Frequently Asked Questions

As a minimum, checkup and hygiene appointments are frequented twice each year. If you need more than 2 visits due to certain periodontal conditions, our providers will advise you to come for an additional 1-2 more visits the same year. Checkup appointments are beneficial because we can point out potential concerns before they become a big problem. Potential problems can involve silent precursors to caries, oral cancer, and periodontitis. A minimum of two dental hygiene appointments per year are a great start to keeping you healthy.

Metal braces are not for everyone, fortunately we offer various options such as Invisalign clear braces and porcelain veneers, to help you achieve an aesthetic smile without metal parts. A quick consultation appointment can help determine whether your smile has minor adjustments that can be corrected via porcelain veneers. Invisalign clear braces are a great alternative to metal braces. Come in for a consultation visit to see if you are a perfect candidate for Invisalign therapy.

It is normal to experience some discomfort in the treated area. As your body heals, the area around the tooth might feel a bit sore and tender. Your dentist or endodontist may have prescribed you pain medication to be taken as needed. For severe pain, you may also call the office for a follow-up appointment asap.

Implants are a great way of replacing teeth. The implant itself acts as the root of your missing tooth while the crown acts as the part you chew on. However it is more important to thoroughly clean dental implants more than your own teeth. This is due to the fact that an implant is a foreign body. Thus when an infection ensues you lose the implant much quicker than you would your tooth. This is due to a robust immune response! To maintain the health and longevity of your dental implants, we strongly recommend you visit our office 3-4 times a year for professional hygiene appointments. We also recommend a stringent homecare regimen that involves interproximal brushes called proxy-brush, and water-jet irrigation nightly and after each meal.

It is recommended to hold off on all alcohol consumptions, as this may interact with certain medications that we prescribe for you. You may drink alcohol once medications are no longer being taken (5-7 days after surgery).

It is recommended to take pain medication and antibiotics with food as it can cause nausea/vomiting in the case of antibiotics. Ibuprofen can also cause an increase in stomach acidity and is also recommend to not take on an empty stomach.

A dry socket is a painful condition that results from premature loss of the blood clot. Risk factors for developing a dry socket are extracting painful or infected teeth, wisdom tooth surgery, females, smokers, and oral contraceptives. Symptoms of a dry socket typically occur on the 3rd or 4th post-operative day. Severe throbbing pain, which is not responsive to pain medications and bad breath, are the usual complaints. This condition requires an office visit where your surgeon will gently place a medicated dressing into the tooth socket. Pain relief is often immediate once the site is treated. A few visits may be necessary in some cases.

Most sutures that are used will resorb on their own. There are times were non-resorbable sutures maybe placed. These sutures are removed by the doctor when deemed necessary for removal.

Yes, slight intermittent bleeding is normal. Hold your nose and tilt your head back for a few minutes. Also use Afrin as directed, but not longer than 3 days.