Do you accept my insurance?
Regarding insurance plans, there are three levels of participation.
How your insurance might work in this office is determined by the options
of your plan:
- Your plan limits you to a dentist on a list,
- Your plan has a list, but you have the right to see any dentist
you want and still be covered,
- There is no list, and you choose the dentist with full benefits.
If your plan requires you to go to a dentist on a list in order for
you to have any benefits, and we are on that list, then your plan information
will spell out the specifics. If you tell us what plan you have, we
will be able to give you that information. If your plan has a list,
but gives you the option of seeing a dentist not on the list, then there
will certainly be a benefit for any treatment performed here. The level
of benefit will depend on the specifics of the plan. We can provide
you with that information if you tell us the name of the plan. If you
have a traditional insurance plan where there is no list, then the benefits
will be spelled out in your plan documents. We can help you determine
what the benefit is for any course of treatment.
Dental offices are approached by insurance plans all the time and asked
to sign a contract in order to be placed on the list of "preferred
providers". The terms of these contracts determine whether or not
it makes sense for us to sign on. An indication of the quality of the
plan is the number of offices on the list. We cannot provide the quality
of care that we dedicate ourselves to within the constraints of many
insurance plans. We are very selective as to the plans we contract with.
Regardless of your plan or the level of coverage, you can be sure we
will do our very best for you. We have only one level of care. If you
are not yet a patient, give us a call and we can help you determine
the level of insurance benefit you can obtain for treatment we perform.
Come in and meet us, and see why many of our patients stay with us even
if they might have less out of pocket expense somewhere else.
Click here for additional information
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Will I be charged if I miss an appointment?
Appointment time is reserved just for you. We don’t overbook,
and with the exception of patients who call us with emergencies, we
schedule each individual patient to have our undivided attention. Missed
appointments or last minute cancellations leave us with insufficient
notice to offer that time to a patient who has been waiting to see
us.
However, we do realize that things happen. People get sick, cars break
down, situations arise that interfere with your ability to keep your
appointment. This should happen rarely, however. We do have a quick
call service for those who have difficulty determining, in advance,
when they might be available for dental appointments. We do not charge
for missed appointments, but we will not continue to reappoint patients
who frequently fail to keep their appointments.
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What can you do for bad breath?
Bad breath can have several causes. By far, the most common causes relate
to dental problems, primarily gum disease and tooth decay. The first
step is making sure the mouth is free from infection (decay and gum
disease are infections). Next, home care will be reviewed to make sure
that all sources of bacteria are controlled, from brushing and flossing
techniques to tongue cleaning.
Occasionally, a medical consultation is necessary to rule out sinus
or digestive disorder. We do see some few people who have bad breath
for none of these reasons. In those cases, it's the type of bacteria
that normally reside in their mouth that is producing the odor. For
those patients, there are special mouth rinses that are made to neutralize
the compounds that you smell.
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Are white fillings as good as silver?
Yes. In some instances, they are even better. Silver fillings just fill
the hole in the tooth. If the hole (cavity) is large or near an edge
of the tooth, the walls that are left can be thin and weak. With repeated
use, thin and weak parts of teeth will crack and break.
White filings do more than just fill the hole. They actually bond to
the tooth structure. In this way, they make the tooth stronger. These
bonded fillings can prevent teeth from cracking, and if they already
have cracks starting, can prevent them from getting worse.
We are optimistic at this time that white fillings will last as long
as silver fillings. We have been using the current generation of white
filling materials for more than five years and they are holding up very
well. The research on these materials goes back almost ten years, and
supports our observations.
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Caps, crowns, inlays, onlays… What's the difference?
These are all ways to fix tooth that has been damaged by fracture or
decay. Caps and crowns are the same thing. The correct term is crown,
but many people refer to them as caps because they sit on a tooth like
a cap sits on your head. Crowns, inlays, and onlays are all made in
a laboratory. This means that they are made from impressions taken of
the tooth. To place these restorations, two visits are needed. At the
first visit, the tooth is prepared, the impression is taken, and a temporary
restoration is made and placed. At the second visit, the temporary is
removed and the permanent restoration is placed.
Which one of these restorations is used depends on how much of the
tooth has been damaged and needs to be replaced. If the cavity is small,
a filling, either silver or white, works fine. For cavities that are
a little larger, fillings are harder to place well, particularly white
fillings. For that reason, an inlay, which is made outside the mouth
and cemented in place, will work better and last longer.
If part of the remaining tooth structure is weak, then the restoration
can be made to wrap around that part. This supports the weak section
and prevents it from breaking. If only part of the tooth needs to be
protected, then it is called an onlay. If the entire tooth needs to
be covered, it is a crown.
Crowns, inlays and onlays can be made from white material or gold.
The white materials look beautiful. In fact, they are often invisible
in the mouth; they look just like natural teeth. Gold does have one
advantage: longevity.
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How do I know if I have gum disease?
Gum disease is present in over 75% of adults. The classic signs of gum
disease are red, tender, puffy, or bleeding gums, or bad breath. Healthy
gums do not bleed when you brush your teeth, even at the gumline. Gum
disease is treatable and preventable, but the worse it gets before treatment
begins, the harder it is to treat and the greater the likelihood it
will result in tooth loss. The best plan of action is regular professional
tooth cleanings and examinations.
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What's a root canal?
Root canal therapy is a way to save an infected tooth. It's the only
alternative to taking out the tooth. To be more specific, it's necessary
to understand the structure of a tooth.
Every tooth has a hollow space inside. That space runs inside the tooth
(the chamber) along its length right to the tip of the root (the canal).
Inside that space is soft tissue (nerves, blood vessels, and other tissue)
called the pulp, but often referred to as "the nerve". This
tissue has a very limited ability to heal. When injured, either from
trauma or from infection, the pulp usually dies. Tooth decay is a bacterial
infection of the tooth, and when the decay gets close to the pulp, bacteria
can enter the pulp chamber and infect that tissue.
Root canal therapy cleans that space, disinfects it, and fills it with
a specific material used only in root canals. Following root canal therapy,
as long as the tooth is properly restored, the tooth should last as
long as any other tooth in the mouth.
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Does tooth whitening work?
Yes, it works very well. We've been using at home tooth whitening systems
for many years.
It is a relatively simple, inexpensive treatment that is very reliable.
Almost everyone we have treated has seen some improvement in the whiteness
of his or her teeth. Sometimes it's a little; sometimes it's a lot.
We have seen some dramatic improvements. It is difficult to predict
in advance, how much change an individual can expect, but everyone can
expect to see some improvement.
One system we use involves making a custom fitted tray that fits over
the teeth and holds the whitening solution. This tray is worn for 1-2
hours during the day, each day, for 2-3 weeks or until the maximum effect
is reached.
The other system we offer is called BriteSmile.
It is an in-office procedure that accomplishes, in one visit, the same
result as approximately two weeks of daily wear of the at home technique.
The difference is more time in the chair (approximately 1½ hours),
and the cost.
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What can you do about snoring?
There are dental devices that can help reduce or eliminate snoring.
That might sound strange, but here's how it works. When you sleep, your
muscles relax. When the tongue relaxes, it can drop back very near the
back wall of the throat. This is the space air passes through when you
breathe. During inhalation, the air is drawn past that narrowed passageway.
Just like the air that rushes out of a balloon when you let it go, the
back of the tongue and the soft palate will vibrate. This vibration
causes the sound we call snoring.
If the tongue gets very close to the back of the throat or actually
touches it, the suction caused when you inhale will suck the airway
closed; no air can get by. Breathing stops. After several seconds, an
alarm goes off in the brain and you are aroused from deep sleep, which
restores the muscle tone, and the tongue is pulled forward, opening
the airway. There is usually a gasp with the first breath, then a relaxation
back to sleep. The sleeper is unaware of what happened. This is called
obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. This is a very dangerous condition.
There have been numerous studies linking OSA with serious medical conditions
such as stroke, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and others.
There are specific dental appliances that can help snoring and OSA.
They are worn in the mouth like a mouthguard or night guard. When you
bite into it, the appliance causes the lower jaw to be positioned forward.
This causes the tongue to come forward, away from the back of the throat,
thereby opening the airway. This is so much simpler than the alternative
treatments that involve a cumbersome facemask-like appliance with pressurized
airflow, or surgery to the tongue, throat, or palate.
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What do you to ensure patient safety?
We employ rigorous sterilization and patient protection procedures.
We comply with all the government and professional agencies and organizations
who regulate this area. We not only meet these recommendations and requirements,
but we take that extra step. We always wear gloves, we use disposable
supplies whenever possible, and steam/heat sterilize (autoclave) all
instruments and handpieces. We take advantage of continuing education
courses and professional publications to stay up-to-date in this ever-changing
field. This is consistent with our goal of maintaining a 'state-of-the-art'
dental practice in all regards. Our primary concern is the health and
safety of our patients and staff. If you have any questions or concerns,
please feel free to discuss them with any member of our staff.
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Are silver amalgam fillings bad for your health?
No, they are not. There are some people who think that silver fillings
cause a variety of health problems. However, there have been a number
of well-done studies recently looking at large groups of people. There
are, after all, hundreds of thousands of people who have silver fillings
in their teeth. No link between silver fillings and health problems
has ever been demonstrated in a well done, controlled study. A very
small percentage of people are allergic to the material, and react to
silver fillings much the same as people who can't wear certain kinds
of jewelry or eat certain foods. What has been alleged is that silver
fillings cause a variety of health ailments. This has never been shown
to be true.
We do not recommend replacing fillings for health reasons because there
is no health benefit. If you don't like the way they look, or if you
need a filling replaced for other reasons, there are alternatives to
silver fillings. In fact, we use tooth colored fillings frequently because
they work better than silver fillings in many situations and look great.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this issue further,
feel free to speak to any of our doctors or hygienists.
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What are some of the different billing and payment options you provide?
We do request that patients pay their fee at the time of service unless
prior arrangements have been made with our financial coordinator. For
your convenience, we do accept Master Card, Visa, American Express,
and Discover credit cards, as well as cash and personal checks.
If you have a large treatment plan and wish to make monthly payments,
we do offer a payment plan. Our financial coordinator will be happy
to discuss the details with you.
If you have dental insurance and wish the benefits to be sent to this
office, please bring insurance information (card, form, or other identification)
with you to your first appointment. We can now estimate, in advance,
what the anticipated insurance benefit will be. We will process and
submit all insurance forms and accept assignment of benefits directly
from those insurance companies who offer that option. When this assignment
applies, patients are only requested to pay their deductible and co-pay
at the time of service.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
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