces, check into the possibility of sealants to help seal the grooves of their teeth to prevent cavities.

Did you know that periodontal disease is linked with having cardiovascular disease?  Periodontal disease is a disease where inflammation of tissue due to bacteria and toxins causes the body to destroy the bone and supporting tissues of the teeth.  There are two theories as to how this causes cardiovascular disease.

The first theory as to how periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease are linked is that the inflammation in the mouth creates more plaque buildup in the arteries increasing swelling of the arteries.  In the mouth, plaque is the accumulation of bacteria and debris on the teeth, but in the cardiovascular system, plaque is a buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances in the walls of arteries that obstructs the flow of blood.

The second theory is that the bacteria from the mouth enter the bloodstream, attach to the plaque already built up in the bloodstream, and increase clot formation.  While time may prove one theory to be true over the other, or that a combination of both theories is true, the fact remains that there is a link between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. 

Consider flossing to protect your teeth AND your heart.  Nightly flossing to remove tooth plaque and debris will not only keep your teeth and gums healthy, but will help keep your heart healthy as well.

It is a scene common to the dental office.

You come in for your six-month recall appointment.  The hygienist cleans your teeth and then has the doctor come in to “check.”  This doctor exam is the shortest part of the appointment, but contains vital information.  Three areas are assessed:  soft tissue health, which includes an oral cancer screening, periodontal health, and tooth health, where the teeth are examined for cavities, fractures and failing restorations.

One area of this exam that I would like to discuss in this week’s blog entry is the periodontal assessment.  In assessing periodontal health, I ask the hygienist several questions.  The first is how the “pocket depths” were, if there was “any bleeding upon probing or instrumentation” and how you are doing with “home care”.

What am I trying to assess?  Pocket depths, or probing depths, measure the depth of the pocket of tissue around the tooth.  A normal probing depth is between 1-3 mm.  When the hygienist alerts me that there are areas of probing depths greater than 3 mm, I begin to ask more questions, as this may indicate the start of periodontal disease.  When I ask if there is bleeding upon probing or instrumentation, I am trying to assess if there is any inflammation in the tissues.  This inflammation suggests bacterial infection and is indicative of either gingivitis or, in periodontal patients, the return to a state of infection.  Finally, when I ask about homecare, I am asking the hygienist to give an assessment of how you are doing at home with routine oral hygiene.  Are you brushing at least twice per day, once in the morning and once before bed?  Are you flossing at night before bed?  How much plaque and calculus are found on your teeth?  Is it a light, moderate or heavy amount?

Based on the answers to the questions, the hygienist and I can give you an accurate status of your periodontal health.

Patients Fall Into One of Three Main Categories

• Healthy Periodontal Patients:  Those whose tissues are free from pocketing, inflammation and bleeding
• Patients With Gingivitis:  Those who have a reversible inflammation of the gums
• Patients With Periodontal Disease:  Those who have either had or currently have active periodontal disease.

The goal in our office is to have people without a history of periodontal disease to remain healthy and disease-free; for those with a history of periodontal disease to remain stable and not have the disease progress; and for those with active periodontal disease to become, and remain, stable.

Until next time, keep flossing!
Dr. Kate