FAQS
How often should I get my teeth Cleaned?
Six months is generally the best interval between cleanings for most healthy patients. Some patients with heavy tartar formation or periodontal disease may need dental cleanings as often as 3 months. Some with very low tartar formation, excellent oral hygiene including daily flossing may be able to get by with 9- or even 12-month intervals. We know that disease—whether caries (cavities), periodontal (gum) disease, and even oral cancer—can progress rapidly once it starts. One thing the Covid-19 shutdown taught us is that preventive care is definitely necessary. Many of our patients who delayed their dental cleanings ended up having significant problems when they returned.
Why do I need x-rays?
As dentists, we can only diagnose what we can see. X-rays let us see the areas between the teeth, under the gums, in the bone, and even cavities that have tunneled into the tiny pits on the grooved surfaces of the teeth. We are all happier if we can catch problems before they become symptomatic. Fillings are far less expensive than crowns, and no one enjoys suffering through a toothache after hours. The technologies we use in our office minimize the radiation dose to minimal amounts—less than a day of natural background radiation or a short 2-hour airline flight. If you have never had a cavity or a broken tooth AND your gums do not bleed when flossing or getting them cleaned, you might be able to go longer than the standard 2 years between routine dental x-rays. Feel free to discuss your concerns with your hygienist or Dr. Baldree.
Why do my gums bleed when I floss?
Healthy gums do not bleed when you floss. If your gums bleed when you brush or floss, it indicates that something is creating gingival inflammation. Sometimes it is trauma, from a chip or a burn. Occasionally, it is a loose or defective filling or crown or poorly contoured surface of a tooth or restoration. Sometimes a popcorn kernel gets wedged into an area you can’t get it out from. But most often, your gums bleed because you are leaving plaque when you brush or floss or you are forming heavy tartar at the gumline.
What is the difference between a crown and a veneer?
A crown is made to cover all of the surfaces of a tooth like a thimble fits on your finger. A veneer just covers the front visible surface, leaving the tongue surface of the tooth intact. Current technology allows both caps and veneers to be made of solid, esthetic porcelain with less reduction in healthy tooth structure than ever before. However, a crown, by design, involves greater tooth reduction so that the crown will seat fully on the tooth. Dr. Baldree can advise if you are a candidate for veneers and the pros and cons of your options in your particular situation.
Why do I need to wait for my crown?
Some dental offices offer same-day crowns, but Dr. Baldree has not yet found crowns milled in the office to meet his expectations for ideal tooth margins and esthetics. Due to the nature of our prosthodontic practice, most of our patients require multiple crowns at a time and often bridges, which cannot yet be performed in a single day. While our office uses digital scanning in place of impressions the majority of the time, we still rely on dental labs to fabricate and esthetically customize our crowns.
Why do I need root planing vs cleaning?
If you have tartar formation on your teeth that extends under the gumline with gingival pockets deeper than 4 mm, your hygienist will not be able to get it removed comfortably or effectively unless you are numbed. The area will never develop a healthy gum attachment to the tooth and bone if tartar exists under the gumline.
Does Dr. Baldree do dental implants?
Dr. Baldree was doing dental implants before most local dentists knew anything about them. He is still the go-to specialist that other dentists turn to when they encounter problems with implant services. Dr. Baldree enjoys working with local periodontists and oral surgeons who place the implants, then he places the abutments (if needed) and implant crowns. You will get the best outcome if you come to Dr. Baldree for implant planning BEFORE seeking implant placement
What is a prosthodontist?
A prosthodontist is a dentist who specializes in treating and handling dental and facial problems that involve restoring missing tooth and jaw structures. The term “prostho” means replacement and “dontist” means dealing with teeth. Essentially, prosthodontists are the recognized experts when anything needs to be replaced in your mouth. This can range from a single tooth, multiple teeth, or all teeth and gums in the mouth. While many other dentists can do some of these treatments, prosthodontists are the specialists dedicated to this type of care and often lead teams of general dentists, specialists, and other health professionals to develop solutions for your dental needs. Prosthodontists give attention to not only esthetics, but also function, comfort, and stability. Click here to learn more about prosthodontics.
Why do you ask so many questions about my past surgeries and medications? And why do I need to update my medical history every year?
The last time we checked, your oral cavity was connected to the rest of your body! Science is increasingly understanding the links between oral and overall health, such as the links between periodontal disease and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and pre-term birth. Many medications cause dry mouth, which is linked to tooth decay and tooth loss. Gingival hyperplasia can be related to seizure medication, pregnancy, and adolescence. When we inject anesthetics with epinephrine, we need to know if you have heart issues. When we clean your teeth or extract them, we need to know if you have blood clotting issues. Certain medications given for bone disorders such as osteoporosis and osteopenia can make you more susceptible to bone infections. Certain cancers can metastasize to the jaw. Some heart surgeries can make you more susceptible to endocarditis, and prosthetic joints can get infected after dental work. Migraines and recurrent headaches can sometimes be caused by TM dysfunction. Knowing about any psychological or cognitive issues such as anxiety, depression, autism, and dementia can help us manage your care more successfully. We ask for updates annually because sometimes patients forget to tell us important changes to their health. In a nutshell, we ask you all this information to keep you safe and ensure the best outcomes from your dental care.
Why do I need a root canal if I take antibiotics and my tooth no longer hurts?
Antibiotics fight the acute, painful infection of the tooth’s nerve. However, if the pulp gets infected, the infection will never fully clear up until the pulp is removed and the canal filled. Bacteria enter the pulp through the dentin of the tooth or through the apex or tip of the tooth. That communication remains even after the acute infection clears up, leaving the tooth at risk for further infections.
Do you take insurance or Medicare?
Our office will file your dental insurance and accepts the assignment of benefits, meaning that we will take payment directly from your insurance company and ask you to pay the difference. However, if your insurance gives you a list of providers to choose from, you will find that Dr. Baldree is never on their lists. If your insurance is part of an HMO/DMO (health or dental maintenance organization), it will NOT pay any dentist who is not on your list. If it is part of a PPO (preferred provider organization), it will pay any dental provider, but dentists who are participating providers have agreed to a lower reimbursement rate. Because we are a prosthodontic practice, we cannot cover our expenses with the reduced reimbursement rates for prosthodontic procedures, so Dr Baldree does not participate in any PPO plans. For these same reasons, Dr. Baldree is not a Medicare provider. We will file your insurance, accept payment from them, and ask you to pay the balance. Many insurance plans say that they cover preventive care at 100%, but because we do not discount our fees it is often actually 85-95% and you will have a small balance to pay on your dental cleanings. Because we are not participating providers, we will not know the exact amount they will pay until they process the claim. If you require specialized prosthodontic care that cannot be provided by any of the choices on your list of providers, you may be able to petition the insurance company to provide a higher insurance benefit for the specialized services we provide. Our insurance and receivables clerk, Aleta, is highly skilled at helping you get the most out of your insurance.