How can we help you?
We are happy to answer questions about our services and procedures.
These are a selection of some common questions that patients have. If your question isn't answered here, please contact our office. It's important to us that our patients understand their dental care.
Cosmetic Dentistry
We offer a range of cosmetic dentistry services such as veneers, porcelain crowns, bonding using tooth-colored composite, and even orthodontic treatments like Invisalign. All our dentistry is done with an eye toward aesthetics. We know that it's important that your teeth are both healthy and attractive. If you'd like to find out which of our services can help you meet your goals, call our office to schedule your consultation.
Crowns and Bridges
Modern dental materials and technology have dramatically improved the appearance of dental crowns and bridges. The porcelain used in today’s crowns and bridges can be color-matched to blend perfectly with the shade of your natural teeth. With proper placement, your dental restoration should be virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth.
Dental Implants
Dental implants have several advantages over other tooth replacement options:
- Dental implants appear the most life-like and natural.
- The actual implant piece of the dental implant is made of titanium, a biocompatible metal.
- Dental implants are the most secure and stable.
- Dental implants prevent bone loss, keeping your jaw tissue healthy and preventing changes in the shape of your face.
- With proper care, dental implants can last a lifetime.
Dentures and Partials
It will take your mouth some time to get used to the feel of dentures. After a few months, however, you will feel comfortable eating and speaking with your dentures in and experience little to no soreness or discomfort. If you ever do experience soreness or if your dentures aren’t fitting right, please let us know.
Family Dentistry
Both your pediatric specialist and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) state that your child's dental visit should be at one year of age, or at least six months after the first tooth comes in. There are many reasons to start dental care early on such as:
- It allows your pediatric dentist to begin monitoring your son or daughter's oral health and development so they can detect any concerns at an early stage.
- It helps your child acclimate to visiting the dentist and to understand that it's a safe and welcoming place.
- This is an excellent time to ask questions about your son or daughter's oral development so you can make the most of your routine at home.
You can prepare your child for his or her dental visits by talking about it beforehand in a positive way. Reading books or stories to them about visiting the dentist can also be helpful in preparing them for what's going to happen during their appointment. You might also consider bringing your child along with you to your cleaning and checkup so they can see what visiting the dentist is like.
We are happy to help! Contact our office for more information on preparing your son or daughter for their first dental visit.
Fillings
Yes. Unlike amalgam fillings, tooth-colored fillings are a custom-mixed resin composite. The composite mixture is matched to your tooth color and bonded directly to the tooth. This usually results in a filling that is nearly indistinguishable from your natural tooth.
Gum Disease Treatment
Coming in for regular cleanings with one of our excellent dental hygienists will help keep your gums in great shape, but what you do at home matters as well. Brush twice daily and floss every evening. Our hygienists will be happy to show you good brushing and flossing technique.
Other steps you can take to prevent gum disease include:
- Don't smoke or chew tobacco
- Eat a healthy diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables
- Use an antiseptic mouthwash. We'll be happy to recommend one.
- If you have a health condition that can affect your dental health such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer, please let us know so that we can take extra steps to help keep your gums healthy.
Preventive Dentistry
Examinations are an important opportunity for us to check in with you, see how you are doing, and make sure that your teeth are healthy. We want to catch problems when they are small and can be treated easily. This allows for more comfortable and less costly dentistry for you. Unfortunately, by the time you are in pain, simple measures are no longer effective. Regular examinations allow us to nip this situation in the bud and keep your teeth healthy and beautiful.
Root Canal Treatment
Root canals are not surgical procedures, and the recovery time is about the same as a tooth filling. Most people even say the procedure affects them less than a tooth filling! When you have a root canal, your endodontist specialist will clean and seal the tooth to remove any infection.
Root canal treatment takes about 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the severity of your infection and the accessibility of your tooth’s canals. You should be able to drive or return to work right after your appointment.
Your endodontist will give you specific instructions for allowing your tooth to heal, but here are some general guidelines:
- Once the numbness wears off, you may feel some soreness or tenderness for a few days. Some people have a sore jaw after keeping it open for an extended period. Use over-the-counter pain reliever (like ibuprofen) to manage pain. If your endodontist prescribes a stronger medication, be sure to have someone drive you home or wait to take it until you’re home.
- You can eat after the numbness wears off, avoiding sticky or crunchy foods. If you have a temporary dental crown, it’s especially important to be careful about hard foods.
- Continue to brush and floss your teeth normally, though you may want to use care around the tender areas.
- Return to your dentist for your permanent restoration, if instructed to do so.
Tooth Extractions
One of the priorities in our dental office is to provide comfortable, gentle dentistry for our patients. Dental extraction treatment is no different. Before we begin, we will discuss your history with dental care. If you have difficulty getting numb, let us know. We can take some extra time anesthetizing your tooth to make sure you have a comfortable experience. Gentle care is important to us and since each patient is different, we will discuss any concerns you may have before we even begin.
It is normal to have some discomfort and swelling following a dental extraction. Typically, this can be addressed with over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen. We will talk to you about dosing recommendations and what to expect as you recover. Fortunately, the human mouth heals fairly quickly, as long as you avoid certain behaviors such as smoking and drinking through a straw following treatment.
You will likely feel a dramatic improvement in a couple of days and will feel completely healed within a week or two. We will schedule a follow-up exam to monitor your healing and make sure that everything is on track. We will be here with you every step of the way.
We also offer a number of options for replacing missing teeth, if necessary. Contact us for an appointment and we will go over everything with you, so you feel comfortable with your dental treatment.