|
FAQ
1: How often should I visit the dentist?
We normally recommend an exam and cleaning visit every six months. However, if
you have periodontal (gum) disease, we will most likely want to see you every three to
four months. We also recommend a yearly exam even if you have dentures. This is to check
their fit, but most importantly to do an oral cancer screening. Caught early, oral cancer
is very treatable. Caught late, and it is at best, disfiguring, and at worst, fatal.
2: Are silver-mercury amalgam fillings dangerous?
At present, there have been no scientific studies that prove that amalgams are
a health hazard. We simply feel that there are now better materials available. At
The Dayspring Center For Laser Dentistry, we do almost exclusively composite (white) fillings, even on back
teeth. When done properly and carefully, they will last as long as amalgams, and have the
benefit of bonding the tooth together. This strengthens the tooth, as opposed to an
amalgam, which weakens the tooth.
3: What is your sterilization policy?
We understand your concerns about instrument safety. That is why ALL of our
instruments are either heat sterilized or disposable, INCLUDING HANDPIECES (DRILLS). In
addition, all instruments remain wrapped in a protective sleeve until use, to maintain
their sterility. Our sterilizer is computer controlled for 100% sterility with each cycle.
For additional patient protection, we participate in a voluntary monitoring program. Every
month our sterilizer is checked by an independent laboratory.
4: I had a root canal done, and a year later the tooth broke and had to be
extracted anyway. Why should I bother to get a root canal done if I am only going to lose
the tooth anyway?
This is a common complaint, stemming from a lack of patient education by the
dentist. A root canal treats the inflamed and infected nerve in the tooth by removing the
nerve tissue, and then sealing the root canal with a rubber filling called Gutta Percha.
It does not, I repeat, DOES NOT restore the tooth to function. Most of the time, a tooth
needs a root canal due to extensive decay, and/or fracture. After the root canal is
finished, the tooth usually only has a temporary filling. The tooth must then get a post
and core, and then a crown. These procedures are separate from the root canal, and have
separate charges. But they are absolutely necessary to save the tooth. Without them, the
tooth will break and need to be extracted.
5: Can a dental appliance really stop me from snoring?
Absolutely! Snoring and mild sleep apnea can be very
successfully treated with oral appliances. And studies have shown that oral appliances are
actually more effective than surgery in these conditions.
6: What is oral cancer?
Unfortunately, oral cancer is too often missed by physicians and
dentists alike. Physicians tend to look past the mouth and into the throat, whereas too
many dentists look at teeth, and nothing else. Oral cancer comes in many forms, such as
squamous cell carcinoma, and is most often seen on the floor of the mouth and the sides of
the tongue. It is most prevalent with tobacco and alcohol users. As with any cancer, early
detection is the key. That is why ALL our exams are comprehensive, and include an oral
cancer screening.
7: Why does my insurance company pay so little towards my filling?
Please read my newsletter article entitled “The Promise of Microdentistry”
for a full explanation of this, but I can sum it up for you. Insurance
companies want to pay for the CHEAPEST treatment, not the best. They are still
paying for 1970’s dentistry at 1960’s rates! Normally what an insurance
company will do is promise to pay 80% towards fillings. What they will do
though, is pay an “alternate benefit” for a silver filling, even though you
had a white one done, because it is cheaper. This will then come out to
approximately 50% instead of 80%. This makes me quite angry, because I don’t
believe that a person at the insurance company who is not your dentist (and
probably has only been to a dental training seminar with the insurance
company) has any right to tell me what type of treatment is appropriate for
you. Kathy and I are committed to a high-technology approach to your care that
we believe is best for your oral health. I also believe that this approach by
your insurance company creates an atmosphere of distrust between you and I. In
the interest of maximizing their profits, they minimize your benefits. Then
when you, the patient, their customer ask them about it, they refuse to be
honest with you. Instead of telling you that this is simply their policy to
reduce their costs, they try to convince you that your doctor, who knows you,
and is trying to care for you, charges too much, or is doing some
“experimental procedure”, while every other dentist is using amalgam. While
the vast majority of dentists are still using amalgam, most of us in the
forefront of dentistry have abandoned the material. As a matter of fact, we
guarantee our restorative work for 5 years, and the number of free replacement
fillings I do is very low. Composite is a very durable material, with years of
research behind it. Do not allow a claims processor at an insurance company
tell you otherwise, nor allow them to come between the relationship that we
have fostered.
|
