Frequently Asked Questions • When can I eat? When the mouth is numb following a dental procedure you should allow the numbness to go away before eating. This prevents biting and damaging the tongue, cheeks or lips. • My crown came off, what should I do? See your dentist as soon as possible. If it will be longer than 24 hrs, place the crown back on the tooth (after washing it thoroughly) with a small amount of denture adhesive to hold it in place. • When should I start brushing my child's teeth? As soon as they start erupting into the mouth at around 6 months old. • I just knocked out a permanent front tooth, what should I do? Rinse the tooth off and place it back in the socket if you are able to do so. Otherwise place the tooth in milk and proceed to your dentist so that he can place it back into the socket. • I just had a filling placed and it is sensitive. Is this normal? No, but this is a common occurrence as temporary inflammation occurs in the dental pulp as a result of the procedure. This usually goes away in a few days to a few weeks. • What is a "regular" or standard cleaning? A "regular' cleaning where portions of the teeth above the gum are cleaned (D1110 as defined by the ADA) is recommended for persons who do not have any bone loss, periodontal disease, or infection around their teeth. There should also be no bleeding, mobility of teeth, receded areas where the gums have pulled away from the teeth, or gaps where the spaces around the roots are exposed. The mouth should be healthy with no gum or bone problems. • What is a root planing procedure? Patients with periodontal disease may require root planing to remove diseased deposits from the roots of the teeth. Other treatment, including surgery may be required. Root planing removes bacteria and its toxins, tartar, and diseased deposits from the surfaces of the tooth roots. Scaling (using dental instruments or an ultrasonic "machine†scaler to scrape away deposits) is required for the full length of the root surface, down to where the root, gum, and bone meet. • What is periodontal maintenance? After the disease process is under control, a regular cleaning is not appropriate anymore. Instead, you will require special ongoing gum and bone care procedures, also known as periodontal maintenance, to keep your mouth healthy. Periodontal maintenance is different in scope from a "regular" cleaning, even though a hygienist may perform both services. Periomaintenance can include a medical and dental history update, radiographic review, dentist exam, gum and bone exam and periodontal probing, a review of home care, and scaling and root planing, polishing, and irrigation of the gums as needed. The dentist's exams and X-rays that are currently not included in the ADA Code D-4910 are billed separately. Typically, an interval of three months between appointments may be needed. Benefits / Insurance • Do you accept insurance? Yes! We will gladly accept your insurance. You will be expected to provide us an accurate and up-to-date insurance card. This will enable us to correctly estimate your co-payments. Co-payments will be collected at the time of your visit. Since appointments can be scheduled months in advance, we will make every effort to confirm all insurance prior to your appointment time. • Will my insurance pay 100% of the cost? It is rare for any dental benefit program to cover 100% of dental cost. Unlike medical insurance, dental benefits are designed to help offset some of the cost of dental treatments. The schedule of benefits and deductible information supplied by your insurer is just a guide for expected payments. It is not a guarantee. The results of the amounts paid by the insurer are a result of the terms of the contract between the employer and the insurer. It is always a good idea to call your insurance carriers to get a copy of their covered codes. Since we strongly feel our patients deserve the best possible dental care we can provide, and in an effort to maintain high quality care, we want to share some facts about what is commonly referred to as “dental insurance†with you. FACT #1: Dental insurance is NOT insurance in the true sense of the word. Insurance is what you pay premiums for to cover a sudden, unexpected, catastrophic loss. FACT #2: What you have is a benefit program purchased by your employer to help offset the cost of doing dental procedures. FACT #3: Many routine dental services are NOT reimbursed. The plan you have is NOT based on the Dental Care you need to stay healthy. It is based on the budgetary requests of your employer. FACT #4: The amount your plan pays is determined by how much your employer pays for the program. The less your employer pays for the reimbursement program, the less assistance you will receive from the plan. FACT #5: Many of today’s modern dental treatments were not available when your dental plan was designed and may not be included in your benefit reimbursement. FACT #6: Many plans (programs) tell their customers they will be reimbursed “up to 80%†or “100%.†We have found most dental benefit programs reimburse about 50% - 60% of an average fee. Some plans may pay more, some less — based on the amount your employer is willing to pay for. FACT #7: It has been the experience of many dental offices that some companies tell patients that “fees are above the usual and customary fees†rather than stating “the benefits we are going to pay for are low.†Remember, you get back only what your employer puts in, less the charges to your company by the company paying the benefits reimbursement. Please do not hesitate in asking us questions about our office policies. We want you to be comfortable in dealing with these matters and we urge you to consult us if you have any questions regarding our services or fees. We will do all we can to assure you receive the maximum benefits allowed by your program. If you have any questions regarding reimbursements you may or may not qualify for, we ask that you contact your employer regarding the specifics and details of the plan it is conducting in your behalf. • Do my dental benefits cover teeth whitening services? No, dental coverage does not recognize cosmetic dentistry as necessary treatment. However, we do have payment plans available to enable those who wish to enhance their smile. • Are payment plans available? Yes! We offer interest free financing to qualified patients through CareCredit. This financing is based on your credit history and income. If you are approved, you will receive a credit limit and an account number that is available to you immediately for your dental needs. We also accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover. DMD Petty E. John  General Dentistry 8am to 5pm Monday-Thursday 2118 N. Jackson St. Tullahoma, TN 37388 (931)454-9499   |
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