The American Dental Association (ADA) guidelines and our Cottonwood dentist office recommend visiting a dentist at least twice a year for a regular check-up and professional cleaning.
If this is your first visit, one of our staff members will compile your medical and dental history when you come in. One of our dentists will then examine your teeth and gums, screen for oral cancer, make X-rays of your teeth as needed and complete a TMJ (temporomandibular or jaw joint) exam. Your dentist will review your dental profile and then come to speak with you about the results of your tests. If treatment such as a root canal (endodontics), braces (orthodontics) or oral surgery is needed, we will make a plan to treat you in our office or refer you to a specialist. From there, we will discuss your options for treatment and fee payment to help you determine the best plan of action to fit your personal needs.
If you’re a returning patient, we will examine your teeth and gums, screen you for oral cancer, clean your teeth and make plans for treatment as it is needed. Your Cottonwood dentist will also discuss any pain or problems you may be experiencing and answer any questions you may have.
Painless dentistry is our commitment to ensuring that your visits to our office are as stress-free and pain-free as possible. This includes discussing treatment options that may require no local anesthetic and, whenever possible, alleviate pain by the means that you find the most comfortable.
If you have a dental emergency, please call our office as soon as you can. Our dedicated team is happy to work you into our schedule as soon as possible during regular business hours. If your emergency happens outside of our office hours, over the weekend or during holidays, please call our office for the doctor’s emergency contact number.
Arizona Smile Designers wants to ensure that everyone can receive impeccable dental treatment, so we offer low interest payment plans for all of our services. We also accept most major credit cards and many types of dental insurance.
Our trained cosmetic dentists have several methods available for whitening teeth: in-office, overnight or daily. One session of in-office bleaching generally lasts one and a half to two hours, and you can read or relax during the treatment. For overnight bleaching, we make an impression of your teeth and create a mouthguard that fits your bite. Each day you fill the mouthguard with a small amount of bleaching gel and wear it overnight or for a few hours during the day. The overnight bleaching process takes approximately two weeks.
We know that there are so many over-the-counter daily bleaching products available, but it is important to use any whitening product only under the supervision of a professional dentist. To achieve the whitening results you desire, the ADA recommends that you seek the professional advice of a dentist, including examination and diagnosis of the cause of tooth discoloration, before you begin any bleaching program.
Due to our years of experience, we have many different procedures that can help get you a brighter smile no matter the shape of your teeth. Porcelain veneers are designed to look like your natural teeth and are individually attached to the fronts of your existing teeth. Our Cottonwood cosmetic dentists can position the veneers to close any gaps that you may have.
We also offer bonding, which utilizes a composite material made of plastic to fill in areas of your teeth and correct chipping and shape problems. Both porcelain veneers and bonding are color-matched to the rest of your teeth, so you will always have a natural and beautiful smile.
Adults should use a small to medium size toothbrush with soft to medium bristles. The head of the brush needs to be small enough to brush all areas of the mouth thoroughly, specifically the back of the mouth, which can be hard to reach. Children should use small toothbrushes with soft bristles. People with sensitive teeth can benefit from using gentle, soft bristled toothbrushes. Many kinds of toothbrushes are available, and our team of dentists can help you decide which type of brush is most suitable for you and your teeth.
The American Dental Association recommends that you replace your brush every 3 to 4 months. With each use, the bristles of your toothbrush become worn and cleaning effectiveness decreases. Depending on your oral health, you may need to replace your brush sooner. Typically, children’s toothbrushes need to be replaced more regularly than adults as their teeth are more sensitive.
Generally, manual toothbrushes are just as effective as powered toothbrushes. Children may find brushing with a powered toothbrush more exciting. If you have difficulty using a manual toothbrush, a powered toothbrush may be much more comfortable and easier to use. Regardless of what toothbrush you choose, be sure to select one that you find easy to use and that you feel is effective.
There is no “best” toothpaste, however, we do recommend that you use a toothpaste that contains fluoride and carries the ADA Seal of Acceptance. This means it has been assessed for safety and effectiveness, and you can rest assured that it’s quality toothpaste. Studies consistently show that fluoride helps strengthen and rebuild tooth structure along with preventing tooth decay.
Flossing should be a part of your daily dental routine, and you should make sure that you floss once a day to prevent cavities from forming between the teeth. Flossing also helps preserve the health of your gums for years to come.
As long as you brush and floss thoroughly, it does not matter which order you do your teeth cleaning. There is, however, some research that shows that flossing before brushing enables the fluoride in your toothpaste to better reach the areas between your teeth.
A cap is the same as a crown. Both restorations are designed to restore a tooth that is severely broken, fractured or decayed by literally covering or capping the tooth. Dentists often use the term crowns for this type of procedure. Most people associate stainless steel or gold restorations as crowns and tooth-colored restorations as caps.
Both partial dentures and bridges are used to replace missing teeth. A bridge is sometimes called a fixed partial denture, because it fills a space previously occupied by a tooth. There are three main types of bridges, but a fixed bridge is the most popular. It consists of a filler tooth attached to two crowns, which fit over existing teeth and hold the bridge in place.
A partial denture, on the other hand, is removable and typically consists of replacement teeth attached to gum-colored bases that are connected via metal framework. The denture is attached to natural teeth with either metal clasps or precision attachments, which are virtually invisible.
If you get a root canal, you don’t necessarily need to get a crown. While most teeth do need a crown following a root canal procedure, every tooth that needs a crown does not need root canal treatment as well.