Answers to Questions Commonly Asked in Our Dental Clinic

In our dental clinic, we aim to educate and inform our patients about dentistry and oral health, in general.  In order to do so, we take the time to get to know our patients and engage them in conversation during dental exams. This way we can find out what health concerns each person has and make recommendations for addressing them.  Over time, we have found that many of our patients have similar questions about their oral health.  With that in mind, here are answers to some questions that we are asked on a regular basis. Will my teeth hurt during the procedure? This is perhaps the number one concern for many people.  The good news is that dental care doesn’t hurt when you visit our office.  We offer sedation dentistry that makes it possible to relax and prevents a person from feeling any pain during a procedure.  By keeping our patients comfortable, we make it possible to get dental care without feeling worried or concerned. Why is my veneer chipping? If you have a restoration like a dental veneer or crown and it looks like the bottom is chipping away – you may be grinding your teeth at night.  Nighttime grinding or clenching is actually fairly common.  A lot of people do it, and the condition gets worse with stress.  Some people are unaware that they have this problem until they see physical damage.  If this is happening to you, we recommend visiting our dental clinic so that you can get fitted for a night guard.  This will prevent your upper and lower teeth from touching and prevent damage at the same time.  It is also important to keep your teeth and gums healthy with regular brushing and flossing along with trips to our dental office.  These preventative care steps will help your veneers to stay in good condition for a longer periods of time. How do I know which dental procedure to choose? In dentistry, there are multiple ways to address common oral health issues.  This is good for most patients since it gives them options when it comes to health care.  The challenge is that it also confuses people.  We will explain all of your options along with the pros and cons of each so that you can select one that works for your lifestyle.  You are the only one that can make the final decision, but we can let you know which procedure we feel will be the most effective. Is my tooth going to be pulled? Many people have a fear that their tooth will need to be pulled if it has become damaged.  This is the case only a small portion of the time.  In most situations, we can save a tooth that has been damaged by completing a restoration like a dental crown or veneer.  This saves the tooth so that it doesn’t need to be pulled.  Ideally, we will complete the restoration fairly quickly and before the damage can become worse.  If you have hurt your tooth, we recommend scheduling an appointment with our dental clinic immediately.