A more soothing sound in the dentist’s chair. An alternative to the drill helps lessen patient anxiety and fear.

The dreaded shrill of the drill …

Dr. Michael Errico, dentist: “Traditional drill with the air driven turbine that you hear that high pitch whine that everybody gets a little anxious over.”

The traditional tool still sits in Dr. Michael Errico’s dental office, but he offers patients an alternative.

Dr. Errico: “This actually uses light energy, and what the light energy does is penetrates through the tooth structure.”

It’s a laser that first numbs the tooth.

Dr. Errico: “We’ll use a little topical around the gum tissue. So what I tell people with this is you’re going to hear more of a buzz, kind of like a bumblebee. We have a frequency that will be on the tooth and we’ll hold it there for a minute to two minutes and that light energy at a certain frequency will penetrate through to the nerve and confuse it.”

Once the nerve signal to the brain is scrambled, a change in frequency allows Dr. Errico to cut through the enamel.

Dr. Errico: “And as we change the frequency it sounds more like popcorn. When you hear the more popping, the energy is lying on the tooth longer and that’s where you get the ablation. For children it’s fantastic. For that person that’s anxious or has anxiety — they don’t like the sound of the drill — it really makes them nervous and freaks them out, so this is an alternative to it.”

Even a former boxer appreciates the gentler touch – David Diaz is in for a quick cavity fix.

David Diaz, patient: “You hear a little bit, but it’s not the dreadful kind. You can kind of feel, right, but it’s not that pulsating you normally get. It was actually very easy and comfortable.”

Dr. Errico: “There’s no vibration. There’s no heat transfer so it turns out to be less aggressive and less invasive for the patient, and it is very comfortable.”

Dr. Errico also uses the laser drill for some dental surgeries – with less bleeding and faster healing time.

Alternative to the dreaded shrill of the dentist drill

Now that June is here, you and your family will be spending more time outdoors having cookouts, going to parties, and just enjoying the warmer weather. The month of June also has been designated Oral Health Month by the American Dental Association (ADA) to help remind people not to ignore proper dental care while they’re enjoying summertime activities and all the great food and drinks.

With children having more free time now that school is out, parents are advised by the ADA to lead by example and help their kids keep up with their brushing and flossing. Another important step in maintaining your dental health is to schedule regular dental appointments. Have you and your family been keeping up with your dental visits? If not, let Michael R. Errico DDS, FAGD, FICOI, PC & Associates handle your next appointment.

Dr. Errico received the prestigious Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry award in 2012, and he and his professional staff will be happy to take care of all your dental needs. Just call 847-788-0808 or visit mikeerricodds.com/contact-us/. New patients should visit mikeerricodds.com/new-patients/ to fill out our New Patient forms.

Our Rolling Meadows dental office is located at 3315 Algonquin Rd., Suite 105. Feel free to stop in for a visit or for more information. Dr. Errico welcomes patients from all over the northwest Chicago suburbs, including Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Palatine, Hoffman Estates, Wheeling, and Elk Grove Village.

Dentist office near Arlington Heights, Dentist near Schaumburg.

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You may brush your teeth and floss regularly to prevent cavities, but older adults might not know they are also prone to developing cavities due to dry mouth. People can experience dry mouth as a side-effect of the medications they take for conditions such as pain, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and many others.

Some steps you can take to prevent dry mouth include drinking more water, using mouthwash, and chewing sugar-free gum to promote saliva production. You may also want to ask your physician if you can change your dosage or switch to a different medication.

Dr. Michael R. Errico and his professional staff will be happy to provide more information about dry mouth and what you can do to prevent cavities. Set up your next appointment today by calling 847-788-0808 or visit mikeerricodds.com/contact-us/. New patients should visit mikeerricodds.com/new-patients/ to fill out our New Patient forms.

When you visit Dr. Mike, be sure to let him know which medications you’re currently taking so he’ll have all the information he needs to provide you with the best dental care available.

Dr. Errico welcomes patients from all over the northwest Chicago suburbs, including Arlington Heights, Palatine, Schaumburg, Rolling Meadows, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, and Wheeling. Our Rolling Meadows dental office is located at 3315 Algonquin Rd., Suite 105. Feel free to stop in for a visit or for more information.

Studies have shown that children in the U.S. miss about 51 million school hours each year due to dental disease. That’s why it’s so important to bring your kids in for a dental checkup before the school year starts, and it’s also why many school districts require dental checkups for students.

Families often become immersed in summertime activities and vacations and forget to schedule their dental appointments until the last minute. Scheduling an appointment early helps you beat the late-summer rush and also helps prevent any small problems from developing into larger ones.

A good way to keep your children from becoming grouchy during their dental visit is to make sure they’re not hungry when they arrive. Even a little snack, followed by a pre-visit tooth brushing, can help keep kids in a good mood. Also, don’t schedule appointments during your kids’ regular nap times, since this can make them even more grumpy about their visit.

If you haven’t already done so, now is a great time to schedule your back-to-school dental appointments with Michael R. Errico DDS, FAGD, FICOI, PC & Associates. Dr. Errico and his professional staff have extensive experience handling the dental needs of children of all ages, and they will be happy to take care of all your dental needs.

We know that oral care is a foundation for good overall health. We proudly serve students from many Illinois School District such as Township High School District 211 , Community Consolidated School District 15, School District 54  School District 25,School District 21, School District 57, and many more school district.

JUST CALL 847-788-0808 TODAY OR VISIT MIKEERRICODDS.COM/CONTACT-US/ TO SCHEDULE YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT. NEW PATIENTS SHOULD VISIT MIKEERRICODDS.COM/NEW-PATIENTS/ TO FILL OUT OUR NEW PATIENT FORMS.

Our Rolling Meadows dental office is located at 3315 Algonquin Rd., Suite 105. Feel free to stop in for a visit or for more information. Dr. Errico welcomes patients from all over the northwest Chicago suburbs, including Schaumburg, Palatine, Arlington Heights, Hoffman Estates, Wheeling, and Elk Grove Village.