What should you expect at our office?

Your first visit to Gilleran and Van Fossen Cosmetic and General Dentistry most commonly includes a cleaning, initial exam and consultation. This appointment takes approximately two hours. When you share your medical history with us, please be sure to provide complete, up-to-date information on all aspects of your health. Inform us if you have experienced recent hospitalizations or surgery, or if you have recently been ill. Plan to provide the name of your physician as well as the name, dosage and frequency of any medications you are taking – including all prescription and/or over-the-counter products. This information will help our office select the most safe and effective method of treatment for you.

Subsequent to your initial visit, Drs. Gilleran, Van Fossen and team strongly encourage regular checkups for all our patients. Regular checkups include a thorough cleaning and an oral exam. During the oral exam, we will check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. At each visit to our convenient office in Chicago's Loop we will also check old fillings and restorations to ensure constant pressure from chewing, grinding or clenching has not caused them to wear away, chip or crack. Although in some cases, we may recommend more frequent visits, most patients find that it is valuable to have a checkup at least every six months.

Subtle changes in your smile can make a big difference in the way you look and feel about yourself. Have you visited our office in the past 6 months? If not, we invite you to schedule an appointment!

Connect with us on Facebook!

At the office of Drs. Gilleran & Van Fossen, we value the relationships we have developed with our patients in the Chicago Loop and greater Chicago. Even if you only see us for your appointment on a regular basis, did you know that you can now connect with us on Facebook?

We invite you to “like” us at Facebook.com/GilleranVanFossenDDS. We share office news, important announcements and updates on our Fan Page, so we encourage you to check us out! By Liking our page, you will receive updates from our office automatically in your news feed!

See you on Facebook and have a great weekend,

- Drs. Gilleran, Van Fossen and team

February also marks American Heart Month at Gilleran and Van Fossen DDS!

You may remember our post from last week, when Drs. Gilleran & Van Fossen discussed February being National Dental Health Month. But did you know February also marks American Heart Month?

It’s a great time to take notice of the health of your heart, say Drs. Gilleran and Van Fossen. Cardiovascular disease remains American's number one killer, according to the American Heart Association. Studies have shown a correlation between gum disease and heart disease, underscoring the importance of good oral health care.

Visiting our office on a regular basis can help prevent gum disease or at least catch it in its early stages. And because people with dental insurance are more likely to visit their dentist when they should, a healthy mouth begins with a visit to Gilleran and Van Fossen Cosmetic Dentistry. In observance of Heart Month, Drs. Van Fossen and Gilleran say it’s also important to know your numbers: blood pressure (less than 120/80), cholesterol (less than 200) and BMI (less than 25). If you have any questions about heart health, or about your treatment at Gilleran and Van Fossen Cosmetic Dentistry, please give us a call today.

February is National Dental Health Month!

Did you know February is National Dental Health Month? It's a great time of the year to renew those resolutions about continuing to practice great dental hygiene. Today, we thought we'd discuss the importance of preventative oral care. While most people are familiar with traditional heart-saving practices such as eating healthy and exercising regularly, lesser-known are the benefits that great oral hygiene provides to one’s cardiovascular health.

Here are a few tips to help you continue those New Year's resolutions:

*Remember that poor oral hygiene is linked to serious common diseases such as cardiovascular disease, bacterial pneumonia and osteoporosis. Teeth are the only non-shedding surface in your body, which suggests teeth have the highest bacterial levels in the entire body.

*Brush and floss every day to remove the plaque that can lead to cavities. Flossing daily removes food debris that your toothbrush cannot reach.

*Replace your toothbrush on a regular basis. You should replace your toothbrush every three to four months or after a cold or illness to prevent re-infection. Remember to use a soft toothbrush so you won’t wear off the enamel of your teeth.

*Visit our Chicago Loop office regularly. The American Dental Association recommends you visit Drs. Gilleran and Van Fossen every six months for regular checkups and cleanings. Fluoride treatments twice a year will help prevent tooth decay.

Each February, Drs. Gilleran and Van Fossen focus on the preventive oral care of our patients. Have you visited our office the past six months? If not, it’s time to give us a call and schedule an appointment!