June 2008 Newsletter
What´s New at Savon
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In every newsletter you will find a secret word or phrase. When you locate the word or phrase, copy the entire paragraph and paste it into an email along with your Savon membership ID number and your name.
Send the email to customerservice@savondentalplan.com. The emails will be printed, and the winning entry will be drawn on the 15th of the following month. All entries must be received by the 10th of the month (i.e. July 10th for June's newsletter, etc.). The winning entry will receive a check from Savon for $25.00. Only one entry per family is allowed, and you may only win once per 12 months. The secret phrase for June is "be safe than sorry."
Quote of the month: My psychiatrist told me I'm going crazy. I told him… If you don't mind I'd like a second opinion. He said … Alright … you're ugly too! - Rodney Dangerfield (1921 - 2004).
Cohen’s Corner – Straight talk from the Doctor:
Dental Bonding: What is It? What Problems Does it Fix?
With Dr. Cohen on vacation, we have elected to run this article by Patricia Woloch.
Embarrassed by your smile? Do you avoid looking others directly in the eye for fear they will notice? You‘re not alone. What your dentist may consider a small imperfection may be a big flaw in your eyes that keeps you from participating fully in life. If this is true for you, then you may be interested in a dental procedure known as “bonding.”
Dental bonding is a conservative and very effective way to enhance your smile with an easy treatment that requires little, if any, advanced preparation and usually no enamel reduction Dental bonding uses a composite resin filling that reduces or eliminates natural flaws in your teeth, such as:
- Small gaps between front teeth
- Chipped teeth
- Cracked teeth
- Discolored teeth
- Uneven teeth
- Gum recession
- Tooth decay
There are several steps to the bonding process:
- Your dentist applies a thin adhesive coating to the tooth
- Your dentist applies the bonding material
- The bonding material is molded, tinted and reshaped
- A high-intensity light hardens the bonding material
- The tooth‘s new surface is finely polished
Bonding offers a natural, aesthetically pleasing result where your dentist‘s artistic abilities can really shine through. As each bonded tooth is molded to create a custom tooth shape, you become one step closer to a harmonious smile that matches your unique personality
There are two types of bonding:
Minor Corrections
For correcting small fillings and fillings in front teeth, bonding is a good solution that can generally be completed in one dental visit. Color matching to your natural tooth provides a nice result and the bonding adds strength to a weakened tooth.
Major Corrections
For greater durability and strength, such as needed by a large filling, tooth colored fillings can be created at the dental lab. First, a mold is made of your teeth and you‘ll receive a temporary filling. The dental laboratory creates a very durable, custom-fitted filling made of porcelain, then bonded to your tooth on your second visit.
Both types of bonding offer natural-looking, durable and stain-resistant results.
Dr. Cohen will be back in time for the July newsletter.
Congratulations to H. D. Wong of Clovis, N. M. Winner of our May $50.00 Visa® gift card drawing
Mr. Wong was the winner of May Visa® gift card drawing. A gift card in the amount of $50.00 was mailed to him.
Again, thank you to everyone that entered the drawing.
Congratulations to D. Lewis of Orlando, FL. Winner of our May Secret Word Contest
Mr. Lewis's correct answer was drawn and a check for $25.00 was sent to him.
Make sure that you look for the secret word this month, it could be worth $25.00 to you!!
To your health:
If I can quit smoking... Anyone can!!
I started smoking in 1968 at the age of 16. This was a time when smoking was the "cool" thing to do. Some of you may remember "Joe Camel, The Marlboro Man, and Tareyton's "I'd rather fight than switch". I started by smoking my dads Belaire cigarettes (as many as I could steal out of his pack without him noticing). From there I moved on to Camel non filters before finally settling on KOOL super longs, which I have been smoking for the past 35 years at the rate of 2 ½ packs a day.
Sometime in the middle of February of this year I got a phone call from by older brother. Like me, he's been a heavy smoker (2 ½ to 3 packs a day) for the past 37 or so years. He to me to make sure that I
was sitting down and then he dropped the bomb... "I've quit smoking!!' When I got my breath back, I asked him how he quit and he said one word, CHANTIX!
Within a week I was taking Chantix. I wasn't expecting any type of results because I tried the patch, gum, inhaler and just about everything else you can think of and nothing worked. I didn't change any of my habits, I just took the Chantix as I was instructed. Within 2 weeks, I was down to 1 pack a day. Within 4 weeks I was down to just under ½ pack a day. By week number 5 I had quit smoking. The most amazing thing was it was easy... real easy!
Will it work for you? I don't know! I do know that if you have even the smallest desire (like I had), to quit smoking this might just be the ticket. I believe that this is the absolute best product for beating the habit and I gladly recommend it to every smoker that I meet. If you would like more information, you may visit their website , call them at 1-877-CHANTIX (242-6849) or ask your doctor about it.
All I can say is after 40 years of smoking, I am now smoke free. NO withdrawals, NO side affects, NO regrets!!
The above health material is provided as an information service. It should not be used for diagnostic purposes nor is it intended to take the place of the important relationship between you and your doctor.
A question from a prospective member:
Question: I don‘t see my dentist on your provider list, but he has agreed to give the Savon discount anyway. Is this okay?
Savon's Answer:
This can be done, however, it‘s a “use at your own risk” scenario that could have some costly consequences. Savon‘s primary goal is to provide dental care at a cost that is reasonable to both the member and the dentist.
In doing so, our providers go through an extensive credentialing process that not only insures that our providers are qualified, but also contractually binds them to our discounts (fee schedule rate for general dentists and 25% off for specialists). Aside from your actual plan benefits, as a member of Savon, you are not only backed by our four guarantees, but you are also protected from the possibility of being over charged.
If you go to a dentist who is not on our plan, all of those benefits become void and you‘ll be at the mercy of that provider. Should they decide not to give the discount at any point, it would be out of Savon's hands and there would be nothing we could do to help.
If you are unsure if your dentist is a Savon provider, feel free to contact our Customer Care Center at 1-800-809-3494 and a representative will gladly assist you.
Fact or myth: Mercury health risk in amalgam fillings
Amalgam is commonly used to fill cavities, also known as your typical “silver” filling. Used in dentistry for over 100 years, amalgam, although not as popular as composite fillings, is still used because it‘s less expensive and extremely durable over time. Amalgam is a combination of different metals including silver, tin, copper, zinc, and indium. However, it does contain one ingredient that has raised concerns in patients over the years. That ingredient is Mercury.
Mercury is used in amalgam because when it is mixed with other ingredients, the amalgam becomes soft enough to press into a tooth. It hardens rapidly and can handle the force of chewing and biting. The concern of Mercury, naturally, is that prolonged exposure or exposure to large amounts can make you very sick. The truth is everyone is exposed to Mercury. It‘s in the air we breathe, in the water we bathe in, it‘s in our soil, and it‘s in our food. The level of harm caused by Mercury is directly related to the amount in your system. Low levels of Mercury don‘t cause ill effects, however prolonged exposure or exposure to large amounts of mercury can cause symptoms including anxiety, fatigue, irritability, headaches, and memory loss.
The controversy over amalgam fillings stems from the amount of mercury released from the filling. At first, it was thought that amalgam fillings were inert, in other words no mercury was released once the filling was complete. Further, more recent studies have proven that very small amounts of mercury can be released in the form of vapor as the amalgam wears. Studies have shown that the amount of mercury released from an amalgam filling is much lower than the amount of mercury we are exposed to in our daily environment. There are, however, rare cases of allergic reactions to the mercury in amalgam. According to the ADA, fewer than 100 cases have been reported. An alternative composite (white) filling can be used in place of an amalgam, the main differences being color, strength, and the life of the filling.
So until science proves that amalgam fillings are in fact dangerous to the average human body, it is safe to say it is a myth. Although it is not necessary, if you feel it‘s better to be safe than sorry, it is optional to have your amalgams removed and replaced with composites.
This article has been reprinted from: Colgate Dental
We want to hear what you have to say:
Check out Dental Talk with Savon! Here you can share advice, stories, and information with others just like you! You can select any of the current topics below or simply log on at dentaltalk.savondentalplan.com!
Savon Classifieds coming soon:
In a very short order you will be able to place classified ads on our website. Placement of these adds will be free and limited to members of the plan. Your ad must be less than 100 words
and must have an active email address attached. Please keep in mind that this is a family friendly website and all ads are subject to censure. You can place your ad by emailing it to
()
Please make sure that you have your email address and a contact number and write "Classified Ad" in the subject box.
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