THE FIRST INDICATION that Sullivan Dental Center is not the typical dental practice is its scenic location in peaceful St. Francisville. Just as a beautiful smile is evidence of underlying good oral health, the Center’s design serves as confirmation that the patient experience has been carefully crafted by Sullivan Dental’s highly trained staff.

All graduates of Louisiana State University’s School of Dentistry, the Center’s three dentists—Frank and Candice Sullivan, and Clay Couvillon—hold numerous certifications in multiple specialties and services, including pediatrics, intravenous sedation dentistry, implants, sleep medicine and migraine therapy. With three dentists on staff, families can schedule their appointments at the same time, in a relaxed and scenic setting.

“We are truly not your typical dental practice,” says Dr. Candice. “We continue to educate ourselves to provide techniques and materials that support the body’s ability to heal naturally so that we can manage symptoms without relying completely on prescription medications.”

Advanced platelet therapy, an all-natural way to accelerate healing used at Sullivan Dental, has allowed Dr. Couvillon to virtually eliminate dry sockets and post-operative infection from oral surgery procedures such as wisdom teeth extraction and implant placement. “We did not have a single case of dry socket in over 400 procedures done in 2014,” notes Dr. Couvillon. “This simple treatment has done wonders for our patients, offering the best chance for fast, painless healing.”

Other cutting-edge procedures include ozone therapy, the latest in functional appliances and specialized care for cancer patients—all focused on total body wellness. Dr. Couvillon’s current focus is to create awareness in the cancer community that anyone faced with a diagnosis of cancer would benefit from a thorough oral health screening so that any sources of dental infection can be managed early to reduce treatment costs and increase quality of life before, during and after immunosuppressive therapy.

Dr. Candice’s training has led her to conclude that diagnosis of attention deficit disorder in children is most often associated with airway issues and environmental factors, and can be corrected without the use of traditional prescription medications. “Mouth breathing, as opposed to nasal breathing, disrupts the sleep cycle, which can result in behavioral issues related to exhaustion,” she states. “Once we expand the palate and clear the airway, the bedwetting stops and ADHD symptoms become minimalized,” she explains.

If childhood sleep apnea is not corrected early during the formative growth and development years, airway obstruction can lead to serious health issues in adults that can lead to high susceptibility to chronic degenerative and inflammatory diseases. Dr. Frank manages sleep apnea using a mandibular anterior repositioning device, which he describes as “an upper and lower retainer that moves the lower jaw forward and helps the body perform in a more natural way.” He adds, “Unmanaged sleep apnea is associated with a higher risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, depression and even cancer.”

For patients suffering from TMD symptoms such as chronic migraines, Dr. Frank, through the concepts of neuromuscular dentistry, has given countless individuals a new outlook on life.

“It is extremely rewarding to alleviate incurable headaches/migraines, facial, neck and shoulder pain,” says Dr. Frank Sullivan. “We can also improve limited jaw movement or locking jaws, and decrease clicking and/or popping in the jaw joints.”

Neuromuscular dentistry considers the entire system that controls the position and function of the jaw. Dr. Frank, who has a fellowship in neuromuscular dentistry, aims to establish a new bite position that creates a harmonious relationship between the teeth, muscles and jaw joints. “This nonsurgical procedure creates a pain-free patient that can help end prolonged drug therapy.”

“Though a beautiful smile is certainly important, the two things dentists must be 100% certain to check for are oral cancer and restricted airway,” says Dr. Frank. “Airway is king. Beautiful teeth should be a reflection of overall good health. Here, we’re looking at much more than teeth.” 

Sullivan Dental Center  |  225.635.4422  | sullivandental.com

CONTACT US:

Dr. Frank Sullivan, Dr. Candice Sullivan and Dr. Clay Couvillon

Sullivan Dental Center
5436 Commerce St.  |  St. Francisville, LA 70775