At Belvedere Family Dentistry we are committed to making your new patient exam and cleaning as easy and as convenient for you as possible. Below you will find additional information on what to expect at your first appointment so you can be as comfortable as possible!
All new patients will need to fill out new patient forms to help us meet your entire healthcare needs. These forms can be found on our website by clicking this link or by going to our “Patients” page and downloading them there. We recommend, and encourage, all new patients to fill out all of their paperwork ahead of time to save time the day of your appointment. We ask that all new patients try to arrive 15 minutes before their appointment to get checked in and ensure we have all of your paperwork filled out properly. If you are running behind for your appointment, please call us, and if you are more than 15 minutes late, you may have to reschedule your appointment.
Once you are fully checked in by our front office team, your dental hygienist will take you back to begin your appointment. At this time your hygienist will begin your comprehensive exam and cleaning. They will thoroughly check your gums and your entire mouth, and perform x-rays. X-rays are a great way to find further problems that may not be detectable during your regular visual or tactile exam.
After this is complete, you will then be seen by your dentist. Did you know that your dentist completes an oral cancer screening every time you come in for a dental exam? This is done by checking your gums carefully, the inside of your cheeks, and your tongue, as well as looking at the roof and floor of your mouth. In addition to screening for oral cancer, your dentist will look for any cavities, gum disease, excessive wear, and many other issues!
If there are any concerns after your examination, your dentist will provide you with the proper treatment plan. Our front office will guide you through payment options to get the work completed, help you schedule your next appointment, and answer any further questions you may have.
It is our goal to make your first appointment with us a great one. If you have any questions regarding your new patient exam, give us a call at (704) 927- 5499. We are happy to help!
Preventing chips in your teeth can easily be done. However, knowing some tips to make your teeth stay in the best shape is essential. With the best dentists in Charlotte letting you know some tips and tricks, you can ensure that these tips are the best ones out there. Of course, if you do notice chips in your teeth, it is important to speak with the dentist near you to find out how they’re able to help fix the problem.
Chips happen. Your teeth are used on a daily basis and because of this, they have to be well cared for. Here are some tips to ensure that your teeth are in the best shape possible. Plus, they can help prevent those little chips that might happen.
If you’re worried about the chips in your teeth or want to protect them against chips, speak with a top dentist in Charlotte today. Give our office here at Belvedere Family Dentistry in Charlotte, NC a call. Our dentists can provide you with the best course of action to ensure that the chips, breaks and cracks that you get are reduced through the best methods. Set up an appointment today.
A healthy and beautiful smile instills confidence in yourself. You make the people around you happy by smiling all the time and you are more popular among your peers. If it’s time for you to improve the look of your smile, use the following nine tips to obtaining a healthier and more confident smile:
1. Brush Twice Daily and Floss
One of the most basic dental hygiene tips you’ll here often is to brush at least twice a day and floss in the morning. This will help keep your teeth clean and free from any food particles, and will also help prevent staining if you brush at the proper times.
2. Visit Your Local Dental Office At Least Twice a Year
Standard dental insurance policies allow for patients to visit our Uptown Charlotte dentist twice a year for checkups and cleanings. During these visits, the dentist will examine your teeth, take x-rays and inform you of any potential issues. The hygienist will perform a thorough cleaning that can’t be done at home.
3. Try Off-The-Shelf Whitening Products
If you’re worried about the color of your teeth, try some basic whitening products to see if any of them work. Whitening tooth paste costs the same as regular tooth paste, and whitening mouth wash can be very effective as well. If you don’t notice any changes within a couple of weeks but still want a whiter smile, take a trip to our local Uptown Charlotte dentist for a consultation.
4. Avoid Dry Mouth At All Costs
Dry mouth is often the root cause of a variety of dental issues, including gum disease, tooth decay, infections and more. After eating or drinking, chew a piece of gum to help your saliva flow more easily.
5. Reduce Sugar Intake
Sugar and starchy foods are big culprits of tooth decay and plaque buildup. Avoid these types of foods as much as possible and stick to fruits and vegetables for the majority of your snacks. Some types of vegetables even help remove plaque and particles from between your teeth.
6. Avoid Wine and Coffee
Try to limit your coffee and wine intake to reduce the amount of stain on your teeth. Most Americans drink more than one coffee per day, which can lead to a significant stain buildup and become more difficult to remove.
7. Only Water at Night
While it may not be one of the more common dental hygiene tips, drinking water right before bed instead of other types of liquid can help prevent stain and tooth decay that may occur overnight.
8. Don’t Brush After Drinking
If you always brush your teeth after drinking an acidic beverage, it’s time to stop. Brushing your teeth after drinking soda or something similar can lead to enamel decay because you’re brushing the acid right into your teeth.
9. Don’t Wait Until It Hurts
Don’t wait to visit your local dental office until your teeth start hurting. If you know you have a cavity or some other dental issue, make an appointment to have it fixed right away. Waiting too long can lead to root canals and other painful procedures.
Many people are afraid of visiting their dentist for a general checkup, but this is a vital step for good dental health. There are several reasons which are regularly cited by the reluctant dental patient for avoiding the pursuit of general dentistry:
There is No Need to Feel Embarrassed
It’s surprising how often this comes up, but it probably shouldn’t be. We’re all more socially conscious than we like to admit. However, if you need stitches or to have a bone set, you don’t avoid going to the emergency room out of embarrassment. The doctor’s only concern is to fix the problem while helping you to avoid a recurrence. The same is true of general dentistry. Your dentist has seen worse mouths than yours, guaranteed. A regular checkup with your Uptown Charlotte dentist is just the thing to make sure that this stays true!
Dentists Practice Effective Pain Management
It’s no laughing matter: many people with serious tooth pain avoid going to the dentist out of fear of experiencing additional pain. However, their dentist will preface any painful procedures with the generous use of a variety of anesthetic agents. Tooth pain is piercing and intense, but your dentist is the one who can make it all go away.
The Cost of General Dentistry
Most dental practices are less expensive than otherwise comparable medical procedures involving other parts of the body, and dental insurance is a relatively inexpensive form of insurance to procure for oneself. If money is still the major concern, the best way to avoid the expense of complicated dental procedures is to have regular checkups. A simple cleaning, coupled with other regular maintenance, is the best way to ensure that more serious problems never rear their ugly heads.
Toothache is a Pain; Call Today for an Appointment!
If you are a resident of the Uptown Charlotte area and you are suffering from pronounced tooth pain, don’t spend a moment longer than you have to suffering from such discomfort. Give our office a call, and have a qualified Uptown Charlotte dentist make your problem go away. You’ll smile wider without all of that pain in the way!
In the same way that preventive care is one of the most important elements of dentistry, a regular cleaning of the teeth is one of the most important elements of preventive dental care. Teeth cleaning is available from most general dentistry offices and is one of the services available from a Uptown Charlotte dentist.
Why is Dental Cleaning Important?
Teeth cleaning is needed to prevent the accumulation of tarter and plaque, the latter of which contains bacteria that can lead to other problems. Cleaning thus works in the following ways:
•Protection from tooth decay
•Protection from gum disease
•Protection from other diseases
The cleaning process is usually quick and easy, and can be performed in any general dentistry office. The dentist or dental hygienist will first remove large deposits of tarter and plaque by hand, using special instruments and without causing any harm to the teeth or gums. The teeth will then be polished and, possibly, treated with fluoride.
Teeth whitening is a cosmetic technique that is supplemental to cleaning, but may be needed when teeth become stained or discolored. Whitening is achieved through the use of a special dental bleach that is applied directly to the teeth. Most dentists provide teeth whitening services.
Dental cleaning is virtually painless and can avoid conditions that are a genuine pain.
Untreated dental problems have been linked to such ailments as dementia and heart disease.
When is the Right Time for Cleaning Teeth?
A teeth cleaning every six months has for many decades been the accepted routine in dentistry. However, this time frame will vary upon the condition of a person’s teeth and gums and of one’s personal practices. Those who participate in a good dental hygiene program may be able to stretch their cleanings to a year or longer. On the other hand, those with serious oral problems may require cleaning on a monthly basis, at least until the underlying condition can be brought under control.
Even the best brushing and flossing practices will not prevent the accumulation of tarter and plaque, which is why periodic cleanings are still necessary. However, you should consult with your dentist to determine what schedule is best for you. A Uptown Charlotte dentist is available to keep your teeth clean and white. Contact our office to make an appointment.
Maintaining white teeth and a confident smile is easy with the help of a dentist, and getting regular checkups from a Uptown Charlotte dentist helps you prevent problems before they even start.
How Often to Get a General Checkup
Most people find that they can see a general dentist once or twice a year to maintain a healthy smile.
If you take excellent care of your teeth, and generally have little risk of gum disease, cavities, or more serious oral diseases, your dentist will likely recommend that you come back in six to twelve months after your appointment.
Some people fall into groups that are considered to be high-risk by dentists, however. These groups include:
• Diabetics
• People who have gum disease
• People with a history of cavities
• People with weak immune systems
• Pregnant women
• Smokers
Anyone who falls into this group should visit their general dentist more regularly than those who see low risk of oral disease problems. The recommended visiting rate for anyone who falls into one of these categories is every three to four months. However, people who struggle with things such as cavities, gum disease, oral cancer, or frequent bacterial infections might need to visit even more often than that.
What You Can Expect at a General Checkup
During your general checkup, a dentist will help you maintain healthy white teeth in a few simple steps.
The typical appointment will begin with a thorough teeth cleaning. Either the dentist or the dental hygienist will remove any remaining plaque or tartar from your teeth and gums using dental tools, and then, your teeth will be flossed and polished to prepare for your exam.
A full dental examination is performed by the dentist themselves. During the exam, the dentist looks at your whole mouth, including the tongue, teeth, and gums. The exam is done to look for potential problems or diseases.
Every couple of years, or in some cases, annually, the dentist may take an x-ray of your mouth. X-rays are used as diagnostic tools to look below the surface at things the dentist cannot see on their own. An x-ray can be used to find impacted teeth, tooth decay, abscesses, or damage to your jaw.
If you are ready for to create a confident smile, click here to request an appointment with a Uptown Charlotte dentist.
These days, many Uptown Charlotte residents have realized that having a professional teeth cleaning can get their pearly whites in optimal condition. However, many of these individuals don’t know how to maintain the great effects of their teeth cleaning once their Uptown Charlotte dentist has completed the job. If this is your dilemma, this article is for you. Read on to learn about several general dentistry strategies you can employ to maintain results for as long as possible:
1. Watch What You Eat.
If you’re serious about maintaining the great effects of the cleaning services provided by your Uptown Charlotte dentist, make sure that you take the time to watch what you eat. There are several foods that can cause your teeth to deteriorate, and some of them include:
• sticky candy
• soda
• coffee
• hard candy
• pickles
• alcohol
Just as there are certain foods that you should avoid, there are several foods that you should consume regularly to promote optimal functionality and aesthetic appeal for your teeth. Some of them include:
• spinach
• apples
• celery
• arugula
• almonds
2. Use The Right Toothbrush.
Once you’ve had cosmetic dentistry services that get your teeth super clean, remember that maintaining the effects will require at-home work. For example, you’ll need to ensure that you’re using the right toothbrush. The ideal brush will have soft bristles. Also keep in mind that your toothbrush needs to be replaced every two to three months. In many cases, people notice that their bristles have become bent and replace the brush at this point. However, you shouldn’t wait until this tell-tale sign appears because even a brush with straight bristles can grow blunt and cause injury to your gums and teeth.
3. Floss Regularly.
Although attaining cosmetic dentistry services is great, you won’t be able to maintain the effects that long if you don’t floss regularly. As such, be sure that you floss your teeth twice a day. Doing so will prevent the accumulation of plaque between your teeth while also decreasing your susceptibility to bad breath.
Summing It All Up
If you’re serious about maintaining the effects of cleaning services, now is the time to implement strategies that will help you do so. You can implement some or all of the oral care strategies outlined above to ensure that your pearly whites remain in tip top condition. Also be sure to call our dentist office today to schedule your professional teeth cleaning.
As an adult, you know that you need to take care of your teeth. Whether you’re trying to maintain the healthy smile that braces gave you decades ago or you want to prevent huge problems with decay, going to the local dentist office is part of your regular routine. However, a children’s dentist is just as important when it comes to your kids’ dental hygiene.
Preventative Measures
You might think that going to the children’s dentist will always guarantee a clean bill of health because your kids couldn’t possibly have issues yet. However, the assumption is both false and dangerous to make. The dentists may recognize serious problems that are beginning to grow beneath the surface, and they can take preventative measures to optimize your children’s dental hygiene. On top of that, by providing the professionals with dental and medical history, they can craft a plan to help your kids prevent certain problems.
Early Action
Maybe you do not feel as though your children need to go the dentist because they still have all of their baby teeth. Dentists, though, can see if some of the adult teeth are starting to grow in properly. If they are not, the experts may suggest braces once all of the adult teeth are in. Then, instead of waiting until months or years down the road to start talking with your kids about braces, you can start to prepare them now.
Healthy Habits
The longer you wait to bring your kids to the dentist for the first time, the more their fears may grow. By bringing your children to the dentist when they are young, you can help them to establish good habits. You are teaching them that going to the dentist should play a role in their regular activities. Also, you can work to get rid of any fears that they may have about the dentist before the children at the school start to spread rumors around.
Waiting to take your children to the dentist can harm them in the long term. They might develop fears of the dentist, or they may not recognize how important these visits are. When you want to teach your kids about how important it is to go to the dentist, you should call our office to schedule an appointment now.
Just as you must visit the local dentist office regularly, so must your children.
Perhaps you are young, or maybe you have always taken good care of your teeth. Therefore, you have not made many steps to prevent gum disease, specifically. In your mind, such a problem may seem years away or even a complete impossibility. Instead of allowing this disease to run you down later on, take preventative measures now. A number of reasons exist to do so.
You may not realize until it’s too late.
While you may have some warning signs of gum disease, that is not always the case, especially if you are haphazard about your oral hygiene. By the time you recognize that a problem exists and schedule an appointment with the general dentist, you may have put yourself into a precarious position with your health.
You can detect the warning signs.
Instead of allowing yourself to sit idly while you wait for gum disease to arrive, you should speak with your general dentist now about what to look for. Seeing what you have to watch out for is crucial. That way, as soon as you notice a problem, you can head to the dentist to talk about plans.
You can figure out what your risks are.
Even if you still end up developing gum disease, you can go into the situation with an educated mind. Speaking to your dentist now allows you to make plans for the future. Your dentist may be able to tell you what your chances are of getting gum disease. If the risk is high, you can begin to acclimate your mind to the types of treatment plans you will need to follow in the future.
Gum disease can be deadly.
Preparing for potential problems is always useful, especially when the problems can pose a fatal risk to your health. For example, if you have gum disease, you may be inviting bacteria into your gums. Once these diseases are in your gums, they can travel to through your bloodstream to other parts of your body; they could, for example, reach your heart.
Gum disease is a major dental issue, but too many people take it lightly and ignore the serious consequences it can have. Do not allow yourself to fall into this scenario. Instead, call our office now to schedule an appointment with one of our dental experts.
When you have a tooth that has died or decayed beyond repair, your dentist may suggest performing a root canal treatment. Your local dentist office will extract the pulp from the middle of the tooth and replace it with a filling. This will promote healing of the tooth and protect against infection. If you are having a root canal performed, here is what you can expect:
You Will Not Feel a Thing
Your dentist will want you to be as relaxed as possible. Before starting the root canal treatment the dentist will inject local anesthetic around the gums. Your gums, teeth, tongue and the surrounding skin will feel completely numb. You may feel slight pressure, but you should not experience any pain during the procedure.
Removing the Pulp
With special tools and a drill, your dentist will carefully extract the pulp from the decayed tooth. Your dentist will take special care to make sure all of the pulp is taken out to avoid infection or complications. Next, medicine will be inserted, along with material that will provide a filling for the tooth.
You Get Crowned
Oftentimes, after a root canal the tooth will then need a permanent crown placed over it. The dentist will make an impression of the tooth to design a crown that will be a perfect match to cover the existing tooth. The crown may take several days to construct, so your dentist may put on a temporary crown until the permanent one can be bonded to the tooth.
After the Root Canal
After the procedure your lips and gums may feel numb for a few hours. This is perfectly normal and will wear off gradually. Later you may experience some pain that may last one to two days. An over-the-counter pain medication, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen should relieve your discomfort.
Your teeth and gums are an important part to your overall wellbeing. Keep them healthy with regular check-ups and maintenance. Call our local dentist office today to schedule an appointment.
Uptown Charlotte Dentistry & Orthodontics
We do our best to make it easy for you to get the beautiful smile you deserve! Our office accepts nearly all major insurance plans. Even though dental insurance is a private arrangement between you and your company, we will file your claim, handle all the paperwork, and help you get maximum insurance benefits.
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