Request Request Appointment Patient Portal Patient Portal Contact Offices
Online Patient Forms Pay Online/Patient Portal Request an Appointment
2 Convenient
Locations
Topeka (785) 273-0801 3033 SW Villa West Dr., Topeka, KS 66614
Silver Lake (785) 582-0185 400 S Circle Dr, Silver Lake, KS 66539

Your Silver Lake dentist, Michel Dental, strives for your whole-mouth health

May 10, 2015

Filed under: General Dentistry,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — docmichael @ 3:46 pm

Whole-mouth health keeps your whole body on track. Your Silver Lake, KS, dentist, Michael E. Michel DDS, takes care of your dental cleanings, exams, cosmetic procedures and restorations to ensure you look and feel your best.

What’s the point of a good-looking smile if your gums and bone structure are compromised? The best of modern general dentistry aims for whole-mouth health in an attractive smile that lasts a lifetime.

Michael E. Michel DDS PA, your Silver Lake family dentist, and his hard-working, friendly team aim for the best of modern general dentistry. From routine dental exams, x-rays and cleanings to cosmetic improvement with teeth whitening to TMJ and sleep apnea therapies, Michel Dental builds a healthy mouth for a healthy you.

  The foundation of a great smile is regular dental care.

Daily brushing and flossing are critical to dental health, but your Silver Lake family dentist, Dr. Michel, also emphasizes the semi-annual oral exam and cleaning. Comfortable in Michel Dental’s bright and efficient atmosphere, patients get thorough check-ups that:

  • look for tooth decay
  • examine the health of gums and other soft tissues of the mouth with gentle periodontal probing
  • assess jaw alignment and how teeth bite together
  • visualize bone and root structure with periodic x-rays
  • inspect hidden areas of the mouth with innovative intraoral camera imaging

Hygienic cleanings remove plaque and tartar from between teeth and at the gumline, avoiding the bacterial infections and gum disease that cause bone and tooth loss and impact other body systems. Prevention is a hallmark of care by your Silver Lake, KS, family dentist.

Dental problems are addressed with skill and compassion.

When dental issues arise, Dr. Michel’s extensive education, skill and experience can address them quickly and correctly. His restorative dental services include:

  • tooth colored fillings
  • natural-looking white crowns, onlays and inlays (partial crowns)
  • endodontics or root canal therapy
  • fixed bridgework
  • periodontics ( root scaling and instillation with antibiotics)

In addition, Dr. MIchel offers innovative diagnostic testing and non-surgical treatment for TMJ (temporomandibular joint ) dysfunction and sleep apnea, both of which impact overall health. Quick and objective Joint Vibration Analysis detects any friction in teeth, jaw joints and muscles which cause classic jaw clicking, headaches and other symptoms of this jaw issue. For sleep apnea, Dr. Michel has the OASYS sleep device which helps eliminate the sleepless nights, interrupted breathing, snoring and systemic effects individuals can experience.

You can be confident in your smile, too.

Dr. Michel offers many outstanding cosmetic services for the healthy smile that just needs a little aesthetic improvement. These procedures include:

  • Invisalign® clear braces for teens and adults
  • teeth whitening for a noticeably brighter smile
  • porcelain veneers to correct color, shape and size

You and your dentist in the Silver Lake community will discuss your goals for an outstanding, confident smile.

Get your oral health on track.

Best of all, this award-winning member of the Kansas Dental Association is committed to listening to and addressing the concerns of all his patients. He values continuing education for himself, his staff and for his patients, too.

Why not call Michel Dentist  for a consultation? Great whole-mouth health can begin today! Phone (785) 273-7350.  We serve adults and children in Silver Lake and  Topeka, KS, as well as from the surrounding areas of Emporia, Lawrence and Manhattan.

Invisalign for Straight Teeth in Topeka, KS

April 25, 2015

Filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — docmichael @ 10:01 pm

If you’re an adult and you think you’re stuck with the smile you have, then think again. At Michel Dental in Topeka, KS, we have changed—and by changed we mean improved—the smiles of many adults. One common complaint is crooked teeth. But as an adult you may not want to be bothered by the appearance or the feeling of having a mouthful of metal in your mouth. Fortunately, Dr. Michael Michel offers Invisalign®. With this orthodontic treatment, you can have braces that almost no one will notice.

Invisalign, as the name suggests, straightens teeth practically invisibly. This system uses clear BPA-free plastic aligners to gradually straighten your teeth. The plastic is smooth and comfortable, not like the brackets and wires of traditional braces that can cause gum and soft tissue abrasions. In addition, these clear aligners are removable, so you can eat and drink the foods you love and brush and floss your teeth as you normally would. And with Invisalign, fewer appointments in the office are required, so you don’t need to adjust your busy schedule all that much in order to have a straight smile.

The Invisalign Treatment

The path to straight teeth begins with impressions, photos and x-rays of your existing smile. From these, the Invisalign lab creates a 3-D representation of your teeth, which Dr. Michel uses to create a treatment plan. This plan shows you how your teeth will move and shows the Invisalign lab how to produce your aligners. These will arrive in our office in a series of sets. You’ll wear each set for approximately two weeks and then move on to the next. As time passes, your teeth will move into their proper position and your smile will become straighter and straighter. After 12 to 18 months, you’ll have the straight smile you didn’t think you’d ever have.

Call Our Office Today

To find out if Invisalign is right for you, call Michel Dental and schedule a consultation. We serve adults and children in Topeka, KS, as well as from the surrounding areas of Emporia, Lawrence and Manhattan.

Children’s Dentistry in Topeka, KS

March 25, 2015

Filed under: General Dentistry,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — docmichael @ 5:53 pm

Oh those precious little ones with their precious little smiles. How quickly they grow. But while they are little, it’s important to care for their dental health, so children have a solid foundation upon which to build a lifetime of good oral health care. At Michel Dental in Topeka, KS, we want to help you instill the value of dental health, which is why children’s dentistry is an integral part of our preventive dentistry practice.

Truth be told, children’s dentistry begins long before you bring your children to see Dr. Michael Michel for their first checkups, and it begins at home with you. As soon as you see that first baby tooth break through those pink gums, it’s time to start cleaning their teeth. Just take a soft cloth that’s been dampened with warm water and wipe their teeth after feeding. As more teeth appear, you can begin to use a small, soft toothbrush with a dab of toothpaste.

Children’s Dentistry at Michel Dental

Around the time that your children are three years old, Dr. Michel will want to start seeing them in the office for dental checkups every six months. At these exams, we’ll clean their teeth and remove any plaque buildup, assess the health of their gums—yes, children can have gum disease—and we’ll take digital x-rays when necessary. Of course, if we find anything of concern, such as a cavity, we’ll want to treat with expediency in order to prevent a little problem from becoming a big one.

Fluoride treatments and dental sealants are another important component of children’s dentistry. Fluoride is a mineral that has been shown to strengthen teeth’s enamel. Dr. Michel may want to apply a topical fluoride treatment to boost the enamel’s ability to fight dental caries and tooth decay. Dental sealants are a clear or white plastic coating that Dr. Michel “paints” on to your children’s deeply grooved molars, creating a physical barrier between decay-causing bacteria and teeth.

Schedule an Appointment Today

If it’s time for your children to see the dentist, then call the office of Dr. Michel. We serve adults and children in Topeka, KS, as well as from the surrounding areas of Emporia, Lawrence and Manhattan.

For a White Smile, Choose Tooth-colored Fillings from Michel Dental

March 10, 2015

Filed under: Restorative Dentistry,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — docmichael @ 5:49 pm

You do your best to care for your teeth at home by brushing at least twice every day and flossing at least once a day. At Michel Dental in Topeka, KS, we certainly do our best to care for your teeth, too, when you come to our office for your regular dental checkups. Yet, despite our best efforts and yours, you now find yourself with a cavity. Don’t worry—it happens to a lot of people. Fortunately, Dr. Michael Michel can now repair that cavity with a tooth-colored filling, so you don’t have to contend with a dark spot in your otherwise white smile.

For many years, cavities were filled with an amalgam of metals. Although this material is strong and durable, it is not very “visually appealing.” And for some people, the metal in amalgam fillings causes tooth sensitivity.

The Advantages of Tooth-colored Fillings

In addition to having a more pleasing appearance in your smile and in your mouth, tooth-colored fillings offer other advantages, too. Made of composite resin or dental porcelain, tooth-colored fillings have become much stronger and more durable as manufacturers have improved the components of these filling compounds. In fact, these fillings are strong enough to hold up against the pressure of chewing and biting that your molars must withstand.

Furthermore, tooth-colored fillings made of composite materials necessitate less tooth preparation—that is, less drilling—and may not weaken the affected tooth as much as amalgam fillings, which often require more extensive tooth preparation. Dr. Michel subscribes to conservative dentistry, meaning that the more natural tooth structure you keep, the healthier your teeth will likely be in the future.

Finally, the strong bond between your tooth and the composite resin material actually supports the remaining tooth structure, thereby deterring breakage and insulating it against temperature changes.

Call Our Office Today

If you would like to have your amalgam fillings replaced with tooth-colored fillings made of composite materials, then schedule an appointment with Dr. Michel. We serve patients from Topeka, KS, as well as from Emporia, Lawrence and Manhattan and surrounding areas.

Nutrition Tips for Dental Health from Dr. Michael Michel

February 25, 2015

Filed under: General Dentistry,Preventive Dentistry,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — docmichael @ 4:07 pm

Did you know that eating right isn’t only important to your general health and wellbeing, it’s also important to your oral health, too? The foods and beverages you choose to consume directly—and we mean directly—affect the health of your teeth and gums. Obviously, your mouth is the point of entry for everything you eat and drink, so it should come as no surprise that your diet affects your oral health. With this in mind, Dr. Michael Michel and his staff in Topeka, KS, would like to offer some advice on how you can eat well and maintain your oral health, too.

What Foods Should You Eat?

Let’s begin by focusing on the foods that are helpful to your teeth and gums. First, dairy products such as cheese, milk and plain yogurt, along with calcium-fortified tofu, leafy greens and almonds, are foods that benefit dental health. These foods are high in calcium, which strengthens teeth just as it does bones. Protein-rich foods such as meat, poultry, fish, milk and eggs are good sources of phosphorus. Both calcium and phosphorus fortify and rebuild tooth enamel.

Even though fresh fruits and vegetables contain some sugars, they balance that out with fiber and water to clean your teeth, making them a healthy diet choice. Fruits and vegetables also stimulate saliva production to rinse decay-causing acids and food particles away from teeth and gums. Plus, many contain vitamin C, which promotes healthy gums, and vitamin A, another nutrient that builds tooth enamel.

What Foods and Drinks Should You Avoid?

The foods and drinks you try to avoid in order to maintain a healthy diet and healthy weight are essentially the same foods you should avoid for the sake of your dental health. Sweet treats—candy (especially hard or sticky candy), cookies, cakes, muffins—all contain sugars that stick to your teeth. The bacteria in your mouth thrive on these sugars and release acids that cause tooth decay. Likewise starchy foods, such as potato chips and crackers, have the same effect.

Sodas, juices, sweetened teas and coffee, some sports drinks, lemonade and limeade literally bathe your teeth in sugar, which causes tooth decay. Choose water instead, and occasionally choose tap water, which is fluoridated.

Call Our Office Today

In conjunction with a healthy diet, regular dental checkups are a must for maintaining oral health. So, schedule an appointment with Dr. Michel in Topeka, KS. We also conveniently serve patients in Emporia, Lawrence and Manhattan and surrounding areas.

For a Smile that’s as good as New, Choose Dental Crowns from Dr. Michael Michel

February 10, 2015

Filed under: Restorative Dentistry,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , — docmichael @ 3:54 pm

Dental crowns have been an integral part of restorative dentistry for many years. So, getting a crown is nothing new. What is new about dental crowns is the ease with which the procedure is now completed and how lifelike your new “tooth” will look. With dental crowns, Dr. Michael Michel has restored many smiles for patients in Topeka, KS, and the surrounding areas, and he can do the same for you!

If you have been contending with a severely cracked or worn tooth, or a tooth that is damaged by extensive decay, then a dental crown—also called a dental cap—may be the perfect solution. A dental crown fully encapsulates a tooth that needs repair, thereby restoring appearance and function. Furthermore, a crown protects your tooth from further damage and help to maintain a proper bite.

Dental Crowns in Two Appointments

In most cases, a new dental crown requires only two appointments with Dr. Michel. At the first appointment, we’ll likely take an impression of your existing teeth that will be used as the template for creating a correctly shaped and sized crown. Then, Dr. Michel prepares the tooth to be outfitted with a crown, and another impression is taken in order to fabricate a crown that fits perfectly on top of the prepared tooth. You’ll leave this appointment wearing a temporary crown, while your custom crown is prepared in a cosmetic dental lab.

In about two weeks or so, you’ll return for your next appointment with Dr. Michel where he will cement your permanent crown to the prepared tooth. He will make sure your crown fits perfectly, gently filing and shaping the crown for a finish that looks and feels completely natural.

Call Our Office Today

If you would like to consult with Dr. Michel about receiving a dental crown, then please call our office to schedule an appointment. Located in Topeka, KS, we also conveniently serve patients in Emporia, Lawrence and Manhattan and surrounding areas.

Dr. Michael Michel Uses Fixed Bridges to Restore Smiles in Topeka, KS and Surrounding Areas

January 25, 2015

Filed under: Restorative Dentistry,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , — docmichael @ 5:35 pm

Unfortunately, people have missing teeth for a variety of reasons: severe tooth decay that necessitates extraction, the ravages of gum disease, or serious injury. The good news is there are an equal number of ways to replace those missing teeth. One of the best options is a fixed bridge. Using a fixed bridge, Dr. Michael Michel has restored full smiles to many faces in Topeka, KS.

What is a Fixed Bridge?

A fixed bridge is a prosthetic dental device that—as the name implies—bridges the gap left behind by a missing tooth or teeth. The gap is filled with a false tooth, or pontic. As a permanent prosthetic, a fixed bridge is usually held in place by crowns that are affixed to the teeth on either side of the missing teeth. However, if Dr. Michel determines that these abutment teeth are not healthy or strong enough to support a crown, then he may recommend a dental implant to solidly anchor the bridge. With an implant, a post is surgically set in the bone and then the bridge is cemented to the post.

The Fixed Bridge Procedure

If you and Dr. Michel determine that a fixed bridge is the best option for replacing your missing teeth, then he will take x-rays, impressions and photos of the area in your mouth that requires the bridge. With these, he and the dental lab that fabricates your custom bridge can make sure yours perfectly fits your teeth, mouth and face. Then, he will prepare the teeth that will have crowns and take another impression of these to ensure that the bridge fits snuggly and precisely. While your fixed bridge is made, you’ll wear a temporary to protect your teeth and gum tissue. Once the bridge is ready, you’ll return to our office for Dr. Michel to cement the bridge into place.

Schedule an Appointment Today

If you would like to learn more about fixed bridges, call our office today. Dr. Michael Michel and his team serve patients in Topeka, KS, as well as in Emporia, Lawrence and Manhattan and surrounding areas.

Heal an Infected Tooth with Endodontics from Dr. Michael Michel in Topeka, KS

January 10, 2015

Filed under: Endodontics,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — docmichael @ 5:18 pm

Although most people are inclined to pay closer attention to the outside of their teeth—their color, shape and position—if a toothache happens, then chances are it’s time to pay attention to the inside of that tooth. More often than not, a toothache is a sign of infection in the tooth’s pulp, the soft tissue inside your tooth. Endodontics is the branch of dentistry that focuses on the health of your internal tooth structure, or the pulp. If you have a tooth with internal infection or damage, then Dr. Michael Michel in Topeka, KS, will likely recommend a root canal to save the tooth from extraction.

Get to the Root of the Problem with Endodontics

Despite a bad reputation, a root canal is not a painful procedure thanks to anesthesia and modern dental techniques. In fact, a root canal is meant to relieve the pain of a tooth with internal infection or damage. The inside of each tooth is made up of nerve tissue, lymph tissue and blood vessels. If this dental pulp is traumatized, whether by decay-causing bacteria, a severe fracture or a hard blow to the face, then the tooth begins to die. A root canal can eliminate the infection and save the tooth, thereby preventing the need for extraction.

The Root Canal Procedure

Once your tooth is anesthetized, Dr. Michel will gently work to remove the infected tissue and any ensuing debris from canals inside the tooth’s roots. Then, the canals are filled with a biocompatible material. Finally, your tooth will be prepared for a crown that will Dr. Michel will place on the tooth to protect it from any further damage.

Call Our Office Today

If you are experiencing the pain of a toothache, then please schedule an appointment as soon as possible with Dr. Michael Michel in Topeka, KS, to determine whether or not a root canal is needed. Our endodontics services are also available to patients in Topeka, Emporia, Lawrence and Manhattan and surrounding areas.

Start the New Year off Right with Preventive Dentistry in Topeka, KS

December 24, 2014

Filed under: Preventive Dentistry,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , — tntadmin @ 6:28 pm

Another New Year. Fresh start, clean slate, clean teeth. Yep, your read that correctly. Clean teeth. Why not start the New Year off with a beautiful and healthy smile? With preventive dentistry from Dr. Michael Michel in Topeka, KS, you and your entire family can look forward to a year of your best oral health.
As a family and general dentist, Dr. Michel’s primary concern is preventing oral health problems before you experience even one symptom. With this in mind, and following the recommendation of the American Dental Association, Dr. Michel and his team would like to see you and yours for dental checkups every six months.
At these checkups, we will clean your teeth and remove plaque, check for any signs of gum disease, examine for tooth decay and take x-rays when necessary to find hidden spots of decay. Of course, if decay is found, then Dr. Michel will want to treat as soon as possible with a tooth-colored filling made of composite resin. Left untreated, decay can lead to further tooth damage, the need for root canal therapy or even tooth extraction.
In the case of gum disease, the need for expedient treatment is likewise necessary. Dr. Michel will treat with deep cleaning below the gum line and antibiotics at the site. These will help eliminate the bacteria that causes the infection of gum disease. This bacteria can spread throughout the body and increase your risk of heart disease, pulmonary infections, gastric ulcer re-infection, and other severe health issues. Thus, healthy gums are not only imperative to your oral healthy, but to your overall health, as well.
Schedule an Appointment Today
If you would like to start your New Year with a clean slate and clean teeth, then call the office of Dr. Michael Michel in Topeka, KS. We also offer preventive, restorative and cosmetic dentistry services to patients in Topeka, Emporia, Lawrence, Manhattan, and surrounding areas.

Get Your Rest with Sleep Apnea Therapy in Topeka, KS

December 10, 2014

Filed under: Sleep Apnea,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — tntadmin @ 6:23 pm

Do you often feel tired or irritable during the day? Do the words, “stop snoring!” interrupt your sleep quite regularly during the night? All of these may be due to a condition called sleep apnea. Sleep apnea happens when you have a lapse in breathing during your sleep. These lapses may occur as many as 100 times in a night. Fortunately, there is treatment. Dr. Michael Michel of Michel Dentistry treats sleep apnea so patients in Topeka, KS, and the surrounding areas can enjoy quiet and restful nights.
The most common form of this ailment is obstructive airway sleep apnea. In this case, tissues relax while you are sleeping and may obstruct your breathing airway. Likewise, your tongue may fall back into your throat and block breathing. Snoring may also occur as breathing becomes strained and air tries to force its way through narrowed passageways. When this happens and your breathing is interrupted, your brain signals the body to awaken in order to restart breathing. If this occurs dozens of time each night, then you can surely understand why you may be sleepy and irritable during the day. Sleep apnea has also been connected with lower work productivity, automobile accidents and poor performance in school by children who have sleep apnea.

The Oasys Oral/Nasal Airway System™

Dr. Michel treats obstructive airway sleep apnea with an oral device called the Oasys Oral/Nasal Airway System. This FDA-approved snoring/sleep appliance combats snoring and sleep apnea in two ways:
• It repositions the lower jaw to open passageways and encourage optimal airflow, thus eliminating apnea episodes.
• Nasal passages are dilated to decrease airflow resistance and inhibit snoring.

Dr. Michel will specify your custom oral appliance to address your specific needs. Comfortably worn at night, the Oasys Oral/Nasal Airway System will have you sleeping peacefully and restfully night after night.

Schedule an Appointment Today
If you think that you or a loved one might have sleep apnea, then call the office of Dr. Michael Michel in Topeka, KS, for a consultation. We also conveniently serve patients in Emporia, Lawrence, Manhattan, and surrounding areas.

« Newer Posts — Older Posts »