Dr. Stewart and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

I’m honored to be one of the very few dentists who are part of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. This organization is involved in health policy legislation that affects sleep disorder patients and treatments. AASM is dedicated to making certain that sleep medicine receives the attention it deserves — for the benefit of people who suffer from sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.

Members understand the details of sleep disorder treatment, from insurance billing to the most contemporary treatment options and research in the field. We continually research, read, and share information about sleep medicine. Members are committed to providing high quality care that truly helps patients overcome sleep apnea and enjoy higher quality of life.

I attend many courses and meetings held by the AASM, and I’ve found them immensely beneficial to both my knowledge and the quality of treatments I can offer my patients. As part of my commitment as a doctor, I appreciate the opportunities presented by AASM. If you have questions about my training or association memberships, don’t hesitate to ask. I want you to have full peace of mind that I’m the right sleep medicine doctor for you!

Detroit Welcomes the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Where has this year gone? The holidays are already ready upon us, and that means it’s time to officially ring in “the most wonderful time of the year.” Here at James Stewart, DDS, we like to promote activities for the whole family in Livonia and the surrounding areas.

The official tree lighting of Detroit will take place tonight (Friday, November 19). The event is hosted by the city of Detroit, the DTE Energy Foundation, Campus Martius Park, and the Detroit 300 Conservancy. Tickets for preferred seating will be on sale at Fountain Bistro until 1pm today. Preferred seating will open at 4pm and remaining tickets will be sold at the entrance on Monroe. Preferred seats are $5 for children and $10 for adults. All proceeds support the events and activities at Campus Martius Park, also known as “Detroit’s gathering place.”

The event begins at 6pm at Campus Martius Park, located just 20 minutes away from our office in Livonia. This event is completely family friendly, so bundle up the whole gang to enjoy special ice skating performances, seasonal activities, musical entertainment, and of course, the annual tree-lighting ceremony. If you don’t want to brave the chilly, winter weather, the ceremony will be broadcast online at ClickonDetroit.com beginning at 6:30pm.

One-Visit Root Canal Therapy

In some cases, I can perform root canal treatment in my office, in just one visit. I’m Dr. James Stewart, and at my Livonia dental office, you’ll find comfortable, competent dental care and wise counsel for excellent oral healthcare. If you’ve been told that you need a root canal, feel free to schedule a second opinion visit with me.

A human tooth has layers. The white part we see is the enamel, and a layer of sensitive dentin is underneath. Then, the inner core is a canal that houses the tooth’s root, or nerve. The root brings nutrients to the tooth and removes waste. If the root is compromised by a deep cavity or fracture, it can become infected — and ultimately, it will die. The infection builds, creating painful pressure from within the tooth. Root canal treatment is a procedure in which I remove the internal infection and place a man-made substance in the tooth’s canal. The tooth is then crowned, and it can remain in place indefinitely if it stays healthy.

The alternative to a root canal is extraction of a tooth, and it’s always best to replace the missing tooth. Looked at this way, a root canal is a conservative treatment option.

After an initial exam, I will tell you if you’re a candidate for one-visit root canal treatment in my office. If your case is more complex, I’ll recommend a local endodontist, a specialist in root canal therapy.

Livonia Parks & Recreation Center is Great for Healthy Living!

Do you get out and about to stay fit? Or do you lock yourself in during the winter months and focus only on the holidays? Stress is at an all-time high for most people in November and December, and exercise is a great way to reduce stress. At the Livonia Parks & Recreation Center, you’ll find a great selection of activities, classes, and events for every age group.

  • Swimming: There’s a leisure pool and competition lap pool. There’s a water slide, lazy river, water playground, and spa pool indoors. Outdoors in the summer, kids can enjoy the splash pool or water spray ground in the sun.
  • Gym Sports: The main gym features two full-size basketball or volleyball courts. In the multi-activities court, two more basketball courts are available, as well as inline hockey, floor hockey, indoor soccer, lacrosse, badminton, and special events.
  • Fitness Hub: A great selection of cardiovascular equipment, ranging from treadmills to elliptical trainers to recumbant bikes, make staying fit a cinch. There are also free weights, leg press stations, and over 2K lbs. of weight plates. To keep your mind occupied during workouts, the Fitness Hub is equipped with a complete TV sound system.
  • Track: A 1/11 mile track, indoors, is great for walkers and joggers. The outdoor path for walking and jogging spans 1/2 mile.
  • Rock Climbing: Twelve stations are available at the 42’high by 36′ wide rock climbing wall. Parents and children love this activity, and it can be an extreme workout.
  • For Kids: In addition to childcare, up to two hours at a time, the rec center has a giant tree fort for children to enjoy, and a game room for older kids.
  • Skate Boarding: Outdoors, kids can enjoy a 14K sq.ft. skate park with raps, 1/2 pipe, fun box, spines, and more.
  • Volleyball: There’s indoor volleyball in the gym, two sand courts are located outside.
  • Soccer: Indoor and outdoor soccer are available.

So don’t stay indoors and let the calories — and stress — build up this holiday season. Get out and get fit! My team and I want you to enjoy a high quality life of good health, fun, and wellness.

Great Halloween Candy Buy Back Event ~ Thank You!

Thanks to everyone who helped make our second annual Halloween Candy Buy Back a great success!  We collected 400 lbs. of candy this year, which was more than double last year’s collection!  That means more candy for Operation Gratitude (www.opgratitude) to include in their care packages for the troops.  We also have a lot of cards that were made by the children, and we will include them with the candy. I am told the cards are also greatly appreciated by the troops.

[slideshow]

We wanted to extend a special thank you to those in the community that helped out in our event this year:

  • Community Choice Credit Union
  • Huntington Bank
  • Westborn Market
  • Little Caesars
  • Burger King
  • V.F.W.

We feel that this is a great event because not only are we helping to support our troops, we are getting rid of that excess candy that causes cavities and contributes to childhood obesity.  Thanks again for your support for the troops and our children’s health!

Celebrate Veterans Day in Detroit

Veterans Day is a time to honor all of the men and women who have served our great country. Having our office located in Livonia, so close to Detroit, means that we get to participate in all Detroit has to offer.

The Metropolitan Detroit Veterans Coalition invites all veterans to march in the 5th Annual Metro Detroit Veterans Day Parade and Ceremonies. Veterans day is Thursday, November 11, but the parade will take place tomorrow, Saturday, November 6 and proceed south on Woodward Avenue to Hart Plaza.

Veterans’ organizations, including service organizations, youth groups, and marching bands are encouraged to march in the parade. Community members of all ages are encouraged to come cheer on and recognize those who so willingly made sacrifices to protect our freedoms and rights.

You Can Have a Healthy Budget & a Healthy Mouth

In tough economic times, Americans have to pull together. I’m committed to offering affordable dental healthcare to Livonia families, but I will never, ever compromise quality. That’s a promise.

If you need significant dental work, like full-mouth reconstruction, dentures, or cosmetic procedures, CareCredit can ease the strain on your budget. With low- and no-interest financing options, CareCredit allows monthly payments on short or long loan schedules. This means that you can get the dental work you need now for a healthy mouth and beautiful smile, but you can finance the cost over months or years.

Oral health has been closely linked to overall health. Gum disease, for instance, is linked to an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and other serious health complications. Infection in a tooth, left untreated, can get into the blood stream and cause serious problems. Don’t let your oral health suffer because your budget is strapped. Instead, call my office at 734-425-4400 and talk to us about CareCredit.

Enjoy Some History and Nature this Halloween Weekend

My team and I love being located in Livonia, a suburb of Detroit, because there is always something new and fun going  on to tell our patients about.

This Saturday, October 30, the Nature Center of Oakwoods Metropark is hosting a Halloween history and fun day. Bundle up and head on out to Oakwoods Metropark, located in Belleville, to learn about the history of Halloween and trick-or-treating.

You can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Oakwood Metropark and the picturesque Huron River. After the presentation at the Nature Center, walk and explore the surrounding trails of the 1,756-acre park, which is located near Flat Rock.

Admission to the Halloween history day is $3 and registration is required. Please call (734) 782-3956 to register and for more information. Get the family outside and active this weekend!

Outshine the Lights This Holiday Season

It’s hard to compete with the dazzle of the holidays. You try to juggle work, kids, shopping, event planning, event attending, and a ton of other tasks that can leave you frazzled. The problem is, in November and December, everyone seems to take photos! So there you are, looking bedraggled and feeling like a cat in a roomful of rocking chairs. What’s the one thing – the one simple thing – you can do now to make those photographs positive memories of the season (rather than kindling for the upcoming winter)?

People agree, the single most important feature, according to studies, is our smile.

People also agree, a bright smile makes a person look better…much better in some cases.

Today, teeth whitening can give you a smile that’s youthfully white and, thus, very attractive. I’m Dr. James Stewart, and at my Livonia general and cosmetic dentistry office, patients can choose from immediate, in-office teeth whitening or a more gradual transformation with professional-strength home whitening kits.

Home kits take two weeks to produce results similar to one-visit, in-office whitening, so you have time for either. When you come in for a teeth whitening consultation, we’ll discuss your experience with whitening systems, your level of tooth sensitivity, and the results you’re looking for. Then, together, we can determine which type of whitening is best for you.

If you live in Livonia, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Novi, Garden City, and surrounding communities, my team and I would like to introduce you to our family friendly, fun, and comfortable dental office. Call 734-425-4400 today to schedule a consultation.

Please Welcome Nameless CPAP to Our Team

This is our newest addition to the James Stewart, DDS team. Sadly, he does not have a name, and we hope you can help by commenting on our blog or Facebook page with ideas. Here’s the scoop on him:

Nameless is a member of the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure family, commonly called the CPAP family. For many, many years, his family has earned a respected reputation for improving sleep and reducing snoring in many a human. We invited Nameless CPAP to join our team because he desperately needed a job. His entire family is getting laid off, which you might attribute to the economy. But nay, the CPAP family is out of work because they did not keep up with modern technology. They would not take the continuing education required; they would not grow, develop, and transform to meet the needs of their clients. Of late, the Somnomed and Silent Nite families have replaced the CPAPs and are moving sleep apnea therapy into a new age of comfortable, effective treatment.

So, to be honest, we felt sorry for Nameless. He’s ancient and has outlived his usefulness. We allow him to greet our patients in the front office, and his son the modern CPAP, does occasionally work for us on a contract basis. Nameless CPAP works directly under the watchful eye of our office administrator. If he says anything off color or rude, please alert his manager immediately. He is a dying breed, and we respect him as our elder, but if he causes any trouble, he’s going straight to the resale shop.

Our team and patients are coming together in a mercy-effort to give Nameless CPAP a good moniker. Help us out – and get creative! So far, the name list includes Iron Cross, Torture Chamber, Pilot Mask, Stenographer Mask, and OMG Are You Serious? To clarify, that last one was indeed a name idea, not a question. And yes, we are serious.