TMJ, or Temporomandibular Joints, connect the jawbone to the temporal bone on both sides of skull. These joints act like a hinge to assist the jaw with movements such as chewing or talking.

TMD refers to Temporomandibular Disorders. TMJ disorders are very common. They range in terms of severity and occur when the muscles surrounding the joints have experienced some sort of trauma.

Dentists are oftentimes the first to witness and diagnose TMJ disorders due to their knowledge of the jaw. Being that November is TMJ Awareness Month, we wanted to share some insight into this prevalent and unfortunate condition.

Common Signs or Symptoms of TMJ Disorders – What to Look For:

• Pain in the jaw area
• Headache
• Pain while opening the mouth or while chewing
• Pain or ringing in the ears
• A clicking, popping or grinding sound upon opening or closing the mouth
• Locking of the jaw in the open or closed position

TMJ disorders can be caused from one or several factors making an exact origin sometimes hard to pinpoint. They are usually a result of trauma but may also be linked to:

• Bruxism – or clenching/grinding your teeth
• Misaligned bite
• Arthritis
• Stress

What Can I do to Help My TMJ:

If you’re currently experiencing any of the above symptoms, it’s best to get an evaluation. Your dentist will do an examination to look for signs of clenching or grinding and may ask to observe as you open/close your mouth. X-rays or additional scans may also be needed.

Treatment options vary depending on the cause and severity of your TMJ disorder and may include some combination of the following:

• Wearing a night guard to prevent from clenching and grinding
• Referral to a physical therapist to learn a variety of exercises that help reduce pain and regain normal movement
• Education on changing daily habits that may aggravate TMJ
• Acupuncture or adopting stress-reducing behaviors such as meditation
• Non-surgical procedures such as Botox injections or Ultrasound
• Surgical procedures

TMJ pain can worsen and lead to more serious conditions. Please schedule a visit to our office if you would like an evaluation. Our skilled dentists, Dr. Timothy Gillespie and associates are trained to help our patients successfully treat TMJ disorders in Asheville, NC. We welcome you to call us at (828) 252-9351 to learn more!

The post TMJ Awareness Month first appeared on Gillespie Dental Associates.

Many people find that when cold weather arrives, their teeth become more sensitive.   This could be nature’s way of telling you there’s damage to the teeth or gums.  Cold sensitivity may be the result of several factors, including cracked teeth, gum shrinkage, thin enamel, or grinding.  Those who experience sensitive teeth for more than three days should speak with our office to have this problem evaluated.

Take Time to Research Your Dental Care Options for 2018 

Fall is the season when many will decide how they will manage their dental care in the upcoming year.  Options can include:

• Paying as needed throughout the year
• Choosing Dental Insurance through your work or Individual Insurance Plans
• Becoming a member of a Dental Savings Plan

It’s important to take the time to consider which option best fits your needs!  Our office offers a Membership Based Dental Savings Plan called Smile Advantage.  If you have any questions about Smile Advantage, please call our office or check out the New Patient Page at drtimgillespie.com

Manage Your Child’s (And Your Own! 🙂) Candy Eating

 It’s candy season!  To help avoid tooth damage, reduce candy eating to meal times.  That way the saliva you produce while eating will help to rinse the mouth of cavity causing bacteria!

EVER WONDER WHAT MAKES OUR OFFICE TICK?

CHECKOUT OUR NEW OFFICE VIDEO! 

The post Enjoy Our Fall Friendly Oral Healthcare Tips! first appeared on Gillespie Dental Associates.

The first case study in my current marketing class (MBA 560!) covers Starbucks’ efforts to improve customer service by understanding customer value, needs and behavior.  Part of this effort involved a survey wherein patrons were asked, “How could Starbucks make you feel more valued as a customer?”  The results interested me as, like dentistry, Starbucks is really more of a service business than a purveyor of a product.  Sure enough, the survey revealed that customers feel more value from a friendly, attentive staff far more than the other possible responses, including cost of beverages and promotions or specials.  Of course, it is a given that the coffee is good, right?

So, I decided to put some of this book learnin’ to use and design my own survey to find out dental patients’, including my own, values, needs and behavior.  I created a survey using Facebook and SurveyMonkey applications, which consisted of a single question, “What makes you feel more valued as a patient?”  Respondents were able to select up to eight answers, including a write-in answer.  The survey was posted on social media (MBA 610!)—Facebook through my personal page (970 “friends”), business page (1,036 “likes”), and I utilized Facebook’s advertising application to “boost” the survey for one day, which resulted in the ad being shown to an additional 4,574 Facebook users, which I targeted for age and proximity to my office.  I also shared the SurveyMonkey survey to LinkedIn, Twitter, Google +, and to 1,183 patient emails and 811 patient texts using my patient communication application, RevenueWell.

The Facebook and SurveyMonkey results mirrored each other almost exactly (closely matched the Starbucks survey as well!).  The SurveyMonkey results can be viewed at the following link, https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-3N69R9PV/, or, take a look at the chart at the bottom of this page.

With well over 100 combined responses, the survey is a statistically-valid sample (MBA 505!).  Similar to the Starbucks survey, I noted that “Friendly, attentive staff and doctor” is by far the quality that makes the patient feel most valued.  “Personal treatment” and “Timeliness/punctuality” are distant second and third, respectively.

So, I now scientifically know what I intuitively knew:  My targeted market and existing patients prefer a friendly, attentive staff and doctor above all other given options.  Moving forward, we will redouble our focus on customer service and spending time getting to know patients better (as well as staying on time!).  Give the people what they want!

The post Move Over Starbucks: A Dentist/MBA Student Does a Survey of His Own first appeared on Gillespie Dental Associates.

Mary answered a short-notice phone call–okay, it was more of a grown man crying–from me one Monday morning when a staff member called in sick.  Instead of re-scheduling many patients, I took a chance that Mary, if available, could come pitch in and help keep things rolling along smoothly.  She showed up (I could’ve swore she was wearing a white hat) and immediately made a positive impact on a day that could have become very stressful.  No one really told her what to do; from her experience, she just intuitively knew where to pitch in, and conscientiously looked for other areas to help.  She became an on-call fill-in for us, and has quickly become a valuable adjunct member of our staff.

I knew we couldn’t let someone like this get away, but life had other plans for Mary.  She recently became engaged, and her pharmacist fiance has taken a position in Nashville, so she is moving.  Too bad for us, but good for her.  Mary has already found her own position as the office manager in a Nashville dental practice.  They don’t fully know yet what they’re getting, but once they figure it out, they will be so proud of themselves for taking a chance on this diminutive, hockey-loving, figure-skating, craft beer aficionado from Alabama.  Thanks for being there when we needed you, Mary, and best of luck!

The post Say Hello to Mary. Say Goodbye to Mary. first appeared on Gillespie Dental Associates.

If you’re traveling, be safe, because we need you!  Not just for getting your teeth cleaned, but for all the good you do in this world.  And whether traveling or staying put, take a moment out of the busy holiday rush and just…breathe.  Breathe in all the joy around you and give thanks that, no matter our individual belief systems, we collectively set aside a time of year to aspire to be better versions of ourselves.

Well, unless you’re gluten-free.  Then, I just don’t know what you’re going to do.  If I couldn’t dig into some fruitcake or sugar cookies, I’d be so crabby, people would think I was the Grinch.  Anyway, Happy Holidays!

The post Season’s Greetings! first appeared on Gillespie Dental Associates.

Nearly half of American adults (48 percent) believe that a smile is the most memorable feature after first meeting someone—more so than the first thing a person says (25 percent).  Adults 50+ are even more likely than their 18-49 year old counterparts (52 percent vs. 45 percent) to remember a smile when first introduced to someone.  Even fewer adults would be likely to remember a person’s clothes (9 percent) or the way he or she smelled (8 percent) after meeting for the first time.

Free E-Guide to Making Great Impressions 

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry has teamed with a panel of lifestyle experts to create First Impressions in the Digital Age (www.aacd.com/firstimpressions), a free e-guide to everything else you need to know to make the most of that first personal or professional connection—whether online or off.

“You only get one chance to make a positive first impression,” said Dr. Ron Goodlin, AACD President. “And in our fast-paced, technology driven world, more people are getting their first impression of you online in profiles and pictures. The smile is our area of expertise, and we’d like to help make it a little easier for anyone looking for a job or a new relationship to put their best face forward.”

Best Face Forward

The survey also showed that some respondents view people with crooked or stained teeth as less attractive (37 percent) and less confident (25 percent) than those with perfect teeth.  More women than men (40 percent vs. 35 percent) say that an imperfect smile makes someone less appealing.  Other recent studies show that bad teeth can even prevent otherwise qualified candidates from getting jobs or promotions.

Control Your Image, Control Perceptions

In the e-guide, lifestyle photographer Dale Stenbroten with The Artist Group, shares insights on how to create the most effective visual image for your personal brand; social media expert Ashley Thiesen Caldwell, owner of The Modern Connection (www.themodernconnection.com), focuses on how you can build a dynamic online profile across social networks; and Margery Sinclair, etiquette expert and author of, A Year of Good Manners (www.margerysinclair.com), offers the do’s and don’ts of personal and professional etiquette.

“Remember that people’s perceptions of you are based on the information you share,” said Caldwell. “You control your image and you have the power to control people’s perceptions.”

Writing Credits to Christel Henke at PRWORKS LLC!

The post You Never Get A Second Chance… first appeared on Gillespie Dental Associates.

At Christmastime, I had politely accepted the book trilogy, then quietly put it away, as I professed to have no interest in reading about kids killing each other, reality TV-style, in a futuristic world where the haves manipulate the have-nots for sport. However, having been filmed in large part in my area, I just had to see the movie so I could take part in the social conversation that would surely follow its release.

And so, with wife and 10-year old son in tow (I know, I know, but he’s an old soul, having grown up hanging out with two much older brothers; and, he had also read the book), I sat for almost two and a half hours—no small feat for me—heart and mind racing as I took in the action and social statements and wondered what it meant that the theater was packed to the gills at 4 o’clock on a weekday afternoon for this movie.

As disturbed/agitated/intrigued as I was about the premise of the movie and the worry I feel that our society may not be too far away from actually wanting to watch people die for sport, I reminded myself that these were probably the emotions the author wanted me to feel—that if I didn’t feel these emotions, then I was probably already too desensitized, too jaded, from watching Survivor and American Idol to “get it.”

Maybe I’m safe for now. I guess I’m not the philistine I thought I was.

It’s definitely a movie worth talking about. What did you think about it? 

The post Hunger Games & Social Conversations first appeared on Gillespie Dental Associates.