In-Office Zoom! Whitening at HDS

Jennifer's before.

Who doesn't want whiter teeth?  With the prevalence of coffee,tea, sodas, and red wine our teeth have little chance. 


We all want whiter teeth and there are many options to increase the natural brightness of our smile.  Hill Dental Studio can meet and exceed your whitening needs. 

Jennifer getting Zoom!ed.

Many worry about the sensitivity of using whitening products, but with the new fluoride protocols there is very little sensitivity.  Using a prescription strength fluoride gel in trays while sleeping for at least 3 days prior to whitening, will greatly cut down on all sensitivity. 

Jennifer's before

Jennifer's after.

In Dr. Hill’s (and his wife, Jennifer's) opinion, the combination of in-office whitening with take home custom trays yields the best whitening results. In-office whitening involves the Zoom whitening system, which was popularized on the television show Extreme Makeover. The in-office procedure takes about an hour and offers instant results. Most people find that their teeth will continue to whiten for the next 1-3 weeks with the take home trays to an absolutely impressive level.

Jennifer's after.

Another method is the utilization of just the custom whitening trays (mentioned above) at home with a prescription strength whitening gel. This method is done once a day for 30-60 min, usually for 2-4 weeks. This can do a great job, but may people just find themselves too busy to take the 30-60 min a day for this method which can be inconvenient due to the time required. 

You can achieve some whitening by simply using the whitening toothpaste and/or over the counter whitening strips, but in no way will the results compare to the above mentioned procedures.  This can be a high-maintenance way of whitening your teeth a few shades.

For those with more severe internal discolorations, whitening has its limitations.  Porcelain veneers may be a more realistic option. 

Make your appointment today to whiten your teeth with the help of Hill Dental Studio.  Click here!

LVI-Day 3

One of Dr. Hill's favorite parts of a trip to LVI is sharing the knowledge and passion he has for cosmetics and reconstructive dentistry with other dentists.  When asked why, Dr. Hill responded, "because I am always learning and person who is always learning never grows old." 

Here are more pictures of Dr. Hill instructing other dentists at LVI this past week as well as more of the staff. A great deal was learned by all and everyone is energized and excited to put their new knowledge into practice.   Let's get to work!

LVI-Day 2

Do you have chronic jaw pain or frequent migranes or headaches?  This blog may be able to help you!   

Today, we will explore some of what Dr. Hill teaches at LVI.  One of today's focuses was on the use of the TENS machine. 

Neuromuscular dentistry uses computerized instrumentation to measure the patient's jaw movements and muscle activity. By using both a computerized jaw analysis with ultra-low frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), Dr. Hill is able to locate a "physiological rest" position as a starting reference position.  This is used to find a relationship between the upper and lower jaw along an isotonic path of closure up from the physiologic rest position in order to establish a bite position.

Translation:  This fancy electrical stuff helps find a place to build a bite where all the muscles are relaxed.

TENS is an acronym for Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.  This unit uses electric current produced by a device to stimulate the nerves for therapeutic purposes.  It is usually connected to the skin using two or more electrodes.  A session usually lasts from 45 minutes to an hour.

Once the position is realized, an orthotic (orthopedic realigning appliance) is commonly worn for 3–6 weeks with a few adjustments to realign the jaw.  After this there are several options are available, such as reconstruction to orthodontics depending on the situation.  Some people even opt to continue wearing the jaw repositioner on a nightly basis.  

From this resting place of the jaw, Dr. Hill's expertise shows this is the ideal place to begin reconstructions from porcelain or implants in perfect alignment so that there is no jaw pain and longevity is maximized.  In addition to a beautiful smile and no jaw pain, when this perfect resting position is found, Dr. Hill has seen improved posture and removal of pain in other areas of the body with no more migraines in most all patients who suffer from these debilitating headaches.

In conclusion, for anyone that suffers any headaches, jaw pain, or needs cosmetics or reconstruction, going through this process using a TENS is highly recommended and is a technique that Dr. Hill uses frequently.

Why go to the student when you can go to the teacher?

LVI-Day 1

The first day at LVI with the team was great!  They were divided into 2 groups.

Nancy, Trish and Jessica were in the Core I program hearing a great introduction to neuromuscular dentistry.  They had been listening to Dr. Hill say these things for a few years now, but it always helps to hear it from another source.  Discussion was held about the signs and symptoms that can be brought on by having an unbalanced and incorrect bite, including TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder): worn teeth, headache, migraines, neck and back pain.  These are just a few of the problems. 

Jessica, Nancy and Trish in lecture.

After that they went through some airway and breathing evaluations and learned that
as dental professionals, we are now on the front line to recognize airway issues like
sleep apnea and tonsil/airway issues in adults and kids.  Now we have the tools
to help people who hate their CPAP and want a simple dental appliance alternative.
They ended their education day with some muscle evaluations and how to determine if
pain is associated with muscles of the head and neck.

The other half of the team, Mary, Mary and Holly, were in some more focused lectures about
streamlining our office to be more patient centered.  Meaning, we will always strive
to give our guests an individual, compassion filled visit. They were also learning
about communication skills and personality styles which will allow them to better
communicate with our patients so everyone understands.  We ended the day with some
good discussions about motivating the entire team to think and feel like they own
the practice, including everything from compensation to facility pride and even
personal presentation. It was this lecture that Dr. Hill heard a few years ago which
prompted the change to not wear scrubs and present a more professional attitude
showing more respect for the time and energy our patients give us.

Jessica and Mary at LVI - Don't you love Dr. Hill's teeth in the background?

Being in Vegas, it can't be all fun and no play!  Following dinner many of the team enjoyed a little casino fun and a few even attempted to learn craps with Dr. Hill.

Holly, Jessica, Mary, Nancy, and Mary.

What Is LVI?

What is LVI?  You might have seen an advertisement or a logo or you might have heard someone mention it in the dental field.

If you know Dr. Hill at all, you would know that for 8 years, he has been travelling to Las Vegas to study and teach at LVI--the Las Vegas Institue for Advance Dental Studies.  Most people joke and say, "I'm sure you get a lot of work done there...Sure you are working..." with a wink and a smile.  

All joking aside, LVI is a live-patient, post-graduate dental training offering doctors and their teams from around the globe comprehensive learning and a curriculum that inspires life-changing experiences in their practices.

The LVI Curriculum offers a number of programs across the broad spectrum of dental education, however the Core Curriculum is the basic starting point. Each Core Course will allow them to bring techniques and procedures into their office and help their patients enjoy a better quality of life through Neuromuscular Dentistry.

Due to the advanced, comprehensive training at LVI, Dr. Hill has performed more all-porcelain restorations than most dentist perform in a lifetime.  Dr. Hill is a graduate and Fellow of LVI and also is one of the youngest Clinical Instructors at LVI teaching Core I, II, III, IV,and V.   About five times a year Dr. Hill travels to LVI to educate other dentists how to perform the latest in dental procedures including smile makeovers, veneers, full mouth rehabilitations and the esthetic filling.

This week Dr. Hill is taking his team to LVI for the first time to experience this life changing education.  The rest of the week we will be highlighting the education that the team receives and posting a few fun pictures along the way.  Join us through our adventure and see what a difference LVI can make in a dental office!

Nancy, Trish, Mary, Holly, Jessica and Mary at DFW Airport ready for take off.
And yes, Mary has a sprained foot!

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to Hill Dental Studio! 

Two years ago this month, Dr. Stephen Hill acquired his practice, Hill Dental Studio, located in the heart of Allen, Texas across from the Allen Public Library.  He has assembled a team of hard-working, caring support staff and is sharing the joy of beautiful smiles with North Texas.  We are so pleased to be able to serve this community and to be a part of a team who strives for excellence! 

Keep following the blog to find out more of what Dr. Hill's team is up to and what new cutting edge techniques and technology they are using!  Also, click here for a link to the Hill Dental Studio website.