Dr. Michael J. Appleton is a skilled professional whose dentist office has been serving Slidelland the surrounding area for more than 15 years. He is supported by an outstanding team of dental health professionals who are dedicated to providing compassionate care with an emphasis on patient trust and comfort. Dr. Appleton, Dr. Christopher Braud, and their friendly, professional staff offer a range of dental services that are completely personalized to meet the needs of each patient. To to learn how their expertise can benefit you and your loved ones,contact Oak Harbor Family Dentistry today.

In addition to providing outstanding care, we want your time with us to be as comfortable as possible. With our beautiful location on the eighth hole of the Oak Harbor Gold Course, you may feel like you are at a relaxation destination. We also offer amenities such as massage chairs, TVs, wireless Internet, and headphones to keep you relaxed and entertained.

A Louisiana native, Dr. Appleton grew up in Slidell and attended Louisiana State University and the University of New Orleans. In 1998, he received his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from Louisiana State University School of Dentistry. Dr. Appleton is a proud member of several prestigious professional organizations, including:

After receiving both his Bachelor of Science Degree and Doctorate of Dental Surgery(D.D.S.) from Louisiana State University, Dr. Christopher Braud, born and raised in Slidell, has returned home to practice dentistry. Dr. Braud is completely dedicated to improving his patients oral health, function, and esthetics while maintaining a comfortable environment. He is currently a member of the American Dental Association, Louisiana Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, and Lake Pontchartrain Study Club. In his spare time, he enjoys playing sports, spending time with his family, and attending LSU sporting events.

At Oak Harbor Family Dentistry, we offer affordable treatments and a number of payment options. Dr. Appleton is a PPO provider for several of the major health care plans in the area, and our staff can help you navigate your insurance and file claims. We also accept cash, credit cards, and CareCreditTM. For questions about payment and the best way to cover your treatment, simply contact our office staff.

Replacing the natural presentation and utility of a lost tooth (or teeth) is a difficult job and, while nothing man-made can 100% substitute for ones real tooth, a dental implant is the nearest available answer from modern dental practices. Dental implants, available at our Slidell practice, are a remarkable and versatile part of modern dental treatment plans. They can be used to replace one tooth, multiple teeth or all of your teeth top and/or bottom. They can be utilized as a solid base to porcelain crowns, porcelain bridges or non-slip dentures.

Seniors, or often middle-aged adults, who have lost all of their teeth and who have dentures and have difficulty chewing, arrive at Oak Harbor Family Dentistry seeking help. These people havent been able to eat some of their favorite foods for years.

But then, by using two or three implants underneath the denture that solidly secure the dentures, its as if you give them all of their own natural teeth back again. Dental implants are stable, look like real teeth and are very strong. Those who get dental implants are able to smile, laugh and eat without fearing that their dentures may slip or click or that their bridge will trap food.

It isnt odd that a young person experiences an accident or sports injury and end up with a gap in their smile. Of course, the dentist will tell you to search for the tooth, push it back into the empty socket, and quickly head for the dentists office. Sadly enough, the logic doesnt stand a chance against the emotion of the game.

Every now and then, Dr. Appleton sees a boy or girl whos permanentsmile came in without their eye teeth. To Dr. Appleton, its a dental problem, but to our patient who is most likely moving into high school or maybe graduating high school, its first and foremost a social brick wall.

Not so long ago, orthodontists simply moved the teeth together creating a mismatched bite and the potential for chronic headaches and nighttime grinding of the teeth. In modern dentistry, we can open up the spaces even further and then place implants so that young persons smile not only looks completely normal, the teeth function and mesh together as if there were never anything wrong.

If you are in good health, both in your mouth and in your body, you are probably a good candidate. You should also have healthy gum tissues that are free of periodontal disease. Youll need strong bones to securely anchor the dental implants. To find out if you do, Dr. Appleton will evaluate the bone quantity and the density of that bone. It should be noted that, in a few cases where bone loss has occurred due to periodontal disease, implants may not be possible right away. If you are deficient in bone density and/or quantity in your jaw, this can often be corrected with a graft of bone or through the use of artificial bone to provide the right support for the implant.

If you think that implants might be a solution to your problem, get the expert advice of Dr. Appleton to find out if youre a good candidate for a dental implant. You should definitely ask about Dr. Appletons thorough training and experience in the case of dental implants. Dental implant placement is actually oral surgery and it is important to be certain that Dr. Appleton makes you feel comfortable with his experience and training for this type of procedure. Dr. Appleton has been placing dental implants in Slidell for over ten years.

Using your impressions, as well as any feedback provided after you try in your wax-up, dental lab technicians will create veneers specifically designed to match the shape and shade of your teeth. By using dental-grade porcelain, your veneers will have a natural-looking sheen, and will be virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

When the veneers are finished, you will come in for a second visit. At this time, your dentist will check the fit of the veneers and make any necessary adjustments. Next, he will lightly etch the front of your teeth to create a strong bonding surface. Finally, he will attach the veneers with dental cement, and use a curing light to secure the bond. After this short procedure, you can leave our office with a gorgeous, rejuvenated smile.

The primary benefit of porcelain veneers is that they can provide a significant improvement in the overall appearance of your smile. They are often the preferred option for those who want to completely revamp their smile with a single and quick dental procedure. The risks are few, and mainly involve short-term tooth sensitivity. By avoiding biting into especially hard foods with your veneers, you can enjoy their benefits for many years.

Malocclusion, also known as a bad bite, may be the the most likely culprit of a series of conditions related to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), including migraine headaches, popping sounds in the jaw joint, vertigo, and ear discomfort or itching. When your teeth come together badly whether its via incorrect dental treatment, getting your dads dental genes, bad habits or sports injuries it can make your daily life miserable. Thankfully, malocclusion is fixable and we are proud to offer individualized TMJ disorder treatment at our Slidell practice.

For many years, the idea that a migraine headache was linked to the jaw joint was not taken seriously. But now it appears the medical and dental communities are of like mind that TMJS and chronic headaches/migraines are linked.

Research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine examined the existence of TMJD in 24 patients referred to a neurology medical office. The goal was to determine the percentage of individuals referred to a neurology center for headaches where TMJD is the foremost cause of pain. They discovered that 11 out of the 24 individuals with headaches had TMJD. That percentage, nearly fifty percent is viewed as a high proportion when compared to the 15 percent in the general population of TMJD sufferers.

As proof continues to mount regarding the relationship between headaches and TMJD, patients who feel they have this problem should talk with Dr. Appleton. Our staff and doctors have been to advanced training in this treatment and can offer care from basic dental bonding to full mouth reconstruction.

A couple other symptoms that might not seem connected to malocclusion include neck, back or shoulder pain. While discomfort in this area might seem unrelated to the jaw, individuals suffering from malocclusion are prone to repeatedly tilt their heads, compelling the muscles of the back, neck and shoulders to compensate.

Tingling or numbness in the hands and arms could also be an unexpected sign of TMJ disorder. The symptoms most likely are from nerves in your arms and hands being squeezed by muscle spasms in the neck, shoulders and face.

If you have one or more of these symptoms, talk to Dr. Appleton. Our own treatment usually includes no pills, zero shots, zero surgery, and no adverse reactions. We are able to take care of these issues since they are more than likely a result of clenching your teeth while you are sleeping and sometimes throughout the day. When you clench your teeth, you make use of many of the most powerful muscles in your body. These muscle contractions might cause early morning headaches and/or stress headaches, and in many cases harm surrounding ligaments, teeth, and other muscles.

The majority of dental treatment to cure malocclusion involves the usage of a splint, or a dental device that temporarily adjusts the bite. Dr. Appleton is now offering Botox for his patients that suffer from TMJ headaches that havent responded well to other medications. Botox has proven to be very effective in treating headache pain.

In more severe cases, Dr. Appleton could advise a long-lasting improvement in the bite using tooth replacement, shifting teeth through orthodontic treatment, or a combination of bonding and crowns or veneers. For many individuals, the final results have been effective and their return to a pain-free condition has offered them an additional chance at a considerably more productive life.