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QuestionsCommon ConcernsWe want to provide convenient, complete answers to all of your common concerns, both when you're in the office as well as when you're at home. That's why we've provided this list of FAQs, and our corresponding answers. Of course, if you have questions not listed here, just email or call our office!
How does Dr. Kramer keep up to date on all of the current techniques and materials?Dr. Kramer is highly committed to maintaining a state-of-the-art practice, both in terms of our techniques and our technology. This means investing considerable time in ongoing education, keeping current on the latest advances in the industry, and attending hands-on courses. In fact, Dr. Kramer's post-graduate studies involve high-level cosmetic and restorative work with masters in the field, including completing the curriculum at the renowned Pacific Aesthetic Continuum in San Francisco; all the course work in Frank Spear's Seattle Institute of Advanced Education; and ongoing advanced implant studies at the Misch Institute. Dr. Kramer is also a current and active member of the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, has lectured to national audiences of dentists, and has been published in various dental publications. Further, he's performed direct research resulting in significant improvements in dental techniques and materials. And in addition to keeping up with his ongoing education, Dr. Kramer ensures that our staff stays well-versed in the latest techniques required for carrying out their specific roles as well. I'm so used to my smile, I take it for granted. How can a 'Smile Analysis' help me determine what changes would be most beneficial?Thorough smile analysis helps uncover hard-to-articulate aspects of your smile, and your feelings about it…allowing us to determine which treatments or procedures would be most appropriate for creating change. Typically, analysis involves both emotional questions-- to determine how your smile affects your self-image, your interactions with others, and your relationships; and objective questions-to determine what structural/physical aspects of your smile concern you. You can even try answering these at home before you visit! To do an emotional smile evaluation, ask yourself the following questions: How do you feel about your smile? Do you love its appearance? Does it make you feel confident? Or, do you turn away from people while smiling, or hide your mouth with your hand while talking? Do you cover your smile with your lips, or refrain from letting yourself smile fully in front of others? Do you close your mouth to smile for pictures? Do you hold back your true laugh so that your smile won't show? Are you embarrassed by the condition of your teeth, or by the length of time that's passed since you've seen a dentist? Have you ever wished that you had someone else's smile? How would a new, beautiful smile make you feel about yourself and about life? What would you like to change about it in order to make it seem 'beautiful' to you? To do an objective smile evaluation, stand in front of a mirror using your normal smile. Now, think of something truly funny, and give yourself a big, laughing smile. If you're unhappy with your smile or your teeth, you probably don't use that smile very often. But, you could freely use such a contagious, happy smile if you felt confident about it! So, ask yourself the following questions: What color are your teeth-white, yellow, darkened, or badly stained? Are there spaces or missing teeth anywhere? Are any teeth crooked, uneven, or out of alignment? Do they slant one way or the other? Do the biting edges of your upper teeth follow your lips' curvature? Are the edges even with each other, or are some too long or too short? Do the edges of your canine teeth look too long, sharp, or out of line? Do you grind your teeth? Are the edges chipped or worn? Are any teeth too short, fat, small, or large? Does the midline of your two front teeth center with your face and nose? Does your smile show too much gum, thick gums, receding gums, puffy gums, or uneven gums? Do you have silver/mercury fillings in any teeth? Do you have old, unnatural-looking crowns with darkened edges? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you'll be happy to know that we have answers for you. Read more about our services, or contact us today to share your answers with us, and obtain our professional evaluation. After conducting this kind of Smile Analysis, what is involved in Smile Design?Smile Design involves several important steps. After an initial smile analysis, we conduct a consultation using digital imaging to preview exactly what your desired final smile can look like. After we all agree upon the final objectives, we create a treatment plan to accommodate those goals-some involving several lengthy appointments, some requiring much less time. In any case, we strive to create a smile that accurately conveys your unique personality, in keeping with your gender, age, and facial features. When we're finished, the new restorations will be undetectable…all that you'll see is a healthy, happy new smile that won't quit. This kind of Smile Design is simple to explain, but extremely technical to perform. That's why it's so critical to choose a professional dentist such as Dr. Kramer, who has obtained advanced training in the latest techniques and materials of restorative and cosmetic dentistry. In fact, Smile Design isn't taught in dental school, but requires post-graduate training, extensive hands-on experience, and incredible dedication to confidently apply both the artistic and scientific knowledge involved in successful, lasting smile work. How do I know when it's time to come in for a check-up?The time-span between check-ups can vary greatly with each individual, according to his or her current state of dental health. For example, an average, healthy adult person typically benefits from a professional cleaning and check up every six months. While twice daily brushing and daily flossing go a long way towards maintaining a healthy mouth, it's wise to check for plaque that has hardened into tartar, requiring professional cleaning to avoid gingivitis. On the other hand, a person who's been treated for gingivitis may require even more frequent visits to keep the situation under control and prevent further trouble. When you visit our office, we'll establish an appropriate visit plan for you based on the findings of your comprehensive oral examination. How can I safely whiten my teeth?Tooth whitening is one of the simplest, safest kinds of cosmetic dentistry available today. At our office, we offer an at-home supervised program, using comfortable, custom-fitted trays and a specialized adhesive-type whitening gel, the concentration of which can be tailored to suit your individual needs. Typically, we find that this system results in about a 2-4 shade improvement, when used over a 10 day-2 week period. Remember, it's important that we have a brief consultation prior to your choosing a whitening system, since some people are better candidates than others for the treatment. For example, if your teeth are darkened to a yellow, brown or orange tinge due to age, coffee, tea, or smoking, chances are very good that teeth whitening will bring lasting, satisfactory results. However, if your teeth are a dark gray tone from fluorosis or tetracycline use, whitening results may be a bit less dramatic; further, whitening does not lighten resins, silicants, porcelains or other synthetic materials. I want my front teeth to look better, but I don't want to wear braces. Can you help me?Dr. Kramer has a number of ways to improve the look of your front teeth without the use of braces. For slightly crooked or unevenly worn teeth, a bit of reshaping and the addition of porcelain veneers may be sufficient to give them a bright, uniform look. In more pronounced cases, it may be necessary to refer you to an orthodontist who specializes in 'invisible braces'. Because every situation is a little different, we recommend that you come in for a consultation; we'd be happy to talk with you further about the option that best suits your smile. I really don't like visiting the dentist, is there anything you can do to help me relax?We understand that people have qualms about having their teeth worked on. So, we strive to create a relaxing atmosphere. First, our entire staff is trained to be alert and aware of your concerns, so that we can make your visit as comfortable as possible. Second, we've included a number of amenities to help you relax during your treatment…including watching your favorite DVD or listening to your favorite music. For procedural concerns or anxiety, we can also provide nitrous oxide as needed to help you undergo the treatment itself. And for extensive or complex procedures, we are highly trained in the use of oral sedation…allowing you to sleep through your entire appointment, retaining absolutely no memory of the procedure afterwards. During your first appointment, we'll spend plenty of time going over such concerns with you, then plan your treatments accordingly! Crowns, Onlays, Inlays, Veneers & Partials…can you tell me more about these procedures?With today's technology, materials, and advanced techniques, we have many options for restoring weak, broken, chipped, discolored, and/or missing teeth…bringing your smile back to its original shape and function. For example, we can apply an all-porcelain crown, somewhat like a 'cap', to cover the entire outside of the problem tooth. Crowns are also helpful to cover large areas of decay after they've been filled. Or, for smaller areas of decay, we can apply all-porcelain onlays or inlays… similar to crowns, but retaining more natural tooth structure. For unattractive front teeth, we can create pretty, natural shapes and shades by applying paper-thin porcelain veneers to the fronts. For patients who are missing a number of front/side teeth, we can create a removable partial denture, designed for either the upper or lower jaw, made of all acrylic or all metal. They're attached to existing teeth by means of precision acrylic clasps, and must be removed for cleaning after eating, as well as for sleeping. For more information on any of these procedures, please feel free to talk with Dr. Kramer during your visit. Do I have to floss every day? Is it really that important?It's been said that you really only need to floss those teeth that you want to keep. And although that might sound trite, it's absolutely true. A little regular flossing goes a long way and is truly critical for your overall oral health. It loosens food particles in tight spaces that your toothbrush cannot reach; it gets rid of plaque build-up that toothbrushes alone cannot remove; and it helps maintain healthy circulation in your gum tissues. All of which is necessary to avoid gum disease. So, just think of daily flossing as the finishing touch after brushing-an easy, quick form of insurance for your smile's future. My breath has a terrible odor, even though I brush every day. What can I do about it?Millions of people struggle with halitosis, or bad breath, despite daily teeth brushing. Here's a checklist of procedures that can eliminate the problem: twice daily brushing, daily flossing, and tongue cleaning; regular professional cleanings, and careful cleaning of any dentures or removable dental appliances. However, if your hygiene is meticulous and the problem persists, we can offer several solutions. First, we can provide a special breath kit that includes a plastic tool called a tongue scraper…an amazingly simple device that cleans away bacterial build-up on your tongue ten times more effectively than just brushing your tongue, significantly alleviating odor. The kit also includes a toothpaste, rinse and portable mouth spray containing an ingredient designed to actually destroy the odor-causing sulfides that cause bad breath. Of course, if we suspect a systemic or internal problem such as an infection or underlying condition, we may recommend a visit with your family physician or specialist to identify and treat the cause. Do you accept my insurance plan?We will be happy to accept payment from any insurance carrier, and will also be glad to help you file to maximize your allowable benefits. Further, we are specifically listed on several plans. We'll go over all of your particular insurance coverage information at the time when you come in for your evaluation and determine your treatment choices. What about payment options for my part of the bill?When you come in for your evaluation and option selection appointment, we'll go over your treatment plan to help you determine the most appropriate payment plan. We accept cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, or American Express; plus we also offer a variety of payment plans including a 12-month, no-interest plan. All in all, we work with you up front to establish the most comfortable and reasonable plan possible so that your most optimum treatment plan is affordable to you; we never want finances to limit your ability to have the strong, healthy smile that you deserve. Do you accept referrals?We're happy to accept referrals from other dental offices as well as from recommendations by our patients to their families and friends. We do appreciate having new patients complete a patient evaluation form prior to the first visit-available on-line; we also appreciate receiving all recent records and x-rays ahead of time, if possible. What do I do if I have an emergency when the office is closed?In case of a true dental emergency after hours, please contact our 24-hour office voice mail, and you'll be given a direct number for contacting Dr. Kramer. Can you show me what my smile can look like ahead of time with imaging software?We routinely use computer 'digital' imaging to help our patients visualize the end results of cosmetic and restorative work. By simply asking the right questions, taking various photos of your current smile, and keying in the correct input into our computer, we'll generate a graphic image that accurately predicts/shows how your procedure will affect your smile. It's a fun process, and usually produces excited smiles all around. What makes you different than any other dental practice I can visit?We're convinced that taking care of people's dental health should be a rewarding experience for everyone involved! That's why we've gone to the trouble to design a practice where comfort is 'built-in': every aspect of our office is geared toward keeping you physically and emotionally relaxed and at ease. To begin with, you won't find any unpleasant surprises: we make sure that you clearly understand and agree with our rationale on every procedure in your treatment plan. Secondly, we offer several kinds of anxiety/pain relief options for various levels of treatment complexity. |