“Testaments in Wellness” (continued) Stephen said every step of the way, the Sleep Better Northwest team has been there to answer his questions and provide support. In some cases — such as paying for the appliance — Stephen didn’t even have to be involved. As is common, Stephen’s treatment and appliance were covered by his medical insurance, and the experts at Sleep Better Northwest handled all of the associated billing paperwork. As a regional pioneer in sleep treatments such as snoring, insomnia and sleep apnea, Sleep Better Northwest’s experienced team has been offering help to patients like Stephen for a decade. Stephen said he has personally benefitted from the care as well as the way Sleep Better Northwest has stayed on the edge of everimproving technologies, making the great rest he is receiving even more convenient with the passage of time. Reflecting on his own transformation, he has become a bit of an ambassador for people with stories like his, people wondering whether help is possible and accessible for their sleep-related symptoms. “Dr. Elliott’s expertise and passion for sleep apnea and sleep apnea prevention is contagious,” he said. “I have referred many people I know to go and see her because of the outstanding care I received from Dr. Elliott and her team.” For more, visit sleepbetternw.com and see ad on page 64.
INVISALIGN
GIRL GOES FROM TEASED TO TRANSFORMED A year ago, Justin Loranger was concerned for his second-grade daughter. Malia’s front teeth had come in at a noticeable angle, and she was starting to get teased at school. He also worried the adult teeth were more susceptible to damage in the event of a fall. “At her normal dental appointment, we asked about options, and the dentist referred us to Dr. Josh Johnson,” Loranger said. Josh Johnson Orthodontics opened in north Spokane in 2006 and recently debuted an Invisaligncentered office in Liberty Lake. The Invisalign option, which consists of a series of custommade clear aligners that shift teeth into proper position, became a “no-brainer” for Malia after a brief discussion of her orthodontic options, Loranger said. Now 9 years old and one year into treatment, Malia’s teeth have been straightened, her bite corrected and she is in a final phase of ensuring her teeth are properly spaced for the adult teeth still to come. “Parents at school ask us all the time, ‘what happened to her teeth,’ because in a year they’ve transformed a ton,” Loranger said. “You can’t go wrong with this setup,
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If everything goes well, Loranger said a second phase of treatment when all of Malia’s adult teeth have come in will be much shorter and easier — if it will be necessary at all. “The whole experience working with Dr. Johnson is the easiest thing I’ve probably ever done,” he said. “They know us by name, are really nice and Malia has felt comfortable every time we go there.” As a bit of an Invisalign bonus, Loranger added that Malia has become the superstar brusher of the family. The aligners come out at meals, and so after every meal Malia brushes her own teeth and the Invisalign. With success stories like Malia’s, Josh Johnson Orthodontics has really focused in on the effectiveness of treating most patients with Invisalign. In fact, the practice has reached the top 1% of Invisalign providers, reaching an esteemed Diamond Plus status. Enter the new Liberty Lake office, which treatment coordinator Faye Benway said was designed specifically to create a unique boutique-like experience for Invisalign patients, including digital 3D scan technology and a virtual simulation showing an immediate approximation of a patient’s aftertreatment smile. The office also boasts unique remote dental monitoring. “We are the only dental provider in the Inland Northwest providing this virtual monitoring system that allows Dr. Josh Johnson to monitor patients’ progress remotely every week, meaning less trips into the office,” Benway said.
EXCELLENCE IN THE EYES OF OUR PATIENTS
893.7574
I don’t think. I think Invisalign is the future.”
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DR. MICHAEL PARK
That Smile by Josh Johnson Orthodontics is located at 21950 E. Country Vista Drive, Suite 100A in Liberty Lake and can be reached at 893-1234. For more, visit thatsmile.com and see ad on page 50.