Useful Dental Facts and Answers
     
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Why are dental office fees higher than my insurance allows?

It is important for our patients to understand how their dental plans determine the fees that they pay.  The allowable fees used to calculate benefits are usually determined by the employer purchasing the plan.  Although it is hard to tell on an Explanation of Benefits (EOB), employers often have an option of choosing the plan that pays at the 50th percentile, 60th percentile, 80th percentile, ect.  This decision by your employer dictates your plan's allowable fee. 

At our office, we establish fees that allow us to provide quality dental care.  For example, if a dentist's fee for a porcelain crown is $950, they cannot reduce the fee simply because a patient's plan only allows $750.  It costs a dentist $950 in time, salaries, lab, ect., to provide the crown, not $750.  The dentist's costs are the same whether a plan pays dental services at any percentile.  Remember, only your employer can increase the amount paid on claims.

Is smoking REALLY a cause for gum problems?

If you are a smoker, you are at higher risk for not only lung and circulatory problems but oral disease as well.  Smoking causes cell death and may be responsible for more than 60% of cases of adult periodontitis.  It has been reported that more than 85% or all periodontal cases are present in people who smoke.  More than 90% of gum infections that appear to be resistant to treatment are found amoung smokers.  Smokers are 2.6 to 6 times more likely to have periodontal disease.  Former smokers are more likely to have periodontal disease also.  A person who smokes will not heal as well and does not respond as well to periodontal therapy as does a nonsmoker.

Thousands of chemicals are released during smoking, which causes a large effect on the immune system that is responsible for helping you fight off infection.  So since you are aware that periodontal disease is an infection, it is easy to see how this is possible.  Many smokers show few areas of bleeding during a periodontal charting because one of the effects of smoking is reduced circulation.  Our office is a great start to get evaluated on your current situation and on to the road to positive oral health care!

Why should I use a soft toothbrush ? , it doesn't do as good of a job as a hard brush !

WRONG ! Soft bristled toothbrushes do just the same if not better of a job than the hard bristled brushes.  An old expression says, " You don't have to brush all your teeth every day, only the ones you want to keep ! ".  To maintain good oral health, your teeth must be cleaned each and every day.  Use a multifluted, soft, nylon-bristled brush instead of the hard brushes, due to the damage they have on your teeth and gums.  Soft-bristled toothbrushes last about 3 months before you should replace them, and you should not keep them any longer.  When your toothbrush bristles become worn, they do not give you the best possible performance.  Although the hard brushes do last longer, but everyone using these brushes brush too hard which damages the teeth and gums, causing the gums to wear away.  This can also wear notches into the tooth itself, which is a major cause of sensitive teeth.  So do yourself a favor, change that toothbrush and make your mouth a happier place !
 
   
 

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