Patient Services
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...
Q: Can I get my teeth straightened without wearing metal braces?
A: Yes! Our office offers Invisalign clear aligner therapy for straightening your teeth. The straightening usually takes 6 months to 1 year to complete depending on how crooked your teet are.
Q: Do my teeth stay straight after Invisalign?
A: Part of your treatment will include custom fit retainers to wear at night. Wearing retainers is crucial to maintain your new smile.
Q: Do I have to wear the aligners all the time?
A: You take the aligners out to eat and to brush your teeth. Otherwise, you wear them 24 hours a day.
Q: What is a Porcelain Veneer?
A: A porcelain veneer is a thin shell of porcelain that is bonded to the front surface of a tooth. Think of a contact lens. Porcelain veneers can be used to change the color or instantly correct minor crowding or gaps.
Q: How long do veneers last?
A: The bond between the veneer and the enamel on your tooth is extremely strong. Veneers last a long time if you take care of them. The things that damage natural teeth will also damage a porcelain veneer.
Q: Can I have veneers without drilling on my teeth?
A: Yes. We can place ultra-thin veneers in some cases with little to no tooth preparation.
Q: How much does it hurt to have a dental implant placed?
A: Surprisingly little. Most of our dental implant patients tell us that did not need perscription pain medicine following the procedure.
Q: How long do I have to wait for my new tooth after dental implant surgery?
A: Your new dental implant needs to become integrated into your jaw bone before we attach your new permanent tooth. It will usually take 3 or 4 months for the integration. We have options for placing a temporary tooth during this time.
Q: Can dental implants make my dentures work better?
A: Dental implants are the best way to secure your full or partial denture. We use a precision attachment to give you more retention and confidence than you have ever had with your removable prosthesis. Implants will also halt the progress of bone loss that comes from missing teeth.
Q: Should I have my metal fillings replaced?
A: Metal fillings or amalgams wear out over time. We will take a picture to show you your fillings and help you decide if now is the right time to update them. We use a tooth colored, non-metallic filling material for all fillings.
Q: How often should I get my teeth cleaned?
A: It depends on how healthy your gums are and how good you are about taking care of your teeth at home. We will recommend the appropriate interval for you.
Q: What is a root canal?
A: A root canal is simply a filling for the inside of the root of a tooth. The inside of the root is carefully cleaned and shaped prior to placing the filling material. We do root canals in our office all the time. Most of our root canal patients tell us that the procedure was much better than the stories they have heard.
