Sleep Apnea and You You sit in your meeting at work and begin to yawn. “Oh wow. I am so tired. What is going on?” you mumble to yourself as another powerpoint presentation drones on.
When you arrive home from the day at the office, you feel like you could fall face first into your mashed potatoes at dinner. “This has been happening more and more lately,” you mention to your wife. “I just feel so exhausted all of the time.”
Your wife looks over to you as she takes a bite of her chicken, “Well it is no surprise that you are so tired!” she says. “You have been waking up like a hundred times during the night!”
You might be suffering from the sleep disorder: sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing becomes interrupted during periods of sleep. These interruptions can occur hundreds of times over the course of a night!
So what can you do to treat sleep apnea? The answers lie in Dr. Roberto Monteagudo’s blog, so keep reading to learn more about sleep apnea and you!
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea can affect all areas of your life, especially when exhaustion sets in to interrupt your days. Some other symptoms of sleep apnea can include:
Waking with a sore throat
Loud snoring
Waking with a choking or gasping feeling
Sleepiness when driving
Headaches in the mornings
Mood changes
Less interest in sex
Forgetfulness
Insomnia or recurrent awakenings
Restless sleep
As you can see, these symptoms are aggravating, at the very least. They can affect all of your day to day functioning. So what can you do to alleviate the symptoms if you are suffering from sleep apnea? Keep reading!
Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea
Believe it or not, but many people do not know that they are suffering from sleep apnea. It is usually a partner who identifies the sleeping issues and then reports them.
To diagnosis sleep apnea, a variety of sleeping tests are conducted to evaluate your sleeping patterns, nasal air flow, and snoring. These tests give doctors such as Dr. Roberto Monteagudo the tools to develop a proper diagnosis and create a treatment plan that is right for you.
Treatment protocol can be as basic as: losing weight, avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills, shifting sleeping positions, ceasing to smoke, or even avoiding sleeping on your back. All of those can be easy fixes that can help your overall health!
In addition, Dr. Monteagudo might recommend a dental device that can help keep your airways open during sleep. All of these treatments will be discussed with you during your consultation with Dr. Roberto Monteagudo.
If you think that you or someone that you know is suffering from sleep apnea, don’t wait, call Dr. Monteagudo today! We will make sure that you are on the path to restful sleep and active days!
Porcelain Veneers and Your Smile
Time to take down the lights, get rid of the tree, and throw away that eggnog. The holidays are over, and as you move away from carols to Valentine’s cards, there is still one thing that should not be left in holiday’s past—your New Year’s Resolutions.
While most people stop lifting weights or crashing dieting a few days into the New Year, there is no reason why you should not strive to reach your goals. And maybe one of your goals is less than traditional. Maybe you have been hoping and wishing to improve your smile so you can feel confident every time you have to show your pearly whites. Maybe it is the time to consider porcelain veneers.
Porcelain veneers are thin shells that are applied to the front of your existing teeth to give you the look and feel of that “Hollywood Smile” that you have always wanted. To learn more about porcelain veneers and the short procedure process, keep reading Dr. Roberto Monteagudo’s Center for Smile Designs blog.
The Porcelain Veneers Procedure
You might already be thinking to yourself, “What does the porcelain veneers procedure entail? I know that a lot of procedures take a lot of time—is this one of those procedures?”
The porcelain veneers procedure is relatively simple, and usually can be completed in a total of three visits. During the first visit, Dr. Monteagudo will consult with you about the procedure and see if it is the right fit to meet your cosmetic dentistry goals. He can evaluate your dental x-rays, and listen to any questions or concerns that you have about the procedure. If it looks like porcelain veneers are the way to go, then you will proceed onwards to your next visit.
During the second visit, Dr. Monteagudo will take molds of your teeth so he can send the models to a laboratory to make the veneers. After about a week, the veneers will arrive and you will return for a third visit.
During your final visit, Dr. Monteagudo will remove some of the enamel from your teeth so that the veneers can be attached. He will trim and form the veneer so that he can achieve the perfect fit. Dr. Monteagudo will also match the porcelain veneer with the color of your natural teeth. And then it is the moment that you have been waiting for! Your smile will be revealed and you can see the impact of the porcelain veneers!
Interested in Porcelain Veneers?
If you think that porcelain veneers are right for you, then give Dr. Monteagudo a call at our West Allis office. Dr. Monteagudo will gladly meet with you to discuss any and all questions that you have about porcelain veneers, and explain your cosmetic dentistry options.
Do not wait to get a jump-start on your 2012 resolutions! Make a change that will start of the year with a smile!
A Change to Your Smile
Every day, you wake up with the same intention—to make a difference. You volunteer in the community, help others at work, and always try to be a positive role model. And you have just been notified by the mayor, that you are being recognized for everything that you do!
In two months, you have to make a speech in front of community members about the work that you do and why you aim to make a difference in others’ lives. And there will be tons of pictures capturing the event. Pictures, where you should be smiling.
But you know that your smile isn’t where you want it to be, and you know that you have two months to get it at its brightest. But what procedures should you have done and who is the person to help?
With Dr. Roberto Monteagudo in your West Allis neighborhood, you can have all of your cosmetic dentistry needs solved. Dr. Monteagudo has the skills and the technology to get your smile at its best, and fast! To see what cosmetic dentistry procedures Dr. Monteagudo offers, keep reading! Cosmetic Dentistry and You
Dr. Monteagudo offers a variety of cosmetic dentistry procedures that can completely transform your smile. These procedures are as follows:
1. Tooth-Colored Fillings- our fillings are mercury-free and made of composite resin. These fillings blend in with your teeth, and are a safe-option for fillings.
2. CEREC One-Visit Customized Crowns- imagine have a crown made in a single visit to the dentist! That’s right, only one trip to the dentist to have a custom made crown and installed. These crowns are durable and strong, and are custom made to fit your mouth. No extra trips to the dentist, and more time can be spent smiling.
3. Extreme Smile Makeover- you look in the mirror and think that you need a complete tooth overhaul. Luckily, Dr. Monteagudo has the skills and the technology to completely transform your smile. No longer will you have to hide your teeth and hesitate to smile. You can live the life that you want to with a beautiful and functional smile.
4. Porcelain Veneers- porcelain veneers are thin shells that are applied to the front of your teeth. These veneers can reshape teeth and make severe stains disappear.
5. Zoom! Teeth Whitening- your teeth can be 10 shades lighter in one hour at Dr. Monteagudo’s office with the latest in Zoom! Teeth Whitening system. Also, you have the option to simulate professional results at home with a home-kit. With the home system you can see professional results within two weeks.
If you are considering a cosmetic dentistry procedure, feel free to contact Dr. Roberto Monteagudo at 414-383-5833. Dr. Monteagudo will answer any of your questions and help you make the best decision when it comes to your smile.
Don’t wait! Have the smile that you always dreamed of, in less time than you could imagine!
Your Smile
You work hard. Every day you set out with the intention of making a difference, and at the end of the day, you feel like you have made a small step forward. And now, you are being recognized for your efforts by the city.
Everyone is going to be at the event, and when the invitation comes in the mail for you, all you want to do is smile. But something holds you back! “I can’t smile with these crooked teeth,” you say to yourself. “And I definitely can’t smile the way I want to at this big event.”
Maybe you have felt the same way. Hesitant to show your smile because you aren’t satisfied by the image that greets you in the mirror. But, you are not alone. And as an added bonus, you are not too old to make a significant difference to your smile.
With Invisalign and Dr. Robert Monteagudo, you can have the smile that you always wanted in no time flat. Sound too good to be possible? Keep reading Dr. Monteagudo’s blog to learn about how Invisalign has worked for people of all ages, with a price tag comparable to that of braces.
Invisalign Results
Invisalign uses the latest dental technology to deliver the best results possible. A new aligner is given to you every two to three weeks, and you simply just wear the aligner 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The only time that you remove the aligner is to eat, drink, and brush those pearly whites. So not only can you eat and maintain normal oral hygiene, but no one can tell that you are straightening your teeth! That’s right, the aligners are invisible!
Now you might be thinking that there has to be a catch to Invisalign. Something like that the aligners make your teeth green or that no one actually has good results. But the truth of the matter is that Invisalign’s technology works and has helped countless individuals gain the smiles that they have always wanted.
For example, check out these Invisalign before and after cases!
This 27-year old woman was concerned about her jaw being misaligned. Her Invisalign treatment lasted only 9 months, and she walked away with beautiful results!
Another case is from a 56-year old man who believed that his teeth were abnormally spaced apart. His dentist was also concerned about the risk of periodontal disease, so they decided to move forward with an Invisalign treatment. The total treatment lasted 10 months, and he now has a smile he can be proud of!
Invisalign and You
If you are considering Invisalign for you or someone that you know, just give Dr. Monteagudo a call to discuss the possibility of Invisalign to straighten your teeth. Multiple tooth problems can be helped with Invisalign, so don’t think that you are left out of the Invisalign solution! You could have the beautiful smile in the “after” photo like you saw earlier!
Call 414-383-5833 to talk about the smile that you deserve today!
Invisalign and Your Smile
You never liked your smile. You always looked in the mirror and saw your crooked teeth and wish that it all could be changed. But as a kid, you never had braces. It just never worked out that you could.
As an adult, you still are unsatisfied with your smile. Your teeth still are not straight, and you notice it every day before you head out the door. However, you think to yourself, “There is no way I am getting braces now! That would not fly at my work!” You are not alone in your sentiments. Many adults want to straighten their teeth, but do not want to be seen as the ‘adult with braces’ at their work.
But today, there is a solution. You do not have to have braces in order to enhance you smile. Today there is Invisalign, and it is changing smiles almost invisibly.
Sound too good to be possible? Keep reading more to discover how Invisalign could fit into your life, and give you the smile that you have always wanted!
What is Invisalign?
At an Invisalign consultation, Dr. Monteagudo will discuss Invisalign with you, and decide if the aligners can work for you. While it is rumored that Invisalign cannot be used for extreme dental issues, Invisalign has been able to help all sorts of different cases including: spaced teeth, overly crowded teeth, cross-bite, over-bite, and even under-bite cases.
If Invisalign can work for you, Dr. Monteagudo will chart a course of care that will detail the way that the teeth can shift into position. Every two to three weeks, you will receive a new aligner that you will wear 24 hours a day, and 7 days a week. You can take out the invisible aligner to eat, drink, brush your teeth, and drink. In-turn, you can take your aligners out to eat anything that you want. You don’t have any food restrictions—caramel apples, carrot sticks, and pears are all up for holds!
By also being able to remove the aligners when you brush your teeth, you are able to maintain regular brushing and flossing habits. You do not need to learn a completely new system of oral hygiene like you need with braces. Because you can maintain your dental hygiene, you can keep your teeth healthier and unstained even while your teeth become straighter!
But How Much Does It Cost?
So Invisalign sounds appealing, but there has to be a catch, right? The price has to be expensive, right?
In fact, the price of Invisalign is comparable to the price of traditional braces. Insurance plans typically cover the same amount towards Invisalign as they would braces, so you can have the freedom to change your smile without anyone seeing it, at an affordable price. http://www.invisalign.com/Cost/Pages/dental-insurance-options.aspx
To see an estimate of how much Invisalign might cost for you, plug into the monthly payment calculator!
Come Consult with Dr. Monteagudo
If you are considering Invisalign, call Dr. Monteagudo at our Wisconsin office at 414-383-5833! Dr. Monteagudo can answer all of your questions about Invisalign and discuss if Invisalign is right for you. Call us today so you can have the smile you always wanted in no time!
Dr. Monteagudo is always telling you to brush your teeth twice a day, floss your pearly whites, and come into the office twice a year to get your checkups.
We all know that we should do these things for our dental health, but what is the reasoning behind it? Why do we have to perform those daily ‘teeth tasks?’
The motivation for checkups is so Dr. Monteagudo can find if a culprit is lurking in the hidden spaces of your mouth. That perpetrator can be Oral Cancer—a mouth cancer that can spread or could cause disfigurement of the face if not diagnosed and treated.
What is Oral Cancer?
No one wants cancer, especially when it looks like this. Oral Cancer is simply defined as cancer of the mouth. The mouth can include the lips, the gums, tongue, cheek lining, under the tongue (the mouth floor), and the salivary glands (the glands that make saliva). Any or all of these areas can be affected by Oral Cancer, and the places affected can be extremely small to start.
So, in order to make sure that Oral Cancer does not affect you or someone else that you care for, here are some simple and easy ways to not only yield good dental health, but also ensure good overall health for years to come!
Prevention Tips
Take note of some of these Oral Cancer prevention tips from the Monteagudo Center for Smile Designs. These pointers will help to keep your smile bright and healthy for a lifetime.
1. Put down the Cigarettes- not only will your body thank you for tossing the cigarettes down the drain, but your teeth will too. In fact, the oral cancer foundation reports tobacco as the greatest risk factor for developing oral cancer. For ways to quit using tobacco, including cigarettes and chew tobacco, visit this link.
2. Watch the Drinking- like smoking, alcohol abuse is one of the top factors for developing oral cancer, especially when combined with tobacco use. The dehydrating effect of alcohol on the mouth’s cell walls boosts the capability of tobacco carcinogens to attack tissues of the mouth. When you throw in heavy alcohol use, which lowers the body’s natural ability to use antioxidants to stop cancer formation, then you have a full blown war happening in the tiny space of your mouth. To keep it simple, don’t drink excessively, and don’t smoke.
3. Be Wary of the Sun- while it is important to go outside and absorb some Vitamin D from the warm sun rays, it is also equally important to be careful of the amount of time you are sun bathing. Since your lips are exposed to the sun continuously, they are also at risk for developing oral cancer. Make sure that your lips get sunscreen lip balm applied to them, and be smart when you are out in the sun. Wear a hat, throw on that sunscreen, and keep your lips healthy and part of your gorgeous smile.
4. Eat Fruits and Vegetables Everyday- some studies suggest that not eating enough of the essentials, fruits and vegetables, can actually elevate your risk of developing oral cancer. Start throwing colorful, natural ingredients into every meal. Avoid eating processed foods and boost the amounts of antioxidants and vitamins that you are reaching for. You know that eating right keeps you trim and feeling good, but now you know that what eat can possible affect your risk of developing cancer. That is a statistic to munch on.
5. Don’t Smoke- this might have already been stated earlier, but it is that important. If you have a history of Oral Cancer, then you are at greater risk for developing another Oral Cancer, especially if you continue to use tobacco. Make sure that you are coming in regularly for checkups, and stop smoking or chewing tobacco.
6. Use That Toothbrush- find a timer, grab your toothbrush, and get brushing. Making sure that you practice good dental habits is one of the simplest things that you can do to ensure your overall health. Your mouth is the entry way to the rest of the body—the first impression that is given to the entire world, so you want to make it a good one. Maintaining good flossing, brushing, and checkup practices will keep that entry way pristine. What’s not to smile about?
7. Stop In and Visit Dr. Monteagudo- at the Monteagudo Center for Smile Designs, Dr. Monteagudo knows how to analyze all 32 permanent adult teeth that you have, and make sure that everything looks healthy and beautiful. Your job is to schedule your appointments and make sure that you come in to our office, to ensure that you are always smiling your brightest possible smile.
Fear and the Dentist
You look at the calendar and flip the page to a new month. “Another month gone, and no visit to the dentist,” you think to yourself as you cringe. Flashbacks of dentist visits from when you were a child come rushing back to you, and you can hear the drill, feel your teeth being aggressively inspected with latex gloves, and smell the scent of fluoride mixed with mint-flavored floss.
For many people, a negative experience with a dentist can cause them not to schedule appointments, allowing for their dental health to remain unattended. This might be your experience. You might feel butterflies when the very word ‘dentist’ is mentioned, and you cannot recall the last time you made a dentist check-up a regular part of your year.
But, you are not alone. Dental phobias keep an estimated 50 percent of Americans away from the dental chair, and away from dental treatment. However, someone who understands dental fears is here for you, right here in the West Allis, Wisconsin area.
Dr. Monteagudo knows how you feel. He knows about your fears, but he also knows how to handle those fears so that your dental care can be maintained. And Dr. Monteagudo has the tools to make you more comfortable during your visit. What tools are those? You have to keep reading to find out how your fears can be reduced, and you can have the smile that you always wanted!
Comfort and the Dentist? Tell Me More.
You might not think that ‘comfort’ and ‘dentist’ are two words that belong in the same category. But if you come in and see Dr. Monteagudo, you will understand the pairing.
Dr. Monteagudo specializes in sedation dentistry. This dentistry allows for an oral sedative and nitrous oxide to be administered to you. While you take a nap, Dr. Monteagudo can clean and repair your teeth. You can relax completely and wake up at ease, with few to no memories about the office visit.
Sedation dentistry allows for you to be comfortable the entire time you are in the dentist’s chair. You also know that you are getting the very best care, and can walk out of the office with a beautiful smile. No more butterflies, no more missed appointments, no more toothaches that never go away. You have the opportunity to make your smile healthy in the calm environment of Monteagudo Center for Smile Designs. Make it happen today!
Other Ways to Kick the Dental Phobia
You can now see how sedation dentistry can be useful if you are apprehensive towards dental office visits, but there are other ways to make your visit more enjoyable as well.
1. Think positively- the second you start associating every aspect of the dentist with something bad, then the more butterflies you are going to have fluttering all around you. So try this quick tip out. Think of all of the fears that you have about the dentist, and try to categorize them in a more positive light. For example, if you hate the sound of a drill, then try to think of the positive uses of the tool and how it is helping eradicate tooth decay. By spinning everything from more scary into happier, you’ll be amazed how much better a tooth-cleaning can look.
2. What’s happening? – some poor associations of the dentist can be related to having no idea what is going on during a visit or procedure. Dr. Monteagudo makes sure that you understand each step of every cleaning or procedure. He can use the ‘tell-show-do’ technique, to illustrate every step of the process in multiple ways. First, Dr. Monteagudo will tell you what he is about to do. Then he can show you what the procedure will entail, using models or drawings. Finally, and only when you are ready, Dr. Monteagudo will complete the procedure. And that’s it! You have a beautiful smile in no time!
3. Ask and ask and ask…- if you are anxious about any aspect of your dental care, then you should not feel embarrassed or limited to asking any of your questions. We are here for you, to make sure that you get the best dental care, period. Even if you have not been in to see a dentist for years, we will make certain that you feel at home and can have those pearly whites too. So call us at 414.383.5833 or stop by! Because dental fears shouldn’t last a lifetime, but your smile should!
Finding a quality dental provider is one of the top decisions that families soon make when moving into a new area, or if circumstances such as job changes and insurance policies require switching health providers. It can be difficult to choose an oral health professional from a list of providers whom you have never seen before. (more…)
Are you interested in professionally enhancing your smile? Then you’ll need a cosmetic dentist. But, searching for a great cosmetic dentist can be difficult! Cosmetic dentistry is not one of the nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association. There isn’t a specific degree to become a cosmetic dentist like there is for orthodontists, for example. (more…)
In our first blog post Dr. Roberto Monteagudo of Monteagudo Center for Smile Designs wrote about the “Link Between your Mouth and your Heart.” Dr. Monteagudo defined periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, as an inflammatory condition caused by plaque, bacteria and tartar buildup around the teeth and gums. The blog discussed the conclusive link between oral health and cardiovascular health. (more…)
Call the West Allis office of Dr. Monteagudo today and experience CEREC technology at its best. Patients across the greater Milwaukee area, including Brookfield, Wauwatosa, and Waukesha, have enjoyed our special treatment for over a decade.
