1. I have always been afraid of the dentist. How can I feel more comfortable?

Anxiety regarding dental visits is very common, and can keep away people from getting needed dental treatment. We have found that taking the focus away from the treatment itself is very beneficial to reducing fear and anxiety. We first let the patient know that they are in control of the procedure, and that they can stop and rest whenever they need to. We offer overhead TV, or DVD movies that people can watch with headphones on. This does two things. One, it helps reduce the sound of dentistry, and two, it diverts attention away to a more pleasant focus. We also offer ipod music with headphones for similar effect. Our dental chairs also come equipped with back massagers, to stimulate senses away from the dentistry.


2. What can I do to fix a badly chipped front tooth?

There are two options for chipped teeth. The first is composite bonding. This method utilizes tooth colored resins that are shaped and bonded to the tooth. It is fast (one visit), cost effective, and relatively easy. The bonding can last up to 7-10 years, but typically can break, discolor, or wear out within a few years.

The second option is to consider porcelain veneering of the tooth. This method restores the tooth with a thin shell of porcelain that is made to fit precisely to the tooth. It is beautiful and durable, and is resistant to stain and breakage. The process takes two visits, and is generally more expensive than bonding. It lasts two to three times as long as bonding.


3. What is the end result?

Both look beautiful initially, but porcelain will outlast bonding.


4. How do you get rid of spaces between teeth?

Traditional wire braces/orthodontics has been the common way to close spaces. For adults today, Invisalign orthodontics using clear plastic removable trays is much faster, and easier to use than traditional braces. For patients that don' t want orthodontics, porcelain veneers and bonding can close spaces as well. The artistic abilities of the dentist are critical for beautiful results. Make sure to ask for pictures of cases the dentist has completed and inquire how often they do the procedure.


5. What is necessary for corrections of color, crowding, chips, or spaces?

The answer here is the same as above with orthodontics and cosmetic dentistry as the choices. Bleaching the teeth is an easy and safe way to change the color. Some teeth are resistant to bleaching though, and for those, cosmetic dentistry with bonding or veneers is the only solution. For many adults, after orthodontics is complete, some cosmetic dentistry may be needed to correct worn or chipped teeth that are now straight. Either bonding or veneering will work. For most patients with crooked, gapped, worn, or stained teeth, porcelain veneers made by an experienced cosmetic dentist can correct all of these problems without having to go through any orthodontics.