Q. What is the DDS System?
A. The DDS system is a unique approach that addresses the problem of eating too much. It is a discreet, custom-made oral insert. It reduces the size of your oral cavity and trains you to take smaller bites. Please contact us for more information.
Q. What is periodontal disease (also known as gum disease)?
A. Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums and bone that hold your teeth into place. Often there are few symptoms and little pain. If not treated, periodontal problems can eventually cause tooth loss. The good news is scaling and root planing can help treat the disease in its early stages.
Q. What causes periodontal disease?
A. Plaque is mostly an invisible film of bacteria that clings to your teeth and gums. The bacteria found in plaque can cause irritation or infection in your gums and/or bone. Plaque that is not completely removed may harden (calcify) into tartar or calculus. The only way to reduce this disease causing effects is to attend to your regular cleaning appointments.
Q. How do you diagnose periodontal disease?
A. If you schedule regular dental check ups, your dentist can detect developing periodontal disease. During your check up your dentist will use an instrument called a periodontal probe that gently measures the depth of spaces between your teeth and gums. The normal depth should be 3 millimeters or less.
Q. What is scaling and root planning?
A. Scaling and root planning is a method of treating periodontal disease when pockets are greater than 3 millimeters. Scaling is used to remove plaque and tartar beneath the gumline. Using an instrument called a small scaler or ultrasonic scaler that carefully removes the tartar from the bottom of each periodontal pocket. A local anesthetic may be given to reduce any discomfort. The tooth’s root surfaces are then smoothed or planed. Treatment may require more than one visit.
Q. Why doesn’t my insurance pay for this?
A. UCR means usual customary and reasonable. Most patients can see their preferred dentist under the UCR plan. The UCR plans pay an established percentage of the dentist’s fee or pay the plan sponsor’s “customary” or “reasonable” fee limit, whichever is less. On your bill it may be noted that the fee your dentist has charged you is higher than the reimbursement levels of UCR. This doesn’t mean your dentist is overcharging you. WHY? There is no regulation as to how insurance companies determine reimbursement levels, resulting in wide fluctuation. Insurance companies are not required to disclose how they determine these levels.
Q. How does my annual maximums work?
A. Your plan purchaser makes the final decision on “maximum levels” of reimbursement through the contract with the insurance company. Even though the cost of dental care has significantly increased over the years, the maximum levels of insurance reimbursements have remained the same since the late 1960’s.
Q. What are preferred providers?
A. Your plan may want you to choose your dental care from a list of their preferred providers. Depending on if you choose from the list of providers or not can affect your levels of reimbursement.
Q. What is alternative treatment?
A. Your dental plan may only allow benefits for the least expensive treatment for a condition. For example the dentist may recommend a crown, but your insurance may only offer reimbursement for a large filling.
Q. What are preexisting conditions?
A. Your dental plan many not cover conditions that existed before you enrolled in the plan. Even though your plan may not cover it, treatment may still be necessary.
Q. How can tongue piercing’s be dangerous?
A. Many people now have their tongue, lip or cheeks pierced but is it really cool or is it just a complete dangerous thing to do to your face? There are many risks involved with oral piercings including chipped or cracked teeth, blood clots, or blood poisoning. Your mouth contains millions of bacteria, and infection is a common complication of oral piercing. When having oral piercings your tongue could swell large enough to close off your airway. Common symptoms after piercing include pain, swelling, infection, an increased flow of saliva and injuries to gum tissue. If a blood vessel or nerve bundle is in the path of the needle it can cause difficult-to-control bleeding or nerve damage.
Q. Is tobacco bad news in any form?
A. Tobacco in any form can jeopardize your child’s health and cause incurable damage. Any type of tobacco is highly dangerous including spit, chew, snuff, or cigarettes. Studies show that spit tobacco may be more addictive than smoking cigarettes and may be more difficult to quit. A very interesting fact for teens is that one can of snuff per day delivers as much nicotine as 60 cigarettes. In as little as three to 4 months of smokeless tobacco use can cause periodontal disease and produce pre-cancerous lesions called leukoplakias. You should watch for these early signs of oral cancer if you are a tobacco user...a sore that wont heal, white or red leathery patches on the lips and on or under the tongue, pain, tenderness or numbness anywhere in the mouth or lips, difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving the jaw or tongue; or a change in the way the teeth fit together. Usually the early signs of oral cancer are not painful so people often ignore them. If oral cancer is not caught in the early stages, oral cancer can require extensive, sometimes disfiguring surgery or even worse, it can kill.
Q. What is a dental implant?
A. An implant is a bionic replacement made of titanium or surgical vitallium, which is placed in the bone or is rested between the gum and bone. A dental implant can be thought of as substitutes for natural tooth roots. A variety of bone substitutes can be used to replace lost bone and/or promote bone growth. Basically, implants provide a support system for teeth that will be attached to the implants, and provide a comfortable, stable support on which artificial teeth can be secured. Implants benefit people who have missing teeth by restoring up to 90 percent of the chewing power lost with missing teeth. They help by minimizing the erosion of jawbone that occurs when teeth are lost or removed, and they can also be very beneficial for stabilizing teeth loosened from periodontal disease. Dental implants can provide a sense of security and well-being by providing comfort, function, and appearance.
