FAQs

During your first appointment, your overall dental and oral health will be assessed with a comprehensive oral evaluation. Upon completion of your medical / dental health form, we will ask you to tell us your goals regarding your smile, teeth, and gums. Intraoral photos and X-Rays will be taken of your teeth to identify areas of decay, cracked teeth and malfunctioning restorations. Our goal is to preserve as much of your teeth as possible by catching decay in its earliest stages. We’ll also assess your gums and recommend the appropriate hygiene treatment for you. At Bostick Dental Center, we practice comprehensive dentistry to get your mouth to a point of optimal health.

Many people are uncomfortable with visiting the dentist. Your comfort is among our highest priorities and our office is designed so that you can enjoy a relaxing dental visit. For entertainment and distraction, TVs are positioned above the treatment chairs to allow you to watch your favorite shows and massage cushions with relax your back so you can keep your mind on more pleasant things. Nitrous oxide is also offered to keep you comfortable and relaxed.

By replacing missing teeth either with a bridge or implant, you will alleviate the problems associated with missing a tooth and give your smile back its beautiful, full appearance. A bridge is one solution for replacing a tooth. By using neighboring teeth as the supportive structure, your dentist places a porcelain restoration into the vacant space, restoring the functionality and look of your smile. A dental implant is also an excellent solution. Dental implants involve the placement of a titanium post directly into the jawbone. Once the post has bonded to the bone, it can act as a new, solid support for a natural looking, porcelain restoration. Implants can replace a single tooth, or an entire set of teeth, offering more function and permanence than traditional dentures.

If your doctor has recommended a crown to you, it is likely either to correct a broken/ weakened tooth or to repair a tooth that has deteriorated due to cavities (decay). The decay in your tooth eats away healthy tooth structure much like rust eats away at metal. If not removed, decay will deteriorate the tooth to the point where extraction is the only viable treatment option. Sometimes, decay is removed leaving healthy tooth structure, but not much of it. A crown can then be placed, restoring the look and function of your tooth while allowing you to keep your natural, underlying tooth structure. Most crowns are precision- milled porcelain and are individually customized for each application in each patient, giving you a natural, long lasting smile. Many crowns can also be completed in one visit at Bostick Dental Center using new technology called CAD-CAM dentistry.

There are multiple ways to whiten your teeth.

• At home whitening trays. These products use peroxide-based gels to bleach your teeth. Generally, the process involves the daily application of the gel in a formed “mouth guard” for about two weeks. Side effects may include short-term tooth or gum sensitivity.
• Zoom! whitening (aka in-office whitening). Zoom! whitening is a procedure that takes place in a single visit to your dentist. It involves the application of a specially formulated gel that, when exposed to a type of light energy, penetrates the stains in your teeth, breaking them up and leaving your smile brighter and whiter. The entire process takes under an hour. c. Porcelain crowns and veneers. Many people who have tetracycline stained teeth and cannot whiten their teeth with traditional means, or people who want a more permanent solution will opt for porcelain veneers. Porcelain crowns are a great way to whiten your teeth in a more permanent fashion. The porcelain does not stain with time and also correct many other concerns that you may have including crooked teeth, gaps in teeth and a gummy smile.

You are not alone. Most people want to have a nice smile since it is the first thing others notice about you. You may be interested in a few minor adjustments or may have concerns that need more attention. Some smiles can be enhanced with simple whitening or bonding treatments. Other smiles need porcelain veneers, crowns or bridges; gum contouring; periodontal therapy or a combination of all these techniques. Drs. Bostick and Boyd will suggest a treatment plan for you based on your goals, areas of concern and the overall condition of your oral health. Contact us for a complimentary smile evaluation to determine what course of action will produce the best solution for you.

Most dental pain brought on by chewing is caused by a fracture, or crack, in the tooth. The pain can be corrected by placing an inlay/onlay, a porcelain crown, or with more advanced treatment. You want to correct the pain as soon as possible to prevent further damage to the tooth. Occasionally, damage to the nerve of the tooth may occur. If symptoms are significant enough, a procedure called Root Canal Therapy may be necessary to remove the pain symptom. Contrary to what you may have heard about this treatment in the past, modern Root Canal Therapy results in only a mild soreness at worst. Usually, patients remark that there was no post-operative pain whatsoever. Contact us today to schedule a visit and remedy the pain.