DOLCE DENTAL |
303-1055 West Broadway, Vancouver BC
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Let us answers your questions...
How long will my first appointment take?
We usually allot an hour and a half appointment for your first visit, as usually this includes a comprehensive exam, some x-rays, and the cleaning. On occasion, we may need to bring you back to complete your cleaning if we find that you are presenting with more severe gum disease(gingivitis/periodontitis). Subsequent cleaning appointments may take around an hour, and appointments for fillings may range from half an hour to 2 hours depending on how many teeth are being worked on or how extensive the work is to be done. For patients requiring work on multiple teeth, we will always offer you the option to have shorter appointments split over a few more visits or longer but fewer appointments.
How much does it cost?
We understand that the cost of dental treatment is often a deterrent to treatment but the cost of neglect is far greater and ends up costing much more, not only financially, but also physiologically(loss of teeth means it’s harder to eat and maintain a healthy nutrition intake) and psychologically(missing teeth or bad breath from lack of dental care can lead to low self-confidence).
The cost for dental treatment at our office is based on the fee guide set out by the BC Dental Association and ultimately depends on the procedures required. A comprehensive new patient exam for an adult including some x-rays and the cleaning may range from $375-$525 depending again on the number and type of x-rays required and the amount of time required for the cleaning. Future recall visits cost less than the initial visit, and the healthier your mouth is at the time of the visit, the less time it will take for us to clean, and less likely that we will have to bring you back for fillings. Fillings are billed based on how many tooth surfaces are involved, and can be a few hundred dollars if it is an extensive filling requiring multiple surfaces. We can provide you with an estimate of costs before you begin any treatment.
The cost for dental treatment at our office is based on the fee guide set out by the BC Dental Association and ultimately depends on the procedures required. A comprehensive new patient exam for an adult including some x-rays and the cleaning may range from $375-$525 depending again on the number and type of x-rays required and the amount of time required for the cleaning. Future recall visits cost less than the initial visit, and the healthier your mouth is at the time of the visit, the less time it will take for us to clean, and less likely that we will have to bring you back for fillings. Fillings are billed based on how many tooth surfaces are involved, and can be a few hundred dollars if it is an extensive filling requiring multiple surfaces. We can provide you with an estimate of costs before you begin any treatment.
Can you file my insurance for me?
Absolutely! We will file your claim and handle all paperwork on your behalf. Occasionally, certain insurance plans will only deal with their patients. But even in those circumstances, we will do our best to make it as simple for you as we can.
We also accept payment directly from your insurance company, as long as your insurance company allows direct payment to our office.
We also accept payment directly from your insurance company, as long as your insurance company allows direct payment to our office.
Can payment be spread out over time?
For long term treatment, such as orthodontics, we offer monthly, payment plans. Arrangements for other treatments can be made on a case by case basis, depending on your individual treatment plan, schedule, and budget. We want to make dental care convenient and affordable for you and your family so we will do our best to accommodate your financial situation.
How safe are X-rays and do I need them at each visit?
The digital x-ray systems that we use in our office deliver very little radiation, and we firmly adhere to the ALARA principle for radiation exposure-As Low As Reasonably Achievable. X-rays are an important diagnostic tool for us to ensure that small problems don't become bigger ones but it is also important to us that we minimize our patients to radiation exposure. Since we personalize our treatments for each patient, the frequency of x-rays will be different depending on each patient’s oral health. An adult who has not had cavities or other problems for a few years will definitely not need x-rays at every appointment, and may be fine to have them taken once every couple of years. If a patient’s dental situation is less stable and we are monitoring a certain area, it may require more frequent or area-specific x-rays to be taken.
Will it hurt?
While it’s a bit of an overstatement to say that your experience will be completely pain-free, you can rest assured that we aim to provide you the most comfortable experience possible. We use a slower technique when delivering freezing which many of our patients report make the freezing process more comfortable, and in many cases a truly pain-free delivery. For a few of our new patients who haven’t been to the dentist in several years and present with severe gum problems, we may recommend breaking up the cleaning procedure into two visits so that we can freeze and work on half of the mouth since it can be a longer appointment. Don’t be shy in letting us know how we can make your visit more pleasant!
Why do my gums bleed when I floss or brush?
Bleeding gums are a sign of inflammation and may be diagnosed as gingivitis or periodontitis depending on the severity of the condition. Bleeding gums are an indication that you should come visit us for a cleaning appointment. Patients often report that they don’t floss because it causes their gums to bleed. In fact, they should be continuing to floss regularly as this will help decrease the levels of inflammatory factors and result in decreased bleeding.
There is an ever-growing body of evidence that shows the important relationship between oral health and systemic health. While the inflammation in your mouth can reflect as inflammation elsewhere in your body, the reverse is also true and certain medical conditions will cause symptoms to show up in your mouth.
Maintaining healthy gums is one of the foundations for a healthy smile as advanced gums disease can lead to shrinkage of the gums and bone supporting the teeth, resulting in loose teeth which ultimately may require in loss of teeth. The combination of regular professional cleanings and home hygiene measures should ensure that you will be able keep and use all your natural teeth for years to come.
There is an ever-growing body of evidence that shows the important relationship between oral health and systemic health. While the inflammation in your mouth can reflect as inflammation elsewhere in your body, the reverse is also true and certain medical conditions will cause symptoms to show up in your mouth.
Maintaining healthy gums is one of the foundations for a healthy smile as advanced gums disease can lead to shrinkage of the gums and bone supporting the teeth, resulting in loose teeth which ultimately may require in loss of teeth. The combination of regular professional cleanings and home hygiene measures should ensure that you will be able keep and use all your natural teeth for years to come.
How many times do I have to keep coming to see you?
The length and frequency of your dental visits depends on your oral health needs and goals. We want to catch small problems early before they become bigger, more painful and costly to treat. Some patients may only require a dental exam every six to nine months, while others may require multiple visits to bring their smiles back to optimal health. For patients who tend to build up tartar quickly, a three month cleaning schedule may be beneficial to their teeth and gums.
Our goal is to work with and educate our patients so that they eventually only need to visit us for their check-up and cleaning appointments.
Our goal is to work with and educate our patients so that they eventually only need to visit us for their check-up and cleaning appointments.
Do you take kids as patients?
Definitely! We also understand that it may be intimidating for children to come to the dental office so you will find that we are very gentle and patient with our young visitors. Our goal is to make the dental visit a positive experience for your children so that they don’t develop any dental phobias as they get older. Occasionally, we may recommend a referral to a paediatric dentist for sedation if we feel the child’s cooperativeness is limited.
Do you use mercury fillings?
No, mercury is only found in silver-coloured fillings and we only use tooth-coloured filling materials in our office.
Does whitening/bleaching harm my teeth?
Tooth whitening/bleaching is one of the most conservative and cost-effective dental treatments to improve or enhance a person’s smile, but it is not completely risk-free. Current data indicates that whitening treatments in the dental office or at home may cause short-term tooth sensitivity and/or gum irritation, especially when using stronger concentrations of peroxide. Therefore, it is best performed under professional supervision following a consult and diagnosis. Supervised in-office bleachings or professional home treatments allow for better management of adverse effects and reduce the risks of using inferior products, inappropriate applications, and product misuse. At Dolce Dental, we use a laser whitening procedure which allows for a much shorter treatment time which also means less sensitivity and less changes to the enamel structure.
Patients considering drug-store products should also have a dental exam and understand that they could be purchasing products that have little or no beneficial effect on changing the color of their teeth and yet have the potential to cause harm. Tooth bleaching works best on superficial stains. Certain conditions, among which include internal discolorations, tooth/enamel cracks, exposed root surfaces, translucency, and defects in tooth form or anatomy, may be resistant to the whitening process and result in inappropriate over-treatment and unnecessary damage due to unrealistic patient expectations.
We are pleased to offer a complimentary whitening consult to discuss whether you are a good candidate for whitening.
Patients considering drug-store products should also have a dental exam and understand that they could be purchasing products that have little or no beneficial effect on changing the color of their teeth and yet have the potential to cause harm. Tooth bleaching works best on superficial stains. Certain conditions, among which include internal discolorations, tooth/enamel cracks, exposed root surfaces, translucency, and defects in tooth form or anatomy, may be resistant to the whitening process and result in inappropriate over-treatment and unnecessary damage due to unrealistic patient expectations.
We are pleased to offer a complimentary whitening consult to discuss whether you are a good candidate for whitening.
Do I have to take out my wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth(third molar) extractions are only recommended based on the individual situations of our patients. There used to be a popular belief that wisdom teeth would cause crowding and some dentists would routinely recommend extractions. Now, there is lots of research showing that it is natural for teeth to shift throughout life, even when wisdom teeth are not present, and that wisdom teeth do not exert enough pressure to cause the front teeth to move. We only recommend the removal of a wisdom tooth if there is a problem with the tooth or surrounding area, if it is causing problems for the second molar in front of it due to an impacted position, or if there is poor oral hygiene in the area. If your wisdom tooth has grown out and is receiving good oral hygiene, there is no need for extraction.