Times are Changing

I recently attended my 20th dental class reunion in San Francisco. It was great to be back in the City. It was great to see old friends, and make some new ones. While visiting my old stomping grounds, I was impressed to see how the old dental school, in Pacific Heights, was moving into a state of the art facility South of Market Street. It gave me a chance to reflect on my own journey. It made me come to the realization that we have to evolve to stay current. I think back to when we were taught to do Mercury fillings in school, and now I have not done one since 1999. I think back not so long ago we had to put a messy, runny material, in someones mouth to get an impression for a crown. We would then wait two to four weeks for it to come back from the lab. Now all we have to do is take a digital CAD photo, and we can usually make the crown in the office and have it in the mouth in a couple of hours. Dentistry is changing rapidly. We no longer use chemicals to develope x-rays, and with the introduction of digital x-rays, the amount of radiation for x-rays has gone down. The exposure is up to 90% less than the old traditional x-rays. We now use lasers in dentistry routinely for finding cavities, treating gum disease, and cavities. The materials we use now are far superior to what we had in the past. With the introduction of emax, a new super strong ceramic, we can place nice white looking crowns in all areas of the mouth, where before we were limited. I think back to some of the materials I used just 5 years ago I no longer use. Dentistry is truly evolving by helping save lives with sleep medicine and different treatments for sleep apnea. There are new breakthroughs in treating Temporomandibular joint disorder. If you are interested in seeing or learning about some of these things call us for an appointment (808-873-0707), or mention it to us on your next visit. Our office is constantly evolving so that we may take care of our clients the best way we can. Thanks, James Merrett DDS

Best Dentist in Hawaii 2012 by Honolulu Magazine

Best in Hawaii 2012
I want to thank all of you who voted for my practice in the Honolulu Magazine poll. And, I am so happy to have been voted one of The Best in Hawaii for the fourth straight year.

I am so happy to receive this award for a fourth time. With the recognition we received last year, many patients heard about us and our work with migraine and TMJ pain sufferers. It is my sincere hope that we reach more of those people this year.

I am fairly sure that offering advanced dental services such as Neuromuscular Dentistry and Cosmetic Dentistry is one of the reasons my practice was recognized for this awards. I think another reason we have won this honor four times now is how we treat people at our practice. “We see our patients as guests and we do everything we can to make sure they have a comfortable and serene experience when they see us for treatment. I think that makes a difference in patient care.

Thanks again for your support. I look forward to seeing you soon and helping you maintain excellent dental health.