1. What age should a child be sent for his/her first dental visit? Any suggestions for how I can prepare my child for the first visit to the dentist?
At 3-4 years of age your child is ready for their first dental cleaning visit. You should begin brushing their teeth as soon as the first tooth arrives.
2. I haven’t been to a dentist in a long time. Last time I went it really hurt. I know I should go, but what do you do with someone, if I’m afraid to go to the dentist?
The first thing we do is talk. Discussion about past experiences, how they affected you and how we can do things differently to make you more comfortable. Customer service is our number one mission, and through communication your dentist can assure you of the most pleasant dental experience possible–where you’re in total control, and comfortable during your visit.
3. I have a dentist. I guess she knows my teeth from the years I’ve been seeing her. Does it make sense to go to a different dentist when I’ve gone to her for so many years?
Absolutely. Receiving information from other sources always broadens your horizons and allows for a more well-informed decision on the patient’s behalf.
4. Is there a way to try-out a new dentist?
Please, just call us and tell us your concerns and we will set up a consultation.
5. I’ve had braces and my teeth are pretty straight, but I’d like a knock-out smile like they have on Extreme Makeover. Is that expensive, does it hurt? How much is it going to cost?
If you’d like a smile make-over it usually requires veneers or crowns. These procedures are not painful, but usually do come with a price.
6. My dentist just told me I need a root canal. Ouch! What is it, why do I need it, and how do I find a good dentist to do it?
A root canal is simply the removal of the nerve and blood vessel from the roots of a tooth. The remaining empty space in the root is sealed with a filling material. This procedure eliminates infection forming bacteria as well as pain in the tooth.
Dentists, medical doctors, the TV repairman, they come in all shapes, sizes and varying degrees of quality. Make sure you find someone who educates you on what they are going to do and will stand behind their work. Here at Bomstad Dental, Dr. Bomstad performs the root canals and has attended many continuing education classes to keep him up-to-date with the dental care for the specifics of root canal dentistry.
7. How often should I professionally clean my teeth? I love the feeling of clean teeth. Can I do it more than two times a year?
It depends on your periodontal condition. A healthy mouth should be cleaned at least twice a year by a hygienist.
8. My gums bleed easily when I brush. Is that okay, or should I be alarmed? How do I make it better?
Yes, bleeding in the mouth is great cause for alarm. It means that bacteria counts are high and oral hygiene needs improvement.
9. I heard that smoking cigarettes hurt my teeth? Why does it and what does it do?
The heat generated by a cigarette causes the bone that holds your teeth in to disintegrate. It also stains your teeth.
10. I had a molar pulled a while ago. Do I need a bridge? I don’t think anyone sees it, what if I don’t get a bridge?
When a tooth is removed it can affect the manner in which your teeth come together. This phenomenon is known as “drifting”. The teeth adjacent to the missing tooth, as well as, the one on the opposite arch will tip into the space causing bite interferences.
11. I have crooked teeth, but I am 49. When is it too late for braces?
Never. You can always improve your smile by moving teeth by means of orthodontics.
12. A friend has dentures that were made in a day. They look awful and aren’t comfortable. I’d gladly refer her to your office, if you work on dentures. Can you make hers fit better? Or do they have to be redone?
When patients go to a one-day denture place, usually there are technicians designing and taking the impressions. These people have not had the same training as dentists.
Often times these patients have dentures that need to be remade. Sometimes we can reline them with new acrylic (the pink part of a denture) to give them a better fit.
13. What do you use to anesthetize you patients for their dental work. Does it hurt?
We use a computer called “The Wand”. Three factors influence a painful injection; anesthetic temperature, rate of injection, and the size of needle. Remember shots you’ve had from the hospital doctor, the nurse, or whoever, jabs the needle in and pushes the solution in as fast as possible. BAM you’re done, but left with a sore stinging arm. Here, we warm the anesthetic to body temperature, use the smallest gauge needle inserting it only 0.5-1.0 mm into mucosa (skin) of the mouth after a topical anesthetic solution has already numbed that area. Then we use the computer to inject as slow as possible one drop at a time. Almost all patients report not “feeling a thing or the best injection I’ve ever had”.