Shedding Light on the Dental Aspects of the Affordable Care Act

Much has been written about the Affordable Care Act in recent months, but recent reports show that many people still have many questions about the new health law. As of April 1st, individuals who are not insured will be forced to pay the penalty, so if you still have questions, now is the time to have them answered!

At Hamlin Dental Group we certainly understand the importance of effective medical care, but we also sympathize with those who are confused. That's why we'd like to help clarify a few facts about the Affordable Care Act...particularly as it relates to dental care

Q: Is dental care part of the Affordable Care Act?

A: Yest, but the act only requires that certain health insurance plans offer affordable dental benefits for children. Under the ACA, 1.7 million children are expected to enjoy new oral hygiene benefits through dental coverage.

Q: How can I get dental coverage for my child under the ACA?

A: The healthcare marketplace provides a one-stop shop for people to compare plans and purchase dental coverage. For many Americans, that means visiting Healthcare.gov, though Californians can find coverage under Covered California.

Q: Why would I want to buy dental insurance?

A: Dental insurance can substantially limit the costs of general dentistry as well as emergency procedures.

As your local dentist in North Hollywood, Northridge and Van Nuys, our team at Hamlin Dental Group is always happy to serve our community with helpful information and gentle dentistry!

The Merits of Invisalign® to Straighten Teeth

Hamlin Dental Group offers Invisalign® in North Hollywood as an alternative to traditional metal-and-bracket braces. Many adults who have crooked or misaligned teeth opt for Invisalign because it's discreet and virtually undetectable. While traditional braces are a hallmark of youth, Invisalign is an appropriate teeth-straightening method for older patients, and Hamlin even recommends Invisalign for older teenagers who can comply with wearing the aligner trays.

Invisalign aligner trays, such as this one, are virtually undetectable!

If you're looking for a dentist in Northridge or North Hollywood that provides Invisalign, you can learn much more about the process by visiting our user-friendly Hamlin Dental Group website. The dentists at Hamlin are on board with your decision to have Invisalign from the beginning, once you are accepted as a good candidate. The first step is to create an individualized mold of your mouth, which is then used as the jumping off point to create a "road map," of sorts, which is used to create your treatment plan. The plan will include a sets of aligner trays, which must be worn 24/7 except for eating/drinking, as well as brushing and flossing.You wear the trays for 2 weeks and then switch to another set of trays, all which you will have in your possession at the onset of treatment. Gradually, the force applied to your specific teeth in each set of aligners will move your teeth until they are straightened.

Those interested in a Van Nuys dentist who can guide you through the Invisalign process while teaching you the pros and cons of different types of orthodontia should call Hamlin Dental Group today at 888-400-8011. We look forward to helping you learn more!

Thinking Even More About Our Teeth

At Hamlin Dental Group, we're often confronted with the fact that, as Oxford University Press blogger Peter S. Ungar points out in a new blog post, that the vast majority of people only think about teeth when something goes wrong with their own.

So, we were somewhat heartened by Mr. Ungar's brief post on the importance of teeth in the development of mankind and innumerable other species. For example, most of our food today is processed to one degree or another and, oysters-on-the-half-shell notwithstanding, most any animals we consume have long since gone to the meet their makers long before they found their way to our plates. At one time, however, our ancestors were often consuming insects and other live critters that might not have been quite dead yet and which presumably had a big problem with being eaten.

Of course, the wild relatives of our adorable kitties and doggies -- lions, tigers, wolves, coyotes, and what not -- are doing a far amount of their killing and eating at pretty much the same time. These are animals that truly make their living with their teeth! And they manage to do so with pretty much the worst possible oral hygiene regimen! It's definitely one of nature's miracles, to be sure.

As Mr. Ungar writes:

There can be little doubt that the diversity, abundance, and success of mammals, including us, are due, in no small measure, to our teeth.

In other words, if you could talk to your teeth, you could honestly tell them "without you, I'm nothing" and be very literally correct.

If you want to be sure you stay something, it might well be time to contact a Van Nuys, Northridge, or North Hollywood dentist at Hamlin Dental Group. Appreciate the miracle that your teeth are and call 888-400-8011 today.

Can Your Genes Keep your Teeth Healthy?

At Hamlin Dental Group, we're highly regarded for our warm demeanor and gentle dentistry. However, our
dentist in Northridge and across the San Fernando Valley is equally renowned for our incredible skill and state-of-the-art technology. That's why a recent story about high-tech scientific advances on the website Medical Express recently caught our attention.

A paper that was recently published int he Australian Dental Journal explains that researchers from the University of Adelaide's School of Dentistry have studied the way the study of genes could one day be used to treat and prevent dental disease."Our genetic code, or DNA, is like an orchestra - it contains all of the elements we need to function - but the epigenetic code is essentially the conductor, telling which instruments to play or stay silent, or how to respond at any given moment," says Associate Professor Hughes. He goes on to explain that "in the case of oral health, epigenetic factors may help to orchestrate healthy and unhealthy states in our mouths."

Professor Hughes and others believe that genetic studies may help them to determine an idividual's state of health, or even influence how their genes behave. For the field of dentistry, the professor says " it could open up a range of opportunities for diagnosis, treatment and prevention."

As the top dentist in North Hollywood, the team at Hamlin Dental Group is always excited to learn of new scientific breakthroughs that will affect our work. While we're awaiting the latest epigenetic breakthroughs, you can protect your teeth today with our first-rate dentistry.