Frequently Asked Questions

Implants   Fillings   Braces   Dentures   Gums   Insurance   Hours   Cosmetic Dentistry  
Cosmetic Bonding   Bleaching   Sedation 

Do you do implants?

Dental implants are probably the greatest dental advance in the last fifty years. The technology continues to advance rapidly. We believe that whoever places the implants needs to place a lot of them and be absolutely state of the art. So we refer to a couple of outstanding oral surgery or periodontic offices. Then we build the new teeth on the best implant results we can get from the best surgeons we know.

Do you still use silver amalgam fillings?

Yup. The hype and outright deception on this subject are unbelievable. Don't let people with agendas scare you. You won't get sick from the bound in mercury in the amalgam fillings and you won't get cancer from the bound in carcinogen(s) in the composite resin tooth colored fillings. Both are perfectly safe. We love the composite resins for small to medium sized fillings. But for the larger fillings in the load bearing back teeth, composites have been failing regularly for the past forty years. Many dentists no longer use silver fillings and admittedly they don't look as good as the tooth colored ones. But not a week goes by that we don't see back teeth in serious trouble from decayed out failed composite resin fillings. We believe in presenting the facts and letting our patients make the final choice on which material to use.

What about the Invisalign braces?

Invisalign is the trade name for a series of clear plastic retainers that are custom made at the Invisalign lab on models sent to them by the dentist. Gradually the teeth get "squeezed" into correct alignment if the case lends itself to that approach and if the patient wears the appliances absolutely faithfully.  Invisalign lets some people get their teeth straightened without wearing the regular braces. Since the step alterations and appliances are done by the Invisalign lab this process somewhat blurs the difference between general practitioner and orthodontist, letting general dentists with relatively minimal training do expensive orthodontic cases. The orthodontists were a little slow to get on board with this program, but now we see them listing it in their yellow page ads. Would Invisalign work for you? In my opinion, only a trained orthodontist can tell you for certain. We will be happy to refer you for a consult.

My dentures are loose.

They may just need to be relined. If they are old or if the mouth has changed a great deal, you may need a new set. The real answer may be dental implants to hold the denture in place. Marvelous things can be done with implants and we have evolved to the point where two to four implants are considered the minimum standard of care for lower full denture cases. No two situations are alike. Call for a consult.

My gums bleed.

Bleeding gums are one sign of gum disease.  Gum disease is the most common ailment known to human beings.  More adult teeth are lost to gum disease than to all other causes combined.  Treatment can be simple or complex, depending on how far the problem has progressed.  The problem either gets cured or it slowly gets worse, becoming steadily more difficult and expensive to deal with. Ask your dentist sooner rather than later.

Do you accept dental insurance?

Yes. If the insurance company will send us a check we will accept assignment of benefits. If they will not, we can still be your dental office, but then you pay us directly and the insurance check comes to you.

What will my dental insurance pay?

It all depends on what sort of benefits your employer has negotiated with the insurance company. That varies all over the place. Shannon, our receptionist, is an expert at this and can guide you through all the ins and outs of your particular plan. Please understand that your treatment agreement is between you and this office. What your insurance does not cover is your responsibility to pay.

Do you have Saturday or after hours appointments?

Our families have agreed to let us off to work one Saturday per month. School, husband's jobs, and child care considerations make it impossible for our Moms to work evenings.

Do you do cosmetic dentistry?

Sure. So does any other good general dentist. It's not a specialty. We all can do it. Case planning is critical.  It's important not to confuse a cosmetic case with a crying need for orthodontics. Beyond that, it's largely a matter of using the best dental lab you can find. Good labs produce outstanding results. Cheap or offshore labs, ummm. not so much.

What about cosmetic bonding?

That's where we used to use composite resin to fill in space or reshape front teeth. It was all the rage about twenty years ago. The problem is that the resin filling material tends to lose its luster and flake at the edges, so the initial great appearance can get to looking pretty rough after a couple years. We still find the technique useful as a better-than- nothing economy move or for young people who need something to hold them over for a few years until far more desirable veneers or lumineers can be made.

Is bleaching harmful to the teeth?

Not the way dentists do it. Some people are what we call "bleachaholics", endlessly using and abusing every product on the market in search of snow white teeth. Years of aggressive unsupervised bleaching have been known to cause problems for those people.. Under responsible professional supervision there is no problem beyond occasional temporary tooth sensitivity or surface gum irritation.

I'm afraid. What are my options?

There are three. We prefer nitrous oxide sedation ("laughing gas") as a safe, effective alternative that works quite well for most people. There is also what is referred to as "conscious sedation". That is usually an "off label" use of the Halcyon ("little blue pill") sleeping medication, sometimes in excess of FDA approved dosage recommendations. Those who use it in this manner insist it is safe. An anesthesia license is required.  Advanced cardiac life support training and equipment are also legally mandatory when using this technique. Oral surgeons and periodontists often prefer intravenous sedation, an IV drip with a combination of drugs carefully added and monitored according to the patient's response. Surgeons may use a nurse anesthetist to monitor the patient's vital signs while the surgeon operates. The advantage of the intravenous drip is that other meds can be gotten in quickly in an emergency; something that may not always be possible in a bad response to the pills.  Based on personal experiences with suppressed breathing problems on drug sedated patients, I have made the decision to limit myself to nitrous oxide sedation.