Drs. Gilleran and Van Fossen, helping you save face this spring

April is almost upon us, and for Drs. Gilleran and Van Fossen, that only means one thing: it’s once again time to remind our dear patients to protect their faces and pearly whites. After all, April, which is only two days away, is National Facial Protection Month. According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults will have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events this year. Here are five tips from Drs. Gilleran and Van Fossen to save face while having fun this spring. We hope you remember them when you’re out on the ball field:


1. Wear mouth guards for contact sports such as baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse.
2. Wear a helmet
3. Wear protective eyewear
4. Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
5. Be alert, even as a spectator

We hope that helps. Protective gear is vital for anyone engaging in tooth or mouth-threatening activities. If you have any further questions about any of these tips, please contact Gilleran and Van Fossen Cosmetic Dentistry by calling 312-368-8771. Stay safe!

Staying connected with Gilleran and Van Fossen Cosmetic Dentistry

If you've spent one minute at Gilleran and Van Fossen Cosmetic Dentistry, you'd know we embrace anything related to technology. That includes our social networks, which includes this blog and our Facebook fan page.

For social media to work, however, Drs. Gilleran and Van Fossen understand that conversation is vital. That’s why we invite you to join in and tell us what’s on your mind. Although social networks are hugely popular these days, we know they’re unpredictable and ever-changing.

While Drs. Gilleran and Van Fossen are taking a little time to research and decide how to best use social media for our practice, we thought we’d ask you, our loyal patients: How would you like us to use our social networks? What would you like us to share on our blog? Send us your thoughts or give us a call at (312) 368-8771.

Gilleran and Van Fossen, supporting National Nutrition Month!

March has arrived, and that can only mean one thing: it’s National Nutrition Month. Every March, Drs. Gilleran and Van Fossen, as well as thousands of dentists and hygienists celebrate this occasion, and this year is no different. This March, our professional team at Gilleran and Van Fossen Cosmetic Dentistry want you to think diabetes, obesity and periodontal disease, and how healthful eating and physical activity may improve periodontal health. Drs. Gilleran and Van Fossen know small changes really can make a big difference, and the American Dietetic Association (ADA) has some advice on ways to start improving your diet this March:

• Focus on fruits and veggies: Add a serving each day to one meal and increase it every few weeks. Adding more of these foods into your diet is important whether you buy frozen, fresh or organic.

• Think fresh, think local: From Chicago's farmer’s markets to community-supported agriculture, you have many options to find new, fresh foods here in the Windy City.

• It’s tempting, but…: If you have a sweet tooth, have fruit and yogurt for dessert. If you crave a snack in the afternoon, enjoy some trail mix or nuts.

• Make every calorie count: When you are choosing between options, focus instead on the one with more of the vitamins and nutrients that you need. Sometimes, foods with fewer calories aren’t always the healthiest options.

• Expand your horizons: Try a fish you’ve never eaten before or find a new vegetable recipe. By testing yourself, you might find new healthy favorites to add to your regular grocery list.

If you have additional questions about periodontal disease or keeping yourself and your mouth healthy, please give us a call!

Ask Drs. Gilleran and Van Fossen: How do you use new technology?

At Gilleran and Van Fossen Cosmetic Dentistry, treatment is performed in the most relaxing environment imaginable. To help you relax, just lie back and enjoy a warm paraffin wax hand treatment, which is very soothing to cold, dry hands. We also offer hot towels.

Drs. Gilleran and Van Fossen also embrace technology, and that includes offering our patients OraVerse®, a relatively new product that shortens the duration from the effects of numbing. In addition, we use digital X-rays, which minimize radiation exposure and offer the best diagnostic quality available. Lastly, Drs. Gilleran and Van Fossen use use intra-oral cameras during treatment, which allow patients and insurance companies a close-up view of your pearly whites.

If you have any questions about the dental treatments we offer, or to learn more about paraffin wax hand treatment, OraVerse, digital X-rays or intra-oral cameras, please give us a call. We'd love to hear from you.

PS for more photos of our office and to keep up with goings-on at Gilleran and Van Fossen Cosmetic Dentistry, please visit our Facebook fan page and become a fan!

The Gilleran and Van Fossen team at the Chicago Midwinter Meeting!

Our assistants and hygienists take time to pose with Flossie, the mascot of the Chicago Dental Society at the 145th Midwinter Meeting. From left to right Claudia, Flossie, Jean, Angie. Front row, Alex.

The team at Gilleran and Van Fossen Cosmetic Dentistry was among more than 30,000 dentists and dental professionals who got a first look at the latest innovations in dentistry over the weekend. The Midwinter Meeting is one of the largest exhibits of dental products in the U.S. and one of Chicago's top conventions. Stay tuned, as we will soon share with you what we learned at the Midwinter Meeting.