The Convenience of Visiting a Family Dentist

The idea of a family dentist is one that closely mimics the idea of a family general practitioner or doctor. Its success is also very similar because it relies on the same trust and relationship that family doctors and a family dentist have in common. We understand that nobody ever really wants to go in to see either a doctor or a family dentist. Humans have an intrinsic discomfort with medical procedures, especially when it involves you. On the other hand, the families who come in on a regular basis to visit the family dentist find that the procedures they need are routine, with the maintenance helping to prevent emergency dental needs. At the same time, families who come in together often hold each other more accountable to keeping their oral hygiene routines, which means they have better cared for teeth overall. There are numerous benefits to having a family dentist.

From our perspective, the trust and relationship we have with families, often generations of families, plays a tremendous role in the work we are able to do for them. Think about it from the perspective of a child. When a child goes in to see the dentist or the doctor, they are in an uncomfortable and unfamiliar environment most of the time. There are strange sounds and smells, equipment that needs to be put in their mouth, and the dreaded dentist chair. All of this can cause a child and most adults to have a level of anxiety. On the other hand, when a child is coming in to see the family dentist, it is typically someone they are familiar with, having been to the office with a family member before. The friendly face of the family dentist can help to ease some of those fears, and people instinctively trust a doctor who has already treated other family members. This easing of fears goes a long way in helping with diagnoses and getting procedures done with as little fuss as possible.

From a purely convenience standpoint, there is nothing convenient about having to take multiple members of a family to different appointments. Juggling the timing, along with work and school schedules, as well as finding the right providers can be a hassle. At the family dentist clinic, we know how hard this can be, and so have two simple ways to make your life easier. First, we can have all the major family dentist procedures done right here at our family dentist clinic. Whether you need an x-ray or an extraction, braces or dentures, whatever the needs of your family, we can do them in one place. The only exception is extremely specialized work, in which case, we will help you find the best provider. The second thing we have done is to help streamline our scheduling so we can accommodate families. If we can get the entire family in and maximize your time by combining appointments, we know that we will not only save you time and effort, but that you are far more likely to come in together.

Teeth Whitening  >  Alexandria Dentist

Your Holiday Pictures Will Sparkle With Help From Our Teeth Whitening Procedure

As the holidays are approaching, call our office to schedule a teeth whitening procedure. This is one of the easiest ways to improve the appearance of your smile. It can turn your dull teeth into spectacular ones, restore your youthful appearance, and get you ready to smile for hours of family photos. If you are like most families, there's always that one family member capturing every moment. Each of these pictures and moments will be special, so it is important to look and feel your very best. After all, these are the images that will grace your hallway and photo albums for decades to come.

For most people, preparing for the holidays involves finding the right sweater or dress, finding that old family recipe, getting their hair done, and preparing for all of those interesting holiday moments. Taking care of your teeth should also be at the top of your list because your teeth make a major impact in your appearance. We suggest that you visit us for a teeth cleaning and dental exam so we can remove the plaque making your teeth appear dirty or stained. We can also ensure that you do not have any cavities or infections and treat them if you do. Afterward, we can whiten your teeth so the stains are removed, and they are transformed from a dull shade of yellow to brilliant white.

Our teeth whitening procedure is better than what you can buy in the store.

Once you decide to whiten your teeth, you should take steps to ensure the procedure is successful. While it is easy to walk down the drugstore aisle and select a whitening kit, there are risks involved with this. To start, this portion of the industry is unregulated. That means there is no set consistency among the products you can buy. You could try a whitening kit that barely brightens your teeth, one that works decently, or one that works well. The problem is, you may not know how it will work before you buy it. As a dentist, we are trained medical professionals, and all of our teeth whitening procedures produce dramatic results. There is no guesswork involved when visiting our office, and with limited time to prepare for the holidays, you can rest assured that your smile will be beautiful.

Another reason our procedure works better is because our solution is professional-grade. It is designed to penetrate the enamel so the process of oxidization begins. This is where the molecules inside of your teeth change to reflect less light and appear colorless. As a result, your smile will look bright and white. What you buy in the store will not work as well, because it is typically designed to remove surface stains only. This can help, but your teeth may still look yellow.

We can help you look amazing in time for the holidays, so call and schedule your teeth whitening today.

Implant Dentist  >  Best Dentist

Call Us if You Need an Emergency Dentist

As an emergency dentist, we understand that it is impossible to control when you will have a dental emergency.  Even those who are fastidious about oral health can still end up in a car wreck, hurt while playing sports, slip and fall down, etc., all of which can lead to a damaged tooth and dental emergency.  In fact, according to the National Fall Safety Institute slip and falls account for 9 million trips to the emergency room every year.  With that in mind, you truly never know when you may need emergency dentist care.  Fortunately, we are here when you do.  Regardless of how you hurt yourself or how damaged your teeth are, give us a call.  If we do not answer, we will get back to you right away so that you can receive the dental care that you need.

Solutions Offered by an Emergency Dentist

As an emergency dentist, we offer extended hours that are far beyond what you can find with a traditional dentist.  Many local dentists restrict their hours of operation to Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 5 pm.  While this works for many people, it can make it difficult for those with busy work schedules or a dental emergency to get the care that they need.  As a result, many people seek dental care from the emergency room of a local hospital.  This is unwise because general physicians are not trained in how to diagnose or treat dental problems.  They can triage the problem and provide medication, but that's it.  This leads to repeat visits because the health issue is never actually addressed.  When you visit our dental office, your experience will be entirely different.  Even though we are available 24 hours a day, we still provide the same comprehensive dental care that you can receive during normal business hours.  This means that we can examine your teeth, take x-rays, diagnose the problem and provide you with immediate care.  If you have damaged your tooth, we may restore it with a bonding procedure, dental veneers, or dental crowns.  If you have lost a tooth, we can try to save it or provide you with a denture, dental bridge, or dental implant as a replacement solution.  Finally, if your tooth is infected, we can typically save it by performing a root canal.

When you visit our dental office, you can be confident knowing that you will receive the highest quality of dental care from a team of experts.  We are equipped to handle whatever your dental needs may be.

Tips for Staying Healthy

If you want to decrease the chance that you will ever need an emergency dentist, it is important to take care of your teeth and gums. While you cannot prevent most accidents, if you play sports you can decrease your risk for getting injured.  We recommend that you wear a mouthguard while playing or practicing sports so that your teeth will not be damaged if hit.  Simultaneously, if you receive ongoing dental care, the chance of you developing a sudden toothache will also be reduced.

Best Dentist  >  Family Dentist

Braces vs Going to an Invisalign Dentist

If you are considering whether to get braces vs going to an Invisalign dentist, you are already on the road to getting straight teeth and a beautiful smile. During a consultation in our office, we can examine your teeth and let you know what we feel will be the most effective treatment solution for moving your teeth and bite into alignment.  In the meantime, if you are comparing the pros and cons of each, here is what you need to know.

Effectiveness: Braces vs Invisalign®
If you are looking for a solution that is the most effective, braces and Invisalign® can both accomplish the goal of moving your teeth and bite into alignment.  As an Invisalign Dentist, we will say that if your bite is severely misaligned, for example, a major overbite, traditional metal braces might be your best option and we will recommend a course of action that may include seeing an orthodontist.  This is because a variety of oral appliances and solutions like rubber bands can be used to move the jaw into alignment during the course of the treatment.  If you are simply looking to straighten your teeth, both solutions should work quite well.

Convenience: Braces vs Invisalign®
As an Invisalign Dentist, we know that wearing clear aligners is typically far more convenient than wearing traditional metal braces.  This is one area where Invisalign® really shines.  When your teeth are being straightened using aligners, they are designed to come out when you eat, drink and brush your teeth.  That means that you will not need to worry about anything getting stuck in between your teeth or the embarrassment that is associated with that.  Since the Invisalign® aligners come out, you can even remove them to go on a date, make a presentation at work, attend a wedding, etc.  This makes it possible to look like a better version of yourself while going through the process of straightening your teeth.  The only time where this would be inconvenient is if you had a job that would make it difficult to remove the aligners when eating, in which case, traditional braces may be a preferred option.

Treatment Time: Braces vs Invisalign®
When comparing treatment times, they should be relatively the same.  As an Invisalign dentist, we know that the average treatment time is 12 to 18 months and the average treatment time for adult braces is also 18 months.  With that in mind, you should select the solution that you are the most comfortable wearing.  During your examination and consultation, we will provide you with specifics regarding your personalized treatment plan and timeline.

Children's Orthodontist: Braces vs Invisalign®
If you are looking for a solution to straighten your child's teeth, they need to wear traditional metal braces.  We understand that a lot of our young patients would like to straighten their teeth using aligners but this is not a viable solution for them. While they might not qualify for cosmetic braces, they can have fun with their braces treatment by letting them select their favorite color of rubber bands every time that their wires are adjusted.

Teeth Whitening  >  Cosmetic Dentist

The Cosmetic Dentist And Cosmetic Dentistry Health Benefits

The first cosmetic dentist trip you make will be an exciting time, almost as exciting as when you will leave with a much-improved smile. People come in to see the cosmetic dentist because they know we have the techniques and treatments that can help make your teeth absolutely spectacular, such as dental veneers. In the modern world, the cosmetic dentist has a great deal of latitude and tools like dental veneers to help you have the teeth you want, so there is really no reason why a person has to suffer with crooked, misaligned, or even stained teeth. Often, we get patients coming in who are worried about the overall condition of their mouth and concerned they will not be able to get some of the treatments we offer, like dental veneers. As a cosmetic dentist, we know there are a few issues that can cause you to be ineligible for cosmetic treatments; however, we also know that the vast majority of these issues can be treated and dealt with quickly, which will then allow you to proceed with getting your better-looking smile.

When we do a procedure that involves any level of permanence – like dental veneers, which require us to shave away a portion of your tooth enamel in order to properly place them – we will always start the process with a comprehensive examination. This examination is to detect underlying problems that could cause unnecessary complications unless we address them before starting you down the road with cosmetic treatments. More often than not, patients who have some kind of challenge find that the solutions are not complicated, but must be done with the overall health and oral well-being of your teeth in mind. Once we have cleared up whatever this underlying problem is, we can start doing what we as a cosmetic dentist love to do, which is improving your teeth. Since we are determined to not only give you a smile you will love but also give you a smile that will stand the test of time, we want to start out with a clean bill of health and a mouth free of any additional challenges.

The most common reasons why your cosmetic dentist may call a pause when treating your mouth are decay and infections. With decay, there is the element of aggressive bacteria that has already caused your teeth to lose some of its enamel. We do not want to place a cosmetic solution into a situation where the bacteria might spread and damage your new tooth. As such, we will remove the cavity, clean out the bacteria, and then fill it with a tooth-colored filling. In the case of an infection, it almost speaks for itself. We cannot do any procedure that may require exposing any part of the tooth or gums if there is an active infection in the mouth. This could lead to the infection spreading, which is what we do not want. So we need to treat the infection with antibiotics or other remedies before proceeding.

Family Dentist  >  Emergency Dentist

The Dental Implant Procedure: How an Implant Dentist Can Replace Your Dentures

As an implant dentist, we speak with many patients who are frustrated over loose or ill-fitting dentures. Medical technology has improved greatly over the past couple of decades. Dentures are fitting better and looking more natural than ever before, but they are still a removable prosthetic. Since they are designed to come out, there is no way for them to provide the same degree of stability a natural tooth would, and as a result, they can become loose more easily, leading to unwanted frustration and inconvenience during mealtime or when engaged in high-impact activities. For some people, this is not an issue, but for others, this can seriously impact their quality of life. This is where we can help.

As an implant dentist, we can replace your teeth in a way that is entirely durable and secure. An implant is the only solution for tooth loss that replaces both your root and the visible tooth. As a result, it functions like a natural tooth would, providing you with the security you require in order to eat all of your favorite foods, run a marathon, or sing in the choir without worrying about your teeth.

Here is how it works:

When you visit us for an examination, we will inspect your gums and take x-rays to determine if you have enough bone density to begin the procedure. If not, we may recommend alternatives, like performing a bone graft first or using a different type of implant procedure. Once we are certain you are healthy enough to get started, we will schedule an appointment for implant surgery. We are skilled at completing this procedure in a way that is as comfortable as possible. You will receive anesthesia and be relaxed during the procedure. We will implant a titanium post under your gums and secure it to the jawbone in each spot you lost a tooth. The procedure can take a couple of hours though it depends on how many teeth are being replaced. We can give you an exact time frame when you visit our implant dentist office for a consultation.

After the procedure, you will feel sore and experience some swelling. This can be managed by using an ice pack and taking ibuprofen. For a few days, you will need to be careful to only eat soft foods and not irritate the surgical site. Afterward, your gums will begin to heal, and you should feel better. It will take a couple of months for the process of osseointegration to take place. You will not feel it happening, but inside your mouth, your jawbone, and the titanium post will be fusing together. This is what makes an implant so secure. The bone provides the same level of stability to the implant that it would to a natural root. The new tooth will then stimulate the jawbone, so it is a symbiotic relationship. Once complete, we will attach the new tooth (dental crown), and you will be able to enjoy all of the benefits that come with a secure, full set of natural-looking teeth. To learn more about this process, call our implant dentist office and schedule a consultation.

Invisalign Dentist  >  Dentist

Picking The Best Dentist for Me in Alexandria

We are a local Alexandria dentist that is available to help if you damage a tooth or suffer from a severe toothache after hours.  In this situation we are the best dentist to call because we can treat the current discomfort you are feeling and provide you with any necessary restorations so that the form and function of your tooth will be restored quickly.  When you are trying to select the right dentist for you and your family, this is an important point to consider.  While most dentists will provide you with preventative care, you should visit someone that can help when something goes wrong.  When it comes to your oral health, you need a provider that you can trust to help you in an emergency situation.

When should you start looking for an emergency dentist?

This is a very interesting question with a very simple answer. You should start looking for an emergency dentist now. This is because we know that most people will never look for an emergency dentist or provider until they have a dire need. Most of the time, people assume they will never need the services of someone like an emergency dentist. Even if it does cross one's mind, there is the assumption that, like a medical emergency, a dental emergency can be dealt with in the emergency room. An emergency room is not the place to go if you have a dental emergency unless you are bleeding profusely because an emergency room is not equipped to deal with an oral health emergency situation. Instead, you need to see an emergency dentist. You should start your search for this provider with your own general dentist. Some dentists do provide emergency dental services, so it is a good idea to discuss this with them first. If they do not provide you with emergency treatment options, chances are that your dentist will have a provider they can refer you to. If they do not have this either, you may want to consider changing your dentist. In any case, many people prefer to know they can come to their dentist whether it is for something regular or in an emergency situation, and see the same people, which means many will find a dentist who also does emergency treatments to be their primary provider.

As an Alexandria dentist, we warn patients not to wait to add our number to their contact list.  The challenge with looking for an emergency dentist when you are already hurt, in pain, or suffering terrible discomfort is that you are liable to select the first and closest provider without doing the research necessary to know if they are the right fit for you. One of the most important things to do when you research a dentist online is to look at their testimonials, references, and reviews. In addition to this, you will want to talk to your insurance company about things like an “in-network” dentist who can provide you with emergency dentist services when you need them. While you have your insurance on the phone, it never hurts to check what exactly they pay for when you do have an emergency situation. None of this can be done when all you care about is getting rid of the toothache, and so should be done beforehand. As the best dentist in town, we can help you to prepare for an emergency so that you can receive the care you need right away.

One of the most important things we check for when you call in about needing an emergency dentist is if you are bleeding. Bleeding can be dangerous, so if you are bleeding profusely or if you cannot get the bleeding from a broken, dislodged, or knocked out tooth to stop, you need to go in to the emergency room and get them to stop the bleeding for you. If the bleeding is mild, place gauze on it and apply pressure for about 10 minutes. This should make the bleeding completely stop and allow you to drive to our Alexandria dentist office for help.  As the best dentist for treating emergencies, we can also provide you with care instructions over the phone that can help to minimize any discomfort while you are driving to our office.

Best Dentist  >  Old Town dentist