A smile is such a simple gesture, yet it holds so much power. It is innately human - a universal way to convey happiness, greet one another and signal that we're nice people. Smiles communicate how we're feeling and are great for breaking the ice or awkward moments. A good-natured smile moves mountains, but if you're like the average person, it may not be perfect. And that's okay. But is it healthy?
Studies from the CDC show that 1 in 4 U.S. adults from 20 to 64 have cavities. Perhaps even more surprising is that approximately 34 million school hours are lost every year due to emergency dental care. For children, missing time could mean the difference between moving forward and being held back.
If you're one of the many people who feel ashamed about their teeth, need preventative oral care, or suffer serious issues like tooth decay, it's time to protect your teeth and gums. Luckily, Merchants Walk Dental is here to serve you with the highest quality dental work in East Cobb, from preventative care to cosmetic dentistry.
At Merchants Walk Dental, your healthy teeth and gums are our passion. Our dentists and hygienists are committed to providing you with the best dental care possible in a comfortable, stress-free setting. Since opening in 2017, we have become the premier dentist in Johns Creek, GA, offering many dental services such as:
As experts, we know how important oral hygiene is for your health. We feel that it's important to go the extra mile to speak with our patients about the best practices involved with brushing, flossing, and healthy gums. We know what an impact a beautiful smile can make, which is why we are so dedicated to providing our patients with cleaner, straighter teeth than ever before.
Having served Georgia and East Cobb for years, we understand that no two patients will ever have the same needs. That's why we provide personalized services like cleanings and root canals tailored to each patient's unique needs. We also know that money doesn't grow on trees, so we accept most major dental insurance plans to ensure you can keep your teeth clean and healthy all year long.
If you're searching for an expert team of friendly dentists and hygienists, look no further than Merchants Walk Dental. We pride ourselves on the best dental care coupled with warm, engaging customer service. You can rest easy knowing you're in capable, welcoming hands whether it's your first or fortieth visit to our office.
Here at Merchants Walk Dental, we understand that getting your teeth cleaned isn't something everyone looks forward to. However, getting regular teeth cleanings performed by a trustworthy dentist is the best way to maintain a healthy smile and avoid serious oral hygiene issues. And while it's easy to avoid the dentist, doing so for too long can be bad for your overall health.
Studies have linked poor oral hygiene to serious problems like cancer, cardiovascular disease, bone loss, and strokes. If you're flossing and brushing at home twice a day, that's great. Doing so is the best way to get a leg up on critical oral hygiene problems. However, getting your teeth cleaned by a dental hygienist helps ensure your teeth are thoroughly cleaned, healthy, and protected.
It's a question we get all the time - what is periodontal treatment? This treatment focuses on your gums and preventing the common diseases that attack them. When left unchecked, plaque accumulates and hardens, forming hard-to-remove tartar. This tartar irritates your gums and will eventually lead to a litany of problems like tooth decay, tooth loss, and more.
During your teeth cleaning session at Merchants Walk Dental, we'll examine your gums closely to ensure they're healthy and functional.
Each of our teeth cleaning appointments has comprehensive check-ups, including:
The only surefire way to prevent tartar buildup and, by proxy, gum disease is by brushing and flossing diligently at home. If you have been slacking on regular brushing and have not visited a dentist recently, your gums could be suffering. If you have any of the following signs of gum disease, contact Merchants Walk Dental to schedule a dental exam in Johns Creek, GA:
If you have had a cavity filled before, you're not alone. Tooth decay affects more than 90% of adults over the age of 40 - a stunning statistic that, in many cases, is entirely preventable. At Merchants Walk Dental, we use composite resin fillings to keep our patient's teeth healthy and functional. Unlike amalgam fillings, composite fillings are more discreet, match the color of your teeth, and are free of mercury.
While fillings can have a few uses, our doctors typically use fillings to âfillâ a part of your tooth that is decaying. This hole of decay is called a cavity. Sometimes, fillings are also used to fix broken, cracked, or worn-down teeth from grinding and nail-biting. Fillings are a great way to restore decaying teeth to their normal shape and function while preventing sensitivity and inhibiting further decay.
During your dental exam at our office in East Cobb, your dental hygienist will check for signs of cavities and tooth decay to ensure your oral hygiene remains in peak condition.
Abscesses- Without professional dental treatment, infected teeth lead to dental abscesses, which can be fatal if left untreated.
Nerve Pain- When your tooth is cracked and left without treatment, it can make its way to your nerve, resulting in extreme pain and damage.
Substantial Decay- If you leave an infection to fester without having a root canal, the infection can spread to other teeth in your mouth. If you don't address the initial signs of decay, you'll have to undergo treatment for multiple teeth.
Tooth Loss- Extensive decay and trauma often cause damage to your tooth's pulp. Our root canal treatments in Johns Creek remove this infected pulp. However, if you choose to ignore the problem, the infected pulp will rot your entire tooth, causing you to lose it forever.
One mention of the word root canal can send shivers up the spine for many people. Root canals get a bad rap, but the treatment has come a long way over the last decade.
When tooth decay and infection are left to fester, it can wreak havoc on your oral hygiene. Often, root canals in cityname, GA, are the best choice for patients with extensively diseased teeth. The goal of a root canal is to save and repair teeth by removing the infection from the pulp and nerve of the tooth.
Signs of tooth decay that may require a root canal include:
When a substantial cavity threatens a person's tooth and fillings aren't working, many dentists will use crowns to fix the problem. A crown is an aesthetic cap or a tooth-shaped covering placed over another tooth or implant for stability. Typically, crowns improve appearance and strength of a patient's teeth.
Crowns are also used to restore the size and shape of damaged or chipped teeth. When used for this purpose, dental crowns are usually bonded to the tooth using dental-grade cement.
During your dental exam and cleaning, your hygienist will keep a sharp eye out for signs of tooth decay, which may require a crown. Benefits of dental crows from Merchants Walk Dental include:
Restorative dental treatments can be complicated, but dental crowns are straightforward and minimally invasive. During the process, your tooth's enamel is cleaned, and your damaged tissue is removed. Once that process is complete, we'll cast a custom crown for your tooth. While the crown is created, Dr. John Bishara or Dr. Milli Patel will provide you with a temporary crown for normal functionality.
Damaged enamel or structural damage can cause pain and sensitivity. Having a dental crown installed will help alleviate a good amount of your pain.
Our dental crowns are made with high-quality, long-lasting materials. With proper care and regular check-ups, they can withstand years of chewing, biting, and grinding.
When you lose one or more teeth, whether due to decay or another factor, it's important to fill the space where the tooth is missing. That's where dental bridges come in. Bridges are essentially fake permanent teeth used to fill holes caused by missing teeth. The false tooth is fused between two dental crowns giving it the bridge concept. Dental bridges are then typically anchored to healthy teeth using resin and cement.
The health of your teeth, their position, and the state of the surrounding bone will help our team determine if bridges are right for you. If not, dentures in Johns Creek, GA, might be a better option. Dentures come in two forms: partial and complete. Dentures are best for patients who have missing teeth but aren't able to use bridges. Complete dentures all your missing teeth, while partial dentures replace one or two teeth.
Getting cosmetic dentures can be a life-changing experience. It often requires physical and emotional preparation. At Merchants Walk Dental, our team will take as much time needed to consult with and prepare you for your denture procedure.
Whether you need dental bridges or cosmetic dentures, we're here to help make your experience as seamless and stress-free as possible.
Dental implants are needed when you have missing teeth, but you cannot or will not get crowns, bridges, or dentures. Failing to replace a lost tooth will cause a bevy of problems as time goes on. For many patients, dental implants are the best option for replacing missing teeth. With dental implants, you can replace a single tooth or multiple teeth. A dental implant serves as a permanent artificial root anchored into the jawbone.
When our team puts a dental implant in place, your jawbone grafts itself to the titanium post making it as strong as your original root and tooth. The result is a natural, beautiful, fully-functional set of teeth that lasts for years.
Establishing healthy dental habits early in life is key for long-term oral health and confidence. The best way to learn those habits is at home and in a dentist's office.
At Merchants Walk Dental, our goal is to foster long-lasting relationship with the families in our community who trust us to care for their children's dental health.
When you choose Merchants Walk Dental as your child's dentist, you can rest easy knowing we treat your loved one just like ours. Our professional hygienists and experienced doctors are trained and certified to give your kids a comfortable dental experience. We like to mix fun with education, putting your child at ease while helping them understand the importance of proper dental care.
Common habits like teeth grinding and thumb sucking can have profound effects later in life. Our doctors are keenly aware of these habits, and work hard to help you and your child develop creative solutions to halt that behavior.
Our pediatric dental services improve the health of your child's teeth and gums with:
Having served the East Cobb and Johns Creek for years, we know your dental needs are unique and different from your neighbor. That's why we offer a variety of dental services to address each patient's special circumstances, from standard cleanings to complex root canals. By using the latest innovations and techniques in dentistry, we can better serve each client on an individualized level, leading to better comprehensive dental care.
We're taking new patients and accept most major forms of dental insurance to keep your teeth healthy and clean without breaking the bank. Contact our office today to schedule your dental exam and learn more about our history!
The Johns Creek Planning Commission voted 5-1 to deny the zoning application at a July 10 meeting.JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek Historical Society is mounting a campaign to save a 69-foot water oak that stands in the way of a planned Shake Shack near the Publix on State Bridge Road.The tree, with a spread of 100 feet and a trunk 48 inches in diameter, has withstood the test of time dating back more than a century, but it now faces the axe as part of the proposed building project.“In a city with very litt...
The Johns Creek Planning Commission voted 5-1 to deny the zoning application at a July 10 meeting.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek Historical Society is mounting a campaign to save a 69-foot water oak that stands in the way of a planned Shake Shack near the Publix on State Bridge Road.
The tree, with a spread of 100 feet and a trunk 48 inches in diameter, has withstood the test of time dating back more than a century, but it now faces the axe as part of the proposed building project.
“In a city with very little remaining that physically ties to its history, the tree is a treasure,” writes Joan Compton, president of the Johns Creek Historical Society.
Compton created a document detailing the water oak, aka the Publix tree. In it, she advocates the denial of site plans for a 3,500-square-foot Shake Shack, which call for its removal. The project would subdivide a .72-acre out-parcel from an 8.65-acre property, which Compton says means there are other options.
The Publix tree is one of 17 heritage trees Compton has listed in an Excel spreadsheet, a project started during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said the oldest tree in Johns Creek, near the Regal Cinema, dates to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Each tree tells the history of different parts of the city, she said. Macedonia Cemetery, where locally enslaved people and their descendants are buried, sits just up the road from the Publix tree. The land was once part of the Cherokee plantation.
“Over its long lifetime, the tree would have seen the horse-drawn traffic of traders, travelers, and local farmers on their way to and from the Warsaw and Medlock ferries …” Compton writes.
The tree “evaded the axe and plow,” she writes, and for decades it grew, despite rapid development.
“Saved once as a heritage tree when the Publix shopping center was built, it’s in jeopardy again.”
Shake Shack plans, approved by city staff, were expected to go before the Johns Creek Planning Commission July 10. A final vote of approval is scheduled for a later City Council meeting.
According to the city staff report, the zoning applicant initially considered incorporating the tree, but the existing topography presented a challenge. The tree sits on a 5,400-square-foot raised bed, 4 to 5 feet taller than the surrounding parking lot. Traffic flow was listed as another issue.
To abide by the city’s Tree Preservation Administrative Guidelines, staff placed conditions on the application. For specimen trees — defined by their high value in type, size or age — their removal must be replaced with a greater density in vegetation.
The applicant must also plant a 12-inch caliper hardwood by the proposed restaurant’s patio. Community Development Director Ben Song said the developer’s Land Disturbance Permit would include more detail to ensure the replacement tree’s survival.
While not a requirement, Song said the applicant was also asked to seek an independent arborist to evaluate the tree. The arborist’s report was expected to be filed July 7.
Before the application was accepted, Song asked if the tree could be transplanted, but for a tree that size, the risk could be too great. Lynn Pennington, president of Johns Creek Beautification, assumes the Publix tree would not survive a transplant.
“Based on the root structure, the size of that tree – where could it go? Where could you transport it?” Pennington asked. “It's wider than a double-lane highway.”
Compton sent her document to Johns Creek officials and others in the area, including Johns Creek Beautification, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the city’s natural beauty.
“Most everything, when it comes to development, is taken down,” Pennington said.
She envisioned an alternative, one that has people gathering for picnics under the tree. Pennington hopes the Publix tree could motivate various groups to inventory all the city’s heritage trees and provide signage.
“Everybody respects trees and loves trees,” she said.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek councilmembers agreed at a June 6 work session to advertise the existing tax rate of 3.986 mills for this year, creating a ceiling but not a floor.Property taxes are set through millage rates. One mill equals $1 of property taxes for every $1,000 of assessed valuation.While the county has yet to provide a preliminary 2023 tax digest for Johns Creek, homeowners whose property values have risen may pay a higher tax bill if the city’s advertised tax rate is approved. Councilmembers have a...
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek councilmembers agreed at a June 6 work session to advertise the existing tax rate of 3.986 mills for this year, creating a ceiling but not a floor.
Property taxes are set through millage rates. One mill equals $1 of property taxes for every $1,000 of assessed valuation.
While the county has yet to provide a preliminary 2023 tax digest for Johns Creek, homeowners whose property values have risen may pay a higher tax bill if the city’s advertised tax rate is approved. Councilmembers have another two months to gather information on how much the tax levy would generate in revenues as the county completes its assessment of property values. The council can adjust the mill levy downward before settling on a final tax rate in August when it has a clearer picture of actual property values.
Residential property taxable values in North Fulton County can only increase by 3 percent or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower.
Johns Creek Finance Director Ronnie Campbell said the millage rate has a “cascading effect” on both the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget and Fiscal Year 2024 budget.
Because this year’s budget anticipates holding a steady millage rate, the city is expected to use surplus funds left over from this year’s budget to compensate for any shortfalls if a lower millage rate is adopted. The discussion on the potential use of property tax stabilization funds – surplus money used to offset property taxes – will likely be taken up at a future work session, Campbell said, once the city receives the new tax digest from Fulton County.
The first of three public hearings on the millage rate is set for July 25 at 6 p.m. at City Hall. The second will be held Aug. 8 at 11 a.m. and the third, later that night as part of the City Council meeting at 7 p.m.
In other matters at the work session, the council agreed to fully fund construction for Creekside Park, rather than phase the work. The project is estimated to cost $35.5 million.
About a third of the cost had already been allocated to the project, using funds from the transportation special purpose local option sales tax – or TSPLOST – the parks bond, general fund revenues as well as Tourism Project Development funds. An additional $10 million of TSPLOST II funds will be dedicated to the park as well as anticipated surplus revenue.
“As far as where the money comes from, and how quickly does it get paid for … is not really what's in front of [us],” Mayor John Bradberry said. “It's more about, ‘Are we still 100 percent committed to what we previously outlined in terms of our plan for Creekside Park?’ … For me, it's an obvious answer — 100 percent yes. Yes, I am.”
The City Council also agreed to add permanent lines for football at one of the synthetic turf fields at Cauley Creek Park for a total of $75,000.
City Councilman Chris Coughlin said he had concerns about prioritizing football over other sports, and looked to use enrollment numbers to determine how to mark the fields.
“The city hasn't supported the program in so many years,” Councilman Larry DiBiase said. “It has been slowly dwindling because there's nowhere to play. Would we want our children to hop a fence?”
Homegrown in Alabama, Cookie Fix is making its way up I-20 as a part of Johns Creek’s planned mixed-use development, Medley.In a previous post by What Now Atlanta, 11 restaurants were announced to come to the suburban location. Cookie Fix is the first dessert eatery planned for the mixed-use site.Founded and owned by Amy Jason,...
Homegrown in Alabama, Cookie Fix is making its way up I-20 as a part of Johns Creek’s planned mixed-use development, Medley.
In a previous post by What Now Atlanta, 11 restaurants were announced to come to the suburban location. Cookie Fix is the first dessert eatery planned for the mixed-use site.
Founded and owned by Amy Jason, the Johns Creek store will be the first in Georgia. This particular store will be a franchise location, owned and operated by Missy Moon out of the Atlanta Metro Area.
In addition to Cookie Fix, Moon just signed leases for two Nothing Bundt Cake franchises: Columbus Park Crossing North, 5555 Whittlesey Blvd Columbus, GA 31909, and at Fayetteville Pavilion, 72 Pavilion Parkway GA 30214.
Gary Woodward, Senior Vice President, JLL Tenant & Landlord Representation, was Missy’s broker on all three upcoming franchise leases.
Future patrons of Medley who may be familiar with Cookie Fix can expect the same type of experience from the existing locations.
“Our menu changes daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonally. We have 25 different varieties per week and about 100 different cookie varieties per year,” Jason said about the menu.
Although the Johns Creek location will be a franchise, it will offer consistency in the menu and freshly baked goods with no warming drawer.
Customers can also expect to consistently enjoy Cookie Fix’s top three-selling cookies – chocolate chip, heavenly peanut butter, and salted dark chocolate caramel.
Cookie Fix is based in Alabama, beginning with Amy Jason’s passion for desserts. From an early age, she loved to bake sweets and transitioned from less extravagant desserts to cookies as her life as a mother and wife got busier.
Amy Jason explained to What Now Atlanta that after successfully baking cookies for friends and family, she was encouraged by a mentor to sell her cookies to the masses.
Jason opened her first location seven years ago in Homewood and expanded to Cahaba Heights in Vestavia, Alabama. Huntsville opened as the third Alabama location and the first franchise for the organization.
Cookie Fix is also opening a franchise location in Franklin, TN and is excited about expanding its footprint in Medley.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek City Council reviewed a proposed $79 million fiscal year 2024 budget at its July 11 work session and considered funding gaps for capital projects.“[The budget] sets priorities to accomplish some very exciting goals for our community, while still maintaining careful stewardship of not just the taxpayer dollars, but also the taxpayers trust,” Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry said.The proposed budget assumes a rollback rate of 3.716 mills from the current 3.986 millage rate, and...
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek City Council reviewed a proposed $79 million fiscal year 2024 budget at its July 11 work session and considered funding gaps for capital projects.
“[The budget] sets priorities to accomplish some very exciting goals for our community, while still maintaining careful stewardship of not just the taxpayer dollars, but also the taxpayers trust,” Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry said.
The proposed budget assumes a rollback rate of 3.716 mills from the current 3.986 millage rate, and projects a 3.3 percent increase in revenue. The council previously set aside $1 million to stabilize the millage rate.
Johns Creek Finance Director Ronnie Campbell also said there was an unexpected increase in anticipated property tax revenues, based on the preliminary tax digest from Fulton County. Property taxes would fund 29 percent of the proposed budget.
The budget is built around four themes — investing in parks, streets and infrastructure; advancing technology and service delivery; strengthening city staff; and enhancing the city’s public safety framework.
At the work session, some councilmembers questioned several unfunded capital projects in the proposed budget.
Councilwoman Stacy Skinner highlighted the unfunded construction documents for an outparcel at Cauley Creek Park. The work, estimated at $200,000, would include designs for parking, walkways and trails.
Overall, more than $3.3 million in requested capital projects were left unfunded.
The budget is filtered through the city manager’s office, then passed on to the mayor. Bradberry said he cut three capital improvement projects from the draft he received.
City Manager Ed Densmore said the council would have opportunities to adjust levels of funding.
The Johns Creek fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, so officials have roughly two months to agree on a final spending plan.
The public will have opportunities to weigh in. The first public hearing for the budget will be Aug. 8. The second hearing, as well as formal adoption, is slated for Sept. 12.
“There's always a gap between what was asked for and what we funded,” City Councilman Chris Coughlin said. “And, we generally debate out those capital projects to align with our strategic priorities.”
In other matters at the work session, the City Council agreed to establish an in-house Recreation and Parks Department. Up till now, the city has contracted parks services through Jacobs Engineering, which answered to the city’s Public Works Department.
The transition is expected to be completed by Sept. 30.
“This is really, really exciting,” City Councilwoman Erin Elwood said. “I've long wanted Parks to be freestanding as its own department because it just symbolically means a lot.”
With Cauley Creek Park now online, the city has around 400 acres of park space.
The department will have eight full-time employees. Five of the positions are new, including a capital projects manager. Erica Madsen, former city engineer with Johns Creek, will head the department as its director and is reviewing resumes.
According to the proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Budget, the new department will have a dozen part-time positions.
At the regular City Council meeting that followed the work session, officials recognized Liz Hausmann for her service to the community. Hausmann, former Fulton County Commissioner, was a charter member of the Johns Creek City Council.
“I have to say that I've had the privilege of serving this community for 20 years, 20-plus years,” Hausmann said. “So many things have happened over those two decades, but really, the most impactful thing to me, personally, is starting the City of Johns Creek.”
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has learned that a child was left inside a metro Atlanta daycare during a fire evacuation this week.[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln was at the O2B Kids daycare in Johns Creek Friday, where parents said that while they were notified about the fire, they were not told about a child being left behind....
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has learned that a child was left inside a metro Atlanta daycare during a fire evacuation this week.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln was at the O2B Kids daycare in Johns Creek Friday, where parents said that while they were notified about the fire, they were not told about a child being left behind.
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Johns Creek fire confirmed that they responded to reports of a fire on Tuesday. A small kitchen fire sparked after a box was left on the stove.
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After the building was evacuated, an employee who also had a student at the facility realized their child was not outside.
“The cook went in to get the child,” fire officials said. The employee found the child napping in a corner.
Lincoln spoke to school officials, who said that while they did notify the parents of the child directly involved in the incident, their policy doesn’t require them to alert other parents about it.
They said the noticed the child was missing during a roll call after the evacuation.
Officials said that since this incident, they’ve had multiple fire drill training sessions with employees to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Still, some parents Lincoln spoke to were upset. One parent who didn’t want to be identified said she wasn’t told about the child being left behind.
“It’s almost disheartening,” she said.
The child involved in the incident was not hurt. The state sets fire protocol daycares should follow, including that they must conduct fire drills monthly. It’s also required to document the drills for two years.