Dr. Bonine

06/13/2025

Happy Friday, Friends!

What if oral hygiene could be pleasurable, not boring. As we age, we get more nooks and crannies to maintain and seeing thousands of implant cases where hygiene becomes the long term part of success, I would like to enlighten you about "The Trifecta of Oral Hygiene"!

The trifecta of oral hygiene is a system made up of three powerful components. Like an effective carwash, there are different parts. The first component is the electric toothbrush. The electric toothbrush allows you to more effectively scrub the surface area of your teeth and gum tissue as opposed to brushing with a manual toothbrush. It is the difference between hand sanding and using the highly effective random orbital sander -- down and back with a brush versus 3000 motions with the electric brush.

The second component is the floss pick. While string floss is still the gold standard when it comes to flossing, floss picks are ergonomically easier, making them easier to add into your daily oral hygiene routine. The floss pick is one handed versus two hands for the string flosser. Flossing is one of the most important steps in your oral hygiene routine as it removes food and debris from in between the teeth where the toothbrush cannot reach. To make floss picking even easier, stash them everywhere and whether it is your corvette or F150 there are places to keep them for boring highways or stop and go traffic.

The final component in the trifecta of oral hygiene is the electric water flosser. The electric water flosser works as a power washer for between the teeth. It is a next generation water pick. Floss picks debride and loosen material in the area the toothbrush can't reach, while the electric water flosser washes it out and irrigates the tissues. Tissues demonstrate amazing responses to the water flosser. Though they can be messy, we recommend doing this step while taking your daily shower. Oral hygiene doesn't have to be difficult to do or difficult to work into your daily schedule.

With the combination of all three of these tools, we have seen a dramatic improvement in oral health!

Remember, friends, improving your oral health helps to improve your total health!

06/06/2025

Happy Friday, Friends!
This week we have a story about a patient of ours who returned to us recently to complete their oral surgery care.
We had last seen them in December when they presented with concern of a possible dental issue. However, after further examination, Dr. Bonine had diagnosed this patient with shingles and recommended they go directly to the hospital to be admitted due to the severity. When this patient arrived at the hospital, the diagnosis was confirmed. They did, in fact, have a severe case of shingles that had gone systemically to their brain, leaving them now with sustained neurological compromise.
They were told after being admitted to the hospital that had they gone one more day without treatment, the disease would have taken their life. Wow! It's so important, friends, to stay abreast of your oral health and total health. You have one wild and precious life, and we encourage you to take care of it and cherish it and to do something this weekend that brings you joy!

05/16/2025

Happy Friday, Friends!

This week we want to continue celebrating Esther Suh, DDS MS. She is a new orthodontic graduate from the University of Michigan and will be joining the greater BRIGHTON vicinity community, pursuing her dreams in the orthodontic field.

Another reason we are celebrating Dr. Esther is she will be marrying our son this summer and officially joining our family! We are very proud and look forward to all the wonderful things in her next chapter in life.

Congratulations to all of the recent graduates, many blessings and cause for celebration!

05/11/2025

Happy Mother's Day, Friends!

We wish you all a blessed day and invite you to find some time to come and take a stroll on our Oaken Transformations Sculpture and Poetry Walk next week. The weather is getting so beautiful and the flowers and the trees are blooming. Bring your mother and a lunch and enjoy the time together. The Walk is open during our normal business hours Monday - Friday 8am-5pm.

05/09/2025

Happy Friday, Friends!

With summer vacation fast approaching, it is the perfect time to have wisdom teeth addressed! Did you know that 33% of exposed wisdom teeth can be silently infected and have even been linked to heart disease, stroke and low birth weight pregnancies later in life? It's true! Wisdom teeth can also negatively affect neighboring teeth and bone and they also increase your risk for gum disease. Wow!

Linked below is a podcast from Dr. Bonine's Oral Health Total Health Podcast series wherein the topic is wisdom teeth.

Remember, friends, don't wait until they become a problem! Have the talk with your dentist and oral surgeon. The ideal age for having wisdom teeth removed is before the age of 17!

Specializing in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Since 1984. Located at a Frank Lloyd Wright Inspired Tranquil Paradise in Brighton, Michigan.

05/02/2025

Happy Friday Friends!

This week we want to talk again about the importance of oral cancer screenings. These screenings should be performed during every dental cleaning by your hygienist and every oral exam by your dentist. It's also good to examine yourself occasionally too in between dental appointments -- especially if you have one or more of the risk factors listed below.

With summer fast approaching, it's a good reminder to also be sure to wear your SPF chapstick as sun exposure can lead to cancer on the lip.

We have seen a big uptick in oral cancer this past year and we want to passionately share this information to help not only raise awareness, but also encourage you to advocate for yourself in regards to your oral and total health.

Be safe, friends, and have a wonderful weekend!

**artwork courtesy of Phillips Sonicare

04/21/2025

Happy Spring Friends!
The color has already started popping here at the office. With the beautiful weather predicted this week we encourage you to come and take a spring time stroll on our Oaken Transformations Sculpture and Poetry Walk. The trail is open during our normal business hours Monday thru Friday 8am-5pm.

04/18/2025

Happy Friday, Friends!
In honor of Good Friday, today we want to share a moment of gratefulness.

Ask your dentist what they do as part of their oral cancer examination. I have seen way too many neglected oral cancer cases last year, including this one. Survival increases through early detection. Lumps, sores, white and red spots can all be of concern, and your dentist should have the expertise to be on watch. You ARE paying for oral exams!

I have no higher calling than the safety and best outcomes for my patients -- particularly those with the seriousness of possible oral cancers. We routinely get them in for appointments immediately and biopsy quickly, allowing the patient or even myself to drive the specimen to the pathologist at the University of Michigan therefore expediting the testing process of the tissue. Early results allow me to contact my head and neck cancer colleagues by speed dial, usually before the patient knows, to facilitate efficient follow through. For the premalignancies that are most likely to become dangerous, I follow for 5 years to maintain the highest vigilance, usually at no charge. Those with cancerous disease, I offer to co-follow for guidance and support.

We are blessed to have my colleagues for this tough disease, and I am honored and grateful to have patients who trust in me and my team to deliver the best care possible.

Happy Good Friday, friends! We wish you all a blessed weekend and an egg-cellent Easter!

04/11/2025

Happy Friday Friends!
This week we want to bring attention to the DEA's National Take Back Day!
The DEA's National Take Back Day is in two weeks on Saturday April 26th, 2025. Any unwanted, unused or expired medications can be returned to any of the collection sites.

Here is a link to find the nearest collection site to you!

https://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/NTBI/publicSearchLite.jsp?_flowExecutionKey=_c7A84C1FE-F2E0-DBBA-58AA-EE9509E65CA5_k56BA5C06-C6FB-8C99-8E63-F070639E784E

Happy spring cleaning friends! Mark your calendars and be sure to go through your medicine cabinets and see if you have any old or unused medications that are no longer needed.

04/04/2025

Happy Friday, Friends!
This week's Staff Highlight is Jesi! Jesi works up front as a patient care coordinator. She has over 15 years of experience in medical billing and working in the front office.
In Jesi's spare time she likes to spend time with her family and enjoy all of the nearby lakes.
Jesi's favorite part about working at Dr. Bonine's office is having the opportunity to learn new information daily. She enjoys working with her coworkers and Dr. Bonine and loves seeing the happiness on our patients' faces after their transformation.
One thing Jesi wishes everyone knew about oral surgery is that oral surgery is actually faster and easier than you think! She also wishes everyone knew the importance of replacing missing teeth.
Welcome, Jesi! We are so happy to have you on our team. If you see her, please say hi and welcome her aboard!

03/28/2025

Happy Friday, Friends!
We have another staff highlight this week! Proudly introducing the lovely Angie.
Angie is new with us and she works in the back as a surgical assistant. Angie is an army veteran who gave 5 years of service with two deployments abroad. She has 30 years of experience working as a surgical tech and we are honored to have her on our team!

In Angie's spare time, she enjoys gardening and house plants. She enjoys propagating them and gifting them to friends and family. She also loves to crochet!

Angie's favorite part about working here at Dr. Bonine's is the tranquil view and wildlife that often brings a smile and feeling of calmness to her day.

One thing Angie wishes everyone knew about oral surgery is the advantage of implants and knowing that you don't have to end up in dentures.

If you see Angie, be sure to take a moment and say Hello!

03/21/2025

Happy Friday, Friends!
This week we want to highlight one of our new employees - James! James started with us in December working in the lab and running around the office as surgical support.
Some fun things about James is that he is a Livingston County native. He developed his diverse skillset from his past experiences of working on a farm, working in the food service industry, working in HVAC and as a certified NRA range safety officer.
James also studied audio production and engineering at Washtenaw Community College.
When he is not working, you may catch James playing the guitar, shooting for sport or learning more about cars and developing technology.
Welcome, James! We are happy and excited to have him on our team. If you see him, be sure to say "hi"!