Questions and answers

Bring a photo ID, your dental insurance card if you have one, and a list of the medicines you take. Include over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and supplements. Some of them can affect bleeding, healing, or how dry your mouth feels.

If another dentist has taken X-rays of your teeth in the last few years, bring copies or the name of that office. With your permission, a dental office can usually send copies to your new dentist. Recent X-rays can sometimes mean fewer new ones.

A first visit usually takes longer than a routine checkup. There’s more to do: going over your health history, a full exam, X-rays, and time to talk through what we find.

When the office calls to confirm your visit, ask how long to plan for. If you need to be somewhere afterward, mention it then.

X-rays show what an exam can’t: decay between teeth and under old fillings, the roots, and the bone that holds your teeth. Many problems start in these hidden places and don’t hurt until they’re bigger.

A first set of X-rays also gives us a starting point to compare against at later visits. Which X-rays you need, and how often, depends on your mouth and your health history, not on a fixed schedule.

Dental X-rays use a small dose of radiation. If you’re pregnant or might be, tell us before any X-rays are taken.

Fill out the short request form with your name, phone number, reason for your visit, and the days and times that usually work for you. Once we get your request, we’ll call you to confirm a time. You can also call the office to set up a visit.

A request isn’t a booked appointment until you’ve talked with the office and agreed on a time. If you’re in pain or something is urgent, call the office instead of using the form.

Call the office as soon as you know. The sooner we hear from you, the easier it is to find you a new time and to offer yours to someone else who needs it.

Calling is the quickest way, because you can choose a new time while you’re on the phone. If you’d like to know the office’s policy on late changes, ask when your visit is confirmed.

Call the office with the name of your insurance company and your plan. Both are usually printed on your insurance card. The plans the office works with are listed on our insurance and financing page.

Plans change, so check before your first visit, even if you see yours listed. You can also ask your plan whether Dr. Minici is in network. An in-network dentist has a contract with your plan and agrees to its fees.

Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) doesn’t cover most dental care, such as checkups, cleanings, fillings, or dentures. It may pay for some dental care that’s needed as part of certain medical treatment.

Some Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) include dental benefits. If you have one, call the office with the plan’s name to ask whether the office accepts it. Then check with your plan to see what it covers.

It depends on what you need and on your insurance, so it’s hard to give a fair answer before an exam. After your exam, we’ll explain an estimate for any treatment we recommend before anything starts.

An estimate is based on what we know about your plan at the time. What your plan actually pays can be different. Ask about anything on the estimate that isn’t clear.

If cost is a concern, tell us. There’s often more than one way to treat a problem, and it helps to know before we talk through your options.

Financing lets you pay for treatment over time instead of all at once. It’s usually offered by a separate company, not the dental office. You apply with that company, often with a credit check.

Read the terms closely before you sign up. Some financing plans have a promotional period. If the balance isn’t paid in full by the end of it, interest may be charged from the start.

The financing options and payment methods the office works with are listed on our insurance and financing page. If you have questions, ask the office before treatment starts.

Tell us. You can mention it when you request a visit, when the office calls, or when you arrive. Many people feel this way, and knowing ahead of time helps us plan your visit and take it slowly.

Before we start anything, we’ll explain what we’re going to do and what you’ll feel. For treatment like a filling, we numb the area first and check that it’s numb before we begin. We’ll also agree on a signal, like raising your hand, that means “stop for a moment.” When you use it, we stop.

If you think you might need more help to relax, ask about sedation. If you think you might need more help to relax, ask about sedation. Our sedation options page explains how it works, and the office can tell you which options are available here.

For most treatment, such as a filling or a crown, we numb the area first with a local anesthetic. That’s a medicine that blocks feeling in one part of your mouth. A numbing gel on the gum first takes the edge off the injection, and we wait until you’re numb before we begin.

Once you’re numb, you may still feel pressure or vibration. The goal is that you feel no sharp pain. If you do, raise your hand, and we’ll stop and give you more numbing.

Some soreness for a day or two is common after some treatments. We’ll tell you what to expect before you go home.

Numbness from a dental injection usually wears off within a few hours. It can last longer for some people and some treatments, especially work on the lower back teeth.

Until it wears off, be careful not to bite your lip, cheek, or tongue, which is easy to do without noticing. Wait to eat until you can feel your mouth again, and take care with hot drinks. Watch children closely, since they may chew on a numb lip.

Call the office if you have bad tooth pain, a broken or knocked-out tooth, or swelling in your gum or face. A lost filling or crown usually isn’t urgent, but call so we can tell you what to do in the meantime. If you’re not sure, call.

Go to an emergency room or call 911 for swelling that spreads toward your eye or down your neck, or for trouble breathing or swallowing. Do the same for a high fever, bleeding that won’t stop with pressure, or a jaw injury after an accident. These need care right away.

Our emergency care page explains what to do after hours.

Act fast. The sooner an adult tooth is back in place, the better its chances. Pick the tooth up by the crown, the part you chew with, and don’t touch the root. If it’s dirty, rinse it briefly with milk or water, but don’t scrub it.

If you can, gently push it back into its socket and hold it there by biting on a clean cloth. If that isn’t possible, keep it moist in a small cup of milk. An adult can also hold it in the mouth, next to the cheek. Then call the office right away.

Don’t try to put a baby tooth back in. Call the office instead.

Rinse your mouth with warm water, and floss gently around the tooth in case food is caught there. A cold pack on the outside of your cheek, for about 15 minutes at a time, can ease pain and swelling. An over-the-counter pain reliever can help if it’s safe for you. Follow the directions on the label.

Don’t put aspirin or any pain reliever on the gum or tooth, because it can burn the gum. Call the office, even if the pain fades, since a toothache is often a sign of a problem that needs treatment. If your face is swelling or you have a fever, call right away.

Plan the first visit by your child’s first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth coming in. That’s what the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry both recommend.

Early visits are usually short and simple. They’re a chance to check for early decay and to talk about brushing, feeding, and fluoride. They also help your child get used to the dentist before anything needs fixing. Call the office to ask about the ages Dr. Minici sees.

Keep it simple and matter-of-fact. Tell your child the dentist will count their teeth, look at them, and maybe take pictures of them. Picture books about going to the dentist can help younger children know what to expect.

Try not to use words like “hurt” or “shot,” even to say it won’t happen. Let us explain things in our own words. Children often take their cues from you, so if you’re nervous about the dentist yourself, try not to show it.

Choose a time of day when your child is usually rested, and bring a favorite toy if it helps.

Yes. Baby teeth help children chew and speak clearly, and they hold space for the adult teeth growing underneath. Some back baby teeth stay until about age 12.

A cavity in a baby tooth can cause pain and infection, just like one in an adult tooth. An infection can also harm the adult tooth forming below it. And losing a baby tooth too early can let nearby teeth drift into the space, which can crowd the adult tooth when it comes in.

Many people do well with a checkup and cleaning about every six months, but there’s no single answer for everyone. You may need to come more often if you’ve had gum disease, get cavities often, or have a health condition such as diabetes. Some people with very healthy mouths can come less often.

After your exam, Dr. Minici will recommend a schedule that fits your mouth. Many insurance plans pay for two cleanings a year, but your plan’s rules don’t always match what your mouth needs.

A cleaning removes plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, and tartar, which is plaque that has hardened on your teeth. Tartar can’t be brushed off at home. It’s removed with small hand tools, and sometimes with a tool that vibrates and sprays water. Then your teeth are polished and flossed.

Most people feel scraping, pressure, and some vibration. If your teeth or gums are sensitive, tell us, and we can slow down and work more gently.

It depends on how much of the tooth is damaged. A filling repairs a smaller area, and the healthy tooth around it holds the filling in place. When a large part of a tooth is broken, cracked, or already filled, there may not be enough strong tooth left to hold a filling. Then a crown, a cap that covers the whole tooth, can protect what’s left.

In between, an inlay or onlay, a custom-made filling bonded into place, is sometimes an option. Back teeth that have had a root canal often need a crown, too. Your exam and X-rays show how much healthy tooth remains, and Dr. Minici will explain why he suggests one or the other.

Crowns are designed to last many years with good care. Many last 10 years or more, and some last much longer. How long yours lasts depends on the material, where it sits in your mouth, how hard you bite, and how you care for it.

Brush and floss around a crown just as you would a natural tooth. The tooth underneath can still get a cavity where it meets the crown. If you grind your teeth, a night guard can help protect it.

Most people need a few weeks, and some need longer. At first, dentures can feel bulky, and you may make more saliva than usual. Sore spots are common in the first days. A small adjustment usually helps, so call the office if something rubs.

Start with soft foods cut into small pieces, and chew on both sides at once to keep the dentures steady. Reading out loud can help your speech settle. Over time, your gums and bone change shape, so dentures need to be checked and sometimes relined, or refitted, to keep fitting well.

Some people notice sensitivity during whitening or for a short time after. It usually fades within a few days once you stop. A toothpaste made for sensitive teeth can help, and so can a short break between whitening sessions.

Whitening has limits, too. It doesn’t change the color of crowns, fillings, or veneers, and some stains respond better than others. An exam first can show whether whitening is likely to work for you, and whether any cavities or gum problems should be treated before you start.

Both can change the shape or color of front teeth. Bonding uses a tooth-colored resin, a putty-like material that’s shaped right on your tooth and hardened with a light. It’s usually done in one visit with little or no removal of enamel. Over the years, it can stain or chip more easily than porcelain.

A porcelain veneer is a thin shell made to fit the front of a tooth and bonded in place. It usually takes two visits. A thin layer of enamel is often removed first, so the change can’t be undone. Porcelain resists stains well.

Your exam and your goals help decide which makes more sense for you.

Many adults who are missing a tooth can have an implant, but it depends on a few things. You need healthy gums and enough bone in your jaw to hold the implant. Smoking and health conditions that slow healing, such as diabetes that isn’t well controlled, can make it harder for an implant to heal well.

If you don’t have enough bone, a bone graft can sometimes add it. An exam and X-rays, sometimes with a 3D scan, show whether an implant is a good option for you and what your other options are.

From start to finish, it usually takes several months. First, the implant, a small post that replaces the tooth’s root, is placed in your jaw, with the area numbed. Then the bone needs time to grow tightly around it, usually a few months.

Once it has healed, a connector and a crown are attached to the implant. If you need a tooth removed or a bone graft first, the whole process takes longer. You may be able to wear a temporary tooth while you heal. Ask what your own timeline would look like.

Bite gently on the gauze for as long as you were told. This helps a blood clot form, and that clot protects the socket while it heals. For the first day or so, don’t spit hard, drink through a straw, or smoke, because these can pull the clot loose.

Eat soft foods, and chew on the other side. A cold pack on your cheek can help with swelling. If you were told to rinse, start gently the next day.

Call the office if the bleeding doesn’t slow down, the pain gets worse after two or three days, or you have a fever or swelling that keeps growing.

It’s common, but it isn’t normal. Healthy gums usually don’t bleed. Bleeding is often an early sign of gingivitis, which is red, swollen gums caused by plaque along the gumline.

Keep brushing and flossing gently every day, even if your gums bleed. With good daily care, mild bleeding often gets better within a week or two. If it doesn’t, or if your gums are sore, swollen, or pulling away from your teeth, have them checked.

Some medicines, such as blood thinners, can make gums bleed more easily. Tell us what you take.

A deep cleaning, also called scaling and root planing, treats gum disease below the gumline. When gum disease sets in, pockets form between the gums and the teeth. A deep cleaning removes plaque and tartar from the roots inside those pockets. Then it smooths the root surfaces so the gums can heal and tighten around the teeth.

The area is usually numbed first, and the work is often done one section of the mouth at a time. Your gums may be tender for a few days afterward. Regular follow-up cleanings help keep the disease under control.

The early stage can be. Gingivitis, when the gums are red, swollen, or bleed easily, often clears up with a professional cleaning and good brushing and flossing at home.

If gum disease reaches the bone that holds your teeth, it’s called periodontitis. Bone lost this way doesn’t grow back on its own. But treatment can usually stop the disease from getting worse and help you keep your teeth. That’s why catching it early matters, and why bleeding gums are worth having checked.

The tooth is numbed before treatment starts, and most people say a root canal feels much like getting a filling, only longer. You’ll feel pressure and hear the instruments, but the goal is that you feel no sharp pain. If you do, let your dentist know right away.

The pain people link with root canals usually comes from the infected tooth beforehand, and treatment is meant to relieve it. Afterward, the tooth may be tender for a few days. An over-the-counter pain reliever usually helps, if it’s safe for you.

When a tooth can be saved, keeping it is often the better long-term choice. Your natural tooth keeps its place in your bite and helps hold its neighbors where they are. A pulled tooth leaves a gap, and replacing it later with an implant, a bridge, or a partial denture means more treatment.

But not every tooth can be saved. A tooth may be cracked too deeply or too broken down to repair. Your dentist will explain your options and what to expect with each one, so you can decide.

Often, yes, especially for back teeth. A tooth that needs a root canal has usually lost a lot of its structure to decay, old fillings, or the opening made for treatment. Back teeth take strong chewing forces, so without a crown to hold them together, they’re more likely to crack.

A front tooth with plenty of healthy structure left may need only a filling. Your dentist will tell you which your tooth needs, and how soon. Waiting too long can let the tooth break or let bacteria back in.

Only what we need to call you back. That’s your name, your phone number, and an email address if you’d like to give one. The form also asks whether you’re a new or returning patient, the reason for your visit, and the days and times that usually work for you. There’s room for an optional short note.

The form doesn’t ask for your health history, your date of birth, insurance ID numbers, or any uploads. We use what you send to contact you about your visit.

A website form is a handy way to ask for a visit, but it isn’t the right place for health information. Keeping the form short means less of your private information is sent over the internet and stored in email.

Your health history matters, and we’ll ask about it in your patient forms and at your visit, where it’s protected under health privacy rules. If something about your health affects your visit, call the office and tell us.