FAQs

Here is a list of questions and answers that are often asked of our patients. We hope you find them helpful, but please do not hesitate to call us at 262-246-6486 if there is anything we can personally answer for you.

It helps us to diagnose caries, periodontal disease, abscesses, bone loss, tumors, and other abnormalities of the dentition and keep you healthy.

It depends on where in the mouth you are numbed, but generally it lasts anywhere from 2 to 5 hours.

Its best to wait for the numbing to subside which can be anywhere from 2 to 5 hours.

The brand of the toothbrush is not as critical as the type of bristle and the size of the head. A soft toothbrush with a small head is recommended because medium and hard brushes tend to cause irritation and contribute to recession of the gums, and a small head allows you to get around each tooth more completely and is less likely to injure your gums. It’s unnecessary to “scrub” the teeth as long as you are brushing at least twice a day and visiting your dentist at least twice a year for cleanings.

Generally, no. However, it’s advisable to use a toothpaste containing fluoride to decrease the incidence of dental decay. We recommend our patients use what tastes good to them as long as it contains fluoride.

Flossing of the teeth once per day helps to prevent cavities from forming between the teeth where your toothbrush can’t reach. Flossing also helps to keep your gums healthy.

Crowns are restorations to repair a severely broken tooth by covering all or most of the tooth after removing old fillings, fractured tooth structure, and all decay. The restoration material is made of gold, porcelain, composites, or even stainless steel. Dentists refer to all of these restorations as “crowns”. However, patients often refer to the tooth-colored ones as “caps” and the gold or stainless steel ones as “crowns”.

Both bridges and partial dentures replace missing teeth. A bridge is permanently attached to adjacent teeth or, in some cases, implants. A partial denture is attached by clasps to the teeth and is easily removed by the patient. Patients are usually more satisfied with bridges than with partial dentures.

While most teeth that have had root canal treatments do need crowns to strengthen the teeth and to return the teeth to normal form and function, not every tooth having a root canal needs to have a crown.