James Fondriest, D.D.S.: About Us

Thank you for rescuing my smile. After root canals, crowns, extraction and horribly done implants, all done by miscellaneous dentists, I thought that I would have a partial denture for the rest of my life. I avoided eating in public in fear that my partial would slip out or break. I constantly tried no to smile, which took a lot of work as I am a very positive social person. The most uncomfortable feeling was when I knew the person I was speaking to was trying not to stare at my teeth. Thanks to a friends' referral I found Dr. Fondriest. The thought of starting over with yet another dentist terrified me. After my first consult however, I felt confident that you and your staff would be capable of helping me. It is rare to find a dentist that asks, "what would you like your smile to look like?". My previous dentist would say, "this is what I can do for you". I cannot thank all of you enough for my fabulous smile and the wonderful care that you provided. It feels great to express my joy, I can beam with joy and not worry about what people may be staring at. Thank you.

from T.D.

Thank you for giving me the "Smile of my Dreams." My smile makeover consisting of porcelain dental crowns and dental implants has improved my appearance, increased my self-confidence and has caused me to smile more often. This is readily apparent in photographs as I am the one with the biggest, brightest smile! Your staff always welcomed me with a smile, were professional at all times and eager to answer all my questions. It was refreshing to go to an office where everyone is friendly and cheerful. Dr. Fondriest, I was most impressed with you taking the time to understand my likes and dislikes, your attention to detail, and your enthusiasm and dedication to your work. Thank you for my beautiful smile!

from S.M.

After a trauma occurred to my two front teeth at the age of 10 years old, I began a dreadful journey. My first diagnosis was two chipped teeth with one worse than the other. My parents then had braces put on, which I wore for only one year. I was told that I wasn't wearing my retainer (even though I was) because my front teeth were shifting. I was referred to a specialist and ended up with two root canals. As the years passed, I was told I needed to have one of my front teeth taken out and that there were no other options! Well, this resulted in a dental bridge involving three teeth. By this time, I had lost 50% of my gum tissue and when I smiled, you could see black and gray areas around where my gums had receded. This made me very self conscious and kept me from smiling. As time went on, my bridge cracked so I went to another dentist who had another bridge made. I had high expectations but ended up with a bridge that caused me to whistle when I talked and my gums were still shrinking. Years went by and I was still unable to smile. Once again, I thought I found the right dentist and had a third bridge made, and then a 4th! The results were the same as the others who had tried. So I decided teeth implants would solve all of my problems and was referred to yet another specialist. Just before my 5th attempt to correct a thirty-five year old problem, I met a dental hygienist (from another office) who insisted that I meet with Dr. Fondriest. After our initial consult, I knew I had finally found the dentist that would absolutely make it right...he was a perfectionist. Dr. Fondriest has given me my self confidence back. My smile looks great: I NEVER think twice about smiling. I don't whistle when I talk and my gums are healthy again! I can't say enough about my experience and I thank God that I found him. I love my dentist!

from T.J.

After 3 years of chronic TMJ pain, various treatments (such as biofeedback, physical therapy and massage therapy), and countless doctors, I started to just accept that my headache and neckache pain was always going to be a part of me. However, like all good stories, just when I had accepted my fate, my story took a turn for the better. Over spring break this past year, my mother and I went on a vacation to Arizona, where I made an appointment with a cranial sacral massage therapist. Well, some angel must have been watching over me that day because I ended leaving my appointment with a small bit of hope. The therapist had told me that my jaw was misaligned (something I'd never been told before) and that she knew of a dentist in Lake Forest, IL who might be able to help me. When my mother and I arrived back home in Western Springs, we called Dr. Fondriest and made an appointment. When I arrived at his office, I'll admit I was a bit nervous. I just could not hear, "I'm sorry, there is nothing more we can do", one more time. However, Dr. Fondriest did not tell me this. Though he was not positive he could help me, he was willing to take a risk, and that, immediately set him apart from all the other doctors. The many long drives and train rides to Lake Forest were worth it. His friendly staff welcomed me like a family member, taking quickly to my goofy personality. I couldn't believe the dentist could be enjoyable! I had never been to a Doctor's office that was genuinely concerned with my well-being. Dr. Fondriest and his staff had no ulterior motives; they just wanted to help me get better. They did that. Within the first month alone, I could already tell the difference with my bite or how my teeth came together and I no longer awoke with headaches and jaw pain. Now, after less than six months, Dr. Fondriest has made a masterpiece of my occlusion. Following my most recent visit, I felt no pain all day for the first time in three years. I have not experienced my all too familiar tension headaches and have put my jaw stretches to rest. Before being treated by Dr. Fondriest, I was like a broken-winged bird. He nursed me back to health. Now, I am ready to spread my wings and fly free. It is miraculous. I finally feel like myself again. I am relaxed, pain free in my jaw and ready to conquer the world!

from B.E.

I was always self conscious when I smiled or laughed because my top teeth were spotted and chipped. Some days it was worse than others. I often would put my hand over my mouth when I laughed. My top front 8 teeth were bonded in 1984. Although the bonding looked great in the beginning, it kept chipping if I bit into hard things or if my teeth got bumped. For many years Dr. Fondriest would repair it for me. One day Dr. Fondriest suggested that I have porcelain veneers done. He said these would be stronger and would be more attractive. I decided to have my teeth "made over". I was so excited. Going to the dentist has never been my favorite thing to do. What has made it easier is that everyone at Dr. Fondriest's office is kind and pleasant and respectful. They all really care about you. They take the time to teach you how to improve your hygiene. They are patient when I get anxious right before the novacaine shot. The office is very warm, clean and classy looking. I love the water color paintings, window dressings and their orchids. My favorite thing is the dog poster on the ceiling that I can focus on while work is being done. Dr. Fondriest takes great pride in his work and I felt that he really wanted me to be happy and satisfied. He takes his time to make sure his work is perfect. I see him as an artist in addition to being a dentist. I think he fixed my teeth with the same passion and level of perfection as he would for himself or for his family. I love my new look. It immediately made me feel more confident and self assured. What a great feeling it must be to have such a powerful and positive effect on his patient's attitude toward themselves. When I look at other people's smiles, I usually know if they have had dentistry done. No one knows that I have had anything done. I know that what has been given to me is truly special. Looking back, I will always be grateful to have been given such a wonderful gift!

from J.R.

I vividly remember when I was 16 years old going to the dentist and having the dentist drill down two of my front teeth so that he could apply bonding materials. Since that time, I have had my bonding replaced on numerous occasions because either the material cracked or it became stained. Over the years, I found myself not smiling fully as I didn't want anyone to notice my stained and unattractive teeth. Finally, after many years, I figured that technology had passed my family dentist by so I started getting consultations with dentists who specialized in cosmetics. Narrowing my search was difficult because there were so many advertising dentists claiming superiority. It occurred to me that other dentists, especially the specialists who work with and see the quality of work being done by the many cosmetic specialists in my area, would know who the best really was. I asked my daughter's dentist who the best doctor was to do my veneers and cosmetic bonding. He said that Dr. Fondriest is one of the most respected cosmetic dentists in the country. I knew the minute that I met Dr. Fondriest that he was highly qualified to do the work. He consulted with me on several occasions and took the time to truly understand what I wanted. He asked so many more questions and considered more options than the other dentists that I had consulted with. The process was not painful at all. He and his staff made complex things seem simple. Everyone at the office was kind, friendly and supportive. I felt that they were really rooting for me. Now I have that beautiful smile and find myself smiling fully. I wish that I had done this sooner!

from A.R.

I have been a patient of Dr. Fondriest’s for the last few years and read the testimonials on his website and decided to add my own. Although much of the information on the site is related to cosmetic dentistry, I am focusing on his general dentistry skills. I came to Dr. Fondriest being disappointed with the last few general dentists I had visited. My previously implanted crowns were giving me problems ranging from difficulty flossing to an uneven bite. I could tell the quality of work was substandard. I was determined to find another dentist. Dr. Fondriest was highly recommended and immediately I could tell that I was in the hands of a man who knew what he was doing. When he discovered decay under a crown, he got to work removing it and fitting me for a new crown. His touch with all dentistry tools is amazing. A good dentist needs more than intelligence and knowledge; he must possess the hand skills to complete the work effectively and smoothly. He is so meticulous when he works; you can feel his focus on the task at hand. While he was making my crown he paused for what seemed a bit longer than usual. I could tell he was thinking. The decay had gotten very close to my tooth nerve; Dr. Fondriest couldn’t guarantee that I wouldn’t need a root canal. Instead of pushing for a root canal, he gave me my odds and my choice. He wasn’t pushing one way or another; he was simply stating the facts. After the dialog we decided to skip the root canal. It’s been a year and a half, and I have had no problems. One other aspect that I really appreciated was the quality of the temporary crown he applied. It actually fit and functioned better than the permanent one my last dentist had put in. This is very important. Nobody needs 3-4 weeks of discomfort between the temp and the permanent. Now comes an interesting point that I don’t want to talk around; Dr. Fondriest is more expensive than my previous dentists. As a school teacher with a modest income the sacrifice to pay more is something I choose to do. For me the decision is easy. Most us eat three meals plus snacks every day. Think about how much utilization your teeth get. There is nothing more uncomfortable than having a toothache, and nothing worse than having a less than skilled dentist working on your teeth. Less than skilled dentists create pain, discomfort, and ultimately lead to more expensive problems down the road. People who are the best in their fields deserve to get paid equal to their talents. I am guessing very few other dentists could have salvaged what was left after all that drilling and made the new crown work so perfectly. While I was numb he spent time reshaping another poorly executed crown from my previous dentist. After he finished this, the crown no longer bit into my cheek, which had been happening periodically since my previous dentist had done the work. To top it off, I recently ran into my previous dentists’ hygienist. She said that my old dentist often suggested the most expensive fixes to problems. Dr. Fondriest is the opposite. He starts with the conservative options first. Dr. Fondriest doesn’t push services on patients; he just diagnoses what’s going on and tells you your options. Trust me on this. Peace of mind that your dentist is highly skilled and places your needs first is worth the investment. Dr. Fondriest cares about doing things right. He always seems to be running on time and I’ve never been in the waiting room with more than one other person. Clearly, he doesn’t overschedule. He creates an unstressed environment for his patients, his staff, and himself. Dr. Fondriest is always purposeful but never “in a hurry”. Contrast this to the “dental factories” where a single dentist lines up his patients in compartments and scurries back and forth between them while the waiting room buzzes like an airport terminal. I actually feel relaxed entering and leaving his space. Barbara the receptionist is a gem of a person who is charming, good-natured, and easy to work with. The hygienists are all skilled and personable. I actually feel lucky to be a part of such a well-run practice and believe the peace of mind I get from having the best dentist is worth a little more money.

from D.W.