How often should I visit the dentist?
The Valley View Dental team and the American Dental Association encourage patients to visit our office at least two times each year in order to maintain their healthiest smiles. These regular preventive checkups make it possible for our skilled dentist and team to diagnose and treat oral health concerns in their earliest stages.
What is gum infection?
Periodontal (gum) disease occurs when plaque and tartar build up above and below the gum line, which irritates soft tissues and leads to bleeding, inflammation, and bone loss. The early form of gum disease, gingivitis, can be reversed with more frequent professional cleanings, but left untreated the advanced form, periodontitis, can be extremely detrimental to oral health and requires more advanced treatments.
Do dentists treat sleep apnea?
In many cases, dentists offer effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. We use oral appliances to gently shift the jaw forward opening the airway and allowing patients to breathe easily and sleep soundly through the night.
Can I call if I have an emergency?
Absolutely. We are happy to help patients whenever they need us. Simply call our office, and we will do our utmost to see you right away. We also offer first aid and pain management tips to help patients until they arrive at our office.
What are dental lasers used for?
We use dental lasers for a number of treatments on both hard and soft tissues. The laser aids in healing canker sores, cold sores and gum disease. If you are interested in finding out more about laser dentistry, ask our dentist during your next visit or give us a call today.
Do you take my insurance?
We are happy to process and file dental insurance claims from several providers, and we are in-network with a number of plans including Delta Dental, and Health Partners.
What is the Super Smile Membership?
Our Super Smile Membership offers regular patients a number of perks including discounts on various treatments and a free preventive checkup including x-rays after five regular visits.
Emergency Dentistry FAQs
When a dental emergency strikes, the last thing you want to deal with is confusion on what to do. Obviously, the first thing you should do is call your emergency dentist in Allen. However, we often get asked a lot of other questions about emergencies. For this reason, we’ve taken the time to answer some of our most frequently asked questions about emergency dentistry down below.
What Is Considered a Dental Emergency?
Any time you experience any type of pain or trauma in your mouth, it’s best to treat it as a dental emergency. Even if you’re confident that it’s nothing, you should probably err on the side of caution and call us anyway to get it looked at. Most dental problems do not go away on their own, and actually worsen the longer you ignore them. If your problem involved continual bleeding, a broken or dislocated jaw, or swelling that impacts your ability to breathe, you should head to your local emergency room instead of our office.
How Can I Manage the Pain?
Depending on your pain tolerance, you might need a solution to temporarily alleviate your discomfort until you can reach our office. There are a few options that can help, like:
- Over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen
- Topical pain reliever like Orajel
- Ice pack to reduce both pain and swelling
Keep in mind that just because you are able to manage your pain doesn’t mean you shouldn’t schedule an appointment with us right away to determine what’s causing it.
Why Is It Important That I Have a Dental Emergency Treated Right Away?
While every dental emergency is different, many of them can result in long-term oral health problems if you don’t get them dealt with in a timely manner. To prevent this from occurring, it’s better to be safe than sorry and see us to treat your toothache, broken or dislodged tooth, or lost restoration.
If you leave your dental emergency untreated, it can lead to an infection that warrants root canal therapy or even a tooth extraction. Missing teeth can result in a whole host of oral health problems down the line, so you want to avoid that at all costs. In addition, since most dental emergencies have some degree of pain associated with them, you should visit us as soon as you can to get that pain dealt with.
What If I Have a Dental Emergency While I’m Traveling?
First things first, try not to panic. Find a dentist in the area who can treat the immediate problem. That way you can at least enjoy the rest of your vacation and remain pain-free. When that is over and done with, give us a call to schedule an appointment as soon as you return home. We can then determine whether additional treatment is needed.
Cosmetic Dentistry FAQs
Whether from genetics, trauma, or poor oral hygiene habits, an unattractive smile can be a leading source of embarrassment. You don’t need to live with a less than perfect smile. Your cosmetic dentist can transform your teeth and your outlook on life using a personalized treatment plan. Although you’re excited to have the smile of your dreams, we know you still have a few questions before you’re ready to commit to a procedure. We’ll take the time to address them during your initial consultation. In the meantime, here are the answers to a few of the most common questions we are asked about cosmetic dentistry.
What are popular cosmetic treatments?
New innovations in dentistry give you more options than ever to achieve your dream smile. Dr. Miller will perform a thorough consultation and discuss your goals to determine which solutions best meet your needs. Depending on your individual treatment plan, you can benefit from 1 or more procedures, including:
- Teeth Whitening
- Direct Bonding
- Crown Lengthening
- All-Ceramic Restorations
- Dental Implants
How long will the process take?
There isn’t any way to know how long the process will take without first having your consultation. The duration of your treatment is determined by your individual plan, which can vary from a single appointment to multiple visits depending on your needs. Dr. Miller will explain how long you can expect the process to take during your initial consultation. We know your time is valuable, which is why our office uses the latest technologies to streamline your care. We’ll help you achieve your dream smile as quickly as possible without compromising the results.
Can my teen benefit from cosmetic dentistry?
You can give your teen the gift of confidence with the help of a cosmetic dentist. There are several treatments suitable for teens, like direct bonding and teeth whitening. Dr. Miller will perform a thorough consultation to ensure cosmetic dentistry is the best option for your teen.
How much does cosmetic dentistry cost?
There isn’t a set fee for cosmetic dentistry because there are various factors that influence the cost. We’ll provide you with an estimate during your initial consultation and discuss your payment options. We accept several payment methods, including third-party financing. Our office in St. Peter will help you find the solutions you need to achieve a picture-perfect smile without breaking the bank.
Can I use my dental insurance?
It’s rare for a dental insurance company to cover cosmetic treatments because they are elective procedures; however, there are some exceptions. Nowadays, cosmetic and restorative treatments often overlap, like all-ceramic restorations. As a result, if a treatment is necessary for your oral health, your dental insurance may cover a portion of the cost. A member of our team will work on your behalf with your insurance company to file the necessary claim forms to lower the amount you need to pay out-of-pocket. We will take the time to explain how your benefits are being used to pay for your new smile.