FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Choosing a new dentist brings up plenty of questions, and every one deserves a straight answer. Here are the ones we hear most, from what to bring to your first visit to how our financing actually works.
FAQ
Preventive Dentistry Questions
A routine checkup includes a professional cleaning, digital X-rays, a full exam, and an oral cancer screening, all in one visit. Your dentist reviews everything with you in plain language before you leave.
Most checkups take about an hour, though your first visit may run a little longer while your dentist gets to know your full dental history.
A routine checkup is comfortable for most patients. If you feel anxious about the visit, let your dentist know beforehand so they can slow down and keep you at ease.
That's more common than you'd think, and there's no judgment here. Your dentist walks you through where things stand and what, if anything, needs attention, at your own pace.
Yes. Family dentistry starts around age three, and every visit is built to help kids feel comfortable from their very first appointment.
A cleaning removes plaque and tartar buildup, while a checkup includes the cleaning plus X-rays, an exam, and a screening. At Complete Smiles, a routine visit includes both.
X-ray needs vary by patient. Your dentist follows a schedule based on your history and oral health, usually about once a year for most patients.
Your dentist explains what they found in plain language and walks you through every option before recommending anything. Nothing moves forward until you’re ready.
Complete Smiles accepts Cigna, Delta Dental, UnitedHealthcare, and most major PPO plans, plus Medicaid, and most preventive visits are covered in full or at a reduced cost, depending on your plan.
The Complete Smiles Membership Plan covers two routine exams and cleanings a year with no waiting periods or deductibles, so a checkup stays affordable either way.
FAQ
Restorative Dentistry Questions
Restorative dentistry covers any treatment that repairs damaged, decayed, or missing teeth, including fillings, bonding, crowns, bridges, and dentures. The goal is restoring both how your smile works and how it looks.
Getting a filling is generally painless. The area is numbed beforehand, so most patients feel only mild pressure during the appointment, nothing more.
Fillings usually last 7 to 10 years, and crowns often last 10 to 15 years or longer, depending on how well you care for them and how much daily wear they take on.
A filling repairs a small area of decay or damage, while a crown covers the entire tooth when there's too little healthy structure left for a filling to hold up on its own.
Your tooth is prepared and scanned digitally, then the crown is designed and milled in-office while you wait, so it's placed the same day instead of requiring a temporary crown and a second visit.
A bridge fills the gap left by one or more missing teeth by attaching a replacement tooth to the natural teeth on either side, restoring your bite without a surgical implant.
Most patients adjust to new dentures within a few weeks. Eating softer foods and practicing speaking at home during that time helps the transition go more smoothly.
Yes. Fillings, bonding, and crowns are all color-matched to your natural teeth, so the repair blends in rather than standing out.
Many restorative treatments, including fillings, crowns, and dentures, are partially covered by most PPO and Medicaid plans. Coverage varies by plan, and the office can help verify your specific benefits before treatment begins.
Delaying treatment usually lets the problem grow, turning a simple filling into a need for a crown, or a crown into a need for a root canal or extraction. Addressing it early keeps treatment simpler, faster, and more affordable.
FAQ
Clear Aligners Questions
Most treatment plans take between 6 and 18 months, depending on how much movement your smile needs. Your dentist gives you a personalized timeline at your consultation.
You may feel mild pressure for a day or two after switching to a new set, which is a sign your teeth are moving. It's typically much less noticeable than the discomfort associated with traditional braces.
Clear aligners are removable, virtually invisible, and require no metal brackets or wires, while braces stay fixed to your teeth for the full length of treatment. Aligners also mean fewer office visits for adjustments.
For the best results, aligners should stay in for 20 to 22 hours a day, only coming out to eat, drink anything besides water, and brush or floss.
Yes. Since aligners come out at mealtimes, there are no food restrictions the way there are with braces. Just be sure to brush before putting them back in.
Clear aligners treat most mild to moderate alignment issues, including crowding, gaps, and bite problems. Your dentist can tell you during your consultation whether your case is a good fit.
Cost depends on the length and complexity of your treatment. Financing through the Complete Smiles Membership Plan, Cherry, and CareCredit can break the cost into a monthly payment.
Yes. A retainer keeps your teeth from drifting back toward their original position, so wearing it as directed protects the results of your treatment long-term.
Yes. Clear aligners work well for many teens, especially once all of their adult teeth have come in. Your dentist can confirm if the timing is right at a consultation.
Call your office right away. Depending on where you are in your treatment, your dentist may have you move ahead to the next set or provide a replacement to keep your treatment on track.
FAQ
Dental Implants Questions
With proper care, dental implants can last 20 years or longer, and many last a lifetime. Regular checkups and good oral hygiene are the biggest factors in how long yours will hold up.
The placement procedure is done under local anesthesia, so most patients feel little to no pain during the appointment. Mild soreness for a few days afterward is normal and manageable with over-the-counter pain relief.
From placement to final crown, the process typically takes three to six months, depending on how quickly your jawbone heals and integrates with the implant.
There's no upper age limit for dental implants. What matters most is your overall health and whether you have enough jawbone to support the implant, both of which your dentist evaluates at your consultation.
A bone graft can rebuild the area before your implant is placed, giving it a stable foundation. Your dentist will let you know during your CBCT scan if this extra step applies to you.
An implant replaces a missing tooth on its own, without altering the teeth next to it. A bridge fills the gap by anchoring a replacement tooth to those neighboring teeth, which requires reshaping them first.
Smoking can slow healing and affect how well an implant integrates with your jawbone. Many dentists recommend pausing smoking during the healing period to give the implant the best chance of success.
Yes. Your crown is custom-matched to the color, size, and shape of your surrounding teeth, so it blends in rather than standing out.
Cost varies based on your specific case, though financing brings implants down to as low as $150 a month. Your free consultation includes a clear cost estimate before you decide anything.
The jawbone beneath the gap gradually loses density, neighboring teeth start to shift, and your bite can change over time. Addressing it sooner keeps your treatment simpler and helps protect the rest of your smile.
FAQ
All-on-4 Implants Questions
Individual implants replace one tooth at a time, while All-on-4 uses just four implants to support an entire arch of replacement teeth in one fixed appliance.
No. A temporary set of fixed teeth is attached the same day your implants are placed, so you leave your procedure with a full smile.
Most patients receive their final custom prosthetic within four to six months, once the implants have fully healed and integrated with the jawbone.
Not always. The implants are angled to make the most of your existing bone, which often avoids the need for a graft. Your dentist confirms what your case needs after reviewing your CBCT scan.
All-on-4 is permanently fixed to implants in your jawbone, so it doesn't slip, require adhesive, or come out at night the way a traditional denture does.
Yes. Because All-on-4 is fixed in place and supported by implants rather than resting on your gums, most patients can eat a much wider range of foods than they could with a denture.
You'll brush and clean around them similarly to natural teeth, along with regular checkups so your dentist can confirm everything is fitting and functioning properly.
In many cases, yes. All-on-4 is specifically designed for patients missing most or all of the teeth in an arch. Your consultation and CBCT scan will confirm if you're a good fit.
Cost depends on your specific case, though financing brings implants down to as low as $150 a month. Your free consultation includes a clear cost estimate before you decide anything.
Failing or missing teeth left untreated can lead to further bone loss, a changing bite, and fewer options over time. Addressing it with All-on-4 restores function and helps protect your jawbone going forward.
FAQ
Veneers Questions
With good care, veneers typically last 10 to 15 years or longer before needing to be replaced.
No. Only a thin layer of enamel, often less than a millimeter, is removed to make room for the veneer, preserving as much of your natural tooth as possible.
Once the enamel is prepared, the process can't be reversed, so veneers are considered a permanent commitment. That's why your new smile is fully previewed and approved before anything permanent happens.
Veneers can create the appearance of straighter teeth for mild spacing or rotation, but significant misalignment is usually better addressed with clear aligners first.
Veneers resist staining far better than natural enamel, so coffee, wine, and other common culprits are much less likely to affect their color over time.
Some patients choose just one or two to fix a specific tooth, while others choose a full set of six to eight for a complete smile transformation. Your dentist helps you decide based on your goals.
The process is done with local anesthesia when enamel is being prepared, so most patients feel little to no discomfort during treatment.
Cost depends on how many veneers you choose, though financing brings veneers down to as low as $199 a month, so a full smile transformation fits your budget.
Veneers are cared for just like natural teeth: regular brushing, flossing, and checkups. Avoiding biting extremely hard foods directly with them helps them last as long as possible.
That's exactly what the design and temporary veneer stages are for. Adjustments happen before your final, permanent veneers are placed, so you're fully confident in the result first.
FAQ
Teeth Whitening Questions
Results vary by person and by the type of stains you're starting with, but most patients see several shades of improvement in a single visit.
Some patients notice mild, temporary sensitivity to hot or cold after treatment. Your dentist controls the strength of the treatment to keep this to a minimum.
Results typically last six months to two years, depending on your diet and habits. Cutting back on staining foods and drinks helps your results last longer.
Professional whitening uses a stronger, dentist-monitored formula that works faster and more evenly than drugstore strips or kits, which often leave uneven or disappointing results.
No. Whitening only affects natural tooth enamel, so any existing dental work stays the same color and won't lighten along with the rest of your teeth.
Yes, in most cases. Your dentist can adjust the strength and timing of your treatment to manage sensitivity while still delivering real results.
Most patients touch up their results every six months to a year, though this depends on your diet, habits, and how bright you want to keep your smile.
Not always. A single discolored tooth is often caused by internal damage rather than surface staining, and may respond better to bonding or a veneer instead.
No. Whitening is considered a cosmetic treatment and typically isn't covered by insurance, though it remains one of the more affordable cosmetic options available.
Dark foods and drinks like coffee, red wine, and berries are more likely to stain your teeth right after treatment, so it's worth avoiding them for the first 24 to 48 hours.
FAQ
Emergency Dentistry Questions
Call the office right away to get seen the same day. In the meantime, rinse with warm water and take an over-the-counter pain reliever if needed, but avoid placing aspirin directly on the gum.
Pick it up by the crown, not the root, rinse it gently without scrubbing, and try to place it back in the socket if possible. If not, keep it in milk and get to the office as quickly as you can, ideally within 30 minutes.
It depends on the severity. A minor chip can usually wait for a regular appointment, but a break that causes pain, sharp edges, or exposes the inner tooth needs same-day attention.
An emergency exam is $99. Any treatment beyond the exam is explained and priced before it moves forward.
Calling ahead helps us prepare for your visit and get you seen faster, so call as soon as you can rather than walking in without notice.
Call your nearest office first. Many dental emergencies can wait until the next business day with the right at-home care, and our team can help you figure out what's safe to wait on and what isn't.
It's best not to wait. A loose crown can let bacteria reach the tooth underneath, so getting it re-seated or replaced quickly protects the tooth from further damage.
Sudden pain often points to a cavity that’s reached the nerve, a cracked tooth, or an infection. An exam and X-ray are usually needed to find the actual cause.
Not always. It depends on what's actually causing the problem. Your dentist will let you know your options after examining the tooth, rather than assuming the worst before looking.
Swelling can signal an infection, which is always worth same-day attention, especially if it's spreading, affecting your ability to swallow or breathe, or paired with a fever. Call right away if that's the case.
FAQ
Sedation Dentistry Questions
Yes. Your vitals are monitored throughout your appointment, and your dentist selects the sedation option and level based on your health history and the treatment you need.
It depends on the option. Inhalation and oral sedation keep you relaxed but awake, while IV sedation, often called sleep dentistry, leaves most patients with little to no memory of the appointment afterward.
No. Sedation helps you relax, but local anesthetic is still used to keep you pain-free during treatment. The two work together, not in place of each other.
It depends on the type. Inhalation sedation wears off quickly enough to drive yourself home, while oral and IV sedation both require someone to drive you.
For IV sedation, you'll typically need to avoid eating for a set number of hours beforehand. Your dentist gives you specific instructions based on your sedation option.
That's exactly what your consultation is for. Your dentist reviews your anxiety level, your treatment plan, and your health history to recommend the best fit.
No. Sedation can be used for routine cleanings and exams too, not just surgery, especially for patients who experience anxiety at any dental visit.
Coverage varies by plan and by the reason sedation is being used. Our team can help you understand what your specific plan covers before treatment.
Inhalation sedation is commonly and safely used for children who feel anxious about dental visits. Your dentist can recommend the right option based on your child's age and needs.
Tell your dentist about it during your consultation. Being upfront about past experiences helps them choose an option, and a plan, that actually works for you this time.
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