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 Milton, 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 Milton, 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 "fill" 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 Milton 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 Milton, 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:
Dental Surgery, DDS
Dr. John Bishara, DDS was born and raised in Nazareth Israel. His last name, "Bishara" translates to the annunciation, which is the announcement of the incarnation by the angel Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1:26-38).
Dr. Bishara attended Valdosta State University, where he received his Bachelors degree of Science in Biology with honors. He then pursued his education at the University of Detroit Mercy to earn his Doctoral Degree of Dental Surgery, DDS.
Since earning his degrees in 1999, he has been practicing General and Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Bishara spent his first four years practicing dentistry in St. Simons Island before moving to Marietta, Georgia to establish his own practice. In 2010, Dr. John Bishara completed a one year residency at MCG, specializing in dental implants.
Dr. John Bishara has proven to be an exceptional dental practitioner by creating a dental environment perfect for any individual and family, while offering an array of services to meet each of their needs. He takes pride in creating beautiful, confident smiles on a daily basis. Dr. John Bishara is dedicated to a lifelong career in Dentistry by furthering his education in every way possible.
Having served the East Cobb and Milton 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!
770-691-5051In a game that saw over 850 yards of offense in the first half, Milton (Ga.) shut down Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes after halftime and won the Georgia 5A state championship 56-35. It was the Eagles’ second straight title and 25th consecutive win.Milton quarterback and Miami signee ...
In a game that saw over 850 yards of offense in the first half, Milton (Ga.) shut down Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes after halftime and won the Georgia 5A state championship 56-35. It was the Eagles’ second straight title and 25th consecutive win.
Milton quarterback and Miami signee Luke Nickel finished 21-of-22 passing for 413 yards and four touchdowns. West Georgia signee TJ Lester led the team in receiving with 201 yards and three trips to the end zone.
Despite not receiving the opening kickoff, momentum crashed toward Milton in the first two minutes of the game. On its opening drive, Langston Hughes fumbled on a fake punt deep inside its own territory, leading to a Milton touchdown run by Lester.
All in the first quarter — Nickel launched a 70-yard touchdown pass for Milton; Langston Hughes ran it in from 70 yards out to make it 14-7; and Milton scored from midfield on a Nickel and Ethan Barbour connection through the air.
The madness did not slow in the second quarter. Just six seconds in, Hughes again made it a 7-point deficit with a 62-yard passing touchdown. A Milton fumble on the next drive led to Langston Hughes knotting the game at 21.
Milton and Hughes continued to trade blows through the second quarter until Nickel hit Georgia top-100 wide receiver signee CJ Wiley for a 23-yard touchdown with 3 seconds left in the half — giving the Eagles a 42-35 lead at the break.
The two squads combined for 864 yards in the first half, but the second half was an entirely different picture.
After accumulating 397 yards through the first two quarters, Langston Hughes was held to 54 yards in the second half by the Milton defense.
Milton scored once in both the third and fourth quarters.
The Eagles finished the season a perfect 15-0 while Langston Hughes fell to 13-2.
Milton entered the game ranked No. 1 in the state of Georgia and No. 4 in the country, according to the On3 Massey Ratings.
The On3 Massey Ratings — which were officially used during the BCS era and have generated college high school sports team rankings since 1995 — rank sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory.
The Eagles had standout wins over Buford, American Heritage (Fla.), Blessed Trinity Catholic and Roswell in the regular season. To make it to the state championship game, Milton downed Woodstock, Dutchtown, Houston County and Lee County.
Signees among the senior class include WR CJ Wiley (Georgia), OT Brayden Jacobs (Clemson), QB Luke Nickel (Miami), TE Ethan Barbour (Georgia), TE Ryan Ghea (Auburn), CB Dylan Lewis (Tennessee), CB Tyler Redmond (Tennessee), DL Caleb Bell (Arkansas) and DL Caleb Ellis (Georgia Southern).
Langston Hughes was the No. 6 team in the Peach State and the No. 39 program in America coming into the final showdown of the season. The lone loss for the Panthers entering tonight was a 21-14 nailbiter against Douglas County on Sept. 6. Since then, Langston Hughes had been perfect.
ATLANTA — Georgia municipalities are throwing their weight behind Milton after the state Court of Appeals affirmed a September wrongful death verdict against the city.The court verdict saddles the City of Milton with $35 million in damages.Sister cities Sandy Springs and Alpharetta petitioned the Georgia Supreme Court to reverse the decision in the lawsuit the week of Nov. 18. More cities ac...
ATLANTA — Georgia municipalities are throwing their weight behind Milton after the state Court of Appeals affirmed a September wrongful death verdict against the city.
The court verdict saddles the City of Milton with $35 million in damages.
Sister cities Sandy Springs and Alpharetta petitioned the Georgia Supreme Court to reverse the decision in the lawsuit the week of Nov. 18. More cities across the state are expected to submit amicus briefs, or letters of support, in the coming weeks.
The Georgia Court of Appeals affirmed the Sept. 16 Fulton County jury verdict citing Milton’s role in the death of a 21-year-old college student in November 2016.
Joshua Chang, a senior with a full-ride scholarship to Yale University, died after hitting a concrete planter along Batesville Road on his way home during Thanksgiving break.
Milton is ordered to pay the victim’s family $35 million with $10,000 in post-judgement interest accruing each day.
Following the appellate judgement, Milton officials said they were seeking reconsideration of the ruling or review from the Georgia Supreme Court.
According to court documents, the victim’s family made seven offers to settle the case, ranging from $1.75 million to $10 million just before the trial. Insurance attorneys rejected the offers.
Meanwhile, residents expressed their frustration at the city and its legal representation in September for failing to protect them from the outstanding liability.
Milton officials say the Georgia Interlocal Risk Management Agency was solely responsible for the decision whether to settle the claims.
The Georgia Municipal Association created the agency as a property and liability insurance fund for Georgia cities. The agency has 370 municipal members.
“Neither the city nor its legal team were given a role in settlement negotiations,” the city said in a statement. “What happened to Mr. Chang was certainly a tragedy, but we firmly believe the City of Milton should not be held liable … we will continue to pursue a reasonable outcome to protect the city and taxpayers from this unjust financial burden.”
Invoices obtained by Appen Media through the Open Records Act show Mayor Peyton Jamison, City Manager Krokoff and City Attorney Ken Jarrard discussed the case several times.
Speaking to Appen Media Nov. 19, Jamison said many Georgia cities have expressed solidarity with Milton, and he reiterated that the city was not consulted on whether to approve or deny settlement offers.
Based on the feedback received thus far, Jamison said he expects several cities to file amicus briefs to the Supreme Court, requesting reversal of the decision.
Adam Hollingworth, president of Milton Families First, raised questions about the Georgia Interlocal Risk Management Agency’s role as the city’s insurer at the Nov. 18 City Council meeting.
He questioned the efficacy of the insurance fund’s policy agreement with the city, saying “by no measure did GIRMA exercise its duty in ways that best protected Milton taxpayers.”
“The decisions made — from selecting underqualified legal counsel to rejecting reasonable settlement offers — have left the City of Milton and its citizens bearing an unconscionable financial burden,” Hollingworth wrote. “This case not only raises serious doubts about GIRMA’s ability to serve its members effectively but also highlights systemic issues that jeopardize public trust.”
The Georgia Municipal Association declined to comment specifically on Milton’s claim that it was not consulted during settlement discussions.
Latisha Gray, communications director at the GMA, said it would not be appropriate to provide details of case strategy publicly as the litigation is ongoing.
“It should be noted that the judgment in this current litigation is unprecedented in Georgia’s history for similar situations,” Gray wrote.
Gray pointed to a 2021 Court of Appeals judgement which affirmed that the City of Roswell had immunity in a case in which a car left the road and struck mailboxes within the right-of-way resulting in the deaths of two people in the vehicle.
“[The Milton] decision went the opposite way, and if upheld, sets a new precedent for cities across the state, and the potential consequences for other municipalities is real and is significant,” she said. “Legal precedent has been an accepted standard for many years, and it is common for litigation counsel to take into consideration and even rely upon recent decisions of a very similar nature in analyzing potential settlement offers and litigation strategy.”
In terms of what’s stopping this from happening in other Georgia cities, Gray said the court’s decision treats residents of municipalities differently than those in unincorporated areas.
She said when the courts decide to change course on immunity, municipal taxpayers have a significantly larger risk under the state’s tort law structure.
“These added burdens on municipalities absolutely can harm business and growth in municipalities across the state,” Gray said. “This is another example of why tort reform is needed in Georgia in order for the state to maintain its standing as the best place to do business.”
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has pledged to make tort reform a top priority during the 2025 legislative session.
While calls for tort reform typically come from business groups and conservative lawmakers, the issue is now expanding to include each city in the state.
The Sandy Springs resolution, asking the Georgia Supreme Court to hear and reverse the Court of Appeals’ September ruling, calls the decision “inconsistent with existing legal precedent.”
City Attorney Dan Lee, speaking during a Nov. 19 City Council meeting, said the appellate decision expands the definition of what a roadway is to include an area that would allow a driver to safely exit the paved road onto the right-of-way and return.
“Up until approximately four months ago, the law in Georgia was clear that a person leaving the paved part of the roadway striking an object was at fault,” Lee said. “Period, end of story.”
Mayor Rusty Paul asked Lee to explain how the decision can come into play for Sandy Springs residents or any Georgians living in incorporated areas.
Lee said Milton did not place the planter there. It was constructed in 1992, when the land was a part of unincorporated Fulton County.
“The decision, if allowed to stand, would be very troublesome to the taxpayers of Sandy Springs and many cities around Georgia,” Lee said. “Sandy Springs’ interest are in the overturning of this case and bringing the law back into order for good operation of municipal government.”
For Sandy Springs, which has issued 589 permits in the past two years to place items in the rights-of-way across the city, the decision could spell trouble.
“This law, as it stands now from the Court of Appeals, if the city has knowledge of the placement of the object … the city could be held liable for it,” Lee said. “The city had no authority to deny the permits.”
Lee turned his focus to the Milton case.
“In Milton, the city did not know of any nuisance value to this object, Lee said. “That and the expansion of the roadway is the part that scares us.”