Patient FAQ & Education Materials

Periodic dental checkup is usually recommended for every 6 months. But for patients with gum diseases and other health problems, it is recommended to have checkup at 3 or 4 months interval.

Parents should schedule their child's first dental appointment before the first birthday and every 6 months starting at age 3.

Yes. Routine dental checkup and professional cleanings should not be postponed just because you are pregnant. Recent studies suggest an strong association between severe gum disease and preterm labor which might cause low birth weight baby. You might need to get the OB-GYN consent for the dental treatment. Please call us for more details.

Yes. You should get the filling treatment done to provide best oral health and also baby teeth are the best space maintainer for the adult teeth.

Baby bottle tooth decay is referred for cavities on infant or young children’s upper front teeth and it is mainly caused by prolonged exposure of the baby’s teeth to drinks that contain sugars or those with natural sugars (like milk, formula, and fruit juice). Also tooth decay can be transmitted from mom (primary care giver) to baby through saliva. If your infant or toddler does not receive an adequate amount of fluoride, there is an increased risk for tooth decay. The good news is that decay is preventable.

Yes . Diabetes affects many parts of the body including your gums and teeth. Uncontrolled diabetes increases the chances of having infection on your gums and negatively affects the oral health and increases your risks associated with diabetic condition. It is vital to have good oral health habits to manage your diabetes. Our dentists strongly encourage you to take your Insulin or medication and have your meal before the dental visit. Please contact our office if you have any questions.

Yes. Dry mouth is caused by many factors and it is one of the side effects caused by most medications. Since dry mouth can negatively impact your oral health, our dentist can provide recommendations to improve the oral health and maintain your teeth. Please contact our office for more details.

Professional cleaning(Prophy) is recommended to remove the plaque and tartar on the surface of the teeth (Above the gum line)and to remove external stains. Deep cleaning (Scaling and Root planning) is recommended to clean the calculus(Tartar) on the teeth below the gum line and if you have lost any supporting bone (have deep pockets around the teeth). Since periodontal (Gum) diseases have strong impact on your general health and your oral health, Thorough Dental thrives to help all our patients with gum diseases and pleased to provide optimal care. Please contact us for more details.

Gum disease is not painful until it becomes moderate to severe condition. But you might notice symptoms such as bleeding while brushing and flossing, Sensitivity on teeth, slight discomfort on gums or bad breath. If you notice any of these symptoms and have not had a dental checkup recently, please contact our office to schedule an appointment with our dentist.

Not always. Root canal treatment is recommended when the pulp tissue( Nerve tissue) is inflamed due to infection or trauma to provide relief from pain and save the tooth. It is normal to feel slight soreness and discomfort on the tooth and the surrounding tissues for two weeks if someone presents with extreme infection, swelling and throbbing pain before the root canal start. Your dentist will prescribe pain medications and Antibiotics if needed. Root canal treatment is considered very safe and actually recommended to save the tooth.

Teeth sensitivity could be caused by many factors and the treatment option depends on the severity of the condition. We recommend you to have a consultation with our dentist to discuss about the problems and the recommendations along with the treatment.

Our dentists could do TMJ evaluation and provide differential diagnosis along with the recommended treatment option. You may be referred to an Oral Surgeon for further evaluation if the condition is severe or if you need extensive evaluation.

At Thorough Dental, we provide tooth colored white (composite ) fillings. Also the shade would be matched with your natural tooth for the fillings to be non-noticeable. Please contact our office to get the white fillings to prevent further cavity progression and achieve better esthetic results.

Yes, we do. Please contact our office for additional details.

Yes. We provide snoring and sleep apnea appliances and it helps to relieve your or your partner's snoring problems. Please contact our office if you have any other questions.

Yes . Implants are done by our board certified periodontist. Please contact us for more details.

Yes. We provide clear braces (Invisalign) treatment. And our dentist recommends clear braces not only to straighten the crooked teeth but also to avoid potential gum problems and cavities in future.

Dental veneers are custom made porcelain or composite laminates to cover the front surface of the teeth to improve the esthetics. These laminates are bonded to the teeth to improve the color, shape ,size and length of the teeth. Veneers are recommended to change the color, shape and close the gap in between your teeth. Your teeth will be very minimally prepared by your dentist to achieve ideal veneers for your unique needs.

Lumineers are prepared to meet same results as veneers but Lumineers are thinner than veneers requiring only very minimal teeth preparation or no preparation depending on your needs.

There are 2 types of tooth stains. External stains are found on the tooth surface and it is caused by tobacco, tartar, or colored food and drink. Internal stains are found beneath the surface of your tooth and it is caused due to aging, excessive fluoride intake, or certain kinds of medicine. However, these stains can be treated by teeth whitening. Please contact our office for more details.

We offer both in-office teeth whitening which include gels and whitening lights and take home option with products prescribed by our dental office.