FAQs

We only deal with American dental laboratories (usually local labs) in order to communicate more quickly and easily. We believe that American dental laboratories use better materials and produce better work than those made in overseas labs that employ a cheaper workforce and use lower quality materials. This means you will receive high quality crowns, dentures, night guards, and implant restorations, using FDA approved materials.

The majority of people should see a dentist twice a year. However, some people have certain conditions which require them to be seen more often. It is best to discuss this with Dr. Bailey to determine what is best for you.

Brushing properly for two minutes at least twice a day is more important than which toothpaste you use. However, when choosing toothpaste you should look for one that contains fluoride, which has been proven to prevent cavities. Young children that are not able to spit should use non-fluoridated toothpaste. Also look for the ADA seal of acceptance. This means the product has been tested for its safety and effectiveness. After that it is a personal preference. I use Colgate Total but also recommend Sensodyne for patients with sensitive teeth.

The American Dental Association, Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health have run several large scale studies that concluded dental amalgam (silver filling) is safe. There also has never been any solid scientific evidence to back up any claims that link silver fillings to any disease. Dental amalgam has been used for over 100 years and has restored hundreds of millions of teeth. At Bailey Dental more than 95% of fillings placed are tooth colored (non-amalgam). In certain situations where a white filling would not be a good option, patients may choose to have an amalgam placed over a more expensive indirect restoration like a crown.

X-rays allow us to see areas of your teeth and surrounding structures that cannot be seen with a visual exam alone. X-rays help us catch potential problems early. This translates into you saving money and unnecessary discomfort.

Yes. Advances have been made with digital X-rays making the dose extremely small. New X-ray machines limit the beam to a very small area. Higher speed X-ray films require shorter exposure time, and film holders limit the number of retakes needed by positioning the film in the exact area. At Bailey Dental we use digital X-rays which use 80% less radiation than traditional X-ray film. Also federal law requires all X-ray machines to be checked every two years for accuracy and safety. According to the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measures dental X-rays represents a minor contribution to the total exposure from all sources, about 0.2%. Interesting enough 82% of the radiation exposure we receive is from natural sources such as the Sun, the ground, and the air we breathe!

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry you should bring your child when the first tooth appears and no later than their first birthday. By the age of two many children will have all of their primary teeth and some may even have cavities.

Primary teeth (baby teeth) are very important and serve necessary functions. It is wise to keep them in place until they are lost naturally. Primary teeth are needed in maintaining good nutrition by allowing your child to chew. They are an important part of speech development, and also aid in forming a path for the permanent teeth, allowing them to erupt in the proper position. Primary teeth are also important to hold the space needed for the permanent teeth. Early loss of a baby tooth generally requires an appliance called a space maintainer, which can help prevent major orthodontic problems in the future.

Fluoride helps in the prevention of cavities (dental caries) by making your teeth more resistant to the acid produced by bacteria. Fluoride can remineralize your teeth and actually reverse early tooth decay. Despite cavities being largely preventable, dental caries remains the most common chronic disease of children ages 6-11. Fluoride treatments are a great way to combat this chronic disease. The CDC agrees, they named water fluoridation one of the ten great public health achievements of the 20th century. Most fluoride treatments are given to children under the age of 16, but adults can still benefit from the application of fluoride.

No, but we will do our best to restore your tooth so that it can last a long time. Nothing we can place in, or on your tooth will be as good as your original tooth, and lets face it, the reason we are fixing your tooth is because it had decay, fractured, was painful or abscessed. However, with proper care all of our restorations should last you a long time. There are three main factors that go into how long a filling, crown or other restoration may last. The skill level of your dentist, the material or lab your dentist uses, and finally how well you take care of it after it is placed. If all three do their job your restoration will last a long time. At Bailey Dental, we use quality materials and take our time to provide an excellent restoration.

Floss their teeth. Most people brush their teeth, at least sometimes. But some people never floss, ever. By not flossing, there are areas that never get clean. This can lead to more than just cavities. Patients that do not floss their teeth are much more likely to suffer from periodontal disease (the loss of bone support), which is the number one cause of tooth loss.