Bleaching and whitening techniques are very safe and the procedures we use have been approved by the American Dental Association. Whitening your teeth does not degrade any tooth structure or make it easier to stain your teeth.

NO! You can be treated on a regular basis and may not have to have surgery. The best option is to have a dentist look first and tell you the best options for your situation.

NO! Most of the time, it is not required to get caps on your teeth to remove the spaces. Now days with porcelain facings one can easily make cosmetic changes to get rid of those spaces, make your teeth straighter, brighten the color, and fix cracks. In fact, most of the time, we won't have to remove much of the tooth structure to create a beautiful white smile.

NO! Each person is different, and each tooth is shaped and created to fit your facial structure and mouth size.

People usually refer to a dental implant as a replacement tooth or replacement teeth, but actually, it is a metal appliance that replaces the patient's tooth roots. Once the artificial roots are in, the replacement tooth is put in place and anchored securely to the bone via implant. Your new teeth work just like natural teeth and look the same as well! There are several types of implants for various dental conditions.

NO! We are qualified to do all the steps of implant dentistry from beginning to end. It is not needed to visit more than one doctor for this procedure. as when a single dentist does this procedure the outcome is more predictable and a much more comfortable.

Dental implants are an excellent choice for the patient who:

• Cannot function comfortably with normal dentures
• Has lost several teeth and wants to avoid having removable partial dentures
• Needs a crown or a fixed bridge but does not want to damage adjacent healthy teeth
• Wants the dental solution that's the closest to what normal teeth look and feel like

Because of advances in technology, more people are candidates - although many people are told they are not. The only way to know is to be evaluated by a practitioner who has received advanced training in implant dentistry. Normally, if a patient is healthy enough to have fixed bridgeworks or standard extractions, they can also have a dental implant procedure.

Most can be placed by a trained dentist in 1-2 visits. More visits will be needed to fit the replacement teeth.

Most last 30 years or longer with a preventive maintenance program. These programs help insure the long-term success of your implants and teeth.

Dental implants cost about the same as fixed bridgework or other advanced procedures.

They should be cared for the same as natural teeth. Even though implants can't decay, they're still subject to gum disease just like natural teeth are.

NO! Dental implants are made of titanium. Titanium is compatible with the body.

Normally we suggest the day of the implant placement and the next day. Most patients go back to work the next day after placement. It's all up to how you feel as an individual.

When you lose teeth, you slowly lose the bone that supports them. As this bone shrinks, problems with a lack of support lead to increased discomfort, mobility, lack of retention of dentures, and sharp, painful ridges, movable gums and sore areas. The tongue enlarges to make up the space. With tooth loss, a five-fold decrease in function occurs and the diet usually shifts to softer foods. When bone is lost, the incidence in numbness to the lower lip or even fractures of the jaw increase. In addition, this progression will affect the ability to provide treatment that we could have provided before. It could require more implants or more specialized treatment. In fact, it may have gotten to the point that we cannot even provide treatment any longer. If a person waits too long the bone loss may be so severe that the only way for a person to have teeth of any kind would require a hip graft (taking parts of bone from the patient's hip).